Principal's Message
Dear Arroyo Families,
It’s hard to believe that 2021 is coming to an end. It’s been a year of incredible highs and lows for all of us, both individually and collectively, and I hope you can take some time over the holidays to reflect on the past year and unwind from it all (and help your children do the same). No matter what holidays you celebrate, winter break is a great time to spend quality time with family, making memories and carrying on traditions. It’s a wonderful time to start new traditions as well, and 4th and 5th graders are at a perfect age to help develop those traditions and find things that bring meaning and joy for them.
Speaking of traditions, at Arroyo we love to celebrate the end of the calendar year with a spirit week and some fun classroom activities. Our Eagle Council has selected the following themes for spirit days next week. Please encourage your child to participate.
- Monday: Holiday Clothes & Colors
- Have a special holiday outfit/shirt/sweater? If not, wear your favorite holiday colors.
- Tuesday: Holiday Art
- Turn in a drawing or art project by Tuesday morning to decorate the Learning Commons.
- Wednesday: Winter Wear
- Pile on the hats, scarves, mittens or gloves and bundle up for a cold winter day.
- Thursday: Holiday Pajama Day
- Celebrate the last day of school in your cozy holiday (or any day) PJs.
Our student-led clubs started this week and it was great to see our Eagles connecting with other students that they may not have had an opportunity to meet yet and finding common interests. This week the clubs took some time to get to know each other. Next week and after the break they will begin digging into their activities. While we have adults supervising clubs, they are entirely student led. This is a great leadership opportunity for students, but also an important learning opportunity for both leaders and members. Some clubs will successfully meet regularly throughout the rest of the year and others will fizzle out over time, that’s all part of the process for our student leaders. If you hear of any issues arising from the clubs, please let me know so we can address it right away.
Thank you to the families who donated gift cards to help families in need during the holiday season. One of my favorite things about the Arroyo community is the way we come together and care for one another. I’ll be reaching out to families in need to distribute the gift cards early next week. If you are in need and haven’t let me know yet, please fill out this form and I will be in touch with you as soon as possible.
As the year winds down, I wanted to remind you of the schedule this week and returning from winter break.
- This Thursday, December 16 is a minimum day with dismissal at 12:50pm and our last day before break. 5th graders will still have their elective/PE from 12-12:50pm on Thursday. 4th graders will have their elective or PE on Wednesday instead from 12-12:50pm.
- Friday, December 17 is the beginning of winter break. School will be closed for winter break through January 3.
- Monday, January 3 is a professional development day for staff.
- School will resume on Tuesday, January 4.
When we are back in January it will be time for our 2nd annual SCEF Read-a-thon. This great new tradition is one of our favorite times of the year at Arroyo as we come together to celebrate reading. We’re planning some fun activities to go along with the read-a-thon and encourage all students to participate. Register by Dec 15th and enter drawings to win WARRIORS TICKETS, or gift cards to Diddam’s, Tutti Frutti, Tea Hut, Reading Bug, Gelataio, Crepe Stop, or Patxi’s Pizza. AND parents can win, too--a gift card to TOWN! Visit www.scefkids.org/read2022 to register and learn more!
Finally, a reminder that if you travel over the holidays, we encourage you to follow the current travel recommendations which can be found on the county health department's page Safety Recommendation for Holiday Travel and in the chart below.
If your child does need to quarantine, we have an at-home study plan for them to follow while at home which allows the absence during quarantine to be considered present for attendance purposes. Please contact Tracey Olazar ([email protected]) if you need to enroll your child in this program. By January, many of our students (but not all) will be fully vaccinated, but it’s still important for all of us to take precautions to keep Covid (and other germs) away from school.
Wishing you warm and wonderful holidays and a restful break. See you in 2022!
Warmly,
Mindy Shelton
Principal
[email protected]
PTA News
Fall Fundraiser: PLEASE DONATE - It's the Last Week!
The PTA is truly grateful to everyone who has contributed to our PTA Partner campaign. Thanks to you, we are 74% to our goal! We have only NINE DAYS LEFT to accept donations — any amount that works for your family would mean a lot. Can you help us meet our goal so the PTA can fund resources and programs for our students and teachers? Please click here to donate today!
Are You a Business Owner?
Get the word out about your business AND help provide enriching activities for our students by becoming a local business sponsor! When you join your fellow Central-Arroyo parents/business owners as a PTA sponsor, your business’s name will be featured on a banner during the PTA’s marquee spring event, the Stampede and Soar. Through your sponsorship, you have the opportunity to reach the families of 700+ students in the San Carlos community. Here’s the link to become a sponsor. For more information, email Fundraising Chair Angie Wu at [email protected].
Thank You to Our 2021-22 Sponsors!
- PLATINUM LEVEL: San Carlos Orthodontics
- GOLD LEVEL: Andrews Orthodontics; Chang Orthodontics; County Consumer Plumbing Group; Kirsten Kell, Marriage and Family Therapist
- SILVER LEVEL: Alana Corso, Sereno; Joyce & Tatum Real Estate Team; and Matt Grodin CPA.
Upload Your photos for the Arroyo 2021-22 Yearbook!
Parents & Teachers can now sign into TreeRing and upload photos into shared folders for the various classrooms or themes. You can also upload into private folders for use on personal/custom TreeRing pages later.
Our yearbook reps for each class will look through those photos periodically for use on your classroom’s montage page and the various events pages. Deadline to be announced later, but good to start uploading now, including class events, Halloween, sports, pets, etc.
Quick instructions below, and we have very detailed instructions here:
- Goto Treering at https://treering.com/validate - Use our passcode: 1014628525232886
- If you’ve used TreeRing before then click the green Log-In button on the bottom right, and if you are new to TreeRing you’ll create a new account.
- Select your teacher’s name
- You can purchase a yearbook now or click the “Buy later” link in the top left
- Scroll down to find Share Photos > “Share Your Photos” button
- Click the Shared Photo Folders icon and find the appropriate classroom or named event folder, then upload by clicking Add Photos button
The CMS/Arroyo Library Could Use Your Help!
Our school librarian is looking for parent volunteers to help with shelving books and/or lunchtime library supervision. Ideally volunteers could commit to one hour every week or two, but once a month would work too! Times and days are flexible.
For more information, please contact CMS/Arroyo Librarian: Katie Hultgren at [email protected].
SCEF News
San Carlos Education Foundation (SCEF)
Every donation helps SCEF meet our fundraising goal of $3.2M to meet our mission of supporting every child, every day, in every classroom. We appreciate your donations whenever it is best for your family.
Ways to Donate Before Year-End
- Appreciated Stock - A gift of appreciated stock (that you have held for more than 1 year) is better than selling the stock and donating the proceeds. If you itemize, you may take a charitable deduction for the total donation amount while avoiding capital gains taxes. Learn more here.
- Workplace Giving - Many employers will match your donation to SCEF and some are offering end-of-year matching at 2:1.
- Give Every Month Program - Start now and spread your contributions across the school year.
Ready for Read-A-Thon? Pre-register for Prizes
Register for the SCEF Read-a-Thon by Wednesday 12/15 and enter drawings to win WARRIORS TICKETS, or gift cards to Diddam’s, Tutti Frutti, Tea Hut, Reading Bug, Gelataio, Crepe Stop, or Patxi’s Pizza. AND parents can win, too--a gift card to TOWN! Visit www.scefkids.org/read2022 to register and learn more!
Need to Get a Christmas Tree or Wreath!
The annual tradition of scouting the Honey Bear lot for the perfect Christmas tree continues! Visit the San Carlos or Redwood City location and don’t forget to mention SCEF, they donate 15% back! Details here.
District News
Upcoming Registration Dates for the 2022-23 School Year
- Virtual TK/Kindergarten Information Night for New Families - Jan 10: Do you have an incoming TK or Kindergarten student? Are you new to the district? If so, please join us for our Virtual TK/Kindergarten Information Night, which is designed to provide parents and guardians with information about the San Carlos School District, its community partners and programs, and to provide an overview of how to register for school. Join us on Monday, January 10 from 6:30-7:30pm for a virtual presentation via Zoom.
- Transitional Kindergarten: Will your child turn 5 between September 2, 2022 and February 2, 2023? If so, they will be enrolled in our Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program. Visit our Transitional Kindergarten program page to learn more.
- New Student Priority Registration - Jan 11-Feb 11: Registering a New Student - To get a jump on registration, familiarize yourself with our online registration process by visiting our How to Register for the 2022-23 School Year page for more information. Questions? Call your school for more information on the registration process. New Student Priority Registration opens on Tuesday, January 11, 2022 for all students (TK-8th grade). Priority registration closes on February 11, 2022.
Visit our Key Dates page for New Student Registration and Transfer Timelines
- Monday, January 10 - Virtual TK/Kindergarten Welcome Night for New Families from 6:30-7:30pm
- Tuesday, January 11 - New Student Priority Registration Opens for All New Students at 12pm
- Wednesday, January 26 - Schools hold Virtual Elementary School Tours for Incoming TK/Kindergarten Families from 4-4:30pm
- Friday, February 11 - New Student Priority Registration Deadline, 4pm
COVID Reminders - Stay Home When Sick and Get Tested
Staying home when sick and getting tested for COVID-19 are two of the most effective ways to keep our community safe. Click here for more information.
If you have any of the symptoms listed above, call your school office to report an illness, stay home, and take a COVID test. If you need to report a COVID case, please call our District Nurse - Page Pollack at 650-632-8300 (Arroyo Office) or Human Resources at 650-590-5922 if the nurse is unavailable.
For additional information, visit our COVID-19 Resources page and review the SCSD Health & Safety Plan.
Schedule Your Appointment at the Curative COVID-19 Testing Van
Please take advantage of the no-cost COVID-19 testing provided by the San Mateo County Health Department.
Click on the link to sign up at one of the following locations to begin your regular weekly testing:
Central Middle School (parking lot)
- NEW Mondays 11am-5pm
- Tuesdays & Wednesdays 9am-3pm
- Thursdays 1pm-7pm
- Fridays 11am-5pm
- Sign-up for testing at Central here
NEW LOCATION OPENING NOV 3!
Tierra Linda Middle School (parking lot)
- Wednesday & Friday 11am-5pm
- Saturday 8am-3pm
- Sign-up for testing at Tierra Linda here
- Other Community Based Testing sites in San Mateo County Here
Community Partner News
City of San Carlos Upcoming Events
Elf Movie Night - Looking for an evening of Holiday Cheer? The Youth Center is hosting a free screening of Elf on Friday, December 17. The movie will begin at 7:30 pm in the Youth Center Gym, but arrive early for activities appropriate for the whole family.
- 6:30–7:30pm - Free Mister Softee and Holiday carnival games
- 7:30–9:15pm - Movie time!
This event is FREE and open to all ages. Seating is limited so it is suggested to bring lawn chairs. Face masks are required inside the Youth Center.
Coats & Cards Donation Drive
The San Carlos Youth Advisory Council is hosting a community-wide Coats & Cards Donation Drive in partnership with LifeMoves and Sequoia Hospital. There are 2 parts to this drive:
- For the first part, we will be collecting winter weather items for homeless family shelters such as coats, jackets, ponchos, umbrellas, towels, and blankets. All items will be donated to LifeMoves.
- For the second part of the drive, we are asking the community to make cards for patients at Sequoia Hospital.
Both winter weather items and cards can be dropped off at the San Carlos Youth Center from December 1 – December 17 between the hours of 9am-6pm. You can also donate online via our Amazon Wish List: https://amzn.to/3oYbNjR. Thank you!
SamTrans Art Takes a Bus Ride Contest
Art Takes a Bus Ride (1st-12th Grade Students) - Submissions due February 25, 2022: The San Mateo County Office of Education is partnering with SamTrans to give students a chance to have their artwork displayed on the side of a SamTrans bus for an entire year. Artwork must illustrate this year’s theme of San Mateo County Reopens. Learn more.
Parent Education Opportunities
Parent Venture Series - https://www.parentventure.org/events
Holiday traditions (candles, trees, cooking) can increase the risk of home fire. Sequoia Healthcare District hosts Fire Marshal Gareth Harris for a Town Hall, Fire Safety for Your Home: A Disaster Prep Town Hall Meeting (December 14, Online).
On December 15, the Peninsula Health Care District presents a timely Town Hall meeting, "I Don't Like Needles": How to Support Kids with Vaccine Anxiety, with medical experts from Stanford Health Care (Online).
San Carlos Little League is Open for Registration for the 2022 season!
We’re excited to announce that registration for the 2022 Little League season is officially OPEN for all divisions, from T-Ball (born before September 1, 2018) and Seniors (born after August 31, 2005).
To help us plan, we are asking families to register their players and for coaches to sign up to volunteer by December 17. Unlike previous years, we will be conducting player evaluations in the January time-frame for Farm to Majors divisions.
Please go to https://www.sancarlosll.org to start the process. If you have any questions, please reach out to Danielle Van Wert at [email protected].