Dear Arroyo families,
What an amazing first week of school we had! I know the first week of school brings many adjustments for your whole family: earlier bedtimes, making lunches, managing back-to-school traffic, and remembering how tiring it can be to learn and play all day! Thank you for all the ways you supported your child with the transition back to school this week.
At school, we worked on getting to know our new classmates, learning new routines, and practicing our Arroyo Core Values of being Responsible, Respectful, and Safe. I saw many examples of students reaching out to new peers to invite them over to lunch tables or into recess play. We’ll continue to work on building our inclusive community, but we’re off to a great start! It has also been great to welcome parents and caregivers on campus for our Arroyo Day Welcome Event on Monday and our coffee chat on Friday morning. We look forward to seeing you again this Wednesday evening for Back to School Night.
We have just a few updates and reminders for the week ahead. Thanks for taking the time to read through them and note anything pertinent to your child and family.
Warmly,
Mindy Shelton
Principal
[email protected]
IMPORTANT DATES
Wed 8/31: Back to School Night, 6:30-7:30 p.m. (parents only, in person)
Fri 9/2: minimum day
Mon 9/5: No school, Labor Day
Sat 9/10: Each Green Corner monthly work day
Fri 9/23: Picture Day
Sun 9/25: Arroyo Day of Service
Mon-Fri Oct. 3-7: Conferences, minimum days
Arrival Reminder
Thank you for your patience and positivity this week! Just a reminder that our gates open and supervision begins at 8:20 a.m. Please do not drop students in our car line or send walkers to school before 8:20. If your child walks in, ask them how long they had to wait before coming on campus. That will give you a sense of how much they may need to adjust timing.
Volunteers Still Needed
Thank you so much to everyone who has replied! We are finalizing our volunteer schedule and need more volunteers to assist with before- and after-school campus supervision in order to assist our staff in covering our car line and our side entrance. Even if you can help only for one morning or afternoon a week for 15-20 minutes, you would make a difference! Please complete this form if you can help! We especially need people in the afternoons from 3:05-3:20.
We are also in need of parents to help during lunch time (12:00-12:40 every day but Wednesday). We’ll need parents to help supervise activities like our student-led clubs but also have an immediate need for volunteer food servers to help distribute meals to make the lines go faster. I have added a spot for that on the volunteer form, so please fill it out if you’re able to help. If you already filled it out but are able to help with lunch distribution, feel free to fill it out again. Thank you!
All volunteers on campus will need to be cleared through the district by filling out an Arroyo volunteer agreement form and COVID vaccination clearance. 5th grade parents who were cleared at Arroyo last year will be rolled into our approved list. Watch for an email from me early in the week confirming that you are cleared to volunteer at Arroyo. If your child is new to Arroyo, please complete the volunteer agreement form. If your COVID vaccination status was cleared in the district last year, we’ll be able to roll that over. If not, our HR department will follow up with a separate form. You will receive an email from me when you are cleared to volunteer at Arroyo. Thanks for your patience as we complete the process.
Communication with Elective and PE Teachers
Our elective and PE classes got off to a great start this week. While your child’s homeroom teacher is your first point of contact for most things at school, we encourage you to contact elective and PE teachers directly if you have questions or need to check in with them about your child. Contact information for all staff members can be found on our Arroyo website.
- Our 4th Grade Elective Teachers are Staci Kavanagh (Art), Colyn Fischer (Music Appreciation), and James Bruzzone (Theater)
- Our 5th Grade Elective Teachers are Sarah Green (Band), Colyn Fischer (Orchestra), and Staci Kavanagh (Innovation and Design)
- Our 4th and 5th Grade PE Teachers are Christi McGuirk and Zach Ulrich
Aug. 31: Back to School Night
Back to School Night for Arroyo is on Wednesday, Aug. 31, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in person. Parents and guardians will spend the evening in your child’s homeroom classroom. We’ll begin with a video presentation of some school-wide announcements, and then teachers will spend the bulk of the time sharing information about their class. Masks are strongly recommended for this indoor event, not only to keep our community safe but to help ensure the health of our teachers so that they can be present in class every day.
PTA News
You Can Support the Central Arroyo PTA in Many Ways
The best time to get involved is now! The PTA is focused on connecting our community and welcomes everyone to participate. Let’s all have a great year together!
Become a PTA Member and Donate: The Central Arroyo PTA focuses on advocating for our students, supporting our teachers and staff, and building a strong school community. Your PTA membership lends your voice to advocacy efforts on behalf of children and educators at the local, state, and national levels. Our goal is for all parents to become individual members. Check out the Membership and Fundraising page to learn how to make a difference.
Volunteer Opportunities: Are you interested in getting involved at Arroyo? There are still a variety of volunteer roles available, both for school-wide activities and in the classroom. Please check out the sign-ups online. A reminder that volunteers need to fill out a new SCSD Volunteer Request Form every year.
Rewards Programs: (e.g., Amazon Smile) In addition to PTA memberships and SCEF donations, you can help raise funds for Central and Arroyo by participating in our Rewards Programs. See Ways to Support your PTA Programs and Events for details.
Attend the PTA Meetings: Be a part of the decision-making. Share what is important to you at Central and Arroyo and get important updates from our PTA Board, Mrs. Shelton, and Mr. Domer. All meetings are on Wednesdays. In-person meetings take place in the Central-Arroyo Library.
PTA MEETING SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | Location |
| 9/14/22 | 8:45 a.m. | library |
| 10/12/22 | 7:00 p.m. | virtual |
| 11/9/22 | 8:45 a.m. | library |
| 12/14/22 | 7:00 p.m. | virtual |
| 1/18/23 | 8:45 a.m. | library |
| 2/8/23 | 7:00 p.m. | virtual |
| 3/8/23 | 8:45 a.m. |
library |
| 4/19/23 | 7:00 p.m. | virtual |
| 5/10/23 | 8:45 a.m. | library |
Order Spirit Wear Through Sept. 16
Arroyo Eagle spirit wear is now available in youth and adult sizes, including hats, a hoodie, and a variety of T-shirts. The online store is open through Sept. 16. Orders will be distributed in October. Contact Sarah Kinahan if you have any questions or would like to pay by check. Go, Eagles!
SCEF News
Here’s to a Great School Year Ahead
Welcome back! We are excited to announce a collaboration between the San Carlos Education Foundation and PTAs to streamline and simplify fundraising across the district. Beginning this school year, ALL fundraising will be consolidated with SCEF.
Our fundraising goal this year is $3.7 million, and the suggested per student donation is $1,850, which includes funding for your PTA. Check out our new website for more information.
SCEF depends on the efforts of our volunteer board and other community members to raise the funds necessary to ensure a quality education for every student. Special thanks to Wendy Wood, a professional graphic designer whose boys attend San Carlos schools. Wendy has donated her design services for several years, and we are grateful for her generous donation. Also, thanks to local parent Veronica Dils for providing website design at a deep discount so that we could refresh our website to support our new alliance with the PTA. If you would like to lend your professional expertise to help our local schools, please contact our Executive Director, Kathy Parmer-Lohan, at [email protected].
District News
Happy First Day of School! #SCSDFirstDay
Welcome back to school, San Carlos families! We want to see your back-to-school photos on our social media pages. To have your photos featured, please email them to [email protected]
Don't forget to use our SCSD hashtags: #scsdfirstday and #scsdproud, and like or follow our SCSD pages!
NEW 15 MPH School Zones
The speed limit for 15 streets adjacent to school sites have be lowered to 15 miles per hour. Please be extra cautious and mindful while driving in school zones. The Sheriff’s Office has deployed message boards to communicate the new speed limit in school zones. Please see the City of San Carlos’s newsletter for more details. Here are the streets that are affected:
STREET - TO - FROM
Cedar St. - Cherry St. - Arroyo Ave.
Arroyo Ave. - Cedar St. - Elm St.
Chestnut St. - Baytree Rd. - Cherry St.
Phelps Rd. - Arguello Park - San Carlos Ave.
Arundel Rd. - Arundel Elementary - San Carlos Ave.
San Carlos Ave. - Wellington Dr. - Phelps Rd.
Belle Ave. - Upper Lupin Way - Knoll Dr.
Tamarack Ave. - Elizabeth St. - Arroyo Ave.
Dartmouth Ave. - San Carlos Ave. - Wellington Dr.
Clifford Ave. - Eaton Ave. - Belle Roche Ave.
Melendy Dr. - Portofino Dr. - Hewitt Dr.
Cedar St. - Belmont Ave. - Saint Francis Way
White Oak Way - Park Ave. - White Oaks Elementary
White Oak Way - White Oaks Elementary - Chestnut St.
Fairmont Ave. - Park Ave. - Cedar St.
Community News
Sept. 3: Stanford Cardinal Kids Day
Join us for Cardinal Kids Day and Stanford’s football home opener against Colgate! For every one adult ticket purchased you can claim four free youth tickets. Youth tickets are for kids 8th grade and below. Grab your friends and family to join the fun. Tickets are only $15 each. To place your order, visit GoStanford.com/promo-
Due Sept. 16: Walk and Roll to School Day Poster Contest
Calling all San Mateo County student artists! San Mateo County Safe Routes to School invites students in all grades to help design the poster for the 2022 Walk and Roll to School Day, part of International Walk to School Day on Oct. 12. The submission deadline is Sept. 16. Students may submit original artwork or use the template. Learn more from the entry rules (English | español) and example Multigenerational Travel Diary (English | español).
Due Sept. 23: 2023 Calendar Contest Now Open
HIP Housing is a nonprofit that provides thousands of people in San Mateo County with a place to call home. They are inviting all K-5th graders in the county to send them a fabulous drawing of a home, along with a quote about what home means to you. The winning 12 will be featured in HIP Housing’s 2023 calendar and have an opportunity to present their drawing to their local town or city council. Entries are due Sept. 23. Learn more. Entry form in English / formulario de inscripción en español.
Parent Education Opportunities
Fire Safety and Prevention: A Disaster Prep Town Hall
Thursday, Sept. 1, 6:00-7:00 p.m. (Online)
What should parents know about the risks of fentanyl use? This fall, we offer Fentanyl Prevention Education en español (Sept. 6, Online) and English (Oct. 19, Online) by Prevention Solutions, Hazeldon Betty Ford Foundation.
Design for Belonging: How to Build Inclusion and Collaboration in Your Communities
Thursday, Sept. 8, 5:30-6:30 p.m. (Online)
Click here for more information on the ParentVenture Series.
PTA CORNER
Join the Central Arroyo PTA. Your membership matters and helps support programs and events for our students and teachers.
REWARDS PROGRAMS
Participate in our rewards programs and a percentage of your purchases will automatically be donated to the Central Arroyo PTA — at no cost to you!