Arroyo Eagle Eye - October 2, 2022

Dear Arroyo families,

We’re so excited to welcome you to campus this week for our student-led goal-setting conferences. Be sure your child is with you for the conference, as they will be leading the conversation. Students have been working hard to prepare for these conversations, and while they may feel a bit anxious about it, it’s important for them to push through that and recognize the sense of accomplishment they feel when they do. It is also important for them to begin to understand and be able to articulate how they learn, what they need, and how to ask for help.  

When you arrive on campus, you may proceed right to your child’s classroom. Please wait outside until it is your turn to go in and be respectful of other families participating in their conferences. Teachers will do their best to stick to the time schedule, but please be patient if you find yourself waiting outside for a moment while they wrap up another conversation.   

Remember that students will have a minimum day all week with dismissal at 12:50 each day. Students will not be eating lunch at school but will have a long morning, so please pack an extra snack, along with a full water bottle. School meals will still be served, but lunch will be “grab and go” at the end of the day. If you order lunch for your child, please be sure they know to go pick it up and allow for a few extra minutes at dismissal time. Students will still have electives and PE, just at an earlier time in the day. You can see the special bell schedule on the second page of this document.  

Update for Volunteers

Due to changes in state guidelines, the district will no longer be requiring proof of vaccination for volunteers on campus. The SCSD Volunteer Agreement Form must still be completed before volunteering. Please note that this form must be completed for each school you volunteer at. If you plan to volunteer at Arroyo this year, please complete the form for Arroyo.  

Have a wonderful week, and enjoy the time connecting with your child and their teacher! Remember that Monday, Oct. 10, is a school holiday.

Warmly,
Mindy Shelton
Principal
[email protected]

PTA News

PTA Membership: Join Today for $10

Woo-hoo, we have passed our first 100 members in the first full month of the school year! We’re off to a great start toward our 100% membership goal. Joining the PTA supports local, state, and national PTA advocacy efforts. An individual membership costs just $10, and we’re encouraging all parents to become members. Grandparents and students can easily be added as members too. Check out the Membership and Fundraising page to learn how to make a difference.

Oct. 12: PTA Meeting at 7 p.m. via Zoom

Please join us for our second PTA meeting of the year on Wednesday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m. via Zoom. These meetings are attended by both Tom Domer and Mindy Shelton and are a great way to stay informed. Also, mark your calendars for upcoming PTA meetings in 2022-23. We would love to see you! Be sure to check out the agenda before the meeting to see what will be discussed.  

SEE AGENDA

Meeting ID: 832 5812 2472 / Passcode: 686543

• Creating a vignette or “room” in our Haunted House Maze
• Filling a counting jar with Halloween candy or creepy items for the kids to guess
• Working at one of our fun carnival stations
• Running the Halloween photo booth
• Donning your best fortuneteller costume and telling the future!

Day of Service and PTA Closet Makeover

Thank you to everyone who came out for the Day of Service last Sunday. We had a great group of hardworking parents and kids who accomplished a lot. Both campuses look shiny and new. A special thank-you to Van and James Diggans for organizing such a productive Day of Service. 

In addition, we’d like to thank Sarah Orton for the impressive makeover she gave the PTA Closet. The organization systems she put in place will be a timesaver for us all. Thank you, Sarah!

PTA CLOSET BEFORE

PTA CLOSET AFTER

October Yearbook Discount

Yearbooks come out at the end of the school year, but you can secure yours now at a discount! Order from TreeRing by Oct. 31 to receive 5% off. Use this link to shop with the discount code applied to your cart, or use code 1014628525232886.

SCEF News

The San Carlos Commitment to Community

There are many ways, big and small, that we all show our commitment to our community. We are proud to highlight SCEF’s co-hosting of a candidate forum and appreciating some local business sponsors:

San Carlos School Board Candidate Forums
Join one or both forums this Thursday, Oct. 6, starting at 6 p.m. on Zoom. Hosted by SCEF and the PTA Coordinating Council, and moderated by the League of Women Voters of San Mateo County. Please register to participate in each. The forums will be recorded.

Thanks to Our Business Sponsors
Our San Carlos schools are supported by parents and the broader community. We are grateful to the following generous business sponsors who have renewed their support this school year: Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Black Mountain Properties, CA Water Services, and Lyngso Garden Materials. Learn about the benefits of our business sponsorship program.

Focus on Diversity, Equity,
Inclusion, and Belonging

Diwali and Día de los Muertos:
Volunteers Needed

In addition to all the Halloween fun, the PTA is excited to celebrate two popular cultural holidays with the Arroyo community this year. Diwali begins on Oct. 24, and Día de los Muertos is celebrated Nov. 1-2. We have art projects planned for the kids to create in class and could use help prepping materials for the teachers. We also have decorating and donation opportunities for both holidays. Please check out the signup for Diwali here and Día de los Muertos here. Thanks in advance for your support in making these experiences happen for all Eagles! 

District News

SLOW the F A S T Down

September was Pedestrian Safety Month in California and October is National Pedestrian Safety Month! In partnership with Safe Routes to School and the California Office of Traffic Safety, we would like to remind families to review the following tips to improve the safety of students walking to and from school and on school grounds.

DRIVERS

• Do not speed and be sure to slow down at intersections!
• Be prepared to stop for pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks.
• Stay off the phone when behind the wheel.
• Avoid blocking crosswalks while waiting to make a right turn.
• Never drive impaired.

PEDESTRIANS

• Be predictable. Use signalized crosswalks where drivers anticipate foot traffic.
• Put down phones, headphones and other devices when crossing the street.
• Watch for approaching vehicles and practice care when crossing the street. At 30 mph, a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop.
• If possible, walk with an adult or older sibling until you’re 10 years old.
• Make it easier for drivers to see you at night: Wear light colors or reflective material and use a flashlight.
• Be careful crossing streets, entering crosswalks at night, and crossing busier streets with higher speed limits.

Watch one of the following videos with your child to help teach them safe pedestrian practices:

• Pedestrian Safer Journey (elementary school) from Federal Highway Administration (English, español)
• Pedestrian Safer Journey (middle school) from Federal Highway Administration (English, español)
• Walk Safely from California Office of Traffic Safety (English only)

Breakfast and Lunch Ordering Reminders

Meal Ordering
Please be sure to order meals on The LunchMaster website by 9:00 a.m. Tuesday the week before you need breakfast or lunch. Or better yet, order ahead for the entire month, then set yourself a reminder for the following month!

Cancel a Week in Advance for Days Your Child May Not Need Meals (Early Release Wednesdays and Conference Week)
Please remember to cancel breakfast or lunch orders the week prior if your child is not going to eat a meal at school — especially on early release Wednesdays and during conference week when students are dismissed early.

Make Sure Your Child Is Picking Up Meals
As we work to fine-tune the school nutrition program, please let your child know if you ordered breakfast or lunch, as it greatly improves our efforts to reduce food waste.

THANK YOU!
Many thanks to our fabulous food servers and the awesome volunteers who have stepped up to help serve in a more timely manner!

SCSD Science/STEM Fair 22-23

The San Carlos School District Science/STEM Fair is a community-based mentoring program that complements and reinforces the California Standards for Science and supports student learning of the scientific method. The SCSD STEM Fair is the gateway to San Mateo County, Bay Area, California and Broadcom National Science Fairs. San Carlos students regularly qualify and win awards from these prestigious events.

The fair is open to all San Carlos School District students in grades 5-8. For more information, see the SCSD website. Complete the interest form by Oct. 14 for additional communication and details. Email [email protected] with questions.

COVID-19 Reminders and Testing Options

If your child is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, please keep them home and give them a rapid antigen test. Staying home when sick can lower the risk of spreading infectious diseases to other people, and testing remains a key mitigation layer to detect and curb transmission of the coronavirus. If your child tests positive for the virus or your household is in need of additional test kits, please contact your school as soon as possible.

TESTING RESOURCES

• Worksite Labs: Arroyo School, Patio 3. Make appointment.
• Curative: Central Middle School parking lot. Make appointment.
• Curative: Tierra Linda parking lot. Make appointment.
• Other Community-Based Testing Sites in San Mateo County

Find up-to-date resources on the San Mateo County Office of Education’s COVID-19 Testing for Schools and Students page.

Follow @scsdschools

Follow San Carlos School District on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Community News

one hour a week  •  flexible times  •  no experience needed  •  ages 14-99  •  training provided  •  earn community service hours  •  more info

Healthy Cities Tutoring Fall Workshops

New Tutor Orientation: Oct. 5, 7-7:30 p.m. on Zoom
Are you a new volunteer tutor? Interested in becoming a tutor but want to learn more first? Join other new tutors and learn more about HCT, meet our staff and have all your questions answered! Learn more and RSVP.

Fall Training: Tutor Tips Workshop
Don’t miss our Fall Tutor Tips Training led by HCT staff and teachers from our schools. Learn valuable techniques for engaging and supporting your students. Learn more and RSVP. Two sessions to choose from:

• Wednesday, Oct. 12, 10:30-11:30 a.m., San Carlos Public Library. RSVP.
• Wednesday, Oct. 19, 7-8 p.m., Clifford Elementary School Library. RSVP.

Volunteer and make a difference for students in our community!
Become a volunteer tutor and in one hour a week you can change a life! It’s a fun and rewarding way to give back to your community and stay engaged with our local schools.

21-Day Social & Racial Equity Challenge

The Community Foundation of San Carlos invites you to take a visible leadership role in joining the 21-Day Social & Racial Equity Challenge, which runs the entire month of October. The challenge will culminate in a community conversation on Nov. 1 facilitated by two professional community members, Bea Kim and Grace Chen.

Call to Action: We invite you to take on the challenge by submitting your participation via this form and encouraging others in our community to sign up as well. Find more info on our website. #21dayequitychallengeSanCarlos

Parent Education Opportunities

Tony Wagner, PhD, a best-selling author and global education expert, joins us for Learning by Heart: Creating “Innovation-Ready” Students for the Future. Don’t miss this special opportunity! (Oct. 6, online).

NEW! How did the pandemic disrupt our children’s lives? NPR education reporter Anya Kamenetz joins us to discuss her new book, The Stolen Year: How Covid Changed Children's Lives, and Where We Go Now (Oct. 13, online).

On Oct. 19, we continue our fentanyl education series with Stacey Wisniewski, Prevention Solutions, Hazeldon Betty Ford Foundation, in Fentanyl Prevention Education: How to Help Teens Make Healthy Decisions (Oct. 19, online).

MANY WAYS TO VOLUNTEER AT ARROYO

SHARE YOUR STUDENT’S ACHIEVEMENTS 

We want to honor students who are doing great things outside of school and have two ways parents can help. 

• Submit a virtual Soar Card explaining how your child is being Responsible, Respectful and Safe at home. 
• Share an accomplishment from outside school with the Arroyo Spotlight form.

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!

FOLLOW @ARROYOSCHOOL

Follow us on Facebook for up-to-date info on events and issues.