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IN THIS ISSUE
- Principal’s Message: Gratitude, Scholarships Available, SCEF Read-a-thon, Outdoor Ed Reminders.
- Fundraising and Membership
- Nov. 18 PTA Social
- Yearbook Ordering
- DEIB: Native American Heritage Month
- Plus SCEF, District and Community News
IMPORTANT DATES
Mon 11/14: Last day of Samaritan House Food Drive
Mon 11/14: 4th graders start new electives
Mon-Fri 11/14-18: 5th grade Outdoor Ed
Thu 11/17: School Board meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Fri 11/18: PTA Social at Devil’s Canyon, 5-7 p.m.
Mon-Fri 11/21-25: Fall Break
Wed 11/30: SCEF Day
EDITOR’S NOTE
There is no newsletter next week. The Eagle Eye will resume Nov. 27. Happy Thanksgiving!
Dear Arroyo families,
November is a perfect time to reflect on all the things we have to be grateful for. The Arroyo community is definitely at the top of my list. I’m consistently impressed with the thoughtfulness, curiosity, and kindness of our students; the support of our parents; and the dedication and talent of our staff. I hope you can take some time as a family to think about all that you are grateful for, and I sincerely hope that Arroyo is a part of that list. If there is anything more we can do to support your child and family, please reach out to me.
So many wonderful events happen here at Arroyo School, and I am aware that sometimes the cost can add up. As part of our Arroyo School program, we are pleased to be able to offer assistance and support to families as needed. Some of these services and offerings include a yearbook at the end of the year, grocery and toy store gift cards for the holiday season, and scholarships for special school trips and PTA events.
These things are made available through the fundraising efforts of the PTA and private donations. The children or families receiving this assistance are kept confidential, and I am the only one who will know. If your family is in need this year, we want to support you. Please complete this form, and I will help to make the requested items available to you. I shared this earlier in the year, so if you have already completed it there is no need to do so again.
If you’d like to contribute to Arroyo families in need, please consider donating a gift card during the holiday season. Gift cards in denominations of $25 are preferred and can be to any local grocery store, Target, Amazon, etc. Please drop off donations in the Arroyo office to the attention of Mindy Shelton. It’s helpful to label the amount of the gift card. Supporting our Arroyo/Central PTA is another great way to support families in our community.
Thanks to everyone who participated in our annual SCEF Read-a-thon! The Read-a-thon ended Thursday, but the reading log and donations remain open through Friday, Nov. 18. (But only log minutes read from Oct. 28-Nov. 10. You can enter many different dates in one visit to the reading log.) The classroom with the most minutes at each school wins a Pizza & Popsicles Party — and a bundle of books for their classroom! Parent donations count toward your annual SCEF giving. Go to pledgestar.com/scef to donate and to send pledge requests to your family and friends to support your reader(s).
We’re so excited to send our 5th graders to Outdoor Education at Jones Gulch this week! They’re in for a great week of hiking, singing, exploring, learning, and growing their independence while away from home. Fifth grade parents, please be sure you have read the emails with final reminders for Monday morning and complete the health screening before coming to campus on Monday.
Here are a few other other reminders for the coming week:
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4th graders begin their next round of the exploratory wheel. Students who were taking Art will move on to Music, students in Music will have Theater, and students in Theater will rotate to Art. More information about those classes as well as teacher contact information can be found here.
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Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day is normally Nov. 14. Arroyo will celebrate this another time due to Outdoor Ed. Stay tuned for more information after Thanksgiving.
There will be no school the week of Nov. 21-25. Enjoy the fall break and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Warmly,
Mindy Shelton
Principal
[email protected]
Fundraising and Membership
Congratulations to all the students who participated in this year’s SCEF Read-a-thon! Arroyo students logged an impressive ___ minutes between Oct. 28 and Nov. 10. It’s not too late to share your child’s pledge page with your extended family and friends. These donations support both SCEF and PTA in providing enrichment programs at all schools across the district.
Remember: PTA membership is separate from fundraising. Please support the PTA’s mission of supporting whole-child education, including health, arts, advocacy, and family engagement, by joining the Central Arroyo PTA for only $10 per member.
Nov. 18: Come Meet Fellow Parents
Are you still getting to know the Arroyo/CMS parent community, or do you have years of experience to share? PTA board members will be at Devil’s Canyon Brewing this Friday, Nov. 18, from 5-7 p.m. for the United Against Hate Poetry Slam. We’d love to connect with you at this fun and powerful community event. Look for the table with a green balloon. RSVP here.
Yearbook Ordering Info
Capture your child’s memories by buying a 2022-23 Arroyo School yearbook, which includes 2 free custom pages printed in their copy only. These pages let your child be the shining star in their yearbook. If you don’t want to customize pages, you can still receive the regular yearbook featuring class pages and schoolwide events. Order from TreeRing here. To create a TreeRing account, go to tr5.treering.com/validate and use the Arroyo passcode: 1014628525232886. Find more info on the TreeRing flier.
We Are Thankful for You
As we enter the season of thanksgiving, we want to express our gratitude to the San Carlos community. Without our spirited volunteers, enthusiastic educators, and generous donors, SCEF could not do what we do year after year. We are grateful for YOU!
Honey Bear Trees Are Comin’ to Town
The annual tradition of scouting the Honey Bear lot for the perfect Christmas tree continues! When you visit the lot at 1579 El Camino Real in San Carlos, don’t forget to bring the flier and mention SCEF. They will donate 15% back! Download the flier here.
Local Merchants Are Ready for the Holiday Season
We are grateful to the businesses who have demonstrated their steadfast commitment to San Carlos public schools. Support our business partners by shopping with them.
Does Your Employer Offer a Workplace Giving Program?
Many employers will match your donation to SCEF, and some are offering end-of-year matching at 2:1. Some companies also give their employees cash to donate to a charity of their choice — consider SCEF!
SCEF Day Is Coming Nov. 30: Make your plan to give.
Every little bit helps SCEF meet our fundraising goal of $3.7M to meet our mission of supporting every child, every day, in every classroom.
Focus on Diversity, Equity,
Inclusion, and Belonging
November Is Native American Heritage Month
November is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the significant contributions of Native people. Below are some ways you and your family can observe Native American Heritage Month and Native American Heritage Day (Nov. 25).
Discover more about the Ramaytush Ohlone, the tribe that is indigenous to the Peninsula, here.
Explore Native Land Digital, an interactive map that allows you to identify which tribes live or lived in regions around the world.
Visit a museum or another local spot to learn more about the local Indigenous people.
Read about the contributions that Native Americans have made and are still making today. Did you know, for example, that lacrosse has roots in the popular Indigenous North American game of stickball?
Share a book about Native American culture.
Interested in learning more about how to talk about Thanksgiving in a more culturally relevant way with your children? Check out these resources:
Expanded Transitional Kindergarten (TK) + Virtual TK/Kindergarten Welcome Night + New Student Registration Info
Transitional Kindergarten Eligibility Expansion
For the 2023-24 school year, students who turn 5 on or between Sept. 2, 2023, and April 2, 2024, are eligible to register for Transitional Kindergarten (TK). Previously, only students who turned 5 by Feb. 2 qualified. Visit SCSD’s Transitional Kindergarten page to learn more about our TK program.
Virtual TK/Kindergarten Welcome Night for New Families
Do you have friends or neighbors who have an incoming TK or Kindergarten student who are new to the District? If so, please invite them to join us for our Virtual TK/Kindergarten Welcome Night on Monday, Jan. 9, 6:30-7:30 p.m. via Zoom (link to come)! The virtual presentation is designed to provide families with information about the San Carlos School District, its community partners and programs, and to provide an overview of how to register for school.
San Carlos School District New Student Registration is about to begin! Mark your calendars for these key dates:
- Monday, Jan. 9: Virtual TK/Kindergarten Welcome Night for new families, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, Jan. 10: New Student Priority Registration opens in PowerSchool at noon
- Wednesday, Feb. 1: Virtual Elementary School Tours for incoming TK/Kindergarten families, 4-4:30 p.m.
- Friday, Feb. 10: New student priority registration deadline, 4 p.m.
Important Note for Current TK-7th Grade Families
Students currently registered in SCSD do not need to re-register; they will automatically matriculate into the next grade level or feeder school through 8th grade. In February, a Google survey will be sent out to families regarding plans for fall, and parents will fill out their Back-to-School Forms for 2023-24 in April.
What’s Next for SCSD Schools?
Share Your Ideas to Inform Our Strategic Plan Refresh by Nov. 30
Parents, we need you! The time is now to imagine what our strategic plan will look like. Your input will be invaluable to co-create a roadmap to inform next steps for our learners. We want to hear from you, so we invite you to participate in our upcoming in-person meetings and/or complete a survey.
Complete our new strategic planning survey online before Nov. 30:
To take the survey in English, click for survey link. Para realizar esta encuesta en español, haga clic aquí.
Participate in a strategic planning community meeting. To join us for a live session, please click here to RSVP and select from the following:
- Wednesday, Nov. 30, 6:30-8 p.m., Ravenswood YMCA (550 Bell St., East Palo Alto) ** habrá traducción simultánea **
- Tuesday, Dec. 13, 6-7:30 p.m., Arundel Elementary Multi-Use Room
All feedback will be brought back and considered by a Design Team to represent thinking across all interested groups, identify themes, and revise the objectives and directions regarding Teaching and Learning, Social Emotional Learning, and Learning Spaces. For more information on our Strategic Plan and process, please visit our website.
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
Find up-to-date resources on the San Mateo County Office of Education’s COVID-19 Testing for Schools and Students page.
Dec. 1: Growing Mindful Adult Education Class
Join Jaclyn Grayson and Ashley McManus, parents in our community and founders of Growing Mindful, in an interactive workshop, all about building resilience through mindfulness into your home with tangible, realistic strategies. The session is Thursday, Dec. 1, from 7-8 p.m. at the SCSD office or via Zoom. Register here, and email [email protected] with any questions. If you cannot attend, you can receive a summary of this content afterward in both English and Spanish. La sesión será en inglés, pero estaremos traduciendo el resumen al español.
Parent Education Opportunities
College admission is a barrel of laughs, right? Join experts Gabrielle McColgan, Michael Elgarico, and Patrick Wilson for an inside-track chat about the college admission process, What's So Funny About College Admission? (Nov. 17, online).
How can parents help their teens and tweens get more sleep? Join Lisa L. Lewis, MS, author of The Sleep-Deprived Teen, for Why Teen and Tween Sleep Matters, and How Parents and Schools Can Help (Nov. 30, online).
NEW! What are teens actually doing on their smartphones? Harvard researchers Emily Weinstein, PhD, and Carrie James, PhD, discuss their new book, Behind Their Screens: What Teens Are Facing (and Adults Are Missing) (Dec. 2, online).
Care Solace for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Service Referrals
Care Solace is a free, confidential service that connects students, families, and staff from the San Carlos School District to mental health or substance abuse services. Visit the website or call 888-515-0595 to get started.
Nov 18: Free COVID Vaccination Clinic
Plan now for happy and healthy holidays! SMCOE and San Mateo County Health are hosting a COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Nov. 18, 1-4 p.m. at the Medical Therapy Unit Multipurpose Room at 65 Tower Rd. in San Mateo. Vaccinations are available for children (3 and older) and adults. Learn more in English y español.
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.
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.
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