|
IN THIS ISSUE
- Principal’s Message: A Deeper Look at DEIB Work at Arroyo
- PTA Membership
- Holiday Gift Card Drive
- Each Green Corner Opportunities
- Plus SCEF, District and Community News
IMPORTANT DATES
Wed 12/7- Wed 12/14: SCEF Holiday Shopping at Sports Basement
Sat 12/10: Each Green Corner Living Campus Work Day
Tue 12/13: SCSD Strategic Planning Engagement Meeting, 6 p.m. at Arundel
Wed 12/14: SCSD Community Gathering in East Palo Alto
Thu 12/15: School Board meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Thu 12/22: Minimum day
Fri 12/23-Mon 1/9: Winter Break
Principal’s Message
A Deeper Look at Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Arroyo
Dear Arroyo families,
As you are likely aware, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) are important parts of our culture at Arroyo and in the San Carlos School District. Some aspects of that are easy to see, like our schoolwide celebrations of cultural holidays, and the highlights and resources shared in our weekly newsletters. This week I wanted to share with you some of the less visible aspects of our work in these areas.
One important aspect of our DEIB work is a focus on making sure the literature and curriculum available to students in our classrooms and school library represent a variety of voices and perspectives. Author and educator Rudine Sims Bishop explains:
“Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real or imagined, familiar or strange. ... When lighting conditions are just right, however, a window can also be a mirror. Literature transforms human experience and reflects it back to us, and in that reflection we can see our own lives and experiences as part of the larger human experience.”
It’s important for students to see themselves in the books they read. This helps them to feel valued and to see their place in the larger world. They also need books to help them expand their view of the world and learn about those who are different from themselves. In addition to having a variety of books available to students, we’ve been working to make sure that our curriculum includes a variety of perspectives, values, and contributions made by people of different backgrounds.
Our work in DEIB goes even deeper, however, into the systemic aspects of how we educate our students. We use student data (both qualitative and quantitative) to make sure we’re doing all we can to provide equitable access and outcomes for students. We know that we have work to do in closing the achievement gap between our general population and some of our student subgroups, including English learners, socioeconomically disadvantaged students, and special education students. Our Site Council has been developing our Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) with goals and action items geared toward closing those gaps.
Much of our staff professional learning this year has been tied to two driving questions that support this work:
-
How can we intentionally disrupt predictable outcomes through an increased sense of belonging at our schools?
-
How do we design effective learning experiences that are aligned to grade-level standards and fully inclusive of all students?
Examples of this work includes:
-
Increasing student engagement and voice and choice through Project Based Learning (PBL).
-
Small group instruction that allows for differentiated instruction.
-
Training on specific strategies and resources that support our English learners (and also help elevate the academic vocabulary of all of our students).
-
Intentional community-building both in classrooms and across the school.
One of the ways we build community (as well as student engagement and leadership) at Arroyo is through our student-led clubs. This week our student-led clubs will begin meeting. We had over 100 students sign up to participate in nearly 50 clubs, and the students can’t wait to get started. Our clubs include a range of topics, including arts and crafts, video games, books, dance, and sports. Many thanks to the parents who have offered to help supervise clubs.
We love when students spotlight their accomplishments, celebrations, and culture with us. If your child has something to share, please fill out the form on the Student Recognition page on our website so we can include that in our weekly assemblies.
Creating a sense of community and belonging at Arroyo extends beyond just our students and includes the whole family. Research shows that the more engaged families are in schools, the better the outcomes are for students. It has been wonderful to see parents, guardians, and other caregivers on campus volunteering or participating in community-building events. SCSD will also be hosting a community-building event in East Palo Alto on Dec. 14 (see District News section below for details). We would love to see a great turnout from Arroyo families at that event. All are welcome!
We have several members of our Arroyo community in need of some extra assistance this holiday season. If you’re able to help, please consider donating a gift card. 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 by this Friday. It’s helpful to label the amount of the gift card. 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.
If you have any suggestions to help us further our efforts in DEIB, please reach out to me. I’d love to hear your ideas and work together to make them happen.
Warmly,
Mindy Shelton
Principal
[email protected]
We Need You! Become a Member Today.
PTA membership has a positive impact on the lives of children and families at Arroyo School and strengthens the PTA’s voice for all children at the state and national level. We invite you to join, because we can do more together than apart. It takes only 5 minutes! Become a member here. Thank you!
Holiday Gift Card Drive
The Central/Arroyo PTA is collecting grocery gift cards to support our fellow San Carlos School District families who are experiencing food insecurity this holiday season. If you’d like to contribute to Arroyo/Central families in need, please consider donating a gift card in digital or physical form. Gift cards in denominations of $25 are preferred and can be from Safeway or any local grocery store. It’s helpful to label the amount of the gift card.
You can send digital cards to [email protected] addressed to Arroyo School or bring physical cards to the office and leave them with Tracey Olazar. We appreciate your support for our community. (Note that these donations are not tax-deductible.)
Dec. 10: Living Campus Work Day
After a bountiful autumn harvest (benefiting Samaritan House and Second Harvest of Silicon Valley), the Central/Arroyo garden is transitioning to winter. At the last work day, three families volunteered to remove the leggy tomatillos, spread soil conditioner, and plant beets and radishes. Before fall break, two dozen 4th graders were very excited to help harvest marigold pods and plant snap peas in starter trays.
More students can have access to the garden if we get more parent support. Here’s how you can make a difference right now:
- Every Wednesday (10-11 a.m.): Volunteer to supervise the garden during morning recess. Gardening experience is helpful but not required. Contact [email protected] for details.
- Second Saturdays (9 a.m.-noon): Volunteer your family to participate in a hands-on work day! Tasks vary with the season, and no gardening experience is required. Guarantee your spot by registering for the next Living Campus Work Day (Dec. 10) on Each Green Corner’s website.
- Any time: Volunteer to foster planted flats of seeds at home until they’re ready to plant in our garden! Sign up for the Seedling Starter Program on EGC’s website.
We are all SCEF!
Another SCEF Day and Giving Tuesday is on the books, and we are rolling into December. 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 website for more information and the many ways to give. We are all SCEF! Curious to hear how students, teachers, parents, and community supporters feel about SCEF? Watch here.
Have you made your plan yet to give this school year? Do you need to give before Dec. 31 for tax reasons? If so, please start that process now, as it can take some time.
- 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.
- Workplace giving: Many employers will match your donation to SCEF, and some are offering end-of-year matching at 2:1.
- Donor-advised fund: Prefer to donate via donor-advised fund from your Fidelity, BNY Mellon, or Schwab Charitable accounts?
Ways to support SCEF while you shop:
- Honey Bear Trees is back this season and offering a 15% SCEF donation for every tree and wreath purchase. Don’t forget to mention SCEF. Details on this flier.
- Sports Basement supports SCEF. This week, Dec. 7-14, use the info on this SCEF flier to get 20% off. Year-round, Sports Basement’s Basementeer Program gives back 10% to the charity of your choice. Register and assign SCEF as your charity. Last year they gave over $10,000 to SCEF!
- Support SCEF as you shop on Amazon: Visit Amazon Smile and choose “San Carlos Education Foundation,” and Amazon will donate a portion of each purchase to SCEF. It’s super easy and works on both desktop and mobile purchases.
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.
14 de dic.: ¡Evento comunitario de SCSD en East Palo Alto!
Únase a nosotros el miércoles 14 de diciembre, de 5:30 a 7:30 p.m., para comida gratis, actividades y un espectáculo de marionetas en Lewis & Joan Platt YMCA, 550 Bell St. en East Palo Alto. Venga a conocer a las familias en East Palo Alto que asisten a las escuelas de SCSD. ¡Los niños de todas las edades son bienvenidos! Confirma tu asistencia aquí.
Dec. 14: SCSD Community Event in East Palo Alto!
Join us on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 5:30-7:30 p.m. for free food, activities, and a puppet show at the Lewis & Joan Platt YMCA, 550 Bell St. in East Palo Alto. Come meet families in East Palo Alto who attend SCSD schools. Kids of all ages are welcome! Please RSVP here.
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
- Curative: Central Middle School parking lot. Make appointment. (Because of lower demand, Dec. 9 will be the last day of testing at Central.)
- 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.
Healthy Cities Tutoring Is Recruiting Volunteers
Become a Healthy Cities Tutor and join our community of volunteers to provide one-on-one tutoring and mentoring to a public school student to improve their academic performance, engagement in learning, and self-esteem. Tutoring sessions are held in-person, once a week for 45 minutes to an hour, on school campus or at a public library.
For 25 years Healthy Cities Tutoring has provided tutoring services to thousands of students in need. Following two years of pandemic, students are falling further and further behind in school. We need volunteers more than ever!
We hope you or someone you know will get involved in this rewarding volunteer experience. No tutoring experience is required; we can provide training. Eighth grade and high school students are welcome to tutor with us. Students can receive community service hours and use the experience for resume building and college applications. Adult tutors are always welcome!
It only takes one hour a week to make a positive impact on a child’s life.
Please check out our website for the volunteer application contact Janelle Gibson, HCT Program Coordinator, at 415-793-1064 or [email protected].
Sign Up for San Carlos Little League
SCLL was established in 1953 and provides a positive youth baseball experience to children of all abilities in the San Carlos community. We focus on developing
the qualities of leadership, citizenship, discipline, character, and teamwork.
The 2023 Little League season kicks off the weekend of Saturday, March 11, and runs approximately through the school year. We offer several divisions of
play based on Little League Baseball age charts and evaluations in the upper divisions (AA up). Learn more and sign up here.
Parent Education Opportunities
We all want our children to form healthy relationships, but talking about it can be hard. Vanessa Kellam of Health Connected, presents Relationship Resilience: Preparing Young People for Healthy Relationships (Dec. 7, online).
How can we help our kids tame their inner voice? Best-selling author and psychologist Ethan Kross, PhD, joins us to discuss his book, Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It (Dec. 8, online).
December's Parent Forum (English) features Eran Magen, PhD, the founder of Parenting for Humans, in Sustainable Parenting: Realistic Self-Care for Parents. The Parent Forums are an initiative of the Sequoia Healthcare District (Dec. 9, 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.
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
As part of our Arroyo School program, we offer assistance to families as needed. The support can be a yearbook, grocery gift cards, or scholarships for school trips and PTA events. The recipients are kept confidential, and the principal is the only one who will know. Please complete this form to make a request.
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.
|
