Arroyo Eagle Eye - August 20, 2023

August 20, 2023

Principal’s Message

Dear Arroyo families,

It was such a joy to welcome back our amazing Arroyo staff this past week! Our teachers spent time learning together to strengthen our practices in Project Based Learning (PBL). PBL deepens learning while increasing students’ voice and choice, as well as their agency in their own learning. When I walk into a classroom that’s using the PBL approach, the excitement for learning is palpable. Watch for information throughout the year about PBL units happening at Arroyo, starting with our schoolwide PBL kicking off this week to help us intentionally build a culture of belonging at Arroyo.  

We can’t wait to welcome students back to school this week. Please read on for important announcements and reminders that will help your family be prepared for the first week of school. I know there is a lot of information to digest this time of year. Please read through it carefully. I have included important new information at the top of this newsletter and provided a link to the text of last week’s Principal’s Message, which was packed with key details for the year.

Announcements & Reminders for the Week of Aug. 21

Class Assignments

All families should have received an email with the class assignment on Friday. Class lists are not posted due to privacy considerations. Please know that the classes have been created with care, drawing on parent input forms, current year teachers’ input, and friendship groupings. We also strive to create classes that are balanced by gender, academic levels, and behavioral needs. I met with the 3rd Grade and 4th Grade teachers in the spring to create the initial lists, and then these were adjusted as new families enrolled to ensure that classes remained balanced. Thank you for respecting this thoughtful work as you prepare as a family to start the new school year.

 As we begin our first week of school, we will be determining our accurate student enrollment based on whether families have moved over the summer or for other reasons are not returning to Arroyo and haven’t yet informed us. Class attendance will be monitored throughout the week, and if classes are unbalanced, there may be a need to make changes. We appreciate your understanding if this happens at your child’s grade level. Please also note that we will not be making any other changes based on individual requests or preferences.

We have updated the staff section of our website so you can see photos of the staff and learn a bit about them. We’re still making a few updates to add new staff, but most are included. You will receive a welcome message from your child’s teacher before the start of school in which they will share information about their class. I’m sure you are eager to communicate with them, but please be mindful that there is a lot to do to prepare for the start of school. 

School Lunch Menu for Aug. 23-25

Please review the menu below with your child. These are the ONLY meals that will be available for students. If your child does not see a breakfast and/or lunch option that they will eat, please plan to help them pack their own lunch from home (or a hearty snack on Wednesdays). More information about our school meals program can be found below.  

Important Safety Reminders for Drop-off and Pickup

Safety is especially important at the beginning and end of the school day. Please take a moment to review our Getting to School and Drop-off/Pickup Procedures and follow all of the guidelines. These are busy times of day for all of us, so please practice extra patience and caution, especially when driving on or near our campus.  

As you plan your route to school, please consider encouraging your student to walk or bike to school as often as possible. Not only does it reduce traffic congestion around the campus (thereby increasing safety), but it’s also a great opportunity for students to start and end their day with physical activity, and allows for social interaction. We encourage students to use the buddy system and pair up with those who live near them.   

Bike and scooter parking is located near the portable buildings on the Woodland Avenue/Chestnut Street side of the campus. Scooters and skateboards may be stored in our transportation shed. For bikes, we recommend investing in an inexpensive lock so it can be attached to the bike rack. Please ensure that your child wears a well-fitting helmet and remind them to walk their wheels once on campus.  

Please take a few minutes to review these safety rules with your child:

• Cross at crosswalks only — no jaywalking! This is especially true right outside of our school driveway on Arroyo Avenue. There is a lot going on in this area, and cars are not watching for pedestrians. We talk to students regularly about not crossing here but find that parents sometimes encourage it. Please help us be consistent with this message. Several years ago, there was a student hit by a car in this area, and that’s definitely something we want to avoid. 

• If there is not a crossing guard, wait at the start of the crosswalk and check both directions multiple times to ensure that the path is clear, and/or wait for any approaching drivers to make eye contact and come to a stop.

• If there is a crossing guard, wait until they say it is safe to cross. At that time, cross within the painted crosswalk. If it is crowded, be patient and wait until you can enter the painted crosswalk. Do not push, shove, or run, and do not walk outside the crosswalk. 

Regardless of how your child gets to school, we also need all drivers to put the safety of children first. These are busy times of day for all of us, so please practice extra patience and caution, especially when driving on or near our campus. If you are choosing to drive onto campus to drop off or pick up, then you are expected to drive slowly, follow the directions of the crossing guards and any staff or volunteers directing traffic, drop/pickup students at the school drop-off zone ONLY, be patient and courteous to other drivers, and stay alert for students in the roadway.  

If we work together, we can keep traffic flowing and keep our students safe, too! 

Late Arrival or Early Pickup Due to Appointment 

Every morning, our school gates will be locked starting at 8:35 when the final bell rings. If you need to bring your child to school later than 8:35 a.m. or pick up your child before 3:10 p.m., please come into the office to sign your child in or out. Regular school attendance is important, and tardies are disruptive to the classroom, so please make every effort to schedule appointments, travel, and other activities outside of school hours. 

Electives and PE

An advantage to the 4th-5th Upper Elementary model is that our students get to have electives taught by our amazing middle school teachers.

• 4th Graders will get to participate in three electives this year, one per trimester: Art, Makerspace, and Multimedia.

Students will also have PE twice a week with our Central-Arroyo PE teachers: Ms. McGuirk, Mr. Davidson, or Mr. Nazar. Homeroom teachers will be sharing schedules for PE and electives with students the first week of school, and we’ll share additional information with parents (including contact information for these teachers) at Back to School Night. 

Students will also have PE twice a week with our Central-Arroyo PE teachers: Ms. McGuirk, Mr. Davidson, or Mr. Nazar. Homeroom teachers will be sharing schedules for PE and electives with students the first week of school, and we’ll share additional information with parents (including contact information for these teachers) at Back to School Night. 

Access to Technology

Most of our students will not need to have regular access to a device at home for completing homework or school assignments, but it’s helpful to have a device for occasional use. If you or your child will need a device, one can be provided. Please contact our school secretary at [email protected] for more information.

Important Reminders From the Principal

The link above takes you to details about:

• Welcome events: Arroyo Day, Back to School Night
• What happens on the first day of school (8:35 a.m.-1 p.m.)
• School info and procedures: Daily bell schedule; morning routine; breakfast, snack, and lunch; school supplies, attendance, communication, volunteers, PTA and SCEF, New Families Buddy Program, cellphone and smartphone policy, expected behaviors, staff updates, ACE Aftercare, not attending Arroyo

PTA News

SCEF News

THANK YOU to our generous donors and WELCOME to our new TK and K families

Your donations last school year to the San Carlos Education Foundation (SCEF) will allow us to grant over $3.2 million to support every San Carlos public school student in the 2023-24 school year. Watch our video to learn why we have a nonprofit, parent-led Education Foundation in San Carlos. 

This year’s SCEF grant will support social emotional programs and counselors, access to libraries, PE teachers, technology associates, and devices for students. Music programs for all grade levels, middle school electives, a Principal’s Fund at every school and funding for your school PTA. Your PTA will use these funds to provide classroom/teacher grants, buy library books, fund assemblies, create community-building events/activities, and more. Learn more at scefkids.org.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to SCEF last year. Together you make a real difference for students. Learn about the many Ways to Give and plan your donation today.

Here’s to a great school year!

School District News

School sites will be ordering meals based on consumption patterns and in amounts that allow all students access to California’s Universal Meals Program for breakfast and lunch every school day. There will be no need for families to place orders, as it will be done as a site.

Monthly menus will be shared in school newsletters so that families can discuss options and choices together. There will be cold items served for breakfast such as cereals, muffins, and fruits/vegetables, and two hot options for lunch. In addition, there will be at least one cold item offered for lunch. Vegetarian options will be available at each mealtime, and allergies will be accommodated.

Each site has their own meal location and service times that will be communicated to families.

Health and Wellness Letter

Please take a moment to read the Wecome Back Health and Wellness Letter! We discuss mental health, sustainability, Big 5 Safety Protocols, Social Emotional Learning, and more.

Community News

Parent Education Opportunities

To kick off the 2023-24 season, we welcome Michelle Icard, author of the new book 8 Setbacks That Can Make a Child a Success: What to Do and What to Say to Turn “Failures” Into Character-Building Moments (Sept. 14).

This September's Parent Forum (English) discussion group features Eran Magen, PhD, founder of Parenting for Humans, in How to Support Your Upset Child or Teen (Sept. 15). The first Foro de padres (español) will convene on Sept. 19.