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No images? Click here  October 1, 2023 IN THIS ISSUE
IMPORTANT DATESEnds Tonight 10/1: SCEF Fall Silent AuctionMon-Fri 10/2-10/6: CONFERENCE WEEK, 1 p.m. dismissalWed 10/4: Multicultural Family Night Mon 10/9: Indigenous Peoples’ Day, no school Thu 10/12: SCSD Board meeting, 6:30 p.m. Wed 10/18: PTA meeting in library, 8:45-10:15 a.m. Fri 10/20: Picture retake day Principal’s MessageDear Arroyo families, I hope you had a chance to read the email that Superintendent Frentress sent out this past Wednesday about SCSD’s newly refreshed Strategic Plan, including our district vision and learner profile. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be taking you on a journey through the very core of our new SCSD Strategic Plan through a series of brief videos highlighting each of the components for the plan. These videos are more than just visuals, they’re windows into our collective commitment to growth, so please take a moment to watch and enjoy each week; they are wonderful examples of the passion and dedication that define SCSD. This week, we’ll focus on the ways we help develop our students to be Curious Problem Solvers. Nurturing that curiosity is an important part of our 4/5th grade program at Arroyo. Project-based learning (PBL) is one of the many ways we do that. The enthusiasm and authentic engagement our students showed through our school-wide Identity PBL unit, including how many students found the family interview to be their favorite part of the project, highlights how that interview component allowed students to tap into their natural curiosity about their own family’s stories. If you haven’t had a chance to view our Curious Problem Solvers video, I invite you to take a peek to learn more about how we develop these skills in our students. And stay tuned next week to learn more about how we foster Kind Citizens.  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 a conversation. Remember that students will have a minimum day all week with dismissal at 1:00 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 during our second recess each day. 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. This is also the time of year that academics begin to ramp up and math, in particular, can get challenging. Your child may come home feeling frustrated that math is hard. Please know that teachers are very aware of this and the lessons build on themselves, so encourage your child to be patient, keep at it, and ask their teacher if they need help. 4th- and 5th-grade math concepts are much more abstract than in the lower grades, and it can take a while for it to click. One of the best ways to help is to make sure that your child is getting fluent with their math facts so they can focus on the concepts and not have to worry as much about the calculations. There are many ways to practice math fact fluency, and finding what works for your child is key, but ultimately it takes time and regular practice.  I hope to see you Wednesday night for our 2nd annual Multicultural Family Night. It’s not too late to RSVP or volunteer. See the PTA section below for details. This is one of our favorite events of the year and a great opportunity to connect with other families and watch your child interact with their peers. Have a wonderful week, and enjoy the time connecting with your child and their teacher! Remember that Monday, Oct. 9, is a school holiday. Warmly, Breakfast and Lunch This WeekPlease take time to review the menu for the week before Monday. If your child does not see a breakfast and/or lunch option that they will eat, then please plan on helping them pack their own lunch from home (or a hearty snack on Wednesdays), and please send your child with a snack for morning recess regardless.   PTA News Join Us for Multicultural Night This WednesdayWednesday, Oct. 4 • 6-8 p.m. • Mustang Hall All Arroyo families are invited to our second annual Multicultural Family Night! There will be food trucks (Alebrijes Oaxacan Kitchen, pictured; Momolicious), games, arts and crafts, and live performances, including Mexican folk dancing.  We still need lots of volunteers to make it a great event! Opportunities include:
 An Easy Way to Show Your Support: Become a PTA Member for $10We were thrilled to see such a big turnout at our first PTA meeting last week, especially all the new faces. Welcome! Aside from volunteering and attending meetings, an important way to contribute to our community is to become a PTA member. Please help us pass our membership goal by joining the PTA today! An individual membership costs just $10, and we’re encouraging all parents to become members. Consider getting membership for the whole family! Your PTA membership lends your voice to advocacy efforts on behalf of children and educators at the local, state, and national levels. Check out the Membership and Fundraising page to join — and make a big difference!  Save 10% on Your Student’s YearbookNow is the time to order an Arroyo yearbook for your child. Regular price is $18.79. Order before Oct. 31 for a 10% discount. Yearbooks are distributed the last week of school. Go to treering.com/validate and enter passcode 1014628525232886. Yearbook Class Reps NeededCan you help create an amazing yearbook for students, staff, and families? Several classrooms are in need of a Yearbook Representative. In this role, you’ll photograph and collect images of classroom activities throughout the school year and then in the spring create a collage for a class page in the yearbook. If you need help, the yearbook editors, Kristi Martinez and Paulo Dutra, will be there every step of the way! Classrooms needing a rep:  October Staff Appreciation Lunch 10/11Our first Staff Appreciation Lunch of the year is a joint lunch for all Arroyo and Central staff. It will take place on Wednesday, Oct 11. We need your help! Please SIGN UP HERE to bring something for our spooktacular staff! Bring all items to the Arroyo OR CMS office no later than 11:00 a.m. Wednesday 10/11. A big thank you in advance from the PTA Staff Appreciation Team!  Your Chance to Help in the ClassroomVolunteer to be a docent or a helper for Art in Action! 4th Graders are studying Modern Art, 5th Graders American Art. Docents receive slides and an instructional video on the material. Helpers don’t need to do any prep, just show up ready to assist the day of. Lessons last 80 minutes. Sign up for an art lesson in your child’s class below:    SCEF News Last Day for Fall Online Auction is Sunday, 10/1!Are you the winning bidder? The 2023 Fall Online Auction closes tonight, Sunday Oct 1st! The top bidder at 9pm is the winner. Don’t miss out! Fall Giving - For Our KidsFall is the perfect time to plan your gift to SCEF. Visit our SCEF WEBSITE for all the ways you can support San Carlos public education. Workplace giving, recurring/monthly gifts, Donor-Advised Funds, appreciated stock, events and auctions – make your plan TODAY, right here.  Focus on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage MonthEach year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Looking for ideas on how you can share this month with your family?
 School District News  SCSD Presents: Supporting Your Students’ Mental & Behavioral HealthAttention, Parents and Guardians! Struggling with bedtime routines? Worried about your child’s anxious thoughts? Not sure how to handle meltdowns? Join us on Tuesday, Oct. 17, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Heather Elementary MUR for an exclusive caregiver session on Supporting Your Students’ Mental & Behavioral Health. Dive deep with a Mental Health Lead and the former Director of Student Services as they reveal essential strategies. To attend, please RSVP HERE. Discover actionable solutions and foster a supportive environment for your child’s growth. Equip yourself with tools to ensure their well-being and success! Save the date and empower your parenting journey. Your child deserves the best — and so do you!  EZ Meal Application - Fill Out to Benefit Your SchoolWith the introduction of universal meals for all children attending school in the state of California, you may feel that it is not necessary to fill out the EZ Meal Application. But completing this form every year helps your school receive more funding to support your child’s learning environment, which in turn benefits your family, school, and community. The application is used to calculate school funding levels from the state and federal level, so a few minutes of your time may add to the resources available to our school district. In addition, families that qualify for assistance may be eligible for additional benefits. Please visit our EZMeal Application webpage for more information. Thank you for helping to support your school!  Community News 21 Day Equity Challenge KickoffThe Community Foundation of San Carlos invites you to take a visible leadership role by joining the 21 Day Equity Challenge, kicking off Oct. 1 and running through the entire month. We have kept the original challenge but have added two new tracks for learning. Choose from:
Come build community with us by participating in one of the three tracks! Submit your participation via this form and learn more about the challenge online. #21dayequitychallengeSanCarlos  Celebrate Latinx Heritage MonthIn celebration and reflection of Latinx Heritage Month, the Community Foundation of San Carlos (CFSC) has curated a list of resources as well as a list of Latinx-owned businesses and organizations to support. Refer to this link. If you are interested in learning more about CFSC, please reach out.  Parent Education OpportunitiesAll children need equitable and inclusive learning environments to be successful. Sam Drazin, educator and inclusion advocate, offers Changing Perspectives: Understanding Inclusion, Ableism, and Neurodiversity (Oct. 3).  arroyo.scsdk8.orgFind important school information on the Arroyo website, including staff contacts, previous issues of the Eagle Eye, and the daily bell schedule.  @ARROYOSCHOOL
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