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IN THIS ISSUE
- Principal’s Message: Multicultural Family Night Gratitude, Student-Led Clubs Kickoff, Peer Conflicts, SCSD Learner Profile: Kind Citizens, Weekly Menu
- PTA: Multicultural Family Night Appreciation, ISO Read-a-thon Coordinator, Halloween Volunteering, PTA Meeting, Yearbook Ordering
- DEIB: Hispanic Heritage Month
- Plus SCEF, District, and Community news
IMPORTANT DATES
NO SCHOOL TOMORROW
Mon 10/9: Indigenous Peoples’ Day holiday
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
Tue 10/31: Halloween Parade and Carnival
Wed 11/1: Día de Los Muertos Celebration
Fri 11/10: Veterans’ Day, no school
Mon-Fri 11/13-17: 5th Grade Outdoor Ed
Fri 11/17: End of 1st Trimester
Dear Arroyo families,
What a FANTASTIC evening we had on Wednesday at our Multicultural Family Night! It was great to see so many families connecting over culture, food, and fun. I’d like to extend a HUGE thank you to our event organizers Esther Wang, Jessica Foran, Bethany Mateosian, and Lida Naydek, as well as all of the volunteers and performers who helped make it such a meaningful event. Photos from the evening can be found here.
It was also wonderful to see families on campus together last week for our student-led goal-setting conferences. I hope you enjoyed the time to connect with your child and their teacher. This is such an important partnership, and while those were our only scheduled conferences, it is important to maintain the connection and stay in communication as things come up throughout the year.
Last week we kicked off the sign-ups for our Student-Led Clubs. Students have the opportunity to sign up to lead a club in any area they are interested in, whether it’s the arts, sports, service, advocacy, etc. We’ll spend the next couple of weeks finalizing our club offerings with those who want to lead a club, and then all students will have an opportunity to sign up to join. Clubs are a great way to meet new friends or deepen connections with current friends over similar interests. Please encourage your child to get involved.
One of the things that frequently comes up around this time of the year as students begin to make new friends and develop different interests is peer conflicts. A developmental hallmark of friendship in 4th and 5th Grade is learning to resolve conflict in a way that ultimately strengthens relationships. That takes time and can feel uncomfortable in the middle of the process, but working through it is important. Throughout the year, we’ll be working to build these skills with students and support them through the process. If you find your child in a conflict with a peer, please encourage them to talk to an adult at school so we can help facilitate a respectful conversation and resolution.
Along those lines, this week I’d like to share with you another of our videos highlighting aspects of our Strategic Plan and learner profile. At SCSD, we take immense pride in nurturing learners who embody kindness, empathy, and compassion in all their interactions. Our students are not just academically proficient; they are also outstanding collaborators, responsible citizens, and effective communicators. In this video, we'll explore how SCSD learners actively engage in collaboration, sharing their ideas, skills, and perspectives in both academic and non-academic settings to foster knowledge and build a strong sense of community. Additionally, we'll delve into the vital aspect of communication, where SCSD learners emerge as active listeners and effective communicators, capable of expressing themselves with clarity and confidence across various academic and social contexts. Please take a moment to watch our Kind Citizens video, featuring our own Arroyo teachers Michelle Robinson and Jamie Skinner.
Remember that Monday is a school holiday. In honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we acknowledge that Arroyo sits on the ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone, who are the original peoples of the San Francisco Peninsula. We honor the Ohlone and other Indigenous caretakers of these lands and waters, the elders who lived here before, the Indigenous today, and the generations to come.
Have a wonderful three-day weekend!
Breakfast and Lunch This Week
Please take time to review the menu for next week with your child. If they do not see a breakfast and/or lunch option that they will eat, then please plan to help them pack their own lunch from home (or a hearty snack on Wednesday), and please send your child with a snack for morning recess regardless.
PTA News
Multicultural Family Night Appreciation
To the Hard-Working Volunteers: A big thank you to our Multicultural Family Night Team — Esther Wang, Bethany Mateosian, Jessica Foran, and Lida Naydek — for organizing an amazing evening full of food, performances and activities from around the world. Here are some photos from the festivities; feel free to add to the album! And check out this video montage from the night.
Also, thank you to everyone who gave their time preparing food and volunteering that day and night. All of our PTA events are powered by parent volunteers and funded through your SCEF donations.
About the Performers: Casa Circulo Cultural, the organization that gifted Arroyo the Mexican folk dancing performances — with 26 dancers! — is an amazing nonprofit in Redwood City that, among many other things, organizes the annual downtown Día de los Muertos celebration. The group is dedicated to creating cultural programming that reflects the experiences of Latinos in the Bay Area and serves low-income and vulnerable families. Read about its impact. If you are able to donate any amount to Casa Circulo Cultural, you can do so here.
We also want to thank the parents and students from San Carlos Sitaras for stepping in at the last minute with two amazing Bollywood dances!
Help Boost the Read-a-thon at Arroyo
Do you love books and reading? Partner with our wonderful SCEF Reps, Melissa Schmidt and Chez Rueda, to support and promote the SCEF Read-a-thon at Arroyo as our campus coordinator. The Read-a-thon is Jan. 17-31, and planning starts in early November. Help us develop the traditions around this event! Please email Trinity Murphy to learn more.
Calling All Halloween Volunteers!
We are planning a spook-tacular Halloween party on Tuesday, Oct. 31, for our Arroyo Eagles! Sign up here to help make this fun event a success. Opportunities include:
- Building a haunted house maze or spooking kids inside it
- Working at a carnival station
- Photographing the festivities
- Donning your best fortuneteller costume and telling the future
- Donating candy or prizes
Oct. 18 PTA Meeting: You’re Invited
Please join us for our second PTA meeting of the year on Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 8:45 a.m. in the library. These meetings are attended by Principals Mindy Shelton and Tom Domer and are a great way to stay informed. Also, please mark your calendars for upcoming meetings and check out the agenda to see what will be discussed.
Save 10% on Your Student’s Yearbook
Now 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.
Become a Member, Volunteer, and Connect!
Fantastic First Fundraising Event
Evening at TOWN was a great community-building and fundraising success. Thank you to attendees and non-attendees who participated in our online auction and raffle. Special thanks to Greg St. Claire and his team at TOWN for the amazing dinner and for supporting our schools for over 17 years! Congrats to our raffle winners: grand prize Ashley McManus, 2nd prize Andrew Toy, and 3rd prize Sheila Brar.
Save the date for the SCEF Gala at Hiller Aviation Museum
MARCH 22
Supporting PTA Programs
In addition to funding key educators, your donation to SCEF supports your school PTA and the many programs they are producing this fall. Help ensure that these activities are available by making a donation. Visit scefkids.org/ways-to-give for all the ways to support San Carlos public education. Workplace giving, recurring/monthly gifts, Donor-Advised Funds, appreciated stock, events, and auctions — make your plan to donate TODAY.
Focus on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month
Each 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?
Please Fill Out This Form to Benefit Your School
With the introduction of universal meals for all California schoolchildren, 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 page for more information. Thank you for helping to support your school!
ACE Is Now Enrolling for 2024-25
Afterschool Care Enrichment, also known as ACE, offers a flexible, innovative, state-licensed child care program focused on enrichment and youth development to challenge our Lower and Upper Elementary students. Each day includes a healthy afternoon snack, our Homework Lab with staff-assisted support, STEAM activities, and active outdoor enrichment programming. ACE will offer both morning and full-time or part-time afternoon programming for the 2024-25 school year. Please visit acesancarlos.com or call 650-931-4007 if you have questions.
SCSD Presents: Supporting Your Students’ Mental & Behavioral Health
Attention, 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.
Celebrate Latinx Heritage Month
In 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 Opportunities
Brain trauma is a leading cause of serious injury in children and teens. Join Sequoia Healthcare District for Brain Trauma, Concussion, and CTE: What Should Families Know?, with neuroscientist Samantha Bureau, PhD (Oct. 10).
NEW! On Oct. 12, Yael Schonbrun, PhD, author of Work, Parent, Thrive, and Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, PhD, author of Rest, join us for a conversation on rest, parenting, and work-life balance, Work, Parent, Thrive: Rethinking Rest.
NEW! How can we teach our kids to strive toward excellence without crushing them? In her new book, Never Enough, best-selling author Jennifer Breheny Wallace investigates the deep roots of toxic achievement culture (Oct. 18).
NEW! Too many youth are struggling with mental health. Mental health experts Dr. Steve Adelsheim and Dr. Shashank Joshi, Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, present Youth Mental Health: Prevention Strategies, Resources, and Support (Oct. 19).
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