Arroyo Eagle Eye - November 5, 2023

November 5, 2023

Principal’s Message

Dear Arroyo families,

In our final installment of the SCSD Strategic Plan videos, we’re shining a spotlight on our incredible San Carlos community. At the heart of our vision for a brighter future lies a strong and vibrant community. We want to invite you to be part of the conversation and the action.

Success Indicators 

• Our local businesses, community-based organizations, high schools, and city agencies come together as volunteers, collaborators, supporters, and partners in our District. 

• The community actively engages with our schools, fostering academic, career, real-world, and project-based learning opportunities. 

• Advocacy and funding from our community ensure responsive programming and equitable resources for all learners.

• Our community values and acts as an ambassador for our District, recognizing its vital role in the education of our children. 

• Collaboration and communication are key — we work together on decisions that affect both our community and the District.

It’s also a great time to celebrate our community because last week really highlighted the many ways the community shows up in support of students. It was wonderful to see so many family members on campus for our Halloween parade. A HUGE thank you to everyone who volunteered for our Halloween and Día de Los Muertos events, especially our event chairs Lida Naydack, Natalie Beane, Evelyn Johnsen, Laura Kauffman, and Esther Wang.  

The celebration continues this Thursday as Arroyo celebrates Diwali. Students will be learning about Diwali in class and participating in a chalk rangoli activity during recess and lunch. See the PTA section below to volunteer. Also see below for information about our upcoming Book Fair, a great opportunity to shop for the holidays and stock up on books before the SCEF Read-a-thon.  

On Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 6 p.m., join SCSD for an outreach event with our families in East Palo Alto. We will take time to review our Strategic Plan, explain what/why the LCAP is, and empower families to be a part of our ongoing planning and community building. All caregivers are encouraged to attend (adults only, please). Please click HERE to RSVP that you will be attending. We look forward to seeing you!

Here are a few other reminders for the coming weeks:

Sunday, Nov. 5: Daylight saving time ends. Be sure to turn your clocks back!

Friday, Nov. 10: No school for Veterans’ Day. Thank you to everyone who has served our country!

Monday, Nov. 13: 5th Graders leave for Outdoor Education.

Tuesday, Nov. 14: Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day. Arroyo will celebrate this another time due to Outdoor Ed. 

Friday, Nov. 17

• 4th Grade author visit by Chris Grabenstein. Order your autographed book here by Nov. 10.
• 5th Graders return from Outdoor Ed (typically around 1:00)
• End of Trimester 1. Teachers will be completing our standards-based report cards after Fall Break. They will be sent home sometime around Dec. 6. Watch for more information coming soon.
• 4th Graders complete their first round of the exploratory wheel and will rotate to new classes after Fall Break. More information is coming soon. 
• In celebration of United Against Hate Week (Nov. 12-18), the Community Foundation of San Carlos and Devil’s Canyon Brewing Co. are throwing their 3rd annual Stand United Against Hate Poetry Slam! See below for details.

Monday-Friday, Nov. 20-24: School closed for Fall Break.

Warmly,
Mindy Shelton
Principal
[email protected]

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

How to Get Ready for the Book Fair

1. Set up an eWallet for your student. Students can go cash-free at the fair by using this secure digital payment account. Set it up online starting Nov. 6.
2. Sign up to volunteer if you have time. Jobs include setup, cashier, cleanup. See time slots here and check this schedule of class visits to the fair. 
3. Plan to shop and have dinner at Family Night. On Wednesday, Nov. 29, 5-7 p.m., bring the whole family to shop, grab dinner from the Waffle Roost and Alebrijes Oaxacan Kitchen food trucks, and visit the hot chocolate bar!

Be a Holiday Shopping Helper at White Oaks or Brittan Acres

Calling White Oaks Alumni! We are looking for students to be big kid helpers at the annual White Oaks Holiday Store on Saturday, Dec. 2. You will help White Oaks students shop for gifts, pay, and then find their grown-ups. Please select a time slot on the sign-up sheet.

The Brittan Acres Holiday Boutique committee needs big kid helpers for its annual Holiday Boutique on Saturday, Dec. 9. Students in grade 4 and older can help kids shop, stick to their budget, pay, and wrap their gifts. Sign up here!

BECOME A MEMBER, VOLUNTEER, AND CONNECT!

SCEF News

Celebrating SCEF This Month!

Music! Signs! Banners and people. Each campus will have their own celebration and call to action.

Explore all the ways to give, and make your gift now!

• Annual Fund
• Leadership Circle
• Workplace Giving or Employer Matching
• GEM: Give Every Month

Still have questions? Email us at [email protected] or set up a time for a call or coffee.

Last Call for Halloween Candy Buyback

Drop extra candy by 10 a.m. tomorrow (Monday, Nov. 6) at Arroyo’s front office, and it will be donated to Operation Gratitude and sent to our troops. Drs. Chang, Amin, and Kaher will donate $1 per pound of wrapped candy to SCEF.

Focus on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

The Ohlone were hunters and gatherers. They found many uses for the resources of the region, such as plants that provided materials for shelter and clothing.

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 (the day after Thanksgiving).

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.

• The San Mateo History Museum in downtown Redwood City has a fantastic display of local Native American history and artifacts (source of image of the Ohlone above).
• The Coyote Hills Regional Park has a display of Ohlone artifacts and celebrations. 

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? 

Diwali Is Nov. 12

Each year between mid-October and mid-November, the festival of Diwali is celebrated across the Indian subcontinent over five days. The name is derived from the Sanskrit term dīpāvali, meaning “row of lights.” Diwali, which for some also coincides with harvest and new year celebrations, is a festival of new beginnings. 

In the lead-up to Diwali, celebrants will prepare by cleaning, renovating, and decorating their homes and workplaces with diyas (oil lamps) and rangoli (colorful art circle patterns). During Diwali, people wear their finest clothes, illuminate the interior and exterior of their homes with diyas and rangoli, light fireworks, and partake in family feasts, where mithai (sweets) and gifts are shared.

School District News

Community Outreach Event in East Palo Alto

On Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 6:15 p.m., join SCSD for an outreach event with our families in East Palo Alto. We will take time to review our Strategic Plan, explain what the LCAP (Local Control and Accountability Plan) is, and empower families to be a part of our ongoing planning and community building. All caregivers are encouraged to attend. Adults only, please. RSVP here. We look forward to seeing you!

For All Families: 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!

Community News

Healthy Cities Tutoring Needs Your Help

Do you have an hour a week to make a difference? Becoming a Healthy Cities volunteer tutor is an incredibly enriching and rewarding experience that has a positive impact on students, families, schools, and local communities. Last year, Healthy Cities Tutoring placed 398 students with a volunteer tutor in Redwood City and San Carlos. We’ve already placed over 150 this year, but we still have more than 100 students on our waiting list.

Can you sign up now to help us match all students on our waiting list?

• Flexible schedule: 1 hour per week between 3 and 6 p.m. most weekdays
• Tutors of all ages are welcome (adult tutors are in high demand!)
• Training and support provided
• All San Carlos and many Redwood City K-8 schools
• High school student volunteers earn valuable service hours and mentoring experience. HCT will provide references for future job and college applications.
• Tutoring is only during the school year 

Please take the next step to becoming a volunteer tutor and visit our website. Click the VOLUNTEER button to complete your Healthy Cities Tutoring application. Becoming a volunteer tutor will make a difference in a child’s life and your life. As one of our tutors said, “This has been such a great experience — I don’t really have just one word to describe it. That one hour a week is the most important hour of the week for me.” We couldn’t agree more, and we hope you will join us!

Thanks for considering becoming a volunteer. Please reach out with any questions: Janelle at Healthy Cities Tutoring, 650-508-7323.

Nov. 17: Community Foundation of San Carlos 3rd Annual Stand United Against Hate Poetry Slam

Parent Education Opportunities

In this special presentation, renowned brain and trauma expert Bruce Perry, MD, PhD, joins us for What Happened to You? A Conversation on Trauma, Healing, and Resilience. Dr. Perry’s New York Times best-selling book was co-authored with Oprah Winfrey (Nov. 9).

NEW! In a special Parent Forum (English), Eran Magen, PhD, founder of Parenting for Humans, addresses How to Talk With Your Kids About Violence and War (Nov. 10).