Arroyo Eagle Eye - November 26, 2023

November 26, 2023

Principal’s Message

Dear Arroyo families,

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoyed some quality family time over the past week.

Hopefully part of your time during the break was spent curled up with a good book. According to Healthline Magazine (and many other studies), reading books has several physical and mental benefits, including strengthening your brain, increasing your ability to empathize, reducing stress, and building your vocabulary. In the upper elementary years, as students go from learning to read to reading to learn, reading is an important way for students to expand their understanding of themselves and the world around them.  

Reading also helps our students grow as writers. Our 4th Graders had the opportunity to meet author Chris Grabenstein last week. Chris talked about the many books he has written and shared a lot about the writing process. Authors don’t write something down and then turn it in to be published. They revise, edit, and rewrite multiple times. These are important skills that our students are learning too.  

This week the Central Arroyo PTA will be holding our annual Book Fair. This is a great opportunity to help your child get excited about reading and to get new books. Books make great holiday gifts, and it’s a perfect time to stock up on reading material before the annual SCEF Read-a-thon in January. See the PTA section below for Book Fair hours, information about setting up an eWallet, and details about our Family Night this Wednesday. I hope to see you there! 

This week marks the start of our second trimester. Teachers will be completing our standards-based report cards, which will be sent home sometime around Dec. 6. Watch for more information coming soon. 4th Graders begin their new round of exploratory wheel classes on Monday. Students who were taking Art will move on to Makerspace, students in Makerspace will have Multimedia, and students in Multimedia will rotate to Art. More information about those classes as well as teacher contact information can be found here.  

4th Grade families, if you missed the information meeting for the ROPES project, you can use these links to access the recording and slides. The registration deadline is Dec. 15 at 5 p.m.; details can be found on the district’s ROPES page.

We look forward to seeing our Eagles back at school tomorrow. It will be especially nice to have our 5th Graders back after a great week at Outdoor Ed just before the break. The Outdoor Ed staff had wonderful things to say about our 5th Graders, and I couldn’t be more proud of them! 

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

It’s Book Fair Week!

The PTA is excited to bring the Book Fair to the Central-Arroyo community this week. Find everything you need to know about the fair on this flier. Here are the highlights:

CLASS VISITS  Students will visit the fair with their Arroyo teacher or Central ELA class (6th and 7th); see the schedule. 8th Graders may shop before and after school, and at recess and lunch.

PAYMENT  Students can go cash-free by using eWallet, a secure digital payment account. Set it up online. Apple Cash and other mobile payment methods are also accepted, along with cash and checks. 

CLASSROOM GIFTS  There are two ways to give books to your child’s classroom: (1) Choose a book to buy from a teacher’s wish list basket at the fair or (2) buy a teacher gift card at the register.

VOLUNTEER ROLES  It’s fun to work the fair registers and see the kids excited to shop. There are still slots available; check the schedule of class visits to find the right time for you to help out. Thanks to all who have signed up!

FAMILY NIGHT  On Wednesday, 5-7 p.m., bring the whole family to shop, have dinner from the Waffle Roost and Alebrijes Oaxacan Kitchen food trucks, and visit the hot chocolate bar. We hope to see you at this community event!

BECOME A MEMBER, VOLUNTEER, AND CONNECT!

San Carlos Education Foundation News

Giving Tuesday Is This Week: Nov. 28

Giving Tuesday is just three days away! This global generosity movement aims to unleash the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. Take advantage of a tax-deductible donation while supporting your child’s education. Check your employer’s Workplace Giving program, as many offer special matches and grants to honor this day, and SCEF would greatly appreciate being a recipient of these gifts. Join with others in the community to ensure that our schools can offer programs not possible with government funding alone. We can’t do it without you!

More Ways to Give: Plan Your Gift Today!

Have you made your plan yet to give this school year? Take advantage of end-of-calendar-year tax deductions. Giving in the following ways is easy, but the process takes time, so plan your gift today! Here are more easy ways to give:

Give Appreciated Stock. A gift of appreciated stock (that you have held for more than one year) is better than selling the stock and donating the proceeds.

Give in the Workplace. Many employers will match your donation to SCEF and some are offering end-of-year matching at 2:1. Prefer to donate via Donor-Advised Fund from your Fidelity, BNY Mellon or Schwab Charitable accounts? CLICK HERE to start your DAF gift.

Give While Holiday Shopping. Support SCEF while you shop! 

• Honey Bear Trees is back this season and offering a 15% SCEF donation for every tree and wreath purchase — just don’t forget to mention SCEF. 
• Sports Basement has its Basementeer Program that gives back 10% to the charity of your choice. Register and assign SCEF as your charity, and shop year-round. Last year they gave over $10,000 to SCEF!

School District News

New Student Priority Registration Opens Jan. 9

New Student Priority Registration for the 2024-25 school year begins Jan. 9 and closes on Feb. 9. Families can learn more about their child’s school by attending a TK/K Parent Information Meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 31:

• 8:00-8:45 a.m. at Arundel and White Oaks
• 4:00-4:40 p.m. at Brittan Acres and Heather

Click here for more information on registering for 2024-25.

It’s Time to Enroll Your New TK Student in the TK Extended Learning Program (TKELP)

The SCSD Transitional Kindergarten Extended Learning Program (TKELP) is now accepting registrations for the 2024-25 school year.

TKELP is dedicated to enriching our littlest learners’ lives after school. We provide a fun, safe, and welcoming place for our TK students to spend time each day. Through daily physical activity, Legarza sports, JamaRoo Kids Dance, and STEAM enrichment, TKers will explore, invent, and discover new ways to create. We provide a developmentally appropriate space with enriching activities where students can thrive. Visit our TKELP website to learn more about our program and meet our staff!

The program is available to TK students at all four elementary schools — Arundel, Brittan Acres, Heather, White Oaks — and students are given priority into the ACE enrichment program in their Kindergarten year!

This Tuesday: SCSD Special Education Program

Please join Meagan Vizier, Director of Student Services, and Chrissy Sanchez, special education program specialist, on Tuesday, Nov. 28, at 6:30 p.m. in the San Carlos District Office Board Room. Participants will learn more about parent engagement through the Special Education District Advisory Council and SCSD’s special education programs. Please RSVP by Monday, Nov. 27.

Help Shape the Future of San Carlos School District

Take Our School Facilities Improvement Survey

Your input is important to us. Tell us what you think! Take our short survey to share your priorities on the following facility improvements:

PROVIDING clean and safe classrooms, and a quality learning environment for all students and staff.
REPAIRING aging/deteriorating classrooms, restrooms, and leaky roofs.
IMPROVING fire safety, school security systems, and accessibility for students with disabilities.
UPGRADING infrastructure such as heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical systems, and gas lines.
UPDATING science, technology, engineering, arts, and math classrooms.
PROVIDING Transitional Kindergarten to all 4-year-olds by 2025 — required by new state law.

Community News

Help Shape Downtown San Carlos Dec. 6 and 9

The City of San Carlos is excited to invite the community to two upcoming workshops to discuss new ideas for the downtown. Virtual and an in-person options available.

• Virtual Workshop: Wednesday, Dec. 6, 6-7:30 p.m. via Zoom.
• In-Person Workshop: Saturday, Dec. 9, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., 677 Laurel St., next to Peet’s Coffee in Downtown San Carlos. 

This next phase of envisioning our downtown will include:

• Public space design
• Program mix
• Circulation and access

Join us at one or both workshops to share your ideas and priorities to make our downtown more vibrant, welcoming, and equitable. We look forward to seeing you there. Register below and learn more about the Downtown Specific Plan project at the project website.