Arroyo Eagle Eye - January 14, 2024

January 14, 2024

Principal’s Message

Dear Arroyo families,

We’ve got a number of fun activities planned to help our Eagles celebrate reading, beginning with a round robin teacher read-aloud this Thursday, where teachers will swap classes for some special reading time. Stay tuned next week for details on our Forts & Flashlights Day on Friday, Jan. 26.

San Carlos Week of the Family kicks off on Friday, Jan. 19. On Saturday, Jan. 20, be sure to stop by the Bike Fair (1-4 p.m. on the Central-Arroyo blacktop) and Family Fun Ride (3 p.m.). It’s a great way to spend time together as a family. Whether at the Week of the Family events or elsewhere, we hope you’ll set aside a little extra time to spend as a family each day.

Speaking of family time, this Monday, Jan. 15, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which means we don’t have school. This national holiday is a great day to engage in a service project together as a family. Over the years my family and I have participated in beach cleanups, made care packages or lunches for the homeless, and picked up litter around our neighborhood. In past years we’ve had groups of Arroyo students organize a cleanup at Burton Park. If your family engages in a service project, send me a photo! I’d love to highlight that in our weekly assembly.  

Other events add to your calendar:

• On Thursday, Jan. 18, at 5 p.m., 4th Grade parents are invited to a Zoom information meeting about our Sierra Outdoor School overnight field trip. Watch for an email early this week with the Zoom link.

• The week of Jan. 22, Arroyo will celebrate The Great Kindness Challenge. Watch for information next week about special theme days to celebrate and spread kindness throughout our community. 

• On Tuesday, Jan. 30, 5:30-6:30 p.m., 5th Grade parents are invited to our Puberty Talk parent information session with Health Connected on Zoom.

Hot lunch update: Please check in with your child about their lunchtime habits — do they take a hot lunch? If yes, do they usually eat it? I continue to see many students who have lunch from home AND take a hot lunch. That’s totally fine as long as students are eating the meals and not just throwing them away. We are encouraging students to take a meal only if they are hungry and will eat the meal. 

Enjoy the rest of this long weekend! I look forward to seeing our Eagles on Tuesday.

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

BECOME A MEMBER, VOLUNTEER, AND CONNECT!

San Carlos Education Foundation News

PTA-SCEF Read-a-thon Starts This Week

The Read-a-thon is coming! Over 1,200 students have already signed up and raised $20,000. Sign up now at pledgestar.com/scef. Then, from Jan. 17-31, students will win prizes for registering, reading, and sending pledge requests. Just think: If every student received $100 in pledges/donations, we would raise over $260,000 for key programs, staff, and our PTAs!

Are You a Leadership Circle Donor?

Watch your email for an invitation to a Leadership Circle Appreciation Party on Friday, Jan. 26, at La Honda Winery. Donors who were at the Leadership Circle level last school year and anyone who has joined the Leadership Circle this year will receive an invitation. Learn about the Leadership Circle ($5,000+ donors) at scefkids.org.

School District News

How to Move Away From Ultra-processed Foods

Hello, parents! Welcome to our newest addition to the SCSD newsletter, Nutrition Corner by Dr. Lisa Nadiv. As part of our San Carlos Health and Wellness Council’s update of the SCSD Student Wellness policy, Dr. Lisa will be providing resources on the topic of child nutrition, her area of expertise.

Did you know that American children derive at least 67% of their calories from ultra-processed foods? This dietary choice increases their risk of developing chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

What are ultra-processed foods (UPF)? Examples include ice cream, soda, and chicken nuggets (see chart below). The fast-paced nature of our lives and the widespread availability of UPFs make them a quick and convenient option. However, there are practical ways to reduce our dependence on UPFs:

• Start by engaging in a conversation with your children about why nutrition matters. Emphasize that healthy foods serve as the best fuel for optimal brain and body function. You can explain to your kids that trying something new might not only benefit their overall health but could also enhance their performance in activities such as basketball or improve their grades in math.
• Consider incorporating health-focused series or documentaries into your family time, taking your kids to a farmers market, and exploring the joy of cooking together at home.

At SCSD, our goal is for students to learn and practice healthy habits. This includes nutrition. The food that we choose to fuel our bodies with directly affects our physical and mental health, which in turn affects our ability to learn. Therefore, as part of our Wellness Plan, we will include opportunities to meet regularly throughout the school year to discuss all areas of wellness. Please let us know if you are interested in joining our Wellness Committee!

Our next Wellness Meeting is Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 2 p.m. Email Jennifer Gaboury ([email protected]) if you would like to join the group. Questions and comments are welcome: Email [email protected].

Community News

Parent Education Opportunities

How can you become more effective parents? This month’s Parent Forum (en español) features Edwin Fernandez, LCSW, One Life Counseling Center, in Ajustando el lente: cambios para ser padres más efectivos (Jan. 16).

What do students need to succeed in college? Louis Newman, PhD, former dean of academic advising at Stanford, will discuss his new book, Thinking Critically in College: Essential Tools for Student Success (Jan. 30).

We’re proud to join a consortium of Silicon Valley nonprofits to launch the all-new Neurodiversity Speaker Series. The series begins with Barbara Pape, EdM, in A Strength-Based Approach to Learner Variability and Neurodiversity (Feb. 7).