Arroyo Eagle Eye - March 24, 2024

March 24, 2024

Principal’s Message

Dear Arroyo families,

Be sure to sign up for our Stampede & Soar Color Run, coming up on Sunday, April 21, from 9-11 a.m. It’s one of our biggest events of the year and a fun morning for the whole family! Make sure to register by this Tuesday, March 26, so your child gets a T-shirt to wear for the run. The class with the highest participation will receive wristbands to cut to the front of the line for Kona Ice, which will be on campus after the run. It’s a morning full of color, spirit, community, and fun. You won’t want to miss it!

As we move into spring, both 4th and 5th Grades have several events, including some in preparation for next year.

IN 4TH GRADE

• Our first two groups had a great time on their first off-campus field trip to the Cantor and Anderson museums on the Stanford campus. Our third group looks forward to going this Thursday.

• Our elective selection process for next year begins this week. On Tuesday, students will have an assembly to learn about our band and orchestra electives, which begin in 5th Grade. They will see a brief performance by each group and learn about the instruments available. That process continues on April 3 with our Instrument Selection Night. You can learn more about the process here.  

• Congratulations to our students who completed their ROPES projects. Judging begins this week. I can’t wait to see some of the great projects.

IN 5TH GRADE

• Our students are looking forward to their field trip to the Exploratorium this Tuesday. Please be sure your child brings a lunch unless you previously ordered one from the school. If you placed an order, school lunches will be delivered to your child’s classroom the morning of the trip. Please remind your child to be polite and respectful to the museum docents and our parent volunteer chaperones, and send them with layers as they will most likely be eating lunch outside.

• Our 5th Grade concert is on Tuesday, April 2, and you won’t want to miss it. Be sure to read the information shared by our music teachers about timing, concert attire, and more. All 5th Grade musicians will participate in a combined rehearsal this Thursday, so please be sure your student has their instrument, even if it is not their usual elective day.

• In the next few weeks, keep an eye out for information from Central Middle School about orientation information and elective selection for 6th Grade.

It’s time to complete your annual back-to-school InfoSnap forms. Each spring, the school district asks all families to complete their annual student information forms through PowerSchool online. This allows families to update/add emergency contact information, give permissions, update health records (allergy or medical considerations), and is required to secure your spot for the next school year. This week, you will receive an email titled (2024-25) Back-To-School Form Instructions from [email protected]. Please complete these forms as soon as possible, no later than Friday, April 5. Should your plans change at any point and you no longer intend to return for the next academic year, please notify the school office ASAP.  

If you haven’t already done so, it’s not too late to give your feedback on Arroyo through our CA Healthy Kids Parent Survey. You can access the survey through this link. The deadline has been extended to March 27.  

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

Stampede & Soar: Deadline to Register Is Tuesday 3/26

Sunday, April 21  •  9-11 a.m.

Make sure you register your runner no later than Tuesday, March 26, to guarantee a T-shirt for this fun event! Your child will be sprayed with (non-toxic) color during the run, so the T-shirt is half the fun!

The run will be followed by games, music, and treats on the Arroyo-Central campus. All runners should register, including students, parents, and any siblings 6 and older accompanied by a parent. (No registration is needed for the campus activities, or to cheer on your runner.) Registration is $8.

PTA Board Nominees for 2024-25

The Central Arroyo PTA’s Executive Board for the next school year will be voted on at our April PTA meeting. There are still open positions on the board and in other areas such as the Book Fair, website, membership, online store, and more. Learn about these open positions in the PTA Job Descriptions document. Please contact Brie MacDonald for more info. Here is the list of board nominees so far:

BECOME A MEMBER, VOLUNTEER, AND CONNECT!

San Carlos Education Foundation News

School District News

It’s Time to Complete Your Back-to-School InfoSnap Forms

Each spring, we ask all families to complete their annual Back-to-School student information forms through PowerSchool online. This allows families to update/add emergency contact information, give permissions, update health records (allergy or medical considerations), and is required to secure your spot for the next school year.

This week, you will receive an email titled (2024-25) Back-To-School Form Instructions from [email protected]. This email contains detailed instructions on how to update your child’s records and confirm their enrollment for the next academic year. Additionally, it will include a link to the PowerSchool portal and a unique ID number for your student, referred to as the Snap Code.

Please complete these forms as soon as possible, no later than Friday, April 5.

Should your plans change at any point and you no longer intend to return for the next academic year, please notify your school office ASAP. We genuinely appreciate your cooperation in this essential process.

The Benefits of Fiber by Dr. Lisa Nadiv

Hello, parents, and welcome to our second installment of The 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.

What are the benefits of a high-fiber diet?

• Healthy bowel movements
• A feeling of fullness, making it less likely we will overeat
• Lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, decreasing the risk of heart disease and diabetes
• Healthy gut microbiome, which decreases levels of inflammation in our bodies

• Incorporate high-fiber plant proteins such as lentils and beans as often as possible. Try mixing black or pinto beans with guacamole and pico de gallo and serve with tortilla chips. I have brought this easy meal into classrooms, and kids have enjoyed it!
• Add nuts and seeds to baked goods and salads. Ground flax seeds are very healthy and high in fiber. When baking, you can substitute 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds plus 3 tablespoons of water to make a “flax egg,” and it will act like an egg.
• Check the nutrition label on packaged foods like bread and aim for at least 5 grams of fiber per serving.

Questions? Comments? Email Dr. Lisa.

Focus on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Women’s History Month

Women’s History Month is a time to honor women’s contributions in American History. It grew out of a one-week celebration started in 1978 by the school district of Sonoma, California, and slowly spread across the country. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter declared the week of March 8 as Women’s History Week, and in 1987 it was expanded to a month. Find more information here. Ideas for diving a little deeper into women’s history with your family:

• Explore Women’s History on BrainPOP, which offers free movies, texts, games and lessons on famous women in history.

• Visit the National Women’s History Museum website.

• Share a book about one of many amazing women from history.

Community News

Parent Education Opportunities

The second event in the all-new Neurodiversity Speaker Series features Sam Drazin, executive director of Changing Perspectives, for Changing Perspectives: Understanding Inclusion, Ableism, and Neurodiversity (March 26).

We welcome Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, PhD, founder of the Halpern-Felsher REACH Lab, Stanford Medicine, for Safety First and Mental Health: Empowering Teens to Prevent and Reduce Drug Use (March 27).

How can you find a college that’s right for your budget? Lynn O’Shaughnessy, college financial expert, presents The College Solution: Winning Strategies for Finding the Right School at the Right Price (March 28).