From the Principal
Dear White Oaks Families,
Throughout this incredibly difficult time, one phrase I’ve heard over and over again in many different conversations is “silver linings”. Wikipedia describes a silver lining as a negative occurrence (that) may have a positive aspect to it. Although it’s surreal to be ending our year this way, there are so many things that we would not have gotten to experience if it were not for this Shelter in Place ordinance. Personally, I would not have gotten to see some of the things students have shared with me during my one-on-one chats and “show and tells” like piano playing, story reading, and arts and crafts. I have learned so many interesting things about our students that I may have never discovered before. Teachers and staff would have never paraded around town with streamers and boats and had the whole neighborhood outside with signs and music and flowers. We may never have recorded ourselves dancing in our living rooms with our siblings or pets or learned how to play “There’s a Place for Us All” on the piano or ukulele. These past few months have put a strain on us all but they have also created new and unique memories that will stay with us forever and will make us smile whenever we think of them.
We continue to head towards the unknown but one thing is for certain. We will continue to make memories together and continue to be creative in our problem solving and continue to work together to provide rich and engaging learning experiences for our children.
In these dynamic times, we are trusting in the work that the SCSD Opening Up Schools Task Force began last week as many White Oaks staff members and parents are lending a hand to be a part of this approximately 135 member team. The task force plans to meet weekly until a solid plan is in place. Please continue to look for updates throughout the summer both from me and from Dr. Harmeier about returning to school in August.
Summer Learning
June is upon us and summer is right around the corner. Many of you have asked about how to maintain skills and learning throughout the summer. We have compiled a list amongst the P-3 schools that allow you to pick and choose what works best for your child. Take a look at all of the summer resources listed here and keep the learning alive!
Room 2 third graders have created an amazing resource for our students to enjoy as well. They have created a virtual library of their Fractured Fairytales which they composed as part of one of their writing units. Last year, their books were available to view at the San Carlos Public Library but because of our SIP, that was not an option this year. The students were committed to sharing their work with the WO community, so please enjoy their work by viewing the link here.
I am so excited to share that the San Mateo County Library Summer Learning Challenge has started! Even though the doors are still closed at this time, our county librarians have been determined to keep books in the hands of children.
Check out this message from our local public library:
Summer plans and activities may look different this year, but our annual Summer Learning Challenge continues! The challenge begins Monday, June 1, and runs through August 31. The Summer Learning Challenge is a fun (and FREE) way to engage children, families, and adults by challenging them to read, explore new activities, and learn new skills, all summer long!
All youth with SMCL library cards will automatically be included in our Summer Learning Challenge and will have a chance to win one of 12 $1,000 college scholarships! For information on our new Virtual STEAM Camp, Summer Learning Showcase celebrations, and how to participate in the Summer Learning Challenge, click here.
Report Cards
Report cards will be sent home electronically this year. You will receive two separate emails. The first one will have the subject line, White Oaks Report Card 19-20 T3 (Email 1 of 2), and will contain a password. You will receive a second email with the subject line, White Oaks Report Card 19-20 T3 (Email 2 of 2), which will contain the actual report card. You will need the password in order to open up the report card. The password does expire, so please download the report card when you get the email.
As always, many thanks for taking the time to stay connected and always look for the silver linings. I wish all of our families a wonderful and relaxing summer break.
Sincerely,
Leah Scholer, Principal
[email protected]
School News and Events
3rd Promotion T-Shirt Form - Response Needed
The shirts will be delivered to your home on Wednesday, 6/10. Please complete this Google Form to request your t-shirt size. The first form did not have a place to put your child's name so this will ensure the correct size is delivered. The shirts have been ordered so please submit the same size as you did on the original form. Thank you.
We Are All in This Together
The past week has been filled with so much sadness, hurt, and injustice. We wanted to let you know that we are here for our community and for all our children. We are dedicated to doing whatever we can to promote healing, understanding, and advocate for an educational system that benefits all children. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you are feeling overwhelmed or need support.
We wanted to share a few resources and book lists that might help during this time. The resources can be found in this link.
We have said a lot over the past few months that “we are all in this together” and that could not be more true than today. Our hearts are with each one of you today and each day!
In solidarity,
Britta and Debbie
PTA Co-Presidents
Request for Incoming Kinder Buddy Families
Hi White Oaks Families,
It's almost summer break and as we are getting ready to close down our distance learning classrooms, we wanted to reach out and get some families to sign up to be Kinder Family Buddies. Kinder Family Buddies are a resource in case there are any questions over the summer and/or at the beginning of the year. First time families often have questions or just have normal jitters, and having a particular person/family to talk to helps a lot. This is a great way to help our newest members of our community join our White Oaks family. Please fill out this form to sign up to be a Kinder Family Buddy.
PTA COORDINATING COUNCIL - Summer Help for Our Families
Many thanks to everybody who participated in the PTA Coordinating Council gift card drive in mid-March to support our SCSD families. It has been a huge success and we have handed out all of the donated gift cards to approximately 50 district families in need!
We also secured generous grants from the Rotary Club and the Community Foundation of San Carlos, allowing us to shift to grocery delivery services for our families. We will be offering the program through the summer (or until funds are depleted) to continue to support our families that are still navigating COVID-related challenges.
To get support, click HERE.
To donate gift cards, click HERE.
Our recipient families have been overwhelmed by the compassion of our community. Kudos for truly making a difference in their lives through your kindness and generosity.
Reminder: Use Amazon Smile for Your SIP Purchases
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support White Oaks PTA every time you shop. Use the link smile.amazon.com and Amazon will donate a portion of your purchase to our school. Create a bookmark and make it easy to remember. If you use chrome, clink on this link to activate a redirect that will automatically take you to smile.amazon.com whenever you type amazon.com. You'll never miss an opportunity to earn money for our school.
2020 Walk-a-Thon Design Contest
Calling all Artists!!!
● Create a simple, one color line drawing
● Use a black pen (like a sharpie) on white paper
● Current TK through 2nd graders eligible to participate
● Email your scanned artwork to [email protected]
DEADLINE: Friday, June 12
The winning artwork will be our featured design for the 2020 Walk-a-Thon
Note: the event date has not yet been set; we will share as soon as possible.
Questions: please contact [email protected]
SCEF News
Thank You to Everyone Who Has Helped to Make it Happen in May!
You did it! We asked for your help to “Make it Happen in May” and SCEF could not be more thrilled to report that the $2.8 million goal has been reached! Thanks to our generous donors and sponsors who have shown us once again the power of our community to make a difference. In these unprecedented times with looming budget challenges, SCEF is committed to continuing its fundraising efforts. The anticipated reductions in California State Funding will be deeply and swiftly felt without the financial support of our community.
Any donation received before June 30 will be used in the 2020-21 school year. SCEF works to ensure that we do not fail our kids. If we all do our part as a community, and give what we can, all of our children can continue to thrive with a solid public education.
Every donation will make a difference in the lives of our students.
Let’s see how far we can go together.
Please donate TODAY at https://www.scefkids.org/donate/.
Learn more about budget cuts to California public school funding at http://www.scefkids.org/news/.
Some Good News-San Carlos Edition
A big thank you to the video class at Central and their teacher Nick Lamb for reporting the Good News in San Carlos. All 6 episodes can be seen here.
Check out the recently added SCEF Sell-abration "Tastes Like Summer!"--treats for all ages.
District News and Events
Pandemic Food Assistance Available
COVID-19 Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) benefits will be available soon. Children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals can get up to $365 in food benefits in addition to community ‘to-go” meals. Learn more about these P-EBT food benefits.
Community News and Events
Virtual Parent Education Events
The Parent Education Series is a leading provider of high-quality education for parents, students, educators, and community members. The organization has reached over 70,000 attendees on critical issues-mental health, substance use, social media, and more-that impact the health, safety, and well-being of children and teens.
Check out the Parent Education Series video library of parent education workshops and presentations here.
Learn more on the Sequoia High School Website.
Census 2020
Remember, if you received a paper questionnaire please complete it and mail it back TODAY to the US Census Bureau - https://www.census.gov/. The Census is easy, safe, and your voice is essential in shaping the next 10 years!
#SmcCounts #EveryoneCounts"