Dear White Oaks Families,
It is September and I don’t know about you but I am eagerly looking forward to the joys of Fall. The changing of the leaves, sweaters and scarves (although, I think we’ll be waiting on that for a while), pumpkin-spiced everything, and PICTURE DAY!
Picture Day
We are going to be doing Picture Day a bit differently this year. Families will be assigned a timeslot based on last name either for the afternoon of Friday, September 25 or Saturday, September 26. Be sure to calendar your family’s timeslot (check the WOW in your email for details). If you are unable to make this time, please email Teresa Williams to request a new time. We are asking each family to follow the safety guidelines that LifeTouch has put in place to ensure a safe and efficient picture-taking experience. As the dates get closer, I will be sending out the instructions on where to go and what to expect when you get to the White Oaks campus for your child(ren)’s picture.
Acceptable Use Agreement
Now that our learning has gone virtual, San Carlos School District has updated our Acceptable Use Agreement for students and parents/guardians. The purpose of this is to ensure that we are all essentially following the “White Oaks Way Expectations” and using our devices and platforms respectfully, responsibly, and safely. Please review the Acceptable Use Agreement and keep an eye out for an email from SCSD that will serve as an electronic signature indicating that you and your student(s) agree to abide by the expectations in this document.
Welcome Wednesday
We want Welcome Wednesdays to be student-centered and student-led! There are many different ways students can participate this year. Here is the sign-up sheet that we will be using this year. I will reach out to families and students that sign up and will plan with you for future Welcome Wednesdays on a first-come, first-serve basis. Ask your child if they'd like to get involved and help them get signed up! Students can put their names under as many categories as they are interested in participating in. I cannot wait to hear from our students!
School Site Council Parent/Community Membership - 1 Position Open
The White Oaks School Site Council consists of 5 parent or community members and 5 staff members, which always includes the principal. Parent/community members are selected through the election process. There are approximately seven meetings scheduled each year. Meetings are usually scheduled on selected Thursday afternoons at 3pm via Zoom until further notice. Please refer to the SSC News September 2020 email that went out on September 3 for more information about White Oaks School Site Council.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the Site Council, please email Mrs. Scholer with a blurb about why you are interested in the position and how you contribute to the Council. If there is more than one person interested, we will hold an election to fill the opening.
Sincerely,
Leah Scholer, Principal
[email protected]
School News and Events
Join the TeamKid Movement!
At Back to School night we introduced the important ways the White Oaks PTA and SCEF work together to provide the best experience possible for our eager students and outstanding teachers! We invite you to Join TeamKid today and support these organizations that support our schools.
By giving to your school's PTA and SCEF, you’ll contribute to local-level funding that bridges the gap between the needs of San Carlos public schools and our CA state funding.
Our goal is 100% participation, so please donate at whatever level is possible for you. Join TeamKid HERE.
Thank You From the PTA and How to Join
Thank you to everyone who came to our first PTA meeting. It was great to see so many new faces. Thank you to everyone who presented, shared feedback, and huge thanks to all our incredible volunteers who worked throughout the summer and are continuing to work each and every day to keep our community and school strong.
We are also happy to announce that we already have over 100 PTA members. Thank you to those who have already joined. Our goal this year is 100% membership.
Here is how and why to join:
- How Do I Join? Log on to Totem
- What is the Cost? $20 per family
- Why Join the PTA?
- CONNECT with new friends and the White Oaks community
- SUPPORT school wide events and programs
- MAKE your voice heard in Sacramento
Why is Your Membership Important?
Members play a role in decision-making at our monthly White Oaks PTA Meetings Higher membership gives our PTA a powerful voice in advocating for our children with the California State Legislature. 100% membership sends a message to Sacramento that our district is made up of voters who are concerned and involved.
Earn Free Money for the White Oaks PTA!
AmazonSmile and eScrip are simple and automatic ways for you to support the White Oaks PTA every time you shop. Please use the link to AmazonSmile in the left margin of the WOW and Amazon will donate a portion of your purchase to our school (please note that our school receives more if you use this WOW link). Create a bookmark and make it easy to remember. Please also use eScrip to register your store cards and credit cards, and then earn money for our school when you shop.
District News and Events
SMARTE Afterschool Clubhouse - Grades TK-3
We still have a few openings in our SMARTE Afterschool Clubhouse program!
The SMARTE Clubhouse will open on Wednesday, August 19 to provide on-site, all-day care while schools are on a distance learning schedule.
Programs will run from 8:30am-4:30pm each day. We have three different options available for families:
- Full-time care 5-days a week on all school sites
- Part-time 3-days or 2-days a week on either the Arundel or Brittan Acres campus
The SMARTE Clubhouse is dedicated to enriching children's lives outside of school. It provides a fun, safe and welcoming place to spend time in a supervised childcare environment to support online learning along with engaging enrichment activities. The program is available to TK-3rd grade students at our four elementary schools - Arundel, Brittan Acres, Heather and White Oaks. Each program offers age-appropriate educational and enriching activities in a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Please visit the SMARTE Clubhouse website for more detailed information. If you have additional questions, please email us at [email protected]. Scholarships are available for families in need and we offer both an employee and sibling discount.
Click on the SMARTE Clubhouse Registration link to sign-up today!
Community News and Events
Prop 15 Panel Discussion
Looking to educate yourself before the November election? The League of Women Voters of North & Central San Mateo will present a panel discussion on Proposition 15, Tax on Commercial and Industrial Properties for Education and Local Government Initiative on September 8 from 12:00 - 1:30. If passed, it means a significant change to the state's property tax structure that has prevailed for the past 42 years. It would amend the way that large commercial properties are currently assessed.
Don’t miss the opportunity to hear this panel of Distinguished Speakers:
- Ted Lempert, President, Children Now
- Nancy Magee, San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools
- Mike Callagy, County Manager, San Mateo County
Register using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYrd-GsrDoqHtGAaEwH32W6sLasJEa4zev7oin
Healthy Cities Tutoring - Become a Tutor!
Join our community of volunteers who range in age from 14-96 and provide one-on-one tutoring and mentoring to students for 30-45 minutes per week to improve their academic performance, engagement in learning, and self-esteem. This year with distance learning we are seeking volunteers willing to be trained in tutoring a student remotely once a week. We expect the need to grow this year and hope you or someone you know will get involved in this rewarding volunteer experience.
If you are interested in learning more, please mark your calendar for our annual new tutor orientation & training which will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, September 15. There are two identical sessions, 10:00-11:00 am OR 7:00-8:00 pm. Please RSVP via the links to attend whichever time is most convenient for you.
For more information to become a Healthy Cities tutor, visit healthycitiestutoring.org and click VOLUNTEER to complete the online application or email [email protected].
Healthy Cities Tutoring is recruiting volunteers – Reach a child. Touch a Family.