From the Principal
Dear White Oaks Families,
What an exciting couple of weeks we are having! We have been welcoming back our TK, Kinder, and First grade students this past week and are looking forward to seeing our Second and Third graders this coming week! It’s been almost a year since we have gotten to experience the energy and joy of our students in person and it has been SUCH a positive step forward in reopening our campuses.
I would like to thank our entire community for making the first week back on campus a smooth and successful one. Our teachers were well prepared, our students were eager and ready to learn, and ALL of our families completed the FeverFree app before dropping off their kids!!! Thank you, parents, for taking the time to read my numerous emails regarding the protocols for a safe return to campus. Your honesty about needing to quarantine after travel has been essential to a safe start and we cannot thank you enough. This has been an amazing example of how when we come together as a community, we can do great things and move forward in the right direction.
Reminders
Please remember the following when dropping off and picking up your children this week:
- Complete the FeverFree app BEFORE bringing your child to school. We highly recommend completing this app first thing in the morning so it becomes part of your routine.
- When dropping off your child, please have them go to their designated zone and colored tape using the sidewalks and crosswalks cm. A volunteer will help guide your child to class
- When picking up your child, please be sure your teacher is aware that they have been picked up. DO NOT have your child cross a street by themselves if you are walking over to them. Please walk all the way to your designated zone, check in with the teacher, and then take your child.
- Please DO NOT park in the White Oak Way cul de sacs or on Fairmont Street in front of the school. If you need to park, please do so on a side street to help with the flow of traffic.
Asynchronous Days
As we near the end of the second trimester, teachers are beginning to assess their students and complete report cards. Teachers may be taking one half-day to administer these assessments and will be communicating with you what the asynchronous plans will be during these assessment times.
Teachers are also starting to get vaccination appointments, which is great news! The appointments may take place during the school day and in that case, teachers will assign asynchronous work during that time. We have also learned that after the second dose of the vaccine, there is a possibility that teachers may feel unwell. This might mean that a teacher will need to miss their in-person afternoon cohort session. Teachers will communicate with you beforehand when this might occur. We thank you in advance for your cooperation and support as we get our teachers and staff vaccinated.
Sincerely,
Leah Scholer, Principal
[email protected]
School News and Events
Your PTA Needs You!
We are already starting to think about next years 2021-22 PTA board and looking forward to making 2021-22 school year a memorable one for our children. We are looking for volunteers to join the board as well as oversee individual committees to help run all the awesome events for our students. There are roles to suit any amount of time you have to donate to the school and most positions can be home-based or shared with another person. In particular, if you have a finance background, we could really use your help next school year in serving as a treasurer or auditor. Email Diana Herman at [email protected] for more information or to nominate yourself and/or a friend!
PTA Meeting - March 3 - 7:30pm via Zoom
Please join us for our next PTA meeting on Wednesday 3/3 at 7:30pm. We hope you can all join us!
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85018441308?pwd=dndLTXFXSE44VlhlZ3EzaXRZL3g3QT09
Meeting ID: 850 1844 1308
Passcode: 481770
Yearbook – Final Call for Photos – Deadline Friday, 3/12
Thank you to everyone who submitted photos for the earlier deadlines. The book is nearly complete. However, there are few more pages to fill and we need your help one last time. Please collect and submit photos for the following pages by Friday, 3/12:
- 100th Day of School
- Lunar New Year
- Return to School
- Clubs (Acorn Press, Green Team, Running Club, Scouts, etc.)
Instructions for uploading:
- LOG ON TO: images.jostens.com
- Enter our school ID: 415473954
- Browse to select the photo(s) you wish to upload, click on “Select My Images.”
- Click “Upload Chosen Images.”
- Complete the Description portion of the form when submitting.
Please limit your uploads to two or three of your best photos per category.
In-n-Out Books Wednesday
We’re excited to announce that the pop-library will be open on the East White Oaks Way cul-de-sac in front of the library from 1:30-2:30pm this Wednesday. Come by, return your books and check out some new ones. Also, we have quite a few reading options for 4th & 5th graders. White Oaks alumni are welcome to scooter over and pick up some books as well. If you’re able to volunteer, please sign up here.
SCEF News and Events
SCEF News
We read together and succeeded together! 1644 students registered for the Read-A-Thon and 419,075 minutes read were logged. That’s a lot of hours of our kids not on screens! The Read-A-Thon has raised $139,491 which will benefit all students throughout our district. The fundraising from this event is unique in that over half of the funds raised were from our extended families and friends! What a great way for us all to come together.
Our virtual cooking and baking classes are getting rave reviews. Baking with Caitlynn is coming up in March and April, and it looks delicious! Check out the menu of classes here: https://scefkids.org/upcoming-events/. On 3/14, Caitlynn is offering classes in cream puffs and churros, and on 3/21, whoopie pies and hand pies are on the menu! These classes can be purchased together or separately.
SCEF is proud to do our part in the efforts to provide a safe return to SCSD campuses. The contributions from our generous donors have helped fun air purifiers in every classroom at every school, plus additional PPE for teachers and staff. Our long-standing support of smaller class sizes in elementary schools is helping by getting students back to campus in fewer cohorts. Your donations are providing social emotional programs and positions that benefit all students as they transition to on-campus learning, as well as professional development and Edtech applications to support online learning, and Principal Flex Funds for individual school site needs.
District News and Events
COVID-19 Testing to Keep our Kids On Campus
Please take advantage of the no cost surveillance COVID-19 testing provided by the San Mateo County Health Department.
Please sign up for weekly testing for yourself and your child. Contact your health provider for a test if you have symptoms or know you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
Keeping COVID cases off of our campuses will keep our in person learning possible. As a reminder, if a student or or teacher tests positive for COVID, we will need to transition that cohort back to distance learning for at least two weeks to avoid spreading the virus.
Sign up at one of the following locations to begin your regular weekly testing:
- Central Middle School - Thursdays, 1-7pm Register Here
- Other Community Based Testing sites in San Mateo County Here
SMARTE Afterschool Program Registration for 2021-22 Now Open!
We are excited to announce registration for the SMARTE Afterschool Clubhouse for the 2021-22 school year is about to begin!
We are are hopeful our program will return to a regular schedule in the fall and are moving forward with registration for families. Programs will be available to students at all four elementary schools - Arundel, Brittan Acres, Heather and White Oaks. Families new to the program will be able to register starting Feb 22 by going to our SMARTE Clubhouse Registration site.
There is a $75 non-refundable registration fee and once your registration is received, your spot will be secured in the program and an email confirmation will follow.
See our SMARTE Afterschool Clubhouse website for more information or if you have questions, please email [email protected].
Afterschool Care Enrichment (ACE) is Now Enrolling at Arroyo and Mariposa for the 2021-22 School Year
Attention Families of Incoming 4th and 5th Grade Students!
ACE is currently enrolling Full Time, Part Time and Morning Care Options at both Arroyo and Mariposa. While we do not have complete clarity as to what next year will look like, we are hopeful our program will be able to phase into our normal After School Enrichment Program by fall of 2021. If there are alternative school schedules we will structure our program options accordingly to best support the needs of our families enrolled. Register here.
Please visit our website for more information: www.acesancarlos.com. You can contact ACE by phone: (650) 931-4007 or email: [email protected]
Check Out Parent Education Offerings
Remember to check out our Pandemic Care & Support website for parent education events and resources, mental health support, and more! You can also add the SCSD Parent Education Calendar to your phone.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Remember to Order Lunch Meal Kits
We have weekly meal boxes available for pick up each Monday (including delivery to Menlo Park and East Palo Alto). Each box includes five meals - an assortment of hot and cold entrees and a variety of fruits, veggies, and milk. Simply order online and safely pick-up your box for the week. To order your student’s Weekly Lunch Box, please log onto LunchIsServed and place your order. You must place your order by 9am on Sunday before the following week.
Community News and Events
Community Foundation of San Carlos (CFSC) Poster Contest
CFSC is launching an Inaugural Annual Poster Art Contest that is open to everyone in the community.
The theme for this year is racial justice. For those interested, the intent is to design a poster that commemorates one's hopes and dreams for racial justice, a world in which all are respected, valued, and able to thrive. We would love for you to share the details of the art poster contest with your children. If they don't understand the racial justice theme, what a great opportunity to spark discussion.
To learn more about the poster art contest and on how you, your family and others in the San Carlos community can participate, please visit this website. Poster entry deadline is Friday, March 5.
El Parent Project
¿Desea construir mejores relaciones con sus hijos?
El Parent Project® es un curso de12 semanas,que le da a los padres, abuelos y guardianes las herramientas para construir familias unidas y saludables. ¡Todas las clases son gratuitas! La duración y la ubicación de las clases se han modificado debido a COVID-19.
Sunday San Carlos Farmers Market is Back!
The Chamber of Commerce is excited to bring the San Carlos Farmers Market back to our location at Bayport and Varian in the Industrial Arts District on March 7. The market will be open 9am-1pm every Sunday.
Please come out and support the vendors that have long supported our market. More vendors will be added every week. And don't forget that San Carlos Bikes will be there to watch over your bicycles while you shop!
COVID rules will apply, such as masks required for all, social distancing, and no sampling. No pets, please.
With awesome support from the City of San Carlos, let's celebrate the return of the San Carlos Farmers' Market together. We hope to see you there!
Storytime with Safe Routes to School
Join the Safe Routes to School team every Wednesday at 1pm until May 12 for our second round of Storytime! We will read books about pedestrian safety, play fun games that get us moving, and celebrate important dates, such as bike to school day, together! These stories will be read on zoom, please register here. We look forward to seeing you there!
¡Únete a la Hora de Cuentos de Rutas Seguras a la Escuela! Todos los miércoles a 1:00pm entre el 24 de Febrero y el 12 de Mayo, leeremos libros sobre seguridad para peatones, jugaremos juegos divertidos que nos mueven, y celebraremos fechas importantes, como el día de ir en bicicleta a la escuela (¡o donde sea!), juntos. Estas historias se leerán en inglés por zoom, por favor regístrate aquí. ¡Estamos deseando verte allí!