From the Principal
Dear White Oaks families,
Parent-teacher conferences will take place Monday, Oct. 4, through Friday, Oct. 8, providing the opportunity to develop a partnership between home and school, build a strong relationship with each other, and identify goals early in the school year. Conferences will be conducted in person, on campus after students leave for the day. If you are unable to attend in person, please inform your teacher so they can coordinate a Zoom meeting.
During conference week, all students will attend school from 8:25 a.m. to 12:25 p.m. so that teachers can meet with families in the afternoon. Conferences are meant for adults to connect, so please arrange for child care in advance.
During the conference, teachers will share areas of strengths and stretches that will contribute to the goal-setting conversation. This conversation will focus on key aspects that are relevant for your child, drawing from core academic areas as well as work habits, social skills, and the 5Cs (Creativity, Critical Thinking, Citizenship, Communication, and Collaboration). If you have a specific goal in mind for your child, please bring it with you to the conference.
Goal examples:
- “This year I would like my child to read with better fluency.”
- “This year I would like my child to demonstrate a better understanding of addition and subtraction facts.”
- “This year I want my child to learn to wait for his/her turn and not interrupt conversations.”
Here is a more detailed explanation of what to expect during parent-teacher conferences and why we believe it is crucial to meet early in the year. This chart is also helpful in explaining what to expect during our fall conferences vs. report cards.
We are looking forward to partnering with you to set goals that are individualized to your child’s needs. Please contact the teacher if you cannot attend the conference as scheduled.
Buddy Program
At White Oaks, each classroom is part of our Buddy Program. An upper- and lower-grade class get together to share or collaborate on projects. Research shows many academic and social-emotional benefits of “buddy time.” These treasured visits can help the older kids mature while encouraging the little kids to learn from role models. They also create positive, collaborative environments throughout the school.
As I observe the buddy time in classrooms across campus, I note the increased joy, and participation in cooperative learning behaviors such as taking turns, listening, sharing knowledge, praising others’ efforts, helping one another, and completing a joint task.
Pictured: Kindergarten Buddies watch their Big Kid Buddies from Room 10 perform The Hungry Caterpillar.
Have a beautiful week!
Kim Norgaard, Interim Principal
[email protected]
Upcoming Events
Monday, Sept. 27: Picture Day
October 4-8: Goal Conference Week, early dismissal (12:25 p.m.) each day
Thursday, Oct. 7: School board meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 11: Local holiday, no school
School News and Events
Volunteers Being Cleared to Help on Campus
Thank you to our White Oaks families who have followed the process of requesting to volunteer and being cleared by HR to help on campus. We are so excited to have you!
If you are interested in volunteering, please remember that you need to complete a two-step process. First, request to volunteer. Once you have submitted the Request to Volunteer form, HR in the district office will send you a Self-Certification of Vaccination Status form for you to submit. Just like employees, all volunteers need to either verify coronavirus vaccination or show a negative COVID test on a weekly basis. Your name will go on our school site list of cleared volunteers, managed by Teresa Williams in our office.
Picture Day Volunteers Needed
Picture Day is tomorrow, Sept. 27! We need three volunteers for each of our time slots: 8:30-10:30 and 10:30-12:00. Contact Teresa at the office or email Interim Principal Kim Norgaard.
Thank You from the PTA and How to Join
We are happy to announce that our membership continues to grow, and we now have 88 PTA members! Thank you to those who have joined. Our goal this year is 100% membership. The details:
- How do I join? Sign up online via Totem.
- What is the cost? $20 per family (plus $1 fee).
- Why join?
- 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 in the California Legislature. 100% membership sends a message that our district is made up of voters who are concerned and involved.
2021-22 White Oaks Yearbooks for Sale!
You can buy this school year’s yearbook directly from Jostens here. Yearbooks are $26 each, and the sales deadline is Friday, Dec. 24. They will be distributed the last week of school by your student’s teacher. Most teachers give the students time to sign yearbooks, so don’t let your child be left out!
We won’t have a lot of extras to sell at the end of the school year, so buy your yearbook now to reserve your copy. Please contact Teresa Williams with questions.
SCEF News and Events
Seeking Volunteers
SCEF is an organization that relies on volunteers! We are currently in need of volunteers on our finance and marketing teams. Interested in sharing your expertise or passion while supporting our public schools and volunteering with other parents? Please fill out this Google form.
So many ways to give! Your support of our schools is appreciated and necessary, and there are many ways for you to give. Visit scefkids.org/donate.
Like our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram @scefkids for all SCEF news.
District News and Events
COVID Reminders: Stay Home When Sick and Get Tested
Staying home when sick and getting tested for COVID-19 are two of the most effective ways to keep our community safe. Find details from the SCSD Health & Safety Plan in this document.
If you have any of the symptoms listed above, call your school office to report an illness, stay home, and take a COVID test.
If you need to report a COVID case, please call District Nurse Page Pollack at 650-632-8300 (Arroyo office) or Human Resources at 650-590-5922 if the nurse is unavailable.
For more information, visit our COVID-19 Resources page and review the SCSD Health & Safety Plan.
Schedule Your Appointment at the Curative COVID-19 Testing Van
Please take advantage of the no-cost COVID-19 testing provided by the San Mateo County Health Department. Sign up online to begin your regular weekly testing at the Central Middle School parking lot, under the solar structure (757 Cedar St., San Carlos).
- Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Thursdays 1-7 p.m.
- Fridays 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Find other community testing sites in San Mateo County here.
Community News and Events
Community Foundation of San Carlos
The Community Foundation of San Carlos is proud to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month! To us, this month is about honoring the diverse cultures and heritages, and celebrating in the joy, strength, and contributions of our Latinx community — as well as continuing to learn more about its rich history.
We have a list of resources to share and are honored to uplift and amplify the voices of our community members.
San Mateo County Reads
San Mateo County Reads fosters community building, enthusiasm for reading, and deep discussions by inviting people across the county to participate in a reading experience. This year, students and families can choose from a range of books under the theme of Good Trouble. Learn more here.
Parent Education Series from The Parent Venture
Happy National Hispanic Heritage Month! From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, we pay tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have influenced and enriched our nation and society.
How will the pandemic affect learning and mental health? Anya Kamenetz, NPR education correspondent, will discuss her upcoming book, The Stolen Year: How America’s Covid Response Failed Children, and How We Can Fix It (Sept. 29, online).
Want more great parenting advice? Follow the Parent Education Series on social media (Instagram and Facebook), or subscribe to our free Video Library (YouTube), a popular and trusted resource with over 21,000 views!