Dear White Oaks families,
With Halloween right around the corner, White Oaks is supporting the Teal Pumpkin Project, raising awareness of food allergies and promoting the inclusion of all trick-or-treaters. Parents can go to the Teal Pumpkin Project website and log your home as a Teal Pumpkin home so trick-or-treaters know where to go.
For those of you who will be trick-or-treating, SCEF is sponsoring the 10th annual Halloween buy-back program. Families can drop off their Halloween candy at the White Oaks office Nov. 1-4. The candy will be shipped to U.S. troops overseas as part of Operation Gratitude.
Our White Oaks Halloween parade will take place on Friday, Oct. 29, at 8:45 a.m. Students will head to their classrooms at 8:30 to put down their backpacks, and then as a school, we will gather on the blacktop for the parade, which is for students and staff only. I will send out the live feed link for parents to view the parade in a separate letter.
Students are to wear their costumes to school, with their regular school clothes worn underneath if possible. Students will change into their regular clothes before recess. Please be sure to have your child bring a bag to put their costumes in after the parade. Our teachers and room parents will contact families about their celebrations and volunteer needs.
Have a safe and happy Halloween!
Sincerely,
Kim Norgaard, Interim Principal
[email protected]
PTA Membership UpdateDon’t wait! Please sign up to become a member of the White Oaks PTA by Oct. 31 AND ...
Mrs. Norgaard will greet all students wearing a green wig on Wednesday, Nov. 3.
How do you join? Sign up online via Totem.
Lost and FoundWater bottles, jackets, masks, OH MY!
As the weather gets cooler in the mornings, our Lost and Found grows larger. Please stop by the covered walkway around the corner from the White Oaks office to see if your child has left a jacket, sweater, hat, or water bottle at school!
The White Oaks Running Club Is Back!The White Oaks Running Club is a non-competitive and FUN way for 2nd- and 3rd-graders to get exercise with their friends in a social, no-pressure setting … plus, it’s an easy way for them to get their wiggles out!
Students who want to participate will run around a designated course on the WO blacktop. Parent volunteers, as well as a Legarza coach, will monitor the course to ensure that the joggers are safe. Students will keep track of their laps with stickers on a banner.
The Running Club will meet Thursdays during lunch, as long as it is not raining or too smoky. There is no cost to participate, and the program is voluntary. Students can choose to run some Thursdays and not others. They can run for as long (or as short) as they want, or choose to cheer on their friends!
There is no need to sign up. Every 2nd- and 3rd-grader will automatically be registered and have the option to run. Running Club will start the first Thursday in November (Nov. 4).
If you would like to help monitor the course or cheer the kids on, please sign up here. Any and all help is much appreciated! Email Stephanie Brill or Nicole Ketterman with questions. We look forward to getting this club back up and RUNNING!
On your mark ... GET SET ... GO!
Dates to Remember
Friday, Oct. 29: School Halloween Parade (students only)
Sunday, Oct. 31: Halloween
Thursday, Nov. 4: Running Club starts
Thursday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day, no school
Friday, Nov. 12: End of 1st Trimester
Friday, Nov. 19: Report card day
Nov. 22-26: Fall Break
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School News and Events
October PTA Membership DriveWe are happy to announce that our membership continues to grow, and we now have 60% PTA membership! Thank you to those who have joined. Our goal this year is 100% membership. If we reach 85% membership by the end of October, Mrs. Norgaard will greet the kids wearing a green wig! The details:
- How do I join? Sign up online via Totem.
- What is the cost? $20 per family (plus $1 fee).
- 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.
PTA Appreciation for Pumpkin Patch Movie NightThank you to our amazing White Oaks families for coming to our first in-person event since March 2020! We can’t begin to express how grateful we are to see so many smiling faces (even under those masks), for the sweet pumpkins, and for helping us have such a fun, safe, and successful event. We are looking forward to many fun events this year.
Special thanks to our organizers, Amy Kim and Brooke Sibley, for making this event extra special, and big thanks to volunteers Darius Dadabhoy, Paulo Dutra, Trinity Murphy, Jennie Romeo, Maria Shih, Taylor Simon, Laura Sleasman, Sarah Stewart, and Sara Ting for all your incredible help!
White Oaks Holiday Store 2021!The White Oaks Holiday Store is a cherished tradition and will be open on Saturday, Dec. 11!
Pick-a-Project will be on Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 12:25 p.m. After school dismissal, come to the MU to choose a project to take home and complete. For those new to the Holiday Store: Parents select a kit that has all materials and instructions for assembling a certain number of gifts, and return them by Nov. 30. Then on the day of the Holiday Store, these gifts are sold to White Oaks students to give to family members! Most projects require NO crafty abilities and are very easy to put together.
Seeking help with sewing projects: A few Pick-a-Project kits require certain skills. We are specifically looking for help with sewing projects. Please contact Sara Ting if you have sewing abilities to share! There will be more volunteer opportunities, so look for future sign-ups.
Holiday Store Key Dates
Nov. 10 at 12:25 p.m.: Pick-a-Project in the MU after school dismissal
Nov. 30 at 2:30 p.m.: Assembled projects due back to White Oaks
Dec. 10 at 2:30 p.m.: Event set-up in the MU
Dec. 11 9 a.m.-12 p.m.: Holiday Store open!
New Girl Scout Troops Forming
New Daisy Troops for kindergarten and 1st grade are now forming! Email Kari Burchard for more info. If you signed up at the Kinder Playdates over the summer, we have your contact info and will be reaching out soon!
SCEF News and Events
Dwell Is Now SerenoWe are thrilled to announce that Dwell/Sereno has committed $25,000 as our 2021-22 Exclusive Real Estate Sponsor. We are honored and grateful that Sereno is continuing the commitment of the Dwell founding partners to local public schools.
Golden State Warriors Games
Gather your family and friends and join SCEF at Chase Center for a Golden State Warriors game!
- Oct. 30 and Dec. 23: 75 participants will be invited to sit in the lower level before the game to watch the players’ warm-up!
- Jan. 25: The first 10,000 fans will receive a Curry/Chamberlain Duo Bobblehead.
Discounted tickets are available for select dates, and a portion of each ticket sale benefits SCEF. Get WARRIORS tickets at discounted prices AND with NO Ticketmaster fees! Buy before Nov. 8 and be entered to win additional tickets. More information is available at scefkids.org/events.
11th Annual Halloween Candy Buy-Back
Halloween is happening! And so is our 11th annual Candy Buy-Back! Drop extra candy Nov. 1-4 at your school’s office and it will be donated to Operation Gratitude and sent to our troops. Drs. Chang, Amin, and Kaher will donate $1 per pound of wrapped candy to SCEF.
District News and Events
San Mateo County Office of Education Vaccination Information Session
Wednesday, Oct. 27, 6:30-7:45 p.m.
Vaccinations for children ages 5-11 are expected to be available in November. Educators and families are invited to join the San Mateo County Office of Education and representatives from San Mateo County Health for a discussion about vaccinations for youth, including research on the safety and effectiveness of vaccinations for this age group. Learn more | Spanish flyer
San Carlos School District Meal Survey - Due Oct. 29
SCSD participates in the National School Lunch Program by offering lunches every day. On July 9, 2021, Assembly Bill (AB) 130 was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, EC 49501.5 requires public school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools serving students in grades K-12 to provide two meals free of charge (breakfast and lunch) during each school day to students requesting a meal, regardless of their free or reduced-price meal eligibility.
We are asking all SCSD families to complete our participation survey so that we may gather data to prepare for the best way to serve you and our students. The survey closes on Friday, Oct. 29 at 3 p.m.
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
City of San Carlos Events
Goblin Walk: San Carlos Parks & Recreation is excited for the return of Goblin Walk on Friday, Oct. 29, 4-5:30 p.m. Children 7 years and younger, accompanied by an adult, are invited to trick-or-treat down Laurel Street in their costumes and visit the businesses displaying the Goblin Walk sign. The first 1,000 trick-or-treaters can pick up a Goblin Walk trick-or-treat bag at Harrington Park or from any Goblin Walk volunteer. For more information, call 650-802-4382. Planning on going? Let us know on our Facebook Event Page!
VolunTEEN: Laurel Street Clean-Up: Calling all “VolunTEENs” ages 12-18: Lend a hand to help your community! Join the Youth Advisory Council and Key Club on Saturday, Oct. 30, 9-10:30 a.m., for a Laurel Street Clean-Up. We will provide gloves, pickers, and buckets. Your time, effort, and presence will make a difference in your community. Registration required at cityofsancarlos.org/
Parent Education Series from The Parent Venture
Changing Perspectives Parent Nights for TK-12 Families: First session is Nov. 9, 5:30-7 p.m. The San Mateo County Office of Education invites Sam Drazin, founder and CEO of Changing Perspectives, to lead two virtual family nights on social-emotional learning (SEL) and how to incorporate it at home. He will break SEL down into core competencies and share valuable strategies and resources to support students’ well-being and learning. Learn more.