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White Oaks Weekly - November 14, 2021

From the Principal

Dear White Oaks families,

There is so much to be thankful for this year! I, for one, am incredibly grateful for this warm and caring community. With my first week back under my belt, I was reminded of how very special a place White Oaks is. The smiles under all the masks were evident as students, teachers, staff, and parents enjoyed the last days of the Book Fair, gathered together for Welcome Wednesday, and added to our ever-growing Gratitude Tree. 

I hope you all enjoy your Fall Break next week and are able to spend time with the ones you love. 

Travel over Fall and Winter Break
At this time, there are still guidelines regarding travel. Please see the table below for current recommendations. More information can be found on the county health department's page Safety Recommendation for Holiday Travel.

If your child does need to quarantine, we have an at-home study plan for them to follow while at home. This allows the absence during quarantine to be considered present for attendance purposes. Please contact Teresa Williams if you need to enroll your child in this program. We are very close to getting many of our students fully immunized and want to have a safe, healthy and happy holiday season.
 



Walk Audit: Volunteers Needed Dec. 7
Walk Audits are conducted each year with all San Carlos School District schools and city officials to ensure safe routes to school and the best flow of traffic for pedestrians, bikes, and cars. Each school needs five to eight community members to volunteer to help on Dec. 7 from 1:50 to 3:20 p.m. No prior experience is necessary; you will get your “job” when you arrive. If you are interested, please fill out this form. We appreciate the support to ensure safe schools for all!

Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day: Wednesday, Nov. 17
This week White Oaks will be participating in Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day on Nov. 17, sponsored by the SMCOE Safe Routes to School Program. We will be handing out stickers and buttons to students who walk, roll, ride, carpool, or ride the bus on this historic day. 

Ruby Bridges became a symbol of the civil rights movement at age 6 when she was the youngest of a group of African American students designated to integrate schools in the American South. On Nov. 14, 1960, her first day of school at William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, Ruby was escorted to school by four federal marshals and spent the entire day in the principal’s office as irate parents marched into the school to remove their children. 

The inaugural Walk to School Day in San Mateo County was in 2018. Students from Martin Elementary School in South San Francisco were learning about Ruby Bridges and wanted to celebrate her courage. They advocated to their school board to make Nov. 14 Ruby Bridges Day and were invited to do the same at an SMCOE board meeting. Their passion caught on, and 14 schools across the county participated in 2018. Several districts also passed resolutions. Since then the movement has grown. You can learn more about Ruby Bridges and the Walk to School Day initiative on the website.

Sincerely, 

Leah Scholer, Principal
[email protected]


Dates to Remember 

Thursday, Nov. 18: School Site Council meeting, 3 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 23: Report card day
Nov. 22-26: Fall Break
Dec. 11: White Oaks Holiday Store
Dec. 16: Minimum day
Dec. 17-Jan. 3: Winter Break 

 

School News and Events

Time Is Running Out on Our PTA Fundraising Period - DONATE TODAY!
We are only 55% of the way toward reaching our $20,000 fundraising goal for this school year, and WE NEED YOUR HELP! If you have yet to donate, please consider giving TODAY so that we can cover PTA programs and expenses for the 2021-22 school year. Your one-time PTA Partner donation supports amazing programs and activities like teacher stipends and principal site funds, social-emotional education, Art in Action, Makerspace, Holiday Store, artist in residence, Running Club, Movie Night and so much more. PTA funds are already making a positive difference in the daily lives of our students, but we still need your support! Our donation ask is $125 per student or $250 per family, and EVERY dollar goes directly to White Oaks. Please click here to learn more and donate by this Friday, Nov. 19. Thank you for your support! Donate today and reach out to Jennie Romeo or Taylor Simon  if you have any questions!

Third-Grade Baby Photos for Yearbook
Please submit one baby photo of your child to be included in the Guess Who 3rd Grade Baby section of the yearbook. Please follow the guidelines below and submit your photo by Sunday, Nov. 21.

  • Use this Google form to upload your photo
  • Rename your image file to include the child’s last and first name (smith_bob.jpg)
  • JPEG images are highly preferred

We would love for every 3rd-grader to be included on these pages. Please email any questions to [email protected].

Become a Small-Business Sponsor of the White Oaks PTA
Do you own a small business, and would you be interested in becoming a small-business sponsor of our PTA? We need your support! Please reach out to Jennie Romeo or Taylor Simon to discuss how you can contribute and help our White Oaks community thrive this year. We are so thankful for our small-business support!

Holiday Shopping Is Just Around the Corner!
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support the White Oaks PTA every time you shop. While shopping this holiday season, 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, click here to activate a redirect that will automatically take you to smile.amazon.com whenever you type amazon.com (so easy!). You'll never miss an opportunity to earn money for our school. Thank you so much!

back to top picture day is tomorrow! we cannot wait for a safe & fun picture day.

SCEF News and Events

Honey Bear Trees are Comin’ to Town!
The annual tradition of scouting the Honey Bear lot for the perfect Christmas tree continues! Visit the San Carlos or Redwood City location and don’t forget to mention SCEF, they donate 15% back! Details here.

Grateful for Our Community
As we enter the season of Thanksgiving, we want to share our gratitude to the San Carlos community. Without the spirited volunteers, enthusiastic educators, and generous donors, SCEF could not do what we do year after year. We are grateful for YOU!

 

District News and Events

Did you know California is expanding Transitional Kindergarten (TK), making all 4-year-old eligible by 2025-26?
For the 2022-23 school year, parents of students who turn 5 between Sept. 2 and Feb. 1 can register their children for Transitional Kindergarten (TK). TK is optional, and parents may choose to keep their children enrolled in preschool or day care until they are eligible to enter Kindergarten. Stay tuned for more information on what TK programming will look like in San Carlos schools and plans for a robust, early learning aftercare program to support families who need all-day care. Visit our Transitional Kindergarten page to learn more about the San Carlos School District TK program.

Here are some key dates for new student registration:

  • Monday, Jan. 10: Virtual TK/Kindergarten Welcome Night, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Jan. 11: PowerSchool Priority Registration opens for all new students at noon.
  • Wednesday, Jan. 26: Schools hold Virtual Elementary School Tours for incoming TK/Kindergarten families, 4-4:30 p.m.
  • Friday, Feb. 11: PowerSchool Priority Registration deadline, 4 p.m.

Sequoia Health Care Fall Newsletter
Sequoia Healthcare District is a vital part of supporting our school communities health and wellness programs, and ensuring all of our students are cared for and supported. Each quarter, the district puts together a newsletter highlighting what we've been up to, and what each school in the area has been doing. Please see SCSD's newsletter here, and the area-wide newsletter here.

COVID Reminders: Stay Home When Sick and Get Tested
Staying home when sick and getting tested for the COVID-19 virus 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 virus test.
If you need to report a positive COVID test, 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.

Second Location and More Days for Curative COVID-19 Testing 
Please take advantage of the free COVID-19 virus testing provided by the San Mateo County Health Department. Sign up online for your weekly testing.

Central Middle School parking lot, 757 Cedar St.

  • NEW Mondays 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 
  • Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
  • Thursdays 1-7 p.m.
  • Fridays 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Book at the Central location here.

NEW LOCATION 
Tierra Linda Middle School parking lot, 750 Dartmouth Ave. 

  • Wednesdays and Fridays 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Saturdays 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Book at the Tierra Linda van here.

Find other community testing sites in San Mateo County here.

 

Community News and Events

Healthy Cities Tutor Orientation & Training
Wednesday, Nov. 17, 10-11:30 a.m., San Carlos Library (upstairs meeting room), 610 Elm St., or on Zoom from 7-8:30 p.m.

We are looking forward to training and answering your questions about tutoring with HCT! You only need to attend one session. If you have not tutored with us, each session will cover everything you need to know to get started with a student! 35 minutes New Tutor Orientation followed by training in Math, English and Writing.

RSVP and learn more at www.healthycitiestutoring.com.

We can't wait to get started! See you at 10 a.m. on Wednesday in person at the San Carlos Library or on Zoom at 7 p.m.

Stand United Against Hate Poetry Slam: Nov. 19 
The Community Foundation of San Carlos is joining the United Against Hate Movement (Nov. 14-20) and invites you to be part of the movement to help promote acceptance, inclusion, and equity in our town.

Friday, Nov. 19
What: Stand United Against Hate Poetry Slam
When: Friday, Nov. 19, 5-6 p.m.
Where: Devil’s Canyon Brewery, 935 Washington St.
Why: Slam participants have been invited to tell their story and share how they combat hate in our community. 

Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day: Nov. 17
All school communities are invited to participate in Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day to celebrate civil rights leader Ruby Bridges, who became the first Black student to integrate at her elementary school in 1960. Educators and administrators are encouraged to invite their students and families to learn about Ruby, walk to school, or participate in another way to honor her courage and role in the Civil Rights movement. Learn more.

ACE 2021-22 Holiday Programs
Harvest Week - Winter Break - Mid-Winter Break- Spring Break
As schools close throughout the year for Holiday Breaks, ACE remains open at our Arroyo site for a fun-filled action packed time! 

ACE offers full day Holiday Camp programming from 8am-6pm daily that includes lunch and afternoon snack. Each Holiday program has its own creative theme attached with daily enrichment programming that includes STEAM, Outdoor Athletic Activities, Indoor games, cooking, and of course, FUN FOR EVERYONE!

ACE welcomes all children between the ages of 4.5-12 years to join in the fun! Please visit our website at www.acesancarlos.com for more information and see our Holiday Program Page.

San Carlos United Tryouts - For Boys & Girls Born 2003-2014
Dec. 4-5
San Carlos United is  holding tryouts for AYSO players and players not currently playing competitive soccer. Tryouts for the upcoming 2014 teams will be held Dec 4 and 5. For more information on all age groups and to register online, go to sancarlosunited.org/opensessions.

We look forward to seeing you at the San Carlos United tryouts!

Parent Education Opportunities
Parent Venture Series: www.parentventure.org/events

Changing Perspectives Parent Nights - Next Session is Nov. 17, 5:30-6:30 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. Spanish flyer here.

NEW! How can kids manage their social relationships, both in and out of school? Author/educators Ana Homayoun and Phyllis Fagell present Friends, Frenemies & Friendlier Friends: Navigating School Social Dynamics (Nov. 18, online).