White Oaks Weekly - November 27, 2022

November 27, 2022 IN THIS ISSUE Principal’s Message Volunteer for the Holiday Store Plus SCEF, District and Community News  IMPORTANT DATES Wed 11/30: SCEF Day Sat 12/10: White Oaks Holiday Store opens Thu 12/15: SCSD Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m. Thu 12/22: Minimum Day Fri 12/23- Mon 1/9: Winter Break   PTA EVENTS SCSD 2022-23 Calendar   Principal’s Message Dear White Oaks families, The San Carlos Education Foundation’s fall SCEF Day has moved to Nov. 30 to align with Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday is a day that encourages people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. Our San Carlos schools are fortunate to have parents engage on so many levels, including volunteering on campus and contributing financially to supplement our budget. These supplemental funds help bridge the gap between what our students need for a well-rounded education and what the state provides. This year, SCEF and our White Oaks PTA have consolidated fundraising. This means that in addition to the community funds raised to support smaller K-3 class sizes and educator positions, SCEF is also raising funds to support our school PTA, where funds will be administered by our PTA parent volunteers. Together, these funds support librarians, counselors, technology associates, physical education, field trips, and music programs. And now, by including PTA, the funds also provide each teacher with a classroom grant, support community building events and programs, help pay for school assemblies and school supplies. Artist in Residency, Art in Action, and Play Pod are just a few examples of the programs supported by SCEF and PTA.  The support we receive from you via the San Carlos Education Foundation is critical to our focus on the whole child. SCEF makes it easy to donate at levels that are best suited to your family.  Please visit their website to learn about the many ways you can contribute during the year.  Thank you, Leah Scholer Principal   PTA News Thank You and Best Wishes to Teresa When it comes to patching our kids’ boo-boos during recess, directing volunteers on where to go, or coordinating critical behind-the-scenes activities, Teresa Williams has been like a mom to all families at White Oaks. As she moves on to the next chapter of her career, we reflect on all that Teresa has done for us and are sad to see her go. The Staff Appreciation Committee helped organize a special staff lunch for Teresa, funded by the PTA. This event, set against the wonderful backdrop of your kids’ written farewell wishes, was an affectionate send-off for Teresa. Thank you for your contributions to make this event possible. Thank you, Teresa--we will miss you!   PTA Thank You for the Book Fair Our Book Fair and Family Fun Night were a success! We loved seeing our students and families shopping for books, having fun, and supporting our school. Thank you to Debbie Blucher for her continued leadership in organizing this wonderful event. White Oaks Holiday Store The White Oaks Holiday Store, a cherished tradition, is almost here and will open on Saturday, Dec. 10! Thank you to all who have volunteered to take projects home. Please bring all completed projects back to the MU by Dec. 1. On the day of the event, we encourage students to bring a canned good when entering the store to donate to Second Harvest Food Bank. Click here to help with set up and the day of the event. Please contact Sara Ting for more information or if you are interested in getting involved! Holiday Store Key Dates: Dec. 1: Projects Due in the MU Dec. 9: Event Set Up in the MU, 2:40 p.m. Dec. 10: Holiday Store is OPEN! 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Join the PTA DEIB Committee The PTA is looking for volunteers to join our new DEIB committee. If you're interested, please email Andrea Roberts. If you don’t want to join a committee but have ideas about what you would like to see the PTA do in this space, please send us your thoughts! Our goal is to create a school community that feels welcoming and inclusive for all groups.    SCEF News SCEF Day is THIS Wednesday, Nov. 30 Thank you to those who have invested in our schools to ensure a well rounded education for every student. If you are still looking to make your plan to give, there are so many ways to contribute–Workplace Giving, Donor Advised Funds, Give Every Month, Donations of Appreciated Stock, and more! Honey Bear Trees is here! The annual tradition of scouting the Honey Bear lot for your Christmas tree or finding a wreath continues! Visit them in San Carlos and don’t forget to bring the flyer and mention SCEF, they donate 15% back! Giving gifts for those in your life who love the outdoors? Sports Basement has their Basementeer Program that gives back 10% to the charity of your choice. Register, assign SCEF as your charity of choice, and shop year-round. Last year they gave over $10,000 to SCEF! Our local merchants are ready for the holiday season! We are grateful to the businesses who have demonstrated their steadfast commitment to San Carlos public schools. Support our business partners by shopping with them. Every little bit helps SCEF meet our fundraising goal of $3.7M to meet our mission of supporting every child, every day, in every classroom.   District News Transitional Kindergarten (TK) Expansion, Virtual TK/Kindergarten Welcome Night, & New Student Registration for 2023-24 Transitional Kindergarten Eligibility Expansion For the 2023-24 school year, students who turn five on or between Sept. 2, 2023, and Apr. 2, 2024, are eligible to register for Transitional Kindergarten (TK). Previously, only students who turned five by Feb. 2 qualified. Visit SCSD’s Transitional Kindergarten page to learn more about our TK program. Virtual TK/Kindergarten Welcome Night Do you have friends or neighbors who have an incoming TK or Kindergarten student who are new to the District? If so, please invite them to join us for our Virtual TK/Kindergarten Welcome Night on Monday, Jan. 9, 6:30-7:30 p.m. via Zoom (link to be provided at the end of the key dates page)! The virtual presentation is designed to provide families with information about the San Carlos School District, its community partners and programs, and to provide an overview of how to register for school. San Carlos School District New Student Registration Begins in January Mark your calendars for these key dates: Monday, Jan. 9, 6:30-7:30 p.m.: Virtual TK/Kindergarten Welcome Night for new families Tuesday, Jan. 10, noon: PowerSchool priority registration opens for all new students Wednesday, Feb. 1, 4:00-4:30 p.m.: Virtual Elementary School Tours for incoming TK/Kindergarten families Friday, Feb. 10, 4:00 p.m.: PowerSchool priority registration deadline Important Note for Current TK-7th Grade Families Students currently registered in SCSD do not need to re-register; they will automatically matriculate into the next grade level or feeder school through eighth grade. In February, a Google survey will be sent out to all current families regarding plans for fall, and parents will fill out their Back-to-School Forms for 2023-24 in April. What’s Next for SCSD Schools? Share Your Ideas to Inform Our Strategic Plan Refresh Parents, we need you! The time is now to imagine what our strategic plan will look like. Your input will be invaluable to co-create a roadmap to inform next steps for our learners. We want to hear from you, so we invite you to participate in our upcoming in-person meetings and/or complete a survey. Complete our new strategic planning survey online before Nov. 30: To take the survey in English, click for survey link. Para realizar esta encuesta en español, haga clic aquí. Participate in a strategic planning community meeting. To join us for a live session, please click here to RSVP and select from the following: Wednesday, Nov. 30, 6:30-8:00 p.m., Ravenswood YMCA (550 Bell St., East Palo Alto) **habrá traducción simultánea** Tuesday, Dec. 13, 6:00-7:30 p.m., Arundel Elementary Multi-Use Room All feedback will be brought back and considered by a Design Team to represent thinking across all interested groups, identify themes, and revise the objectives and directions regarding Teaching and Learning, Social Emotional Learning, and Learning Spaces. For more information on our Strategic Plan and process, please visit our website. COVID Reminders and Testing Options If your child is experiencing symptoms, please keep them home and give them a rapid antigen test. Staying home when sick can lower the risk of spreading infectious diseases to other people and testing remains a key mitigation layer to detect and curb transmission of COVID-19.  If your child tests positive for COVID-19 or your household is in need of additional test kits, please contact your school site as soon as possible. Testing Resources Curative - Central Middle School parking lot - Sign up Curative - Tierra Linda Middle School parking lot - Sign up Other Community-Based Testing Sites in San Mateo County COVID-19 Testing for Schools and Students: Find up-to-date resources on testing in districts and schools as well as at home. Follow @scsdschools Follow the San Carlos School District on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for up-to-date info on events and issues.   Community News San Carlos Little League (SCLL) Registration is Now Open SCLL was established in 1953 and provides a positive youth baseball experience to children of all abilities in the San Carlos community. We focus on developing the qualities of leadership, citizenship, discipline, character, and teamwork. The 2023 Little League season kicks off the weekend of Saturday, Mar. 11 and runs approximately through the school year. We offer several divisions of play based on Little League Baseball Age Charts and evaluations in the upper divisions (AA up). Learn more and sign up here. Healthy Cities Tutoring is Recruiting Volunteers Become a Healthy Cities Tutor and join our community of volunteers to provide one-on-one tutoring and mentoring to a public school student to improve their academic performance, engagement in learning, and self-esteem. Tutoring sessions are held in-person, once a week for 45 minutes to an hour, on school campus or at a public library. For 25 years Healthy Cities Tutoring has provided tutoring services to thousands of students in need. Following two years of pandemic, students are falling further and further behind in school. We need volunteers more than ever! We hope you or someone you know will get involved in this rewarding volunteer experience. No tutoring experience required, we can provide training. Eighth grade and high school students are welcome to tutor with us. Students can receive community service hours, and use the experience for resume building and college applications. Adult tutors are always welcome! It only takes one hour a week to make a positive impact on a child’s life. Please check out our website for the volunteer application or contact Janelle Gibson, HCT Program Coordinator at (415) 793-1064. Carlmont Choirs Holiday Sing-Along - Dec. 2 Saturday, Dec. 2, 2:00-3:00 p.m. Carlmont High School Performing Arts Center Carlmont Choirs Holiday Sing-Along returns after three long years! This is a great event for the whole family, from youngsters to eighth graders considering attending Carlmont High School. Guests are given the lyrics to well known holiday classics and sing along with the Carlmont Choirs. There is even a visit from the Sugar Plum Fairy and kids can take photos with Santa! This is a one-hour event designed for families with kids, so get your tickets and join us for an afternoon of family fun and music. Tickets are $5. Growing Mindful Adult Education Class -  Dec. 1 Join Jaclyn Grayson and Ashley McManus, parents in our community and founders of Growing Mindful, in an interactive workshop, all about building resilience through mindfulness into your home with tangible, realistic strategies. The session is Thursday, Dec. 1, from 7-8 p.m. at the SCSD office or via Zoom. Register here, and email with any questions. If you cannot attend, you can receive a summary of this content afterward in both English and Spanish. La sesión será en inglés, pero estaremos traduciendo el resumen al español. Care Solace for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Service Referrals Care Solace is a free, confidential service that connects students, families, and staff from the San Carlos School District to mental health or substance abuse services. Visit the website or call (888) 515-0595 to get started. Parent Education Opportunities How can parents help their teens and tweens get more sleep? Join Lisa L. Lewis, MS, author of The Sleep-Deprived Teen, for Why Teen and Tween Sleep Matters, and How Parents and Schools Can Help (Nov. 30, online). What are teens actually doing on their smartphones? Harvard researchers Emily Weinstein, PhD, and Carrie James, PhD, discuss their new book, Behind Their Screens: What Teens Are Facing (and Adults Are Missing) (Dec. 2, online). NEW! We all want our children to form healthy relationships, but talking about it can be hard. Vanessa Kellam, Health Connected, presents Relationship Resilience: Preparing Young People for Healthy Relationships (Dec. 7, online). NEW! How can we help our kids tame their inner voice? Bestselling author and psychologist Ethan Kross, PhD, joins us to discuss his book, Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It (Dec. 8, online). December's Parent Forum (English) features Eran Magen, PhD, founder of Parenting for Humans, in Sustainable Parenting: Realistic Self-Care for Parents. The Parent Forums are an initiative of the Sequoia Healthcare District (Dec. 9, online). Visit the Parent Venture Series of Upcoming Events page for more information.    PTA CORNER Join the White Oaks PTA. Your membership matters and helps support programs and events for our students and teachers. REWARDS PROGRAMS Participate in our rewards programs and a percentage of your purchases will automatically be donated to the White Oaks PTA — at no cost to you! FOLLOW @WHITE OAKS Follow us on Facebook for up-to-date info on events and issues.