December 11, 2022
IN THIS ISSUE
- Principal’s Message: Developing Reading Skills at Home
- Plus SCEF, District and Community News
IMPORTANT DATES
Thu 12/15: SCSD Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Thu 12/22: Minimum Day
Fri 12/23- Fri 12/6: Winter Break
Mon 1/9: Teacher Professional Development Day (No school for students)
Tue 1/10: Students Return
Principal’s Message
Dear White Oaks families,
Happy December! We only have nine more school days left in 2022! Thank you for all of your support in making this school year a great one! Also a big thank you to all of our parent volunteers and the WO PTA for organizing and running our Holiday Store this past weekend. It was such a great feeling to see these students empowered to purchase gifts that they can give to their loved ones.
As a TK-3 school, our primary focus is teaching students how to read. We do this by using a variety of strategies during Reader’s Workshops in our classrooms everyday. "6 Elementary Reading Strategies” by Emelina Minero, researched best practices in literacy instruction to arrive at a list of strategies that develop strong reading skills and confidence for all students. Please click here to read the full article.
Parents, guardians or extended family members can work on many of these same strategies at home. Here are some of the ways that you can read with your child:
Choral Reading: Practice reading a book aloud with your child at the same time. This will help your child to improve reading fluency and expand vocabulary.
Partner Reading: Take turns reading a text aloud. This allows you to model good reading fluency and have your child practice this skill.
Ear Reading (audiobooks): Listen to audiobooks either in the car or right before bed. Listening to audiobooks allows children to practice higher-level comprehension skills and expand vocabulary. This is especially beneficial for students with dyslexia.
Choice in Reading: Visit the local library to allow children to choose books that interest them. This leads to higher engagement in books. Books also make great gifts!
Comprehension Questions: Pre-read your child’s book and then ask your child questions about the books he/she is reading. Please click here to access Parent Leveled Questions that you can ask based on your child’s reading level.
Reading together is one way to help your child find the joy in reading. If you have any specific questions on how you can help your child with reading, please reach out to me or his or her classroom teacher.
Installing a lifelong love for reading is an important goal for our students here at White Oaks and we encourage all families to read together over the winter break.
Lost and Found
Our lost and found cabinet is overflowing. Please stop by and look through the items. Anything left after Dec. 21 will be donated to a local charity. If possible, please label jackets and sweatshirts with your child’s name so that they can find their way back to you.
Sincerely,
Leah Scholer
Principal
PTA News
Thank You to All the Holiday Store Volunteers!
Thank you to all who helped make our Holiday Store a success! From pre-planning, buying supplies, making labels, assembling projects and helping out the day of the store, we appreciate all of your help and dedication to our White Oaks school.
SCSD Community Gathering in East Palo Alto
Come meet families in East Palo Alto who attend San Carlos School District! Kids of all ages are welcome. There will be resources, free food, and fun activities for the kids, including a puppet show!
Wednesday, Dec. 14. 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Lewis & Joan Platt YMCA
550 Bell Street, East Palo Alto
You can RSVP online, by email, or by phone at (650)597-1035.
SCEF News
Every Donation Helps
Every donation helps SCEF meet our fundraising goal of $3.7m and our mission of supporting every child, every day, in every classroom. We appreciate your donations whenever it is best for your family.
Check out our website for more information and the many ways to give. Still curious about what we fund and interested in reading more about how we are doing? The SCEF annual report has been delivered to your mailbox!
We are all SCEF!
Watch the 2nd video in the series and hear our community speak to the impact of SCEF.
Ways to ways to donate before year-end:
Support SCEF while you shop:
- Honey Bear Trees is back this season and offering a 15% SCEF donation for every tree and wreath purchase–don’t forget to mention SCEF. Details on this flyer.
- Here is info about a 20% off event at Sports Basement THIS week, Dec. 7-14. Their Basementeer Program gives back 10% to charity. Register and assign SCEF as your charity of choice, and shop year-round. Last year they gave over $10,000 to SCEF!
- Visit Amazon Smile, choose “San Carlos Education Foundation” and Amazon will donate a portion of each purchase to SCEF.
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 - Dec. 13
Parents, we need you! This is your last chance to participate and imagine what our strategic plan will look like. Your input is 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 final in-person meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 6:00-7:30p.m. in the Arundel Elementary Multi-Use Room. Click here to RSVP. Free child care provided by ACE program for children 4 and older. Light refreshments will be served.
New: We have extended the deadline for survey responses until Wednesday, December 14.
To take the survey in English.
Para realizar esta encuesta en Español.
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
- (Updated) Curative - Central Middle School is no longer available
- 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.
Community News
Winter Cooking Classes with Junior Chef Stars!
Join us as we provide junior chefs with the tools necessary to create, cook, and learn. Have your junior chef expand on their cooking knowledge as our curriculum covers nutrition, seasonal cooking, knife skills, the purpose of core ingredients and the many cultural aspects of food all while having a blast and making new friends. Every season has new recipes so sign up for multiple sessions whether you are a seasoned junior chef or it's your first time!
Classes start in January 2023 at Mariposa, Arundel, Brittan Acres, Heather, & White Oaks. Visit our website for more information or to register today.
Piano and Ukulele Classes at White Oaks with Hummingbird Music School!
Does your child want to learn how to play piano or ukulele in a fun group environment? Hummingbird Music School's popular after-school music classes will be offered again this Winter at White Oaks!
- Piano Class: 2:30-3:20 p.m. Thursdays (Room 3)
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Ukulele Class: 2:30-3:20 p.m. Mondays (Room 3)
Registration is now open and classes will fill, as they have in the past! Read more and register here.
Parent Education Opportunities
December's Parent Forums feature Eran Magen, PhD, for Únase a nosotros para "La Familia y las Festividades" con Edwin Fernández, LCSW, One Life Counseling Center (español) (Dec. 13, 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
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