September 24, 2023
IN THIS ISSUE
- Principal’s Message: Parent Conferences
- Lunch Menu
- PTA News: STEM Festival Volunteers, Movie Night
- Plus District, SCEF, and Community News
IMPORTANT DATES
Fri, 9/29: White Oaks movie night, 5:30 p.m.
Mon-Fri, 10/2-10/6: Parent-teacher conferences, dismissal at 12:25 p.m.
Sun, 10/8: White Oaks Day of Service, 10 a.m.
Mon, 10/9: School holiday
Tue, 10/17: STEM Festival, volunteers needed
Principal’s Message
Dear White Oaks families,
Goal setting conferences will take place Monday, Oct. 2-Friday, Oct. 6, providing the opportunity to develop a partnership between home and school, build a strong relationship with each other, and to identify goals early in the school year. Conferences will be conducted, in-person, on campus as it is after students leave for the day.
During conference week, all students will attend school from 8:25 a.m.-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 some areas of strengths and stretches that will contribute to the goal setting conversation with you. 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 the 8C's (Creativity, Critical Thinking, Citizenship, Communication, Collaboration, Curiosity, Composure, Compassion). If there is a specific goal that you have in mind for your child this year, please bring it with you to the conference.
Examples:
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“This year I would like my child to read with better fluency.”
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“This year I would like my child to demonstrate a better understanding of addition and subtraction facts.”
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“This year I want my child to learn to wait his/her turn and not interrupt conversations.”
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“This year I would like my child to take increased responsibility in completing his/her work independently.”
The information discussed during conferences differ from the information you receive on report cards as the focus is on building a strong relationship and prioritizing the immediate needs of our students. Please click on this document for more information on the differences: Conference vs. Report Card Expectations. In addition, here is a comprehensive description of conferences that elaborates on the experience we hope to embrace as we partner with you this year unlike any other.
We are looking forward to partnering with you to set goals tailored to your child’s needs.
Sincerely,
Leah Scholer
Principal
This Week's Menus
PTA News
Save the Date: White Oaks Day of Service is Sunday, Oct. 8
Let's bring our wonderful community together and help refresh White Oaks for the new school year! Meet us on campus at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 8 to pick a project (examples include weeding classroom gardens, planting flowers, removing tape on the walkways, and power-washing patios). The whole family is welcome to come and help! Please consider contributing donations of flowers, wall paint, tape, and potting or planting soil, or bringing gardening equipment like shovels, trowels, and paint rollers to share. Please sign up here for supply donations.
Hot Lunch Volunteers: October Calendar Available
Thank you to all of those who have volunteered to serve hot lunch this past month! The October schedule is now available. Please reach out to Hot Lunch Coordinator Minji Enemark if you have any questions.
STEM Festival Volunteers Needed - Oct. 17
We are excited that Lawrence Hall of Science will be coming to our school on Tuesday, Oct. 17 to host a STEM Festival! Your student will get to step into the shoes of an engineer as they take on hands-on design challenges through the Build, Engineer and Invent! program. This festival requires lots of parent volunteers! Please sign up here for an hour time slot (or more) so we can make this exciting opportunity happen.
White Oaks Movie Night THIS Friday at 5:30 p.m. - Despicable Me
Join us for our PTA Family Movie Night this Friday! Bring your blankets or chairs for a night of fun with our school community! Food trucks (Zumix, Tacos El Flamingo, and The Waffle Roost) will be at the White Oaks cul-de-sac for purchase starting at 5:30 p.m. while Kona shave ice is coming at 6:00 p.m., or you can bring your own picnic dinner. Popcorn will be provided by the PTA. Despicable Me will start on the lawn at sundown at approximately 6:00 p.m. We are excited for this popular family event and look forward to seeing you! Please, no wheels on campus. Park your bikes, scooters, or skateboards in the bike racks.
The PTA recognizes that every family makes their own decisions about which movies are appropriate for their children’s age, temperament and maturity. If you are looking for information to help you decide whether to attend the movie portion, consider reading the review provided by Common Sense Media.
White Oaks Spirit Store - NOW OPEN!
Ready to show your school spirit with White Oaks attire? Now that school is in full swing, it’s time to order the latest White Oaks Spirit Wear! There are new pullover hoodies, tees for the kids, and heathered green tees for the entire family. Show your school spirit and order some stylish White Oaks attire. The online store is open now through Sunday, Oct. 15.
District News
SCSD Presents: Supporting Your Students' Mental & Behavioral Health - Oct. 17
Attention Parents/Guardians! Join us on Tuesday, Oct. 17 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Heather Elementary MUR for an exclusive Caregiver Session on "Supporting Your Students' Mental & Behavioral Health." Dive deep with a Mental Health Lead and the former Director of Student Services as they reveal essential strategies! To attend, please RSVP.
- Struggling with bedtime routines?
- Worried about your child's anxious thoughts?
- Not sure how to handle meltdowns?
Discover actionable solutions and foster a supportive environment for your child's growth. Equip yourself with tools to ensure their well-being and success!
Save the date & empower your parenting journey. Your child deserves the best, and so do you. #ParentSupport #MentalHealthMatters
SCEF News
Will You be a winner? First Online Auction and Raffle of the School Year is THIS Week!
Great prizes being raffled and auctioned off in partnership with SCEF’s Evening at TOWN:
Fall Silent Auction: Opens this Monday, Sept. 25 and closes Oct. 2 We have curated another auction full of fabulous experiences, memorabilia, dining opportunities and more. Once open, you will be able to browse and bid from our event page.
SCEF Raffle: Win a dinner for 20 in the TOWN Boardroom or a gift card for dinner at TOWN or Alpine Inn. What a great place to celebrate a special occasion! Will you be the lucky winner? Get tickets for yourself and your teachers!
Thank you to Alexandria Real Estate Equities & Black Mountain Properties for renewing their generous support for our schools. Are you a business owner? Know someone who is? Learn how your business can become a sponsor, benefit our schools and get exposure to more than 2,100 local households. Learn more here.
Community News
Cub Scout Pack 153 Welcome Meeting
Cub Scout Pack 153 welcomes all K-5 students and their families to come check out the fun of scouting! We’ll be meeting Tuesday, Sept. 26 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Mahany Hall, 1336 Arroyo Ave. in San Carlos. If you have questions, please contact Nic Henderson, Cubmaster, or learn more about what we do throughout the year.
HIP Calendar Contest
Each year, HIP Housing hosts a Calendar Contest for kids where entrants can draw and color a picture of a home and submit a quote on what home means to them. The calendars are distributed to over 3,000 homes and businesses, and winners will receive gift cards and have an opportunity to present their drawing to their local Town or City Council!
The entry date is Sept. 22 but they will continue to accept entries Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. English Entry Form | Spanish Entry Form
For more information about the contest please visit our 2023 calendar contest page.
21 Day Equity Challenge Kick Off
The Community Foundation of San Carlos invites you to take a visible leadership role in joining the upcoming 21 Day Equity Challenge kicking off on Oct 1 and running throughout the entire month of October. We have kept the original 21 Day Equity Challenge but have also added two new tracks for learning-- a 10 Day Equity Challenge for grades K-8 (great learning opportunity to embark with your family and friends) and a 4-part Equity Challenge for High Schoolers (extra credit option). Links will go live on Oct 1.
Come build community with us by participating in one of the three tracks! Submit your participation via this form and learn more about the challenge in the attached flyer.
#21dayequitychallengeSanCarlos
Parent Education Opportunities
What should you know about e-cigs and flavored vapes? Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, PhD, Stanford Medicine, presents Teen Misconceptions About E-Cigs, Nicotine, and Flavored Vapes: What Should Parents Know (Sept. 26).
Well-rested students are happier and healthier and do better in school. Lisa L. Lewis, MS, author of The Sleep Deprived Teen, presents Sleep and Well-Being: Sleep-Friendly Changes to Help Teens Thrive (Sept. 27).
NEW! All children need equitable and inclusive learning environments to be successful. Sam Drazin, educator and inclusion advocate, offers Changing Perspectives: Understanding Inclusion, Ableism, and Neurodiversity (Oct. 3).
NEW! What happened to kids' sports? And how can we make them fun again? Journalist and coach Linda Flanagan will discuss her new book, Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids' Sports, and Why It Matters (Oct. 4).
NEW! In this special event, David B. Feldman, PhD, Professor of Counseling Psychology, Santa Clara University, will discuss coping strategies in Fostering Youth Mental Health: Building Hope and Resilience in Uncertain Times (Oct. 5).
Visit the Parent Venture Series of Upcoming Events page for more information.
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