October 29, 2023
IN THIS ISSUE
- Principal’s Message: Halloween Celebrations and SCSD Strategic Plan
- PTA and SCEF: Book Fair, Holiday Store
- Plus District and Community News
IMPORTANT DATES
Tue, 10/31: Halloween Parade, 8:30 a.m.
Tue, 10/31: Deadline to order yearbook with 10% off
Wed, 11/1: Walk to School Wednesday
Thu, 11/2: Holiday Store Pick Up Project Kits, 8:15 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. in MU
Thu, 11/2: Make Up Picture Day
Fri 11/10: Veterans’ Day, no school
Mon-Fri 11/20-11/24: Fall break, no school
Fri 11/24: SCEF Night at Warriors game
Sat 12/2: Holiday Store in the MU 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Mon-Fri 12/11-12/15: Book Fair
Principal’s Message
Dear White Oaks families,
It’s that time of year again, where the children turn into ghosts and goblins and much, much more. As a reminder, our White Oaks Halloween parade will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 31 at 8:30 a.m. on the blacktop. If you are joining us, please enter through the Fairmont gate. Students will walk around the playground and show off their costumes to students, parents, and teachers. Afterwards, they will head back to their classrooms. If your student is participating in the parade, please remember to send students to school in their costumes. Please also send in a change of clothes. We ask that students not bring scary masks or weapons of any kind to school.
If you are volunteering on campus for a classroom celebration, then enter through the office to sign in and pick up a volunteer badge. Teachers will be having celebrations throughout the day.
We want everyone to have a fun and safe Halloween night. Here are some Halloween safety tips from the San Mateo Sheriff’s Office.
For those of you who will be trick-or-treating, families can drop off their Halloween candy at the front office from Nov. 1-6. The candy will be shipped to our troops overseas as part of Move America Forward. By sharing candy, not only does it help promote healthy eating but it also makes a big impact to those that are so far from home. You can also ask your son/daughter who is donating candy to write a letter for a Military Member, which we will include in the care package.
Just a reminder, that candy is not allowed at school and should not be packed in lunches as we continue to promote healthy eating.
Have a safe and happy Halloween for those who are celebrating!
Join us as we take you on a journey through the very core of our new SCSD Strategic Plan.
WEEK 6: The Community
At the heart of our vision for a brighter future lies a strong and vibrant community. In our final video installment of our new Strategic Plan, we want to invite you to be part of the conversation and the action.
Success Indicators:
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Our local businesses, community-based organizations, high schools, and city agencies come together as volunteers, collaborators, supporters, and partners in our District.
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The community actively engages with our schools, fostering academic, career, real-world, and project-based learning opportunities.
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Advocacy and funding from our community ensure responsive programming and equitable resources for all learners.
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Our community values and acts as an ambassador for our District, recognizing its vital role in the education of our children.
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Collaboration and communication are key - we work together on decisions that affect both our community and the District.
Warmly,
Leah Scholer
Principal
This Week's Menus
PTA News
Holiday Store - Pick A Project on Nov. 2 in the MU at Morning Dropoff
It's that time of year-- the White Oaks Holiday Store is a cherished tradition and will be open on Saturday, Dec. 2 this year! Mark your calendars!
On Thursday, Nov. 2 at morning drop off (8:15-8:45 a.m.), you can stop by the MU and pick up a project to bring home and help assemble the wonderful gifts we will be selling at the Holiday Store in December. For those of you new to this event, you take the project home and complete at your leisure. The kit will include all materials, instructions, labels and packaging necessary to assemble. When you are done, just bring back to school at drop off on the MU stage (due back by Nov. 17!). Then on the day of the Holiday Store these gifts will be sold to the White Oaks students to give to family and friends for the holidays. Most projects require no crafty abilities and are very easy to put together. Contact Sara Ting with any questions or if you have a craft you would like to contribute.
Holiday Store Key Dates:
- Nov. 2: Pick A Project at Morning drop off in the MU
- Nov. 17: Completed projects due back to the MU stage
- Dec. 2: Holiday Store in the MU 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
PTA Membership Drive - FINAL STRETCH
WE NEED YOUR HELP! The PTA membership drive for the 2023-24 school year is nearly over (ends Monday, Oct. 30) and we're only at 60% to our goal. If we reach our goal of 80%, Mrs. Scholer will wear a green wig for the first Welcome Wednesday of November! If you have not yet joined the PTA, please consider doing so today! The PTA directly supports our White Oaks students, staff, and teachers. All we need is you! Please join here.
Book Fair Dec. 11-15
The exciting Book Fair is coming Dec. 11-15. You can find a variety of books for all ages and interests. It is a great opportunity to support our library and foster a love of reading in our students. This event raises thousands of dollars in books for our school library. In the early December newsletter, we will share the detailed schedule and volunteering sign up information. So mark your calendars and get ready to dive into the world of books. We can't wait to see you there!
Book E-Fair Starts Nov. 13
This year, we bring another option for you to help raise money for our library-- the Online Book Fair. It opens on Nov. 13 and ends Dec. 15. We will share the link when the E-Fair is open. It allows the whole community to shop at the book fair with an expanded catalog of books, including the ones who can’t visit in person.You will also be able to buy gift cards to make in person checkout easier or send them as teacher gifts. Literati Book Clubs are like getting a book fair in a box, every month. 10% of every dollar spent goes back to our school. Sign up today!
THANK YOU to our White Oaks 2023-24 Corporate Sponsors!
We appreciate the support from our White Oaks Corporate Sponsors to help fund our PTA programs and events throughout the year! Thank you to Talia Criton, San Carlos Orthodontics, Chang Orthodontics, San Carlos IV Bar LLC, and Heckenberg Realty Inc.!
Thank You to Our Walk-a-Thon Committee
The PTA would like to give a huge THANK YOU to all of those that come out to support and volunteer at the Annual Walk-A-Thon event and make it such a fun tradition here at White Oaks! Big shout out to the Walk-A-Thon team that worked tirelessly to put on this amazing event for our community: Melissa Schmidt, Jessica Jorgensen, Laura Heckenberg and Kristy Iyama!
Walk to School Wednesday This Week
Please join us for Walk to School Wednesday on Nov. 1. Charms will be given to students who walk, roll, ride or scoot to school! Walk to School Wednesday takes place the first Wednesday of every month.
Last Chance to Save 10% on Your Student’s Yearbook
Order your White Oaks Yearbook TODAY! Regular price is $24.15. Order before Oct. 31 for a 10% discount. Yearbooks are distributed the last week of school. Already have a Treering account? Log in → in My Stuff select Kids → select Settings and Add Kid → select Add New School/Year → enter Passcode for White Oaks (1016947994291205).
Participate in Our 13th Annual Halloween Candy Buy-Back!
Drop extra candy Nov. 1-6 at your school’s front 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.
Do You Wonder Where Your Donations Go?
Watch your mailbox for the San Carlos Education Foundation’s annual report which includes news about how your contributions are being put to work this school year. Your child’s school day is strengthened by your support. This includes funding for your school PTA and its many community building activities, enhanced Art & Music programs, Library Services, Elementary PE, Middle School Band & Orchestra, Materials for STEM and Project-Based Learning lessons, Technology tools and applications and support for Social-Emotional Learning. Your donations make a difference every day.
You Can Donate Your Stock and Reduce Your Tax Liability
A gift of appreciated stock you’ve held for more than a year is better than giving cash. If you donate stock that has increased in value since you’ve owned it for more than a year – and if you itemize deductions — you can take a charitable deduction for the stock’s fair market value on the day you give it away. You’ll also avoid capital gains taxes on the increase in value over time, which you would have had to pay if you sold the stock and then gave the charity the cash proceeds. To learn how visit: www.scefkids.org/stock-
District News
Mark Your Calendars for a Community Outreach Event in East Palo Alto!
On Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 6 p.m., join SCSD for an outreach event with our families in East Palo Alto. We will take time to review our Strategic Plan, explain what/why the LCAP is, and empower families to be a part of our ongoing planning and community building. All caregivers are encouraged to attend! Please click here to RSVP.
It's Time to Enroll Your New TK Student in the TK Extended Learning Program (TKELP) for the 2024-25 School Year!
TKELP is dedicated to enriching our littlest learner's lives after school. We provide a fun, safe and welcoming place for our TK students to spend time each day. Through daily physical activity, Legarza sports, JamaRoo Kids Dance and STEAM enrichment, TKers will explore, invent and discover new ways to create. We provide a developmentally appropriate space with enriching activities where students can thrive. Visit our TKELP website to learn more about our program and meet our staff!
The program is available to TK students at all four elementary schools-- Arundel, Brittan Acres, Heather, and White Oaks-- and students are given priority into the ACE enrichment program in their kindergarten year!
Enrollment for the 2024-2025 School Year is Open! REGISTER HERE
Community News
San Carlos-Belmont After School Program Registration is Open
San Carlos-Belmont After School has begun TK and kindergarten registration for the 2024-25 school year. Please visit our website for information or to put your child(ren) on our interest list.
Our holiday program registration is now open for Harvest Week, Winter Break, President's Week and Spring Break. All are welcome! Email [email protected] for more information.
Community Foundation of San Carlos Poetry Submissions Due Nov. 3
In celebration of United Against Hate Week (Nov. 12-18), the Community Foundation of San Carlos and Devil's Canyon Brewing Co. is throwing its 3rd Annual Stand United Against Hate Poetry Slam.
For the last two years, brave folks (as young as 8 years old) from all over the Bay Area brought their whole selves onto stage and shared their stories of what it means to stand united against hate.
- When: Fri, Nov. 17 from 5-6 p.m.
- Where: Devil's Canyon Brewery Co., 935 Washington Street
- Why: Come out and use your voice to tell your story on how you stand up against hate and how we can become more united and build inclusive and equitable communities for all. All ages welcome.
- How: Deadline for poetry submission is Fri, Nov. 3
- Prize: The first, second, and third place winners will donate their winning prize to a 501(c)3 nonprofit of their choice that is focused on justice & equity.
Stand in solidarity for UAH and download a 'San Carlos Stands United Against Hate' poster here!
San Carlos United Soccer Club Tryouts
San Carlos United will be holding tryouts for boys and girls born between 2006 and 2016 starting in Nov. for the Spring 2024 season. If interested, please register online and a manager from the team will reach out to coordinate.
We look forward to seeing you at the San Carlos United tryouts!
ACE is Now Enrolling for the 2024-25 School Year!
Afterschool Care Enrichment, also known as ACE, offers a flexible, innovative, California State licensed child care program focused on enrichment and youth development to challenge our Lower & Upper Elementary students. Each day includes a Healthy afternoon snack, our Homework Lab with staff assisted support, STEAM activities and Active Outdoor Enrichment Programming. ACE will offer both Morning and Full Time or Part Time Afternoon Programming for the 2024-25 school year. Click here to register at White Oaks.
Please visit our website or contact us by phone (650-931-4007) if you have any questions.
Parent Education Opportunities
This month's Spanish events include El foro de padres #30 (español) ¡La salud dental importa! with Brenda Barrientos, hygienist, Sonrisas Dental Health (Nov. 1).
NEW! Which factors make the most difference in college-admission decisions? College admission experts Laura Stratton, Scripps College, and Gabrielle McColgan, Castilleja School, present College Admission: What Really Matters? (Nov. 2).
NEW! In this special presentation, renowned brain and trauma expert Bruce Perry, MD, PhD, joins us for What Happened to You? A Conversation on Trauma, Healing, and Resilience. Dr. Perry's NY Times bestselling book was co-authored with Oprah Winfrey (Nov. 9).
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.
A percentage of your purchases will automatically be donated to the White Oaks PTA — at no cost to you!
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