March 24, 2024
IN THIS ISSUE
- Principal’s Message: Heritage Day Thanks
- PTA: Garden Installation, Playpod Volunteers, Founders' Day Nominees
- SCEF: Online auction
- Community News
IMPORTANT DATES
Mon 3/25- Tue 4/2: SCEF Online Silent Auction
Fri 3/29: InfoSnap forms due for school registration
Sat 3/30: Living Campus Garden Installation, 9 a.m. or 1 p.m.
Fri 4/2: InfoSnap forms due
Mon-Fri 4/8-4/12: Spring Break, no school
Fri 4/26: Spring Dance
Sat 5/4: Revel@Devil's Community Dance Party
Wed 5/8: Founders' Day
Principal’s Message
Dear White Oaks Families,
I would like to share my appreciation for the amazing Heritage Day Festival our parents put on for the students this past Wednesday. We had over 29 different cultures represented, and the students were engaged and excited to learn about their peers’ cultures, traditions, food, and more. Thank you so much to all the parents and families who volunteered to share a bit about themselves and make the day an interactive experience for our students. What a wonderful opportunity for connections to be made across our community! A special thank you also goes out to Andrea Roberts, Jessica Foran, Amy Kim, Barbara Taylor, Nandi Witter, Sara Ting, and Mariel Valezzi for leading this celebration. This was a spectacular event and one that will keep getting better every year!
Warmly,
Leah Scholer
Principal
This Week's Menus
PTA News
Call for Founders’ Day Award Nominations and Volunteers!
For 74 years, the White Oaks community has celebrated Founders’ Day— a tradition that recognizes volunteers who have gone above and beyond to help build our wonderful school community. We need your help in nominating some of these very special people. Please review the award categories and submit your nominations. Nominations are due Friday, Mar. 29.
On Wednesday, May 8, we will hold our our 74th PTA Founders’ Day to celebrate the contributions of our award winners. Mark your calendars, you are all invited! We are also seeking volunteers to help plan and organize this special event. Please contact Jennie Romeo for more info.
White Oaks Living Campus Garden Installation- Mar. 30
Come join the White Oaks community and Each Green Corner as we build the new Living Campus school garden!
- Morning Session: 9 a.m.-Noon
- Afternoon Session: 1-4 p.m.
- Register here
Tasks are appropriate for volunteers ages 5 and up. We especially need volunteers who are handy with power tools and light carpentry work! Please sign up for the appropriate volunteer session (general tasks or light carpentry). Bring work gloves and a water bottle. We will proceed rain or shine!
PTA Appreciation for Heritage Day
Our 2nd annual Heritage Day event this week was such a special celebration of our school's diversity with 20 cultures represented! The PTA would like to extend our gratitude to the families who set up a booth to represent their heritage and to the committee organizing this meaningful event: Andrea Roberts, Barbara Taylor, Mariel Valezzi, Jessica Foran, Nandi Witter, Sara Ting and Amy Kim. These events are made possible by PTA volunteers and funding from SCEF.
Playpod Volunteer Signups Available Through End of School Year
We're looking for volunteers to help run the Playpod for two shifts on Tuesdays and Thursdays (12:10-12:40 and 12:40-1:10 p.m.). Our playpod is a large container of "loose parts" that learners convert into all kinds of amazing designs - forts, restaurants, houses, endless ramps and more (learn more here). Parent volunteers will help for 30-minute shifts to set up signs and materials, invite kids to join and play respectfully, responsibly and safely, and then clean up a few minutes before the post-lunch recess period ends. Please sign up!
Don’t miss out on the annual SCEF online auction
The auction BEGINS THIS MONDAY, Mar. 25-Apr. 2! Support your school and bid on entertainment, travel, dining, wine and spirits, museum, concerts, attraction tickets and more. Great way to shop and and support your schools at the same time. A link to the auction will be available when it opens at https://www.scefkids.org/
San Carlos Day at the Giants tickets are available NOW!
Join other San Carlos families at San Carlos Day at the Giants, Saturday, Apr. 20. Tickets are available here. Spots for your child to sing the national anthem before the game (a great family memory maker) will be included in our online auction which opens Mar. 25.
Fund-the-Future of STEM education in our schools
The San Carlos Education Foundation works with the Superintendent every year to identify a need in San Carlos schools that would benefit from a targeted fundraising effort. These are funds we raise above and beyond our ongoing support for educator positions, counseling, libraries, music, technology, PTA budgets, and more. Donations are restricted to a fund that will be used to provide supplies, materials, equipment for students and professional development for teachers to aid STEM and project based learning in the classroom. Watch our video and learn more.
District News
It's Time to Complete Your Annual Back-To-School InfoSnap Forms! Deadline is Friday, Apr. 2
Each spring, we ask all families to complete their annual Back-To-School student information forms through PowerSchool online. This allows families to update or add emergency contact information, give permissions, update health records (allergy or medical considerations), and is required to secure your spot for the next school year.
This week, you will receive an email titled (2024-25) Back-To-School Form Instructions from noreplyregistration@
Please complete these forms as soon as possible but no later than Friday, April 2. Should your plans change at any point, and you no longer intend to return for the next academic year, please notify your school office ASAP. We genuinely appreciate your cooperation in this essential process.
Nutrition Corner
Let’s talk about fiber
Studies estimate that 95% of American children and adults are not eating enough fiber. Fiber is found exclusively in plant foods, like fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts/seeds and whole grains.
What are the benefits of a high fiber diet?
- Healthy bowel movements
- A feeling of fullness, making it less likely we will overeat
- Lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, decreasing the risk of heart disease and diabetes
- Healthy gut microbiome which decreases levels of inflammation in our bodies
How can we make sure our kids are eating enough fiber?
- Incorporate whole grains, such as whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, quinoa and brown rice
- Include whole fruits and/or vegetables with every meal and snack; bonus points if you eat the skin as well! Juices do not include fiber and provide too much sugar at once.
- Incorporate high-fiber plant proteins such as lentils and beans as often as possible. Try mixing black or pinto beans with guacamole and pico de gallo and serve with tortilla chips. I have brought this easy meal into classrooms and kids have enjoyed it!
- Add nuts and seeds to baked goods and salads. Ground flax seeds are very healthy and high in fiber. When baking, you can substitute one tablespoon ground flax seeds + 3 tablespoons water to make a “flax egg” and it will act like an egg
- Check the nutrition label on packaged foods like bread and aim for at least 5 grams of fiber per serving
Community News
Gear Up for the No Foolin' Foot Race – Where Every Stride Counts!
Attention all students, faculty, and families! Get ready to put your best foot forward in the most exciting event of the school year – the No Foolin' Foot Race!
- Date: Apr. 6
- Time: 9:00 a.m. (8:15 a.m. for kids 6-12 years old)
- Location: Crestview Park, San Carlos
Join us for a day filled with fun, fitness, and friendly competition as we race to support the Parks & Recreation Foundation of San Carlos in their mission to improve San Carlos parks and trails! Whether you're a sprinter, jogger, or walker, there's a race for everyone – from the speedy 5K/10K to the spirited kids course for our younger participants.
Register online now and let's show everyone what our school community is made of! See you at the finish line!
Parent Education Opportunities
The second event in the all-new Neurodiversity Speaker Series features Sam Drazin, Executive Director, Changing Perspectives, for Changing Perspectives: Understanding Inclusion, Ableism, and Neurodiversity (Mar. 26).
We welcome Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, PhD, founder of the Halpern-Felsher REACH Lab, Stanford Medicine, for Safety First and Mental Health: Empowering Teens to Prevent and Reduce Drug Use (Mar. 27).
How can you find a college that's right for your budget? Lynn O'Shaughnessy, college financial expert, presents The College Solution: Winning Strategies for Finding the Right School at the Right Price (Mar. 28).
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!
FOLLOW
@WHITE OAKS
Follow us on Facebook for up-to-date info on events and issues.