From the Principal
Dear Families,
October is Digital Citizenship Month and we are teaching skills using resources from Common Sense Media. Students are using technology in a variety of ways to support critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration including authoring e-books, creating their own movies to communicate a point of view, drafting essays using Google Docs, researching science and social studies topics, and collaborating during project-based learning units - just to highlight a few. Along the way, they are learning how to search safely, protect privacy, give proper credit to authors, share workload responsibilities, and model kindness and caring in all communications – on and offline.
From research and reading online to playing games and exploring social media, our kids truly are living in the digital age. With our support, children learn that the guidelines of “online life” closely mirror those of life “offline”. During the elementary school years, children are learning how to self-regulate. As they reach new physical, social and emotional milestones, children begin to balance active time with rest time, time with friends with quiet time alone, and healthy eating with the occasional sweet treat. With our guidance, they also are learning how to manage their “digital diets” to balance both quality and quantity of media consumption.
Here are a few guidelines you may want to draw from as you consider how technology functions in your family:
- Get involved: Engage with your child and find out what he/she enjoys online.
- Set an example: Model positive behavior about when, where and how it is acceptable to be “on” a device. Check out this 45 second video about taming device time.
- Make dinner time device free.
- Set clear limits: Together, create a schedule that shows when media will be used and how screen time fits into the larger picture of the day or week. Institute a “device bedtime” so that devices are put away in advance of your child’s bedtime. Ensure that devices are used and charged in public areas, not in children’s bedrooms. Create a Family Media Plan.
Already, our children are learning to leverage technology to fuel learning in exciting ways. Together, we’ll help them take the next steps to becoming powerful digital citizens!
Sincerely,
Leah Scholer, Principal
[email protected]
School News and Events
Volunteer Opportunity - Book Fair Team
The book fair is in need of a future co-chair for the 2019/2020 school year! The upcoming book fair in November is a great opportunity to shadow the current chairs and see what this great event is all about. Please contact Debbie Blucher for more information at [email protected].
DIY Halloween + Primary Fundraiser
Solve Halloween (While Earning $$ For Our School!)
White Oaks Families: Primary is solving Halloween, one easy no-sew DIY costume at a time. Now you can create simply amazing Halloween costumes out of super soft Primary basics that can be worn again and again. (Bye-bye sweaty, plastic, expensive costumes forever!) Plus, whenever you shop at Primary, you’re earning money for our school! Get inspired now: www.primary.com/school/whiteoaks + new customers get 20% off first order with code: WHITEOAKS. If you have any questions about Primary’s School Giveback Program, reach out to [email protected].
Eat Well, Do Good with the Fall Good Eggs Fundraiser (Oct-Nov)
This week, Good Eggs will host brunch for all of our teachers if 5 new families join the White Oaks Elementary School fundraiser and get their first Good Eggs delivery. You can get produce, meat and fish, baked goods, easy dinner kits, and more delivered same-day. No subscription required and delivery is free any time you spend $60. Skip a trip to the grocery store this week and help us win a delicious, seasonal brunch for our teachers –– spread the word! See details below.
Please contact Katie Gallagher [email protected] or Elaine Nagashima [email protected] if you have any questions.
Good Eggs is an online grocery market in the Bay Area delivering absurdly fresh groceries. Shop today for same-day delivery straight to your doorstep––no subscription required. Delivery is free on all orders over $60.
How to join the fundraiser:
1. Visit schools.goodeggs.com.
2. Enter the code WHITEOAKS18 –– click "Shop Now."
3. Add your groceries to your Good Eggs basket and check out.
**New customers get $15 off with this code and if 20 new customers join the fundraiser, our school gets a $500 fundraising bonus.
White Oaks PlayPod Volunteers Needed
The White Oaks Playpod provides students with a unique area of play during lunchtime recess. The Playpod will be open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays if we have enough volunteers to help monitor students. Please click here to sign-up. Questions? Contact Jen Pedrotti.
SCEF News and Events
Set up a Recurring Donation for SCEF
Did you know that you can make a monthly recurring donation over the year, instead of a one time gift? For example, a $1,200 donation can be given as a $100 gift each month, year round. If this is a better fit for your family’s budget or you want to avoid the end of the year scramble enroll here: https://www.scefkids.org/donate
Get your Faculty and Friends Concert tickets now!
Go to: https://www.scefkids.org/events
On November 9 at 7pm, join our SCSD music teachers, local musicians and community members for an evening of live music. This popular event, held at St. Charles Church in San Carlos, is great for the whole family. Refreshments will be available for sale at intermission. Support SCEF, music in our schools and enjoy our local musicians.
Community News and Events
HEALTHY CITIES TUTORING NEWS
It's almost here... Become a tutor!
Hoping you can join us on Wednesday, Oct. 17 for a training and orientation to become a Healthy Cities tutor!
There are two (identical) sessions being offered: 8:30-10:30 am and 6:30-8:30 pm. Both sessions are being held at White Oaks School, 1901 White Oak Way.
As a volunteer, you can choose which school is best for you, as well as the most convenient day and time. Tutoring is just 45 minutes once a week, and no prior experience is required.
Please help us fulfill this student's wish:
Go to our website at: www.healthycitiestutoring.org or email [email protected] for more information. Thank you!
San Carlos Goblin Walk Oct. 26
San Carlos Parks & Recreation is excited for their 10th annual Goblin Walk! Join us from 4:00 – 5:30 PM on Friday, October 26th. Children 7 years and under, accompanied by an adult, are invited to Trick-or-Treat down Laurel Street in their costume and visit the businesses displaying the Goblin Walk sign. The first 1,000 Trick-or-Treaters can pick up a Goblin Walk Trick-or-Treat bag at Harrington Park or from any Goblin Walk volunteer. For questions please call (650)802-4382.
Free Teen Heart Screening Nov. 4
All young adults, 12 to 25 years old, in the Bay Area and surrounding communities are invited to participate in Via Heart Project’s free heart screening event on Sunday, November 4m 2018, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at Sequoia High School, 1201 Brewster Avenue, Redwood City, CA 94062.
WHY: It is estimated 1 in 500 school-aged children suffer an undiagnosed heart defect, which can lead to sudden cardiac arrest and death. A typical annual physical does not screen for advanced heart abnormalities. This screening does not take the place of your annual or pre-participation sports physical.
WHAT: Screenings take 60-90 minutes (wait times may vary). A team of medical volunteers; including cardiologists, sonographers, and nurses from the Bay Area, will conduct a health history questionnaire review, an EKG test, and if warranted, an echocardiogram. The entire process is non-invasive—no needles or x-ray exposure—and we ensure each teen’s confidentiality, privacy, and individual modesty is respected throughout all aspects of the screening.
HOW: Your child must be registered in advance. Registration will open September 24, 2018 and will close at noon on November 2nd, 2018 and is limited to 500 students. Use this link to register beginning 9:00am on September 24: https://viaheartproject.org/screenings/