Principal's Message
May 3, 2021
Week-at-a-Glance
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This week is teacher appreciation week.
Make sure to take some time to thank your teachers. Being a middle school teacher is a particularly rewarding job yet it is also very challenging. Year after year, we marvel at how much children change and grow during the middle school years. They come to us as 6th graders, eager for middle school to begin and leave us as 8th graders with their eyes set on high school. During this time they undergo significant changes developmentally. This week, I want to revisit a topic I write about pretty often - middle school aged brain development and education.
During our Incoming 6th Grade Orientation meeting, we touched on the development of a child’s brain during adolescence. It is an important reminder to understand what is going on in your child’s brain to be better equipped to handle the challenges that arise.
If you have the time, read the article linked below from Middle Web. It provides really good information about how best to educate a middle schooler, but it actually pertains to all teenages.
Maximizing the Power of the Middle School Brain
The first sentence of this article states that it goes without saying the middle schoolers are the most difficult age to teach. Yet our teachers manage to do an amazing job of it. They do it because they love it, but it also takes a great deal of compassion, hard work, grit and tenderness. Make sure to thank them for all that they do for our children.
Tom Domer
Principal
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Counselors Corner
Our Counselors are recording a podcast weekly during May for Mental Health Awareness. We are answering students' questions in the podcast and offering supports.
Here's the link
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8th Grade Families Graduation Package
Every member of our 8th grade class will receive a “graduation package” which includes a yard sign and a small bag of treats. Thank you to many of our families who purchased and donated. We received enough money to cover our costs, so we deactivated the “button” on PTAEZ. Don’t worry, though, if you would like to get involved with 8th grade promotion activities, there is still time. If you have time to donate, we would love your help! Contact [email protected].
More importantly, please mark Tuesday, May 4th on your calendar. That is when you should come to pick up your graduation package. Please come to the front of the school between 3:30 and 5:00 on Tuesday to pick up your package.
Candy Lei Sales for 8th Grade Graduates
Graduation time is quickly approaching for Central’s eighth grade class. Looking for a great gift to help them celebrate? Purchase a candy lei for your graduate to wear!
Each purchase of a candy lei will help support safe and sober graduation activities for the class of 2022 at Sequoia High School. Details are listed in the flyer below:
School District
PowerSchool Registration / Intent to Return Confirmation Process for 2021-22
We are happy to announce that the San Carlos School District is planning for a full return to school next year, 5 full-days of on-campus instruction with minimum days on Wednesdays! We are working hard to ensure that next year is an enriching experience for all students as we return to campus for full-time learning.
Each spring, we ask families for assistance in confirming their enrollment for the next school year by completing the PowerSchool registration process online. Your timely completion of this process will assist us in having the most accurate numbers for returning students for the 2021-2022 school year, which is directly tied to the SCSD budget and will allow the District in planning for staffing needs more effectively.
In May, you will receive an email from [email protected] that will provide you with specific directions on how to complete the registration process online, including a link to access the InfoSnap portal, as well as a special ID number for your student, referred to as the “Infosnap Code."
If you are not planning to return to our district next year, please notify your school office as soon as possible.
Thank you for your assistance with this important process.
Student and Community COVID19 Testing to Keep Our Kids on Campus
Please take advantage of the no cost surveillance COVID-19 testing provided by the San Mateo County Health Department.
Please sign up for weekly testing for yourself and your child. Contact your health provider for a test if you have symptoms or know you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
Keeping COVID cases off of our campuses will keep our in person learning possible. As a reminder, if a student or or teacher tests positive for COVID, we will need to transition that cohort back to distance learning for at least two weeks to avoid spreading the virus.
Sign up at one of the following locations to begin your regular weekly testing:
Central Middle School
- Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Fridays 10:00 am-4:00 pm
- Thursdays 1:00-7:00pm
Register Here
Other Community Based Testing sites in San Mateo County Here
Distance Learning/Virtual Option for Fall
Last week we surveyed our Connections Distance Learning families about their preference for continuing with a distance learning/virtual option for next school year. About 40 families expressed interest in continuing with a distance learning model. SB 98, the law that allows distance learning and provides guidance to districts, is expiring in June. There may be another bill considered to guide this program for next year. While we wait for the State to make a decision if they will support these options, we will continue to explore an Independent Study program option for these families. SCSD may provide this program or a regional Independent Study Program may be offered to support several of our neighboring districts. Our hope is that we maintain enrollment for all of our San Carlos families who would like to be part of SCSD.
At this time, we encourage all families to remain enrolled in their home school for next year to ensure consistent communication. When we have more information we will communicate directly with the families that have expressed interest. If you are interested in having your child attend a virtual program next year, please complete this survey if you have not done so already - SCSD Virtual Program Interest for 2021-2022. Please complete one survey per child.
Nursing Notes - COVID-19 Protocol Reminder for all Families
Please keep your child and all siblings home if anyone in your household is sick.
Please remember to contact your school site if someone in your household tests positive for COVID-19 or if your child has been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19. Our district nurses are here to help support you in understanding quarantine lengths and ways for getting your student back to school as quickly as possible within the county health guidelines.
PTA
Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week - May 3rd-7th!
The Staff Appreciation team and PTA have been hard at work planning a special week to show support for our dedicated Central teachers and staff!
On behalf of all of you, the PTA will treat the staff and support staff to the following:
- MONDAY 5/3: Morning coffee with yogurt and fruit
- WEDNESDAY 5/5: Cinco De Mayo burrito lunch
- FRIDAY 5/7: Individually wrapped cookies from Blue Truck Bakery
What you can do -- Show Teachers and Staff the love this week!
- Email heartfelt letters, make cards and send messages of appreciation
- Create artwork, poems and video messages to celebrate your teachers
- Any and all creative ideas are most welcome!
PTA Meeting and Honorary Service Awards - Wednesday May 12th at 7pm!
Join us for our next PTA meeting to recognize parents and staff who have made a significant contribution to our school community. It has been an extraordinary year and everyone is working hard!
- When: May 12th, 2021, 7:00pm Pacific Time
Register in advance for this meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ocumvqD4iE9FQ8WGXtmh9wWH-U3jMt-xZ
SCEF
San Carlos Education Foundation (SCEF)
The San Carlos Education Foundation’s Virtual Starlight Gala last weekend was amazing and certainly one of the highlights of the year. Thank you for your enthusiastic participation in the gala, live and on-line auctions, teacher outings, Starlight Raffle and generous contributions to the Fund-the-Future campaign. We are still crunching the numbers, and all indications are that our community knocked this one out of the park.
We appreciate the many SCEF sponsors, and business & individual auction donors who make this type of event possible. A special thank you to:
- Diamond Gala Sponsors - the Partners at Dwell Realtors--Laura Bertolacci, Bob Bredel, Tatum Clarke, Alana Corso, and Joyce Romeo
- Premia Capital and Prince Street Properties for their lead Fund-The-Future donation
- Chang Orthodontics as our online bidding sponsor
- Alexandria Real Estate Equities as Benefactor sponsor
- Wendy Wood Design for her graphic design talents
- Moquin Press for printing our invitations and program
We are grateful for our intrepid volunteer chairs-Debbie Blucher, Stephanie Brill and Roberta Marks, our “fast and fun” auctioneer Chad Carvey and as always, our SCEF staff-Christopher Kashap, Scott Cleaveland, Joanne Chow and Kathy Parmer-Lohan.
Community News
Rediscover Summer Fun- Camp Galileo for PreK -Rising 8th Graders
Galileo's award-winning camps engage kids in the perfect mix of hands-on learning and unforgettable fun, thoughtfully redesigned for 2021. Small groups and safety protocols keep every Galilean safe. Engaging art, science and outdoor challenges deliver the innovation-igniting experiences kids love. Flexible enrollment policies make planning stress free. It all comes together for a joyful summer.
Limited enrollment—sign up now!
Save $25 per week before May 3rd! When you book for 3 weeks you’ll save $175, that’s $25 per week, plus $50 savings for weeks two and three.
Optional extended care.
Dates: June 14 - July 30, 2021
Location: Brittan Acres Elementary School
Learn more at www.galileo-camps.com
Steve & Kate's Summer Camp
At Steve & Kate’s Camp, kids take chances and take charge, shaping their day, their way. More choices and fewer expectations creates more possibilities, more self-trust, and less self-doubt.
Campers will choose an interest-based, pod-like group, called a Squad. At camp, children will gather with their fellow enthusiasts to immerse themselves in activities, or pursue projects with an emphasis that speaks to their tastes. Squad specialties include sewing, building, performing arts, coding and gaming, sports & recreation, or a mix of everything! Campers will also have the opportunity to enjoy outdoor classes, socially distanced indoor and outdoor recreation, performances, fan-favorites like Gameshow, gaga, and wacky or wet inflatables, and a circuit of rotating activities featuring arcade games, clay, sewing, and more.
We’ve also got plenty of perks for parents. Lunch and snacks are included daily, and there’s no risk if your plans change. At the end of the summer, if you have any leftover purchased Day Passes, we’ll refund them in full, automatically.
Dates: June 14 - July 30 - Summer 2021
Ages: Ages 4-12
Location: Arundel Elementary School
Learn more at https://steveandkatescamp.com/san-carlos/
Parenting Series: Teen Substance Abuse Prevention
How to Talk to Your Teen
May 5 • 6:30 - 7:30 PM
This presentation will include an introduction to motivational interviewing and offer concrete examples of how these skills can be used to improve communication with your teen.
We will also discuss active listening, and how using active listening with your teen can improve communication within the family unit.
"Normal" Adolescent Development
May 12 • 6:30 - 7:30 PM
This presentation includes a brief explanation of adolescent brain development, including the changes adolescent brains go through during the formative teen years. We will also
discuss issues that can interfere with brain development during this time.
Basics of Substance Use: When Should
I Worry, How to Identify Signs
May 19 • 6:30 - 7:30 pm
This presentation provides basic information about various substances and examples of how to recognize substance use in teens. We will also offer some tips for discussing substance use with your teens, as well as an explanation of harm reduction and why we find it to be the most effective method of working with substance use.
Trauma: How to Define it, Impacts on Teens
and Intersection with Substance Use
May 26 • 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
This presentation includes information about different types of trauma, how to recognize trauma, and how trauma can affect adolescents. We will also discuss how trauma intersects with substance use, and how substances can hinder our ability to heal from trauma.
Register Here - bit.ly/TSAseries21
San Carlos Youth Advisory - Mental Health & Wellness Workshop for Youth - May18th
Free Mental Health & Wellness Workshops for Youth
May is Mental Health Month. The San Carlos Youth Advisory Council is hosting a free mental health workshop for middle school and high school-age students. The workshop will be virtual and led by
counselors from One Life Counseling Center. Registration is required.
Mental Health and Wellness Workshop for Youth – May 18, 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm
For more information and to register, visit cityofsancarlos.org/yac.
City of San Carlos - Pedestrian Enhancements
The City’s Pedestrian Enhancement at Arroyo-Cedar and Hemlock-Orange Pathway Project requires roadway resurfacing at the intersections to provide a safe path of travel for pedestrians between the curb ramps.
The intersections require significant grading. Allowing vehicles to travel through the intersection with large drops between the existing and proposed roadway surface can be dangerous. Also, the contractor will use heavy equipment and machinery to resurface the intersection, which requires narrowing of lanes and adding more danger for vehicles travelling through the intersections. Therefore, we are planning the closures of the intersection of Arroyo Ave-Cedar St as well as Hemlock-Orange during the work to keep everyone safe. The closures will also expedite the schedule so the contractor can finish in one week as opposed to two weeks.
The closure of the Hemlock St-Orange Ave intersection will occur during the week of April 26 while the closure of the Arroyo Ave-Cedar St intersection will occur on May 3.
Hip Hop Concert to Promote Healthy No Vape Choices
Vape companies are using hip hop music to target youth. Let's use hip hop to empower youth to take a break from the vape! Take a Break from the Vape, a hip hop concert and PSA awards ceremony, takes place on May 20th from 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm with an after party from 6:30 pm - 7:00 pm.
Register for the concert here. You will receive a Zoom link for the concert and awards ceremony after you register. R
Registering for this event automatically enters you into a drawing to win a $50 Target gift card! You must be present (via Zoom) to win.
SamTrans Survey on School Routes
SamTrans is proposing changes to their bus routes and they need YOUR feedback, especially regarding Route 61 and Route 95 which serve San Carlos. Please take a moment to fill out their survey. This is your chance to be heard! You can also learn more about Reimagine SamTrans by visiting their website and/or joining a regional meeting.
High School Happenings
Sequoia High School
Carlmont High School
Design Tech High School
Tide Academy