1/27/20 CMS Newsletter

Principal's Message

Jan 27th, 2020

Why does kindness matter? Next week is the National Great Kindness Challenge. Every day next week at Central we will be highlighting several different ways students can be kind. In preparing for this week, I came across this article, Here’s Why Kindness Matter, According to Science, from BuzzFeed about how scientists have studied the positive effects of kindness. I have read similar articles in the past about the health benefits to being altruistic. I always like researched based articles and this article references several different university studies that have done research around kindness.

It makes perfect sense to me that acts of kindness have health benefits. I love that being kind helps us live longer. What is interesting to me is that kindness helps to relieve anxiety and depression. So many of our students experience anxiety and depression. This makes me think that we can help our kids with these forms of stress by getting them to do some simple acts of kindness. I know it is not that simple, but at least it is something positive that we can be doing. According to the article, there is an increase in positive mood and personal relationships can improve by performing acts of kindness.

I also think that we should be modeling altruism for our children. In the same way that kindness is contagious, if our children witness us being kind, they are more likely to be kind themselves. Below is a list of what we will be doing at school next week. Maybe you can use this as a way to have a conversation around all the different ways we can be kind.

Monday- Our planet Earth (pick up after yourself, pick up trash that isn’t yours, recycle and compost)
Tuesday- Peers/Friends (smile and/or say hello to others, give a genuine compliment)
Wednesday-Family (help make or clean up dinner, put down your phone and spend time with your family, let your family know how much they mean to you)
Thursday-CMS Staff (let a staff member know you appreciate them)
Friday-Self (say 5 nice things to yourself, do something that brings you joy)

Tom Domer

Principal

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Seeking true connection?

Author Visit: Salpi Dunlap, a local mom, is helping celebrate Kindness Week by talking about her new book Stay Grateful. She teamed up with her children to create a series of books to help kids stay true to themselves by being grateful, present, and kind. These books offer practical guidance and thoughtful conversation-provoking questions so you can connect with your child on a deeper level.

School District News

Measure N Parcel Tax Information

Are you registered to vote? You can still register online or check the status of your voter registration here - https://www.smcacre.org/register-vote

The early voting period for the March 2020 election starts on February 3, with four Vote Centers opening in San Mateo, Redwood City, South San Francisco and East Palo Alto.

The last day to register to vote for the March 3, 2020 election is Tuesday, February 18.

The Next Big Think - Mar 15

Tickets now available! San Mateo County Event Center. STEM Fair. Arts Expo. Districts Showcase. Solutionary Expo. And Much More!

The San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) invites you to join us this spring for our upcoming learning extravaganza: The Next Big Think! This FREE public event promises to be our county’s largest-ever gathering of students, parents, educators, and learners of all ages.
New to this year’s event: Our first-ever Solutionary Expo - All students and classes are invited to submit their solutions to global and local problems. Go beyond the tri-fold board - projects can be a poster, video, website, comic, podcast, however your students are inspired to share their solutions with others!

Bring your family, friends, and neighbors to the San Mateo County Event Center on March 15th — with so much to see and do, you’re guaranteed to learn something new!

FREE Tickets available on Eventbrite - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-next-big-think-a-celebration-of-student-learning-stem-art-more-tickets-86975208189

ROPES Presentations are Feb 3-5

If your 4th grade, 6th grade, or 8th grade student is doing a ROPES project this year, they should have received an email about how to turn in their project, and how to sign up for a presentation time on Feb 3rd, 4th, or 5th. This year, all items will be turned in electronically: written report, self-assessment, time log, and one-minute pitch video.

All information and directions are posted on the ROPES page. If your student needs assistance filming their one-minute pitch, we have scheduled two drop-in sessions: Jan 22 and Jan 29 from 2-3:30pm at the Central Middle School Library with teacher Nick Lamb.

PTA News

8th Grade Baby Pictures for Yearbook - Deadline February 28th - With Link!

We are starting to collect 8th grade baby pictures for the 2019-2020 CMS Yearbook. Infant to toddler, any photo works! The easiest way to submit is to place a high-quality, digital copy of the photo in this folder. Or, you can email your photo to [email protected]. If you only have a hard copy, visit the front office and we can scan it for you. Deadline: February 28, 2020.

Maverick Jack's CMS / Arroyo Fundraiser - March 11

Mark your calendars! Plan to get lunch or dinner for your family at Maverick Jack’s on March 11th and support Central and Arroyo schools!

Maverick Jack’s will donate 20% of the revenue back to our schools. This includes all dine-in and take out orders (door dash excluded) who mention Central-Arroyo school fundraiser when they order.

Your CMS / Arroyo PTA Membership Makes a Difference

We’re grateful for the Central/Arroyo families who have joined the CMS/Arroyo PTA for the 2019/2020 school year. If you haven’t yet joined, you can still sign up for membership. Individual Memberships are $10 and Family Membership are $20.

Your membership makes a difference! As a PTA Member, you not only support our CMS/Arroyo teachers, staff and programs but are also part of decision-making discussions and support the voice of the PTA and public schools in advocacy programs at the state level. Your support goes a long way. Sign up as a member today: https://centralarroyopta.myschoolcentral.com/ptaez/

SCEF

Teacher Outings and Summer Camps Auction

On Monday, January 27th the online auction for teacher outings and summer camps goes live and wait until you see all the fantastic events our teachers have donated this year!

Principal/librarian for a day
Kid VIP Warrior Experience-High 5 the players on 3/10 vs LA Clippers
Bowling/LaserQuest/Escape Room with your teacher
Concert and graduation seats

To learn more about Teacher Outings take a read here

Lucky On Live and Starlight Gala
Can’t attend the Starlight Gala, but want to participate, and possibly win your choice of one of the BIG auction items? Attending the Gala (tickets still available here ), but want to up your chances to WIN?

New to San Carlos and want to know more?

Here is a primer on the LOL raffle - www.scefkids.org/news. To buy Lucky On Live raffle tickets send an email to [email protected].

Community Partners

Healthy Cities Tutoring

Perfect Pairings Wine Pairing Dinner for Healthy Cities Tutoring

Join Healthy Cities Tutoring for the 6th annual Perfect Pairings wine pairing benefit dinner on Friday, February 28 from 5:30 - 9:00pm at Domenico Winery, 1697 Industrial Road in San Carlos. The Perfect Pairings benefit will be a festive celebration with delicious food and wine pairings, special friends and inspiring stories.

Our community of supporters will enjoy passed appetizers and prosecco followed by a delicious 3-course sit-down dinner prepared by Chef Gino Gramegna and perfectly paired wines from Domenico while helping to make a difference in the lives of children.

Please purchase your tickets by Feb.18 at Perfect Pairings - http://www.healthycities.site/perfect-pairings-2020/

Contact Nancy Bardsley - [email protected] - with questions. Thank you!

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Workshop "How to Support your Student in Math?"

Is your student struggling with math? Want to learn how to help them with tips and insights from seasoned math teachers? Join Healthy Cities Tutoring for our Math Tips workshop. Want to tutor? Arrive early to hear about volunteer tutoring opportunities.

Tuesday, February 11 / Arroyo/Central Middle School Library

6:30-6:55 pm Orientation "How to become a tutor?"
7:00-8:30 pm Workshop "How to Support Your Student in Math"

Presented by Sheila Sevilla, Kirsty Mooney & Hillary Wiessinger
Open to Healthy Cities Tutors, Parents and Para-Educators
Click here to RSVP

Additional workshop on Thursday, March 19, 2019. Visit our website for more information.

Welcome Home San Carlos Meeting - Feb 1

Everyone who lives or works in San Carlos is invited to join a second conversation on housing in the City of Good Living scheduled for Saturday morning February 1. “Welcome Home, San Carlos” is a joint effort between the City and Home for All, a San Mateo County collaborative working on narrowing the gap between jobs created and housing units built. The goal of Welcome Home is to help our community talk more constructively about the shared challenge of housing. The City hopes to listen to the conversation, and to hear about the priorities, concerns, and values of San Carlos community members.

Thank you to those who joined us on November 7, 2019 for our first community meeting where approximately 100 community members, City Councilmembers, and staff gathered at Hiller Aviation Museum for an evening to compare experiences and share their hopes for San Carlos’ future. Community members had dinner and engaged in thoughtful discussions with one another on the issue of housing, while City leaders and staff listened. The summary report from the first meeting can be found on the Welcome Home website.

The second meeting will build on the first conversation and look at ways that we can work together to address our City’s housing needs. A major focus is to continue to connect with community members who have not been regular participants in formal civic processes to listen and learn together. The second community conversation is scheduled for Saturday, February 1, 2020 at the San Carlos Adult Community Center and will be an informative dialogue about people’s personal experience with housing and their goals and aspirations for the future of San Carlos. Doors will open at 9:30 AM and the program will start at 10 AM. Breakfast will be provided and childcare will be available upon request. Because we want this conversation to focus on community perspectives, city staff and elected officials will be present only as listeners. We hope that you can join us!

TO RSVP please go to: welcomehomesancarlos.eventbrite.com
For more information go to: cityofsancarlos.org/welcomehome

Make Plans to Attend the Chickens' Ball Variety Show and Fundraiser

Congratulations to the San Carlos Chickens’ Ball on celebrating its 80th year of raising funds for our local schools’ visual and performing arts!

80 years ago, the show raised milk money for San Carlos students. Now, money raised specifically supports art and music supplies in our schools. For example, Mariposa staff and students now have a beautiful mural to brighten the halls because of the money raised at the last Chickens' Ball. Tierra Linda students gained a ceramics class, supplied with clay and glaze. How much can we raise for our students this time? The goal is to raise over $40K to continue to support our programs.The more money we raise, the more we give back to our students.

Gather your friends and family and come cheer on your community. Tickets are on sale now for our 7 shows! Evening and matinee performances are on March 13-15, March 20-22. https://www.chickensball.org/buy-tickets

School Garden Leaders Workshop - Mar 21

Welcome to the New Year! We hope to see you at our Spring workshop.

Saturday, March 21
9:00 am-12:00 pm, Arroyo School