Principal's Message
Dear CMS Families,
The San Carlos Strategic Plan Survey is coming soon!
Please look for the San Carlos Strategic Plan survey in your email inbox beginning Tuesday, February 25, 2020. The survey will be sent to you via the School Messenger System. Please fill out one survey per student, per school.
We’re eager to hear your feedback!
The Strategic Plan Survey is an essential part of our school and district improvement process. We use results annually to measure progress and set goals aligned to our Strategic Plan and Local Control Accountability Plan. The survey asks questions in the areas of:
- 21st Century Skills
- Communication
- Engagement
- Expectations and Rigor
- Homework
- Learning Environment
- Safety
- Technology
Families, teachers, and staff members will complete surveys, as well as students in grades 3-8. Results will be shared with principals, school staff, parent leadership groups, Superintendent Harmeier, and the Board of Trustees. As always, your responses remain anonymous.
Last school year, we collected responses from approximately 48% of district families across our schools. Approximately 21% of our Central Middle School’s families responded. Based on survey feedback, we set the following goals at Central:
- Continued work around personalizing learning; ensuring and communicating rigor, including within PBL
- Students treating each other with respect
- Continue work with student collaboration and problem solving skills
This year, we hope to hear from more than 40% of our families. When you receive the email from Panorama Education next week, please take a few minutes to complete the survey. We want to know how you think we’re doing!
Sincerely,
Tom Domer
Principal
__________________________________________
We are looking for a new parent to take over the role of laundry coordinator. Please contact Rose Carney [email protected] for more information
Thanks so much!
Rose
School District News
Measure N Parcel Tax Information
On Friday, February 7th the school district was notified by Mark Church, San Mateo County Chief Elections Officer, that due to a ballot misprint by the Elections Division’s printing vendor, 257 voters in our school district received a ballot that did not include the San Carlos School District’s Measure N Parcel Tax Measure.
We want to make sure voters are aware of the error and ask them to look for their new ballot and return it before March 3rd. Our last measure narrowly passed in 2015 by 110 votes and parcel taxes require a supermajority of 66.67% for passage.
Replacement ballots with the correct information were mailed on Saturday, February 8th to the affected voters, together with a notice explaining what happened. The District also sent home a letter to the affected voters on Friday, February 14th to make them aware of the error. If voters have already returned the first or incorrect ballot, it will be discarded when a replacement ballot is received.
Learn more about Measure N at -
https://www.scsdk8.org/apps/pages/2020-Parcel-Tax-Information
Attendance Reminder
Student absences impact learning and achievement. In one year the typical amount of absences is six days. When students are absent 10% of the school year or 18 days, they are considered chronically absent. In addition to loss of instruction, absences impact our funding as it is based on Average Daily Attendance Funding Formulas. Please make an effort to get your child to school on time every day to avoid disruption to the classroom and take vacations during scheduled instructional breaks. The 2020-21 calendar was adopted by the SCSD Board and can assist in planning for next year. When students are sick with a fever or vomiting, they should stay home until symptom free for 24 hours. Please be sure to call the office to report absences.
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.
Baskin-Robbins Coupons
Baskin-Robbins has gifted our PTA buy-one-get-one ice cream cone coupons! They're available on a first come, first served basis at the CMS front desk. Expiration 3/30. Thanks for getting involved in our PTA, and thanks to partner Baskin-Robbins for supporting our community!
Make Plans to Attend the Chickens' Ball Variety Show Fundraiser in March!
You could be the key to arts education for your child! Gather your friends together and enjoy a night out of live entertainment full of music and laughs! Steeped in Barbary Coast history, the Chickens’ Ball variety show district wide school fundraiser is not to be missed!
- Show dates March 13-15, 20-22, 2020 at Mustang Hall, Central Middle School
- Buy tickets at www.chickensball.org
GROUP TICKETS! Celebrate the 80th year of our nation's oldest PTA fundraiser with a group of friends! Contact Tim King at [email protected] to purchase Chickens’ Ball group tickets at face value. There's a free opportunity drawing on opening night!
PTA VOLUNTEERS! Concessions help needed for the seven performances, and the Chickens’ Ball Steering Committee is hoping that all of our PTAs will help staff the booths. Please give a little over an hour of your time to sell water, candy, popcorn, etc. There will be costume pieces (feather boas, hats, etc) to wear, and volunteers are encouraged to wear spirit wear from your school! Sign up here: https://signup.com/go/iqpFfdW
Interested in Getting Involved in Central's PTA Next Year?
It's a wonderful way to stay connected to CMS teachers and staff, our kids' experience while at school, our school's needs, and even advocate across the district. We're currently filling our roster of open seats, starting Fall 2020. You can get involved in many ways - a few minutes per week, month or year! Please contact Kate Dickman or Michelle Chang to learn more.
SCEF
Dwell Matching Program for First Time SCEF Donors
The partners at DWELL Realtors will match any new donations to the SCEF annual fund between February 1 and March 31, 2020 up to $50,000!
Dwell partner Laura Bertolacci is a life-long resident of the Peninsula and proud supporter of SCEF. "My children grew up in San Carlos and we always saw the benefit that SCEF provided. The value of keeping programs like STEM, art, and music is unmeasurable. Now as a new grandparent, I know my grandchildren will have well-rounded educations in the San Carlos schools because of SCEF.”
Thank you to Dwell partners Laura Bertolacci, Bob Bredel, Alana Corso, Joyce Romeo and Tatum Clarke. Find out more at scefkids.org/dwellmatch and take advantage of this unique opportunity to double your impact. scefkids.org/donate
Gala News
Lucky on Live: Everyone is invited to participate in our Lucky On Live raffle for the chance to win your choice of one of the BIG auction items! See our primer on the LOL raffle at www.scefkids.org/news. To buy Lucky On Live raffle tickets send an email to [email protected].
Volunteers Needed: Can’t attend the Starlight Gala, but want to participate? We are looking for a few good volunteers to help with check-in and other tasks. Signup here: https://signup.com/go/rVDRALL
Community Partners
Upcoming Parent Education Opportunity
The Sequoia Healthcare District is sponsoring the following parent education events this winter. Please consider attending. (All parent education events can be found on this link)
Creating Gender Inclusive Environments for Children and Teens
Joel Baum, Senior Director for Professional Development, Gender Spectrum
- Thursday, February 27, 2020, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
- Woodside High School, Multi-Use Room (MUR) - 199 Churchill Avenue, Woodside
You're Invited to SCSD Day at Stanford Men's Basketball Mar 1
All SCSD students and families are invited to join the fun at Stanford University's Maples Pavilion for the Stanford Men’s Basketball home finale on Sunday, March 1 at 3:00pm. Tickets start at just $10 each.
To place your order at the discounted group price, please visit GoStanford.com/promo-code and enter: SCSD
Be sure to arrive early for the Ice Cream Party from 2pm-2:45pm, and after the game all kids will take the court to shoot free-throws!
As an added bonus, if 50+ tickets are purchased through the promo code, all SCSD students will receive a free Stanford T-Shirt. Feel free to share this promotion with others (you don't have to be a current student at SCSD to participate.)
High School Happenings
Sequoia High School
8th graders and their families can learn all about Sequoia HS through Group or Individual Shadowing, Info Nights, Forums and Newsletters. To learn more, click HERE
Carlmont High School
8th graders and their families can learn all about Carlmont HS through Group or Individual Shadowing, Info Nights, Forums and Newsletters. To learn more, click HERE.
Summit Public High School
8th graders and their families can learn about the Summit Public School experience HERE.
Design Tech High School
8th graders and their families can learn about the Design Tech Charter High School experience HERE.