11/2/20 CMS Newsletter

Principal's Message

Hello CMS Families,

Week at a Glance

• 6th Grade Week-at-a-Glance
• 7th Grade Week-at-a-Glance
• 8th Grade Week-at-a-Glance

Advisory

Every Thursday’s advisory class is asynchronous.  During this time, students are expected to work on their Sown to Grow.  For example, this coming week students are reflecting on the goals that they previously set. Teachers will be providing feedback to help students achieve their goals. Teachers will also be suggesting strategies on achieving these goals. Students do not need to log into Zoom for advisory on Thursdays, however, in order for students to be marked present, they must complete their Sown to Grow assignment. 

Parent Education

Having Courageous Conversations About Race and Systemic Racism 

Wednesday 11/4/20 from 12:00-1:00 pm.  Please join us for this great conversation - it is free!  Please hit this link Courageous Conversations to register. 

GSA

We are grateful to be able to offer support to our LGBTQIA students and their allies by having a GSA (Gender Sexuality Alliance) meeting on Nov. 18th at 2pm via zoom hosted by Sequoia High School’s GSA. High School students will be running the meeting with adult supervision. An email invitation will go to all middle school students with a google form to fill out if they are interested in attending the meeting. Only students who complete the google form will receive the zoom link for the meeting. If you have any questions please contact Julie Jobak at [email protected].

Tom Domer 

Principal 

PTA

Time is Running Out on Our PTA Fundraising Period

We are getting closer to our goal, but time is running out to donate to our PTA Team Kid fundraising campaign .  

We are still $10,000 away from where we need to be to support our students and teachers as we budgeted. 

Visit TeamKid to learn more about how funds raised during this campaign will fulfill critical learning needs for our students. Teacher stipends, principal funds, critical cleaning supplies, Art in Action, garden, student assemblies, 8th grade graduation, parent education, disability awareness and support, student supplies and much, much more have all been paid for by PTA funds and are already making a positive difference in the daily lives of our students. But we still need your support!  Help us provide essential programs this year by making your PTA donation today.

The PTA would like to thank and highlight our next two amazing local business sponsors:  Dr. Michael Chang of Chang Orthodontics and Wendy Wood of Wendy Wood Design.  Thank you for your generous donations to our PTA!   

Interested in becoming a PTA Business Sponsor?   If you or your extended family own a business, please consider being a PTA sponsor this year.  More information can be found online.  

Please support our school, teachers and student programs by donating today.   Our ask is a one time donation of $125 per student or $250 per family, although all donations of any amount are greatly appreciated.

PTA Membership

Can we make it to 600 PTA members again this year?  Last year was a record-breaking year for Central/Arroyo PTA membership.   As of today, we are 420 parents and teachers strong this year! If you haven't done so already, please join again this year and keep the Stand Up for Public Schools push for better CA school funding going strong.   Family memberships are $20 and include membership to the California State PTA as well.   Join today!

Save the Date:  Our Gratitude Festival is coming to Arroyo and Central November 18th-20th

During this uncertain year, there is no better time to take a moment to express our gratitude for our student body, school and San Carlos community.

The PTA is working on the final Festival plans, and we could use your input.  Join the Festival Committee here.

Our PTA sponsors will be featured on the main backdrop of this Festival. Does your business want to be included? More information can be found here.   

Look for details coming soon!

Proposition 15 - Schools & Community First

The San Carlos School District unanimously approved a resolution in support of Prop 15 Schools and Communities First on the ballot in November. The District would receive an estimated $1,896,397 and the City of San Carlos $4,112,000 in additional funding if the initiative passes. According to the measure's sponsors, The California Schools & Local Communities Funding Act would raise an estimated $12 billion annually statewide for schools and local communities including $830 million for San Mateo County. 

For details, go to the California PTA's website.

Editor's Note:  This message was approved by County Council - It is permitted to be included in our newsletters for information only, not advocacy

PTA Reflections 

Reflections Program 2020-1 Information

The National PTA’s Reflections art program has helped students explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence and find a love for learning that will help them become more successful in school and in life. 

Reflections was established in 1969 by National PTA board member Mary Lou Anderson.  Each year, over 300,000 students in Pre-K through Grade 12 create original works of art in response to a student-selected theme.  The theme for the 2020-2021 program year is 

 "I Matter Because.... "    " Yo Importo Proque... "  

 Reflections 2020-21 Call for Entries 
https://youtu.be/IX-rzWHnY5Q

Students may submit an entry in any and/or all of the six arts areas listed below in one of the grade divisions Primary: Preschool, Kindergarten – Grade 2, Intermediate: Grade 3-5, Middle School: Grade 6-8, High School: Grade 9-12, Special Artist: All grades

Only original works of art created by the individual student are accepted. Students may enter up to two works of art. The six arts areas are as follows:

Student Participation

Participation in Reflections is open to all students who are in attendance at a PTA/PTSA school where the program is sponsored. Students submit their Reflections entries to their school PTA/PTSA by November 2nd. 

Reflections Theme Search 2022-2023
The Reflections Theme Search is determined by the National PTA Reflections Theme Search Contest which is selected two years in advance.  Each State PTA Reflections Committee submits 5 themes to represent their state to the National PTA Reflections Theme selection. 
 
Opens on September 1st and closes on November 1st to California State PTA.  Students may submit as multiple ideas however each idea must have it's own entry form.  It may be submitted via postal mail (entry form is attached) or online starting September 1st visit
 

Online Theme Search:  http://capta.org/programs-events/reflections/theme-search/

Reflections Information on CMS Website:  https://central.scsdk8.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1138747&type=d&pREC_ID=2082938

School District

Covid19 Testing Available for Children - County of San Mateo Announces Drive-Through Testing at the San Mateo County Event Center

The County of San Mateo announced no-cost testing for COVID-19 is available for children age 5 and older starting Tuesday, October 20 - a new option that expands the County's testing capacity.  

Testing is open by appointment to all families that live in San Mateo County with children ages 5 and older. Appointments for the drive-through testing at the San Mateo County Event Center are available weekdays from 1 to 8 p.m.  

The County is offering a simple-to-use oral mouth swab test that is self-administered for children and families in partnership with Curative Inc., a rapid diagnostics firm based in Southern California. Curative has the capacity to test over 500 individuals each day at the Event Center with results available typically within 48 hours.  

With the addition of testing by Curative, the County has the capacity to test up to 7,500 individuals each week. There is no cost to participants.

Fight the Flu - Get Your Shot Today!

Bay Area Health Officers are asking the public to fight the flu by getting the annual vaccination for influenza right now - read more here. 

The flu shot is a safe, effective way to reduce your chance of missing work or ending up in the hospital due to severe flu. Symptoms of the flu can be similar to early symptoms of COVID-19, meaning that this year, people with flu symptoms may require a COVID-19 test and may need to stay home and isolate away from their families while awaiting results.

You can get flu shots at: 

• Your doctor’s office 
• Retail pharmacies and stores (call first to check vaccine availability) 
• Visiting: https://vaccinefinder.org/
• A free flu clinic in San Mateo County: 
• Tinyurl.com/SMCHealthFluShots 
• Tinyurl.com/SMCHealthFluEs

San Carlos School District Preschool Program

Did you know that the San Carlos School District Preschool is open and safely running? Children are painting, building, creating, learning and playing with their friends. They are happy and enjoying their days in the preschool classroom. 

The program has been open and safely running since May 11 - Monday-Friday from 7:30am until 5:00pm. Your preschooler is welcome to attend 2, 3, 4 or 5 days - we have open spots available at each of the four elementary sites. 

Each preschool classroom is self contained with up to 12 children and 2 teachers. A strict health and safety protocol is followed each day. Children and teachers are wearing masks as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

To find out more information, visit our preschool website or contact the Director of the program, Sue Dawley at [email protected]. She will be happy to answer all of your questions.

Join Us in the SMARTE Afterschool Clubhouse!

Do your children miss being at school and spending time with other kids? Have them join their friends in the SMARTE Clubhouse! We still have a few openings in our programs at Arundel, Brittan Acres and Heather Elementary. 

Programs run from 8:15 am (early drop off for Zooms!) to 4:30 pm each day. You can choose from 5-day, 3-day or 2-day programs. The SMARTE Clubhouse provides a fun, safe and welcoming place to spend time in a supervised childcare environment to support online learning along with engaging enrichment activities. Students are in small cohorts with two staff members and no more than 12-15 children. We practice strict safety protocols - wearing masks, no mixing of groups, as well as daily health checks and sanitizing/cleaning routine. Students spend the morning Distance Learning in their own dedicated space. Staff are there to assist students in accessing their Zooms and helping them complete their work each day. In the afternoon, students move into enrichment time with music, games, drawing, arts & crafts, lots of outside playtime and tons of fun!  

Please visit the SMARTE Clubhouse website for more detailed information. If you have additional questions, please email us at [email protected]. Scholarships are available for families in need and we offer both an SCSD Employee and sibling discounts. Click on the SMARTE Clubhouse Registration link to sign-up today!

SCEF

San Carlos Education Foundation (SCEF)

Ask any realtor, the number one reason people move to San Carlos is the quality of the schools. Yet our successes disguise the reality that we are one of the lowest funded districts in the county.  Many of the programs our district provides would be severely reduced if we relied solely on state funding. Here is the recently updated explanation of our current funding situation: https://www.scsdk8.org/apps/pages/School_Funding
 
Your continued support of our public schools makes a tremendous difference in the educational experience we can offer our students.

Community Partners

Parent Education

GRADES 6-8

Coping Skills for Anger, Frustration and Stress 

• Monday, November 2, 7:00 pm
• RSVP via Eventbrite 

Having Courageous Conversations About Race and Systemic Racism

Join Donald Grant, PhD, for a "Courageous Conversation" about Race and Systemic Racism in America today. Learn how to be a disruptor of anti-Black racism and discrimination by increasing your knowledge and empathic awareness

• Wednesday, November 4, 2020, 12:00pm – 1:00pm 
• Dr. Donald Grant, Center for Community & Social Impact, Pacific Oaks College
• Info & Tickets: https://donaldgrant2020carlmont.eventbrite.com

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High School Happenings

Sequoia High School

• Sequoia Home Page
• Shadowing at Sequoia
• Important Note: We are NOT planning on inviting 8th grade students into live Zoom classes. Our teachers are facing challenging enough circumstances already without the added logistics of welcoming visitors.
• Currently 8th grade students and families can register via the SHADOW PAGE of the Sequoia HS website and THIS REGISTRATION FORM. The registration (as in years past) asks for shadow curricular and extracurricular interests. Based on this information, I will pair the shadow with one of our hosts. The host will then have a prescribed set of steps that they take
• Email a general letter introducing themselves and "welcoming" the shadow
• Providing three video links (Virtual Orientation, About Sequoia and the 2020 Virtual Lib Dub)
• Providing electronic copies of resources (important list of contacts, campus map, social media accounts to follow, course preference form, other materials from the program planning handbook, etc)
• Details about supplemental informational events (IB Info Night, Open House, 8th Grade Welcome Night, etc)
• As part of their registration, shadows/parents will also be asked for their preferred method of contact (phone call to student, phone call to parent, text message, zoom, FaceTime, etc.) Sequoia host students will reach out via the preferred medium, as well as provide contact information for any necessary follow up.
• We will also provide:
• Student Panels - Subject-specific student panel sessions will be held weekly (Wednesday, 2:00 PM) and cover a range of topics. Tentative schedule below:

Carlmont High School

The 8th Grade Transition team has put together a prerecorded Parent Information Night. Please visit the webpage to see the video that provides in depth information about the Carlmont academic program, including electives and core curriculum. 

Shadowing Events for 8th grade students are now available for sign up. Group sessions will be virtual and hosted by Carlmont student ambassadors, with a moderator from our 8th Grade Transition team. Individual sessions are also available for one-on-one virtual sessions with a Carlmont Ambassador.

Click here for Shadowing Information and to Register

• Carlmont Home Page
• November 2020 Carlmont Corner
• Shadowing at Carlmont 

Design Tech High School

• DTech Home Page