Principal's Message
January 11, 2021
Week-at-a-Glance
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I know many of us are expecting the year 2021 to hold a great deal of promise. How could we not hope for a better year after the one we have all just collectively experienced? Sadly, eleven days into this year, it is not looking that way. But we cannot so readily give up on the hope that a new year brings. While last year tested our resilience and our resolve, there were also so many acts of kindness that made me believe in humanity's potential again and again.
As educators, we have to stay optimistic. We have to teach the good in order to learn from our past mistakes. We have to believe in humanity’s potential. While I was heartbroken to see violence against innocent citizens happening in our streets over and over again, social justice activists gave me hope and made me proud. I was reminded that we can make a difference. Personally, I developed a newfound passion for learning about antiracist education. I want to become a better teacher and leader and have found so much inspiration from everyday people doing extraordinary things.
Similarly, the pandemic has caused a great deal of isolation, loneliness and loss. Yet watching our front line workers risking their own lives to help others has also given me a renewed faith in humanity. Health care workers have gone above and beyond to help patience from around the world. That kind of commitment has taught me how important all of our jobs are. We all add value and are deserving of respect.
I am reminded why we chose to be parents and educators by the positive things that come out of trying times: We do what we do for our children. We continue to be there for them, yet we must remember to take care of ourselves. We cannot be effective caretakers when we are running on empty. I would like to repeat what I wrote on Wednesday night. This is a challenging time. Be kind to yourself and to one another as we work through the myriad of circumstances that we all face. Remember to hug your children, listen to music, laugh deeply, take a walk, eat something delicious, play, and be proud of yourself - these things build our reserve. We will get through this time together with heart, mind, and action. As always, please reach out to me if you need anything at all.
Tom Domer
Principal
School District
Kindergarten Information Night - January 19th
Each year, the SCSD welcomes our newest families into the district with a Kindergarten Information Night, introducing them to our community partners and reviewing the process for registering for Kindergarten.
This year, we will hold a virtual Kindergarten Welcome Night / Meet the San Carlos School District at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. The presentation will include information from SCEF, PTA, Healthy Cities Tutoring, Extended Day Programs, Preschool Programs, and district Wellness Programs as well as an overview of the registration process.
Zoom has a capacity of 300 participants. If you are unable to join via Zoom, please watch the presentation live on YouTube. Zoom participants will have a Q & A option at the end of the meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://scsdk8.zoom.us/j/98928214883?pwd=am90ZGhrTEdSUGY5Rm9jWWR5VWViUT09
Meeting ID: 989 2821 4883
Passcode: 340068
- or -
Watch on YouTube
https://youtu.be/TJcg1XVK790
On Wednesday, January 20 the Powerschool Registration Form will open for new students and any students returning to the district to begin their registration. All registration will be completed online and parents will be asked to upload their documents into the system. The deadline for priority registration is February 26.
See our Key Dates for Registration page for more information.
Remember to Order Lunch Meal Kits
We have weekly meal boxes available for pick up each Monday (including delivery to Menlo Park and East Palo Alto. Each box includes five meals - an assortment of hot and cold entrees and a variety of fruits, veggies, and milk. Simply order online and safely pick-up your box for the week. Order.lunchisserved.com
To order your student’s Weekly Lunch Box, please log onto LunchIsServed and place your order. You must place your order by 9am on Sunday before the following week.
Parent Education
Remember to check out our Pandemic Care & Support website for parent education events and resources, mental health support, and more! You can also add the SCSD Parent Education Calendar to your phone.
Teen Talk Sexual Health Curriculum Information Night for Families of 7th Graders
Join professionals from Health Connected to learn about the sexual health curriculum that will be taught for 7th graders later this year. Webinar will take place on Monday, February 1 at 7:00p.m. Puberty Talk (English) Flyer Here El Courso de la Pubertad (Espanol) Aqui RSVP HERE
ROPES Judges Needed
We are in need for parents, staff and community members that would like to serve as a judge for the ROPES (Rite of Passage Experiences) presentations in February. ROPES are challenging projects that 4th, 6th and 8th-grade students have completed which allow them to learn about their world and themselves in a deeper but fun way. You can learn more about ROPES on our website. This year all judging will be via Zoom.
There are 3 opportunities to judge:
- Tuesday, Feb 2, 4:00–6:30 pm
- Wednesday, Feb 3, 2:00-5:00 pm
- Thursday, Feb 4, 6:00-8:30 pm
In addition we will be holding a training session for all judges on Thursday, Jan 28 from 6:00-7:00 pm. This will be via Zoom and we will be recording this session if you can’t make this time.
We would not be able to maintain this valuable program without the support of our community. We are asking for you to join district staff and other community members by volunteering to serve as a judge on one of our judging panels. Typically, we have two to three judges per room and they judge four to six student presentations in an evening/session.
We hope that you will be able to join us in this worthwhile event. Please sign up here to be a ROPES Judge.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us via [email protected]
PTA
PTA Meeting - Wednesday, January 13, 2021 7pm via Zoom
To kick off our first PTA meeting of the new year, we will be joined by Sandie Nierenberg, CEO and Founder of Each Green Corner. Learn about its collaboration at our school and districtwide around outdoor learning spaces and how we can all play a role. Sandie's presentation will be followed by the PTA regular meeting agenda.
Register in advance for this Zoom meeting.
SCEF
San Carlos Education Foundation (SCEF)
The SCEF Read-A-Thon is Coming
The San Carlos Education Foundation’s first ever Read-A-Thon will encourage students to read as much as they can January 25 -- February 5, 2021. We hope that our community will experience unity through the shared activity of reading and, in the process, raise educational funding for every student in our district. Our goals are to foster the love of reading, 100% participation/registration and to raise $200,000 for our schools. Donations of all sizes are appreciated, but not required to participate.
- All the information you need to know can be found on our SCEF Read-A-Thon website at www.scefkids.org/read2021
- Register by January 18 at www.scefkids.org/read2021 to have your name entered into a drawing to win a “seat” at the January 25 Dub Hub Virtual Warriors Experience
- Submit your book recommendations! Record a short 30 second to 1 minute video HERE and upload. (Note that by posting a video you are giving permission for these videos to be used in SCEF marketing, newsletters, eblasts and social media).
Special thanks to the Partners at Dwell Realtors --Laura Bertolacci, Bob Bredel, Tatum Clarke, Alana Corso, and Joyce Romeo-- our inaugural Read-A-Thon sponsor.
Community Partners
Free TCRWP Parent & Caregiver Workshop
- Free TCRWP Parent & Caregiver Workshop
- Thursday, January 28, 1:00-3:00 pm Eastern Time (10am-12pm Pacific Time)
Join expert Teachers College Reading and Writing Project staff at our upcoming workshop day for parents and caregivers of students in grades K-8. Learn more about ways to support your child’s literacy education at home, what or how they are learning in school, how to best engage in home literacy projects, and more. These days are typically 2-3 hours long, composed of a series of 15-minute small-group presentations. Parents and caregivers can choose the workshops that match their needs and are free to come for one workshop or many. The schedule of workshops will be made available prior to the event. These sessions are offered live and are not recorded for later viewing.
Click the link below to register.
https://tcrwp.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIudu-orzMrGdUN0IyGUGksRGCvS2Sjp9E5
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
High School Happenings
Sequoia High School
- Sequoia Home Page
- "8th grade Information Night" viewed via THIS INTERACTIVE PRESENTATION
Carlmont High School
Design Tech High School
Tide Academy