Principal's Newsletter
March 21, 2022
Principal's Message
Dear Adelante Selby Spanish Immersion families,
Last Thursday our 1st grade team was able to hold the annual Mercadito culminating project for the "Now and Long Ago" SEAL unit(which they could not do last year due to the Pandemic). This activity reminded me that it was exactly 2 years ago that we had our last "Mercadito", and the next day everything changed as we were all sent home and tried our best to adjust to Distance Learning and "Hybrid Schedules" due to COVID 19. Therefore, hosting the "Mercadito" in person this year had special significance and it felt great to get back to "normal". A sign of the times, however, I noticed the student made "stress balls" sold out faster than any other item this year!
We have entered new territory with masks being strongly recommended indoors at school, but not required. We noticed the majority of staff and students are still wearing the masks, but some are not which is OK. As Nancy Magee, our County Superintendent, recently shared in her newsletter about the decision to wear a mask or not at school: "I expect that we have gained the knowledge and the wisdom to respect and support personal decisions in this matter. Our students and staff have already endured enough challenges during the pandemic, and social stigma around wearing – or not wearing – a mask should not be one of them. This poster helps support that message."
We anticipate that after Spring Break we will no longer require the Daily Wellness Checks to be submitted for students(our staff will have to continue to do the Wellness checks). We also anticipate that parents will be able walk onto campus to drop off and pick up their child(ren), but not enter the school buildings or classrooms. Reminder if you want to walk in to drop off or pick up your child, please make sure to be respectful to our neighbors and park legally outside the parking lots along Himmel, Atherwood, or Selby Lane(DO NOT BLOCK our neighbors driveways).
iHealth At Home Covid Testing on Sunday, April 3rd
We will be sending home the iHealth At Home Covid testing kits again this Thursday, March 24th. The 3rd-5th graders will be handed the testing kits to take home to parents by their teacher and the TK-2nd graders parents will receive the kit at the pick up time. We want you to test your child on Sunday, April 3rd prior to returning to school on Monday, April 4th. Click here for instructions for administering the test. If your child tests positive, please keep them home and contact the school using our Student Absence Reporting Form, and the school district wants you to also notify them here(if they test negative send them to school).
Community Schools
Adelante Selby is in its first school year of being a full time community school site. We are now one of six RCSD Community Schools that focus on full-wrap around services for our students, families, community and staff.
A community school is a public school that works to address neighborhood non-academic needs, including health care, dental care, preschool, after-school activities and summer school —-anything that affects the well-being of the community. Community Schools use a holistic approach to education in an effort to close the equity and opportunity gap in our communities and support whole-family success.
Using proven strategies and culturally responsive practices, Community Schools close resource gaps, providing equal access to essential services. There are 4 developmental domains in which we focus our work: social, emotional, physical and intellectual.We have strategically created partnerships to ensure that our students are reaching their full potential regardless of any situation they may be facing, in or out of school.
Here at Adelante Selby, we offer a wide range of extended learning opportunities for students, through partnerships with programs like REACH, Siena Youth Center, and the YMCA. Thanks to our wonderful Unidos PTO we have been able to offer, during and after school enrichment programs, like the gardening class + after school Garden Club and Dance with Danny G.
To ensure our students are emotionally and socially ready for school and learning we offer mental health services in-house through our partnership with One Life Counseling, Acknowledge Alliance, and with our very own full time school counselor. Through One Life, we have a part time clinician working with students 4 days a week. Acknowledge Alliance works with our staff to develop plans for social emotional learning and implementation of skills to better work and understand all of our students and each unique situation.
We also offer community services open to anyone that might need some support. Through programs like Second Harvest, we host two food distributions a month on site that anyone can stop by and pick up fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins and more. We have partnered with SamTrans and have been able to provide free youth public transportation passes to all of our students who ride public transportation. Operation School Bell provided us with brand new school uniforms that we have been able to distribute to over 200 of our students.
We have a full time Community School Coordinator and a full service Family Center, opened Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. to fully support any needs that might arise. We are right by the main office, all of our families are welcomed and invited to stop by to tap into all the great resources and community service partnerships we have.
Girlstart Program
Maestra Elanor has been hosting Girlstart a very popular after school enrichment program for 4th and 5th grader girls. Girlstart is a nonprofit organization that partners with schools. Girlstart’s mission is to increase girls’ interest and engagement in STEM(Science Technology Engineering Math) through innovative, nationally-recognized informal STEM education programs. The students enjoy the fun, hands on STEM activities and work on teams to solve problems. Becca Landman, from the Girlstart STEM CREW, states that: “My favorite part of working in Girlstart, as a woman in STEM myself, is being able to share interesting science concepts with students while engaging them with fun and educational experiments.”
Danny G Dance Performances for the 1st graders and the TK/Kindergarteners on March 11th:
Wow! What a fantastic first dance performance for our TK/Kindergarten and 1st graders. A big shout out to Danny G and all the teachers for developing our students talents and teaching them to work together cooperatively to perform. Below are the links to the unedited Zoom Recordings of both assemblies.( Reminder that a few parent volunteers are editing a "cleaner" version and we will share out those links when they are ready at a later date).
Kinder Recording Maestras Jennifer; Eva; Narda; Susanne; Marissa
1st Grade Recording Maestras Kelly; Nuria; Elizabeth; Anna
Here are a few short iPhone video clips:
Short Video Clip of Maestra Nuria's class dancing to the "Gummy Bear Song"
Unidos PTO Dining Night Out -Tuesday, March 22
Mark your calendars! Dine in or get takeout from La Fonda de los Carnelitos on Tuesday, March 22, and 10% of their proceeds will be donated to Unidos PTO. Additionlly, La Fonda de los Carnelitos restaurant is owned by an Adelante Selby family.
5th Grade Outdoor Education Trip May 16-20th
The 5th grade students will be attending Outdoor Education at YMCA Camp Jones Gulch, near La Honda, on the week of May 16th, 2022. Outdoor Education is one of the most memorable experiences of a child’s school years. The students experience the life science standards taught by attending classes, taking field trips, hiking and experiencing the natural environment, and they bond with classmates. The outdoor education naturalists provide a fun, educational, and interactive week of activities. You can also go to the Outdoor Education website at http://www.smcoe.org/learning-and-leadership/outdoor-education/, where you can read about the naturalists and program provided.
- We are holding a 5th grade Outdoor Education Parent Informational Virtual Meeting on Wednesday, March 23rd at 6:00pm: Join via Zoom Link Meeting ID: 886 5917 4568 Passcode: OutdoorEd.
UNIDOS/PTO BINGO NIGHT!!
Please join us this Thursday night, March 24, from 6:30-7:30pm for a REALLY FUN virtual Bingo activity for families. You will need two devices for this evening--computer for the Zoom live meet and cell phone/tablet to download the app and play Bingo.
We will be using www.bingomaker.com: To play: Click on Join a Game: Adelante Selby
Password: Bingotime.
We will be on a live Zoom Meeting: Zoom Meeting ID:860 9104 4903 Passcode: BINGO!
Director Warren will share his screen with the game card you follow along and play on your device. We will play "Regular" (Diagonal/Vertical/Horizontal columns) , "4 corners", and "Blackout" Bingo games. There will be prizes for the winners! Yes, kids can be in their pajamas!
Día Del Niño/Day of the Child: Saturday, April 30 from 11:00am-3:00pm
We are happy to announce that the annual Día Del Niño/Day of the Child event will happen this year in person on Saturday, April 30th from 11:00-3:00pm in the 300 wing of the school by the Library. This is a fun and FREE family event where children can play different games, enjoy hands on arts and crafts, try some science/STEAM activities, enjoy face painting, make giant bubbles, and much more. There will also be Entertainment with our Student Talent Show. Your child can sign up to audition for the Talent Show here: Talent Show Registration. There will also be Danny G After School Dance Club, 2 Baile Folklórico dance groups, and a fun DJ playing music. We will have food from various taco trucks available for sale. Finally, it is your opportunity to DUNK Director Warren, Subdirectora Pati, Community School Coordinator Jose Luna, and other brave STAFF in the Dunk Tank as a fundraiser for the 5th grade Outdoor Education Trip. If you would like to help us by volunteering for this great event(and we NEED your help), please sign up for a 2 hour "shift" for that day using this form: Día Del Niño Volunteer Sign Up Form
Tutoring/Homework Help - Grades 3-5
Adelante Selby 3-5th grade parents, Tutor.com is now available for students who would like or benefit from access to online homework help when they are working at home.
Students can access the help by clicking on the "Waffle" menu on their Chrome browser on their Chromebook from school. They will scroll down and click on the Tutor.com icon. (Note that they need to be signed in to Chrome using their RCSD accounts.) We are also working on having a link in Clever accessible in the future.
Once students are logged in, they can follow the steps in this video to sign up for help. Following these steps will help them get a tutor who has knowledge in the particular area they need.
Tutor.com has also provided these resources that we can share with families.
Top 10 Facts for Families (English pdf)
Top 10 Facts for Families (Spanish pdf)
Parent Education Series
The Parent Venture, a local organization that sponsors parent education workshops, has shared information about some upcoming events. Workshops are available in Spanish and English.
Helping Kids (and Families) Cope in Uncertain Times
David Anderson, PhD, Vice President, School and Community Programs, Child Mind Institute
- Tuesday, March 22, 2022, 12:00pm – 1:00 PDT, Online Event (Live)
- Register: https://daveanderson2022shd.eventbrite.com
How can we help our kids cope in uncertain times? What is the best way to support positive mental health as we move toward a “new normal”? Join David Anderson, PhD, Vice President of School and Community programs at the Child Mind Institute (CMI), to learn more.
Parents/caregivers, educators, mental health professionals, and community members welcome! Free admission. Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available.
Parenting in a Digital Age: A Conversation with Mental Health and Digital Media Experts
Jamie Nunez, Common Sense Media; Dan Friedman, PsyD, Kaiser Permanente RWC; Jack West, SUHSD
- Thursday, March 24, 2022, 5:30pm – 6:30pm PDT, Online Event (Live)
- Register: https://digitalmedia2022suhsd.eventbrite.com
What are ways parents can set healthy boundaries and support their kids to use technology in a post-pandemic world? Join Common Sense Media and Kaiser Permanente Redwood City as we discuss the benefits and challenges of technology in our kids' lives.
Parents/caregivers, educators, mental health professionals, and community members welcome! Free admission. Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available.
Student Absence Reporting Form
In order to facilitate communication with the school and save time when your child is absent for any reason, we want all families to use the Student Absence Reporting Form in lieu of calling the office. You will notice the form does not have a place to enter the date and that is because it has a time stamp when it is completed. Our Office Staff can more efficiently go through the form and excuse absences in our Powerschool system. If there are any questions, particularly around Covid cases, we will call you directly for more information.
Optional Weekly COVID-19 Testing Available at our School Site Tuesdays and Thursdays:
The school district has contracted with Bay PLS to help out with Redwood City School District students/staff COVID-19 Antigen Rapid testing at ALL school sites. We have testing available here at Adelante Selby for our students and staff on Tuesdays: 1:30-4:30pm or Thursdays 10:15-12:15. The School District will send out a Google Survey to parents who have registered with Primary Health every Friday afternoon to give consent for their child(ren) to be tested the following week (we will get the students from class or REACH/YMCA for testing). We will only test students if the District Appointment Google form is filled out on Fridays. In addition, testing continues to be available districtwide on Thursdays from 1:30-4:15pm at Hoover and Kennedy schools. Please complete the Primary Health registration form so that your child may be tested(this only needs to be completed once):
- To test in our School District: One time Registration and Consent for COVID-19 Antigen Testing with https://primary.health/
This is in addition to the testing options available throughout the San Mateo County community.
COVID-19 Resources:
Child Nutrition
Here is the weekly Adelante Selby Breakfast Menu served by our Cafeteria Staff.
Here is the weekly Lunch Menu served by our Cafeteria Staff.
Office Hours
Our school office is now open and the office hours are 8:00-4:00pm. Entering the office, all visitors must:
- wear a mask
- have your temperature screened at the kiosk
- use hand disinfectant when entering the office also at the kiosk
Please visit our school website , Adelante Selby Facebook Page and our PTO/Unidos webpage and social media accounts: unidospto.org, Facebook and Instagram for more information.
Regards,
Director Warren
TK/Kindergarten and 1st Grade Danny G Dance Assemblies Photos
Maestra Elizabeth's Class
Maestra Ana's Class
Maestra Eva's Class
Maestra Kelly's Class
Maestra Jennifer's Class
Maestra Narda's Class
Maestra Elanor's "Girlstart" Photos
Making Gliders
Water absorption into different soil types
Making Gliders
Maestra Yesenia 4th Grade Seismograph Projects
1st grade: SEAL Unit Now and Long Ago: "EL Mercadito" Culminating Activity Photos
St Patrick's Green Spirit Day Photos
5th Grade Class of 2022 Sweatshirt Photos
Lunch Time Chess is Fun (and improves Math and Cognitive thinking skills!)
Important March Dates
March 21: ELAC Meeting 4:00pm: Join with Zoom Passcode:516151
March 22: 4:00pm Unidos PTP Dining Night Out - La Fonda de los Carnelitos Restaurant
March 23: School Site Council: 3:00pm: Passcode: Warren
March 23: 5th grade Outdoor Education Parent Info Meeting 6:00-7:00pm: Zoom Link Meeting ID: 886 5917 4568 Passcode: OutdoorEd
March 24: At Home Covid Tests distributed 3rd-5th to student; TK-2nd to parent at pick up.
March 24: Food Distribution 3-5:00pm All are Welcome(we also welcome/need volunteers!)
March 24: Virtual Family BINGO Night 6:30-7:30pm: Join with Zoom Meeting ID: 860 9104 4903 Passcode: BINGO!
March 25: Free Dress--Last Friday of the month
March 25: Cafecito Con Los Directores at 9:00am: Join with Zoom Passcode: Cafecito
March 25: Early Dismissal at 1:25m(No Early SamTrans Bus available)
March 25: Lost and Found clothing and items recycled at 2:00pm
Mar 28- April 1: Spring Break: No School