Dolphin Newsletter
10.8.21
Prevent bullying by encouraging kindness, acceptance and inclusion
Make it ORANGE and make it end! What are your true colors when it comes to showing that you believe that all youth should be safe from bullying? Come together in one giant ORANGE message of hope and support, WEAR AND SHARE ORANGE to color our nation, and even the world, visibly showing that our society believes that no child should ever experience bullying.
On October 20th Wear Orange!!
Message from the principal
It’s hard to believe that we are already in October and the crisper weather has been a welcomed change to the very warm end we had to September. Our staff have been very busy with establishing routines and procedures that help students feel safe and secure at school. As the weeks have gone by this school year, it has been easy to forget that students have not had a full day of school since March 2020. We remind ourselves of this often because we recognize that kids really need a lot of support with building their stamina for school again.
We have been diligently helping kids work on their social skills and behaviors, having a lot of check-ins with students and giving a lot of redirection about appropriate school behaviors. It’s easy to think of the last year and half through an adult lens and forget that kids still have a lot to process to come back to life as it was before the pandemic. We are happy to provide this support to our kids, and we appreciate your partnership in that process as we are seeing that kids need more support now than we have observed before. Our work with children is always stronger when we partner and work together. We know that children are resilient, but we also want to give them the support they need to acclimate to a healthy school community.
Calendar Items...
Hispanic Heritage Month September 15th-October 15th
Disability History & Awareness Weeks Oct. 4 - 15
Monday October 11th: Indigenous Peoples’ Day: NO SCHOOL
Friday October 15th: Middle School- Anti Bullying Assembly!
Wednesday October 20th: WEAR ORANGE Help us acknowledge it by wearing orange and promoting kindness all around.
Thursday October 21st: Great California Shake Out Drill
Thursday October 21st: PTO Meeting @ 7:00 | Link |
Thursday October 28th: School Site Council Meeting @ 4:30| Link |
Friday October 29th: Fall Retake and Makeup Pictures
Thursday November 11th: Veteran’s Day: NO SCHOOL
Friday November 12th: Trimester 1 Ends
Thursday November 18th: PTO Meeting @ 7:00 | Link |
Friday November 19th: Minimum Day (Thursday Bell Schedule)
Monday and Tuesday November 22nd and 23rd: NO SCHOOL
November 24th-28th: Thanksgiving Break: NO SCHOOL
Reminder About Domestic Travel
As we approach the three day weekend, we want to remind our families of the travel recommendations from the CDC regarding vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. It will keep our community safer if we adhere to these recommendations, especially for our younger students who have not yet had the opportunity to get vaccinated.
Messages from our Equity Coach, Natalie...
Indigenous People's Day!
Natalie Delahunt (she/her)
Equity Coach
Hispanic Heritage Month!
Hispanic Heritage Month began on September 15th and runs until October 15th. Have you ever wondered why it starts on that date? It is Mexican Independence Day where Mexicans celebrate independence from Spain. In addition many South American countries celebrate their independence from Spain around the 15th. Also, did you know Hispanic Heritage Month started out as a week? George W. Bush proclaimed it should be changed to a month-long celebration in 1989. These facts are in a lesson I have put together in a Google Drive folder full of resources for the Clifford staff. The folder also includes many other lessons, art projects, and book lists. Finally, check out two book recommendations from ABAR Corner by Latinx authors.
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!
Natalie Delahunt (she/her)
Equity Coach
October 20th is Unity Day! WEAR AND SHARE ORANGE to show unity for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion and to send a visible message that no child should ever experience bullying.
Makerspace at Clifford is in Development!
We are excited to be in the planning phase of our very own Makerspace at Clifford! The Makerspace will be located in the previous computer lab on campus. I am working closely with site team members and our district support professionals to help us build from the ground up.
What's a makerspace?
Makerspace is a constructivist and constructionist movement that is taking the world by storm! Imagine DIY meets education! Makerspace is not only a hackshop where you can go to learn how to use an arc welder for the afternoon, but an educational concept as well! A makerspace presents readily-available materials that can act as a provocation for inquiry, as well as modern technology and items to invent with.
Make Reading a Regular Routine!
Probing Questions
Talk to your child about what they are reading and ask some probing questions about the book. For example, you could ask "I wonder why the character did that?" or "How do you think she felt when that happened?" or "What can we learn from this story?"
Please see below for some resources that can help!
Redwood City Parks & Rec Halloween Hub
Redwood City Parks & Rec continues to foster local Halloween traditions. Here is their hub for all things Halloween this year, with up-to-date info on how to celebrate safely and join the fun for some spooktacular events, contests, and more!
Clifford PTO Gets Donations: Use Amazon Smile to Shop!
Did you know that Amazon has a great program where it gives 0.5 percent (on most purchases) back to Clifford School?
You shop on Amazon, as normal, but you need to start shopping via this link. The Amazon Smile program works a bit like eScrip: If you make your Amazon purchases through the Amazon Smile portal, Amazon will give back this small percentage of what you spent to Clifford School PTO.
What you need to do: The first time you land on the Amazon Smile page, you’ll be asked to enter the organization where you want the portion of your $$ shopping amount to be donated: Clifford PTO is registered as “Clifford School Parents Club” in Redwood City. So make sure you enter Clifford School Parents Club. When it appears in the search results, click Select.
And start shopping!
Continue to use the Amazon Smile landing page from here on out; you won’t have to identify Clifford School Parents Club each time.
Now is a great time to get registered —For more info, check out Amazon’s Frequently Asked Questions page regarding Amazon Smile.
Halloween Information for Families (plans and rules at school)
This year, we are disappointed that we will not be able to host a Halloween costume parade due to our restrictions of visitors to campus. Your children are welcomed to come to school in costume on Friday October 29th, but it needs to be something that they can wear all day (not something they have to change in and out of at school) and something that does not get in the way of completing school work that day. As an additional reminder, October 29th is also our picture make-up day, so be mindful of what your students wear if they need to take a make-up picture that day. On March 8th we have spring photo day and you are welcome to have your child take a photo then instead of make ups.
Middle School Halloween Dance Update
Traffic Reminders
We want to continue to remind you about our traffic concerns on campus. We have many people outside to assist with both drop off and pick up each day. Please make sure you are respectful of the signage that is in place to remind people in cars where they should be parking and where they should only be loading and unloading. We have to give many reminders about not parking your vehicle in the loading area in the traffic circle out front because it creates a lot of vehicle congestion on Clifford Avenue. Additionally, we have received reports of adults who are not showing respect to other parents and families picking up children on campus. In our community, we expect respect from all of our Clifford members, but we definitely rely on adults to model this behavior for our children on campus.
Covid Testing Schedule
We have a team of medical staff who come on Mondays and Thursdays to test our students at Clifford whose parents have registered with Primary Health and have also indicated that they would like their children tested that week. In order to have your child tested at school, you need to do two things.
Please register your child at Primary Health at this link here. You only need to complete this process one time and provide your consent.
Please make sure to complete the form that the district sends out on Friday afternoon at 3:00. This form is your way of telling us that you would like your child tested the following week. You will need to complete this form every week on Friday if you want your child tested the next week.
Join TeamRCSD!
Substitute Teachers: Work in our schools when you are available or when your children are in school! Being a substitute teacher means you only work when your schedule allows and you determine your schedule.. We are looking for TK-8th grade substitute teachers. A Bachelor’s Degree is needed.
Instructional Assistants (and substitutes): This position is ideal for working parents as the schedule closely mirrors the student schedule. Most positions are 6 hours a day, allowing for parents to work when their student is in school! If you aren’t available full-time, consider substituting and only work on the days you are available! High school diploma or equivalent is needed along with 1 year of working with students.
Crossing Guards: Do you only have a few hours to work? Help our students get to and from school safely by working as a crossing guard. High school diploma or equivalent is needed.
3 hours per day /5 days per week: 7 am - 8:30 am & 2 pm - 3:30 pm
Bus Driver: Do you have a Class A or B Driver’s License with a “Passenger Endorsement” and a designation to operate a “Type I” school bus? Join us today! Our bus drivers help ensure students make it to and from school promptly and safely. The part time split shift hours are 6:10 am to 4:30 pm with varying start and end times according to the route.
Application Resources:
Clifford School
Jude Noyes- Principal
Tiffany Parrish- Assistant Principal
We ARE the most incredible school in the Inner-Planetary Galactic Solar System...
Email: jnoyes@rcsdk8.net
Website: https://www.rcsdk8.net/clifford
Location: 225 Clifford Avenue, Redwood City, CA, USA
Phone: 650-482-2402
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CliffordElementary