Notes From Your Principal
October 15, 2022 ~ Volume 8, 2022-23
. . . . . . . Monday Morning Meeting . . . . . . .
Link to this week's video
Password: QN8*Vq6e
October...the month that doesn't end.
And as we put our late summer months behind us and slide into fall, we begin cold and flu season. Students are coming to school sniffling, with headaches, nauseous and telling us they aren't feeling well. Please teach them how to cough into their elbows, and how to use tissues to wipe and blow their noses. (not their shirt sleeves...and definitely not their fingers). If you are giving your child medicine before they head off to school in order to keep their fever down, or stop any type of aches, pains or other symptoms, they should not be coming in at all. Please keep them home. Returning to a school environment without masks leaves us open to spreading germs, and oversharing with our community. Like we said last year, we should all be doing everything we can to keep our friends, neighbors and community healthy. (It's ok to have your child mask up if they coughing or sneezing.) If your child has a fever or has vomited, they may not come to school until their symptoms are gone for at least 24 hours, without medication.
And, just in case you haven't heard...the biggest party in town is just around the corner! The Harvest Festival is back!
Did you know...there's a meme or message at the bottom of my each of my newsletters? (You do if you read to the bottom!)
Thank you for all you've done, for all you are doing, and for all you will do for us in the future.
Show your support of Unity day and Bullying Prevention Month by wearing orange on Wednesday, October 19th. Let's get everyone wearing orange that day!
Harvest Festival
Saturday, Oct 22, 2022, 02:30 PM
McKinley Elementary School, Paloma Avenue, Burlingame, CA, USA
Halloween is Coming!
Here are our McKinley guidelines for 2022-23:
Costumes:
- Students are invited to wear their costumes to school in the morning and take part in a whole-school parade that will take place on the South Yard around 8:45am.
- No masks, weapons, or frightening/gory costumes please, we need to be considerate of all our students and make sure that everyone feels safe here at school.
- If students do not want to wear their costume all day they must be able to change out of their costume independently.
Family Participation:
- We will live-stream the parade for parents and families to watch at home, and record the live-stream so it can be replayed later in the day.
- Parents are also able to join us on the yard to experience the parade in person.
Arrangements to Watch In-Person:
- Please drop off your student(s) as usual, find parking, and enter the yard through the South Yard entrance. (We will designate one gate.)
- There will be a clearly marked area for parents to stand and watch the parade.
- Students will dismiss to their rooms after the parade. (Please note: you will not be able to help your child with their costume before leaving).
- All parents must leave the yard through the gate. If you will be volunteering after, please enter through the front doors of the school, sign in, and grab your volunteer badge. (cleared volunteers only)
Some classrooms will be having a Halloween-themed party later in the day. Look out for more information coming directly from your room parent or teacher.
Volunteering
If you are a new parent or did not get your volunteer clearance, I recommend you doing so. In order to get cleared you'll need two things:
- Either a negative TB test result of a Risk Assessment form signed off by a physician.
- Cleared fingerprints (Here is the form) We suggest going to the UPS store between Trousdale and Murchison, let them know you are coming from BSD.
Change: Proof of Covid-19 vaccinations IS NO LONGER NECESSARY.
You can either submit both to me to send to Alison Bell, or you can send them to her directly at <abell@burlingameschools.org>.
Important Upcoming Dates/Events
- Now...Harvest Festival Auction and Sweepstakes are LIVE!
- Tuesday, Oct. 18 - Noon supervisor meeting, 6pm via Zoom
- Wednesday, Oct. 19 - Unity Day (let's get the whole community wearing orange!)
- Wednesday, Oct. 19-Friday, Oct. 21 - 4th Grade Gold Rush Trip
- Saturday, Oct. 22 - Harvest Festival (2:30-9pm)
- Monday, Oct. 24 - Harvest Festival Live Auction Ends
- Monday, Oct. 24-Friday, Oct. 28 - 5th Grade Outdoor Education
- Monday, Oct. 31 - Halloween parade and festivities
- Tuesday, Nov. 1 - Walk to School Day
- Wednesday, Nov. 2 - ELAC Meeting, 8:45am, Zoom
- .....(same)...............Site Council Meeting, 3:30pm, Zoom
- Saturday, Nov. 5 - BCE Gala
For other important dates, please see our school calendar.
Thank you for all your support. ~ Joy Shmueli
BCE Needs Our Support
Save the Date for BCE's Annual Fundraising Gala and Live Auction - November 5
We're excited to announce that the BCE Annual Fundraising Gala has moved to the fall and will take place on Saturday, November 5, 2022, at the exquisite Domenico Winery in San Carlos. We are currently seeking Live Auction items and volunteers. More details about the event will be provided soon, but for now, save the date!
BCE Fall Drive in Underway!
Please join fellow parents and give during the BCE Fall Drive to support our school! Your investment helps fund teacher salaries and critical programs to ensure your student has every opportunity for a bright future.
Families that contribute any amount receive a Fall Drive lawn sign (while supplies last) to join the community in a show of support for our schools.
San Mateo County Office of Education Offerings
San Mateo County Reads (Readers of All Ages) - October and November, San Mateo County Reads 2022, an annual initiative by the "SMCOE", Peninsula Library System, and libraries across the county, fosters community and discussion through literacy. The 2022 theme is Native Authors–Native Lives with selected titles for students in grades TK-12. More information about SMC Reads events and author visits is coming soon. Learn more.
Restorative Practices – Creatively Enriched!, Mondays beginning October 17, 3:30pm–5:30pm, This highly interactive, six-week professional learning opportunity puts a creative twist on restorative practices. Participants learn the basic philosophy of restorative practices in a program that integrates learning, practice, and reflection. Learn more.
mpact of Cannabis on Youth: What Should You Know? Various dates beginning October 18, 3:30pm–5:30pm, Join SMCOE’s Tobacco Use and Prevention Program (TUPE) team and community partners for a series of virtual training sessions covering the impacts of cannabis on young people, including health, legalities, brain development, and more. The Fall series begins on October 18 with “Perceptions and Myths of Cannabis Use.” Spring sessions will include a youth panel and a summative event in May 2023. Learn more.
Supporting Positive Student Behavior – Event Hosted in Spanish, October 19, 6:00pm–7:15pm, Join the San Mateo County Office of Education and San Mateo County Health for this Spanish-language program. Families, educators, and mental health clinicians will discuss student behavior in school, exploring how students describe their school experience, how families can promote their child's positive school behavior, and how educators support students by understanding their emotions and behaviors. Hosted in Spanish with English translation. Learn more English | Spanish.
How to They/Them: A Guide to Nonbinary Pronouns and Gender Fluidity, October 25, 5:30pm–6:30pm, What does nonbinary really mean? What is gender nonconforming? And isn’t “they” a plural pronoun? Join Stuart Getty, the genderqueer author of How to They/Them: A Visual Guide to Nonbinary Pronouns and the World of Gender Fluidity, to unpack your burning questions about gender expression and identity. This event is sponsored by the Mills-Peninsula Hospital Foundation and the San Mateo County Office of Education in partnership with The Parent Venture. Learn more English | Spanish.
Free COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics - Updated Schedules and Information, Daily Schedules Vary by SMC Location, The October Vaccine Clinic Calendar is available on the San Mateo County Health website. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) provide their guidance on when to get COVID-19 vaccines and boosters in their Vaccine Timing Guide (English |Spanish).
Fentanyl Prevention Education: How to Help Teens Make Healthy Decisions October 19, 5:30pm–6:30pm, Join Stacey Wisniewski, Prevention Solutions, Hazeldon Betty Ford Foundation, to understand the risks of intentional and unintentional fentanyl use among adolescents. The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is an international leader in prevention science and education practices. Sponsored by Woodside PTSA, Sequoia Union High School District, Sequoia Healthcare District, Peninsula Health Care District, and The Parent Venture. Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available. Learn more.