Principal's Newsletter
August 23, 2021
Principal's Message
Dear Adelante Selby Spanish Immersion families,
We have had an exciting and wonderful start to our school year! Our teachers and staff are working on building relationships and community in the classrooms. Students are working on getting to know you activities. We are also particularly working on establishing routines and procedures so that students know our expectations and are ready to learn. Kindergarten and 1st grade are working on the SEAL Citizenship Units so students know what it means to be a good citizen, how to treat each other, and the rules and expectations at school. I have particularly enjoyed seeing the Kindergarten teachers working with "Bono el Mono" as it reminds me of when my own children were in Kindergarten (many years ago!). Parents please be on the look out for teachers to send out information on Class Dojo(please note that not all teachers use this platform, but many do). Parents another reminder that it is very helpful to label/put your child's name on your child's lunch box and sweaters/jackets as students sometimes forget and leave them outside.
Positive School Wide Discipline
Part of our School Wide Positive Behavior Program is to make sure students know and follow the school wide expectations in the Classroom, Playground, Hallways, Library, and the Office. Students are to be:
- Responsible
- Respectful
- Safe
- Friendly and Caring
- Focused and Ready to Learn
We will give out Yellow Adelante Selby Reward Tickets to students regularly to reinforce these expectations. Students will get the top portion of the Yellow Ticket to take home to show parents, and the bottom part goes into a box in Sub-Directora Pati's Office. We will do a raffle a few times a week and if a student's ticket is drawn, they also will get a bracelet for that particular expectation. We are also reinforcing anti-bullying school wide by using the hand gesture/sign language for "Stop" which is one hand hitting into the palm of another. If a student is being made fun of or someone is not being nice to them, they are to use the signal and also say: "Stop bullying, I don't like it!" It makes me sad when you say/do ___. Please stop!" Furthermore, if there are students nearby at the time, we encourage them to be "upstanders" (not bystanders) and also tell the student to stop bullying! Normally, this effectively stops the problem. However, if the behavior continues and the student does not stop, then an adult needs to be told.
Peace Corners
Teachers are establishing Peace Corners in each classroom so that students can have a place to "reset" if they need a safe place and also the Peace Corner can be used to work out small problems that may arise. A Peace Corner allows students to take the time they need, build their mindfulness skills, and come back to learn when they’re ready to learn. It’s a choice, not a consequence, so that students feel safe and productive when they’re there, not “punished” or forced by a teacher. Learning how to use it productively and appropriately can be a class conversation, along with collecting artifacts for it or revising guidelines or choices so that the kids in the class have ownership over it.
Drop Off/Pick Up Procedures
I appreciate everyone's patience with the long wait for the Pick Up procedure in the afternoon. I did notice it improved and was better by last Friday. I do expect the Pick Up will be even faster this week with REACH and YMCA starting up(100 less cars at pick up time should definitely help!). I know everyone is in a hurry, but please be mindful of the pedestrians that are walking small children and strollers near the traffic especially outside of the school and along Selby Lane(where there is no designated sidewalk).
A reminder during Drop Off or Pick Up:
- You are welcome to park outside of the school and walk up to the drop off or pick up gate
- TK-2nd grades Drop Off Pick Up Front Lot by Office
- 3-4th grades Drop Off/Pick Up Library Drive Through
- 5th gr. only Drop Off in the Himmel lot in the AM only; PM Pick Up Library Drive Through
- Remain in your car until you get to the yard duty/staff person where your child gets dropped off or picked up(DO NOT PARK AND GET OUT OF AND LEAVE YOUR CAR IN THE DRIVE THROUGH)
- If you have multiple children, drop off /pick up at the younger child's spot(have older child meet younger child at the younger child's drop off)
- Put a sign with your child's name and teacher's name in the windshield at Pick up time
Daily Wellness Check
The Wellness Check attests that your child does not have any COVID-19 symptoms and no fever. We will no longer be doing temperature checks of students at the Drop off as that is part of the Wellness Check done by parents. Parents have been doing a good job filling out the quarter page Wellness Check and turning it in to the Yard Duty every morning. We will be giving out more Wellness Check forms every few weeks. If you need more, please visit our office or print them from home(see the attachment below).
A reminder that the San Mateo County Office of Education made updates to the Pandemic Recovery Framework. Our School District has used the new information to update the pages (English and Spanish) on the district website that address how our students will learn safely in 2021-22. The information can be found here:
- Roadmap to Learning Safely During My New School Year
- Paso a Paso Para Aprender Seguros en el Nuevo Año Escolar
School Play/Musical(Disney's Frozen Kids) Sign Up Information:
Adelante-Selby families, the school Play/Musical(Disney's Frozen Kids) Registration is now open. Everyone will love this fanciful and heartwarming stage adaption of the celebrated animated film. We will continue our wonderful partnership with San Carlos Children's Theater for this production. Third through Fifth Graders will make up the Main Cast while Kindergarten through 2nd graders will participate in the Ensemble. See the attached document below which has more details. Please note registration closes on Sept. 8th.
Preguntas//Questions: Contact Maestra Rita Melton: rmelton@rcsdk8.net
Student Education Benefit Form
- For the 2021-22 school year, because all students eat for free, the district will not collect the usual Free or Reduced-Price Meal (FRPM) Applications. Instead, the district will ask households to complete an online Student Education Benefit Form.This is a simple household income survey that can be completed online as a means of establishing eligibility of enrolled students for LCFF supplemental funding. The data collected is also acceptable for other non-LCFF funding allocations such as Title 1, E-Rate reimbursement (Schools and Libraries Program), and other state and federal grants that may be allocated in the future.
If you have not done so already, it is very important that all families please complete the form below (All information is confidential):
Student Education Benefit Form
It is a fast and convenient way to apply for benefits with added privacy. Remember to list all your children and all the adults living in your household.
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
Yearbooks
2020-21 yearbooks have arrived! If you purchased one last Fall and have not received it yet, please contact: communications@unidospto.org. If you would like to purchase a yearbook, they are available at: https://unidospto.membershiptoolkit.com/form/m/160384 .
A BIG SHOUT OUT and THANK YOU to Penny Cifuentes for her hard work publishing the yearbook!
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
Important August/September Dates
- 8/23 Siena Youth Center, 5:00-7:00pm Parent Information Night , 2625 Marlborough Avenue, Parents of 3rd-5th grade students interested in after school care should attend.
- 8/26 Second Harvest Food Distribution, 3:30pm front lot--All WELCOME. We are in desperate need of volunteer help: see video here on how you can volunteer
- 8/27 Free Dress Day--every last Friday of the month students may come in "Free Dress"
- 8/27 Principal's Coffee Password: CAFECITO 10:00AM
- 9/6 Labor Day--NO SCHOOL
- 9/7 Unidos PTO parent meeting, 7:00pm All are welcome!
- 9/9 Second Harvest Food Distribution, 3:30pm front lot--All WELCOME
- 9/9 Back to School Night, 7:00-8:00pm(Virtual Only: teachers will send out ZOOM/Google Meet links to parents)
- 9/13 English Language Advisory Meeting, 4:00pm
- 9/22 School Site Council Meeting, 3:00pm