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Friday, March 5, 2021 Quote of the week: " A strong woman stands up for herself. A stronger woman stands up for everybody else." --anonymous Dear Ocean Shore Families, Happy Women's History Month! As a woman currently living through a time of historical significance, I think I can say that living through history is definitely overrated. If I hear the word resilience once more, I'm going to bang my head against the wall. However, the truth is that we are all stronger than we think we are, and that especially goes for women. Women are still often portrayed in the media as weak, too emotional, unable to fend for themselves or to solve complicated problems. That's never been historically accurate, of course, and it's certainly not true in 2021. When I look at the women in education, I see ingenuity, creativity, loving kindness, and endurance. I look around me at the women and girls in this community and I see strength. We sometimes break down, but we get right back up and keep going. I am so proud of all of us. This past year has been a marathon, not a sprint, but we are in the homestretch. Take care, Jeanne Shout out of the week: Natalie Abinante and Meghann Elsbernd (Cabrillo teacher and LSEA president) are coordinating Patty Week which will be the week of 3/15/21. The theme for the week is teamwork, and all teachers throughout the district are encouraged to participate in lessons exploring what it means to be a good team member. We will have a district-wide team spirit day on Friday, March 19th. Please see the flier below. In addition, the PSD school board will also be honoring Patty at the next meeting, Wednesday, 3/10 at 7:00 pm. PSD School Board Meeting (Passcode: 944902,. School Business: Conference week is 3/15/21-3/19/21. These conferences are for students that are struggling or per parent request. All days will be minimum days. However, some afternoon enrichment activities, such as 3-5 music, will still be offered. GARDEN DAY THIS SUNDAY:Help pretty up the garden with trimming, weeding, and other projects this Sunday, 3/7/21 anytime between 10 and 12. Adults only - social distance and mask wearing, of course. EAT MEETING Join the little EAT team in discussing future projects and plans for the school's outdoor world. The outside school areas should be a welcome spot for returning students this spring.Monday 3/8 at 6:30pm. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84816396584?pwd=UnhZN3JiQmZqKzlSU2RQODYxVHpXUT09 Meeting ID: 848 1639 6584 Passcode: 1MwrRe- Pacifica School District-wide Art-a-thon: Please join all of us in celebrating Art education month by creating a piece of two dimensional visual art (painting, drawing, sketch, collage, color, etc.) inspired by the 2021 Art-a-Thon theme Here Comes the Sun and what it means to you. Please see the attached flier for more details. Sponsored by PEF! There is no return to school update this week. I hope to have more information in my next letter. There are a lot of important fliers attached. Please see the attached flyers regarding: Special Education Town Hall Meeting on 3/18, Pandemic EBT food program for children, 7th grade immunization requirements, SMC library and Pacifica Resource center events, Spindrift classes. 
Friday, February 26, 2021 Quote of the week: "Everyone needs more than anyone can give right now. " Radio commentator on National Public Radio (KQED) Dear Ocean Shore Families, The above quote says it all right now. We are 11 months into distance learning and all of us are exhausted: parents, students, teachers, staff--everyone. I had seven Zoom meetings on Thursday, finally ending at 8:00 pm, and I know I'm lucky because I love my job. I have many friends and family members that have been laid off or have seen their business shrink to almost nothing. We all need more than anyone can give. Thankfully, there really is light at the end of the tunnel. California is finally ramping up its efforts to get teachers vaccinated. If all goes as planned, we will be bringing students back on campus in a hybrid model. I have received many excellent questions from families, most of which I don't have the answers to yet. There is general information about the hybrid model on the Pacifica School District website's home page: https://www.pacificasd.org/. I encourage you to take a look. As plans become more specific, and as we figure out return dates, the district office will share information that applies to all of the school sites, and I will share information that applies specifically to Ocean Shore. As everyone knows, Ocean Shore does things a little differently, and I'm sure we will have aspects of our hybrid model that are unique. In lieu of our usual Open House in May, we will be doing a second "Back to School" Night at the end of March. I'll have that date in my next letter. Hang in there, everyone. You are doing a better job than you think you are, I promise! Take care, Jeanne Shout out of the week: This week's shout out goes to Jessica & Beccy's 6th grade YDL class. I visited Jessica's ELA class and enjoyed listening to students discuss the process of persuasive writing and find evidence to support claims about various characters. I was impressed with their engagement, enthusiasm, questions and comments. The ability to write persuasively is an important skill and one they'll need in high school and college. Of course, I pointed that out to them. I also couldn't resist jumping in and pointing out some evidence that I noticed in the short story they were reading, "Raymond's Run, " by Toni Cade Bambara. I'll never stop being an English teacher. Luckily, Jessica and the sixth graders were gracious and put up with my interruptions! School News & Community Information Come join The DLG (Diversity Learning Group) Virtual Book Club! The DLG Book Club aims to promote community discussion focused on the DLG vision “to instill an understanding on the value in acceptance and respect for one another’s differences so that we can grow as a society.” Come join us on our inaugural discussion circle for our new book! When: Monday, March 8th, 2021 Time: 7pm-8pm Book: "Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America" By Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain Reading Discussion: Part 1 - 3 Zoom: https://fhda-edu.zoom.us/j/6489556005 "Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019" collects the work of 90 writers — historians, poets, journalists, novelists and activists — to tell the stories of Black Americans, from the arrival of the White Lion, which brought enslaved people to the colonies in 1619, to the Black Lives Matter movement. https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2021/02/18/four-hundred-souls-book Note: Consider supporting locally and purchasing the book from Florey's Book Co. Free and Reduced Lunches: School lunches are free to all students now through the end of the school year. 2. If your family is having financial hardship at this time, please fill out a free/reduced application before March 10. This will allow for the following benefits: Your children will receive free/reduced meals when the 21-22 school year begins through September at which time you will re-apply for the rest of that school year if you need to. You will also receive money in the form of an EBT card which you can use to purchase groceries. A PDF of the application is attached. Special Education Informational Town Hall Meeting: Julie Carrillo will be hosting a town hall meeting on Thursday, March 18th @ 7:00 pm to discuss the differences between special education services, 504 plans and SST (Student Success Team) supports. Please see the attached flier.
Friday, February 12, 2021 Quote of the week: "Pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everyone off is a piece of cake." --Unknown Dear Ocean Shore Families, The Pacifica School District Board meeting this Wednesday was an intense experience. After listening to public comments from parents, considering input from the school district administration, and from the unions, our school board members voted to approve the Hybrid learning plan and also voted to not implement that plan until staff has been vaccinated. We had Ocean Shore parents speak on behalf of both sides of the argument. Some advocated bringing kids back to school asap, and others supported waiting until most staff have received both doses of the vaccination. All of our parents spoke eloquently and presented their positions rationally and respectfully. I was reminded again why this school community is so special. However, I did not envy the school board members. Whatever their decision, a large part of the Pacifica community would be disappointed. Now that they've voted, and we know the conditions for our return, we will continue to prepare Ocean Shore for hybrid learning so that our classrooms and our staff are ready to go when we get the ok. I'm optimistic that the vaccination process will speed up, and I am hopeful that we might have some of our kids back in the building for the last few months of the school year. I promise to keep you updated on our progress to reopen school, even though some of you will find the updates disappointing. We might not all agree on the timeframe and conditions for returning to school, but we can find common ground in our love for Ocean Shore and for this community. Happy Valentines Day and Happy Lunar New Year! Take care, Jeanne Shout out of the week: All of our teachers have been putting together vibrant lessons to celebrate Black History month and the Lunar New Year. This week, I'd like to give a shout out to our 4/5 classes. Sandy and Marguerite's 4th and 5th graders are currently reading Sounder and The Watsons go to Birmingham respectively, and will be doing a research project in March focusing on important contributions of Black women. Jonathan's class is studying the quilters of Gee's Bend, Alabama, and the kids are making designs to make "quilt collage" with whatever scrap paper and fabric they may have at home. Virginia dove into Lunar New Year and has sent home materials for multiple projects as well as bubble rap so they can mimic the sounds of firecrackers during their virtual celebration today to kick off the Year of the Ox! School News & Community Information February Break: There will be no school the week of 2/15/21-2/19/21. School will resume on 2/22/21. Chromebooks: The District has additional chromebooks. If you do not already have a Pacifica School District device and would like one, please email our Library Media Tech, Barbara Bualat at bbualat@pacificasd.org to arrange the pick up of a chromebook. A loan agreement will need to be signed by a parent/guardian. San Mateo County Library: Please see attached fliers for information about free events sponsored by the SMC Library, including a Lunar New Year Celebration. Happy Year of the Ox! Stanford Children's Health: Please see attached flier for important information about scoliosis.
Friday, February 5, 2020 Quote of the week: "I'm not an early bird or a night owl, I am some form of permanently exhausted pigeon." --from a Pinterest post of funny motherhood quotes Dear Ocean Shore Families, I have writer's block this week. Usually, something comes to me. I'll be prompted by an event, see an interesting quote, or experience something that I think is relatable. I think, like most of us, I'm just a little tired. Actually, I'm a lot tired. I'm guessing I'm not alone. We are in the eleventh month of this pandemic and all ready for life to go back to some kind of "normal". On days like today, I try to find humor wherever I can. I usually don't find it on Pinterest, but I did today. I often find it on YouTube when I'm procrastinating. I scroll through Saturday Night Live commercial parodies, Seth Miller monologues, or The Daily Show clips. We all know we feel better when we laugh, and studies show that laughter has both short and long term positive effects on the body. The famed Mayo Clinic backs me up. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456 We have lots of school news, so please take the time to read the flyers and announcements. Next week, many of our classes will be celebrating our first virtual Valentines Day and have valentines and other treats going home and fun activities planned for the end of next week. Have a wonderful weekend, and try to"find the funny" in your life. I promise you'll feel better if you do. Cheers! Jeanne Shout out of the week: Jennifer Mitchell hosted another online dance party on Monday night that was open to all K/1 families, adults and siblings. Some full-year distance learning first graders participated, and were happy to see their classmates. Jennifer took music requests and played everything from Harry Styles to The Mandalorian theme music (which is very hard to dance to). Izzy and Lila, Jennifer's daughters, joined, as always. They all danced, and then Jennifer read a story to settle things down. I can't wait until we can all dance again in person, but in the meantime, I'm deeply grateful that Jennifer is willing to host this during her precious free time in order to build community with our families and provide a fun opportunity for kids to connect with each other. School News: TK and Kindergarten registration for new families is due by 4:30 pm on Wednesday, February 10th. Please let any friends and neighbors know. The kIndergarten lottery is on Friday, February 12th. February Break: There will be no school the week of 2/15/21-2/19/21. School will resume on 2/22/21. Chromebooks: The District has additional chromebooks. If you do not already have a Pacifica School District device and would like one, please email our Library Media Tech, Barbara Bualat at bbualat@pacificasd.org to arrange the pick up of a chromebook. A loan agreement will need to be signed by a parent/guardian. EAT team: If you are interested in helping out in the outdoor learning space of the garden, please email jonelle.matt@comcast.net or vszczepaniak@pacificasd.org, or just join us: in the garden Sunday, February 7 between 10 and 1 (you do not have to stay the whole time - also adults only) or via Zoom Monday, February 8 at 6:30 (again you do not have to stay the whole time). Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84816396584?pwd=UnhZN3JiQmZqKzlSU2RQODYxVHpXUT09 Meeting ID: 848 1639 6584 Passcode: 1MwrRe- If you are interested in helping sand, prime, and paint some wood letters to decorate the school, please email Virginia vszczepaniak@pacificasd.org DLG (Diversity Learning Group) Virtual Book Club: This Monday, 2/8 @ 7:00 pm. If you missed the introduction meeting but still want to join in, Adults and 7/8th grade readers are welcome. Please see below plan and next meeting zoom details. The book club aims to promote community discussion focused on the DLG vision “to instill an understanding of the value in acceptance and respect for one another’s differences so that we can grow as a society.” Zoom link: https://fhda-edu.zoom.us/j/6489556005 How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. - This book is described as taking readers through a widening circle of antiracist ideas – from the most basic concepts to visionary possibilities - that will help readers see all forms of racism clearly, understand their poisonous consequences, and work to oppose them in our systems and in ourselves. Return to School Update: There has been talk recently about learning hubs opening on a few school campuses in Pacifica. A learning hub is a small group (5 or 10 children) of targeted students, who are invited back to campus by the principal to be supervised by classified staff as they work remotely. There is no direct instruction or tutoring. This is really just a safe space to work for our most vulnerable students. Currently, we do not have appropriate staffing at Ocean Shore to support a learning hub. I'm hoping that we will be able to arrange this in the near future, but we don't have a plan in place right now. Yearbook 2020-21: Please see the attached flyer for information. Care Solace Mental Health resource: Please see the attached flyer with details. This is an online resource available to all families, staff and students in our school district. Care Solace matches families with mental health professionals that accept their insurance plans or that have sliding scale fees for families without insurance. Flocking Fundraiser: The 8th grade is still trying to raise money for whatever type of graduation that ends up being possible. Please take advantage of the flocking if you are able and interested. It is a fun way to surprise someone for their birthday (I'm looking at you, Jason McArthur, Happy 50th!) or to provide a silly pick-me-up for a friend or family member. Please see the attached flyer. Meal Distribution updates: Please see the attached flyers for information about the February Break and updated information for food distribution throughout Pacifica. February is National Children's Dental Month: Please see attached fliers in English and Spanish concerning dental health from Smile California.
Friday, January 29, 2021 Quote of the week: "Life begins when you step outside your comfort zone." Neale Donald Walsch, author Dear Ocean Shore Families, Happy Friday! I hope everyone weathered the literal storm this week. Unfortunately, part of my fence and the structure covering my old hot tub did not. My backyard looks like it was hit by a tornado. Experiencing 70 MPH winds made me very thankful that I no longer live in tornado country! Today's quote is just a little reminder that we all need to exercise our hearts, minds and bodies a little as the pandemic drags on. Of course, this advice is coming to you from someone who has turned binge-watching British historical dramas (Bridgerton, The Spanish Princess, The Last Kingdom...) into an art form. Luckily, I have a job that forces me out of my comfort zone almost on a daily basis. However, I'm still trying to make sure that I push myself in my free time to do something other than watch a screen. I've discovered yoga, tried my hand at baking sourdough bread, and am reading "How to be an Anti-Racist" and participating in our DLG book club. While engaging in these activities isn't necessarily going to help me change the world, it does push me beyond what is comfortable and force me to stretch mentally and physically. Resolve to take a small step outside of your comfort zone this week and encourage your kids to do the same! Take care, Jeanne Shout out of the week: Bill Litz gets my shout out this week. He is the one who has acquired all of the plants and planted them in the garden this year. Last year, he planted the tomato seeds that we raised to sell, he acquired the lettuce that we are giving away, and planted almost all that we see in the garden and all that we are harvesting. Ocean Shore's beautiful garden has been a bright spot during these difficult times. Thank you to Bill and to all of the volunteers that have kept the garden growing! https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eAgProk0aLPX7JKqt0gKfkV5WG7ewgIj/view?usp=sharing School News: Kindergarten registration for siblings is due by noon on Monday, February 1st. If you haven't already done so, please bring your form directly to the district office. EAT team: If you are interested in helping out in the outdoor learning space of the garden, please email jonelle.matt@comcast.net or vszczepaniak@pacificasd.org, or just join us: in the garden Sunday, February 7 between 10 and 1 (you do not have to stay the whole time - also adults only) or via Zoom Monday, February 8 at 6:30 (again you do not have to stay the whole time). Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84816396584?pwd=UnhZN3JiQmZqKzlSU2RQODYxVHpXUT09 Meeting ID: 848 1639 6584 Passcode: 1MwrRe-- If you are interested in helping sand, prime, and paint some wood letters to decorate the school, please email Virginia vszczepaniak@pacificasd.org PEF: Membership Has Its Rewards: Have you tapped into the new Partner Perks Program offered through the Pacifica Education Foundation? Through a unique partnership with local businesses, they now offer exclusive discounts to PEF members; and are adding new partners every month! The program helps you and our local business community; and our students' educational experience benefits directly, too! Ready to tap into these perks? Get your membership today! Also, check out the attached flyer for Spindrift's Bollywood dance class. PEF members receive a 10% discount. Return to School Update: We are not planning to return to school at this time. However, there is now a detailed plan in place for when we do decide to return. The district office will present it to the school board on February 10th. Hopefully, the vaccination process will speed up, and teachers will receive their vaccinations quickly.
Friday, January 22, 2021 Quote of the week: "When day comes we step out of the shade/aflame and unafraid/The new dawn blooms as we free it/For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it/If only we’re brave enough to be it.” -- Amanda Gorman, our first National Youth Poet Laureate Dear Ocean Shore Families, This week seemed lighter and more optimistic than any other week this school year. Even though I'm not seeing students in person, I enjoyed participating in the district wide spirit week. Today was pajama day, but with distance learning, isn't every day pajama day? I know we still have a long way to go before this pandemic is under control. The light at the end of the tunnel still seems like an oncoming train (to paraphrase a line from the poet Robert Lowell). However, I do feel hopeful. Even though President Biden's inauguration ceremony was scaled back, it was joyous. If you didn't get a chance to watch, find a clip of Amanda Gorman, our first National Youth Poet Laureate, reciting her poem "The Hill We Climb". It gave me chills, and reminded me that we all carry light within us. It is our job as parents and educators to find our light (some days we have to dig deep) in order to support those around us. This upcoming week, I'm going to make an effort to see that light in others (especially those I don't always agree with). I'm also going to look for the light within myself, and try to put that light to good use. Take care, Jeanne Shout out of the week: Mike Taylor, the amazing poetry teacher for our 4/5 classes, has shared his SPARC poetry program with hundreds, if not thousands, of Pacifica students over the years. As soon as Amanda Gorman started reciting her poem, I thought of him. Thanks to funding from the Pacifica Education Foundation (PEF), our students have had access to Mike's program and have had the opportunity to work with a poet who also happens to be an extraordinary teacher. Don't forget to support PEF if you can, so that our kids continue to have access to enrichment programs like SPARC poetry, music with Mark, and band! https://www.pacificaef.org/membership. School News: General PTO Meeting: Our General PTO meeting is this Thursday, 1/28 @ 7:00 pm. The agenda will be circulated next week, so please watch for the family education opportunities listed. Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/99168384589?pwd=a2pMYWRnTTIzeFRKakF5Y0Zib2tsUT09 Meeting ID: 991 6838 4589 Passcode: 558807 One tap mobile +16699006833,,99168384589#,,,,*558807# US (San Jose) DLG (Diversity Learning Group) Virtual Book Club: This Monday, 1/25 @ 7:00 pm. If you missed the introduction meeting but still want to join in, Adults and 7/8th grade readers are welcome. Please see below plan and next meeting zoom details. The book club aims to promote community discussion focused on the DLG vision “to instill an understanding of the value in acceptance and respect for one another’s differences so that we can grow as a society.” Zoom link: https://fhda-edu.zoom.us/j/6489556005 How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. - This book is described as taking readers through a widening circle of antiracist ideas – from the most basic concepts to visionary possibilities - that will help readers see all forms of racism clearly, understand their poisonous consequences, and work to oppose them in our systems and in ourselves. DLG - Diversity Learning Group - January 27th @ 7-8:30pm The Diversity Learning (DLG) group is back and virtual! DLG serves as a resource for parents, teachers, staff and students in the OSS community to identify and discuss ideas, concerns and areas in need of further growth or awareness. The Diversity Leadership Group’s mission is to provide leadership, guidance and support to the Ocean Shore community to cultivate an environment of inclusion where each individual is valued and respected. Please join our monthly meetings on the last Wednesday of the month, from 7-8:30pm. For more information or to get involved email: dlg@osspto.org Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/94549565997?pwd=bFBpcFRoZUZsZ25vL2lnR2Zkenc2UT09 Meeting ID: 945 4956 5997 Passcode: DLG One tap mobile +16699006833,,94549565997#,,,,,,0#,,130538# US (San Jose) Return to School Update: We tested half of our staff members who are at school regularly for COVID 19 this Thursday. The second half will be tested next week. We'll continue to test every two weeks going forward. There is no other news to report. The RTS committee meets again this Tuesday, and I will share any updates from that meeting in my next letter.
Friday, January 15, 2021 Quote of the week: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'what are you doing for others?'" -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dear Ocean Shore Families, I'm writing this on Martin Luther King Jr.'s actual birthday. He would have been 91 today. He was only 39 years old when he was assassinated. 39. For some reason, I always think of him as older, maybe because of all he accomplished. We think of him as an icon--larger than life--and in many ways he was. However, he was also an ordinary person with a wife, four small children, and a job. In some ways, he was deeply flawed, as are many men and women who achieve great things. We all struggle in some way, and we all stumble. It's so important to let our children see us struggle, to admit our mistakes, to acknowledge our flaws, and to model resilience. So often our focus is on achievement and mastery: how can we earn the highest grades, make the most money, be the best parent, excel on the football field or in the boardroom. Martin Luther King, Jr. points out that our focus should be on how we can help others, and that we should be urgently and persistently finding ways to be of service. As we head into this three-day weekend, I challenge all of us to consider Martin's question, and find at least one small thing that we can do in our lives to answer it. Take care, Jeanne Shout out of the week: Jonathan, Jason, Sophie, and all of the students who participated in our virtual MLK celebration! The 19-minute video starts with an speech excerpt, continues with short (15 second) clips of students sharing their thoughts, and the final portion of the video is a moving rendition of "This Little Light of Mine" with some special Ocean Shore lyrics written by Jonathan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoXrz74EZr0&ab_channel=Lily%26Jennifer%27sKinderKids School News: There is no school on Monday, January 18th as we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. DLG (Diversity Learning Group) Virtual Book Club: If you missed the introduction meeting but still want to join in, Adults and 7/8th grade readers are welcome. Please see below plan and next meeting zoom details. The book club aims to promote community discussion focused on the DLG vision “to instill an understanding of the value in acceptance and respect for one another’s differences so that we can grow as a society.” Three upcoming meetings: o Mon Jan. 25, 7-8pm (Chapters 1-6) o Feb. 8, 7-8pm (Chapters 7-12) o Feb. 22, 7-8pm (Chapters 13-18) Zoom link: https://fhda-edu.zoom.us/j/6489556005 How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. - This book is described as taking readers through a widening circle of antiracist ideas – from the most basic concepts to visionary possibilities - that will help readers see all forms of racism clearly, understand their poisonous consequences, and work to oppose them in our systems and in ourselves. More info can be found at https://www.ibramxkendi.com/how-to-be-an-antiracist Note: Book is available on Libby both as an ebook and an audio book if you are not interested in purchasing the book. (Libby is a free library app to access San Mateo Library system) Return to School Update: Because of recent developments and because we are awaiting new updates on vaccine distribution from the state, the district office will not be presenting the return to school plan to the school board until February 10th. Our options for hybrid learning might change based on that new information. We are implementing regular COVID testing for staff members who work on site starting this Thursday.
 Friday, January 8, 2021 Quote of the week: "My mom used to say, when the news is scary, look for the helpers." --Fred Rogers, former longtime host of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood on PBS. Dear Ocean Shore Families, It feels like every time I sit down to write, I sigh and think, "what a week!" Like most Americans, I was horrified by what happened on Wednesday at our Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. I was an American Government major who attended college in Washington, D.C. partially because I wanted to go into politics. Life took me down a different path than I had planned, as it often does. However, I have always remained politically active, and I have always defended politicians at the local, state, and federal level. Most people that go into politics do it out of the desire to improve their communities and to help other people. Much like in education, no one becomes a school board member, state senator, or congressional representative for the money. I am grateful that there are people willing to take on the cost, responsibility, headaches, and physical danger involved in serving the public, and I am reminded that I should take the time to thank them for their service. If I have time to check Facebook, I have time to email our city council members or school board members or Jackie Speier. Maybe that should be a new inauguration day tradition. In sad news, the 15-year-old brother of an OSS student was in a car accident over the holiday break and is currently in a coma. There is a GoFundMe page to help the family with expenses. https://www.gofundme.com/f/pacifica-15-yr-old-accident-victim-needs-our-help?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=email&utm_source=customer-andr Fred Rogers on Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood was always a voice of love, kindness, and acceptance. He represented a quiet strength and promoted civility. I love the above quote because it points out that there are always helpers. Right now, so many people are going above and beyond to help others: health care workers, teachers, grocery clerks, parents juggling work and childcare. The everyday heroes in our country greatly outnumber those that would see our democracy crumble. It's important to highlight those in our community who are helping others. I invite you to email stories to me of Ocean Shore students who are rising to that challenge, and I hope to have a new shout out each week to celebrate them. Take care, Jeanne Shout out of the week: Kaavel Basu, in Stephanie Trelogan's 3rd grade YDL class, used his savings to purchase 20 LEGO sets and dropped them off at UCSF Benioff's SF Children's Hospital to be passed out to children who were spending the holidays in the hospital. UCSF gave him a shout out on their Twitter feed, and I was thrilled when his mom passed the news on to me. Thank you, Kaavel for your thoughtfulness and generosity! School News: Come join The DLG (Diversity Learning Group) Virtual Book Club: The DLG Book Club aims to promote community discussion focused on the DLG vision “to instill an understanding on the value in acceptance and respect for one another’s differences so that we can grow as a society.” Come join us on our inaugural discussion circle! When: Monday, January 11, 2021 Time: 7:00pm-7:30pm Book: “How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi. For: Any Adult and or 7th/8th graders Zoom: https://fhda-edu.zoom.us/j/6489556005 Pre-req: No need to have read anything by this meeting. “How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi. - This book is described as taking readers through a widening circle of antiracist ideas – from the most basic concepts to visionary possibilities - that will help readers see all forms of racism clearly, understand their poisonous consequences, and work to oppose them in our systems and in ourselves. More info can be found at https://www.ibramxkendi.com/how-to-be-an-antiracist Note: Book is available on Libby both as an ebook and an audio book if you are not interested in purchasing the book. (Libby is a free library app to access San Mateo Library system) Environmental Action Team - wants your help! This Sunday, January 10th, from 10am-1pm Garden Day. Outdoor, socially distanced, mask wearing, garden work going on. Adults only for now. Come join us to keep the garden looking snazzy. Monday, January 11, 6:30-7:30 EAT Meeting - Join our zoom to help us plan for the garden and ways to bring the garden to our students. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84816396584?pwd=UnhZN3JiQmZqKzlSU2RQODYxVHpXUT09 Meeting ID: 848 1639 6584 Passcode: 1MwrRe-- Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.-Please read this message from Sophie Korn. Teachers will be sharing this with students, but I wanted parents to have the information as well. "Each year we honor the life and legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the 3rd Monday of the month, which is closest to his birthday, January 15. We would like to hear from Ocean Shore students! What does his message and legacy mean to you? What hopes do you have for our school, our community, or our country? How do you plan to honor his memory? Please encourage, or assist, your students to share their thoughts with us on this community Flip Grid." They must be logged in to their psd account to open the link. https://flipgrid.com/9b95cf5d Return to School Update: With COVID-19 cases rising, and San Mateo County in the deep purple tier, we will not be returning to school any time soon. However, the Return to School Committee and the district office are finalizing our return to school plan and will present it to the Pacifica School Board on January 20th. If it's approved, the plan will be sent on to San Mateo County for their approval. Hopefully, COVID numbers will drop, and vaccines will be distributed quickly. We are implementing regular COVID testing for staff members who work on site starting this month.
Friday, December 18, 2020 Quote of the week: May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art — write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself. --Neil Gaiman, author Dear Ocean Shore Families, We made it to Winter Break! This has been an exhausting week, but also a joyful one. Over one hundred family members, teachers and friends joined Cristin Fong and our Kindergarten, first and second graders at Ocean Shore's Cozy at Home sing-a-long. From "The Dreidel Song" to Mozart's "Sleigh Ride", Cristin led the students as they sang, danced, and kept the beat with shakers and paper plates. The evening ended with a video of students signing and singing, "I am Thankful," and a tribute to Patty McNally. I'm so grateful to Cristin for putting this together. It was a wonderful way to build community, and her hard work and patience were greatly appreciated by parents and by our staff! Speaking of building community, the events to honor Patty McNally last night were amazing. Over 200 hundred people attended the virtual tribute and donated over $11,000 dollars which brought the Winter Bazaar total to over $15,000! Thank you to everyone who donated. Our teachers continue to go above and beyond, over and over again. Virginia, Natalie, and Beccy put together the clips of teachers reading one of Patty's favorite books about the Civil War, Pink and Say. Families, former students, and staff members shared memories about Patty, as did her daughter, Kelly. Connie as the evening's co-host was as funny and charming as ever. Jonathan and Jason sang and played guitar and worked with other local musicians to provide a moving tribute to Patty. A special shout out to Hearty & Lissin Heartlife for all of their hard work in putting this together. I'm tearing up again as I type this. I know I sound like a broken record, but I feel so blessed to have known Patty, and I feel equally blessed to work with all of you: teachers, staff, parents and students. This place is special, and it has everything to do with the people who inhabit it. If we've learned anything from this insane year of flood, pandemic, and tragic deaths, it is that Ocean Shore is not just a building, and it's not just a school. It's a spirit of community, acceptance and love. We can tap into it and feel connected no matter where we are. It is my great privilege to be your principal, and I invite you to join me in continuing to celebrate, strengthen, and grow our Ocean Shore community in 2021. Have a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season. Cheers! Jeanne School News: 8th Grade OSS Mask Fundraiser: Show your school spirit by purchasing a custom Ocean Shore mask!. 100% of the profits go to this year's 8th graders to help with any graduation costs as they have missed out on all the fundraising opportunities at school. Masks are made from 100% high quality double layered cotton and come with ties or with elastics. They are made to order and are available in child and adult sizes. Porch pick up available when your order is complete. https://www.etsy.com/listing/799165182 https://www.etsy.com/listing/916706023 Come join The DLG (Diversity Learning Group) Virtual Book Club: The DLG Book Club aims to promote community discussion focused on the DLG vision “to instill an understanding on the value in acceptance and respect for one another’s differences so that we can grow as a society.” Come join us on our inaugural discussion circle! When: Monday, January 11, 2021 Time: 7:00pm-7:30pm Book: “How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi. For: Any Adult and or 7th/8th graders Zoom: https://fhda-edu.zoom.us/j/6489556005 Pre-req: No need to have read anything by this meeting. “How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi. - This book is described as taking readers through a widening circle of antiracist ideas – from the most basic concepts to visionary possibilities - that will help readers see all forms of racism clearly, understand their poisonous consequences, and work to oppose them in our systems and in ourselves. More info can be found at https://www.ibramxkendi.com/how-to-be-an-antiracist Note: Book is available on Libby both as an ebook and an audio book if you are not interested in purchasing the book. (Libby is a free library app to access San Mateo Library system) Return to School Task Force Update: The task force met on Tuesday, December 15. Due to the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in San Mateo county, we will not be transitioning into hybrid learning in January. In mid-January, we will take a look at the numbers again. In the meantime, the district is working on a district-wide return to school plan to present to the school board, and the school sites are continuing to sort out the logistics involved in bringing students back to school safely. Additionally, in January, we will begin working with Curative, Inc. and will start testing school staff for COVID-19 on a regular basis.
Friday, December 11, 2020 Quote of the week: " She read books as one would breathe air, to fill up and live." --Annie Dillard, author Dear Ocean Shore Families, Congratulations to all of our Read-a-thon winners! I have a flier below that lists the names of our top readers and top fundraisers. Our amazing students read for over 183,000 minutes and raised over $30,000! I was an avid reader as a child, and would hide paperbacks behind my textbooks so I could read during Math and Science. I was the kid who was always up late reading with a flashlight under the covers. It's no surprise that I went on to get a master's degree in English Literature and became a teacher. Ironically, my two children have never been big readers. Maybe that's their way of rebelling against their mother! In any event, I'm looking forward to visiting our top readers next week and delivering homemade cookies, a lawn sign and a Florey's gift certificate. In other news, Jonathan just sent me this information about two events that we are planning for Thursday to honor Patty. In order to celebrate the life of our dear teacher/friend/colleague/hero..., Patty McNally, we have two events happening online this Thursday, December 17. One is meant to be a celebration of life for the students, families and staff of Ocean Shore and the other is a celebration and benefit for the Winter Bazaar, which was Patty's favorite service project. Here are some details: 1.) The celebration of life for the school will be a recorded event of stories, memories, song and read-alouds to celebrate the life of Patty. It will be pre-recorded, like the Talent Show, but released at 6:30 on Thursday, 12/17. It will run around an hour and will be available after this time for anyone who cannot see it upon its release. https://www.crowdcast.io/e/oss-family-concert 2.) On Thursday, 12/17, at 8:00 there will also be a benefit event in Patty's memory with proceeds going to the Winter Bazaar. This will be an online event for adults composed of local musical acts, including Finnegan's Call, Bobby Douglas, Kate Gaffney and teachers Jason McArthur & Jonathan Harris, playing music in memory of Patty for her favorite charity event, the Ocean Shore Winter Bazaar. All donations will be matched by the Silicon Valley Foundation if made before 11:59 pm on 12/17. The link for the event is here: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/winter-bazaar-benefit Patty McNally Celebration of Life I hope to see many of you there! Take care, Jeanne School News: Pictures: If you ordered fall pictures, they are here in our office. Lifetouch printed the class pictures early, without sending Patricia the proofs. There are omissions and errors. The first one I noticed was that Julie Tarango is still listed as the principal! Lifetouch will be re-doing them and reissuing them when we get the proofs from our makeup day. Makeup Picture Day: Our makeup picture day will be this Wednesday, December 16th, from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. There will not be a schedule. Families can come at any time between those hours. If you have any issues ordering, you can call Lifetouch at 1-866-511-3510 or https://contact.lifetouch.com/ K-2 Cozy at Home Sing-a-long: Everyone is welcome to attend our K-2 Sing-a-long from 6:00-7:00 pm on December 16th. Here is the link: Time: Dec 16, 2020 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://pacificasd.zoom.us/j/81314510990?pwd=QkV1Y0JGRWxvR0xtSzhVNXk1bXBsUT09 Meeting ID: 813 1451 0990 Passcode: 349078
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Jeanne BellingerPrincipal of Ocean Shore. Check back here for weekly updates and messages from the principal. Archives
February 2021
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