Pick up the pieces

11/20/2020

Friday, November 20, 2020

Quote of the week: "The only way forward is with a broken heart." --Alice Walker

Dear Ocean Shore Families,

Gemma Cobb is leaving Ocean Shore, after being an essential part of our school as an Office Assistant for 15 years. She will be moving on to IBL on November 30th. This position is a promotion, and she will be working with students full time, which has always been her strength. We will miss her, but Gemma will always be a part of our Ocean Shore Pod!

Ocean Shore School has no official plans yet to celebrate the life of Patty McNally. We need to give her family time to process this sudden, devastating, loss. The staff will meet, and in conjunction with the PTO, discuss ways Ocean Shore can honor Patty's memory. I am relieved to announce that Marguerite Rodigou and Sandy Mills will be co-teaching Patty's 4/5 class for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year. Marguerite has been a rock star this week, conducting conferences and providing a sustaining presence for the class. Sandy has graciously offered to step up and team teach with Marguerite. They have already started planning and are determined to do what they can to help our children heal.

Alice Walker's quote reminds me that to love anyone or anything means that our hearts will eventually be broken. One of the best things we can do for ourselves, our families, our friends, and our children is to model resilience. We ask for help when we need it, turn to each other for support, and get to work. We bend down, lovingly pick up the pieces of our broken hearts, and move forward.

As Thanksgiving approaches, I am profoundly grateful that I had the chance to work side by side with Patty, first as a teacher and then as a principal. I am grateful for our extraordinary staff, our amazing PTO, and for all of you. I'm grateful to have the opportunity to channel my inner Patty McNally and jump into this holiday season full of energy, optimism, and love for one and all.

Have a safe, healthy, and happy Thanksgiving!

Jeanne

School Business:
Thanksgiving break is 11/23/20-11/27/20. School will resume on Monday, 11/30/20.

Holiday Shopping: Book fair has started and will continue through 11/26/20. Time for some early holiday shopping! https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bookfairs/cptoolkit/homepage.do?method=homepage&url=oceanshoreschool1 See's Candies and Simple Pleasures Coffee make wonderful gifts as well. https://www.osspto.org/campaigns.html

Our Winter Bazaar Week of Giving: Please take a look at this heartfelt video that Natalie Abinante put together to kick off the Winter Bazaar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JTONpfyfBM&feature=youtu.be

Return to School Task Force Update: The task force met this week and discussed our plans going forward in light of the fact that San Mateo county is back in the red tier, and Covid numbers are continuing to rise. Our plans to return in January will need to be pushed back. Our Ocean Shore team made a good deal of progress on logistics and will continue to plan for our eventual return.

Pacifica Schools' District Wide Move-a-Thon: The district PTOs put together a community event to promote movement for students and families during the weeks between the Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks. When: November 30 - December 18. Cost: FREE! How to participate: Complete activity BINGO boards each week and submit to be entered for prizes. Registration and Further Details: Pacifica Move-a-Thon. Questions: pacificamoveathon@gmail.com.

Makeup Picture Day: Our makeup picture day will be 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. Here is link to Lifetouch for online ordering: https://my.lifetouch.com/mylifetouch/#/ Our picture day id number is: EVTVBR6T4.