February 1, 2026

Principal's Message

Dear Brittan Acres Families, 

As we move into February, our character trait of the month is empathy. Empathy is about noticing how others feel, trying to understand their perspective, and responding with care. It’s a skill our students practice every day when they listen, include others, and work through disagreements.

This month in assemblies and classrooms, we’ll be reading Enemy Pie, a favorite story that opens up thoughtful conversations about friendship, assumptions, and seeing others differently. It’s a great reminder that empathy doesn’t mean agreeing with everyone, but it does mean being willing to understand them.

Before we turn the page fully to February, I also want to celebrate our students for the way they showed perseverance in January. We saw students stick with challenging learning, keep trying after mistakes, and work through big feelings with support. That effort mattered, and it showed.

We’re proud of the growth our students continue to make, both academically and as people. Thank you for reinforcing these conversations at home and partnering with us as we help students build these lifelong skills.

During the month of February we are excited to celebrate Black History, Lunar New Year, Kindness Week, Valentine’s Day, and for our younger students, 100th Day (on February 4th).

At our assembly on 2/4 we will celebrate our annual Lunar New Year Lion Dance at 8:45 am. There will also be a Dragon Parade at noon! We are looking forward to these wonderful events!

These events were made possible by our PTA, dedicated parent volunteers, and your donations to the San Carlos Education Foundation (SCEF). Thank you for your support!

In partnership,
Jude Noyes
Principal, Brittan Acres Elementary
[email protected]

Announcements & Reminders

How Families Can Support Empathy at Home

Empathy grows through everyday moments. Small conversations and simple routines at home can make a big difference in helping children understand their own feelings and the feelings of others.

Here are a few easy ways to support empathy with your child:

• Name feelings out loud. Try statements like, “It looks like you felt frustrated when that happened,” or “I wonder how they felt at that moment.” Helping children put words to feelings builds understanding.

• Ask perspective-taking questions. Simple prompts like, “How do you think your friend felt?” or “What might help them feel better?” encourage kids to pause and reflect.

• Model empathy. Children notice how adults respond to stress, disagreement, and mistakes. Talking through your own thinking (“I’m feeling overwhelmed, so I’m going to take a breath”) shows them how empathy starts with awareness.

• Read and talk together. After reading stories like Enemy Pie, ask what changed for the characters and why. Stories are a safe way for kids to practice seeing things from another point of view.

• Focus on repair, not blame. When conflicts happen, guiding children to make things right helps build empathy more than punishment alone.

Empathy is a skill that develops over time, and no one gets it right every day. Thank you for partnering with us as we help students learn to understand themselves, care for others, and grow together.

Celebrating Our School Counselor Julie Jobak

This week is School Counselor Appreciation Week and we are proud to celebrate Julie Jobak, our school counselor, who helps make Brittan Acres a safe, supportive, and caring place for all of our TK–3 students.

Our school counselor plays an essential role in supporting students’ social-emotional growth, learning, and overall well-being. Through a comprehensive counseling program, Julie provides prevention lessons, early support, and responsive care that help students build skills they need both in and out of the classroom. From navigating big feelings to strengthening friendships and problem-solving skills, her work helps our students feel confident, capable, and supported.

School Counselor’s Corner

Julie wears many hats at Brittan Acres, including:

• Supporting students during unstructured times such as recess and lunch, helping them navigate peer interactions and resolve conflicts

• Facilitating small-group counseling focused on areas such as:

  • self-awareness and emotion regulation

  • problem-solving and coping skills

  • social skills and communication
    (with parent permission and teacher collaboration)
     

• Consulting with teachers and families to support students’ academic success, social-emotional development, and transitions

• Providing short-term individual counseling support for students as needed

• Supporting schoolwide initiatives, including Kindness Week and community-building efforts

• Connecting families with outside resources when additional support may be helpful

Through her calm presence, compassion, and expertise, Julie helps our students feel seen, heard, and valued.

Contact Information

Families are always welcome to connect with Julie:

Julie Jobak, MA, PPS
Brittan Acres (M, T & every other Wed.)
📧 Email: [email protected]
📞 Phone: 650.508.7307

Elementary School Counselor Website

Thank you, Julie, for the care you bring to our students each day and for the many quiet, meaningful ways you support our Brittan Acres community.

Attendance Raffle at Brittan Acres!

Congratulations to our latest Attendance Raffle winner, Kindergartner Oliver S, in Room 4!! We love celebrating students who show up each day ready to learn, grow, and be part of our Brittan Acres community. Thank you to all of our families for making attendance a priority, every day at school truly makes a difference. Our next raffle will be in February!! Be here to win!

Kindness Week Heads Up

Kindness Week will officially begin on Monday, 2/9. We’re sharing this information a bit early to give families a heads up for planning purposes, especially for friendship bracelets and Spirit Day colors. Participation is always optional, and we appreciate your support in helping students join in however works best for your family. More reminders will be shared as we get closer

February 9, 2026: Kick off for Kindness Week!

To kick off Kindness Week on 2/9/26, we’re inviting students to participate in a Friendship Bracelet Exchange on Monday, 2/9 at 8:05 a.m. We’ll have a table set up on the grass in front of the school before the day begins. TK families/students will be able to get their bracelets at the Tamarack gate at the upper field entrance! 

Students are welcome to:

• Bring a bracelet from home or

• Choose up to 3 from the table before school starts (No need to bring one to participate!)

The goal is simple:
Exchange a bracelet with someone you don’t usually talk to and use it as a way to say hello, introduce yourself, or share something kind. It’s a small gesture, but a great way to practice empathy, connection, and inclusion as a school community.

Kindness Week Spirit Days (February 9–13)

We’re excited to celebrate Kindness Week with a full week of Spirit Days! Each day, students are invited to wear a specific color as we focus on friendship, inclusion, and caring for others.

Spirit Days are a fun, optional way for students to participate and build a sense of community across campus. On Monday, we’ll kick things off with our Friendship Bracelet Exchange before school as part of Friendship Day. More details will follow in the next BA Blast!

Attendance Update: Day 95 vs. Day 89

As of 1/29/2026 (Day 95), I want to share an updated look at attendance at BA and how it compares to our last update on Day 89.

Overall Schoolwide Attendance

• Day 89: 96.65%

• Day 95: 96.51% ↓

While there is a very slight dip overall, attendance remains strong and consistent across all grade levels, which is something to be proud of.

By Grade Level

Small fluctuations over time are normal, especially during winter months. What matters most is that students are here consistently, engaged in learning, and connected to their school community.

Why Attendance Matters
Daily attendance directly impacts student learning and school funding. In California, school funding is based on Average Daily Attendance (ADA), not enrollment. When students miss school, instructional time is lost and funding is reduced.

If your child will be out for five or more consecutive days, please contact the office about an Independent Study option, which helps maintain learning and attendance credit when appropriate.

Thank you for continuing to prioritize attendance whenever possible and for partnering with us to support student success.

Attendance Raffle
As a fun way to celebrate being here and on time, we’ll continue our monthly attendance raffle. Students must be present on the day of the drawing to win.

Bruins of the Week

Kindergarten: Winnie T, Zach R, Skye O, Bailey L, Jackson B, Ezekiel S, Elliott p

1st: Yvonne L, Edie M, Cam M, Aiden S​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

2nd: Bella N, Fiona S​​​​​​​

3rd: Diya P,  Colette H, Chloe G

Congratulations to our Bears for showing kindness, perseverance, and responsibility across campus!

This week's Breakfast & Lunch menu

Free for all students, no pre-order needed. Weekly menus will be posted here in the Blast, in the entrance hallway to Brittan Acres and in the school office.

School and PTA News

Calling all parents who are interested in contributing to the PTA

Let’s make next year #BruinVillageSTRONG and start off the next year with a robust list of co-leaders!

Do you have new ideas, or are looking for a way to get involved? The Brittan Acres Parent-Teacher Association has a strong slate of people ready to help lead next year, and we are currently looking for more. The PTA hosts school celebrations and community building events, coordinates assemblies and our STEAM and Art In Action programs, funds school supplies and teacher appreciation days, and helps advocate for our kids at the school, district and state levels.

We have a few executive board positions open for the 2026-2027 school year including Financial Secretary, Recording Secretary, Programs & Events Chair, and Inclusion & Belonging Chair. There are a lot of other non-executive roles open (various event committees, STEAM/Art in Action help, etc) with different levels of commitment required.

If you are interested, please complete this short survey (or click the button below)

We will be having a PTA Parent Information Night on Monday, February 9th from 6:30 - 8:00pm at 1512 Howard Ave where you can meet other members of the PTA and get more information. Please RSVP in the survey. You can email Manisha Shah (PTA Parliamentarian) at [email protected] if you have any questions. See you there!

Author visit: Mac B and Caron Ellis to visit TK-1!

What a way to start out the New Year! Mac Barnett (Bay Area native, current National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, multiple award-winning author, and co-creator of Shape Island) and Carson Ellis (multiple award-winning author and illustrator) will visit us to share their new version of Rumpelstiltskin.

This is a super special treat brought to BA by The Reading Bug. We are so thankful for their support in bringing authors and illustrators to our campus, and for our BA village’s support through the purchase of personalized copies.

The Reading Bug is offering personalized copies of Rumpelstiltskin, Home (Carson Ellis’s first book), and Mac Barnett’s retelling of The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Please don’t delay; orders must be placed by February 2 to ensure personalization. Click to the button below to order!

Mac and Carson both have many other wonderful books that are worth purchasing from The Reading Bug or checking out at the library.

Save the Date: BA’s 38th Annual Walk-A-Jog

Walk-A-Jog, BA's largest community event of the year, will be taking place on Sunday, April 26th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Brittan Acres upper playground. Join us for a fun-filled day featuring class runs, carnival games, a prize booth, a DJ, inflatables, delicious BBQ, and a bake sale. Watch out for more details in the coming weeks.

If you’re a local business and want to support the BA WAJ, there’s still time! Contact Laura Blaich at [email protected] to find out how. Thanks in advance!

San Carlos Education Foundation News (SCEF)

Thanks to everyone who participated in the the Read-a-Thon!

Visit scefkids.org/read2026 to see the honor roll of readers and check out the reading and fundraising thermometers.

SCEF Gala and Online Auction is next month

Save these dates:

• Online Auction is March 23-30
• Gala at Domenico Winery is Friday, March 27. Shhh—we have a surprise new theme this year!

Leadership Circle early purchase begins Feb. 11. General admission purchase begins Feb. 25.

Seeking Auction Donations for Spring Online Auction

The SCEF Gala & Auction is around the corner. Our auction team is beginning to solicit items which SCEF uses to raise essential funds for our schools. This year we are seeking Valkyries, 49ers, Warriors and Giants tickets, vacation homes, fine wines and spirits, shopping and dining experiences, concert tickets, get-aways and gift cards to local businesses.

If you have access to these or other items that you think folks would be interested in, please complete this form or reach out to Susan Matsushima at [email protected]

Inclusion and Belonging

February is Black History Month

Black History Month is a time to celebrate the achievements of Black Americans and recognize their central role in United States history. Also known as African American History Month, it grew out of Negro History Week, founded by historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent Black leaders. Since 1976, every United States president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote time to honoring Black history and culture. To learn more about how Black History Month began, click here.

If you would like to explore Black history more deeply with your family, here are some ideas and resources to get started:

• Share a book with your child that celebrates Black history and culture.
• Learn about influential Black scientists such as Katharine Johnson and Mae Jemison.
• Watch a read aloud story about Jackie Robinson, especially if your family is gearing up for baseball season.
• Watch Amanda Gorman’s inauguration poem, "The Hill We Climb".
• Consider attending a local event celebrating Black history in the Bay Area.
• Watch Disney and Pixar’s Oscar winning film "Soul" and explore the history of jazz, recommended for older children.

Additional family friendly resources include PBS Kids for Parents, Common Sense Media, National Geographic Kids and African American Heroes, and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Community Partner News

A Nationwide Tour Comes to Carlmont: Parenting in the Age of AI

Carlmont High School and the Carlmont PTSA invite the public to a community engagement evening about parenting and AI with speaker, educator, mathematician, and thinker Po-Shen Loh. The event is this Tuesday, Feb. 3, 6-7:30 p.m., at Carlmont Performing Arts Center, 1400 Alameda de las Pulgas in Belmont.

Professor Loh travels to 100+ cities a year, learning, observing, and sharing novel strategies for dealing with AI with diverse audiences. He draws from experience as the former national coach of the USA Math Olympiad team, as a Carnegie Mellon professor, as a social entrepreneur, and as a parent.

City of San Carlos Youth Center Events

Extreme Excursions (Grades 4-12) Mid-Winter Break
Grades 4-12 venture to the movies, trampoline park, ice skating, and more! Spend Ski Week adventuring with us and hanging out with friends. Register today at cityofsancarlos.org/register.

Glow Dance (Grades 6-8) February 27
The Youth Center invites you to our annual Glow Dance! Dance with the DJ under neon lights from 7:00 - 9:00 pm on Friday, February 27th. Grades 6-8 can register for this popular event at cityofsancarlos.org/register.

📆 Mark your calendars for these informative events coming up in February!

In our first NDES event in Spanish, Silvia Llorente, bilingual learning specialist from Ravenswood City School District, presents Navegando la neurodiversidad y las diferencias de aprendizaje en la escuela (February 4).

Eran Magen, PhD, founder of Parenting for Humans, offers the first Parent Forum (English) of 2026, How to Give Advice Your Child (Might) Listen To. Don't miss this popular workshop! (February 6).

Visit the Parent Venture Series of Upcoming Events page for more information.
- Parent Venture Series Events -

Have information to include in an upcoming issue? Submit it here.

This newsletter is brought to you by the Brittan Acres PTA. Join the PTA.