BA Blast Newsletter
 August 24, 2025 In this issue:
Mark Your CalendarTues, Aug. 26: Back to School night (see grade schedules below) Fri, Aug. 29: Minimum Day, early dismissal at 12:25 p.m. Mon, Sept. 1: Labor Day, no school Weds, Sept. 24: First PTA of the year, 6:30 p.m. Sun, Sept. 28: BA Campus clean-up day Principal's Message Dear Brittan Acres Families, The Joy of the First WeekThe first day of school was truly joyful. It was such a gift to see and meet all of our learners as they walked through the gates with big smiles. We kicked off our first Wednesday assembly by learning about how to “fill each other’s buckets” with kindness, and some classrooms took tours of the school to get to know their new spaces. It was also wonderful to see so many families walking to school together on the 1st day of school and there were hardly any cars! Walking is a great way to spend time with your child, build healthy routines, and help our environment. A special thank you to our Safety Patrol students who were on the job starting Day 1! Our teachers were thrilled to greet their students, and you could truly see the joy in their faces when the kids arrived. I am so grateful to be here at BA. Thank you all for your collaborative spirit and your welcoming hearts. We hope that you were able to hear wonderful stories about your child’s first day of school. Congratulations on a wonderful first week!   Safety Patrol in Action on Day 1! Green Team working hard to keep our campus clean!    Mrs. Stier’s Kindergarten Class First day of school Wednesday Assembly! Learning time in 1st Grade with Mrs. Muscat and Mr. Roslin! Bucket-Filling at HomeThis week at Brittan Acres, our students learned about bucket-filling and the idea that we each carry an invisible bucket, and when we show kindness, respect, or encouragement, we help fill someone else’s bucket as well as our own. At home this week, I encourage you to ask your child:
These small reflections help students connect kindness at school with kindness at home and in the community. On Wednesday during our assembly, I’ll be asking for volunteers to share if someone filled their bucket or if they filled someone else’s. Please take a moment to talk with your child so they’ll feel ready to share if they’d like. Thank you for partnering with us to keep the buckets full! In partnership, Announcements & Reminders for the Week of August 25 Arrival to Campus & Safety RemindersTo ensure the safety and well-being of our students, please note that our schoolyards open at 8:10 a.m. We ask that families do not enter the gates before this time, as there is no supervision and this is protected teacher preparation time. While the gate near the Kinder yard remains unlocked to allow daycare families to drop off before school, we ask that all other families wait until 8:10 to enter. Thank you for your cooperation—we truly appreciate it. During arrival and dismissal, student safety is our highest priority. Please help us keep everyone safe by following these guidelines:
As we all get used to the process, the line will move more quickly. Your patience and cooperation make a big difference in keeping our community safe.  Attendance Awareness Month September is Attendance Awareness Month. In partnership with the San Mateo County Office of Education and the San Carlos School District, we’re focusing on the critical role that regular and punctual attendance plays in student success. Chronic absenteeism even beginning in Transitional Kindergarten can have a lasting impact on academic progress and long-term outcomes. The state tracks chronic absenteeism as part of the California School Dashboard, and schools are engaging families to raise awareness. To support consistent attendance:
Please review how to Build the Habit of Good Attendance Early and Summary of Key Research for more information. Reminder: absences due to family travel are considered unexcused. If you need support or have questions, please reach out. We are here to help.  Back to School Night – Tuesday, August 26
Back to School Night is an evening for families to come into the classroom and hear from their child’s teacher about what the year will look like. It’s not a conference about individual students, but a chance to learn about the daily schedule, classroom routines, and the grade level curriculum. Teachers will also talk about how we support students’ social-emotional growth and topics like building friendships, practicing problem-solving, and creating a positive, welcoming classroom community. Families will get to see the classroom, meet other parents, and hear how they can stay connected and support learning at home. This night is a helpful way to make sure school feels like a strong partnership between home and classroom right from the start. **This is an adults-only event; however, infants or young children who can be held or carried are welcome to attend with you. 
This week's Breakfast & Lunch menuFree 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.  PTA and School News Awesome turn-out at the 1st PTA Coffee!! Volunteer to Make BA Incredible!Looking to make an impact on your kid's BA experience? Want to learn more about volunteer opportunities? Fill out this form to share your interest and gain access to our volunteer sign-up platform, POINT! What is POINT? For the 2025-2026 year, we are launching a new volunteer management system named Point to make it easy to engage in the community, sign up, and get information about all volunteer opportunities at Brittan Acres. To gain access to BA's Point volunteer opportunities, please fill out the form at this link IMPORTANT: If you will on campus volunteering, ALL volunteers must complete the SCSD Annual Volunteer Agreement. Once completed, you will be set for the year.  SAVE THE DATE: Campus Clean-up Day!Join us for our annual Brittan Acres Campus Clean-Up day on Sunday, September 28 from 10am-1pm. This is a fun day for families to come together in sprucing up the school to improve the space for the whole school community! The focus of the day is on beautifying the outdoor areas by planting, weeding, painting, mulching, carpentry and more - no prior experience needed!   THANK YOU to our generous donors and WELCOME to all new families.Your donations last school year to the San Carlos Education Foundation (SCEF) will allow us to grant more than $3.3 million to support every San Carlos public school student in the upcoming 2025-26 school year. WHY DO WE NEED AN EDUCATION FOUNDATION IN SAN CARLOS?Grab a cup of coffee or tea and watch this 18 minute video explaining California School funding and why your support of the San Carlos Education Foundation and local parcel taxes is so important to maintaining strong San Carlos schools. Afterschool Opportunities Building Resilience with Mindfulness (K-3rd grade)Growing Mindful after-school classes combine art, games, STEAM, and movement exercises with powerful evidence-based tools to equip students with the skills to boost their confidence, resilience, and discover their inner superpowers. This class will include new curriculum. We will practice: regulating big emotions, focusing our attention, breathing techniques, positive self-talk, identifying personal strengths, and gratitude. Dates: Sept. 17, 24, Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22 (6 sessions) Sign up here or click the button below  Chess Class at Brittan Acres Starting in September!Join Chess Wizards this semester for tons of challenging chess lessons, exciting games, and cool prizes. You'll improve your chess skills, and work out your most powerful muscle - your brain! Our classes are geared to suit children of all skill levels; from chessling to checkmate artist, students will build upon their knowledge through lessons, variation games and more! More than just a game of winning and losing, we make learning chess fun! Class meets weekly on Thursdays from 2:30-3:30pm from Sept 18-Dec 4. Cost is $345. Read more and register at www.chesswizards.com  Cooking Class at Brittan Acres Starting in September!Whisk Around the World is your junior chef’s passport to a global culinary adventure! In this fun after-school program, kids explore a new country each week by cooking hands-on recipes inspired by international flavors, ingredients, and traditions. As they mix, measure, slice, and spice, junior chefs will build essential kitchen skills while learning about different cultures along the way. From teamwork to technique, each class is designed to spark creativity, boost confidence, and satisfy curiosity. Best of all, students take home a portion of their delicious creation to share! No passport needed—just a love for food and a hunger to explore. Class meets weekly on Fridays 2:30-4pm from Sept 12-Dec 12. Cost is $550. Read more and register here  Piano Class at Brittan Acres with Hummingbird Music School Starting in September!Does your child want to learn how to play piano, in a fun group environment? Hummingbird Music School's popular after-school Piano Class is now enrolling for Fall Session! Students will learn the fundamentals of piano, including note-reading, hand position, chord vocabulary, and rhythm, in a relaxed and supportive environment that emphasizes fun. Each child is provided with their own keyboard, headphones, and lesson book. Parents can track their children’s progress online through Hummingbird’s partnership with MySkillChart. Class meets weekly on Mondays from 2:30-3:20pm Sept 8-Dec 8 in Room 20. Cost is $50 per class and is open to K-3. Read more and register here School District News 🚌 Get ready to head back to school by subscribing to your school and district calendar!Never miss a school event again! You can subscribe to your school's and the SCSD calendar so that the events will load onto your favorite supported calendar program (iCal/Outlook, Google, or Download ICS).
 Join our San Carlos Early Learning Team!Join our San Carlos School District team! We are currently looking for:   Expanded Learning Opportunity Program (ELOP) Assistance AvailableSCSD has funding available to support students wishing to participate in our Expanded Learning Program, both before and after school. If you believe your child would benefit from attending one of our before or afterschool programs, grant funding is available to help pay for tuition for qualifying families.  Universal Meal ProgramDid you know that SCSD offers breakfast and lunch at no cost to all TK-8th grade students, regardless of family income? Students have the opportunity to participate in the meal program, but participation is not required. Community Partner News 📌 Mark your calendars for these great events coming up in August: 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.    |
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