November 1, 2026

Principal's Message

Happy November, BA Families!

What a wonderful way to wrap up October! Our campus was filled with excitement, creativity, and lots of smiles during Friday's Halloween Parade. Seeing our Bruins dressed in their costumes, waving to their families, and enjoying this special tradition together was such a joy. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the morning so memorable!

As we welcome November, we are also introducing our new character education focus: Gratitude! This is one of my favorite character traits to explore with children because it reminds us to appreciate the people, experiences, and little moments that make our lives special.

November is also a wonderful time to recognize the generosity of our BA community. This week, our UTK students received an incredible new mud kitchen, thanks to the talents and kindness of some very special BA parents. You'll read more about this wonderful addition below!

In this week's Blast, I'm also introducing a new section to help families learn more about how children become successful readers. I hope it provides a helpful window into the important work happening in our classrooms.

Thank you for being such an important part of our BA community. I am grateful for our students, our dedicated staff, and the families who make Brittan Acres such a special place.

Wishing everyone a wonderful start to November!

In partnership,

Jude Noyes
Principal, Brittan Acres Elementary
[email protected]

Announcements & Reminders

Morning Supervision on Campus

Families, we need your help with an important student safety concern.

We have recently found students who have been dropped off and left alone on the upper yard before morning supervision begins.

There is NO student supervision on campus before 8:10 a.m.

Students should not be dropped off or left unattended anywhere on campus before that time.

Our staff members are not assigned to supervise students before 8:10 a.m., which means there is no adult available to monitor students, respond to an emergency, or assist if something unexpected happens. This is especially important because our campus is surrounded by natural areas, and we occasionally have deer and other wildlife on school grounds. Although deer are generally not aggressive, they are wild animals and can behave unpredictably, particularly if startled or approached. Young children may not recognize these risks or know how to respond safely. Additionally, if a student falls, gets injured, has a medical emergency, or experiences a conflict with another child, there may be no adult present to help.

Please remember:

• Morning supervision begins at 8:10 a.m.
• Do not drop off students before 8:10 a.m.
• Do not leave children alone on the upper yard, playground, or any other area of campus.
• Please make arrangements for your child to remain with a responsible adult until supervision begins.

This is an important student safety expectation.

We know mornings can be busy, and we appreciate families working with us to ensure that every child arrives at school safely.

Thank you for taking this seriously and helping us keep all of our Bruins safe.

Brittan Acres Food Drive: November 4–18

Our second graders are leading a schoolwide food drive to support Samaritan House and families in our community! This week, our second grade classes had the opportunity to meet virtually with a coordinator from Samaritan House. Students learned about the organization's history, the important services it provides, and how we can make a difference for families in need. Our second graders are taking the lead on this effort! They have created posters to display around campus, will make morning announcements, and will help count and track donations each day.

How Can Your Family Help?

From November 4 through November 18, we are asking families to donate dried, nonperishable foods such as:

• Pasta
• Rice
• Dried beans
• Other dry foods packaged in boxes or bags

Each grade level will work together to collect donations in a friendly schoolwide competition! Students will be able to follow their grade level's progress on collection thermometers displayed in the library. The grade level that collects the most food will earn a special celebration! Collection boxes will be available beginning November 4, and our donation barrels will arrive November 6. We are so proud of our second graders for taking the lead in helping others. This is a wonderful example of our Bruins showing kindness, responsibility, and care for our community.

Thank you, families, for helping us make a difference!

SCEF Candy Buy Back

Did your Bruin collect more Halloween candy than your family knows what to do with? The SCEF Candy Buy Back begins Monday, November 2! 

Families are invited to bring extra Halloween candy to school and participate in this fun community tradition and fundraiser. Local dentists will be donating $1/per pound of candy collected. A candy collection spot will be available in the BA office.

Thank you for supporting SCEF and our school community!

November Character Trait: GRATITUDE!
Appreciating the People and Things That Make Life Special

Our November character education focus is Gratitude!

Gratitude means recognizing and appreciating the people, experiences, and things that bring happiness and meaning to our lives. At Brittan Acres, we want our Bruins to understand that gratitude goes beyond simply saying "thank you." It's about noticing when someone helps us, appreciating the kindness of others, and finding joy in the little things. Throughout November, our teachers and staff will help students explore what gratitude looks like in everyday life.

November Principal Read Alouds: Learning About Gratitude

I'm excited to visit classrooms this month to share two wonderful books that help children explore gratitude in different ways!

TK–1st Grade: The Thank You Book by Mo Willems

In this delightful Elephant & Piggie story, Piggie decides she wants to thank everyone who has made a difference in her life. Gerald worries that she might forget someone important! This funny and heartwarming story helps our youngest Bruins think about the people who help them, care for them, and make their days special.

As we read, we'll talk about questions such as:

• Who is someone you are thankful for?

• How does it feel when someone thanks you?

• What are some ways we can show appreciation besides saying "thank you"?

2nd–3rd Grade: Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora

This story follows Omu, who prepares a delicious pot of stew and generously shares it with members of her community. By the time she is ready to eat, her pot is empty. But the people she helped have a wonderful surprise for her! Through this story, our older Bruins will explore how generosity, kindness, community, and gratitude are connected.

We'll discuss:

• Why did Omu continue sharing her food?

• How did the community show its appreciation?

• What does this story teach us about giving and receiving kindness?

• How can one person's generosity make a difference in a community?

Try This at Home!

This month, consider starting a simple family gratitude tradition. At dinner or bedtime, ask everyone to share one thing they are grateful for that day. It might be a friend who helped them, something new they learned, or a special moment with someone they love. Sometimes the smallest things deserve the biggest thank-yous!

Mud, Imagination, and a Whole Lot of Fun!
A Special Gift from Our BA Families!

Something wonderful has arrived in our TK yard, and our youngest Bruins couldn't be more excited! Thanks to the incredible generosity and talents of two BA dads, our TK students now have a beautiful, custom built mud kitchen!

A huge shout out to Ryan Contos (of Contos Builders), who is a family member of Camryn B in room 27, for generously donating the materials, time, and craftsmanship to bring this amazing outdoor learning space to life! Ryan and his crew delivered the finished kitchen this week, and it is absolutely incredible!

We also want to give a special thank you to Peter Small, dad of Eleanor, Marta, and Ida, who created the original designs that helped turn this wonderful idea into reality. And what makes this gift even more special is the learning it will inspire! Mud kitchens are fantastic for our youngest learners because they encourage imaginative play, collaboration, problem solving, early math and science exploration, and fine motor development. As children scoop, pour, measure, mix, and create, they are building important skills through hands on play.

Our UTK students are already enjoying their new kitchen, and we know it will be a favorite spot for years to come! Ryan and Peter, thank you for sharing your time, talents, and generosity with our school. This is such a wonderful example of the incredible community we have at Brittan Acres!

Understanding Skilled Reading Through the Science of Reading

Reading is one of the most important skills children develop during their elementary school years. But learning to read is actually a much more complex process than many people realize!

Over the next several weeks, I'd like to share some information with families about the science of reading and how children develop into confident, skilled readers.

My hope is to help families better understand the different skills involved in reading and how you can support your child's development at home.

What Is Scarborough's Reading Rope?

Imagine a rope made of many smaller strands.

Individually, each strand serves a purpose. But when the strands are woven together, they create something much stronger.

That's the idea behind Scarborough's Reading Rope, a research-based model that helps explain how children become skilled readers.

The Reading Rope has two major parts.

Word Recognition: Learning to Read the Words

Children need to develop the ability to recognize words accurately and automatically.

This includes:

• Phonological awareness: Hearing and working with the sounds in spoken words.
• Decoding: Connecting letters and sounds to read unfamiliar words.
• Sight recognition: Recognizing familiar written words automatically through repeated successful reading.

As children become more proficient, these skills become increasingly automatic, allowing them to focus more attention on understanding what they read.

Language Comprehension: Understanding What We Read

Reading isn't just about saying the words on a page. Children also need to understand what those words mean!

Language comprehension includes:

• Background knowledge: Understanding the world and using what we already know.
• Vocabulary: Knowing the meanings of words.
• Language structures: Understanding sentences and how language works.
• Verbal reasoning: Making connections, drawing conclusions, and understanding ideas that aren't directly stated.
• Literacy knowledge: Understanding how books, stories, and different types of texts work.

Why Does This Matter?

A child might be able to sound out every word in a sentence but struggle to understand what the sentence means.

Another child might have wonderful vocabulary and storytelling skills but need additional support learning to decode unfamiliar words.

Strong reading requires both word recognition and language comprehension.

This is why effective reading instruction includes explicit teaching of foundational reading skills along with rich conversations, vocabulary development, read alouds, and opportunities to build knowledge.

How Can Families Help at Home?

One of the best things you can do is read aloud with your child, even after they begin reading independently!

Reading aloud exposes children to vocabulary, ideas, and sentence structures they might not yet be able to read on their own.

After reading, try asking:

"What was your favorite part of the story?"
"Why do you think the character made that choice?"
"Did anything in this book remind you of something you've experienced?"

These simple conversations help build the language comprehension skills that are essential for successful reading.

California School Dashboard

You may have heard about the California School Dashboard, but what exactly is it, and why does it matter?

The California School Dashboard is an online tool created by the California Department of Education to help families and communities understand how schools and districts are performing.

Rather than looking at just one test score, the Dashboard provides information about several important areas of school performance.

For elementary schools like Brittan Acres, these include:

English Language Arts: How students are performing in reading, writing, listening, and language skills, based on state assessments.

Mathematics: How students are performing on California's mathematics assessments.

Chronic Absenteeism: The percentage of students who miss 10% or more of the school year, whether those absences are excused or unexcused.

English Learner Progress: How students who are learning English are progressing toward English language proficiency.

Suspension Rate: Information about how frequently students are suspended from school.

What Do the Dashboard Colors Mean?

The Dashboard uses five colors to communicate performance levels for state indicators:

🔴 Red
🟠 Orange
🟡 Yellow
🟢 Green
🔵 Blue

For most state indicators, these colors reflect a combination of current performance and change over time.

Blue represents the highest performance level, while red represents the lowest.

It's important to remember that Dashboard colors don't tell the entire story of a school. They are one tool that helps educators identify strengths, understand areas for improvement, and make informed decisions about supporting students.

Why We Pay Attention to This Information

At Brittan Acres, we believe that understanding student learning requires looking at multiple sources of information.

State assessments provide one important measure, but we also look at classroom assessments, student work, attendance, and other information to understand how students are progressing.

Our goal is to celebrate what's working, identify where students need additional support, and continue improving learning opportunities for every Bruin.

Families can explore the California School Dashboard here:

https://www.caschooldashboard.org/

K/1st Author Visit with Michael Slack

Michael Slack is coming to BA! Author and Illustrator Michael Slack will wow us with tales from his new book FunJeepups. Personalized copies are available for order, in partnership with The Reading Bug. 

We would love to have all BA classes join the assembly, but due to space limitations, the assembly is only for Kinder and First Grades. All are welcome to purchase personalized books; The Reading Bug gives back a percentage of sales to our school library!

Order (or click the button below) your personalized copy by November 11 and they will be delivered and distributed at BA. Thank you for supporting the library!

The Bruin Bear Visits Rm. 12

Our traveling BA Bruin Bear had another wonderful classroom adventure this past week!

Congratulations to our Room 15 Bruins!

Room 15 earned a special visit from Bruin Bear for demonstrating the BA Way:

💙 Be Safe | 💛 Be Kind | 🐾 Be Responsible

Our traveling Bruin Bear is one of the ways we celebrate classrooms that work together to create a positive, welcoming, and caring school community. We love seeing the excitement our Bruins have when their classroom earns a visit from our special bear! It's a wonderful reminder that the little choices we make each day can have a big impact.

Way to go, Room 15! Thank you for showing your Bruin pride and being such wonderful examples of the BA Way!

We can't wait to see where Bruin Bear's adventures take him next!

Golden Bear Hug

Each week, we recognize Bruins who are doing an especially great job showing the BA Way. Golden Bear Hugs might recognize kindness, effort,

responsibility, growth, perseverance, leadership, inclusion, or simply making a positive difference in our school community.

Congratulations to this week’s Golden Bear Hug recipients:

Kindergarten: Aiden M., Paxton B., Reya R., Maddie F.

1st Grade: Sofia B., Winnie T., Kai K., Willow H

2nd Grade: Calvin W., Mivaan J., Ophelie A., Cathy Q.

3rd Grade: Gavin B., Bella N., Quinn S., Julia M.

Remember, being a Golden Bear Hug recipient isn't about being perfect. It's about making positive choices, learning from mistakes, and helping make Brittan Acres a wonderful place for everyone.

Keep shining, Bruins!

Seen Around Brittan Acres

There is always so much wonderful learning happening around Brittan Acres! Whether our Bruins are exploring new ideas, working together, showing creativity, or simply being kind to one another, these everyday moments are what make our school community so special. Here's a look at some of the fun and learning happening around BA this week! 💙💛

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. Click the button below for full month's menu and nutritional/allergen information.

Reminder: School meals do not include a recess snack, so please send your child with a snack each day.

School and PTA News

Appreciation for BA Volunteers

The BA Clean-Up Day on October 25 was a wonderful morning of hard work, team work, and rewarding work as parents and children used their hands and hearts to beautify and improve our school. Thank you to Megan Shackleton and George Weiner who continue to organize this incredible undertaking that benefits our entire community.

Kids and adults shoveled a mountain of mulch and spread it to all sorts of locations around school, power washed buildings, painted adorable bear prints up and down the ramp to the upper playground, rebuilt and replanted kindergarten planter boxes and more. It was also extra special to have so many Scouts from Pack 65 who joined in the efforts and Girl Scouts from the Kindergarten and First Grade troops who organized a rock painting activity that has been an extra special addition to the kindergarten yard.

Thank you to all the children who participated in the BA Pumpkin Showcase! Check out the photos of these awesome pumpkins and their designers, too. We are so grateful to Frances Benson and Kelly Jenkins-Stark for organizing this wonderful event for our community!

Celebrating Día de los Muertos at Brittan Acres! 🌼

On Wednesday, October 28, Brittan Acres came together to celebrate Día de los Muertos, a cherished Mexican tradition honoring and remembering loved ones who have passed away. Students had the opportunity to learn about the holiday through colorful face painting, making papel picado (decorative paper banners), and enjoying their own pan de muerto (bread of the dead) and chocolate.

A heartfelt THANK YOU to our incredible parent volunteer community for coming together to make this celebration so meaningful! From the countless hours spent planning and decorating to sharing cultural traditions and bringing every thoughtful detail to life, your generosity, creativity, and care made this a truly memorable experience for our kids.

Special thanks to our amazing event leads, Clara Hutar and Sean Pratt, for the many hours of thoughtful planning and coordination that made it all possible. We're also deeply grateful to Nadya Sigona and Ms. Ha for creating a beautiful ofrenda, a traditional altar honoring and remembering loved ones. Be sure to visit this special display in the library through November 2!

📸 Relive the celebration! Visit our Día de los Muertos Google Photos album to see photos from each classroom and the day's activities!

Diwali Assembly This Wednesday!

We are celebrating Diwali at Brittan Acres with a special assembly on Wednesday, November 4 at 8:30 a.m., featuring a student Diwali dance performance. Parents are invited to come watch the kids perform - and to help hand out goodie bags to students as they head back to class after the show. Chalk will also be out after school that day for kids who want to create their own rangoli designs.

What is Diwali? Diwali (pronounced dee-VAH-lee) is a special festival celebrated by many people around the world, especially in India. It's often called the Festival of Lights. Families decorate their homes with lamps and candles, wear bright clothes, share sweets, give gifts, and celebrate with friends and neighbors. Diwali is a five-day festival - this year it begins on Friday, November 6, with the main day of celebration on Sunday, November 8.

Happy Diwali to all our families celebrating!

Show Your Team Spirit on Friday 11/6!

Brittan Acres will have our first Spirit Day on Friday, November 6. The theme is “Team Spirit” so students can show their team spirit by wearing their favorite team’s sports shirt, a sports jersey they wear for a team they play on, their BA Spirit Wear, or anything with our school colors!

Looking for BA Spirit Wear for our next Spirit Day? Check out the BA Spirit Wear Shop!

1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade Art in Action Lessons resume next week!

Volunteer to be a Docent and teach an Art in Action Lessons!  
Leading a lesson as a docent is easier than it sounds. 

• Art in Action provides instructional videos 

• Art in Action provides excellent step-by-step instructions for the lessons. 

• The materials are prepped in a kit in room 20

Sign up here: 2026-2027 Brittan Acres Art In Action Lesson Schedule

Contact grade level coordinations
Christen Hanson (3rd) [email protected]
Puneeta Sharma (2nd) [email protected]
Yulia Lyndina (1st) [email protected]

NEW Volunteer Opportunity! TK Art

TK classes will start “Art Experiences” in December funded by the BA PTA and supported by volunteers!

TK families are needed to organize experiences, make art kits and write volunteer instructions. Please fill out this survey to sign up to help get the program set up:

Click here (or the button below) to fill out the TK Art survey

Lesson Dates are TBD

For additional information or questions, please contact BA PTA Art Co-Chair, Christen Hanson at [email protected]

San Carlos Education Foundation News (SCEF)

16th Annual Halloween Candy Buy-Back!

Did your little goblins haul in more candy than they can handle? Turn those extra treats into a sweet win for SCEF by dropping candy off at your school’s front office Nov 2–5. It all goes to Operation Gratitude and gets sent to our troops. Last year, you helped collect over 1,200 lbs of candy.  Let’s top it this year!

Huge thanks to Dr. Mike Chang, Dr. Urmi Amin, and Dr. Nancy Kaher, who are donating $1 to SCEF for every pound collected.
 

Meet Your SCEF School Representatives

Our dedicated school reps at Brittan Acres Elementary help connect SCEF with families and staff at each San Carlos school. They share updates, encourage participation, and make sure every school’s voice is heard. Diana Banki and Jennifer Mease are your Brittan Acres SCEF Reps this year.  If you need to reach them, email [email protected].

SCSD District News

Measure K Parcel Tax Information

Local Funding. Local Schools. Our San Carlos Community.

🗳️ Election Day is Tuesday, November 3!
As Election Day approaches, San Carlos School District wants to ensure our community has the information needed to understand Measure K, the local school parcel tax measure on the November 3 ballot.

Did you know? State funding alone does not cover the full cost of the educational programs and services provided across our eight TK–8 schools.

Locally controlled funding plays an important role in supporting nearly 3,000 SCSD students by helping fund:
- Teachers and classroom instruction
- Core academic programs
- Student support services
- Enrichment and educational opportunities

What is Measure K?
Measure K would renew the District's existing parcel tax for eight years, providing locally controlled funding to support approximately 24 teaching positions and educational programs. Parcel Taxes = People + Programs

We encourage all San Carlos residents to learn more about Measure K and how local funding supports our schools before Election Day.

Get the facts about Measure K: https://tinyurl.com/2026ParcelTax

Election Day: November 3, 2026

Community Partner News

Brittan Acres Cheer Program Starting in November!

Our Friday afterschool cheer program is a fun introduction to cheer for little ones, welcoming students of all skill levels!

Kids will learn cheer basics through teamwork, dance and safe, age appropriate stunts, all while building confidence and making new friends. Whether your child is trying cheer for the very first time or already loves to move, our program offers the perfect environment to grow, stay active, and have fun.

Fridays from Nov 6th - Jan 29th 2:35-3:35pm in the MUR for $360. Spots are limited! Register here.

Mark your calendars for terrific events coming up this fall!

Stanford professor Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, founder and director of REACH Lab, presents Risks, Facts, and What’s New: Opioids and Opioid-Like Substances (Fentanyl, Cychlorphine, Kratom/7-OH) (November 3).

NEW! The Neurodiversity Education Series welcomes Christina Cipriano, PhD, professor of education at UMass Amherst, for Building Belonging: Social-Emotional Learning and Learning Differences (November 4).

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.