Superintendent

June 11, 2021

Dear SCSD Parents, Staff and Community,

It was three years ago that I joined the San Carlos School District and moved into this community.  It was impossible to imagine the challenges our community would encounter over the next several years.  Together, we worked through budget challenges and a pandemic!  As we approached the beginning of this school year with uncertainty, we committed to providing the best possible education program for our students whether in distance learning or a hybrid model of instruction.  Our teachers stepped up and provided an engaging and robust learning experience for our children in August, with significant support from parents and our community.  

Our school PTAs, the San Carlos Education Foundation (SCEF), Healthy Cities Tutoring and many other partners continued to support our collective approach to educating the whole child at every school.  These groups also helped us build community in new ways.  I want to express my gratitude to all for enabling us to begin returning our students to campus safely part time in February.  Now, we are celebrating the end of this challenging school year where we can proudly say we finished the year safely, successfully, and more bonded as a community committed to serving the students of San Carlos.

We are excited to be fully returning to school on August 18, 2021 with our normal five days per week on campus with regular pre-pandemic bell schedules.  Thanks to your donations to SCEF  and special one-time State grant funds, we are committed to providing the same enriching, whole child educational experience our families expect, with additional support for learning recovery, social and emotional learning and mental health support.  If you haven’t already contributed to SCEF I encourage you to make your gift before June 30th to help them meet their goal to fund educators and programs next school year.

Using input from parents, teachers and staff, we created a recovery plan for next year that will provide:

• Smaller class sizes in upper grade classrooms
• Additional paraeducators in elementary classrooms for personalized support in small group learning for math and reading
• Literacy associates for targeted reading intervention in grades K-5
• Library programs at all schools
• Additional technology devices in classrooms and a 1:1 Chromebook program in grades 3-8
• Additional staffing for the middle schools to support learning recovery 
• A strong electives program including band, orchestra, music and other electives to all students in grades 4-8
• Full-time assistant principal support at the middle schools
• Increased counselling and mental health services at all schools
• Additional structured play support for K-3 students provided by Legarza Sports in addition to the regular PE program
• Additional professional development for our teachers
• The return of after school sports for middle school students

With the State planning to reopen more fully June 15, we are anticipating that the current school safety guidelines will be more relaxed by the time school starts.  We still anticipate students and staff will use masks and maintain the oher hygiene practices such as frequent hand washing.  We will still be using a health screener and will follow the most current CalOSHA guidelines for staff and the San Mateo County Health guidelines for schools.  New superintendent, Dr. Frentress will begin communicating with our families and staff by the end of July about health and safety updates as we approach the new school year.

We have all been through so much in the last 15 months with some experiencing significant losses; loved ones, financial challenges, emotional struggles and more.  Yet, we pulled together as a community to care for, educate and nurture our children.  I thank you all for coming together for our students!  I hope this generation of children will be stronger and more resilient through the collective lessons we all learned. Our children should see that our perseverance and optimism taught us that we can confront difficult challenges and persevere through cooperation, collaboration, communication and community.  

Thank you for allowing me to serve the San Carlos School District.  I am ending my 28 year career in education with you and appreciate the confidence and support you provided me as I led during very challenging times. San Carlos is a special community and I know it will continue to fully support its public schools so every child has the opportunity to experience a joyful and enriching San Carlos Decade from preschool through eighth grade in SCSD.  

I wish you a safe, joyful and regenerative summer break with family and friends and hope you are looking forward to a wonderful school year beginning August 18, 2021! 

Sincerely,
Michelle Harmeier
Retiring Superintendent