Weekly Thunderbolt
January 31, 2019

Principal’s Message

Dear Roy Cloud Families,

As a follow up to our Second Grade Parent Information Night, I’m happy to provide the following information you requested.

Daily 5 Program:
Want to know more about Daily 5 structure and how it is based on research?
Please visit: more about the Daily 5  

GATE:
RCSD offers a Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) pull out program for 4 th , 5 th & 6th graders located at Clifford and Hoover Schools. If you would like your child in current grades 3/4/5 tested for GATE this Spring, you can read more information about the GATE program on the parent information website .

Parents must complete a permission form for their student to be tested. At the end of the survey, please check that you have seen the "Thank you for your survey" results page. If you do not see this page, then please go back and complete the survey again until you see this page. This confirms you have submitted the permission form accurately.

Platinum Ticket:
The Platinum Ticket is a visual framework for how RCSD communicates the common expectations for classroom environment and instruction. This framework guides our educators on the key components of effective, research- based instruction for student achievement and is used to align all RCSD schools to School Board goals.

If you have any other questions specific for your child, or Roy Cloud, please feel free to contact me. I am happy to meet with you in person or over the phone. [email protected] or 650 482-2414 x3383.

In partnership,

Diane Prystas
Roy Cloud Principal

P.S. I hope to see you at the Roy Cloud Dinner and Auction , coming up on February 23rd. Our students are lucky to have such a supportive parent community!
Calendar
Today/Tomorrow:
  • Thur, Jan 31 - Bolt Buck Assembly, 8:15am
  • Thur, Jan 31 - Principal's Meetup, 8:30am
  • Thur, Jan 31 - ASB Class Rep Mtg, 1:35-1:50, Room 41
  • Fri, Feb 1 - Jersey Day

Next Week:
  • Valentines Day Grams for sale, Mon-Fri after school at the Flag Pole

Upcoming:
  • Tue, Feb 12 - Dad's Club Social, Location TBD
  • Mon, Feb 18 - No School / President's Day Holiday
  • Tue, Feb 19 - PTO Meeting, 6:30pm, Library
  • Thur, Feb 21 - ASB Class Rep Meeting, 1:35-1:50pm, Room 41
  • Sat, Feb 23 - Roy Cloud Auction, 6-11pm, Domenico Winery
  • Mon, Feb 25, Site Council Meeting, 3:15pm, Library
  • Thur, Feb 28 - Bolt Buck Assembly, 8:15am
  • Thur, Feb 25 - Principal's Meetup, 8:30am
  • Mon, Mar 4- Fri, Mar 8 - 5th Grade Outdoor Ed
  • Mon, Mar 11- Fri, Mar 15 - Minimum Days, Spring Conferences, All grades released at 1:30pm
School News
Safety Reminders for Drop Off and Pick Up

Thank you for your support in keeping the drop off and pick lines safe and efficient. Please review the following instructions from the Roy Cloud Parent Handbook.

  • Follow the guidance of the personnel on duty
  • Obey all posted and painted signs
  • Once you reach the drop off / loading zone, pull up along the right-side curb
  • Pull all of the way forward
  • Students should have bags and materials in hand, and not need to access the trunk
  • Allow your child to enter/exit curbside with the assistance of Thunderbolt Valets
  • Remain in your car
  • Slowly and carefully pull away after your child has exited/been secured in the vehicle
  • Exit by following the curve of the parking lot
  • This applies to drop off and pick up at both Red Oak and Jefferson

For questions or concerns regarding drop off and pick up, please reach out to Mrs. Kristy Jackson , Assistant Principal.
Thunderbolt Valets Needed
We are recruiting more students for Thunderbolt Valet. We need at least 3 valets Monday – Friday. Students in grades 5 – 8 may apply. You can volunteer to valet from 2 – 5 times a week and valet hours are from 7:55 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. Thunderbolt Valet is a commitment for the year. If your child is interested, please have them see Mrs. Jackson for an application & permission slip.
Jersey Day is Tomorrow!
It’s the day you’ve been waiting for… Jersey Day!! Jersey Day is going to be Friday, February 1st. Since the Super Bowl is this Sunday, we thought it would be fun to have Jersey Day right before, to get the students in the football mood! You can wear any jersey from a soccer jersey to a basketball jersey! It can even be a jersey from a past sports team you’ve been on, or are on! Make sure to support Roy Cloud spirit by wearing a jersey this Friday!
-Roy Cloud ASB
Good luck to RCSD Alum, New England Patriots' Julian Edelman!
Valentines Grams Available Next Week
ASB Students will be selling Valentines Day Grams after school every day next week by the flag pole. Last day to purchase would be Friday, Feb. 8th. Grams cost $1 or $5. Exact change or checks made out to Roy Cloud, please. 
Upcoming Student Testing Dates
  • ELPAC (English Language Proficiency Assessment for California, K-8): February 1 – March 29
  • Fountas & Pinnell Reading Assessment (K-2): February 1 – March 1
  • STAR Reading Assessment (3-8): February 19 – March 1
  • Annual Climate Survey: February 15
Measure T Update
At the January PTO and site council meetings, Don Dias from the district office attended and presented the design for new security fencing at Roy Cloud, which is funded through Measure T. Click here for the drawing presented. This work won't occur until summer 2020. You can view RCSD's latest Measure T updates here.
What is Frontalism? Ask a 6th Grader!
As part of Ms. Amato’s 6th grade class' studies of Ancient Egypt, the students created frontalism portraits, a form of Ancient Egyptian artwork where the face is in profile, and the body faces forward towards the viewer. Gods and pharaohs were painted like this, but ordinary civilians were not. The frontalism often combined an animal head and a human body, as this was how the Ancient Egyptians pictured their gods.
PTO News
Tickets Are Going Fast
There are just a few tickets left for the Greatest School Dinner and Auction. It's sure to be a hit! Can't make the auction? Please consider purchasing a ticket for a teacher/staff member. Remember the auction raises money for PTO-funded programs like art, music, PE and more. Click   here  to purchase tickets.
Grandparents Can Help Fund-A-Need Too!
This year we will be raising funds for social emotional programs such as conflict resolution, anti-bullying, mindfulness, empathy building, positive self-esteem and self-regulation. This is a topic so important to all of us. Let's get behind this and make it the largest Fund-A-Need contribution yet! Please ask grandparents to help. They can donate here . Contact Andrea Jones with questions.
Auction Attire
Not everyone that attends the circus is in the show.... come in your vintage finery to enjoy the Greatest School Circus.

For more ideas, click here.
We are #RoyCloudProud of Our Boys Basketball Teams!
Roy Cloud's 4th/5th grade boys basketball teams finished 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the after school sports league! These three teams were undefeated against all other schools. Our 6th grade boys basketball team also finished 1st and went undefeated all season. That's right, no other school won a game against any of our teams this whole season! Go Bolts!
Roy Cloud 4/5 Blue Team (left), Roy Cloud 4/5 Gold Team (right). The Roy Cloud 4/5 White Team is much better at playing basketball than taking team pictures!
Roy Cloud 6th Grade Boys
Garden Corner
This week the kinders dove into the world of  DECOMPOSERS . They put on their investigative hats and used scientist tools (magnifying glasses) to take a close look at matter from our garden's compost bin. We found all kinds of critters working alongside the worms to break down dead plants and turn it into soil! The students also made identifications of their findings using decomposer field guides.

The 2nd graders also used magnifying glasses to take a deeper look at soil, but for a very different and important reason. The students were given a challenge to help save the soil-less and barren planet Zog. We created a written recipe for soil to send back to planet Zog so the beings there can begin to grow their own food. 

Ms. Granato's class was able to finish their seed adaptation projects this week! 

-Ms. Becca
Roy Cloud's kiln is working hard! All students will do a ceramics project this year as part of the PTO-sponsored art program.
Community News
Septar Event: Preparation for the Future of Special Education in the RCSD, Part II
Date: Thursday, January 31st ( Tonight!)
Time: 7-9pm
Location: RCSD Office Board Room, 750 Bradford Street

Local History Publication Written by Roy W. Cloud
Attention history lovers....

From: The Story of San Mateo County, California
By: Roy W. Cloud
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company.
Chicago, Ill 1928

One of our alumni on the Roy Cloud Alumni Facebook page pointed us to this.
From the Weekly Thunderbolt Editor:

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