Dolphin Digest

Monday, May 11th

• Math Night - 6:00 - 7:30, MUB

Tuesday, May 12th

• State Testing Begins - Grades 3rd & 4th
• TK Information Night, 5:00 pm - Library
• Kindergarten Information Night, 6:00 pm - MUB

Monday, May 18

• PTO Meeting, 6:30 pm. - Library & Virtual

Tuesday, May 19

• ELAC Meeting, 8:15 am
• Middle School Information Night - 5:00 - 5:45 pm, Virtual
• Clifford Parent Meet & Greet w/ Dr. Rubacalba, 6:00 - 7:00 pm

Thursday, May 21

• Open House - 5:30 - 6:45 pm

Friday, May 22

• Minimum Day

Monday, May 25

• Memorial Day - No School

Tuesday, May 26

• Middle School Career Fair

Wednesday, May 27

• Kindergarten Spring Sing, 8:30 - MUB
• 6th Grade Field Trip - Academy of Sciences

Thursday, May 28

• 8th Grade Field Trip - SM County History Museum
• 5th/6th Shadow Day
• Middle School Spring Instrumental Concert, MUB - 6:00 pm

Friday, May 29

• 5th/6th Shadow Day - 2n & 3rd Period
• Clifford Spring Festival: The Dolphin's Enchanting Disney, 6 - 8 pm

On Monday, May 11th, from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m., we will be hosting a Math Night for students and families. This event is designed to engage our community in meaningful, hands-on math experiences across all grade levels.

The evening will begin with a brief introduction by Jo Boaler, focused on fostering positive math mindsets. Families and students will then have the opportunity to rotate through a variety of interactive stations led by students, highlighting creative and accessible math activities. We are also excited to have the Design Tech Math Club host a special station as part of the event.

We hope to see you there!

We are excited to invite you to our Clifford Open House on Thursday, May 21st from 5:30–6:45 p.m. All classrooms will be open throughout the evening, allowing families with multiple children the flexibility to visit each classroom at a time that works best for them.

Open House is a special opportunity for students to share the hard work they have done throughout the year, celebrate their accomplishments, and showcase all they have learned with their families. We are so proud of the growth and achievements of our students and look forward to celebrating them together.

While all families are welcome to visit classrooms, we kindly ask for your understanding that the focus of the evening will be on students sharing their learning and celebrating their successes. Teachers may not be available to discuss questions related to next school year or individual student concerns during Open House. If you would like to discuss those topics, please feel free to reach out separately to schedule a time to connect.

We hope you will join us for this wonderful evening of celebration and learning!

Our 5th grade students recently returned from an incredible Outdoor Education field trip to Jones Gulch! During their time at camp, students participated in hikes through the redwoods, hands-on nature programs, community-building games and activities, gardening experiences, and marine science lessons, including visits to the tidepools.

The trip provided students with opportunities to build teamwork, independence, environmental awareness, and lasting memories with their classmates. By all accounts, the students had a wonderful time!

A huge thank you to our 5th grade team and Ms. Scribner for organizing and supporting this meaningful experience for our students, and to our PTO for helping fund scholarships and transportation to make this opportunity possible for all students.

See pictures below!

Our 3rd - 8th grade students are participating in state testing. This is an important time for them to demonstrate what they have learned throughout the school year, and we want to ensure every student is set up for success.

We ask for your support with the following:

Attendance & Scheduling:
Please make every effort to have your child at school on time each day during the testing window. We strongly encourage families to avoid scheduling appointments or trips during this time, as consistent attendance helps students stay focused and confident.

Rest & Wellness:
A good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast each morning make a big difference. Well-rested students are better able to concentrate and do their best.

Encouragement & Mindset:
We encourage you to talk with your child about doing their best, taking their time, and not feeling pressured. A positive mindset can go a long way in helping students feel confident and prepared.

Preparation at School:
Our teachers are continuing to prepare students through practice, review, and skill-building activities aligned to the test format. We are focused on helping students feel comfortable and confident.

Resources for Families:
If you would like to learn more about the state assessments or explore practice resources at home, you may find these websites helpful:

• CAASPP Parent Guides: https://www.caaspp.org/parents.html

• Practice & Training Tests: https://www.caaspp.org/practice-and-training/index.html

We appreciate your partnership in supporting our students during this important time. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Welcome to this year’s Dolphin’s Enchanting Disney Celebration!

We are thrilled to invite our entire Dolphin community to a magical evening on Friday, May 29th filled with dinner, games, fun, and Disney magic. This special event is one of our favorite traditions and a wonderful opportunity for families, students, and staff to come together and celebrate the end of an amazing school year.

To make this event truly unforgettable, we need your help! Parent volunteers play a huge role in the success of the celebration. The number of volunteers we have directly impacts our event budget by reducing the number of high school student workers we need to hire. Every volunteer shift helps us put more resources back into creating an incredible experience for our students and families.

We kindly ask families to sign up to volunteer by May 18th so we can plan accordingly and ensure every activity station is fully supported. Detailed descriptions for each volunteer role will be sent separately via email.

Please review available volunteer opportunities and sign up here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040E48A9AD29A13-63945187-dolphins

Event Tickets - All-inclusive tickets are $10 per person. Children ages 3 and under are free.

Sponsorships and discount codes are also available through the Family Center by contacting:

• Scarlett: (650) 804-1505

• Stephanie: (954) 471-4754

Tickets can be purchased here:
Dolphin’s Enchanting Disney Celebration!

Thank you for supporting our school community and helping make this year’s Dolphin’s Enchanting Disney Celebration a magical success. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our final Principal’s Coffee of the school year last week! We appreciate your partnership, engagement, and the thoughtful conversations we shared.

During the meeting, we discussed:

• Plans and updates for the 2026–2027 school year

• Upcoming TK, Kindergarten, and Middle School information nights

• The superintendent transition and upcoming meet-and-greet opportunities

• Summer Plans for Clifford Measure S Construction Work

• End-of-year events and activities

• Questions and topics shared by families

If you were unable to attend, the presentation is linked here for you to review.

We hope you will join us next year for our Principal’s Coffees, which are typically held on the last Friday of most months. These gatherings are a wonderful opportunity to stay informed, ask questions, and connect with our school community.

We are currently seeking one additional parent representative to serve on our School Site Council (SSC) for the 2026–2027 school year.

The School Site Council is an important leadership group made up of both staff and parents who work together to support student success at Clifford. The SSC helps develop and monitor goals for our Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), oversees the Measure U and Title I budgets, and reviews progress toward our schoolwide academic and behavioral goals. The council plays an important role in ensuring that all students have access to strong instructional programs and the support they need to succeed.

SSC meetings are held once a month on Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m., and members may participate either in person or virtually.

If you are interested in serving on the School Site Council, please send an email to kjackson@rcsdk8.net with a short bio or paragraph introducing yourself and sharing your interest in the position.

We would love to have additional parent voices and perspectives represented on the council and encourage anyone interested to consider joining.

Bread & Bag Wednesday's

As we reach the final stretches to the end of the school year, we are still in need of donations. We truly appreciate everyone who has shown up in any way, shape or form to support us and be a helping hand to families in need of some extra support.

Donations we can benefit the most from at this moment:

Supplies: Paper bags

Dry goods: beans, rice, cooking oil (any standard cooking oil), canned fruit

Snacks: granola bars, chips, jams, peanut butter, Fruit cups

Hygiene: pads (all sizes), baby wipes, shampoo & conditioner

Join SEPTAR for our final meeting of the school year on May 19 at 7pm on Zoom! We will be introducing our new Executive Board, and we will have our final presentation, "Disability Policy and Advocacy." We are excited to have Mary Yung, Ed.D., Associate Superintendent, San Mateo County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) to present! She will help us understand how federal and local funding is given to special education, how federal changes affect special education, and very importantly, how parents and students can support advocacy efforts.

Spanish interpretation is provided. Register: bit.ly/SEPTAR-051926

Chris Balme, Education Leader, Author, Finding the Magic in Middle School

Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 5:30pm – 6:30pm PT, Virtual Event (Live)

Register: https://chrisbalme2026rcsd.eventbrite.com

In this talk, author and acclaimed educator Chris Balme shows how we can prepare for and tap into the potential of the adolescent years.

Parents/caregivers, educators, and community members welcome! Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available. Free admission.

This presentation is sponsored by the Redwood City School District, Redwood City Together, Sequoia Healthcare District, and The Parent Venture.

Questions? Contact Charlene Margot, MEd, Co-Founder and CEO, The Parent Venture, at cmargot@parentventure.org.

Belle Liang, PhD, Professor, Boston College, Author, How to Navigate Life

Thursday, May 14, 2026, 5:30pm – 6:30pm PT, Virtual Event (Live)

Register: https://belleliang2026.eventbrite.com

Belle Liang, PhD, co-author of How to Navigate Life, helps students tap into their purpose and find their own "true north."

Parents/caregivers, educators, and community members welcome! Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available. Free admission.

This presentation is sponsored by the Sequoia Healthcare District, Sequoia Union High School District, and Peninsula Health Care District, in partnership with The Parent Venture.

Questions? Contact Charlene Margot, MEd, Co-Founder and CEO, The Parent Venture, at cmargot@parentventure.org.