Dolphin Digest
August 25, 2025
Thursday, August 28
- Back to School Night - TK - 5th Grade 5:15 - 6:15 pm, 6th - 8th Grade 6:00 - 7:00 pm
Friday, August 29
- PTO Coffee, Front of School - 8:15 am
- Minimum Day Dismissal
Monday, September 1
- Labor Day Holiday - No School
Friday, September 5
- PTO Coffee, Front of School - 8:15 am
Tuesday, September 9
- School Site Council Meeting, 4:00 pm - Library & Virtual
- PTO Meeting, 6:30 pm
Monday, September 15 - Friday, September 19
- Student Led Parent Teacher Conferences - Super Minimum Days
Thursday, September 25
- Multicultural Night - 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Friday, September 26
- Picture Day
- Principal's Coffee, 8:15 am - Library
Monday, September 29
- District Appointed Professional Development Day - NO SCHOOL
We are excited to welcome you to our annual Back-to-School Night on Thursday, August 28th! This special evening is a wonderful chance to connect with your child’s teacher(s), hear about classroom expectations, and learn more about the engaging year ahead.
Schedule for the evening:
TK–5th Grade
5:15 pm – Welcome meeting in the MUB!
5:30–6:15 pm – Visit your child’s classroom.
6th–8th Grade
6:00 pm – Welcome meeting in the MUB!
6:15–7:00 pm - 6th Grade - Presentation in Library & Meet the Teachers in the MUB.
- 7th & 8th Grade - Meet the Teachers & Information in the MUB.
Our dedicated educators are eager to share their vision for a positive and enriching school year. We know that strong partnerships between families and teachers are key to student success, and this evening provides an important opportunity to begin those connections.
Please note: Back-to-School Night is for parents and guardians only. We kindly ask that you arrange childcare for your student(s). If you are unable to attend, please reach out directly to your child’s teacher for information shared during the event.
We look forward to seeing you there and beginning another great year together!
SamTrans is excited to bring back the school-oriented service which resumed for the new school year on Monday, August 4th. Please go to www.samtrans.com/rider-info/youth-riders for more information.
Youth Unlimited Free Passes
Districts received Youth Unlimited free passes to distribute to students who are eligible mid-July. Schools should receive these passes before school starts.
https://www.samtrans.com/rider-info/youth-unlimited-program
Safety Tips for Students
SamTrans prides itself on its record of passenger safety. We put together some commonsense tips to stay safe on SamTrans.
We are looking forward to our Student-Led Goal Setting Conferences, which will take place September 15–20. These conferences are a valuable opportunity for students, families, and teachers to come together, reflect on progress, and set meaningful goals for the year ahead.
Please note:
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All days during conferences will be Super Minimum Days with an 11:45 am dismissal to allow time for teachers to meet with families.
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Sign-up information will be sent directly from your child’s teacher soon—please keep an eye out.
We strongly encourage all families to attend. Your participation helps strengthen the home–school connection and supports your child in taking ownership of their learning.
Thank you for partnering with us in this important process.
We sincerely apologize if you have experienced problems reporting absences with the Safe Arrivals system in School Messenger. The issue has now been resolved, and you can resume using this helpful tool to easily report absences.
With SafeArrival, you can report your child’s absence in advance using any of these 3 convenient methods:
1. Using your mobile device, download and install the SM Home app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
2. Report through the SafeArrival website: home.schoolmessenger.com
3. Call the toll-free number 1-800-403-5535 to report an absence using the automated phone
System.
Families can report absences in advance up until 10am. If you do not report an absence, you will receive a text, email and/or phone call requesting the reason for your child’s absence. If no reason is provided, your child will be marked unexcused.
**To sign up for and use School arrival, your email and phone number must match the information you provided to the school during registration. If you’ve changed your email or phone number, please let Office Staff know**
ARRIVAL
Supervision begins at 8:00 AM. Children are not to arrive at school BEFORE 8:00 AM.
Parents may park in the neighborhood and walk their child(ren) to their classroom to wait for their teacher. We highly encourage walking and biking if you are able to.
Beginning at 8:00 AM students may walk to their classroom and line up in the area designated by their teacher.
Students do not play on the structures, blacktop, fields, or hallways before school.
When the warning bell rings at 8:12 a.m., students should make their way to the classroom to line up.
By 8:15 AM when the bell rings, teachers greet students and lead them into the classroom.
If a child arrives after 8:15 AM (TK - 8:20), the student must first go to the office to get a late slip before going to class.
Campus gates will be locked at 8:20 a.m. Students arriving after this time must check in at the office.
DISMISSAL
Students need to leave campus promptly after each dismissal.
Regular Dismissal: TK: 1:20 PM, Kinder: 2:05 PM; 1st - 3rd: 2:30 PM; 4th-8th: 2:40 PM
Minimum Day Dismissal: TK: 12:35 PM; Kinder: 1:15 PM; 1st - 3rd: 1:30 PM, 4th-8th: 1:35 PM
Super Minimum Day Dismissal: All students are dismissed at 11:45 AM.
TK & Kindergarten students must wait with their teacher until a parent/child care provider or other designated adult picks them up.
Children who are being picked up must wait in the drop-off/pick-up areas.
Children who walk are to go directly home.
TK-5 students are not to play on the blacktop after dismissal, due to classes still being in session.
Parents/Families may not enter campus until the last dismissal of the day.
TK-5 students are not to be left unsupervised on campus, waiting for older siblings.
Parents of student(s) who are repeatedly not picked up promptly, will be contacted by the school administration.
If an emergency prevents you from picking up your child on time, make alternate arrangements and notify the school. Students who are picked up late need to be signed out in the office.
STUDENT DROP OFF/PICK UP AND PARKING LOT GUIDELINES
Safety around the school and the neighborhood is everyone’s responsibility. Parking rules apply to everyone. Speed limits in school zones are 25 mph or less if the conditions warrant slower speeds. Use great caution, drive slowly, follow these guidelines, and instruct your child to follow them as well. The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office helps to enforce compliance with the law in and around Clifford School.
The parking lots are reserved for staff, busses, and handicapped drivers displaying a valid permit ONLY. Please park along the neighborhood streets and away from the red zone.
E-Bike Safety: What Every Parent Should Know
Megan Lamb, Founder, and Stephen McCall, E-Bike Sense
Wednesday September 3, 2025, 5:30pm – 6:30pm PT, Virtual Event (Live)
Register: https://lambmccall2025smcoe.eventbrite.com
In this interactive workshop, Megan Lamb, founder, and Stephen McCall from E-Bike Sense will help parents, caregivers, and educators "make sense" of e-bikes to ensure the safety of youth in our communities.
Parents/caregivers, students, educators, health professionals, and community members welcome! Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available. Free admission.
This presentation is sponsored by Safe Routes to School, San Mateo County Office of Education, and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), in partnership with E-Bike Sense and The Parent Venture.
Questions? Contact Charlene Margot, MEd, Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Parent Venture (The Parent Education Series), at cmargot@parentventure.org.
Building Bridges: Neurodiversity-Affirming Practices for Parents and Schools
Emily Kircher-Morris, LPC, and Amanda Morin, Authors, Neurodiversity Affirming Schools
Thursday, September 18, 2025, 5:30pm – 6:30pm PT, Virtual Event (Live)
Register: https://kirchermorrismorin2025ndes.eventbrite.com
I
n this Neurodiversity Education Series event, authors Emily Kircher-Morris, LPC, and Amanda Morin provide parents and educators with essential knowledge about neurodiversity and neurodiversity-affirming practices.
Parents/caregivers, educators, health professionals, and community members welcome! Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available. Free admission.
The Neurodiversity Education Series is presented by The Parent Venture, Children’s Health Council, REEL2e, and The RILEY Project, with major funding from Sequoia Healthcare District.
For more information, visit www.neurodiversityeducationseries.org, or contact Charlene Margot, MEd, Co-Founder and CEO, The Parent Venture, at cmargot@parentventure.org.
