Otter Up!
August 3rd, 2026
Good Evening Shoal Creek Families!
What a wonderful and energetic week we’ve had on campus! Our students brought their brightest smiles for Picture Day, and it was fantastic seeing everyone dressed up and ready for the camera. We also had their first VAPA (Visual and Performing Arts) Vision lesson with our VAPA Vision teachers.
Looking ahead:
We have a few exciting events coming up that we hope you will join us for.
- PTO Mixer this Thursday from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM at The Stand to connect with other families and enjoy a great meal together.
- Wrap up the week with us on Friday morning for our Friday Flag assembly as we gather to celebrate student achievements and build our school spirit.
Building consistent, daily attendance habits is vital for your child’s learning and growth, though we know illnesses and emergencies do happen.
To help you navigate when an absence occurs, please review this guide on Excused vs. Unexcused Absences.
Thank you for your continued partnership, support and energy. We look forward to seeing you at The Stand on Wednesday and at Friday Flag!
Follow our school on Instagram @shoalcreek_otters
If you have questions or need support, please reach out to our team. We are happy to help!
Enjoy your Sunday evening!
Kindly,
Harmeena Omoto
Principal
Shoal Creek Elementary
Helpful Links
This Week at a Glance
Monday August 31st
Wear your Shoal Creek swag
Tuesday September 1st
Make Up Picture Day
Wednesday September 2nd
Thursday September 3rd
The Stand Dine Out 11am-9pm
PTO Mixer 5-6:30pm
Friday September 4th
Friday Flag at 7:45am
Make-Up Picture Day This Wednesday
Students who missed picture day last week can get their photo taken on Tuesday.
Heritage Night is Coming Soon!
We’re kicking off the school year with Heritage Night! This is a special evening celebrating all the cultures that make our school community unique. Families will get to travel the world right here in our school and enjoy food samples, music, displays and activities. Mark your calendars - September 24th from 5-7pm. We can’t wait to celebrate together!
IMPORTANT: Our Heritage Night would not be possible without Otter family participation! We need sign ups! If you are interested in representing your country/heritage with a display, OR if your child is interested in doing a performance, please fill out THIS form. Thank you!
PTO Mixer and Dine Out at The Stand
It’s time for our first Dine Out event of the year! THIS Thursday, September 3rd from 11AM to 9PM, head over to The Stand in Carmel Mountain Ranch for lunch or dinner to raise money for our school. Enjoy craft burgers, wraps, fries, salads, and more. Dine-in, take-out, or order online. Simply present this flier or show it on your mobile device, and The Stand will donate 25% of your food and beverage purchases back to our school! Enter coupon code: “SHOALCREEK” when ordering online.
DON’T MISS OUT ON THE PTO MIXER! Come between 5:00-6:30 PM to meet your PTO and learn all about the events planned for this year. Find out ways to get involved and connect with new and amazing families from Shoal Creek! Hope to see you there!
Otter Cafe This Friday
Friday Flag
We look forward to seeing you at our Friday Flag at 7:45am!
- Please remember to allow yourself time to find parking on the street.
- As a reminder, do not park along red curbs or in staff parking.
- We appreciate you being respectful to our neighbors as you are dropping off/picking up and parking in the neighborhood.
- Families may walk with their child to the playground and enjoy our first Friday Flag of this School year.
If you plan to attend Friday Flag, please talk with your child about what to expect once Friday Flag has ended.
- Frontload them by telling them that you will be leaving once it has ended.
- They will go to their classroom with their teacher.
- We appreciate our families leaving, through the front gates, once Friday Flag has ended.
- Consider creating a special signal with your child, that you show them, before you leave, so they know you love them and will see them after school.
- This conversation will help your child understand the expectations at Friday Flag and the change in their regular routines and schedule.
Reminder: No School on Labor Day
There will be no school on Monday, September 7th, in observance of Labor Day! Enjoy the long weekend with family and friends, rest up, and we look forward to welcoming our students back to campus on Tuesday, September 8th.
Character Strong! Newsletter
Click here to read about this month's SEL (Social Emotional Learning) focus.
Volunteer Information
Want to volunteer at Shoal Creek this school year? We’re excited to welcome our Otter volunteers back!
Before applying, please note these important updates:
📋 New application: All volunteers (new and returning) must complete the SCES 2026–2027 Volunteer Application.
🪪 Photo ID required: Upload a current government-issued photo ID (military ID is not accepted). Your application name must match your ID exactly.
🩺 TB clearance: New Requirement! A completed California School Employee TB Risk Assessment Questionnaire is required. We no longer take the TB Test Results, you must complete and have a physician sign this form. Please see our 2026-27 Volunteer Information sheet link below for more information.
📚 Level 1 volunteers: New Requirement! AB 1913 training must be completed within 90 days of applying, with the certificate uploaded to your application. Please see our 2026-27 Volunteer Information sheet link below for information regarding completing this training.
⏰ Please be patient! Volunteer applications will be processed as our school routines and procedures are established. We will try our best to have your application reviewed and approved within 7-10 business days.
Attachments:
SCES 26-27 Volunteer Information
Parent Education Workshops
Our Caring Connections Counseling center is offering fee-based Parent Education courses in September. There are several NEW course offerings. Visit the website for more information!
September is Attendance Awareness Month
Help your child be an Attendance H.E.R.O.:
Here. Everyday. Ready. On-time.
Parent partnership is crucial to ensuring our students are receiving the full advantage of consistent school attendance. Students who attend school regularly are significantly more likely to achieve proficient academic levels in reading and math, do better on tests, as well as graduate and be successful in future endeavors. Help us accomplish this by:
Establishing consistent bedtimes and wake up times
Getting to school on time
Planning ahead to avoid scheduling appointments and vacations during school hours/days
Communicating with teachers regarding illnesses or religious/cultural holidays
Staying engaged and regularly checking in with your children about their experiences
Emphasizing the importance of attendance with your children
Reaching out to us for help to address any barriers to attendance
Thank you for your support and partnership! For more attendance tips and resources go to bit.ly/attendancehero
At Shoal Creek Elementary, we are here to partner with families and support our students. If you need assistance regarding your child’s attendance, please contact our Principal, Harmeena Omoto at homoto@powayusd.com or call the front office at 858-613-9080.
Otterly Giving Campaign
It’s time for the Shoal Creek PTO Otterly Giving Campaign! This is a DIRECT ASK campaign which means 100% of your donation goes directly to the school, to fund enrichment programs and resources otherwise not provided by the district. Look for the Otterly Giving Campaign flier that’s coming home in your child’s folder this week. Donations can be made by check (payable to Shoal Creek PTO), cash, or online at otterly-giving-campaign.cheddarup.com. Those who submit a donation by this Thursday, Sept 3, will have a chance to be randomly selected to win a school photo package! Thank you in advance for your support and involvement as a school - together we make all the difference!
Birthday Banners
Celebrate your child’s September birthday by announcing it on Shoal Creek’s Birthday Banner! These announcements are completely unique to each student and will include your child’s first name and last initial, birthday (month and day), favorite color, and top 3 favorite activities or interests (hobbies, sports, etc). Once their birthday is over, they’ll get to take their announcement home as a keepsake. Head to our birthday banner page HERE for more info.
Shoal Creek PTO on Social Media
Make sure you’re following the Shoal Creek PTO social media accounts, so that you can be informed of all of the PTO events and fundraisers happening this school year! Follow us on Instagram: @shoalcreek.pto and on Facebook: @Shoal Creek Elementary PTO
Upcoming September Cultural Observances
9/1 Installation of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh)
9/4 Krishna Janmashtami Festival (Hindu)
9/5 International Day of Charity (UN)
9/7 Labor Day (USA)
9/8 International Literacy Day
9/9 California Admission Day
9/11 Patriot Day / Day of Remembrance and Service (for 9/11) (USA)
9/11- 9/13* Rosh Hashanah (Jewish)
9/12 Native American Day
9/12 Guru Granth Sahib Jayanti (Sikh)
Planning Ahead
9/7 Labor Day-No School
9/8 Music Class begins TK-4th Grade
9/9 VAPA Vision
9/10 PUSD Board Meeting 6pm
9/21-9/25 Start with Hello Week
9/24 Heritage Night
9/25 VAPA Vision