Dolphin Digest

Tuesday, March 10

• ELAC Meeting, 8:15 am - Family Center
• School Site Council Meeting, 4:00 pm - Library & Virtual
• PTO Meeting, 6:30 pm - Library & Virtual

Thursday, March 12

• Report Cards Go Home

Friday, March 13

• No School - District Observed Holiday

Monday, March 16

• No School - District Staff Professional Development Day
• Spring Parent Teacher Conferences - 12:00 - 3:00 pm

Tuesday, March 17 - Friday, March 20

• Minimum Days for Spring Parent Teacher Conferences

Thursday, March 19

• Secure Campus Drill, 9:10 am

Friday, March 20

• Bingo Night - 8th Grade Promotion Fundraiser - 6:00 - 8:00 pm, MUB

Friday, March 27

• Principal's Coffee, 8:15 am - Library

Wednesday, April 1

• 1:00 Dismissal Day for Professional Development

Thursday, April 2

• Spring Pictures - NEW DATE

Friday, April 3

• Regular Minimum Day before Spring Break

Monday, April 6 - Friday, April 10

• No School - Spring Break

Last week, we had a wonderful time celebrating our very first Literacy Week in conjunction with Read Across America Week, and it was truly a memorable experience for our students and staff. Throughout the week, our campus was filled with excitement around reading, writing, and storytelling.

Students had the opportunity to hear from several guest authors, including Carter Adair, Jennifer Nielsen, and TZ Layton, who shared their journeys as writers and inspired many of our students to think about the power of their own stories. We were also thrilled to welcome community readers and family members into classrooms to read with students and talk about their own literacy experiences.

Classes participated in a variety of literacy-focused activities, including our Literacy Week poster contest, writing activities where students created their own poems and stories, and our school-wide Reading Buddy time, where students read together across grade levels. We wrapped up the week with our cozy Cuddle Up & Read Day, where students came in pajamas and enjoyed quiet reading time with their books and stuffed animals.

It was wonderful to see so many students engaged, excited, and inspired by reading and writing. Many shared that the author presentations and classroom activities encouraged them to read more and even try writing their own stories.

Thank you to our teachers for planning engaging activities, to our guest authors and community readers for sharing their time and stories, and to our families for supporting literacy at home.

Together, we made Clifford’s first Literacy Week a great success! We look forward to continuing to foster a love of reading and writing with our students throughout the year!

Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences will take place Monday, March 16 through Friday, March 20. These conferences are scheduled as needed based on student academic progress and/or other areas where additional support may be beneficial, such as behavior, social-emotional well-being, or attendance. As a result, not all families will receive an invitation to attend a conference during this window. However, families are always welcome to request a conference. If you feel a meeting would be helpful, please reach out directly to your child’s teacher to schedule a time.

Conference schedule:

• Monday (March 16): No school for students (Staff Professional Development Day)
  Conferences will be held from 12:00–3:00 p.m.

• Tuesday–Friday (March 17–20): Regular minimum days for students
  Conferences will be held from 1:45–3:00 p.m.

Teachers will be sending out conference sign-up information in the coming weeks. We value our partnership with families and appreciate your continued support of your child’s learning and growth.

Grades 3–5: Flag Football

Flag football is an exciting sport that gives students the opportunity to engage in the classic American game of football in a safe and inclusive environment. Throughout the unit, students will develop important soft skills such as teamwork, communication, and creativity.

In addition, they will continue strengthening key physical skills, including hand-eye coordination, quick movements like running, shuffling, backpedaling, and changing directions, as well as throwing and catching.

Grades K–2: Parachutes & Cooperative Games

Our Parachutes and Cooperative Games unit is a brand-new addition that we are excited to introduce this year! Parachutes are a classic elementary activity that many people remember fondly, sparking curiosity, joy, and a sense of wonder.

Paired with our new cooperative games, this unit provides our younger students with a full month of engaging activities focused on listening, communication, cooperation, creativity, and many other foundational skills. We can’t wait to see it all in action and look forward to an incredible month in PE+!

Monthly Metrics

Congratulations! The school with the highest average score among all fifth-grade students in the district, scoring an average of 5 points/student and earning the title in this year’s Frisbee Throw-Off is: Clifford!

Students with the highest individual scores will receive medals in recognition of their achievements, and the winning school will be awarded a trophy.

March’s Challenge: Football Accuracy Challenge

During the month of March, while our students participate in the football unit, our 5th graders will have the opportunity to put their skills to the test in the Football Accuracy Challenge! This friendly competition allows students to showcase their abilities on a district-wide stage.

In the challenge, each student will have 10 attempts to throw a football into various targets, each assigned different point values. Coaches will tally the points for each attempt and record the total as the student’s final score. This engaging activity provides a fun and competitive way for students to apply the skills they’ve been developing in class.

Here are the rules and guidelines:

• Students must stand at the 3-point line on the basketball court, aiming at the hoop, and must have both feet behind the line

• Students will make 10 throws toward the basketball hoop (5 points), and 2 kanjam cans on either side of the basketball hoop (3 points to get it inside, 1 point to hit the outside)

Join SEPTAR's Association Meeting on March 17 at 7pm on Zoom. We are very excited to have Detective Kyle Ballard, San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, with us to present on the topic "Navigating Disability and Mental Health with Law Enforcement."

You will learn about how the Sheriffs are trained to work with the disabled and mental health issues, you will learn how to teach your child about law enforcement officers, and you will learn what the Project Guardian program offers. Spanish interpretation is provided.

Register: https://bit.ly/SEPTAR-031726

Attention 8th Grade Families: We are collecting baby photos of our 8th grade students for the school yearbook! Please email your child’s baby photo along with their name to our Yearbook Committee teacher, Jason Agan, at jagan@rcsdk8.net.

We appreciate receiving photos by Friday, March 27. Thank you for your help in making this year’s yearbook special!

Ashanti Branch, Founder and Executive Director, The Ever Forward Club

Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 5:30pm – 6:30pm PT, In-Person Event

Register: https://ashantibranch2026.eventbrite.com

Join us for an interactive, in-person workshop with Ashanti Branch, founder of the Ever Forward Club and the #MillionMask Movement, featured in the groundbreaking film, “The Mask You Live In.”

As parents, caregivers, and educators navigate the challenges of raising youth, we share fundamental human needs — for support, expression, recognition, meaning, and connection.

Parents/caregivers, students, educators, and community members welcome! Space is limited, reserve your spot today! Free admission.

This special presentation is sponsored by allcove San Mateo 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.

Erin Walsh, Author of It’s Their World: Teens, Screens, and the Science of Adolescence

Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 5:30pm – 6:30pm PT, Virtual Event (Live)

Register: https://erinwalsh2026.eventbrite.com

In this interactive and energizing presentation, Erin Walsh, author of It's Their World, uses developmental science, warmth, and humor to cut through the conflicting messages about screen time and kids.

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

This special presentation is sponsored by Peninsula Health Care District and San Mateo Union High School District, in partnership with The Parent Venture.

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