Sandpiper students reached out to help children at Crestmoor Elementary School last month who were victims of the San Carlos fire. For over three weeks, the students brought loose coins to school and deposited them in a huge jar in the school office — collecting $800 in total! Crestmoor had five families directly affected by the fire. Principal Linda McDaniel and student council representatives visited Crestmoor and presented them with $800 of gift cards to Safeway and Target stores. Sandpiper students also made cards which were passed around the whole school for the families. The collection effort and presents fit in with Sandpiper’s Character Counts program — focusing on fundamental character traits education, including caring about others.

Over 60 percent of Sandpiper’s 498 children walked or biked to school on International Walk to School Day, October 6th. Sandpiper’s Green Team is offering backpack charms as incentives to walk or bike to school throughout the year.

Sandpiper parent Tracie Pon spearheaded a Halloween costume drive where dozens of costumes were donated to Shelter Network, which provides housing and support services for homeless families. In addition, Sandpiper parent Taneshia Smith and her daughter, Maliya, sewed 16 tutus and stuffed them in princess bags with wands and masks and cards naming each costume a different fairy.

— Bonnie Wolf