Wise Word - 08/12/2020

Principal’s Message:

Dear Golden Owls,

Can you believe our first day of school starts Monday? I know that many of you are nervous about what school will look like this Fall.  Our teachers and staff have been working extremely hard to create a virtual learning classroom experience that mimics in-person school as much as possible. This week is a training and planning week for teachers. Sometime this week you can expect a welcome letter from your classroom teacher. Additionally, on Friday we will be updating our Distance Learning Dashboard which will keep you informed on what the upcoming week will look like for your child.  It will also include a link to your child’s Google Classroom. (Please note that you must login with your child’s credentials to access the Google Classroom). 

As we get ready for another exciting year, we ask for your patience and understanding as we adapt to our new virtual classroom.  While we know it won’t be perfect, we are extremely hopeful that we will provide your children with the best learning experience. 

 

We appreciate you for supporting our school and students,

Mr. Taylor

 


 

Events Calendar

  • 8/13/20 - Materials and Supplies Pickup, 8:30am - 2:30pm

  • 8/14/20 - Materials and Supplies Pickup, 8:30am - 2:30pm

  • 8/17/20 - First Day of School - Distant Learning (Minimum Day - Dismissal 11:20am)

  • 8/17/20 - First Day Virtual Principal’s Coffee, 4pm - 5pm

  • 8/19/20 - Principal’s Virtual Office Hours, 4pm - 5pm

  • 8/26/20 - Principal’s Virtual Office Hours, 4,pm - 5pm

  • 8/26/20 - Back to School Night, 6pm - 7:30pm (More information to come)

 

 



In this Newsletter

 

School News

  • Students Not Returning

  • Materials and Supplies Pickup, 8:30am - 2:30pm

  • First Day of School

  • Attendance and Participation

  • First Day Principal’s Coffee

  • Principal’s Virtual Office Hours

  • Meal Pick-up at Vargas

  • EZMeal Application Help

  • Vargas News and Updates

  • Links to previous Presentations

District News

  • Parent University - Flyer here

  • Childcare Registration is Open

  • Free COVID testing at El Camino Healthcare

PTA News

  • General Association Meeting, 8/26/2020

  • Konstella
  • PTA Website
  • Amazon

 


Non-Returning Students

If you are not returning for the 2020-21 school year, please contact our school secretary, Evelyn Tellez ([email protected], 650-903-6952) as soon as possible. Please take a moment to reply ONLY if your children will NOT be attending Jose Antonio Vargas Elementary School. It will be a great help to our staff and other students and their families as we prepare for the 2020-21 school year.

 

Academic Materials and Supplies Pickup 

2 Options for parents to come on either  Thursday or Friday.

As you know, we will be in distance learning for the start of the school year.  During the first weeks of school, our school sites will prepare and distribute a district-standard general school supply kit to every student. The kit will include the following items (see here).

  1. Other supplies that will be distributed to students are:
    1. Chromebooks 
    2. Instructional materials, such as Eureka Math workbooks, (varies by grade level)
    3. Other materials to be determined, such as art supplies 
  2. Please know that some of our items are on backorder, and we will also be organizing another day for complete distribution.


Please plan to pick up your child’s materials during the following time blocks on
Thursday, August 13, 2020

Time

8:30-10:15

10:15-11:30

11:30-12:15

12:15- 2:30

Last Name

Last Name 

A-D

Last Name 

E-L

Last Name 

M-R

Last Name 

S-Z

*The names and times are spaced such that we do not have all families coming to campus at one time. This serves to limit the number of interactions.


Please plan to pick up your child’s materials during the following time blocks on Friday, August 14, 2020

Time

8:30-10:15

10:15-11:30

11:30-12:15

12:15- 2:30

Last Name

Last Name 

A-D

Last Name 

E-L

Last Name 

M-R

Last Name 

S-Z

*The names and times are spaced such that we do not have all families coming to campus at one time. This serves to limit the number of interactions.


Pick-up Procedure (Preferred Method)

We will be doing a "drive-through" pick-up. Before arriving write down your child's first and last name, and grade level on a piece of paper and place it on the passenger window. Please pull into the front parking lot in front of the office/MUR and a staff member will be there (masked and gloved) to distribute materials.  Please open your trunk or back hatch and we will place them in the car for you. 


Walk-up Procedure

If you are not using a car, Please walk up to the designated spot in front of the Front Office/MUR. (We will have signs indicating the correct location and appropriate spacing.) A staff member will be there (masked and gloved) to distribute materials.   


Before coming to campus please do the following Self-check:

1. Do you have any of these symptoms that are not caused by another condition? 

• Fever or chills     • Recent loss of taste or smell    • Cough      • Sore throat 

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing      • Congestion        • Fatigue       • Nausea or vomiting      • Muscle or body aches   • Diarrhea     • Headache 


2. Within the past 14 days, have you had contact with anyone that you know had COVID-19 or COVID-like symptoms? Contact is being 6 feet (2 meters) or closer for more than 15 minutes with a person, or having direct contact with fluids from a person with COVID-19 (for example, being coughed or sneezed on). 


3. Have you had a positive COVID-19 test for active virus in the past 10 days? 4. Within the past 14 days, has a public health or medical professional told you to self-monitor, self-isolate, or self-quarantine because of concerns about COVID-19 infection?


If you answer yes to any of the questions, please contact the school, and we will arrange for an alternate delivery method for your family.

 

First Day of School

Monday August 17, is our first day of school. Please login to your class’s Zoom link at 8:00am to take attendance.  For a demonstration on how to login into Chromebook for the first day of school, Click here. Remember to check the Dashboard and Google Classroom for the Zoom Link.

 

Your family may find these tutorials helpful as well:

Logging on to Google Classroom

Google Classroom


Please remember that based on our calendar the first day of school is a minimum day. Students will be dismissed at 11:20am.

 

Attendance and Participation

Positive school outcomes are directly related to student attendance.  Like in physical school, students are expected to attend school daily. School starts at 8:00am and attendance will be taken during our regular morning meetings.  If you are absent or have an appointment, please know that you will need to follow our normal routine of reporting absences. You can report by calling our front office. 650-903-6952 or emailing our front office staff [email protected]  and [email protected]. Similarly, school work and participation are not optional. Teachers will be completing participation grades daily. If your child is having difficulty with distance learning, our staff is available to support your family.

 

First Day Principal’s Coffee

Please join me for an afternoon Principal’s coffee. Register in advance for this meeting:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

 

Ms. Bea, our School and Community Engagement Facilitator will be available for interpretation in Spanish.

 

Principal’s Virtual Office Hours

This year I will host Principal Office Hours virtually on Wednesdays from 4pm -5pm. Feel free to drop in if you have any questions or if you just want to chat.

Register in advance for this meeting.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.


Meal Pick-up at Vargas

Vargas will be serving breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday, starting on Monday, August 17th from 11:30am - 12:30pm at the roundabout by the MUR.


EZ Meal Application Help

Free or reduced price meal benefit status from last year can be used to pay for lunches until Sept. 30. We can assist you  in applying for free or reduced price meal benefits through the National Lunch Program and can process applications quickly. Applications are at http://www.ezmealapp.com.  Deadline is Sept. 21st. 

If you need help, our office staff is available to help you.  Please email [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]


Vargas News and Updates: 

Stay current with the latest Vargas news and updates: read the weekly newsletter sent home every Week and posted on our website, follow us on Facebook, check out the PTA’s Facebook Page and PTA’s website.

 

Links to Previous Presentations

Principal’s Coffee and New Family Kinder Welcome presentations

Please use the following links to access the information from those presentations. Click here for 8/5/2020 Principal’s Coffee and here for New Family Kinder Welcome.

 

Click Here for info about our Vargas Teaching Staff.

 

 


 

District News

MV Parent University is back! 

We are proud to present two sessions to prepare families for a school year like no other. Join us on Zoom for two critical topics. Spanish translation will be provided. (See the flyer here)

 

Mental Health Awareness Town Hall

Wednesday, August 12, 2020, 5:30-7:00 p.m

A partnership with the County of Santa Clara Behavioral Health Services and Uplift Family Services. The panel will discuss the impacts of COVID-19 on mental health and share resources for families. Register here.

 

Distance Learning Resources

Thursday, August 13, 2020, 5:30-7:00 p.m. This summer we’ve been at work on a new Parent U resources page that we’re proud to share with you and talk through tips for navigating the tech and procedures of the new school year. Register here.

 

Childcare Registration is Open

During the time of COVID-19 and Distance Learning, MVWSD has partnered with providers Right at School, YMCA and Newton to provide on-campus, fee-based childcare with prioritization for the children of full-time essential workers. MVWSD students in grades TK-5 may enroll. 

 

Please note that these are District partners, not MVWSD programs. You may contact the providers with specific questions about their programs and their health and safety protocols. Childcare subsidies may be available for parents through the state of California. Please ask Right at School, YMCA and Newton at time of registration. 

 

Registration for these programs is open the week of August 3, 2020. For registration information, please click on https://www.mvwsd.org/childcare.

 

Free COVID testing at El Camino Healthcare

El Camino Healthcare District is offering free COVID-19 testing in Mountain View for anyone who lives, works, or goes to school in the healthcare district. You do not need to have insurance to get tested or provide proof of residency.  

Note that this is NOT the antibody test. This is a test that tells you whether or not you are positive for COVID-19 on the day of the test. Tests are required to be scheduled in advance and are available Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please call 650-940-7022 to schedule your free test. For more information on testing and locations, go to elcaminohealth.org/covid19testing.

 

 


 

Vargas PTA


General Association Meeting

The next general association meeting will be held via Zoom on August 26th at 4:30pm. All parents are invited to attend, only members are able to vote on items. We will post the agenda and send out the registration link soon! 

 

Konstella

This is the communication network for Vargas families. It will be used by room parents for class-specific announcements, by school program leaders for announcements and volunteer opportunities; and it will serve as the school directory for parents.

Grade level groups and Parent groups will be set up soon now that classroom teachers have been announced!

Please sign up on konstella.com and click on “Find Your School” in the top right.

Questions? Email Nayema DiFazio at [email protected].

PTA Website

On the PTA website you can learn more about planned activities, join and donate to the PTA and purchase SPIRIT WEAR

 

Amazon

If you shop through Amazon, please shop through the Amazon Smile portal for Vargas: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/90-1257353 A percentage of sales through this link goes back to the school.
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