Hello Golden Owls,
I was observing the fourth grade classrooms a few days ago and the students were making inferences in the class novel Wonder by R. J. Palacio. Watching students engage in high level thinking and discussions about this challenging text in fourth grade reminded me of the importance of establishing the foundations in earlier grades. The great part about the California State Standards is that they have backwards mapped the standards from high school (these are called the anchor standards), so there is coherence all the way down to kindergarten. While our 5th grade students are asked to “Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing” our kindergarten students are expected to “with prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.” Each subsequent grade builds on the established foundation from the prior grade-level’s work. While students are working on similar skills each year, and it seems repetitive, there are specific nuanced differences that are important to students, parents, and teachers to pay close attention to. If you are interested in examining this a little more closely, you can click here to find a copy of the learning progressions for English Language Arts.
This year, our school site will be focused on developing students' reading skills, especially when it involves the reading of informational texts. Our teachers will be working with students to ensure student practice and apply these particular skills during RTI, small groups instruction, and whole class instruction. As a vital partner, we will also be creating opportunities for you, our families, to learn about how to support students at home and provide access to materials that can be utilized at home.
Again, I look forward to the work we have ahead of us to ensure our students are successful this school year.
In Partnership,
Principal Vern Taylor
Events Calendar
September
-
21th Board of Trustees Meeting 5:30 pm Meeting here
-
21st Bike Safety Assembly
-
26th ELAC Meeting 6:00 pm - MUR Agenda
-
27th PTA General Meeting
-
29th Principal’s Coffee 8:10 am - MUR
October
-
2-6 Scholastic Book Fair
-
5th MVWSD Board of Trustees Meeting 6:00 pm Meeting here
-
6th PTA - Movie Night
-
12th & 13th staff development/work dayTeacher’s Service Day - No school
-
18th Picture day - Retakes
November
-
2th MVWSD Board of Trustees Meeting
-
3rd End of Trimester - Minimum Day 11:55
-
3rd Walkathon Afterschool - Save the date!
-
10th Veteran’s Day - No School
-
20th - 24th Thanksgiving Recess - No School
In this Newsletter
School News:
Golden Ticket Winners
No School for Students on October 12th and 13th
Principal’s Coffee Sep 29 at 8:10 MUR
Attendance Awareness Month: What’s an Excused vs. Not Excused absence?
Better Together: September
September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic American Heritage Month
Pedestrian and Bike Safety
Gift Card Donation
Lost and Found
Items Drop Offs
Early Pick-Up
Water Bottles and Student Property
Flyers:
2023 -2024 School Year Calendar - Here
SELPA 1 CAC Newsletter 2023-2024 Here
September Menu Here
District News:
The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, Sept. 21 at 5:30 p.m.
Volunteer with MVEF!
Understanding Youth Mental Health and the Road to Resilience: Sept. 20 here
MVPD Digital Safety Talk, Sept. 27
MV Public Library Parenting Program: Sept. 27 here
PTA News
PTA General Association Meeting - September 27th, 6:00-7:00 PM
Scholastic Book Fair - October 2-6
Movie Night Oct 06
Walkathon - November 3rd. Save the date!
PTA Participation Waivers
After School Creative Enrichment (ACE) Programs
Membership Drive - Ends Oct 06
Volunteering
Konstella
Website
Golden Ticket Winners September 13, 2023
Sofia B. RM: 1 Matthew R. RM: 11
Nico R. RM: 2 Peyton L. RM: 12
MJ Lovely Y. RM: 3 Emilio S.. RM: 13
Aya S. . RM: 4 AJ Yadao RM: 14
Neev B.. RM: 5 Jon A. RM: 16
Melissa V. RM: 6 Aria D.. RM: 17
Emily X. RM: 8 Julio R. RM: 18
Max L. RM: 9 Ms. Bisbee STEAM
Eva G. RM: 10
____________________________________________________________________________
No School for Students on October 12 and 13
Thursday, October 12th is a staff development day, which means no school for students but a staff development/work day for teachers, school secretaries and 12-month classified staff. Friday, October 13th a recess day (no school for students and staff)
Principal’s Coffee 9/29/2023
At our September Principal’s Coffee, I will present some school data and review our school site plan. Please join us in the MUR at 8:10. Spanish interpretation will be provided.
Attendance Awareness Month: What’s an Excused vs. Not Excused absence?
Illness, doctor’s appointments, bereavement, and certain religious exercises are excused absences. Please see MVWSD board policy for the full list. All other reasons are not considered excused.
Better Together: September
This month, #BetterTogether explores identity and celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, which are both essential components of fostering inclusive and enriching schools in MVWSD. Recognizing and respecting the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and identities of students not only promotes a sense of belonging and allyship but also encourages a more comprehensive and meaningful learning experience for all. Hispanic Heritage Month, in particular, provides an opportunity to appreciate the rich tapestry of Hispanic/Latino cultures, their contributions to society, and the stories of Hispanic/Latino students within our own community. Celebrate with us this month! We are #BetterTogetherMVWSD. For more information about Better Together, visit mvwsd.org/BetterTogetherMVWSD.
September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic American Heritage Month
We celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic American champions who have inspired others to achieve success. Our students will be engaging in activities to learn about the contributions of various Hispanic Americans.
Pedestrian and Bike Safety
On Thursday, September 21, our students will participate in the city’s Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program. The program provides our Golden Owls with lots of good information on walking and rolling to school, including these safety tips and rules for riding. Please make sure your child wears a helmet if biking or scooting to school. You can also see MVWSD updated information about safe walking and biking routes to school. (Click Here-look under Vargas)
Gift Card Donation
As you may know, there are several families in our district that need help to meet some basic needs. The district is providing meals every day. But some families need more support for providing food, clothes and shoes for their kids. There is a critical need for gift cards for these families. If you are able, please consider donating a Safeway or Target gift card to families in our own district. Thanks so much for your help! Let’s show these families how strong and supportive our Vargas community really is!
Please bring the gift cards to the office. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Bea, School and Community Engagement Facilitator – SCEF- at [email protected].
Lost and Found
The lost and found rack is getting full again, please take a look to see if any items belong to your child. The last day to claim any items is Tuesday, October 14th. Anything left after dismissal will be donated.
Items Drop-Offs
Snack/Lunch, music instrument, water bottle, Chromebook, and any other drop-offs
Please ensure your child has everything they need with them for school when you drop off in the morning. We are unable to assist and guarantee personal item distribution each day. I suggest a morning check-list to ensure you have all items. This can also help students build independence as they get older.
Early Pick Up
Do you need to pick up your child early? Please make sure to follow our procedure:
-
An approved adult must check in and sign-out students.
-
The office will call the classroom and ask for the student to come down.
-
Students will be dismissed from the office.
-
For security reasons, no one is allowed to go to the classroom to pick up students.
-
*Feel free to call the front office to alert us that you are on your own.
Water Bottles and Other Student Property
Students continue to become more familiar with our daily school routines, but we continue to see lunch bags and water bottles left behind. Please take a moment to label all of your child’s items so that we can quickly return them when left out at recess, snack and lunch.
____________________________________________________________________________
DISTRICT NEWS
The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, Sept. 21 at 5:30 p.m.
Meeting topics include:
For meeting details and agenda, please click here: mvwsd.org/trustees.
Volunteer with MVEF!
MVEF needs 1-3 additional volunteers at each school in MVWSD. MVEF school representatives help the families at their school understand what MVEF is and why it exists so that they are inspired to donate and spread the word about the impact of MVEF funding. MVEF also needs volunteers to help with planning our annual Gala and other community events. To learn more, visit: https://www.mvef.org/volunteer
Understanding Youth Mental Health and the Road to Resilience: Sept. 20 here
Youth and adults are invited to a panel discussion about teen mental health and well-being on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 from 6:30 – 8 p.m. at the Los Altos High School Eagle Theatre
(201 Almond Ave). County Supervisor Joe Simitian will moderate a panel of mental health providers and students who will share about how to support mental health, how to check in and talk with youth, and describe locally available resources. Sign up for the free event: https://direc.to/jNr2.
MVPD Digital Safety Talk, Sept. 27
Mountain View Police Department will hold a speaker series event on digital safety on Wednesday, September 27, at 7 PM at the MVPD auditorium, 1000 Villa Street. There will also be a live stream option. Learn from Mountain View cyber crimes detectives about how to help ensure the safety of you and your children on the Internet, particularly when it comes to social media platforms and usage. For information, call 650-903-6344.
MV Public Library Parenting Program: Sept. 27 here
The MV Public Library will host a parenting presentation, “The Best You for the Best Them,” on Wednesday, September 27, 2023 from 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm on Zoom. Research shows that teens' and parents' emotional well-being are highly entwined. With support from author and parenting coach, Laura Cleary, set aside time to acknowledge your need as a parent for selfcare, and receive concrete ideas and support to model this for your teen and uplift your relationship. Register here.
____________________________________________________________________________
PTA News
PTA General Association Meeting - September 27th, 6:00-7:00 PM
We will hold our first PTA General Assembly in-person at the Library. Please join us to hear about upcoming events and fundraisers– everyone is welcome. To help us prepare for the meeting, please fill out this survey if you are planning to attend. Agenda here.
Scholastic Book Fair - October 2-6
Our Fall Book Fair will be held in the MUR from October 2-6! To volunteer for a shift, sign up on Konstella here. Remember, all purchases benefit our school. You can learn more about the event and preview some of the featured books and products here. We hope to see you there!
Movie Night - October 6th
Join us for an outdoor movie screening of “Elemental” on Friday evening, October 6th, hosted by the PTA. Details to come.
Walkathon - November 3rd, afterschool– Save the date!
Please plan to join the entire Vargas community right after school for one of our most vital fundraisers and fun events of the year.
PTA Participation Waivers: Click here for waiver.
A Participant Waiver is required for you and your child(ren) to participate in any after-school activities sponsored by the Jose Antonio Vargas PTA during the 2023-2024 school year, such as the Ice Cream Social, Movie Night, International Festival, or the Walkathon. Only one form needs to be filled out per family; it is valid for all events for the 2023-2024 school year.
Afterschool Creative Enrichment (ACE) Programs
It’s not too late to join an afterschool class. If classes have started already, prorated fees can be offered. Some vendors additionally offer scholarships, be sure to check out the website for details.
For the list of programs and details about scheduling and scholarships, click here.
Membership Drive - ends October 6th
Our membership drive is in full swing. Help your student’s class earn a popsicle party! Classrooms that reach 70% PTA membership participation will get a popsicle party. Members who register by October 6 will be entered in a raffle to win one of three $10 vouchers for spirit wear. The cost is $10 a year.
Please join and make a contribution: https://jointotem.com/ca/mountain-view/jose-antonio-vargas-pta
Or visit our website to download a membership form, make a donation or find out about corporate matching: https://www.javargaspta.org/join. We hope to raise $150 per student through donations and membership to fund our wonderful programs.
For PTA membership fee sponsorship, please contact Mr. Taylor or Ms. Beatriz Claas.
Volunteering
Interested in helping out with Movie Night, Walkathon, or other activities? Fill out this form if interested: or email Kim at [email protected].
Don't forget to check with your company for corporate matching. Earn money for the school just by volunteering
Konstella
Konstella is our main PTA tool to share information with our Vargas community. You will also be able to communicate with other families from your child's classroom. It's free and you don’t need to be a PTA member to join.
Use this link to register: https://www.konstella.com/p/Vargas
Website
Find links to membership, Konstella, gear shop and volunteer opportunities on our website. https://www.javargaspta.org/home
Kimberly Cheng, and the PTA Executive Board
[email protected]
____________________________________________________________________________