Principal’s Message:
Hello Golden Owls,
Did you know that all schools in MVWSD have an instructional coach that supports ongoing professional development for teachers? Throughout the week, they meet with teachers to provide feedback, plan lessons, and improve outcomes for students. This year, Coach Casey is our instructional coach. As part of her role, she will be providing occasional tips in our newsletter. Don’t forget to check out our “Coach’s Corner” section of our newsletter for more information on how to support your child at home.
October is just around the corner, and it's shaping up to be a busy month. Check out some of the things that are happening in our school this month:
COVID updates: Testing
Upcoming testing: The supply of test kits and personnel is increasing. As a result, we anticipate that we can start full-scale testing on campuses by mid-October. In the meantime, you may see our schools practicing testing procedures in preparation. Click here for a video showing what student testing will look like.
PowerSchool uploads
PowerSchool Uploads: Parents can now upload to PowerSchool the important COVID documents that will help expedite students’ return to school after a COVID exposure. Please take a moment now to upload your documentation. After logging in to https://ps.mvwsd.org/public, parents will be able to click on the “COVID reporting” icon to upload:
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students’ proof of COVID vaccination and
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Past positive COVID test. Here’s how to upload.
Please call our office (650) 903 06952 if you have trouble accessing PowerSchool.
PTA Membership Drive
Our PTA membership drive is coming in October! We need your help to reach our 80% participation goal. To support your classroom teachers, please go to jointotem.com and choose Jose Antonio Vargas as your home school. Memberships cost $11 and additional donations are very appreciated! Donations will help pay for community engagement events, assemblies, author visits, educational subscriptions, teacher reimbursements for classroom materials, field trips, Ms. Bea’s scholarship program, and teacher appreciation. Your participation and support are needed to build our Vargas community!
Virtual Scholastic Book Fair
Our Scholastic Book Fair is starting next week! It's a great opportunity to stock up on new books and earn rewards for our school!
The Book Fair will be virtual and runs for two weeks from
Monday, 10/4- Sunday, 10/17.
You can find all the details and purchase books for your kids, friends and family at this link:
https://www.scholastic.com/bf/javargas
Feel free to share this link with friends and family who may want to purchase books to help us fundraise.
In Partnership,
Principal Vern Taylor
Events Calendar
29th - Principal Office Hours - Virtual, 4:00pm - 5:00pm - Register Here
29th - SSC Meeting, 5:00pm - 6:30pm - Register Here
6th - SSC Meeting, 5:00pm - 6:30pm - Register Here
7th - MVWSD Board of Trustees Meeting, 6:00pm - 10:00pm
8th - Superintendent Community Check-in, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
11th - Recess Day - NO SCHOOL
12th - Teacher Service Day - NO SCHOOL
13th - Principal Office Hours - Virtual, 4:00pm - 5:00pm - Register Here
20th - Principal Office Hours - Virtual, 4:00pm - 5:00pm - Register Here
21st - MVWSD Board of Trustees Meeting, 6:00pm - 10:00pm
22nd - Superintendent Community Check-in, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
In this Newsletter
School News:
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Golden Ticket Winners
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We are Hiring!
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No school for students on October 11 and 12
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We are Hiring! - Yard Duties
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Coach’s Corner
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Water Bottles
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Is your child feeling sick?
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Tardy Procedure
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LAST CALL - Lost and Found
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Gift Card Donation
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Principal’s Virtual Office Hours
School Flyers
District News:
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Up the effectiveness of kids’ COVID masks
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Board approved air quality protocols
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More than a meal: Reasons to Apply for Free-or-Reduced School Meals
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Your donations to MVEF support CSMA Art and Music!
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MV Public Library Events: In Conversation with Joanna Ho - Flyer
PTA News:
Golden Ticket Winners - Week of 9/27/2021
Marco S. RM: 1 Angelina Y RM: 11
Leyla B RM: 2 Isabella L. RM: 13
Alexa G. RM: 3 Pavlo (Pasha) P. RM: 14
Christopher B. RM: 4 Charlotte (Hoi Ching) P. RM: 15
Carlos M. RM: 6 Nicolas (John) B. RM: 16
Nico M. RM: 8 Natalia L. RM: 17
Jeremy C. RM: 9
The Vargas Way - Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be an Upstander.
What are Golden Tickets?
Students earn Golden Tickets from teachers and staff when they are following the Vargas Way. What is
The Vargas Way? Click here for an in depth view.
No school for students on October 11 and 12
Monday, October 11th is a recess day (no school for students and staff). Tuesday, 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.
We are Hiring!
Join our Vargas Team! Our school is in need of yard duty supervisors. If you are interested please apply here reference to job # 1374.
Coach’s Corner
Did you know that iReady is available via Clever at home? Students have access to both English Language Arts and Mathematics standards practice on iReady. Student lessons are adaptive and provide all students a path to proficiency and growth. Have your student spend 20 minutes on iReady each evening to encourage standards mastery and academic growth!
For directions on How to Access Clever at home using a browser, Click Here
For directions on How to Access Clever at home using an iPad, (Click here for Grades K-2) (Click here for Grades 3-8)
Water Bottles
Please remind your children that we want to make sure they are drinking enough water throughout the day, especially on hot days. Please remember to pack a full reusable water bottle each day. Students can refill water using the water stations inside the class.
Is your child feeling sick?
Please keep your child home if they are not feeling well. Signs to look for are headaches, runny noses, sore throats, fever etc… If your child has any of those symptoms, we will need a negative COVID test before returning to school. We want to ensure the safety of all children and staff. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping your child home to get the rest they need to recover. For more information about our district and county guidelines for quarantine and COVID testing, click here.
Tardy Procedure
Students are tardy if they are not in line by 8:00 a.m. Although one or two minutes may not seem like it makes a big impact, there really is an impact on your child and on the rest of the class. Please aim for having your child here by 7:50 a.m. to allow for possible slow-downs on your route here. We are well into our first month of school and have gotten our routine set. I will be starting to track students' tardiness on a weekly basis, and arranging appointments with families to discuss the importance, ramification, and any support you may need to resolve this situation if I see a pattern.
If your child is at school after 8:00 a.m. please remember, students must come through the office to pick up a tardy slip.
LAST CALL - Lost and Found
Our Lost and Found Rack is seeing nice sweaters, water bottles, lunch boxes that miss their owner. If items are not claimed by the end of this month 9/30 they will be donated.
Our Lost and Found Rack can be found in the following places:
(Repeat) 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. Thank you 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].
(Repeat) Principal’s Virtual Office Hours
Join me today for our informal Principal Office Hours (virtual) from 4pm -5pm. Feel free to drop in if you have any questions or if you just want to chat. For office hours, there is no formal agenda, it is a time for you to stop in to say hello, and for us to get to know each other better! I look forward to meeting you!
Register in advance for this meeting.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
District News
Up the effectiveness of kids’ COVID masks
Please click here for tips.
Board approved air quality protocols
The Board recently approved the MVWSD Air Quality Index Plan. On bad air days, decisions about actions, activities cancellations or school closure will be made based on AirNow measurements and the MVWSD Air Quality Index Chart. To view the MVWSD AQI chart and the live AirNow measurement, please see https://www.mvwsd.org/parents/virtual_wellness_center/air_quality.
More than a meal: Reasons to Apply for Free-or-Reduced School Meals
Did you know that filling out a free-or-reduced price school meal application each year can benefit not only your family but also your children’s schools? Before Sept. 30, please fill out your back-to-school 2021 application by visiting: https://secure.ezmealapp.com. Only one application per household is needed.
Your donations to MVEF support CSMA Art and Music!
Did you know that your donations to MVEF support CSMA art and music for your student? The CSMA programs for TK-4th began September 13th! Fifth grade art and music started August 31st! MVEF thanks the talented teaching artists and musicians who guide all MVWSD students to reach their potential with patient instruction and support. Please donate to support all MVWSD students at mvef.org/donate
MV Public Library: In Conversation with Joanna Ho - Flyer
The Mountain View Public Library presents “In Conversation with Joanna Ho” on Wednesday, Sep. 29 from 7-7:45 p.m. on Zoom. Joanna Ho, bestselling author of Eyes That Kiss in the Corners, is a writer and educator with a passion for anti-bias and equity work. Come with your questions about kids, self-acceptance and anti-racism. Registration required: mountainview.gov/librarycalendar.
On Tuesday, Oct. 12 from 1-2 p.m., join the MV Public Library for an interactive look at how Science Comics are made with graphic novel author Jason Viola. Recommended for children ages 7-12. Registration required: mountainview.gov/librarycalendar.
PTA News
Scholastic Book Fair - October 4th - 17th
Our Scholastic Book Fair is starting next week! It's a great opportunity to stock up on new books and earn rewards for our school!
The Book Fair will be virtual and runs for two weeks from
Monday, 10/4- Sunday, 10/17
You can find all the details and purchase books for your kids, friends and family at this link:
https://www.scholastic.com/bf/javargas
Feel free to share this link with friends and family who may want to purchase books to help us fundraise.
Membership Drive
Our PTA membership drive is coming in October! We need your help to reach our 80% participation goal. To support your classroom teachers, please go to jointotem.com and choose Jose Antonio Vargas as your homeschool. Memberships cost $11 and additional donations are very appreciated! Donations will help pay for community engagement events, assemblies, author visits, educational subscriptions, teacher reimbursements for classroom materials, field trips, Ms. Bea’s scholarship program, and teacher appreciation. Your participation and support are needed to build our Vargas community!
Get Involved
A great way to get involved this year is to become a room parent. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1VmB94ytD0ck24ygVjFXIjAKcElWOoP1HlW0Nm6P0_2A/edit
Konstella
Konstella is our main communication tool. The PTA will post information about meetings, events and volunteer opportunities. You will also be able to communicate with other families from your child's classroom.
Use this link to register: https://www.konstella.com/cd/XGJHYL
To Join a Classroom
Web: Click your name at the top left corner. Click “Your Children” to add/modify your children.
Mobile App: Click the Settings icon at the top left corner. Click “Your Children”.
Website
Find links to membership, Konstella, gear shop and volunteer opportunities on our website.
https://www.javargaspta.org/home
Shannon Lundin, and the Executive Board
[email protected]