Hello Golden Owls,

Last Thursday, MVWSD Celebrated our Students who have successfully reclassified as English Proficient this school year!. We were proud of our 17 students. Please join me in celebrating James, George, Sahasra, Ivan, Erika, Eva, Alexa, Oscar, Pasha, Alondra, Celeste, Sophie, Kian, Ishkirat, Blair, Emily and Devika on their reclassification this year!. We are all so proud of you!

Last week, we Celebrated our wonderful Teachers and Staff who make Vargas such an amazing place to learn and grow.  Every staff member at Vargas - from Teachers and Instructional assistants to Office managers, Library Technicians, Food service workers, and Maintenance staff - works tirelessly to ensure that students feel safe, valued, and known at school so that they can grow and learn at high levels.  On behalf of the Vargas staff, thank you for your kind words and tokens of appreciation this week - they have really filled our buckets! Additionally, in honor of Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week, some MVWSD students made appreciation videos for our staff members. Please see it here: https://vimeo.com/825522079

On Friday, May 19th, we will be having a Volunteers Breakfast from 7:30- 8:00 am to celebrate our fabulous parent volunteers this year. If you have volunteered this year, please join us at the picnic tables on the blacktop.

Finally, the end of the year is fast approaching, and I want to make sure that parents are aware of upcoming days that may impact your childcare schedule. Please note the following:

• Thursday, May 25, 2023 is a Regular Thursday minimum day.

• Friday, May 26, 2023 is a minimum day because it is the end of the trimester.

• Monday, May 29, 2023 is Memorial Day, and we do not have school.

• Thursday, June 1, 2023 is a regular Thursday minimum day.

• Tuesday, June 6, 2023 is the last day of school, it is a minimum day and report cards and iReady Reports sent home. 

In Partnership, 

Principal Vern Taylor

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Events Calendar

May 2023

June 2023

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In this Newsletter

School News:

GoldenTickets 

School Site Council Vote

Library-Time to return Books before 5/19/2023

Assessments and iReady

Vargas Field Days

Ice Cream Social

How to apply to be a Regular Volunteer Next Year

Flyers:

May Menu Here

2023-2024 School Year Calendar - Link here

Talent Show - Flyer here

District News:

The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday May 18 at 6:00 pm

Starting May 17: View and Comment of MVWSD’s local Control Accountability Plan draft

MVWSD + Afterschool Applications for 2023-2024 School Year

May is Mental Health Awareness Month!

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline:

Military OneSource Benefits

Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Call Center

Recording Available: Parent University “Preparing for High School”

May Better Together Infographic Flyer here

Replay: Vaping Education and Prevention

Free and low cost summer programs - InPlayKids Flyer here

MVEF Update

Health and Wellness Parenting Tip: Conflict Resolution

CHAC Summer Sessions for Students Flyer here

City of Mountain View: KidStock Flyer here

Mountain View Summer Community Kick-Off Flyer here

MV Public Library: Summer Reading Program & Upcoming Events Flyer here - Flyer here - Flyer here Flyer here

PTA News:

PTA Association Meeting Wednesday, May 24th 7 PM on Zoom

Open Positions

Kinder Summer Play Dates

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Golden Ticket Winners 

No Golden Ticket Winners this week.

      

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School News

SSC Vote

Please vote for the School Site Council representatives. We need three new members for 20232-24. You can vote online here (Vote online) If you prefer a printed ballot, please contact us at [email protected] or call the front office.

Library - Time to return Books by Friday 5/19/2023! 

Another year is coming to a close. I want to thank all the Golden Owl families for your help to make it a great year in the library by buying or donating books.

It is also time for me to collect all the library books and/or fees due to our school.

We will have a little competition among each grade the week of May 15th to 19th: the first class for each grade level that returns ALL library books and fees by May 19th, will earn extra recess time.

ON YOUR MARK….SET….GO!

Assessments and iReady 

Our K-5 students are completing their third trimester iReady assessments. The reports will be available for parent access on the last day of school at 4:00PM. Parents will be able to log in into PowerSchool to access the following reports: For Families, CCSS, and Growth Reports.

Vargas Field Days 

On Friday, May 26, Vargas will be conducting field days. To ensure this day is safe and fun for your child, the following items are recommended:

T-Shirt: color of the team assigned to as noted in teacher notification.

Sunscreen

Hat or Visor

Shorts and Sweatshirt

Tennis Shoes

Water/Water bottle

End of Year Ice Cream Social - Tuesday, June 6 (12:00-1:30PM)

Save the Date - The PTA is hosting an Ice Cream Social to celebrate the end of the school year on Tuesday, June 6th from 12:00-1:30PM on campus. More details to follow.

How to Apply to be a Regular Volunteer Next Year

Start collecting documents now to avoid delays at the beginning of the school year. For all of the details and documentation required, please see mvwsd.org/volunteers. 

If you have never had a badge before, please read the fingerprinting fact sheet and then ask your principal for the fingerprint request form. After you complete the form, your school will give you the link to the Raptor volunteer application.

If you want to renew your volunteer badge, ask your school for the link to the Raptor volunteer application. TB tests are good for 3 years, although you will still need to upload proof in the online application. Fingerprint checks are good for a few years. In the online application, you will provide the last school year you completed a check or the ATI number.

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District News

The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, May 18 at 6:00 p.m.

Some of the topics include:

• Report - Kindergarten Readiness Analysis

• Parameters for Boundary Adjustments

• Equity Scorecard: Understanding the District's Needs 

For meeting details and agenda, please click here: https://www.mvwsd.org/trustees.

Starting May 17: View and comment on MVWSD’s Local Control Accountability Plan draft

The District is finalizing its draft of the LCAP (Local Control Accountability Plan). This is the District’s three-year plan that corresponds with the first three years of the District’s new Strategic Plan 2027. These documents are the blueprints that guide all of the District’s work for the benefit of our students.

Beginning May 17 through May 24, stakeholders are welcome to comment on the draft LCAP plan. You may read presentations and supporting materials at https://www.mvwsd.org/lcap and make comments. Stakeholders may also attend the public hearing during the Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, June 1. Agenda and time are found on https://www.mvwsd.org/trustees.

MVWSD+ Afterschool Applications for 2023-24 School Year

Free MVWSD + Afterschool childcare will be available for qualifying students next school year. To learn more about the program, including whether your child may qualify, go to www.mvwsd.org/plus. Applications will be sent to qualifying students’ families via email over the next few weeks. Please respond promptly to ensure a spot for your child starting on the first day of the new school year! If you have any questions, please contact your school’s office, SCEF, or email [email protected].

May is Mental Health Awareness Month!

This year’s theme is Look Around, Look Within and we are highlighting topics and resources that support mental wellness for families and children. 

 

Did you know that 1 in 4 people will experience anxiety, depression, or another form of mental illness at some point in their life? It’s normal for all of us to struggle sometimes as we face highs and lows. Check out the following resources to find professional support, helplines, and ways to practice social and emotional wellness. 

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 

Call/text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org if you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotion distress. 

Military OneSource Benefits 

Military OneSource is a DoD website that provides information about support services, programs, and allowances provided to the military community. Military OneSource counseling offers free, short-term, confidential counseling services for service members and their families.  

Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Call Center

Call (800) 704-0900 for information and referrals for county-based mental health and substance use treatment services (County of Santa Clara Behavioral Health Services).

Mindfulness Resources

Zero to Three.org offers mindfulness activities and resources focusing on parents and very young children. 

Big Life Journal provides a mix of free and for purchase mindfulness resources including books and journals, videos, and articles.

Square Breathing from The Monday Campaigns demonstrates how to do a simple square deep breathing exercise that is helpful for kids and adults of all ages. 

Stay tuned for more strategies and information this month!  

Recording available: Parent University "Preparing for High School"

In case you missed it, the Parent University "Preparing for High School" presentation recordings are now available: English (https://vimeo.com/825294295) and Spanish (https://vimeo.com/825226973). Learn about high school campus life from students and staff at Los Altos High School and Mountain View High School. For all past presentation materials, visit mvwsd.org/ParentU.

May Better Together Infographic Flyer here

Happy AAPI Heritage Month! This May, we celebrate and honor the diverse cultures, traditions, and contributions of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. As we reflect on this important month, let us also remember the importance of being proud - having pride in who we are, where we come from, and what we bring to the world. Let's take this opportunity to stand in solidarity with our AAPI friends and family and celebrate our shared values of inclusivity, diversity, and acceptance. Please see the attached flyers or visit http://mvwsd.org/bettertogetherMVWSD.

Replay: Vaping education and prevention

E-cigarette use and vaping is on the rise among adolescents with serious health consequences. Watch the replay of the very informative session sponsored by Graham Middle School about vaping education and prevention in collaboration with the MVPD Youth Services Division featuring Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher of Stanford University. Workshop recording link is here. For Spanish, go to settings (the wheel icon) at the bottom right of the screen and click subtitles/cc > Auto translate > Spanish.

Free and low cost Summer Programs Flyer here

Summer is around the corner, so it’s time to explore ways to keep your children engaged when school ends! Check out InPlayKid’s free online search service sponsored by Santa Clara County and our school district. You’ll find thousands of local and affordable programs that will challenge, inspire, and entertain your children to minimize summer brain drain. https://www.inplay.org/r/mountain-view

MVEF Update: 

Continuing the incredible momentum sustained throughout this school year, the 2023 MVEF Spring Gala raised approximately $130,000! THANK YOU to everyone in the community who supported the MVEF Gala! To view the Gala Photo Album, click here: https://bit.ly/MVEF-Gala-Photos. Whether you attended, or helped spread the word, or donated an item, or volunteered, or found a sponsor, or helped in any other way with the MVEF Spring Gala, your help made a difference! Community support of MVEF reaches every single student in MVWSD schools each year. 

MVEF is very close to achieving the $1.2 MM goal for the 2022-23 school year. If you have not yet donated or if you have the ability to help us stretch to the finish, then we'll finish this school year stronger than ever before! To donate now, click here: https://bit.ly/Donate-to-MVEF

Health and Wellness Parenting Tip: Conflict Resolution

Conflict resolution is essential for kids to master, but many worry about saying or doing wrong. They may worry about damaging new friendships, so they freeze up and feel stuck. Sometimes, it’s hard for parents to teach their children conflict resolution. However, with some practice, your child can develop the skills necessary to think carefully through challenges and act in ways that are helpful in resolving conflicts and solving problems for themselves and others.

To learn more about conflict resolution, click here

Here are some tips to improve and teach conflict-resolution skills to your kids: 

1. Developing well-rounded friendships. Help your child remember that, even during conflicts, friends and classmates have feelings and deserve to be treated well. 

2. Build a “feelings” vocabulary. Recognizing and naming feelings is a skill that must be taught, and the more students practice, the better equipped they are to manage their feelings and communicate.

3. Practice emotion regulation. Regulating angry feelings is an essential first step in successful communication and problem-solving. Teaching your child to stay calm gives them room to breathe as they prepare to work through a challenge.

4. Teach the power of words. Once they escape our lips, words can’t be taken back! An important skill for conflict resolution is to engage in disagreements and problem-solving with considerate and respectful dialogue that recognizes the value of perspective.

5. Sort through situations or agree to disagree. Allowing your child the time and space to come to a solution together is essential in developing their communication skills. However, sometimes a problem has no compromisable solution, and when that happens, students can learn to agree to disagree

These tips came directly from the free online website of Centervention. 

To view more parenting tips, click here.

CHAC summer sessions for students  Flyer here

CHAC is offering fee-based classes in July for students covering topics such as healthy friendships, anxiety management and play-based social-emotional learning. For more information, see the attached flyers or click on bit.ly/43CAfe9

City of Mountain View: KidStock Flyer here

The City of Mountain View will be hosting KidStock, a kid-centric festival featuring live children's music from popular Bay Area performers, plus games, arts and crafts, and more! All events are from 10 a.m. to noon and take place on the Civic Center Plaza. Schedule is below.

Saturday, May 20, 2023 | Performer: Andy Z

Saturday, June 17, 2023 | Performer: Lori & RJ

Saturday, July 15, 2023 | Performer: Sean's Music Factory

Mountain View Summer Community Kick-off Flyer here

Join the City of Mountain View and local organizations for a Summer Community Kick-off on Saturday, June 10 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m at Rengstorff Park. Come out for a day of fun and learn about community resources to help you stay healthy, happy and housed! Family activities will include Library Storytime (10:30 a.m.), Pop-up Art Class, Arts & Crafts, Raffle, Shaved Ice, and Tacos.

MV Public Library: Summer Reading Program & Upcoming Events Flyer here Flyer here - Flyer here Flyer here

Registration is now open for the Mountain View Public Library’s Summer Reading Program, which runs from June 1-July 31, 2023. Read, learn and earn rewards! Register the whole family for this free program here.

Upcoming Public Library events include Estate Planning Fundamentals for Parents on May 23, a Summer Reading Program Kickoff Concert on June 3, and a Chibis and Monsters Drawing Workshop on June 7. Visit MountainView.gov/Library for more events and information.

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PTA News

PTA Association Meeting Wednesday, May 24th 7 PM on Zoom Registration / Agenda

Join us for our last Association Meeting of the year. We will review our budget from this year and we need to approve our proposed budget for next school year.

Open Positions 

We are still looking for a few positions for next year; Vice President (member of the executive board, check signer and assistant to the president) and other committee roles such as membership, hospitality and more. See a list of positions and descriptions here. 

Kinder Summer Playdates 

If you have an incoming kindergartener next year we are looking for a couple of parents to help organize a couple of incoming kinder play dates over the summer. Helping may include  pick a date and park to meet at, purchase refreshments (reimbursed by PTA). This is a great way for kinders to meet future classmates and parents to meet other parents and share questions and ease nerves before first day. Contact Kim if you are able to help organize play dates [email protected]

Once dates and locations are set we will announce on Konstella. Or sign up here to get incoming kinder news. Feel free to share this link with other families in the community that will have a new kinder entering Vargas

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