Wise Word, 9/7/2022

Principal’s Message:

Hello Golden Owls,

 

We are settling into our school routine and students are continuing to strive to do their best. We finished assessing our students on i-ready and the teachers will be looking at the data to plan lessons to help tailor the students levels in the classroom. We encourage all of our students to practice the lessons on i-ready at home daily to work on the lessons assigned to them. In the next couple of weeks, we will be starting to draft our school site plan and creating goals using data from both i-ready and last year’s CAASPP. Our site goals guide our instruction for the year and align to our district’s strategic goals as described in the plan. 

In Partnership, 

Principal Vern Taylor


Events Calendar

 

September

7th

Principal’s Office Hours, 4:00 PM Register Here

8th

MVWSD Board Meeting, 5:00PM Agenda

9th

Superintendent Community Check-in, 3:30pm Register Here

14th

Principal’s Office Hours, 4:00 PM Register Here

16th

PTA Family Movie Night

19th

DELAC Meeting, 5:30pm - 7:30pm Register Here

20th

ELAC Meeting, 6:00PM

21st

Picture Day


Principal’s Office Hours, 4:00 PM Register Here

23rd

Principal’s Coffee, 8:30 AM

28th

Principal’s Office Hours, 4:00 PM Register Here

 

October

3rd - 7th

Scholastic Book Fair

5th

Principal’s Office Hours, 4:00 PM Register Here

6th

Family Science Night, MUR - 6:00pm

12th

Principal’s Office Hours, 4:00 PM Register Here

13th

Teacher Service Day - No School

14th

Recess Day - No School

 

 



In this Newsletter

School News:

  • Golden Ticket Winners

  • iReady Scores

  • Early Pick Up

  • Water Bottles

  • After School Pick-up and Drop-off

  • Picture Day - Wednesday, September 21, 2022

  • Now hiring: Noon Duty Supervisor

  • Now Hiring: Interpreters and Translators

  • Gift Card Donation

  • Principal’s Virtual Office Hours

 

Flyers

  • 2022-2023 School Year Calendar - Here

  • September Lunch Menu - Here

 

District News:

  • MTC seeks volunteers to mentor and tutor local students! - Flyer

  • Board meeting: Sept. 8

  • Members needed for the new Safety Advisory Task Force

  • Superintendent's Community Check In on Friday, Sept. 9

  • MVLA Speaker Series: Becky Munsterer Sabky - Author of Valedictorians at the Gate - Flyer

  • MVWSD Seeks Parents & Staff Members for Health and Wellness Committee

  • Ask your student about their MVEF-funded classes

  • YMCA Hiring After School Staff - Flyer

  • InPlay: After School Programs and Activities

  • Docents needed for Living Classroom! - Flyer

  • Searching for Volunteers to Serve City of MV Community


PTA News:

  • Movie Night 9/16

  • Volunteering

  • Membership

  • Kontella

  • Spirit Wear

  • Website

 


Golden Ticket Winners 9/1/2022
Yuri C.            RM: 1       Christopher B.     RM: 10
Devika M.       RM: 2       David C.              RM: 11
Cristian G.      RM: 3       Dominic M.         RM: 13
Caleb S.          RM: 4       Greidys G.           RM: 14
Katherine D.   RM: 5       Ismael R.             RM: 15
Sahasra D.      RM: 6       Duru P.                 RM: 16
Yoli L.            RM: 8       Yusa K.                RM: 17
Ela D.             RM: 9       Ms. Suryan          RM: 2


iReady Scores:
You can now access your student’s i-Ready Reading and Mathematics score through their Powerschool Parent Portal. Reports are available on the PowerSchool Parent Portal at https://ps.mvwsd.org/public/ under “Parent Reports” for each of your students. Please see a letter in your email inbox for more information. 

If you do not have a parent portal or need help creating one please contact our office staff Mrs. Antunez [email protected] or Ms. Silvia [email protected] 

 

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. 

    • Please note, students are only released to those that are approved for pickup on the emergency card. Please update your emergency contact information with any new approved adults by contacting our office personnel.

  • 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

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. 

 

After School Pick-up and Drop-off

The drop-off- and pickup lane is for drop off and pick up only. 

A few reminders:

  • Please do not leave your car unattended on the curb during pick up and drop-off.

  • Please wait in your car until students are brought to the main gate.
    If you need to park, please use the designated spots only. Parking is limited, so if you need to park, please arrive early and park in our designated spots only. 

    • **Our School maintains accessibility for people with mobility challenges in accordance with Mountain View’s guidelines. That includes blue reserved parking zones in our parking lot, for physically challenged drivers and passengers. Blue zones are areas reserved for parking by disabled persons. Blue means no standing or parking except by vehicles which display a distinguishing license plate or a placard issued pursuant to Section 2251.5 ("Disabled Persons' Exemption"), or Section 9105 ("Disabled or Blind Veterans"), of the California Vehicle Code

 

Picture Day - Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Picture day is coming. Please check your child's backpack for ordering information in the coming weeks. If you'd like to purchase online please use the information below on Lifetouch.com

School Name: Jose Antonio Vargas Elementary School

Picture Day Date: Wednesday, September 21

Picture Day ID: EVTVB2V74

 

Picture Day Procedures

Students will walk down to the MUR with their class. Pictures will be taken on the MUR stage. Your child will be the only student on stage at the time that he/she takes a picture. Pictures will take place inside. Masks are optional.  Please let us know if you want your child to keep their mask on for picture day. We have communicated with the Lifetouch photographers to alert them that some students may choose to keep their masks on. 

 

(Repeat) Now hiring: Noon Duty Supervisor 

Golden Owls families, We are still hiring for help with Noon Duty supervision.  If you are interested, please apply now at mvwsd.org/jobs.


(Repeat) Now hiring: Interpreters and Translators 

Are you bilingual/biliterate and looking for a way to support our families and students? MVWSD is hiring support staff to serve as interpreters and translators for multiple languages, including Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, and others. Apply now at mvwsd.org/jobs.

 

(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.  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].

 

(Repeat) Principal’s Virtual Office Hours

I will again be hosting 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. 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


MTC seeks volunteers to mentor and tutor local students! - Flyer

Do you enjoy working with kids?  Would you like to make a difference in the life of a student in our community?  

Mentor Tutor Connection (MTC) is looking for volunteers to mentor High School students and tutor K- 8 students in Mountain View and Los Altos schools. By serving as a mentor or tutor, you can help build a brighter future for a young person. 

MTC mentors are matched with a high school student who has requested a mentor. They meet regularly (typically 2-4 times per month), building a trusting and caring relationship while sharing new experiences together. A mentor’s role is to be a good listener and a non-judgmental source of encouragement and support. The program is designed to support students who have significant stressors in their lives—providing another caring adult to help them overcome obstacles and plan for a promising future. Students with mentors report having more confidence and less stress.

MTC tutors support elementary or middle school students. Some tutors work with their students remotely, others volunteer in classrooms or after-school. Tutors help with basic skills including reading, writing, math, and more. Additionally, tutors provide a consistent caring adult in a young person’s academic journey. The role of the tutor is to be an academic helper who demonstrates a love of learning. 

Additionally, MTC is seeking volunteers for a new program. Reading Fellows volunteers meet with individual students for 1/2 hour, 4 mornings each week, for a six week period. The program follows a specific phonic-based structured curriculum. It is incredible to see the difference you can make with this intensive framework!

As an MTC volunteer, you will be trained and supported so that you can help students achieve their potential and thrive! You can make an extraordinary difference!

Join us at our Volunteer Information Session to learn more.  There is no obligation to sign up as a volunteer.  You’re welcome to attend this session and see if this is the right volunteer job for you!  Invite a friend!

         Date:                 Wednesday, September 7th

         Time:                 12:00 – 1:00 pm

         Location:           Online via Zoom (URL provided upon registration)

         Register:            REGISTER ONLINE

         Questions:         [email protected]

         Information:     MentorTutorConnection.org 


Mentors must be at least 22 years old; Tutors must be High School graduates.

If you are interested in learning more about the program but cannot attend the information session, please contact Laura Hill at [email protected] for information on how to proceed.


Board meeting: Sept. 8

The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, Sept. 8 at 5 p.m. 


Some of the meeting topics include:

* Public hearing for instructional materials 

* Expanded Learning Opportunities Program update

* Budget: Unaudited Actuals 

* Strategic Plan 2027 update


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


Members needed for the new Safety Advisory Task Force

MVWSD is seeking parents (both middle and elementary school), staff (certificated and classified) and community members as representatives for its new Safety Advisory Task Force. The district is undertaking a holistic review of safety this year. The Safety Advisory Task Force will contribute considerations for areas of improvement and work with a security consultant on a safety audit. To apply by Sept. 8, please click here. To learn more about MVWSD’s safety goals, click here for the presentation to the Board of Trustees.


Superintendent's Community Check In on Friday, Sept. 9

Please join us for our Community Check-In with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Friday, Sept. 9 at 3:30 p.m. Bring your questions. Spanish interpretation will be provided. Click here to register: http://mvw.sd/CC99


MVLA Speaker Series: Becky Munsterer Sabky - Author of Valedictorians at the Gate - Flyer

MVLA will host Becky Munsterer Sabky for her presentation, “How to Apply to College While Keeping Perspective,” on Tuesday, September 13th from 6:00 - 8:00pm. Join us as Ms. Sabky, former Director of International Admissions at Dartmouth College and author of Valedictorians at the Gate, demystifies the college admissions process, offering students and parents guidance on developing a balanced college list, writing authentic essays, and making the final selection decision - all while keeping perspective and staying sane. Register for this free Zoom event here.


MVWSD Seeks Parents & Staff Members for Health and Wellness Committee

MVWSD is seeking parents and staff to lend their perspective and expertise to benefit students by serving on the Health and Wellness Committee. 


The Health and Wellness Committee aligns District efforts to support student wellness through health education, physical education and activity, health services, nutrition services, psychological and counseling services, and a safe and healthy school environment. 


Interested applicants should have experience, knowledge, or interest in the topics described above. In addition to last year’s members, we are seeking at least 1 parent and 1 certificated staff member per school and 3 representatives from community-based organizations. The committee may include up to 30 participants. 


The time commitment is approximately four meetings during the school year, beginning in October. Meetings will take place on Zoom. 


Applications are due by Friday, September 16, and may be found at this link: http://mvw.sd/health. Please direct any questions to Brian White, Coordinator for Health and Wellness.

Ask your student about their MVEF-funded classes

A few of your student’s favorite teachers and classes are probably funded by MVEF. An extra ELA teacher at each middle school means more manageable class sizes. Art and Music teachers from CSMA and plant science instruction from Living Classroom will begin enriching the experiences of elementary students this month. The generosity of MVEF donors makes these things possible. To become an MVEF donor or renew your gift for the current school year, click here


YMCA Hiring After School Staff - Flyer

The YMCA is hiring staff for after school programs that serve students on our campuses. To learn more about available positions and apply, visit ymcasv.org/jobs.


InPlay: After School Programs and Activities

Looking for after school programs for your student? InPlay offers a free searchable program guide for parents, with filters for age, location, price (including free or reduced cost), and more. To find programs local to Mountain View, head to: https://www.inplay.org/r/mountain-view. Available programs include those that serve students with special needs or English learners.


Docents needed for Living Classroom! - Flyer

Volunteer with us to teach fun, engaging STEM-based lessons in your local school!


Do you enjoy spending time with kids and being outdoors?

Living Classroom teaches science by using our school gardens as our classroom.

No prior teaching experience is necessary.  Bring a friend and join the fun!


Come to our training sessions in Heritage Park, 771 Rengstorff Ave. in Mountain View

Mondays, September 12th, 19th & 26th, from 9 am to 12 pm.

For more information, visit www.living-classroom.org or contact [email protected]


Searching for Volunteers to Serve City of MV Community

Recruitment is open for upcoming vacancies on several City board, commissions and committees that weight in on a wide range of matters. If you have an interest or background in the City’s downtown interests, environmental planning process, library, parks and recreation, performing arts, inclusive community relations or bike and pedestrian concerns, we welcome you to apply to serve on one of these bodies. Find more information and the application form at MountainView.gov/Advisors. Questions can be directed to the City Clerk’s Office at [email protected] or 650-903-6304. The deadline to apply is Sept. 29 at 5 p.m.

 



PTA News

 

Movie Night 9-16

Save the date! We are planning our first community welcome back event - an outdoor movie night! On Friday, September 16th. Stay tuned for more details.

 

Volunteering

We have many opportunities for parents to be involved in the PTA. 

  • Do you love the idea of having community events, like movie night or a fall carnival? Join our Events team

  • Do you think our teachers are hard working heroes and want to help them out where you can? Sign up to be a room parent.

  • Are you social media savvy, creative and have a few hours of flexible time a month? Help us with our Communications

  • Do you like the dine our community fundraisers we had last year? Help us coordinate a few dine out events for the year

  • Do you have an hour or two during the week? Help save our teachers valuable time and become a Copy Parent.

Visit this link  (https://tinyurl.com/VargasVolunteer2022) to see volunteer descriptions and to signup OR contact Shannon [email protected] or Kim [email protected]  

 

Membership

Please join our PTA. The cost is $10 a year. No strings attached! Being a member allows you to fully participate in our meetings, and helps our PTA to plan our budget and programs!

https://jointotem.com/ca/mountain-view/jose-antonio-vargas-pta

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”. Membership

Spirit Wear 

Mondays are spirit days at JA Vargas, wear green and show your school spirit. Check out our selection of green spirit wear. Place your order online and pick it up on designated days at the office.

https://www.javargaspta.org/ja-vargas-store


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]


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