Wise Word, 09/18/2024

Principal's Message

Hello Golden Owls,


Sunday marked the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month. National Hispanic Heritage Month runs through October 15, 2024. One way we can observe this month is through ceremonies, activities, and programs that celebrate Hispanic heritage and recognize the impact Hispanic peoples have had on our Nation.

At Vargas, posters of famous Hispanic individuals are posted throughout the school with information on how individuals have been influential. This week, students are excitedly doing a scavenger hunt around the school to learn about the positive impacts that each has made for our nation and culture! Additionally, Ms. O, has curated books that are written by Hispanic authors or that tell stories that feature Hispanic characters and she is prominently displaying them in the library. Teachers will also engage in grade-level appropriate conversations as well. On Friday September 27, our PTA is partnering with Ms. Bea to create several lunchtime activities that our students can participate in.

While we support students in exploring different identities and cultural backgrounds at school, it is also important for students to develop a positive cultural identity at home. Below is an article from Project Cornerstone’s Asset of the Month program that provides some discussion topics you can utilize with your child.


The Importance of Positive Cultural Identity

It is important for youth to feel that they belong. Positive identity brings self-assurance, a sense of belonging, a positive view of personal future, and better success in school. Developing a positive cultural identity—a critical element of personal identity—can be difficult for young people, especially when they may be bridging more than one culture.

The way that youth are treated in regard to their ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or gender directly affects their ability to develop a positive personal identity. As adults, it’s critical that we model recognition, understanding, and celebrating all cultural identities, including the cultures to which we and/or our children do not belong.

Sharing and celebrating different cultural identities increases self-esteem and promotes cultural competence among all young people. The diversity of Silicon Valley is a benefit to our youth as they are exposed to many different cultures.

The following discussion topics* can help families talk about their cultural identity:

  • What is our cultural background?

  • What are some things that you value about our culture?

  • What are some things about our culture that you would like other people to know?

  • Do you know anyone who’s from a different culture? In what ways are your cultures similar and different? Do your cultural differences make it difficult to be friends? How can you share your cultural differences in a positive, nonjudgmental way?

*Adapted from the Canadian Child Care Federation’s “Supporting Our Children’s Social Well-Being… It’s a Team Effort!” workshop

This article was provided courtesy of Project Cornerstone’s Asset-a-Month program. For more information, visitwww.projectcornerstone.org.

 

In Partnership,

Principal Vern Taylor
Important Dates

 

September
19th
MVWSD Board Meeting, District Office 6pm-10pm -Agenda
23rd
DELAC Meeting - Castro/Mistral MUR, 5:30pm
24th
ELAC Meeting - 8:10Aam, MUR
27th
Principal’s Coffee - 8:10am, MUR
30th
Kinder Literacy Night, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Sept. 30 - Oct. 4
Book Fair, MUR












October
3rd
Mountain View Library Field Trip
3rd
MVWSD Board Meeting, District Office 6pm-10pm
4th
Superintendent Community Check In - 3:30pm -Register Here
7th
SSC Meeting, 6pm
10th
Teacher-In-Service-Day - No School
11th
Recess Day - No School
14th
Lifetouch Picture Retakes
17th
MVWSD Board Meeting, District Office 6pm-10pm
18th
Vargas Walk-a-Thon
21st - 25th
Parent - Teacher Conference Week - Minimum Days - Dismissal 11:55am
28
DELAC Meeting, 5:30pm
28th - 31st
Walden West Science Camp
School News

 

School News:
Golden Ticket Winners
Attendance
Tardy Procedure
Hoot Loot and Reading Logs
Kinder Literacy Night
From the Library: Record a question for the author!
Gift Card Donation
District News:
The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 6 p.m.
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: There is Help. There is Hope.
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Share your ideas about social-emotional learning (SEL) for our students
Join us on our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) journey!
Join the MVWSD Budget Advisory Committee (BAC)!
Parent University: The Science of Reading, Part 2
Applying to be a school volunteer this year? Training and help sessions happen this month
Ask your student about their MVEF-funded classes
Great news: MVEF has reached its first milestone with $200k in donations this school year!
PTA News:
Upcoming Events (see below for details)
PTA General Association Meeting - September 25th, 6:00-7:00PM
Scholastic Book Fair, Sept 30th-Oct 4th
Family Coding Night- Thurs Oct 3rd
Trunk or Treat - Fri Oct 25th
Membership Drive Results
Konstella
Afterschool Enrichment Classes
Spirit Wear
Website
Community Partners
Health and Wellness Fair
City Searching for Volunteers to Serve Community
Ravenswood Mayview Flu Vaccine Clinics -Flyer
Golden Ticket Winners September 12, 2024
Emmanuel Q. RM: 1 Maxwell L. RM: 11
Lori K. RM: 2 Sara Q. RM: 12
Saaru K. RM: 3Pedro B.RM: 14
Madelyn B. RM: 4Peyton L. RM: 15
Zhouying L. RM: 5 Goldie N. RM: 13
Leo B. RM: 6 Elif G. RM: 16
Adelyn R. RM: 8 Adalberto H. RM: 17
Matthew C. RM: 9 Marco S. RM: 18
Ethan H. RM: 10 Mrs. Leopold RM: 4
Attendance
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We don’t want your child to fall behind in school and get discouraged. Please ensure that your child attends school every day and arrives on time.
  • A reminder school starts at 8:00am, drop-off starts at 7:45am
  • Please ensure your child is at school or getting dropped off before the gates close at 8:00am. Your child is considered late at 8:00am
Here are a few practical tips to help support regular attendance:
  • Make sure your children keep a regular bedtime and establish a morning routine.
  • Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
  • Ensure your children go to school every day unless they are truly sick
  • Avoid scheduling vacations or doctor’s appointments when school is in session.
  • Talk to teachers and counselors for advice if your children feel anxious about going to school.
  • Develop back up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, neighbor, or another parent to take your child to school.
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.
Hoot Loot and Reading Logs
Each year, schools are asked to create a School Improvement Plan (SPSA). In this plan, our school sets goals that align with the goals and initiatives of our district’s Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). One of our goals is to improve student's reading skills and ensure that 100% of students meet their annual typical growth target based on their iReady diagnostics.
Last year, one of the initiatives we started was school-wide reading logs and utilizing “Hoot Loot” to encourage students building a daily reading habit. As you might know, reading daily aids in language development, brain development, and also provides insight to a world beyond their immediate access. We hope that by helping students to build this daily reading habit, we will be able to move the needle on our students’ overall academic performance. Because the expectations for reading vary by grade-level, each grade-level will be sharing the specifics about what it looks like for that grade-level and class.
What’s a Hoot Loot you ask?Students will receive Vargas Dollars aka “Hoot Loot” based on different reading behaviors. One of those behaviors will be completion of reading logs. Students may also earn Hoot Loot in a variety of other ways including, but not limited to, extra reading practice as determined by the classroom teacher, making progress towards reading targets, returning library books on time, improving in academic performance, participation in parent literacy nights and other actions that teachers will share with students.
What can you do with Hoot Loot?At the end of each month, students will be able to shop at the virtual store to buy different items. Some items are small like pencils, some are large like stuffed animals, and some are classroom prizes like extra recess, pizza party, or lunch with the Principal. If you would like to support the Hoot Loot Store, you can contribute to our school’s wishlisthere. Thank you in advance for your partnership in supporting our students' reading each night.
Kinder Literacy Night
Please join our Kinder Teachers on September 30, 2024 from 5:30-6:30 for Kinder Literacy Night. This will be a workshop-style event where we will provide instruction for teaching phonological awareness, orally blending and segmenting words and letter sounds. Please bring your child, as you will be given the opportunity to try these strategies yourself! We look forward to seeing you there!"
From the Library: Record a question for the author!
We are having the best-selling author of the Spy School series, Stuart Gibbs, speak to our students virtually next week as part of our subscription to BookBreak. Your child can submit a question for the author talk which may be shown to hundreds of schools on the nationwide livestream!
How to submit a video:
  • The videos can be recorded on a smartphone. There is no need for any special equipment.
  • Take the videos in landscape orientation (i.e. hold your phone sideways)
  • Be aware of what is in the background. A blank wall or door is best.
  • There cannot be any background noise.
  • Be sure that we can see your child’s whole face straight on in good lighting.
  • Students should state their first name, school name, and state. (Example: Hi, I'm Eva from Washington Elementary in California. I was wondering...)
  • Only record one question per video, no more than 20 seconds long
Submit your questionhereby Friday, September 13.BookBreak will let us know if one of our students has been chosen. For more information, please seethis flyer.
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,Target or Costco 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].
District News
The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 6 p.m.
Some of the topics include:
  • Shoreline Update
  • Resolution Recognizing National Hispanic Heritage Month
  • Workplace Violence Prevention Plan
  • Greening Initiative Update
  • Equity Scorecard Update
  • i-Ready Diagnostic Assessment Data Overview
For meeting details and agenda, please click here:https://www.mvwsd.org/trustees.
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: There is Help. There is Hope.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available to provide help and hope. This lifeline is for any need: Call or Text 988 or online at988lifeline.orghttps://988lifeline.org.
Suicide impacts millions of people across the U.S., touching every community. As parents, caregivers, educators, and neighbors, we all have a role to play in preventing suicide. During Suicide Prevention Awareness Month (#SPM24), it’s vital to learn how to support those around us and recognize the signs of someone in crisis.
By coming together, we can create a stronger, more compassionate community where individuals feel seen, heard, and supported. Learning the warning signs and risk factors of suicide is key to offering hope to those struggling. By listening, sharing resources, and talking openly about mental health, we can save lives.
Let’s work together to offer support, prevent tragedy, and build a future where everyone feels valued. #SuicidePreventionMonth
If you or someone you know is in crisis, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available to provide help and hope. This lifeline is for any need: Call or Text 988 or online at988lifeline.orghttps://988lifeline.org.
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
September is recognized as National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Our awareness raises the visibility of mental health and proactive suicide prevention resources in our community. This year's theme is "There is Help. There is Hope." We share a message of hope and healing, and recognize that everyone has a role to play in preventing suicide.
Suicide Prevention is important every day of the year. Suicide Prevention Awareness Month allows us to shine a special, encouraging light on this topic that affects us all & sends a clear, hopeful message that help is available & suicide can be prevented. Resources are available at ourVirtual Wellness Center under the Mental Health taband your child's school. In times of crisis 988 is a nationwide resource that anyone can text or phone to speak with a crisis counselor.


















Share your ideas about social-emotional learning (SEL) for our students
Parents and staff members, please take a moment to complete a quick survey about social emotional learning by Sept. 30. Your thoughts will provide valuable insights into students' emotional well-being and development. Your feedback will help MVWSD and the SEL Curriculum Committee as they work to select curriculum and activities for students to better support students' social and emotional needs. Additionally, your ideas will be included in plans for how school counselors can support students.Click here for the SEL stakeholder survey.
Join us on our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) journey!
We are seeking applicants to join the MVWSD 2024-2025 SEL Curriculum Adoption Committee, where our focus will be Social Emotional Learning curriculum adoption. If you are interested in being a part of this moment in our SEL journey, please completethis applicationby September 20, 2024.
The SEL Curriculum Adoption Committee is seeking participants from all members of our District community, however it must be primarily composed of MVWSD teachers. We will meet up to 11 times this school year between October and April, including 3 Saturdays. The objective of this committee is to examine stakeholder input, SEL curriculum options, engage in a curriculum pilot, and make recommendation(s) to the Board of Trustees for adoption. Applying neither commits you, nor guarantees a seat on the committee. Following your application, you will be provided with next steps. Apply here:http://mvw.sd/SELCommittee
Join the MVWSD Budget Advisory Committee (BAC)!
Are you passionate about education and financial transparency? Do you want to help the district allocate its resources to ensure the biggest benefit for students? The Mountain View Whisman School District announces the formation of its new Budget Advisory Committee, and we need YOU!
About the BAC:The Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) is an essential advisory group that collaborates with the District to review, analyze, and make recommendations about the budget to the Superintendent. The goal is to ensure that the district’s financial decisions align with the strategic plan and meet the needs of our diverse students, staff, and community.
Roles & Responsibilities:
  • Review and Analyze: Examine the district’s budget, revenue sources, and expenditures to understand financial trends and projections.
  • Provide Input: Offer feedback and recommendations on budget priorities, cost-saving measures that minimize the impact on student learning and staff welfare, and revenue enhancement opportunities.
  • Engage: Serve as a liaison between the district and the broader community, sharing information and gathering input from stakeholders.
  • Collaborate: Work with other committee members to develop practices that support the district’s educational goals.
Member Makeup:We are seeking a diverse group of members to ensure comprehensive representation across our district, including parents and community members
  • Meetings: The BAC will meet quarterly, with additional meetings as needed during the budget season.
  • Outside of meetings: Members may be asked to review data and documents, or participate in community engagement outside of regular BAC meetings
  • Participation: We ask that members commit to attending at least 75% of meetings and actively participate in discussions and subcommittees.
How to Apply:Complete theonline application hereby September 23, 2024.
Parent University: The Science of Reading, Part 2
Date and Time: September 24, 2024, 5:30-7:00pm Registration Link:mvw.sd/pu092424r
In this second part of a two-part series, we will briefly recap part one and continue to learn more about the Science of Reading, particularly the importance of background knowledge and vocabulary for reading comprehension. We will discuss what that means for your child at school, and how you can support them at home. If you missed part one (in which we discussed phonics and word reading), you can watch or listen to the recording atmvwsd.org/parentu
About the speaker: Dr. Cyndee Nguyen is MVWSD’s Director of Early Literacy. She leads district efforts to ensure that all students, especially those of early elementary age, develop into capable and confident readers. Previously, Dr. Nguyen was a teacher and the principal of Bubb Elementary School.
To submit questions prior to the event, go tomvw.sd/questions. We will do our best to address your question during the session. Can’t make it this time? No problem - we always post the recordings a few days later atmvwsd.org/parentu
Applying to be a school volunteer this year? Training and help sessions happen this month
We appreciate our parent volunteers! Please check your inbox (email dated Aug. 5) for important information about mandated training and optional volunteer help sessions coming up in the next two weeks. For an overview of the process, please visithttps://www.mvwsd.org/volunteers.
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 & 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.
Great news: MVEF has reached its first milestone with $200k in donations this school year!
Thanks to our generous donors, we’re on our way to our $1.2M goal. These funds will benefiteverystudent in our district. MVEF helps reduce ELA middle school class sizes, covers for middle school coaches, referees, and bus transportation to games, and supports art, music, and environmental science enrichment in elementary schools.
MVWSD relies heavily on MVEF donations because state funding is limited by Prop 13, which restricts property tax revenue growth. MVWSD works closely with MVEF so that additional enrichment is still possible for our students. To learn more, clickhere. To make a donation,click here.
Also, pleasesave the datefor our biggest fundraiser -the Spring Gala:
Saturday, April 26th, from 6-10 pm.More details to come.
PTA News
Upcoming Events (see below for details)
  • Wed, Sept 25: PTA Association Meeting, 6PM @ the Vargas Library
  • Mon Sept 30 - Fri Oct 4: Scholastic Book Fair
  • Thurs, Oct 3: Family Coding Night
  • Friday, Oct 18: Walkathon - Save the date to join our main fundraiser of the year!
  • Friday, Oct 25: Trunk or Treat
PTA General Association Meeting - September 25th, 6:00-7:00PM
We will hold our first PTA General Assemblyin-personat the Library. Join us to hear about upcoming events, fundraisers, budget, and a presentation on the Measure AA- Parcel Tax. Everyone is welcome. Childcare will be provided.Agenda link here.
Scholastic Book Fair, Sept 30th-Oct 4th
COMING SOON: We are excited to invite you to our upcoming Fall Book Fair, which will be held in the MUR from September 30 - October 4! Our Book Fair is a great opportunity to support our kids' love for reading and earn rewards for our school. If you would like to volunteer for a book fair shift, pleasesign up on Konstella.
You can learn more about the event, browse books and already order online viahttps://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/javargas
Thank you for your support, and we look forward to seeing you at the Book Fair!
Family Coding Night- Thurs Oct 3rd
The PTA will be sponsoring a Family Coding Night, run by Code for Fun. There will be two sessions in the MUR; students are invited to join with their families at the following times:
  • 5:00-6:00pm - Kinder, 1st, 2nd grade families
  • 6:16-7:15pm - 3rd, 4th, 5th grade families
  • Important: Students must bring their chromebooks to use for coding.
  • A volunteer list will be sent out shortly on Konstella.
  • Email [email protected] with any questions
Trunk or Treat - Fri Oct 25th
Join us in the Vargas Parking Lot on Friday, 10/25, from 6-7:30pm for some festive Halloween fun! To sign-up to decorate a car/distribute candy, donate candy, or help with set-up or clean-up,sign up here.Email[email protected]with any questions.
Membership Drive Results
Golden Owl families– we are currently at 232 PTA Members! Congratulations to Rooms 2, 3, and 8 for earning bonus Scholastic book credit for their class. The following classes have additionally earned popsicle parties: Rooms 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 for reaching the Membership Drive goal. Thank you for your support!
Though the “Membership Drive” has ended, you can continue to sign-up for membership and donate anytime during the year.
Click here to join and make a contribution:https://jointotem.com/ca/mountain-view/jose-antonio-vargas-pta
To receive PTA membership fee sponsorship, contact Mr. Taylor or Ms. Beatriz Claas.
If you are interested in sponsoring membership for Vargas individuals in need, contact[email protected].
Konstella
Want to hear about the school-wide events planned by the PTA? Konstella is a free app/website– you do not have to be a member to join. 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.
Afterschool Enrichment Classes
If you are still interested in joining an afterschool class, ask about a prorated fee! It’s not too late! Check out the list here:https://www.javargaspta.org/after-school-programs
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.
Website
Find links to membership, Konstella, gear shop and volunteer opportunities on ourwebsite.
  • Follow JAVargas PTA on facebook for photos of events and updates on future events.
Kimberly Cheng, and the Executive Board
From Our Community Partners

 

Health and Wellness Fair
You are invited to attend the annual Family Health and Wellness Fair on Saturday, September 21, from 1 - 4 p.m. at Mistral Elementary School. The Health Fair is sponsored by Assemblymember Marc Berman's Office in partnership with MVWSD. There will be free groceries and snacks, school supplies and backpacks, diapers, flu shots and much more. Local healthcare professionals will be on-site to offer free health screenings for children and adults. Join in on the family-friendly fun!
City Searching for Volunteers to Serve Community
Recruitment is open for upcoming vacancies on several City boardsand committees that weigh in on a wide range of matters.The openings are on the Board of Library Trustees, Environmental Planning, Human Relations, and Parks and Recreation Commissions, and Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory, Downtown, Performing Arts, Senior Advisory, and Visual Arts Committees, and Public Safety Advisory Board.Find more information and the application form atMountainView.gov/Advisors.The link to the application is in each council advisory body webpage.Questions can be directed to the City Clerk’s Office at[email protected]or 650-903-6304. The deadline to apply isNov. 8at 5 p.m.
Ravenswood Mayview Flu Vaccine Clinics -Flyer
Free Community Flu Vaccine Clinics are happening from October 5th through December 7th (schedule is below). You do not have to be a patient of Ravenswood Family Health Network to get your flu shot. Any child ages 3 years and older can receive a flu vaccine at any one of our clinics. See attached flyers or visithttps://ravenswoodfhn.org/service/flu/for more information.
  • 1885 Bay Road, East Palo Alto:
    • Wednesdays: 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM (Drive-Through)
    • Saturdays: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM (Walk-in)
  • MayView Community Health Centers:
    • Palo Alto Location:
      • Tuesdays: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM (By appointment only)
    • Mountain View Location:
      • Fridays: 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM (By appointment only)
    • Sunnyvale Location:
      • Wednesdays: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM (By appointment only)
Flyers
2024 -2025 School Year Calendar -Here
September Menu -Here

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