Principal’s Message:

Hello Golden Owls,

I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow at the Open House. During this time, you and your child will get to celebrate the learning that has happened over the past year. Please remember that Open House is not a time for individual conferences with the teacher, but a chance to celebrate all the learning over the last year. If you have concerns or want to discuss your child’s progress, please work with your child’s teacher to set up a meeting to address these concerns. After you visit your child’s class, please also visit the MUR to see the CSMA art show (Flyer), which is made possible by MVEF.

New Math Initiative

Math fluency is the idea that students can quickly and correctly recall basic math facts. When students are able to fluently solve basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems, they are able to devote more cognitive energy into solving more complex problems. 

When our School Site Council and teachers analyzed our Math iReady data, we noticed that many students are struggling with the number sense.  At Jose Antonio Vargas, we are hoping to increase the fluency for all of our students, so students are more prepared to engage in more complex mathematical work.  One additional strategy that we are hoping to implement is our Math Hall of Fame. 

Our goal is that EVERY student is able to master the basic math facts for their grade level. (See chart below). Starting next week, students will have an opportunity to enter the Vargas Math Hall of Fame by completing a fluency check. Students who pass their fluency check, will be listed in the Vargas Math Hall of Fame.

 At the end of the school year, we will have a party/celebration for all students who are in the Math Hall of Fame. 

When can I perform my fluency check to get into the  Vargas Math Hall of Fame?

• Every Monday-Friday 7:30-7:45 in the Vargas MUR. 

• Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 10:00-10:20 in the front office. 

We understand that some students are not quite ready to pass the Math Hall of Fame, and so there are several things that you can do to get prepared. Students who are looking to improve their math fluency skills can:

• Practice daily with Flashcards (Talk to office if you need some)

• Practice daily with fluency sheets (available in front office)

• Join the Vargas Math Club (we meet M-F from 7:20-7:45 in the Vargas MUR ask front office how)

• Use Xtra Math app on Clever

Students can take their fluency checks as many times as they need to enter the Hall of Fame. Even if students are not able to enter the Math Hall of Fame, if they are able to improve their fluency rate by 10%, they will be able to participate in our end of the year celebration.

Again, our goal is to have EVERY student improve their math fluency. As a team we can move the needle on our student’s math progress!

 

In Partnership, 

Principal Vern Taylor

---

Events Calendar

March 

 

April 

 

---

In this Newsletter

School News:

Golden Ticket Winners

Lost and Found

Women’s History Month (Due this week)

Open House, March 27th

Electives selection for grades 5-7 opens on March 31, 2025 

Invitations for districtwide Summer Programs will be emailed to those who qualify beginning in late March

Mountain View’s Bookmobile, April 2

CAASPP Testing (Grades 3-5)

Students Not Returning for 2025-2026 School Year

Volunteers Needed CSMA Art Show

5th Grade Promotion - Wednesday - June 4th

 

Flyers:

2024 -2025 School Year Calendar - Here

2025-2026 School Year Calendar - Here

March Menu - Here

District News:

Update for Right At School Families

MVWSD is updating its math curriculum

Crittenden Musical: Willy Wonka Jr.

District Film Festival: April 1

MVEF SPRING GALA - JOIN US FOR A NIGHT OF CELEBRATION!

 

PTA News:

Upcoming Events

Habit Burger Dine Out Fundraiser - March 26th, 4-9pm - Flyer here

International Festival - April 17, 5-7pm

New session of afterschool classes starting soon!

 

Community Partners:

 

---

School News

 

Golden Ticket Winners March 20, 2025

Safir K.           RM: 1       Fotis I.           RM: 10  

Charlotte N.    RM: 2       Mateo S.        RM: 11

Millie B.         RM: 3       Carter B-M.   RM: 12

David F.          RM: 4      Adrian W.       RM: 12 

Zhuoying L.   RM: 5       Goldie N.       RM: 13 

Emir E.          RM: 6       Yoli L.            RM: 14 

Inara D.         RM: 8       Andrew G.      RM: 15 

Violet P.        RM: 9        Rizwan H.      RM: 15

Luciana G.    RM: 9       Virag S.           RM: 18

_____________________________________________________________________________________

 

Lost and Found

The lost and found rack is getting full, please take a look to see if any items belong to your child. The last day to claim any items is this Friday, March 28th. Anything left after dismissal will be donated. 

Women’s History Month (Due this week)

As you know March is Women’s History Month. In order to honor Women’s History Month, we are asking students to honor a woman that they admire. This person can be someone they know personally, or someone who is famous that they admire. 

Students have several options.  

• Students can create an art piece that showcases a woman who is important to them. Art work can be visual (drawing, painting, sculpture, etc)  or performance art (play, song, interpretive dance). 

• Students also have the option to interview a woman they admire. Students can do a written interview or they can do an audio or visual interview.  

Students who are interested, should submit their artwork or interview by Friday, March 28. 2025. 

For digital submissions, please submit using this link. 

Open House, March 27th

Please mark your calendars. We will have an in person Open House on March 27, 2025 from 6:00-7:00 PM. This is an exciting time to join your child in touring their classroom and is a great opportunity for students to share what they have been learning in class. We look forward to making this a fun family night complete with a CSMA art show in the MUR. This night is truly a family favorite you won’t want to miss!

Electives selection for grades 5-7 opens on March 31, 2025 

It is the time of year when our incoming middle school students (grades 5-7) choose their elective courses for next year. Fifth- through seventh-grade parents, please look for an email coming to your inbox on March 28 with links to course catalogs. Please talk with your student and then log in to your PowerSchool portal account (either student’s or parent’s) beginning March 31 to help your student select his/her electives.  All 5th-7th graders should select their course electives online by April 18, 2025 through the PowerSchool portal. 

Invitations for districtwide Summer Programs will be emailed to those who qualify beginning in late March

Qualifying families will soon be receiving invitations to one or more programs that will provide summertime care, enrichment, and academic support. The majority of these programs are for students who are English Learners and/or considered socioeconomically disadvantaged. The programs vary in scope and specific qualification criteria. Students with IEPs who have Extended School Year services documented in their IEPs will be receiving information about that program by April 7.

Mountain View’s Bookmobile - April 2 

Mountain View Public Library’s bookmobile will visit Vargas on Wednesday, April 2, at 2:30pm on the blacktop.  The new bookmobile operates fully on electricity and will be recognizable with the eye-catching City colors and library logos. Come check it out!

CAASPP Testing (Grades 3-5)

Grades 3-5 will start CAASPP testing soon. Vargas 3-5 grade students will start holding their practice tests from April 15-18, this is the week immediately following our return from Spring Break. 

The testing dates are as follows:

• ELA (English Language Arts): April 22-25

• Math: April 29-May 2

• Science: May 6-9 for 5th grade students 

Students will test before the 10:00AM recess. Please avoid scheduling appointments during these times. 

As you know, CAASPP testing is one of the ways in which we measure our success for students. It is imperative that students are present, and do their best for testing each day. Please note that no independent study contracts will be granted for students in grades 3-5 during this time. 

Thank you for your support!

Students Not Returning for 2025-2026 School Year

If you plan on moving during the summer or know your child will not return to our school or the District for the 2025-2026 school year, please email our school secretary Ms. Antunez at [email protected].

 

Volunteers Needed CSMA Art Show

Art Show volunteers play a crucial role in making this event a success and provide a great opportunity for those available for just one or two days of volunteering. If you're interested in helping out, please complete the Art Show Volunteer Form.

 

5th Grade Promotion Date

Each year, we look forward to celebrating with families as our 5th grade students are promoted to middle school. This year, the 5th grade promotion date is Wednesday, June 4th. We will share more specifics about the celebration as details are available.

 

---

District News

Update for Right At School Families

Families with children enrolled in Right At School’s after school programs, please click here to read an important update.

MVWSD is updating its math curriculum

As typical with our curriculum cycles, it’s time to review and improve our mathematics program to ensure all students have strong learning opportunities, including acceleration if desired.

MVWSD is launching a two-year process to update math curriculum based on the latest research and best practices for math education. Our math curriculum was last adopted in 2015, and math placement criteria hasn’t been updated since 2021-22. To make this process inclusive, we’re seeking input from students, staff, and parents on math curriculum, instruction, pathways, assessments, and placement.

Please join the upcoming ThoughtExchange to share your thoughts from March 26 – April 4. This online survey will be open to all staff, parents, and students in grades 4-8. Additionally, there will be focus groups for more in-depth discussions with staff, students and parents. Your input matters!

Crittenden Musical: Willy Wonka Jr.

The delicious adventures of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory light up the stage in this captivating adaptation by Crittenden Middle School of Roald Dahl's fantastical tale. Featuring the enchanting songs from the 1971 film, in addition to a host of fun new songs, Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka JR. is a scrumdidilyumptious musical guaranteed to delight everyone's sweet tooth. The show will run from Mar 28th - Mar 30th. Purchase digital tickets here or at the door 30 minutes before the show.

District Film Festival: April 1

Please join us for the third annual District Film Festival, "Spotlight on Solutions," at 6:30 pm on April 1 at the Graham Middle School Auditorium. All students in grades K-8 were eligible to enter short films that explore real-world problems and showcase inspiring solutions. During the festival, the films that are selected as finalists will be screened and awards given. We are excited to see the results of students and their teachers implementing research, science and technology for this important issue. Please RSVP at this link.

MVEF SPRING GALA - JOIN US FOR A NIGHT OF CELEBRATION!

Saturday, April 26, 2025 | 06:00-10:00 pm | Los Altos Community Center

 

This year, we are celebrating a big milestone - 40 years of MVEF - A Celebration of Eras! Empowering Students from Gen X to Gen Alpha. 

Over the past 40 years, MVEF has made a lasting impact by collecting over $20M of funds, and we are excited to celebrate this milestone while continuing to provide vital resources for our local schools and students.

This lively community building event includes dinner, silent and live auctions, DJ, raffle and student performances! 

 

GET YOUR GALA TICKETS WHILE THEY ARE STILL AVAILABLE!

Get your Early Bird ($140) or First Time Attendee ($125) tickets here until March 25th! 

General Admission Tickets will go up to $165 after March 25th.

LAST CALL FOR AUCTION ITEMS AND HOST AUCTION PARTIES!

Do you have a vacation home? Do you like throwing parties for kids or adults? Do you have extra tickets for a concert or event? Do you have extra wine bottles to donate? 

This annual event usually raises over 10% of our annual fundraising goal of $1.2M to support programs across MVWSD.

Great auction donations include:

• Vacation home stays

• Themed party experiences for adults or kids

• Event tickets (sports, concerts, etc.)

• Bottles of wine for the "wine wall"

• Professional Services

• Merchandise, etc.

Donate Gala auction items here.  We appreciate your support! 

 

---

PTA News

 

Upcoming Events:

• 3/26 – The Habit Dine Out Fundraiser (4-9pm)

• 4/3 – Campus Clean-up (12:15-1:15pm)

• 4/17 – International Festival (5-7pm) (4-6pm)

• 4/18 – School-wide Playdate

• End of April – Talent show

• 4/28 - 5/2 – Scholastic Book Fair

• 5/4 – MVWSD Chess Tournament 

• 5/17-18 – Family Campout (tentative date)

Habit Burger Dine Out Fundraiser - March 26th, 4-9pm - Flyer here

Our next dine-out fundraiser is coming up on Wednesday, March 26th, between 4-9pm at The Habit Burger (1040 Grand Road, Suite 370, Mountain View). Show the flyer at the register or use the code “Giveback,” when ordering on habitburger.com, app, or in-restaurant kiosks. Give yourself a break from cooking and dine out for a great cause!

International Festival - April 17, 5-7pm

An international festival is a celebration that showcases diverse cultures, traditions, and cuisines, bringing people from different backgrounds together to experience and learn about each other's heritage. You can showcase games (activity), music, dance, books, food, art, and crafts from your country allowing attendees to immerse themselves in different cultures.  

• We are looking for people to help join our planning team for the International Festival! If interested or have ideas to share, please email Jennifer C ([email protected])

• To sign-up to participate (either hosting or helping with a table) or to bring a dish for the potluck, sign-up here: https://forms.gle/oXy27m8ErMx7yRmh9

New session of afterschool classes starting soon!

• A spring session of afterschool enrichment classes is starting soon. New classes this session: Zumba Kids on Tuesdays and Little Entrepreneurs on Wednesdays! See the list of classes and sign up here if interested: https://www.javargaspta.org/spring-after-school-programs

  • Monday: Basketball (all grades), Lando Engineering (gr 1-3)

  • Tuesday: Creative Coding with Scratch (Lando, gr 1-3), Zumba Kids with Yuliya (K-3)

  • Wednesday: Ready, STEM, Go! (Mad Science, gr 1-5), Code for Fun (grades 4-5), Little Entrepreneurs (1-5)

  • Thursday: Bay Area Chess (gr 1-5), Green Room Musical Theater (gr 1-5), Coach Ken Soccer (all grades)

  • Friday: Run for Fun (all grades. free trial offered), Super Mario STEM with LEGO(Bricktech, gr K-2), Creative Clay Academy (gr 1-3) 

• Questions? Email [email protected].

Kimberly Cheng, and the Executive Board 

[email protected]

 

---

From Our Community Partners