Principal’s Message:
Dear Golden Owls,
Jose Antonio Vargas Elementary has a new video! Click here to view: https://youtu.be/isKwYukrdpA. We'll be widely sharing this look into our dynamic school but wanted you to see it first.
The Importance of Family Support Family
Support refers to the ways that parents, siblings, and extended family show love, encouragement, and comfort to each other—families are the cornerstone of the social support system for youth. A 2016 survey of Santa Clara County youth reveals that while younger youth generally experience and are aware of family support, teenagers do so much less often: 88% of 4th-6th graders reported family support, while only 74% of middle- and high school students reported the asset.
Because adolescents require greater autonomy and independence than younger children, effective family support for older youth takes a different form than in earlier years; however, their need for their families is still strong. Adults are challenged to find a balance between giving youth the support they need to navigate their adolescence and the independence they need to develop as individuals.
In their book Parenting Teens with Love and Logic, Foster Cline, M.D. and Jim Fay discuss the transition from parenting younger children—who typically require guidance and firm limits—to parenting adolescents, who benefit most from the freedom to make their own decisions within the boundaries of safe, reasonable limits. According to Cline and Fay, effective parenting in the teenage years requires clearly communicating expectations and consequences while allowing youth to make their own decisions and “own” the results…even if their choices are not the ones that we would have preferred.
The following discussion topics can be used to open a dialogue with young people about the ways that they experience family support:
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Does your family provide support in a way that’s meaningful and easy for you to recognize? Why or why not?
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Do you and your parents treat each other with the same kindness and dignity that you’d expect from your friends?
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Does your family do things together on a regular basis? Are there any activities that you’d like to share (or be willing to share) with your family?
One of the most important things to realize about providing family support to older children is that they need the love and support every bit as much as younger children do, even if they claim that they don’t. Although it can be challenging to remain connected to preteens and teenagers, the benefits of doing so are immense.
This article was provided courtesy of Project Cornerstone’s Asset-a-Month program. For more information, visit www.projectcornerstone.org.
We appreciate you for supporting our school and students.
Mr. Taylor
Events Calendar
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12/11/19 - Kinder Field Trip
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12/11/19 - Incoming Kinder Info Night, 6:00pm - 7:00pm, MUR
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12/12/19 - Incoming Kinder School Tours, 9:00am - 10:00am
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12/13/19 - Second Grade Field Trip
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12/20/19 - Principal’s Coffee, 8:10am - 9:10am - MUR
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12/23/19 - 01/03/2020 - December Recess/Break
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01/06/2020 - Teacher Service Day, No School
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01/07/2020 - Students Return to School
In this Newsletter
School News
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Golden Ticket Winners
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Lost & Found
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CSMA
District News
PTA News
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Amazon Shopping
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Konstella
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Amazon
Golden Ticket Winners - Week 12/9
Andy T. RM: 1
Hazel S. RM: 2
Arai D. RM: 4
Aliana L. RM: 6
Shinee P. RM: 8
Evy S. RM: 9
Jazmin V. RM: 19
Sam C. RM: 10
Lam N. RM: 20
Elena S. RM: 21
Lost and Found
If your student has lost any item, please come check the Lost and Found rack. The Lost and Found rack is in the front office. We will be donating the items that are not claimed by Friday, December 20, 2019.
CSMA Spring Art Classes
Spring Art Classes continuing at Jose Antonio Vargas. Spring theme Our Natural World, on Tuesday’s starting January 14th 2020 to May 26th 2020. (No class on Feb. 18, Mar. 17, Apr. 7 & Apr. 14)
For more information and registration please click here to view flyer.
Vargas PTA
Amazon Shopping
Shopping through Amazon? Switch over to the Vargas PTA Amazon Smile portal, and your purchases can support the school. It’s the same Amazon you know and love, but the company donates a percent of the qualifying purchases you make to the school PTA, which funds field trips, enrichment programs, and school activities.
Bookmark and use:
https://smile.amazon.com/ch/90-1257353
Konstella
Please sign up for Konstella at www.Konstella.com. This is the main parent-communication tool for the whole school.
Amazon
If you shop through Amazon, please shop through the Amazon Smile portal for Vargas: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/90-1257353 A percentage of sales through this link goes back to the school.
District News
School meetings coming up. Open Enrollment for new MVWSD students starts Jan. 13
School kindergarten information nights are at 6 p.m. on Dec. 11 for neighborhood elementary schools. You may click here to confirm your child’s school of residence.
If your child turns 5 years old between September 2 – December 2 of the current school year, he/she may qualify for transitional kindergarten. TK info night is December 5 at 5:00 PM at Theuerkauf Elementary.
The District has two choice schools: Spanish-English dual immersion at Gabriela Mistral School and a parent participation program at Stevenson Elementary School. These schools can be requested when you register your child. Gabriela Mistral's information night is Dec. 9 at 5:30 p.m. Stevenson's information night is Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m.
There are a variety of school and program information nights and tours in December at the elementary schools. Please click here for a list of these events.
For NEW and CURRENT students: Open Enrollment is from January 13-February 7 online. You can register your child for the 2020-21 school year when online registration opens on January 13 here: www.mvwsd.org/register .
For more information, call 650-526-3500 or go to www.mvwsd.org/register.
Right at School: Winter Break Camp
Right at School is offering Winter Break Camp from December 23 - January 3 from 6:30 am - 6:00 pm, hosted at Stevenson Elementary. There is no camp 12/24, 12/25 ,12/31 & 1/1. Cost is $45/day. You are not required to have a child currently enrolled with Right at School to participate in winter break camp. See www.rightatschool.com/winterbreak/ for registration and information.
School Board Agenda
School Board Agenda 12/12/2019
Flyers
MVWSD Open Enrollment
Jingle Ball - 12/14/19
YMCA School Break Camps
Right At School Winter Break Camp - 12/23/2019 - 01/3/2020 - (Closed on 12/24, 12/25, 12/31, & 01/01/2020)