Wise Word, 1/27/2021

Principal’s Message:

Dear Golden Owls,

Today is the 100th day of school. Our students, staff, and parents have engaged in 100 days of learning and growing our minds and skills. It has not always been easy. In fact, there have been many moments of frustration and even tears along the way. Despite the frustration, it has been an amazing journey, and I feel honored to celebrate these first 100 days with our fabulous Golden Owl community!


Parents: We want to hear from you! LCAP survey

The District is beginning its annual process of writing the LCAP (Local Control Accountability Plan). Your input from the survey will guide the development of our District’s three-year plan that will correspond 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.

 

Golden Owls, we want to hear from you: Please click here -  http://mvw.sd/ParentLCAP - to give input through February 12 in a survey. We recognize that the wording of some of these questions might seem a little awkward because we are in a pandemic, distance-learning year. Please answer as fully as you can based on the experiences you've had this school year. If you would like a paper copy, please contact the office at 650-903-6952


Mr. Taylor will be presenting LCAP information on the following dates:

  • January 29, 2021 4:00PM at Principal’s Coffee Register Here

  • February  3, 2021  5:30PM at the School Site Council (SSC) meeting Register Here

  • February 5, 2020 4:00 PM at the English Language Advisory Committee ELAC meeting Register Here


At these meetings, you will have the opportunity to ask questions about this survey and/or give your input in person.


More information and the LCAP presentation can be found here: https://www.mvwsd.org/LCAP


We appreciate you for supporting our school and students.


In Partnership,


Principal  Taylor


Events Calendar

  • 1/27 - Vargas PTA Meeting , 4pm - 5pm Register Here

  • 1/27 - Kate Kinsella's Virtual Presentation, 6pm - 7pm Register Here

  • 1/29 - Spirit Day - Crazy Hair Day 

  • 1/29 - Principal’s Coffee (Virtual), 4pm  Register Here

  • 2/3 - Principal Virtual Office Hours, 4pm - 5pm Register Here

  • 2/3 - SSC Meeting, 5:30pm - 6:30pm Register Here

  • 2/4 - MVWSD Board of Trustee Meeting, 6pm - 10pm 

  • 2/5 - ELAC Meeting, 4:00pm Register Here

  • 2/10 - Principal Virtual Office Hours, 4pm - 5pm Register Here

  • 2/12 - End of 2nd Trimester - Minimum Day

  • 2/15 - 2/19 - Winter Break - No School 

  • 2/24 - Principal Virtual Office Hours, 4pm - 5pm Register Here

  • 2/24 - SSC Meeting - 5:30pm - 6:30pm 

  • 2/26 - Principal’s Coffee (Virtual), 4pm 


In this Newsletter

School News

  • Golden Ticket Winners 

  • eBooks at Vargas

  • Register now! Parent workshop:  How to Build Academic Language with Kate Kinsella - Flyer

  • Spirit Day 

  • Principal Virtual Office Hours 

  • Powering Down Chromebooks

  • Technology Support 

District News

  • District hotspot 

  • Better Together: Poverty in America Awareness - Flyer

  • Fifth Grade Parents: Middle school info night on Jan. 28

  • February CAC Events

  • “Keeping the Dream Alive” College and Career Readiness Virtual Event: Feb. 1-Mar. 31 - Flyer

  • Author Talk with Ben Clanton on Feb. 8 - Flyer

  • The MVLA Speakers Series presents “Raising Antiracist Kids: The Power of Intentional Conversations About Race” with Nicole Lee on Tuesday, Feb 9, 2021 - 7:00 - 9:00pm | Live Online - Flyer

  • MV Library Valentine’s Celebration - Flyer

  • Afterschool activities and programs (including free) are on InPlay

  • MVEF News: Virtual Gala Planning Has Begun


PTA News

  • PTA General Meeting - TODAY!

  • Dining Out for Vargas

  • Announcement

  • Spirit Wear!

  • Amazon

 


Golden Ticket Winners - Week  1/25/2020
Keagan F           RM: 1           Katalina K           RM: 11
Bing-Hing H    RM: 2           Chase D               RM: 12
Lance W            RM: 3           Howard B           RM: 14
Mia K                 RM: 5           Jack R                 RM: 15
Jesus A              RM: 6           Isaiah H              RM: 16
Jon A                 RM: 9            Yaya L                 RM: 17      
Bryn B               RM: 10         Ms. Natasa D     Office
You can stop by the office to pick up your prize! You may stop by on Monday or Wednesday from 11:30am to 2:00pm.

eBooks at Vargas

A message from our librarian Ms. O:

 

I am excited to announce that Vargas Library now has ebooks available  for your students to read!  Here are the instructions about how to look at them and check them out… or you can view my video here

How to Check Out Vargas eBooks!

  1. Go to Clever

  2. Click on MVWSD Library 

  3. Click on Vargas Elementary School

  4. Click “Log In “ (top right corner)

  5. Sign in with Google (blue bar on the left side)

  6. Click on Destiny Discover (under Library Search)

  7. Click “See All” to see more books

  8. Filters to the left: Choose “Language” at the bottom

The eBooks with the green ‘E’  box and say Follett eBook are from our Vargas library. 

Students may only check out 1 Vargas eBook for now.

Vargas’s eBooks have 3 choices: Open (see a few pages), Checkout (to borrow the eBook), and Favorite (to make a list of eBooks you like). 

To checkout a Vargas  eBook, click “Checkout”.  If you want to return it, click “Return”.

To see your list of eBooks you have Checked Out or list of Favorites, click the 3 horizontal lines (to the left of Destiny Discover). Click Checkout. You can return the eBooks here too.

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The eBooks with the blue ‘e’ box are from the County of Santa Clara.  You may be asked for your school name...pick Mountain View Whisman School District.  You may check out 1 county eBook. Warning: These eBooks are for grades K-12, so please select appropriate ones at your level. They will automatically return after 14 days.

County eBooks have 2 choices: Click Open. If it says “Place on Hold” it has already been checked out. If it says “Borrow” click it, then it will take you to “Go to Checkout” click it. Here you will choose “read in your browser”. There is a return bar below, click it to return your county eBook.

 

Register now! Parent workshop:  How to Build Academic Language with Kate Kinsella - Flyer

Virtual presentation on January 27 at 6:00 pm

Hosted by Huff, Landels and Jose Antonio Vargas elementary schools

Register: http://mvw.sd/kate


Presenter Kate Kinsella, Ed.D. will talk about: 

  • After school conversation tips to use with children to encourage thoughtful responses

  • Strategies to help increase students' academic language and listening skills

 

Kate Kinsella, Ed.D., is a teacher educator at San Francisco State University and a highly sought after speaker and consultant to school districts throughout the United States regarding development of academic language and literacy across the K-12 subject areas. Her 25-year teaching career focus has been equipping children from diverse backgrounds with the communication, reading, and writing skills to be career and college ready. 

 

For more information, please visit http://drkatekinsella.com/about-us/


Spirit Day at Vargas

Save the date Crazy Hair Day on Friday, January 29th at Vargas! Video here for inspiration.


Principal’s Virtual Office Hour  

Please drop in my Principal Hours today to ask your questions. Register Here. (Translation is available)


Powering Down Chromebooks Daily

Reminder to please power down your child's chromebooks daily. Powering down Chromebooks daily or every other day helps the system update and run smoother. Please remember to close all tabs then shut down. 


Technology Support:

If you are having problems with the chromebook you can contact: [email protected] to create a ServiceNow ticket or call the Tech Department at

(650) 526-3252.


District News

If you have a district hotspot that you’re not using anymore...

Please return it to our technology department at our district office. Due to changes in individual circumstances and needs, we need every hotspot for families and students in need. If you have a non-working hotspot, please bring that back as well. Thank you in advance!


Better Together: Poverty in America Awareness - Flyer

January is Poverty in America Awareness Month and in the time of Covid-19 and the economic fallout, talking about issues surrounding poverty has never been more important. Words matter and our students know more than we often give them credit for. Talking about poverty with kids is not only possible, it's important. Explore the resources provided in this infographic (attached or viewable at https://www.mvwsd.org/bettertogetherMVWSD) to find an approach to talking about poverty that is most appropriate for your student(s). Ultimately, your conversations should reinforce that when it comes to making a difference in the world and caring for others in our community, we are #BetterTogether. 


Fifth Grade Parents: Middle school info night on Jan. 28

Crittenden and Graham both will be welcoming 5th grade families to an Incoming 6th Grade Information Night on Thursday, January 28 at 5 p.m. held on Zoom. Each site will host its own information night, and parents will receive an email from their students' assigned school with meeting login information.


This is a great opportunity to learn about our Middle Schools’ academics, a chance to meet our staff, and learn about the exciting opportunities your incoming sixth-grader will have at Crittenden or Graham.


Please contact Crittenden ((650) 903-6945) or Graham Middle School ((650) 526-3570) if you have any questions.


February CAC Events

Happy New Year! SELPA 1 CAC and the Learning Challenge Committee are your groups for special education and broader learning challenge needs. We are ALL having learning challenges right now, and CAC and LCC are here to help. If you have questions about learning challenges and special education needs, email [email protected] or check out www.selpa1cac.org


We encourage families to learn about the sensory needs all children may have during distance learning: Try a Sensory Diet


February 1, 9 am- General Parent/Community Meeting with Special Ed. Directors & Staff, Zoom at 9:00 am for LCC and 9:30 am for CAC. We will be planning for the year, discussing upcoming programs and discussing distance learning and learning challenges. For our agenda, please join our Google group, https://groups.google.com/g/selpa1cac. For the Zoom link for this meeting, email [email protected] or sign up on Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/general-cac-meeting-tickets-135550478129


“Keeping the Dream Alive” College and Career Readiness Virtual Event: Feb. 1-Mar. 31 - Flyer

SCCOE’s Parent Engagement Program will present the “Keeping the Dream Alive” College and Career Readiness Virtual Event for 6th – 12th grade students and their parents. From February 1 to March 31, students will be able to access the “Keeping the Dream Alive” website to participate in interactive activities, webinars, and more to learn about college and career options. 


Visit the "Keeping the Dream Alive" event website at parentengagement.sccoe.org for more information and students can currently pre-register at http://bit.ly/KTDARegistration.


Author Talk with Ben Clanton on Feb. 8 - Flyer

The Mountain View Public Library will be hosting a live Zoom talk with Ben Clanton, author and illustrator of the Narwhal and Jelly books. The event will be held on Monday, February 8, from 4:00-4:30 pm. Register at https://mountainview.gov/librarycalendar.


The MVLA Speakers Series presents “Raising Antiracist Kids: The Power of Intentional Conversations About Race” with Nicole Lee on Tuesday, Feb 9, 2021 - 7:00 - 9:00pm | Live Online - Flyer 

Raising antiracist kids is imperative in today’s society, yet most of us are not well-equipped for the challenges of talking with our kids about race and racism.  Join us for an engaging discussion with Nicole Lee, diversity, equity, and inclusion expert, as she shares research about the impact of talking - or not talking - to our kids about race and sheds light on common discomforts and misconceptions causing parents and other caregivers to avoid these important conversations.  

Audience:  Parents, caregivers, and educators

Register:  To register for this free event at https://mvla2020-21-nicolelee.eventbrite.com


MV Library Valentine’s Celebration - Flyer

The Mountain View Public Library and CHAC Family Resource Center are sponsoring a free Valentine’s Celebration for families with young children on Friday, February 12, on Zoom. Please see the attached flyer for details and registration.


Afterschool activities and programs (including free) are on InPlay

Even during COVID, there are fun and educational afterschool programs for kids happening now. Spring break camps are coming up, too. MVWSD partners with the non-profit InPlay to help you find the perfect fit for your child and for your family. Hundreds of programs, including those that are FREE and reduced cost, are nearby and online and can be found through this free, searchable website. Check out http://MV.inplay.org


MVEF News: Virtual Gala Planning Has Begun

Save the date - March 6, 2021!

We wish we could be together with you! Nonetheless, the MVEF gala committee is hard at work ensuring that our Virtual Gala on March 6th will be a fun evening even in the midst of Covid19 concerns. Stay tuned for details!


Vargas PTA

PTA General Meeting – TODAY!

Please join us for our General Association Meeting today, Wednesday, January 27th, at 4:00pm. Some of the items on the agenda are voting in the nominating committee, how to honor our first graduating class, and upcoming PTA Board elections. Register in advance for this meeting:

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAkf-GqqzMjH9bgLn94R8ypIhX0800fUnTK 

Dining Out for Vargas

Don’t forget to join today’s dining out at Erik’s DeliCafe 2424 Charleston Rd. Mountain View from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.  They will be donating 20% back to our school’s PTA.  This money will be used to provide books and more for every student to start this year’s Read-a-Thon!  For more information, visit this link https://www.groupraise.com/events/174691-jose-antonio-vargas-elementary-school-pta-at-erik-s-delicafe

 

Announcement

Parents! It's that time of year again to search for new officers for the PTA Executive Board! If you are looking to take on a more active role and have more say about what happens at JA Vargas next year, this is for you! No experience is necessary, we will help you! It is a great way to meet other families within the school community as well as take on an active role in your child's education! There are several positions on the board that need to be filled for next year! We have a few returning parents but several "retiring" parents and without YOU there simply won't be a JA Vargas PTA! 

If you have any interest, please complete this formhttps://forms.gle/nQfpsMCv2y5BUBSG8 and the PTA will be in touch to discuss how best you can help!  


Spirit Wear!  

It’s getting cold out there, so don’t forget to grab your JA Vargas sweatshirts and baseball tee’s!  Click HERE to shop the JA Vargas Store.  Order by Wednesday night and do curbside pick up Friday.  (Address for pick up will be sent after you complete your order.)


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.
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