Wise Word, 3/3/2021

Principal’s Message:

Dear Golden Owls,

This week, we kicked off our 2nd Annual Read-A-Thon. If you were not able to pick up your packet, you can find that information here. Additionally, Our PTA created a video explaining the process.

While the Read-A-Thon serves as our annual fundraiser, at Vargas we want to make sure that for our students, the emphasis is focused on reading as much as possible. Please encourage your child to read as much as possible to help contribute to the classroom reading goal. Even if you cannot raise the funds, students can meet the reading goals!!!!

That being said, money raised during this fundraiser supports our school by providing enrichment activities, (virtual) field trips, extra materials for classroom teachers, Golden-Ticket prizes, community-building activities, and virtual (assemblies). If you have the ability to gather donations and fundraise, it will greatly benefit our school community. our goal is to raise $30 per student.

School Reopening

Thank you so much for completing your Return to Learn Surveys. At our February 26 Principal’s Coffee, I provided a general overview of what to expect for Hybrid instruction. If you would like to view that video, please click here. In order to prepare for students’ safe return to campus, On Tuesday, March 9, I will be hosting meetings for parents. If you chose the hybrid option, please plan to attend one of these sessions. During these meetings, I will be reviewing parent and student expectations, as well as reviewing the important logistics of the Jose Antonio Vargas Reopening Plan .

MVEF Gala

For our Vargas families who are interested in buying raffle tickets for our upcoming MVEF Gala, you can contact our school librarian MVEF representative Mrs. Claire Quesnel-Oueini at:

Personal email: [email protected]

Work email: [email protected]

The last date to buy tickets is today, March 3, 2021.

We appreciate you for supporting our school and students.

In Partnership,

Principal Taylor

Events Calendar

3/3 - Principal Virtual Office Hours, 4pm - 5pm Register Here
3/4 - MVWSD Board of Trustee Meeting, 6pm - 10pm
3/5 - Reports Cards go home Electronically
3/5 - Superintendent Community Check-in, 3:30pm Register Here
3/9 - Parent Meeting: School Reopening,

3/10 - Principal Virtual Office Hours, 4pm - 5pm Register Here
3/10 - MVWSD Presents: LatinX Round Table Event: "Courageous Conversations about Equity", 6pm Register Here
3/12 - PTA - Read-a-Thon Last Day
3/15 - Teacher in Service Day - No School
3/17 - Principal Virtual Office Hours, 4pm - 5pm Register Here
3/18 - MVWSD Board of Trustee Meeting, 6pm - 10pm
3/19 - Superintendent Community Check-in, 3:30pm Register Here
3/24 - Principal Virtual Office Hours, 4pm - 5pm Register Here
3/ 26 - Principal’s Coffee (Virtual), 4pm Register Here
3/31 - Principal Virtual Office Hours, 4pm - 5pm Register Here
4/1 - MVWSD Board of Trustee Meeting, 6pm - 10pm

In this Newsletter

School News

Golden Ticket Winners
Material Distribution - Kinder Only
Superintendent Check-In - Register Here
Report Cards
2021 Vargas Carnival Game Challenge!
Principal Virtual Office Hours
Technology Support

District News

Women’s History Month - Flyer
March Wellness Series for Educators and Families
Board meeting preview: March 4
March CAC Events
InPlay’s summer program search guide - Flyer
Substitute teachers and noon duty supervisors needed
Better Together MVWSD presents the Talk: Courageous Conversations about Equity

“COVID-19 and the Lasting Impact on our LatinX Community” - Register Here

MVEF Virtual Gala is March 6, 2021
Parenting Program: Developing Social Skills in Children While Social Distancing - Flyer
K-8 Virtual Career Fair with SCCOE - Flyer
Spanish Storytime at Mountain View Public Library - Flyer
Parent University: Wellness For All While Experiencing Changes

PTA News

Announcement
Spirit Wear!
Amazon

Golden Ticket Winners - Week 3/1/2020
Peter P   RM: 1 Clara K   RM: 13
Vishnu N   RM: 3 Eliana Z RM: 14
Addison B   RM: 5 Maxine B   RM: 15
Emma G RM: 6 Ishaan S RM: 16
Maurya B RM: 8    Arya M   RM: 17
Stella L RM: 10 Mr. Green    RM: 9
Santiago A RM: 11
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.

Material Distribution - Kinder Only

Material distribution on Thursday, March 4th and Friday, March 5th from 8am to 2pm. Please come at any time during the allotted time on either Thursday or Friday to pick up your child's materials.

Please write your child’s first and last name, room number, and grade level on a piece of paper and place it on your passenger window. Please drive up to the MUR; a staff member will greet you with a mask and gloves, and place the items in your trunk.

Superintendent Check-In

At the March 4th MVWSD School Board Meeting, Dr. Rudolph provided his recommendation for reopening. As always, he will host Superintendent Community Check-in on Friday, March 5, at 3:30PM. Please join us by Registering Here

Report Cards

Second trimester report cards will be sent home by email this Friday, March 5th in the afternoon.

2021 Vargas Carnival Game Challenge!

Here the bells ringing and the children cheering! It is time for the school wide Vargas STEAM Carnival Game Challenge! Hosted by Mrs. Bisbee and Mrs. Butchko. Gather your cardboard, recycling and anything else you can use to create your own Carnival Game. Click the link below and follow the steps. Each grade level has a specific focus to the challenge. Brothers, sisters, cousins and friends can combine their talents, too. Then, show off your game on FlipGrid. You might even be featured in the principal’s morning message. Be creative and have fun!

Click here for details K-5 Vargas STEAM Carnival Game Challenge

Principal’s Virtual Office Hour

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

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

Women’s History Month - Flyer

In the month of March, we are celebrating Women’s History. BetterTogether recognizes the people, movements, and ideas that challenge expectations and gender stereotypes that negatively affect us all. From women’s suffrage to the gender equality movements of modern day, it has become clear that when we all fight gender inequality, we all win. Celebrate this month by having meaningful conversations with your students, your children, and your fellow s(heroes). In addition to the infographic, this month we will also be highlighting amazing women from our organization and learning about the s(heroes) that have inspired their own commitment to gender equality.

For a closer look at this month’s infographic, click on the attached flyers or visit https://www.mvwsd.org/bettertogetherMVWSD.

March Wellness Series for Educators and Families

Educators and families are invited to attend the free 2021 Wellness Together Spring Event Series, hosted by Wellness Together School Mental Health and the California Department of Education. Webinars will take place on Thursdays in March, and include topics such as social media usage, building emotional resilience, and parenting. For more information and registration, head to https://www.wellnesstogether.org/blogs/news/2021-wellness-together-spring-event-series?mc_cid=1cd9799b03&mc_eid=cd01a465eb.

Board meeting preview: March 4

The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, March 4. Some of the meeting topics include: Updates on Spring CAASPP Assessment, Summer 2021 Program Options, 2019-2020 Financial Audit Report, Strategic Plan Update and the 2021-2022 District Calendar. Agenda and login information are here. The meeting is also streamed on https://www.youtube.com/mvwsd.

March 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

March 9 Parent Chat, 10 am - Support for parents of teens with mental health challenges. A great place for help and support for challenges with your teens. Please contact [email protected] for Google Meet invite.

March 10, Morning Let’s Talk 10 am- IEP/504 support group. Have questions about the process to get help for your child? Have an IEP but are not sure how to make changes? Need to vent? This is your confidential group. Please contact [email protected]

InPlay’s summer program search guide - Flyer

Looking for summer fun and out-of-school opportunities? MVWSD partners with nonprofit InPlay to help you find the perfect fit for your child and for your family. Hundreds of programs, including FREE and reduced cost and those that serve students with special needs or English learners, are nearby and can be found through this free searchable site. Check it out at mv.inplay.org.

Substitute teachers and noon duty supervisors needed

MVWSD is seeking substitute teachers. Please consider this flexible, fun, dynamic work that has a big impact on our students!

We have increased the full-day substitute teacher rate from $170 to $220 per day (From March 5 to June 4, 2021) for any substitute who will commit to working daily in the Mountain View Whisman School District. We appreciate your commitment to our students and community, especially in this time of COVID-19.

Requirements to become a substitute teacher:

* A Bachelor’s Degree

* Pass the CBEST test

* Substitute permit or a valid California teaching credential.

* Complete required background check. This can be done by appointment in the MVWSD Human Resources Department.

* A negative tuberculosis test

You may apply online: http://mvw.sd/sub. For information, please email Noemi Herrera at [email protected].

Interested in a fun and flexible job while connecting with kids? MVWSD is looking for people interested in working a couple hours during lunchtime as noon duty supervisors. We need you to help us provide safe, consistent supervision of students during recess and lunch periods. $22/hour. Please apply here: http://mvw.sd/noon.

Better Together MVWSD presents the Talk: Courageous Conversations about Equity

“COVID-19 and the Lasting Impact on our LatinX Community”

Date: Wednesday, Mar. 10, 6 p.m. on Zoom: http://mvw.sd/LatinX

The Latinx community has been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Join us for a panel discussion with parents and Latinx community leaders about how this has personally affected families and students and how individuals can be true allies to their LatinX neighbors or others who are suffering through this pandemic without perpetuating harmful stereotypes or practices.

Panelists:

Sophie Alcorn, Attorney in Immigration and Nationality Law, Alcorn Immigration Law

Claudia Olaciregui, Principal at Mistral Elementary

Malia Pires, Executive Director, Reach Potential Movement

José Gutiérrez, Former MVWSD Board member

Priscila Bogdanic, School and Community Engagement Facilitator, MVWSD

For more information about how MVWSD is working to support equity in our community, please see https://www.mvwsd.org/BetterTogetherMVWSD.

MVEF Virtual Gala is March 6, 2021

Attend and support science, technology, art and music in our schools from your home. Please join us for a lively evening of trivia and fun in support of our schools. You can attend only for trivia OR enjoy the addition of appetizers and drinks (wine and cocktails) delivered to your home. Check it all out on the MVEF website! mvef.org/virtualgala

In addition the MVEF Virtual Gala is featuring a Raffle. You don't need to be present to win.

Ticket Prices 1 ticket: $5, 5 tickets: $20, 20 tickets: $60 To buy tickets please send email: [email protected]

Raffle Prizes include:

Oculus Quest 2:

Oculus Quest 2 is the most advanced all-in-one VR system yet. No PC or console needed. Explore an expansive library of awe-inspiring games and immersive experiences with unparalleled freedom. Retail Value $399

CSMA Gift Certificate for classes:

$200 gift certificate for art and preschool classes. Expires December 2021.

Mike’s Bikes:

$200 gift certificate towards your purchase at Mike’s Bikes.

1 year subscription Adobe Creative Cloud:

Adobe Creative Cloud gives you the world’s best creative apps and services so you can make anything you can imagine. Get all 20+ creative desktop and mobile apps including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, and Acrobat. Retail Value $600

Parenting Program: Developing Social Skills in Children While Social Distancing - Flyer

The MV Public Library will be hosting a free parenting workshop on Wednesday, March 10 from 7-8pm. Join Susan Stone of Parents Place to learn about developing social skills in PreK and elementary school students while social distancing. Register in advance at: https://mountainview.libcal.com/

K-8 Virtual Career Fair with SCCOE - Flyer

The SCCOE K-8 Virtual Career Fair is being held Thursday, March 11 from 1-3p.m. The event theme is Connecting Passions to Careers and will feature guest speakers from various fields and industries, who will encourage students to follow their passions and dream big. The career fair is a part of the Silicon Valley Reads community engagement initiative. More information and registration is at: http://bit.ly/careerfair2021reg

Spanish Storytime at Mountain View Public Library - Flyer

The Mountain View Public Library will be hosting a virtual Spanish-only Storytime on Tuesdays from March 16 - April 20 from 10:00-10:30am. The program (for 3-5 year olds) will include stories, fingerplays, music and more. Zoom registration is at: mountainview.libcal.com/event/7550162

Parent University: Wellness For All While Experiencing Changes

Date: Wednesday, March 17 at 5:30pm Register here: http://mvw.sd/VbH07

As we prepare for transitions and changes to our routine, join district Health and Wellness Coordinator Karin Jinbo and our partners from CHAC and the Santa Clara County Department of Public Health on a journey of self-awareness as we learn about self regulation, mindfulness and self care activities. Participants will receive activities or strategies to support children with Hybrid Learning and 100% Distance Learning.

Submit your questions before the session here: http://mvw.sd/vCG5V

Vargas PTA

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.

Jose Antonio Vargas Elementary School

Jose Antonio Vargas Elementary School

Wise Word, 3/3/2021

Jose Antonio Vargas Elementary School