Wise Word, 8/27/2021

Principal’s Message:

Hello Golden Owls,

 

This week, students started RTI/STEAM rotations. RTI (Response to Instruction) is a time during the day when our teachers target instruction for students' needs. During this time period, a teacher will send a group of students to one of our STEAM teachers while he/she keeps a small group of students to work with on targeted skills. This means that ALL of our students receive STEAM instruction twice a week, and each teacher also gets a chance to target instruction for individual students at least twice a week. 

 

While RTI varies for each grade-level and group of students, an example of RTI could be that a fourth grade teacher might work with the whole class on comparing two characters in two different grade-level texts. One group may work with the teacher to work on building vocabulary for the text or perhaps using a prior grade’s text. Another group may work on this same skill, but use a more difficult text. Another group may be asked to create a character from their imagination that has similar or different characteristics.  

 

At today’s staff meeting, our teachers will be reviewing Trimester 1 iReady data to refine groups and set future learning targets for students based on our most current data.  Again, the specifics are dependent on each specific student’s needs, each teacher will be creating plans to support each child. After reviewing your report,  if you have specific questions about your child’s data, please reach out to your child’s teacher.

 

In Partnership,

 

Principal Taylor


Events Calendar

  • August:

25th - Principal Office Hours - Virtual - 4:00pm - 5:00pm - Register Here

26th - MVWSD Board of Trustees Meeting - 6:00pm - 10:00pm   

27th - Principal’s Coffee - Virtual - 8:30am - 9:30am - Register Here

27th - Superintendent’s Community Check-in - 3:30 - 4:30pm - Register here

 

  • September:

1st - Principal Office Hours - Virtual - 4:00pm - 5:00pm - Register Here

1st - SSC Virtual Meeting - 5:00pm - 6:30pm - Register Here 

6th - Labor Day Holiday - No School

8th - Principal Office Hours - Virtual - 4:00pm - 5:00pm - Register Here

9th - MVWSD Board of Trustees Meeting - 6:00pm - 10:00pm   

10th - Superintendent Community Check-in - 3:30pm - 4:30pm

13th - MVWSD DELAC Meeting - 5:30pm - 7:30pm

15th - ELAC Meeting - 8:30am- 9:30am 

             15th - Principal Office Hours - Virtual - 4:00pm - 5:00pm - Register Here

             20th - Picture Day

             22nd - Principal Office Hours - Virtual - 4:00pm - 5:00pm - Register Here



In this Newsletter

School News:

  • Golden Ticket Winners

  • LAST CALL - We need your help! - School Site Council 

  • Reminder for 1st Grade- 5 Grade

  • PowerSchool Parent Portal

  • School & Community Engagement Facilitator (SCEF)

  • Update Contact Information

  • School Safety Plans for COVID

  • Principal’s Virtual Office Hours

  • School meals are free

  • Reporting an Absence

  • School Supplies and Voluntary Donation Form

 

District News:

  • Special Board Meeting Preview: August 26

  • Superintendent's Community Check In on Friday - Register Here

  • Parent University: Mental Health: Care and Support

  • Parent University MVWSD Orientation: Recording Available

  • MVEF: Please Support Our Students!

  • Intro to SELPA1 CAC and upcoming events

  • Positions available with MVWSD: apply today!

  • District seeking Parcel Tax Oversight Committee (PTOC) member

  • Apply at EZSchool Meals to help MVWSD and qualify for benefits - Flyer 

  • Mentor Tutor Connection Volunteer Information Session - Thursday, September 9th

  • Volunteer Community Navigator Training with Community Services Agency (CSA) - Flyer

 

PTA News:

  • Get Involved

  • Membership

  • Konstella

  • Spirit Wear

  • Website

  • Panda Express Dine Out Fundraising Event 9/17 - Flyer here

 


Golden Ticket Winners - Week of 8/23/2021
Matthew P.        RM: 1       Sukhman P      RM: 11
Alexander F.     RM: 2       Vihaan O         RM: 13
Grant V             RM: 3       Teo P               RM: 15
Anika C            RM: 6        Ben L              RM: 16
Shanaya J         RM: 9        Myria M          RM: 17
Josh S               RM: 10

LAST CALL - We need your help! - School Site Council 

Vargas Community, we need your support with filling our School Site Council for the 2021-2022 school year. SSC consists of five staff members and five parents.  The School Site Council is very important as it is responsible for developing the school goals and budget with the Principal. Currently, we have three (3) vacancies for parent/community member positions, and these positions will be filled by an election.

 

If you are interested in running to be a member of our SSC, please complete the Online Nomination Form or you can print this form and return to the front office. Please write a 3-5 sentence professional biography and submit this form to the Vargas office no later than August 25, 2021.

 

For additional information, please contact Principal Taylor at [email protected], call 650-903-6952, or stop by the front office.

 

Reminder for 1st Grade- 5 Grade

This is just a quick reminder that families can access their student’s i-Ready Reading and Mathematics score through their Powerschool Parent Portal starting August 30th, 2021, at 8:00 a.m. Reports are available on the PowerSchool Parent Portal at https://ps.mvwsd.org/public/ under “Parent Reports” for each of your students. Steps for accessing reports on PowerSchool Parent Portal: Accessing PowerSchool Parent Portal i-Ready Reports. If you have difficulty logging into the PowerSchool Parent Portal, please contact your school’s office. 

 

PowerSchool Parent Portal

Please call (650) 903-6952 or email the front office staff Mrs. Antunez at [email protected] or Ms. Silvia at [email protected] if you are unable to access your parent portal. 


If you are new to our school/district you will receive instructions via email on how to create an account by the end of today. 

 

School & Community Engagement Facilitator (SCEF)

As part of Vargas’s plan, we have a School and Community Engagement Facilitator who will work to ensure that every student, family, and community member will feel valued and supported while working, learning, and partnering with our school. Here at Vargas, Bea Claas is our School and Community Engagement Facilitator. She can be reached at [email protected]

 

Bea Claas, SCEF, can assist you with…

  • Setting up meetings with teacher/principal and providing interpretation

  • School meal applications

  • Info on counseling resources

  • Resource and referral to community-based organizations, such as food, rent assistance, low-cost internet service, legal immigration services, etc.

  • Yearly re-enrollment which occurs in January

  • Tutoring resources

  • Tech support / using the PowerSchool Parent Portal 

  • Pointing you in the right direction for almost any question you can think of!

 

(Repeat) Updating Contact Information

It is important we have your most current contact information (phone number, email address, emergency contacts). If you have a change or want to add an authorized person to pick up your child, please send an email to our front office staff Mrs. Antunez at [email protected] or Ms. McElyea at [email protected] with any changes or updates you may have.

 

(Repeat) School Safety Plans for COVID

As we are learning more, we will be adapting practices and procedures that support new information. At next week’s school board meeting on Thursday, August 26, we will be adapting our current School Reopening plan to adjust to new knowledge and guidance that we received from our County Health Department. Once plans have been approved, I will present the updates to our plan at the Principal’s Coffee on August 27, 2021. Click here to register for Principal’s Coffee.

 

(Repeat) Principal’s Virtual Office Hours

Join me today for our informal Principal Office Hours (virtual) from 4pm -5pm. Feel free to drop in if you have any questions or if you just want to chat. For office hours, there is no formal agenda, it is a time for you to stop in to say hello, and for us to get to know each other better! I look forward to meeting you!

 

Register in advance for this meeting.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The first date for Principal’s Office hours will be 8/18/21. That’s today. See you there!


(Repeat) School meals are free

MVWSD will continue to provide free meals to all students in the 2021-22 school year as part of California’s universal meal program.  Recess breakfast and lunches are available daily.  Menus and nutritional analysis can be found on https://www.mvwsd.org/nutrition. There will be a vegetarian option each day. Gluten-free lunches are not available. A count of those taking school lunch will be taken at the beginning of the school day. Students may bring their own self-contained lunches if desired. 


(Repeat) Reporting an Absence

Please call the office at (650) 903-6952 or email  [email protected] to report an absence or late arrival.  Provide the following information: date of absence, student’s name, grade and room number, reason for absence, name and relationship of the person reporting the absence.

 

(Repeat) School Supplies  and Voluntary Donation Form

We will be furnishing all basic school supplies and textbooks for all students. Donations of items and funds for this purpose are appreciated, but not required. For those able to donate, please fill out this form and bring it to the front office, along with your donation, and our front office staff will provide you with a receipt. Sharing of supplies between students will be limited.

 



District News


Special Board Meeting Preview: August 26

The Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting on Thursday, Aug. 26 at 6 p.m. The Board will be discussing air quality guidelines and COVID safety and testing protocol. For agendas and meeting information: http://mvw.sd/agenda. The meeting is also streamed on https://www.youtube.com/mvwsd.


COVID Safety:

We have been working hard to address the details of student and staff COVID testing and quarantine procedures. While we are still working out some of the details, please visit this webpage for the latest information on quarantines and testing. For all of our COVID resources, please visit mvwsd.org/returntolearn.


Air Quality:

The 2021 wildfire season is upon us; a situation that we are all too familiar with, unfortunately. This year with COVID, the impact of poor air quality is even greater.  While we understand that 

there are multiple online tools to measure air quality (Breezo, Purple Air, Bay Area Air Quality Management District, etc.), MVWSD uses the EPA’s AQI monitoring tools at AirNow.gov. Please click here to learn more: mvwsd.org 


Superintendent's Community Check In on Friday

Please join us for our Community Check-In with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Friday, Aug. 27 at 3:30 p.m. Bring your questions. Click here to register: http://mvw.sd/a714Q


Parent University: Mental Health: Care and Support

Date: September 1, 2021  Registration Link: mvw.sd/pu090121

Join us to learn about mental health care and support. We will share a wide range of information from basic wellness to seeking mental health treatment.  Presenters include representatives from MVWSD, Santa Clara County Behavioral Health, and local agencies or organizations. 

To submit questions prior to the event, please click here. We will do our best to address your question during the session.

Parent University MVWSD Orientation: Recording Available

In case you missed it, Parent University’s first event, "MVWSD District Orientation: What you need to know to be informed and connected this school year," is available for viewing. This talk covered resources available to families through the district and your individual school. Recordings are here: https://vimeo.com/588962500 (English) and https://vimeo.com/589005046 (Spanish). For a list of this year’s Parent U dates and past recordings, head to mvwsd.org/parentu.


MVEF: Please Support Our Students!

MVEF raises money to provide all MVWSD students with an educational experience beyond what is possible with public funding.  Help us fund programming for your child and every child in the district!  We hope you saw the MVEF brochure (which doubles as a donation envelope) or watched the video during Back to School.  Please see the website at mvef.org for more information and to donate online.  Use your credit card to pay in monthly installments.  Please consider joining our team of volunteers. Email us with any questions at [email protected]Thank you for your support!


Intro to SELPA1 CAC and upcoming events

The Special Education Local Plan Area 1 Community Advisory Committee (SELPA1CAC) is made up of parent volunteers, special education staff, and community members and offers resources available to help families of students with learning challenges. Click for more information on what the SELPA1CAC provides, “Let’s Talk”, an IEP/504 troubleshooting support group, and “Parent Chat,” a support group of parents of teens with mental health challenges. For more information, head to https://www.facebook.com/selpa1cac or www.selpa1cac.org.


Upcoming Events for the SELPA1CAC:

 

General CAC Parent/Community meetings

All are welcome. Monthly updates from Special Ed. Directors & Staff, to plan programs and parent education.

Aug 30th at 4pm, Oct 4th at 9am, Nov 1st at 4pm, Dec 6th at 9am, Feb 7th at 4pm, Mar 7 at 9am, May 2nd at 4pm

 

Parent Education Talks

SMART Goals – Creating and Troubleshooting IEP Goals that Work. IEP Goals are written in very specific language and it can be difficult to see how the goals relate to concrete skills and goals for your child. Learn more about SMART Goals and how they work with Professor Anne Spillane of Brandman University.

Tuesday, October 19th at 7pm on Zoom

 

Let’s Talk, IEP/504 Support Group on Zoom

A chance to ask questions and share ideas, resources, and support with other parents of students with IEPs, 504s, learning differences, mental health challenges, etc. All are welcome; participants must respect confidentiality.

Sept 21st at 10am, Oct 13th at 7pm, Nov 16th at 10am, Dec 8th at 7pm, Jan 11th at 10am

 

Parent Chat, Support for Parents of Teens with Mental Health Challenges

Are you concerned about the emotional well-being of your child?  Peer to peer support for parents of teens with mental health challenges.

               Second Tuesday of every month, 10-11am on Google Meet


Positions available with MVWSD: apply today!

Want to make a difference in the lives of students and their families? MVWSD is looking for talented individuals to join our team! See below for available positions and application links:


Instructional assistants: http://mvw.sd/AiVGD

At Risk Supervisors: http://mvw.sd/XCMHv

Substitutes for clerical staff: http://mvw.sd/ZC4Sv

Food Service: http://mvw.sd/YIW55

 

District seeking Parcel Tax Oversight Committee (PTOC) member

MVWSD is seeking a Parcel Tax Oversight Committee (PTOC) member. Selected representatives monitor, provide oversight, and ensure accountability to the funds received by the District, including an annual report to the Board regarding the actual uses of such funds. The PTOC is composed of representatives from the local community, including the business community, District homeowners, parents or guardians of a student in the District, or the community at large.


Applications are available for download at http://mvw.sd/PTOC.  Applications can be mailed to: Mountain View Whisman School District, Attn: Dr. Rebecca Westover, Chief Business Officer, 1400 Montecito Ave., Mountain View 94043, faxed to 650-964-8907 or emailed to [email protected].

 

Apply at EzSchool Meals to help MVWSD and qualify for benefits - Flyer 

Please apply, whether you need it or not. It helps your school get more money for student programs!


Apply at EzSchool Meals to help MVWSD receive additional funding to support students who are in need, and may help your family. This Free and Reduced Price Meals benefit is not limited to meals only. If your child is eligible for free and/or reduced-price meals, your family could get medical benefits, housing benefits, utilities benefits and more. Students who qualify for free and/or reduced-price meals may be eligible for P-EBT cards. The more applications your school gathers at the start of each school year, the more additional funding it can receive for all kinds of programs that help children at your school. If you are currently out of work, you may qualify and help your school, regardless of your financial situation. Apply at https://secure.ezmealapp.com/ or call your school office.


Mentor Tutor Connection Volunteer Information Session - Thursday, September 9th

You can change the life of a student! Come learn about volunteer opportunities to Mentor high school students and Tutor students in grades K-8  in our Mountain View and Los Altos schools.

Becoming a Mentor or Tutor will add joy to your life and help a student in our local community to a brighter future! There is no obligation to sign up as a volunteer.  You're welcome to just come and learn more about what we do. 

All volunteers must be high school graduates.  


Date:             Thursday, September 9th

Time:            12:00 - 1:00 pm

Location:      Online via Zoom (URL provided upon registration)

Register:        REGISTER ONLINE

Questions:     [email protected]

Information:  MentorTutorConnection.org


Volunteer Community Navigator Training with Community Services Agency (CSA) - Flyer

Interested in helping others in the community navigate the Community Services Agency’s (CSA) programs and resources? Join CSA for Volunteer Community Navigator Training on Zoom from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on September 16th (every 3rd Thursday of the month). Please register at 650.669.9551. For more information, contact Sandra Luna, Community Resource Coordinator, at [email protected].

 


PTA News

Get Involved:

A great way to get involved this year is to become a room parent. Our goal this year is to have a room parent in every classroom. A room parent can be a great support for the teacher, and help build student and family engagement. Read more about what a room parent does and sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1VmB94ytD0ck24ygVjFXIjAKcElWOoP1HlW0Nm6P0_2A/edit

Membership

https://jointotem.com/ca/mountain-view/jose-antonio-vargas-pta

 

Konstella

Konstella is our main communication tool. 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.

 

Use this link to register: https://www.konstella.com/cd/XGJHYL

 

To Join a Classroom

Web:  Click your name at the top left corner.  Click “Your Children” to add/modify your children.

Mobile App:  Click the Settings icon at the top left corner.  Click “Your Children”.

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.

https://www.javargaspta.org/ja-vargas-store

 

Website

Find links to membership, Konstella, gear shop and volunteer opportunities on our website.

https://www.javargaspta.org/home

 

Shannon Lundin, and the Executive Board 

[email protected]


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