Hello Golden Owls,
There are many important items that I would like to highlight in January.
First, I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow night at our Parent University: Parent Education for Setting Healthy Boundaries Around Technology Use. Landels and Vargas will be hosting this insightful session for families to support responsible, mindful, and healthy use of the internet, social media, and gaming. Click here to register!
Second, Enrollment for next fall for all students in the Mountain View Whisman School District will be open next Monday. Further details are below. Please remember that both new and returning students need to register for next school year.
If you need in-person help to register your child, Sign up at http://mvw.sd/help and attend any of the help sessions:
Castro Elementary, January 24 @ 5-7 p.m. and January 30 @ 5-7 p.m.
Jose Antonio Vargas Elementary, January 31 @ 5-7 p.m.
Theuerkauf Elementary, February 1 @ 5-7 p.m.
Finally, we want to hear from you! LCAP survey coming soon!
The District is beginning its annual process of updating the LCAP (Local Control Accountability Plan). This input collected will guide the update of our District plan for the 2024-25 school year. Look for a meeting at your school to learn more about the LCAP process, as well as a survey about the plans' goals. An email with a link to the survey will come to your inbox on Jan. 29. More information found here: https://www.mvwsd.org/lcap
Mr. Taylor will be presenting LCAP information on the following dates:
SSC Meeting, January 22, 2024, Click here to register
Principal’s Coffee and ELAC Meeting, February 1, 2024, 9:00-10:00 am Click here to register (zoom meeting)
In Partnership,
Principal Vern Taylor
Events Calendar
January 2024
18th Parent U Extension: Parenting in the Digital Era 6:30pm (zoom)
18th MVWSD Board Meeting 6:00 pm Here
22th Open Enrollment for current students
22th School Site Council Meeting 5:00 pm
31th Student Registration Help Night (In Person) 5 to 7 pm
February 2024
1st. Principal’s Coffee and ELAC meeting 9:00 to 10:00 am Register here
6th End of Trimester - Minimum Day
19th - 20th Washington & Lincoln Day (Holiday- No School)
21th - 23th Winter Break - No School
In this Newsletter
School News:
Golden Ticket Winners
Fifth Grade Science Camp
Parent U Extension: Parenting in the Digital Era
Flyers:
January Menu Here
Parent U Extension: Parenting in the Digital EraHere
2024-2025 School Year Calendar Here
District News:
Student enrollment in MVWSD for next year and school info meetings coming up!
For Fifth-Grade Families: Middle School Info Night on Jan. 22
The District is beginning its annual process of updating the LCAP (Local Control Accountability Plan)
Better Together: January
Volunteer with MVEF
SELPA 1 CAC Parent Education Event: Assistive Technology
The View Teen Center: January (Flyer)
City of MV: Community Meetings for Homeless Response Strategy (Flyer)
PTA News
See’s Candies Fundraiser (ONLINE) - Jan 9 to Jan 26
ACE After-school Programs Starting Jan 2024
PTA Association Meeting - Jan 24th, 6:00-7:00 PM
Nominating Committee
Golden Ticket Winners January 11 , 2024
Oliver D. RM: 1 Shalom C. RM: 10
Nathan Z. RM: 2 Juan P. RM: 11
Sofia T. RM: 3 Aiden D. RM: 13
Adelyn R. RM: 4 Martin C. RM: 14
Jorge V. RM: 5 Sophie R. RM: 15
Enrique M. RM: 6 Gabriel A. RM: 16
Caleb S. RM: 8 Catateya H. RM: 18
Reya F. RM: 9
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Fifth Grade Science Camp
Yesterday, A message was accidentally sent to the entire school regarding 5th grade Science Camp. Please note that 5th grade science camp is part of our Outdoor Education programming that all MVWSD students attend in 5th grade. Again, I apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
Fifth grade parents, please plan to attend our info session tomorrow January 18, 2024, at 5:00 PM in the MUR.
Parent University: My Digital Tat2: Parent Education for Setting Healthy Boundaries Around Technology Use
Date: 1/18/24
Time: 6:30-7:45 pm Registration Link: Click here to register!
Kids are online more than ever in this post-COVID world, with increased use of digital technology for academics, entertainment, and social connection.
Join My Digital TAT2 for an engaging and informative live webinar on Thursday, January 18th from 6:30–7:45 PM.
Hear what young people are doing online and how they are affected by the latest apps and trends from the world of technology. Get strategies for how to support responsible, mindful, and healthy use of the internet, social media, and gaming. Learn what you can do to stay connected with your child as their online lives expand.
Recommended for all adults who support youth and want to learn thoughtful and supportive ways to navigate media together. For more information about My Digital TAT2 visit: www.mydigitaltat2.org
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DISTRICT NEWS
Student enrollment in MVWSD for next year and school info meetings coming up!
Enrollment for next fall for all students in the Mountain View Whisman School District will be open in two weeks.
For CURRENT students in transitional kindergarten-7th grade: Parents will be asked by email to confirm enrollment from January 22 to February 9.
Please encourage families who are enrolling NEW students in grades TK-8 to attend one or more of these upcoming meetings:
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Jan 17: At Theuerkauf Elementary, 1:30 - 4 p.m.: In-person school exploration event for Kindergarteners incoming to all school sites. Representatives from choice schools will be available.
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Jan: 18: Virtual school information night for Transitional Kindergarteners (Meeting link: http://mvw.sd/TK118)
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Jan 24: At Castro Elementary, 2-4 p.m.: In-person school exploration events for Kindergarteners incoming to all school sites. Representatives from choice schools will be available.
For families enrolling NEW students, please prepare to register your student:
Learn more about the documents you’ll need. Click here for the video. Please check www.mvwsd.org/register to locate your neighborhood school, how to explore school options and the four steps to register during the enrollment period held January 22 to February 9.
Do you need in-person help to register your child? Sign up at http://mvw.sd/help and attend any of the help sessions:
Castro Elementary, January 24 @ 5-7 p.m. and January 30 @ 5-7 p.m.
Jose Antonio Vargas Elementary, January 31 @ 5-7 p.m.
Theuerkauf Elementary, February 1 @ 5-7 p.m.
For Fifth-Grade Families: Middle School Info Night on Jan. 22
Please join us at this fun and informative virtual event. It is an opportunity for you and your fifth-grader to learn about middle school life. You will have the opportunities to hear from our principals, information about courses, tips on how to be successful at middle school and ask any questions you may have. Future 6th grade students are encouraged to join!
Date: January 22, 2024
Crittenden at 5:30 p.m. Meeting link: http://mvw.sd/CR122
Graham at 6:30 p.m. Meeting link: http://mvw.sd/GR122
The District is beginning its annual process of updating the LCAP (Local Control Accountability Plan)
This input collected will guide the update of our District plan for the 2024-25 school year. Look for a meeting at your school to learn more about the LCAP process.
Please click on your unique survey link sent to your email on Jan. 29. Your responses are confidential. Students in grades 4-8 will also be taking the LCAP survey. More information found here: mvwsd.org/LCAP
Better Together: January
“There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends." - J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Sometimes, being a good ally might mean standing up to our friends to protect someone else. In the month of January, MVWSD students will explore the essential question: How do I have a difficult conversation with someone? A thoughtful ally finds a way to express themselves respectfully and with an open mind. For more information about Better Together, visit mvwsd.org/BetterTogetherMVWSD.
Volunteer with MVEF
MVEF needs volunteers to help meet our goals in 23-24 and beyond! As a 501(c)3 non-profit, volunteering with MVEF is a great way to add experience to your resume while meeting and working with local families who have similar interests and priorities.
Please reach out to [email protected] if you are interested in helping in any of the following ways:
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Represent MVEF at your school site’s events and activities.
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Ensure that MVEF messages and programs are relevant to your school community.
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Plan the MVEF Gala, Auction, and other events.
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Technical work like automation and data migration.
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Visual designs, graphic design and layout.
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Serve as an MVEF Board Member.
MVEF is the local educational foundation providing essential programs at every school in MVWSD. Over 70% of MVEF contributions come from MVWSD families. To make a donation, click here. Use the monthly credit card payment option to pay your total donation over time.
SELPA 1 CAC Parent Education Event: Assistive Technology
SELPA 1 CAC, Palo Alto CAC and the PAUSD PATCH team are pleased to host a Zoom panel on Assistive Technology! Assistive Technology (AT) can help with communication and accessing curriculum for a wide variety of students, from those who have specific learning disabilities to dyslexia, ADHD to hearing challenges, unique visual needs or those students who are non-verbal. Learn more about this key part of your student's educational toolkit from the Assistive Technology specialists from PAUSD.
Meeting Live on Zoom: January 17, 9:30 AM. Register here
Have a question about Assistive Technology for the panel? Submit here
Interested in more of our past Parent Education events? Check out our Youtube Channel
The View Teen Center: January Here
The View Teen Center is a free facility in Mountain View (263 Escuela Ave) for all Mountain View and Los Altos 6th - 12th grade students. Drop-in hours are Monday - Friday, 3:15 - 7 p.m. and Saturdays, 1 - 6 p.m., and the center features a game room, makerspace, kitchen, computer/study room, outdoor area, and much more! See attached flier for details about upcoming events and programs in January or visit their
webpage for more information.
City of MV: Community Meetings for Homeless Response Strategy Here
The City of Mountain View is seeking your input to create a Homelessness Response Strategy to address homelessness, assist the unhoused and respond to community needs. Take part in defining a clear vision and action plan to guide decisions about goals, actions, funding and programs!
The City is hosting two community forums to give all community members the opportunity to learn more about homelessness in our community and the City's planning process. The forums will be January 18 (In person at the Mountain View Community Center, 201 S. Rengstorff Ave.) and January 25 (via Zoom, register here). For the January 18 in-person forum, light refreshments will be served and childcare will be available. Interpretation services are available in Spanish, Chinese and Russian for both meetings.
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PTA News
See’s Candies Fundraiser (ONLINE) - Jan 9 to Jan 26
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Order gifts for Valentine’s Day (or just because!) through our See's Candies online shop. Your order will be delivered directly to you. Up to 50% of sales will go to our school.
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To order, simply go to our online store: http://tinyurl.com/JAVSeesCandies2024
ACE After-school Programs Starting Jan 2024
Vargas After-school Creative Enrichment (ACE) programs are starting! The PTA has sourced an extensive list that includes Lando engineering, art, Spanish, LEGO robotics, basketball, soccer, Run For Fun, Mathletes, Hindi, Chinese, science and much more! If classes have started already, check with the vendor about prorated fees.
Please visit our website (https://www.javargaspta.org/after-school-programs) for a list of classes, flyers, information about scholarships and more. Contact [email protected] with any questions.
PTA Association Meeting - Jan 24th, 6:00-7:00PM
Join us for our next PTA Association Meeting in-person at the Vargas Library. Please join us to hear about upcoming events, fundraisers, and adjustments to the budget. Everyone is welcome.
Nominating Committee
We are looking for a few additional volunteers to form our Nominating Committee. This is an important part of our PTA Association with very minimal time commitment. Committee members will help to find candidates for next year's open board positions. Please contact [email protected] for further information.
Kimberly Cheng, and the PTA Executive Board
[email protected]
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