Principal’s Message:

 

Hello Golden Owls,

 

We have one more week before we go on Spring Break.

 

  I wanted to share a few important things for next week:

 

Spirit Week

Next week we will have our Spirit Week. Here is a quick video from our student council.

 

• Monday: Green and Gold Day!- Wear your Vargas gear or green and gold

• Tuesday: Vacation Day!- Dress like you're going on vacation- NO BATHING SUITS

• Wednesday: Character Day!- Wear something with your favorite character or dress like your favorite character

• Thursday: Rainbow Day/ What is your superpower day- we will have a schoolwide activity for students to choose their superpower 

  • Kinder wears red

  • 1st wears orange

  • 2nd wears yellow

  • 3rd wears green

  • 4th wears blue

  • 5th wears purple

• Friday: Pajama and Stuffy Day!

 

Lawrence Hall of Science

On Thursday, April 4, 2024 The PTA is bringing the Lawrence Hall of Science to Vargas for a "Build, Engineer, and Invent!" festival. 

 

There will be two identical sessions to accommodate the entire Vargas community. To run this festival, we need help!! Each session will require 14 adult volunteers to facilitate stations. Please sign up here to volunteer for one or both sessions.

First session: 5:00-5:50 pm

Second session: 6:00-6:50pm

 

CAASPP Testing (3-5)

Next week, Grades 3-5 will start CAASPP Testing. This practice test will allow students to become familiar with the assessment platform and practice using some of the tools so they are best prepared for the CAASPP testing after returning from Spring Break. Once returning from Spring Break, our 5th-grade students will test science on April 16-19. All of our 3–5 Students will test in ELA on April 23-26, and Math on April 30-May 2. Students will test before AM recess. Please avoid scheduling appointments during these times. As we prepare for testing, I wanted to share some ways in which you can support your child as best prepared for the assessment. Below are some tips you may find useful to help prepare your child for the CAASPP assessment:

 

• Explain to your child that it is important to do his/her best. 

• Provide positive reinforcement and encourage your child each day.

• Keep the test in perspective. We want students to do their best, but please make sure they understand that it is only one test. Remind them that if they are doing their best, you are proud.

• Make sure your child gets an ample, normal amount of sleep the night before the test

• Make sure to arrive on time each day.

• Eat a nice, healthy breakfast.

• Keep a positive attitude about testing around your child. Remind them that this is a time to show what they know.

At the Principal’s Coffee this Friday, I will provide more information about the CAASPP testing. Please join me at 8:00 AM in the MUR to learn more about CAASPP!

In Partnership, 

 

Principal Vern Taylor

 

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Events Calendar

 

March

 

April

 

May

 

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In this Newsletter

School News:

Golden Ticket Winners 

Summer Reading Books Needed! 

 

Flyers:

School Year Calendar  2024-2025 Here

March Menu Here

 

District News:

SCCOE: Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival - Flyer

MVWSD Preschool Program: Apply now for August

Parent University: Preparing for Middle School

City of MV: Earth and Arbor Day Photography Contest 

National Nutrition Month

21st Annual MVWSD Interscholastic Chess Tournament

InPlay: Find camps and afterschool activities

Survey: City of Mountain View wants to know about your journey to school 

MVEF: Support the Arts & Be Wowed!

PTA News

PTA Association Meeting, Wed 3/27 @ 8:30AM (Zoom)

Lawrence Hall of Science Festival - Thurs 4/4 evening

International Festival - Thurs 4/18 (5-7pm)

Spring Afterschool Enrichment Classes - starts Mar/Apr

Lunchtime Chess on Wednesdays

Vargas Night @ SJ Earthquakes vs LAFC 5/4

PTA Open Board Positions for 2023-2024                              

 

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Golden Ticket Winners March 21 , 2024
Madelyn B.         RM: 1            Leyla B.            RM: 10  
Xzavier R.           RM: 2            Liam P.              RM: 11
Mateo V.              RM: 3            Eva F.           RM: 13
Samuel V.            RM: 4            Hana V.             RM: 14
Lucas Z.              RM: 5            David C.            RM: 15 
Sara P.                 RM: 6            David J.             RM: 16
Luis R.                RM: 8            Ismael R.           RM: 17 
Wendy C.            RM: 9           Christopher B    RM: 18
                                                  Ms. Barrie          RM: 15                                                  

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Summer Reading Books Needed! 
We all know how important reading is to academic success. It is especially important for all of our students to keep up their reading over the summer. Do you have books that your family has outgrown and that you can donate to other families at Vargas for summer reading? Please bring them to Ms. Bea in the office. She will make sure that they find a good home for the summer. All levels of books are needed. We’ll be collecting books until Friday, May 10th. Thank you for your generosity.

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DISTRICT NEWS

SCCOE: Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival - Flyer

Santa Clara County Office of Education invites you to the first ever county-wide Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival on Saturday, April 20, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m taking place at the Ridder Park Office, 1290 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95131. Students in grades TK-8 can discover the fun and joy in mathematics by playing games, and solving puzzles with family and friends! We are also looking for volunteers to help with the festival. Parents, educators, high school students and anyone in the community are welcome! Community service hours are available upon request. For registration, volunteer sign-up & more information, please visit https://sccoe.to/2024JRMF.

MVWSD Preschool Program: Apply now for August

Explore our flexible, low-cost and convenient options for all families in our high-quality preschool program. *New this year* Lower tuition and an 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. class, in addition to extended/full-day class until 3 p.m. and part-day (3 hour) classes.

Our preschool offers age-appropriate early math, language, literacy and science inquiry instruction, as well as social-emotional development. Children who will be 3- or 4-years old are eligible (Minimum age: 3 years old by December 2, 2024. Maximum age: 5 years old on or before Sept. 1, 2024.) 

Preschool is currently located near Castro/Mistral Elementary Schools (1850 Latham St.) and Theuerkauf Elementary (1625 San Luis Ave.)

All 3- and 4-year-olds residing in the Castro School boundaries are eligible for FREE, part-day state preschool at Latham.

For more info go to www.mvwsd.org/preschool or call 650-526-3560.

Parent University: Preparing for Middle School

Date and Time: 4/2/24 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.  Registration Link: http://mvw.sd/pu040224

Nervous about middle school? We get it! Change can be daunting, but it can also lead to amazing new experiences. Join us to learn how to support your children as they prepare for the next stage in their academic and social lives. We will feature a panel of staff and students from Crittenden and Graham who will offer lots of wisdom and details about grades six, seven, and eight. See you there!

To submit your questions prior to the event, go to mvw.sd/questions.

 

City of MV: Earth and Arbor Day Photography Contest 

The City of Mountain View has launched a photography contest for its first joint Earth and

Arbor Day Celebration! The Mountain View Earth and Arbor Day Photo Contest is open to all

Mountain View community member amateur photographers, with three age categories: K-8, High School, and 18+. Entries are due by 5 p.m. on April 10, 2024. This year’s theme is “Rooted in Our Environment.” We encourage images that depict the beauty, biodiversity, and resilience of the environment in and around our City. Click here to learn more and submit your photo.

 

National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month! This year’s theme is “Beyond the Table”. This month, we’re exploring how our food choices extend beyond our plates, impacting our personal health, our community, and our planet. A great way to start supporting sustainable and mindful eating is by learning about the origins of our food. Check out this video about the journey carrots take from the farm to your table. 

21st Annual MVWSD Interscholastic Chess Tournament

The 21st Annual MVWSD Interscholastic Chess Tournament, sponsored by your PTAs, will be hosted by Landels Elementary on Sunday, April 21st, from 10:00 am to 5:00pm. Students from all MVWSD schools are welcome to join and enjoy an afternoon of friendly competition and camaraderie! The registration form and instructions can be found at tinyurl.com/mvwsdchess, and the deadline for registration is April 20. Any questions can be sent to Jonas Klittmark, tournament director, at [email protected].

InPlay: Find camps and afterschool activities

Spring break and summer vacation are just around the corner. Looking for activities or camps for your children? InPlay offers a free searchable program guide for parents, with filters for age, location, price (including free or reduced cost), and more. To find programs local to Mountain View, head to: https://www.inplay.org/r/mountain-view. Available programs include those that serve students with special needs or English learners.

 

Survey: City of Mountain View wants to know about your journey to school 

Next week, schools throughout Mountain View and Los Altos are participating in the City of Mountain View Safe Route to Schools (SRTS) evaluation project by collecting in-school and in-home information on how students travel to and from school. Students will take a brief survey about their commutes to school during the week of April 1. Parent participation is essential in helping the City of Mountain View develop plans to enhance safety and promote responsible travel behavior for both adults and children on our city streets. The City invites you to take part by completing a brief survey to help us understand your household’s perspective on the journey to school. This survey linked here will be open until April 25, 2024. 

 

MVEF: Support the Arts & Be Wowed!

Calling all music lovers! Mark your calendars for the MVEF Gala on April 27, a night celebrating the incredible talents of our middle school musicians and vocalists. Witness their hard work and dedication on stage while supporting vital arts programs in our schools. Get your tickets now! https://paybee.io/@mvef@14

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PTA News

 

PTA Association Meeting, Wed 3/27 @ 8:30AM (Zoom)

We would love to see you at our next meeting! We will have a principal's update as well as what the PTA is planning for the remainder of the school year, including community events and fundraisers. Register here. Agenda link.

 

Lawrence Hall of Science Festival - Thurs 4/4 evening

The PTA is bringing the Lawrence Hall of Science to Vargas for a "Build, Engineer, and Invent!" festival. There will be two identical sessions to accommodate the entire Vargas community. To run this festival, we need help!! Each session will require 14 adult volunteers to facilitate stations. Please sign up here to volunteer for one or both sessions.

First session: 5:00-5:50 pm

Second session: 6:00-6:50pm

 

International Festival - Thurs 4/18 (5-7pm)

Our 2nd annual International Festival is coming up. This is one of our biggest events of the year, where we invite our incredibly diverse community to share their culture.  If you are interested in signing up to represent a country, please sign up here!

 

Spring Afterschool Enrichment Classes - starts Mar/Apr

Visit our website to see the updated list of Spring Afterschool Enrichment class options, including start dates, scholarship, and registration info. Prorated rates are offered for classes that have already started. There are classes for everyone, including new classes this session (e.g. The Green Room Theater class, Creative Clay, and Science class). Sign up now! 

 

Lunchtime Chess on Wednesdays

The PTA is bringing Bay Area Chess to Vargas to provide a free lunchtime chess club, for students at all levels, starting on March 6 for 10 weeks. Players of all levels are welcome!

 

Vargas Night @ SJ Earthquakes vs LAFC 5/4

Join your fellow Vargas families and watch the SJ Earthquakes take on LAFC at Levis’ Stadium. 

• Purchase tickets here: https://fevo-enterprise.com/Joseantoniolevi

For each ticket purchased through this link, a small portion will go back to our school, so enjoy a fun night out while giving back to your school!

 

PTA Open Board Positions for 2023-2024

In March we will hold our election for PTA board members for next school year. The main position that we need to fill for next year is the Treasurer. The treasurer attends PTA meetings, prepares financial reports, issues checks and updates budgets. There is no accounting or financial experience required as there is good training and support available. The main strengths would be being organized and being able to commit to 6-8 hours per month. 

 

We are also looking for a Parliamentarian and a Historian. A link to PTA positions and descriptions can be found here: Current PTA role descriptions 23/24

 

If you are interested or would like to hear more about any of these positions you can talk to anyone on the nominating committee (Franziska Romanovsky, SE Hayes, Jennifer Chan, Kevin Morrison, Shannon Lundin) or email [email protected]