Principal’s Message:

 

Hello Golden Owls,

 

This year, MVWSD has been focusing on the theme of Allyship. It was such a delight to see our school’s namesake, Jose Antonio Vargas and his high school choir teacher, Mrs. Denny discuss how she was able to be an ally to him during his high school days. During the talk, Mrs. Denny said, "Whereas if I take an action so you feel you belong. If I'm focusing on belonging. and you belong with us and on that trip. That's allyship in an action." This discussion illuminated the fact that to truly be an ally and practice allyship, it is the little things that you do everyday that really have an impact on those who need it. To truly be an inclusive community, it is not solely about policy or one time statements of support--it is truly about how we welcome, support and show up for each other each day. I can’t say it enough, I am so proud to be a part of this community. 

It was such a pleasure seeing all of you at the International Festival on Thursday. Thank you, for all of your hard work in cultivating such a vibrant and rich community.  Here is a slide show of the event click here

 

In Partnership, 

 

Principal Vern Taylor

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Events Calendar

 

April

 

May

 

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In this Newsletter

School News:

CAASPP Testing

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Lost & Found

Staff Members Honored by Acknowledge Alliance

Bike Safety  Rodeo  May 7, 2024 (3rd and 4th Grade) 

5th Grade CSMA Music Concert (5/08/2024)

5th Grade Instrument Collection

4th Grade Poetry - May 10

Summer Reading Books Needed! 

 

Flyers:

School Year Calendar  2024-2025 Here

April Menu Here

 

District News:

Parent University: Transitioning to High School: Nurturing Emotional and Social Growth

InPlay: Find camps and afterschool activities - Flyer

The MVEF Online Auction is NOW LIVE!

April and May 2024 CAC and LCC Events 

City of MV: Female Empowerment Workshop - Flyer

City of MV: Multicultural Festival - Flyer

City of MV: Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan survey - Flyer

Paint Drop-off and Giveaway Event - Flyer

CSA Empty Bowls Fundraiser - Flyer

MVEF: Support the Arts & Be Wowed!

PTA News

Vargas Night @ SJ Earthquakes vs LAFC 5/4

Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6th - May 10th

PTA Executive Board Elections May 22nd @ 6pm, in person

PTA Bylaws Notice

Lunchtime Chess on Wednesdays                  

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CAASPP Testing
All of our 3–5 students will start testing in ELA this week, 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.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May marks Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which celebrates the histories of Americans hailing from across the Asian continent and from the Pacific islands of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. This month, our teachers will be emphasizing the diversity and richness of AAPI identity and culture. Additionally, Ms. O, our librarian, will be sharing books about various influential AAPI individuals and their contributions. Additionally, students can use Clever through their Chromebooks to access the AAPI Picture Book Collection. (Click here)

 

Lost and Found

The lost and found rack is getting full again, please take a look to see if any items belong to your child. The last day to claim any items is Thursday, May 2. Anything left after dismissal will be donated.

 

Staff Members Honored by Acknowledge Alliance

I am happy to announce that several members of the Vargas staff will be honored by Acknowledge Alliance as the Educator Team of the Year. Ms. Bea, Our School and Community Engagement Facilitator Mr. Damion, our At-Risk Supervisor,  Mr. Luis, our day custodian and Principal. Taylor, will be honored at the Forget Me Nots for their work in further Acknowledge Alliance mission of  promoting lifelong resilience in children and youth, and strengthening the caring capacity of the adults who influence their lives. For more information about the event, and to read bios,  Click Here

 

Bike Safety  Rodeo  May 7, 2024 (3rd and 4th Grade) 

The City of Mountain View’s Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program promotes walking and

bicycling to school. Currently, this program is supported by the 2016 VTA Measure B

Education/Encouragement Program and the City’s operating budget. The Bike Safety Rodeo is

a part of our efforts to keep children safer, reduce traffic congestion and help us all combat

climate change by promoting active transportation.

The Bike Safety Rodeo is an interactive program to educate students on bicycle safety including

hand signaling, looking over their shoulder, helmet fitting and other bicycle safety skills.

*Although a limited number of loaner bicycles and helmets are provided, students are encouraged to bring their own bicycles and helmets 

**Students are required to have a completed permission form to participate in the rodeo.

 

5th Grade CSMA Music Concert (5/08/2024)

Our fifth grade students are excited to perform for you!  As a culmination of their weekly music lessons provided by Community School of Music and Art (CSMA), students who are in the music program will hold their concert in the MUR on May 08 at 11:00 am.. 

 

*Please plan ahead!  

In order to view these performances, visitors will need to sign in the office with their picture IDs. The concert will begin promptly at 11:00, so please make sure to give yourself plenty of time to find parking, and sign-in. We suggest arriving at least 15 minutes before the start of the concert to ensure you can view your child’s full performance.

5th Grade Instrument Collection

All instruments will be collected at Vargas after the final performance on May 8, 2024.

4th Grade Poetry - May 10

In order to view these performances, visitors will need to sign in the office with their picture IDs. The performance will begin promptly at 9:00, so please make sure to give yourself plenty of time to find parking, and sign-in. We suggest arriving at least 15 minutes before the start of the concert to ensure you can view your child’s full performance.

 

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

Parent University: Transitioning to High School: Nurturing Emotional and Social Growth

Date and Time: May 7, 2024, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Registration Link: https://mvw.sd/pu050724

 

Do you have a child who is about to enter high school? Join us at our final Parent University session of the year to learn about high school campus life from students and staff at Los Altos High School and Mountain View High School. This session will focus on supporting the social and emotional growth of students as they navigate a complex new school experience. 

To submit questions prior to the event, go to mvw.sd/questions. We will do our best to address your question during the session.

 

InPlay: Find camps and afterschool activities - Flyer

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.

The MVEF Online Auction is NOW LIVE!

You can now bid to win birthday presents, summer camps, fun family outings, and more! 

https://paybee.io/@mvef@15

Over 125 online auction items were donated to the Gala! There is something for everyone and anyone can bid in the online auction. Bidding closes on April 27 when Gala Live Auction bidding begins. Bidders will receive a message as the closing time approaches.

April and May 2024 CAC and LCC Events 

Important announcement - the SELPA 1 CAC covering the districts of Mountain View Whisman School District, Mountain View Los Altos High School District, Palo Alto Unified and Los Altos School District will be consolidated starting July 1 with SELPA II, SELPA III, SELPA IV and SELPA VII into the Northwest Santa Clara County CAC. 21 Districts will be represented in the new CAC.

A new website with resources surrounding special education issues will be available on the Santa Clara County Office of Education website soon. Stay tuned for updates at: https://www.sccoe.org/selpa/

For local coverage of issues related to learning challenges, please check out the Learning Challenges Committee. Their website will be updated over the summer, but will be available at http://learningchallenges.lamvptac.org/

General Parent/Community Meeting 

May 6 2024 9 am on Zoom

with Special Ed. Directors & Staff, Zoom at 9 am. Our last meeting before consolidation. New bylaws will be reviewed for consolidated CAC as well as an update on the local plan talks. Planning for future parent education and parent support will be discussed. Register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpde-vqzoqE9dR0lar7cVIYcSY-7LAa1Ne

Parent Chat

May 14, 10 am

Are you concerned about the emotional well-being of your child?  Peer to peer support for parents of teens with mental health challenges. Every second Tuesday of the month at 10 am on Google Meet. Meeting is for 1 hour only due to Google Meet limitations. Contact [email protected] for invite.

Missed our Parent Education events?

We have a YouTube channel with many of our past events including the recent talk on Assistive Technology, last year’s Inclusive Fun Fair for summer camps and recreational activities, Anxiety and Depression in Children with Learning Challenges, SMART Goals and IEP Troubleshooting, and more. Channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuy7IcVz-4LTDxv2Jaq13nw

City of MV: Female Empowerment Workshop - Flyer

Join the City of Mountain View on Thursday, April 25 from 5:00-7:30 p.m. for a free female empowerment workshop that is a unique blend of self-defense skills training and essential knowledge about feminine hygiene. The workshop will be held at The View Teen Center (263 Escuela Avenue) and is open to Adults and Teens ages 11+. Register in advance here.

City of MV: Multicultural Festival - Flyer

The City of Mountain View’s Multicultural Festival will take place on Saturday, April 27 at Civic Center Plaza from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. The Multicultural Festival recognizes the cultural diversity of the Mountain View community by bringing together residents to share, learn, and understand people of all cultures, talents and beliefs. The event will feature community resource tables, crafts, and a variety of dance, vocal, and musical performances representing a variety of international cultures.

City of MV: Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan survey - Flyer

The City of Mountain View has initiated a comprehensive community-wide survey as part of the Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan community input process. This survey is designed to gather insights that will shape our decisions for the next 10-15 years. As a valued member of our community, your input is crucial in helping us understand and address our residents' evolving parks and recreation needs and preferences. To take the survey and see more information, visit ImagineMVParks.com.

Paint Drop-off and Giveaway Event - Flyer

The City of Mountain View is promoting a Paint Drop-off and Giveaway Event hosted by PaintCare on Saturday, April 27 from 8:00 am to noon at Mountain View High School for all Santa Clara County residents. Households may bring any amount of paint, stain, and varnish. Paint in good condition will be made available to the public for free. Registration is required: https://paint-mountain-view.eventbrite.com.

CSA Empty Bowls Fundraiser - Flyer

Please join the Community Services Agency's Annual Empty Bowls Fundraiser for Homeless Services on April 28, 2024 from 2:00-4:00 pm at Rengstorff Park. The event will feature bottomless ice cream, beautiful bowls, and fun children's activities. You can purchase tickets and donate here. 

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

 

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!

 

Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6th - May 10th

It’s almost time to show our teachers how much we appreciate them! PTA and room parents are planning some special activities.

Decorations: Come and help decorate teacher doors and campus on Sunday, May 5th 3-6pm.

Daily Activities: Different grades will have a day they can contribute food for the teachers. See a list of all the activities and sign ups for each day here 

Kudos Board: Leave a message for teachers and staff here.

 

PTA Executive Board Elections May 22nd @ 6pm, in person

At our May PTA Association Meeting we will be having the general election to elect the executive board for the 2024/ 2025 Jose Antonio Vargas PTA.

Thank you to the nominees, both new and returning, who have volunteered to be part of the PTA board next year and the nominating committee who worked to find parents to fill the roles. Please attend this last PTA meeting of the year to ensure we have enough members to elect our next PTA Executive Board.

Nominees:

President:Kimberly Cheng

Vice President: Sukie Grewal

Treasurer: Daniel Lopez

Secretary: Julie Kantorovskiy

Parliamentarian: Sandy Wen

Financial Reviewer: Pei-Ching Huang

Historian: Saty Reddy

Please let Shannon [email protected] or Kim [email protected] know if you have any questions about the elections. 

PTA Bylaws Notice

We have made amendments to the PTA bylaws that will be presented and voted on at the next PTA Association Meeting on May 22nd @ 6pm, in person at the school library. Please see the proposed amendments. Feel free to contact Shannon Lundin [email protected] for any questions.

 

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!