Principal’s Message:

 

Hello Golden Owls,

 

Just a quick reminder that Friday is a minimum day because it is the end of the trimester. 

Summer is just around the corner, which means lots of outdoor play, family time, and daily academic practice!  We know from brain research and our own lived experiences that skills that are not practiced, or periodically reviewed, can be forgotten.  Students have worked so hard this year to learn and grow. We want to make sure they maintain these skills over the summer!  We know that convincing students to do daily academic practice may be tricky, so we’re helping with an optional Summer Learning Menu: Menu and Work Log

• Students can complete i-Ready Reading or Math, Zearn Math, or Khan Academy lessons.  The self-paced i-Ready lessons are tailored to students’ individual levels, based on their third trimester diagnostic assessments.

• Students can read.  Daily reading is the most effective way to become a better reader. We read by reading the words, reading the pictures, retelling familiar texts, and listening to others read. We also read a variety of text types: picture books, novels, newspapers, magazines, blogs, graphic novels, comic books, etc.

• Students can complete Math Fluency Activities. Students can play a math fluency card game with a deck of cards, practice with some flashcards, or complete a math learning game on i-Ready.

• Students can complete STEAM or Profile of a Graduate challenges.  Students can complete these challenges on their own, with a friend, or with their families!

As a reminder, current grade 2 and 4 students will not have their school-issued Chromebooks this summer because they need to be serviced to keep them in good working order. Students can still access their Clever dashboard from any non-school issued device. 

Please see “How to access summer learning on home devices” here: https://www.mvwsd.org/summer. Students in grades TK-2 will receive their printed Clever badge (QR Code) from their teacher by Wednesday, May 29. 

Thanks for supporting your children with maintaining their skills over the summer!

 

In Partnership, 

 

Principal Vern Taylor

 

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Events Calendar

 

May

 

 

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In this Newsletter

School News:

Golden Ticket Winners

Chromebooks - 2nd and 4th Grade

Turning in this Year’s Volunteer Badges; and How to Apply to be a Regular Volunteer Next Year

Vargas Elementary Field Rental Update

Vargas Field Day

Message from Mrs. O

Lost and Found 

Kindergarten and 5th Grade Promotion **Please plan ahead! 

Staff Members Honored by Acknowledge Alliance

i-Ready Diagnostic 3 Assessments and Student Reports

Free Meals All Summer- Grab and Go

 

Flyers:

May Menu Here

School Year Calendar  2024-2025 Here

 

District News:

Medi-Cal Expansion

Better Together: May

Mental Health Month

View and comment on MVWSD’s Local Control Accountability Plan draft before May 24

Seeing those smiles at the CSMA Spring school concerts? Did you know that TK-5 music education in MVWSD is funded by MVEF?

PTA News

Last PTA Association Meeting - May 22 (6-7pm)- in-person @ JAV Library

PTA Bylaws Notice

Incoming Kinder Summer Playdates 

End of Year Ice Cream Social - Friday May 31 (12:00-1:30PM)

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Golden Ticket Winners May 16, 2024
Koa R.               RM: 1          Tyso W.           RM: 10  
Ali U.                RM: 2          Camila D.        RM: 11
Faye H.             RM: 3          Matilda K        RM: 15
Jaein S.             RM: 4          Thea V.            RM: 15
Jonathan L.       RM: 5          Aanya R.         RM: 16 
Tehara A.          RM: 6          Brandon P.      RM: 17
Oscar M.           RM: 8          Kiley A.          RM: 18 
Wendy C.          RM: 9          Mr. Hillman    RM: 16     

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Chromebooks
Continuing Students:
Most continuing students will keep their Chromebooks over the summer. However, students in 2nd and 4th grade need to turn in their Chromebooks to their teachers, unless they are going to summer school. Summer School students in 2nd and 4th grade will turn in their Chromebooks after summer school ends. 

Student Leaving MVWSD:

Students who are leaving our District please turn in your Chromebooks and chargers to the front office.

Turning in this Year’s Volunteer Badges; and How to Apply to be a Regular Volunteer Next Year

Parents, we are so grateful for your volunteering this year! It has been a great year, and we are looking forward to next year already. But first …

• Please turn in your volunteer badges to the front office between now and the end of the school year. This year’s badge will not work for next year.

For all of the details and documentation requirements to get yourself set up as a frequent volunteer for the 2024-25 school year, please see mvwsd.org/volunteers. MVWSD will begin accepting volunteer applications for 2024-25 on August 1. Please look for an email this summer with more details about training and applying to volunteer next year. Thank you

 

Vargas Elementary Field Rental Update

Beginning, Monday, June 3, the City of Mountain View will be responsible for permitted uses on the Vargas Elementary School Field during non-school hours. To learn about the City of Mountain View’s field reservation process, the City is hosting "Field Office Hours" at the Vargas Elementary School Field on Wednesday, May 15, 5 - 6:30 p.m. Join City staff to learn how to reserve a field and ask your questions about the reservation process. For more information, please see mountainview.gov/reservations.

 

Vargas Field Day

On Thursday, May 23, Vargas will be conducting field day. To ensure this day is safe and fun for your child, the following items are recommended:

 

T-Shirt: color of the team assigned to as noted in teacher notification. (expect this in Friday Folder)

Sunscreen

Hat or Visor

Shorts and Sweatshirt

Tennis Shoes

Water/Water bottle

Message from Mrs. O 

Mrs. O can help your child register for the summer reading program - If you DO NOT want your child to be registered please email Mrs. O at [email protected]. More information about the program below:

Mountain View Public Library - Flyer 1 - Flyer 2

The Mountain View Public Library’s free Summer Reading Program will run from May 25 - July 31, 2024. Everyone in the family can sign up for a summer of reading and rewards. Register at MountainView.gov/SummerReading. The Summer Reading Program kicks off with an all-ages extravaganza in the park on Saturday, June 1 from 2-4 p.m. at Pioneer Park. Enjoy music, lawn games and treats!

Lost & Found

Is your child missing a sweater/jacket, lunch box, water bottle, and or umbrella? Our lost and found rack is overflowing with many items. Please take a moment at morning drop off or afternoon pick-up to look through it, the lost & found rack is located by the school office entrance. All items not claimed by Friday, May 31st at 3:30pm will be donated. 

Kindergarten and 5th Grade Promotion **Please plan ahead! 

We will have a celebration for Kindergarten Promotion on Thursday, May 30 from 11:00-11:55am.

Visitors will need to sign in the office with their picture IDs. The celebration will begin promptly at 11:00am, 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 to ensure you can participate in the full celebration.

5th Grade Promotion:

We will celebrate our Fifth-graders with a promotion celebration Thursday, May 30 from 12:30-1:30 pm. Because the ceremony takes place after dismissal, parents will not need to check into the front office. As you know, parking is limited, so please plan ahead and arrive early if you need parking. 

 

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

i-Ready Diagnostic 3 Assessments and Student Reports

Your child will take the end of year i-Ready Math and Reading diagnostic assessments during the week of May 13th, 2024. Parents can access their children’s i-Ready Reading and Mathematics score via their Powerschool Parent Portal starting at 4 pm on May 31. Parents will have access to three reports for their child - For Families Report, Common Core State Standards Report (CCSS), and the Diagnostic Growth Report. Steps to access your child's i-Ready Reports on Powerschool are linked here. To learn more about how to read the reports, please click here. Please contact your child’s school office if you have any trouble accessing reports. 

Free Meals All Summer- Grab and Go

Free meals provided by MVWSD and Second Harvest Food Bank are available to everyone throughout the summer at these locations. No questions. No age limit. No IDs required.

• Rengstorff Park - June 6- July 26 from 11:30 AM-12:45 PM. (No Meals June 19 & July 4)

• Castro Elementary  - June 6 - 28 from 11:30 AM -12:30 pm. (No meal pick on June 19). Meal pick up in front of Mistral Elementary School, 505 Escuela Ave 

 

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DISTRICT NEWS

Medi-Cal Expansion

Medi-Cal helps you and your family stay healthy. Even if you’ve been denied for full Medi-Cal recently, you may be eligible now. Immigration status does not matter. Applying will not affect your immigration status. Learn more at Medi-Cal.dhcs.ca.gov.

Better Together: May

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, a time dedicated to recognizing the rich history, cultural diversity, and significant contributions of the Asian American Pacific Islander community to our society. It's an opportunity to celebrate the many achievements and the vibrant traditions that AAPI individuals bring to the fabric of our communities. As we honor this important month, it's also an excellent moment to reflect on the #BetterTogether theme of recognizing our own self-worth. Each of us, regardless of background, has unique strengths and an intrinsic value that contributes positively to our communities and the world at large. Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month reminds us to appreciate not only the diversity around us but also the value within ourselves, fostering a deeper understanding and respect for all.

For more information about Better Together, visit mvwsd.org/BetterTogetherMVWSD.

Mental Health Month

Here are 5 things you can do for your #mentalhealth this week:

1. Make a list of 5 things you’re grateful for today.

2. Practice positive affirmations.

3. Start a conversation about mental health.

4. Stay hydrated!

5. Take a break from screens.

#MentalHealthMonth #WhereToStart

The National Institutes of Health offers ideas and resources for whole-self wellness: https://bit.ly/3UXZgOQ 

View and comment on MVWSD’s Local Control Accountability Plan draft before May 24

The District is finalizing its draft of the LCAP (Local Control Accountability Plan). This is the District’s three-year plan that corresponds with the  District’s Strategic Plan 2027. These documents are the blueprints that guide all of the District’s work for the benefit of our students.

Through May 24, stakeholders are welcome to view the draft LCAP plan and provide input about the plans' goals, actions, and services here. You may read presentations and supporting materials at mvwsd.org/lcap and make comments. Stakeholders may also attend the public hearing during the Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, May 30. Agenda and time are found at mvwsd.org/trustees.

Seeing those smiles at the CSMA Spring school concerts? Did you know that TK-5 music education in MVWSD is funded by MVEF?
In MVWSD, each grade level at each school site learns from specialized, dedicated teachers who are hired, trained, and mentored by the Community School of Art and Music (CSMA) in Mountain View. As they progress, every student learns about beat, melody, tone, pitch, expression, and the language and cultural context of music. In 4th and 5th grade, students learn how to read and play music on a recorder, and are able to try out different concert instruments. This common foundation ensures that every student is prepared to participate in excellent MVWSD performing arts programs when they come together in middle school. Thank you to MVEF donors for making this possible! To become an MVEF donor, visit here.

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PTA News

 

Last PTA Association Meeting - May 22 (6-7pm)- in-person @ JAV Library

At our next PTA Association meeting, we will conduct our election for the 2024-2025 Executive Board for the Jose Antonio Vargas PTA and approve our proposed budget for next year. Stay after the meeting for refreshments and a chance to chat with other parents before school ends.

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.

 

Incoming Kinder Summer Playdates 

Mark your calendars for the incoming kinder playdates on:

• Saturday June 29, 10:00AM, @ Creekside Park

• Friday July 19, 4:30PM @ Pyramid Park (BYO dinner for a picnic playdates)

 

End of Year Ice Cream Social - Friday May 31 (12:00-1:30PM)

Save the Date - The PTA is hosting an Ice Cream Social to celebrate the end of the school year on Friday, May 31st from 12:00-1:30PM on campus. More details to follow.

• If you would like to donate toppings, sign up here.

• To sign-up to help scoop ice cream, sign up here.

Kimberly Cheng, and the PTA Executive Board [email protected]g