Principal’s Message:

Hello Golden Owls,

I hope that you and your families are well and finishing up a memorable summer! I was able to spend some time relaxing, reading, exercising, and traveling to a few cities in Europe. I am so grateful for that time to unwind and recharge, and I am excited to welcome all students back to campus soon!  

For those of you haven’t met me, My name is Principal Vern Taylor. This is my sixth year as principal, and we are very much looking forward to the coming school year and welcoming all our students and staff back. I look forward to getting to know you and your students this upcoming school year. Thank you for joining our Vargas community.

Please read the entire message below for important back to school information. At last night’s New Family Orientation, I reviewed many procedures. You can find the presentation from last night here, and the video here.  In addition, please plan on attending the following information sessions:

Bring your school-related questions to the Vargas Principal's Office hours on Tuesday, August 13th @ 4:00 pm on Zoom meeting here. I’ll be talking about campus procedures and provide an update about campus construction. Spanish interpretation will be available.

 

Mark your calendar and bring your district-related questions to the Superintendent’s Community Check-In with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Friday, Sep. 6, at 3:30 p.m. on Zoom at here

 

In Partnership, 

Principal Vern Taylor

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Events Calendar

August

 

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In this Newsletter

 

School News:

First Day of School - Minimum Day

Bell Schedule

Drop off and Pick up Procedures

Reporting an Absence

Medication Forms

School Supplies and Voluntary Donation Form

Transportation

Stay in touch   

 

Flyers:

2024 -2025 School Year Calendar - Here

August Menu Here

 

District News:

Applying to be a school volunteer this year? Training and help sessions happen this month

Parent University: MVWSD District Orientation

Important schedule information for families enrolled in afterschool care

School meals are free, but fill out the EzSchool Meals application to help you and your school

Sown to Grow

PTA News:

 

 

Community Partners

NW SELPA Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Meeting - Flyer

 

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School News

 

First Day of School is a Minimum Day

The first day of school, Tuesday, Aug. 13, is a minimum day, meaning students will be dismissed earlier than usual. Dismissal time is 11:55.  Thursday, Aug. 15 is on the Thursday schedule. Friday, Aug. 16 will be a full school day for students.

Bell Schedules and Schools’ Start/End Times

Please click here to view our school’s updated schedule for the 2024-25 school year. Please note that Thursdays end early at all elementary school sites, and last days of trimesters are minimum days during the 2023-24 school year. 

 

Drop Off and Pick-up Procedures:

Morning Drop off - Vehicle Drop

• School starts at 8:00am - Drop off starts at 7:45am

• Drop off time begins 15 minutes before the school day (7:45)

• Parents/guardians or other individuals dropping off or picking up children should remain in their vehicles to the extent possible.

• Students will walk to their morning Pickup location.

• Parents/guardians should drop off their child(ren) at the main entrance.

• Adults should stay inside the vehicle. *If a student needs help getting out of a car seat/seat belt, please do so quickly. Have all materials (lunch, backpacks, etc) ready to go for easy drop-off.

• Staff will guide students to walk to the basketball courts and stand by the cone of their classroom number. 

• Please leave campus immediately after drop off to allow for flow of traffic.

 

Kindergarten and New Families:

We know this will be new to you and your child. At the drop-off location, will have a staff member walk your child to his/her designated classroom area. To help with a smooth transition, please send your child an index card with the following information: Student's name (Legal name), classroom number, and teacher name to hand to our staff.

 

Pedestrian Drop-Off: 

Drop off time begins 15 minutes before the school day (7:45AM)

We recommend parents/guardians drop off their child(ren) at the main front gate entrance.

Students will walk to their morning location.

 

**If your child is allowed to walk or bike to and from school, parents MUST email our front office staff giving authorization. Please email our school clerk, Ms. Silvia McElyea [email protected]. 

 

Commuting to school safely

It's critically important for children's safety that you take time now before the start of the school year to plan their route, tune up their wheels and talk with them about road safety. If your child is walking or biking to school, please review our bike safety webpage.

 

Dismissal:

Kinder Dismissal at 1:30pm: - Map designations here

 For parents who are walking onto campus

Parents will remain in the kinder waiting area

Teacher will dismiss students from the classroom

Parents/guardians who walk should leave campus as quickly as possible because other students are still learning on campus

For Parents who are picking up by vehicle

Parents/guardians or other individuals picking up children in their car should remain in their vehicles to the extent possible. 

Teacher and Front Office Staff will help students connect to their vehicle/parents/guardians. 

 

1st to 3rd grade Dismissal at 2:35pm  -   4th to 5th grade Dismissal at 2:40pm:

Parents may arrive at 2:35pm and walk through the main gate and wait in the gray area

Any student not picked up by 2:45pm from gray area will walk out to their vehicle

Front Office Staff will help students connect to their vehicle.

Parents/guardians or other individuals picking up children should remain in their vehicles to the extent possible.

 

Students attending YMCA or Right At School: Staff members will pick up students from their classrooms.

 

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.

 

Medication Forms

If your child requires medication to be kept at school, please email Ms. Evelyn Antunez at [email protected], and/or Ms. Silvia McElyea [email protected] to be emailed medication release forms during our first week of school and return ASAP (we cannot administer any medication without the form).  Please note that all medication, even over the counter ones, need a medication form signed by your doctor.   

 

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. 

 

Transportation

The Mountain View Whisman School District Transportation Department provides transportation for students who are residents of Moffett and students with disabilities who are eligible for this service. For more information, and to apply for a bus pass, please visit this web page.

 

Stay in touch

Please take a moment and follow our district and school social media accounts. Staying in touch with us on social media will keep you in the loop on important happenings, as well as provide a critical line of communication during emergencies.

Click on the account links below and like or follow to stay in touch!

Mountain View Whisman School District  - Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo

Jose Antonio Vargas Elementary - Facebook, Instagram

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District News

 

Applying to be a school volunteer this year? Training and help sessions happen this month

We appreciate our parent volunteers! Please check your inbox (email dated Aug. 5) for important information about mandated training and optional volunteer help sessions coming up in the next two weeks. For an overview of the process, please visit https://www.mvwsd.org/volunteers.

 

Parent University: MVWSD District Orientation

Date and Time: August 12, 2024, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Registration Link: http://mvw.sd/pu081224r

 

It’s a district “Back to School Night”! - an orientation to everything parents and caregivers need to know to kickoff the school year. A great reminder of the resources both the district and your individual schools have, as well as a thorough introduction for new families to the district. Who would you go to for help with the school meal application? How do you access information regarding your child’s assessments? Come and hear answers to these questions and more! 

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

 

Important schedule information for families enrolled in afterschool care

MVWSD+ Afterschool Programs (ELOP) will not happen on August 13 and instead will start on the second day of school, August 14. Right at School parent-paid programs will also start on Aug. 14.  YMCA parent-paid programs will take place on Aug. 13.  

 

School meals are free, but fill out the EzSchool Meals application to help you and your school

MVWSD will continue to provide free meals this year to all students as part of California’s universal meal program.

 

However, parents need to reapply for the Free and Reduced Price Meals program now for this school year. If you think you could qualify (qualifying income levels listed here), we ask you to apply at EzSchool Meals to help MVWSD receive additional funding to support students who are in need, and may help your family. If your child is eligible for free and/or reduced-price meals, your family could get medical benefits, housing benefits, utilities benefits and more. Qualifying is one factor in your child’s eligibility for free MVWSD after school care and summer camp.

 

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. 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.

 

Sown to Grow

MVWSD is again partnering with Sown to Grow for the 2024-25 school year. Sown to Grow is a platform designed to promote safe and supportive classrooms through activities that help students develop self-awareness, set goals, and develop essential social and emotional skills.

 

Each week, students in Grades K-5 complete a simple check-in that lets them share how they are feeling. Students in Grades 3-5 also respond to a brief written prompt that encourages reflection on friendships, community, and social-emotional wellbeing. Teachers, principals, and counselors see real-time reporting on students’ emotions and can proactively reach out to support students’ needs. Finally, students in Grades 1-8 complete a brief SEL survey in the Fall and Spring. Please feel free to contact your student’s principal with any additional questions about the program. 

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PTA News

 

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From Our Community Partners

NW SELPA Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Meeting - Flyer

Parent and community voices are needed in Special Education! Come join our first official meeting on Aug. 27 at 9:00 am as the Santa Clara North West SELPA CAC. Register here to receive Zoom link. For more information, contact: [email protected] and [email protected].