The Dolphin Whistle
March 30, 2022 Issue 28
MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL DR. CRATES
Dear Castro Families,
Spring has arrived and we’ve had a busy March with an uninterrupted month for learning. Please take a good look at the calendar dates and the district notices in order to take advantage of the opportunities for our students and families.
Bicycle safety continues to be a concern for parents and teachers. If you need a helmet for your child, please reach out to our office staff.
Grades 3-5:Practicing our routines for state testing begins immediately after Spring Break.
Official testing starts the following week.
Students arriving late to school cannot take the test with their group.
No independent study requests can be granted during the testing period.
Lost and Found: Are you looking for your child’s sweatshirt, water bottle, lunch bag, etc? We have over 50 items in our lost and found. The Lost and Found rack is just inside our front gate. Next Thursday, April 7, we will place the rack outside the gate before school through dismissal time.. Please take a moment to find your child’s lost items. We always recommend writing your child’s name on outerwear, backpacks and lunch boxes.
5th grade Parent/Student Meeting: Social Media Awareness: This Monday, April 4 at 6:00 pm. This is perhaps one of the most important meetings you will attend to support your 5th grader and their teachers. Please look for a link in your email.
More 5th grade information: Electives selection help sessions for parents (students welcome) For Graham: April 1, 10:45-11:45 am. Zoom Meeting link
April 7, 5:00 - 6:00 pm. Zoom Meeting link (See district notice below for Crittenden)
Have a wonderful week!
Sincerely,
Dr. Judy Crates
CALENDAR
- April 4, 2022 - 5th Grade-Social Media Aware, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- April 5, 2022 - SSC, 5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
- April 5, 2022 - ELAC, 6:15 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.
- April 6, 2022 - Spring Picture Day
- April 11 - April 15, 2022 - Spring Break (No School )
- April 19, 2022 - Coffee with Dr. Crates, 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
FROM THE DISTRICT OFFICE
For grades 5-7: Select Middle School electives before April 8
It is the time of year when our incoming middle school students choose their electives for next year. All 5th-7th graders should preference their course electives online in Powerschool now through April 8, 2022. Parents, an email was sent to you on March 25 with the course catalogs and instructions that are also available on https://www.mvwsd.org/MSelectives. Please take a moment to view the catalog with your student and complete the selection in PowerSchool before April 8.
Electives selection help sessions for grades 5-7 parents (Students welcome):
Crittenden:
April 1, 9:00 - 10:00 am. Zoom meeting link
April 7: 5:00 - 6:00 pm. Zoom meeting link
Graham:
April 1, 10:45-11:45 am. Zoom Meeting link
April 7, 5:00 - 6:00 pm. Zoom Meeting link
COVID update: Masking, other protocols changing on March 28
MVWSD will further loosen restrictions due to changing state and county guidance. Please see the attached flyer for the highlights of changes beginning March 28. Both outdoor and indoor masking is strongly recommended (no longer required) for students and staff. Exceptions: Masks are required on buses for all, indoors for volunteers and preschoolers, and unvaccinated persons (including adults without a booster) must wear a mask for 10 days after exposure to a positive case. Masks are required indoors for sports and performing arts spectators, regardless of vaccination status.
Speaking respectfully about mask choices
As mask mandates change at MVWSD, it is important to respect the decisions of individuals and families as they choose to mask or not mask at school. Staff members will support students with respectful conversations on campus. We encourage you to talk with your children about your family’s choices, and about communicating empathy and understanding for others’ choices. For tips on how students can respectfully speak up and speak out, see this helpful infographic. We know our students will be upstanders and take care of each other!
COVID vaccinations at Graham: April 5
El Camino Health will host a public COVID vaccination clinic at the Graham Middle School Multi Use Room on April 5 from 3:30-7:30 p.m. The clinic will offer shots (primary series and boosters) free to all students ages 5 and older and their family members. For more information and consent form, see http://mvw.sd/vax.
Join MVEF's Spring Gala “The Art of Words” on April 23rd!
All gala ticket sales close Wednesday, April 6. No walk-in tickets will be available. Join MVEF for a lively evening that includes dinner, fundraising, and trivia in support of our schools. You can join us in person at Michael's at Shoreline OR join us virtually from home for the trivia game and access to online fundraising.
In-person: individual tickets are $125
Virtual: join us from home with a single virtual login for trivia plus access to online fundraising for $50.
We'll also have a raffle if you'd like your chance to win one of three great prizes available!
The winners will be drawn at the gala, but you need not be present to win!
To buy tickets please send an email: aisha@mvef.org
Looking for another way to participate?
We are still looking for items to include in our silent auction catalog. Do you have a vacation home or a timeshare, season tickets, golf course access, lessons, or a special experience to share? Please contact Dena@mvef.org or Andrea-m@mvef.org
InPlay Summer Program Guide (
Looking for summer fun and out-of-school opportunities? MVWSD partners with nonprofit InPlay to help you find the perfect fit for your child and for your family. Hundreds of programs, including free and reduced-cost programs and those that serve students with special needs or English learners, are nearby and can be found through this free, searchable site. Check out MV.inplay.org.
MVWSD has not reviewed the programs and does not specifically endorse them. Parents should thoroughly research all activities before enrolling their children.
CA COVID-19 Rent Relief Program & SCC COVID Assistance Program: Expiring 3/31
The deadline to apply for rent relief through California's COVID-19 Rent Relief program is soon approaching on Thursday, March 31st (Apply at http://HousingisKey.com). See the attached flyer for agencies in Santa Clara County that can help with applying to the state program. SCC’s Isolation and Quarantine Program also ends March 31st. If you are sick with COVID19 or have been sick in the last 90 days and need assistance because you had to isolate and quarantine, call the COVID-19 Resources Hotline: (408) 808-7770 or housing@eoc.sccgov.org. For more information about both programs, see this webinar.
MV Public Library: Intro to Game Design Workshop
Want to create animations, stories and games? Learn the basics of Scratch, a block-based programming language, at this MVPL workshop with Pixelators Education on Thursday, April 21 4-5 p.m. on Zoom. Workshop recommended for programming beginners in grades 1-3. Parent/guardian assistance welcome. Register in advance at: https://mountainview.libcal.com/event/8915612.
MVLA Speech and Debate Info Session
MVLA Speech and Debate is hosting a parent informational session on Zoom on April 19 at 7:30pm about upcoming free public speaking education opportunities for upper elementary and middle school students. Check out this flyer for more information and registration for the Speech Information Night: https://tinyurl.com/MVLAspeechyfl2022.
Parent University: Preparing for Middle School
Date and Time: April 27, 2022, 5:30pm Registration Link: http://mvw.sd/pu042722
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.