The Dolphin Whistle
October 7, 2020 Issue 10
MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL LAMBERT
Dear Parents,
If you have been following the district board meetings and check-ins with the Superintendent, you know that at the last Board meeting it was stated that we will not reopen before January. In January we will begin planning for reopening using the latest guidelines from the county. In the meantime, we continue with all students on Distance Learning as we are now. I continue to be impressed with the dedication and hard work that parents, students, and staff are doing to ensure that the students have the best possible learning experience.
Another item of interest - there is a community meeting on Tuesday, October 13th at 4:00 p.m. via Zoom (http://mvw.sd/CaMi) to discuss the perimeter fencing that will be going in around Castro and Mistral and the Preschool. You will be able to see the plans and ask any questions as well as give your opinion. This meeting is with me and the Chief Business Officer, Dr. Westover.
Please call, text, or email if you have any questions or need assistance with anything.
Warm Regards,
Theresa Lambert
Principal Mariano Castro Elementary
cell number (831)206-9522
COVID Safety Reminder
Any child that is ill should not come to school, and you should notify school officials if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are diagnosed with COVID-19, are waiting for test results, or have been exposed to someone with symptoms or a confirmed or suspected case.
Dazzling Dolphins!
Calendar
Monday, October 12,2020 - Recess Day (No School)
Wednesday, October 14, 2020 - School Site Council Meeting 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, October 14, 2020- Baby supply Distribution, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. MUR
Thursday, October 15, 2020 - ELAC Meeting 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
FROM THE DISTRICT OFFICE
How you can protect yourself from COVID: Hand washing
Parent University: Raising Digitally Resilient Children and Teens during Quarantine
Kids are online more than ever in this post-COVID world, with increased use of digital technology for academics, entertainment, and social connection.
Join My Digital TAT2 for a highly engaging and informative webinar at the MVWSD Parent University event on Wednesday, October 7th from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. Hear how young people are affected by the latest news, trends, and data from the world of technology. Get tips and strategies for how to teach responsibility and balanced and healthy use of the internet and social media.
NEW ZOOM LINK (no registration required)
Recommended for all adults who support youth and want to learn thoughtful and supportive ways to navigate media with children. For more information about My Digital TAT2 and their mission, please visit: www.mydigitaltat2.org
“Enriching the Learning Experience” Symposium
The Santa Clara County Office of Education Parent Engagement team is pleased to announce our FREE virtual event "Enriching the Learning Experience: Vision for 2020 and Beyond" which will be held from 10:00am to Noon on Saturday, Oct 17 and 24, 2020. Together with 6th District PTA, we are putting together a Parent Engagement symposium for parents, students, pre-service teachers, classroom teachers, administrators, and liaisons to focus on student success. We have lined up a number of dynamic speakers and 10 workshops each day of the symposium. Here's a sneak peak of our workshops:
Dr. Joyce Epstein, professor of education and director of the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships at Johns Hopkins University. She has over one hundred fifty publications, including School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action, 4th edition (2019). Her Keynote will address school administrators in the area of parent engagement and her Workshop will address teachers and how they can involve parents in homework.
Ruby Ibarra, local bay area COVID-19 researcher and hip-hop recording artist. Her Keynote will address parents and share her inspiring story of how to channel obstacles into opportunities. She will present a Spoken Word Writing Workshop for students!
Gene Luen Yang, graphic novelist of American Born Chinese, Secret Coders, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Superman. In 2016, he was the Library of Congress's 5th National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature; he was also the recipient of the MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant in that same year. His workshop for teachers will address adopting a rich, diverse reading curriculum for the classroom.
A Financial Literacy Workshop series “Understanding Debt and How to Improve Your Credit Score,” “Rebuilding After a Financial Crisis,” and “Learning the Value of a Dollar” by Excite Credit Union will give good money management tips for students and adults alike.
Registration is open! Visit “Enriching the Learning Experience” event Website to see all 10 workshop descriptions, speaker bios, and registration form.
Free Student Meals: *New* Pick up meals for multiple days
Free meals are again available to all children in the Mountain View Whisman School District age 18 and younger. No IDs required.
Daily breakfast and lunch at all schools, except Stevenson (pickup for Stevenson is at Theuerkauf). Times: 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. at the elementary schools. 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the middle schools.
Come to Graham Middle School between 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. to pick up meals for multiple days. Food items will be different from what is served during daily pickups. On Monday: Pick up for four days. On Friday: Pick up for three days.
Walk, drive or roll up to grab a free meal and go! For menus and information, please see https://www.mvwsd.org/nutrition.
Together We Are a Better MVWSD: Hispanic Heritage Month: National Coming Out
Mountain View Whisman School District embraces its role in establishing its commitment to equity in our district. As part of our "Together We Are a Better MVWSD" series, here is October's topic:
Whether you're lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or an ally, be proud of who you are and your support for LGBTQ+ equality this Coming Out Day! Every person who speaks up changes more hearts and minds, and creates new advocates for equality. Inspired by National Coming Out Day on October 11th, this month’s calendar provides resources for the MVWSD community around the topic of LGBTQ+ and gender identities. Developmentally appropriate lesson plans have been provided for teachers, while articles and parenting guides appear this month in the parent section of the calendar. Check out the literature section at the bottom of the calendar for age-appropriate literature to support your discussions in school and at-home.
For a look at this month's graphic, please see attached flyers or https://www.mvwsd.org/BetterTogetherMVWSD
MVEF news: Did you know that your donations to MVEF support CSMA art and music for your student
Fifth grade art and music started on 9/23! TK-4 art and music started the week before! All TK-4th students will have virtual art and music classes led by a teacher from CSMA. This year 5th grade students chose instrumental music or art with CSMA. We thank the CSMA teachers for sharing their engaging and FUN talents as well as filling a need for creativity and active learning on Zoom.
MVEF raises money to provide all MVWSD students with an educational experience beyond what is possible with public funding. Please see the website at https://www.mvef.org/ for more information and to donate online. Please consider joining our team of volunteers or emailing us with any questions at contact@mvef.org. Thank you for your support!
Mentor Tutor Connection Volunteer Information Session - Wednesday, October 14th
You can change the life of a student!
Come learn about volunteer opportunities to Mentor high school students and Tutor students in grades K-8 in our Mountain View and Los Altos schools.
Becoming a Mentor or Tutor will add joy to your life and help a student in our local community to a brighter future!
There is no obligation to sign up as a volunteer. You're welcome to just come and learn more about what we do.
Please note: Our programs are currently remote and will remain so until students are back in school and the school district permits volunteers in the classroom