The Dolphin Whistle
December 2, 2020 Issue 17
MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL LAMBERT
Dear Parents,
The mid-year i-Ready assessments begin next week. We are starting with reading. Just as in September, students will take the assessment with their teacher on-line. You can help by talking with your child about putting in their best effort and taking their time. Also remind them that some of the questions are end of the year questions, so they may not have learned some of them yet. Please remember that no one at home can help the child in any way during the test, other than reminding them to stay on task.
At the parent-teacher conferences in January you will be talking with the teacher about the results of iReady as well as your child's progress in class. Parents will be receiving more information about the parent conference schedule next week. Save the date! The week of January 11th - 15th are all minimum days due to parent conferences.
On Monday, Dec. 14th from 2-6 p.m. please come to the MUR to pick up the Christmas gift that PTA has purchased for each Castro child. I am looking forward to seeing you then!
Warm Regards,
Theresa Lambert
Principal Mariano Castro Elementary
cell number (831)206-9522
Kindergarten 2021-2022
Socio-emotional Tool of the Week - The Garbage Can Tool
Calendar
Thursday, December 3rd, 2020 - Cafecito with the Superintendent, 5:30p.m.
Wednesday, December 9th, 2020 - 6 p.m. Information Night for entering Kinder students Aug. 2021, Zoom link: http://mvw.sd/CAKinder
Thursday, December 10th - District Parent Meeting - Learn about iReady! 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Monday, December, 14, 2020 - PTA,MV Academy, and SIE Distribution, 2:00p.m. - 6:00p.m.
Monday, December 21,2020 - January 4, 2020 - December Break
Tuesday, January 5, 2020 - Students Return to School
FROM THE DISTRICT OFFICE
Cafecito with the Superintendent on Dec. 3
Join us for an informal meeting for Spanish-speaking parents with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Thursday, Dec. 3, 5:30 p.m. Interpretation will be provided. Please register in advance for this meeting here: http://mvw.sd/pB7CP. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Are you curious about the i-Ready platform and how you can support your student at home?
Please join us for a virtual i-Ready parent workshop on December 10, 2020 at 5:30 - 6:30 PM. This session will provide parents with an overview of i-Ready and answer parents’ frequently asked questions about how i-Ready elevates instruction.
Click here to register. Spanish interpretation is available for this workshop.
We want to answer your questions. In advance of the workshop, please email questions to Ms. Swati Dagar, Interim Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment at sdagar@mvwsd.org by Friday, December 4, 2020.
Getting Ready for the ELPAC information sessions, Dec. 15 and Jan. 12
The English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) is administered every year to our English Learner (EL) students. To learn more about this assessment, the role it plays in the education of every EL, and how to help your child prepare, please join us for one of the following meetings:
December 15
5:00-5:30 in English: https://zoom.us/j/92673835582
5:30-6:00 in Spanish: https://zoom.us/j/94603257266
January 12
5:00-5:30 in English: https://zoom.us/j/93307939185
5:30-6:00 in Spanish: https://zoom.us/j/93709174683
Struggling to help your child with “the new math”?
We’ve all been there. Luckily, Parent University and Principal Heidi Galassi are here to introduce you to the Common Core Math Appreciation Club: Heidi joined us last week in a hilarious and engaging session, and we’ve recorded it for your viewing pleasure any time! You’ll learn about the difference between math as memorization and conceptualization, strategies to use to help with word problems, how to have a math conversation with your child, and many more insights. Watch the video (or just listen to it like a podcast) at www.mvwsd.org/parentu
If you haven't been able to attend one of the Parent University nights this year, you can find the recordings all online (in English and Spanish). Listen at your own convenience to these great programs that support parents in supporting their students.
Past topics:
- Mental Health Awareness and Resources
- Distance Learning Support Resources
- Increasing Student Engagement with Literacy from Home
- Raising Digitally Resilient Children and Teens during Quarantine
- Supporting Students at Home with Math
Parcel Tax Oversight Committee seeks community representatives
The District is seeking two individuals to serve on the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee for the Measure B Parcel Tax.
Representatives monitor, provide oversight, and ensure accountability to the funds received by the District, including an annual report to the Board regarding the actual uses of such funds.
Applications can be mailed to: Mountain View Whisman School District, Attn: Dr. Rebecca Westover, Chief Business Officer, 1400 Montecito Ave, Mountain View, CA 94043 or emailed to mayala@mvwsd.org. Applications are due December 11th at 2:00 pm.
Application: http://mvw.sd/PTOC
Questions? Please e-mail Dr. Rebecca Westover, Chief Business Officer, at rwestover@mvwsd.org
School meetings coming up in December. Open Enrollment for all MVWSD students starts in January
School and District information meetings are coming up in December. Please visit www.mvwsd.org/register for a list of these events and for login information.
School kindergarten/new student information nights are online on December 9 at 6:00 p.m. for all elementary schools, and include choice school information.
If your child turns 5 years old between September 2 – December 2, 2021, he/she may qualify for transitional kindergarten. TK info night is December 16 at 5:00 p.m online.
If you are interested in the District's choice schools, information nights are:
Gabriela Mistral: Dual Spanish/English Immersion: December 15 at 6 pm
Stevenson: Parent Child Teacher: December 16 at 6 pm
Choice schools will also have information at the elementary schools’ info nights (6 p.m. Dec. 9).
For CURRENT students in transitional kindergarten-7th grade: Parents will be asked by email to confirm enrollment from January 18- 22.
For NEW students: Open Enrollment is from January 11 through Feb. 5, 2021 online. You can register your child for the 2021-22 school year when online registration opens here: www.mvwsd.org/register
Upcoming MVEF Phonathon
Our Phonathon is coming up in December and we would love you to save us both a call!
We hope this serves as a gentle reminder to donate to MVEF today and support your child and every child in the district! The majority of our funding comes from donations from parents like you!
Make a difference, save us both a call and donate today at mvef.org/donate.
LAMV PTA Council and SELPA 1 CAC present Distance Learning Toolkit: Increasing Focus Through a Sensory Lens
Thursday December 3, 7-8:30 PM. A talk with Lisa Kaplan Shanaan, MS OTR/L TMHP
How do you stay engaged? How do you calm down when excited, or pep up when you are zoned out? You may know your own body and the tricks that work for you, but children are still working this out. It is especially difficult to learn self-regulation when involved in distance learning on screens for hours a day. Come learn from Lisa Kaplan Shaanan, an occupational therapist and trainer, who has been working with children birth thru 18 years old for more than 30 years. She will recommend tools and techniques useful to help all children discover their best ways to self-regulate and really learn and stay engaged during the Zoom school day.
Winter Wonderland stories
The Mountain View public library is holding winter wonderland story time on December 10. Please see attached flyer for details
MVLA holiday tree lot
MVLA is holding its annual holiday tree lot this year. See the attached flyer for information.
December CAC Events
SELPA 1 CAC and the Learning Challenge Committee are your groups for special education and broader learning challenge needs. We are ALL having learning challenges right now, and CAC and LCC are here to help. If you have questions about learning challenges and special education needs, email selpa1cacinfo@gmail.com or check out www.selpa1cac.org
We encourage families to learn about the sensory needs all children may have during distance learning: Try a Sensory Diet
December 1, 9:30 am - Alternative Dispute Resolution This workshop will explore differences between unconscious (implicit) bias, racism and the stereotypes we bring to every conversation. Participants will also leave with a “tool kit" they can use in future cross-cultural dialogues. https://santaclara.k12oms.org/421-190133
December 3, 7 pm-8:30 pm - Distance Learning Toolkit: Increasing Focus Through a Sensory Lens - LAMV PTA Council and SELPA 1 CAC present this talk with Lisa Kaplan Shanaan, MS OTR/L TMHP Come learn from Lisa Kaplan Shaanan, an occupational therapist and trainer, who has been working with children birth thru 18 years old for more than 30 years. She will recommend tools and techniques useful to help all children discover their best ways to self-regulate and really learn and stay engaged during the Zoom school day. (SOLD OUT)
December 7, 9 am- General Parent/Community Meeting with Special Ed. Directors & Staff, Zoom at 9:00 am for LCC and 9:30 am for CAC. We will be planning for the year, discussing upcoming programs and discussing distance learning and learning challenges. For our agenda, please join our Google group, https://groups.google.com/g/selpa1cac. For the Zoom link for this meeting, email selpa1cacinfo@gmail.com.
December 8, 10 am - Parent Chat - Support for parents of teens with mental health challenges. A great place for help and support for challenges with your teens. Please contact trudy.palmer@me.com for Google Meet invite.
December 9, 7 pm-8:30 pm - Distance Learning Toolkit: Increasing Focus Through a Sensory Lens - LAMV PTA Council and SELPA 1 CAC present this talk with Lisa Kaplan Shanaan, MS OTR/L TMHP Come learn from Lisa Kaplan Shaanan, an occupational therapist and trainer, who has been working with children birth thru 18 years old for more than 30 years. She will recommend tools and techniques useful to help all children discover their best ways to self-regulate and really learn and stay engaged during the Zoom school day. (additional session added due to demand! Register at Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/additional-session-distance-learning-toolkit-sensory-lens-tickets-1 30072946685
December 10, 7 pm - Evening Let’s Talk - (note date change!!!!) IEP/504 support group. Have questions about the process to get help for your child? Have an IEP but are not sure how to
make changes? Need to vent? This is your confidential group. Please contact selpa1cacinfo@gmail.com for the Zoom link for this meeting.