The Dolphin Whistle
June 1, 2022 Issue 36
MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL DR. CRATES
Dear Castro Families,
I have thoroughly enjoyed the past 5 months at Castro. I have watched our students grow in so many ways. Their energy and enthusiasm motivate all of us to work together.
Our new Principal, Mrs. Jackee Keirns has been spending time at Castro to learn about our team, our schedule and our students. This transition time lays the groundwork for a positive start in 2022-23. It will be a great year.
At the same time that we welcome our new Principal, we say goodbye to some Castro staff as they move on to new schools and/or life adventures.. Thank you for everything you have done to support our students, Ms. Kim, Mrs. Johnson, Ms. Larson, Mrs.Halvorsen, Mrs.Alapizco Islas and Mrs.Hurd. We will miss you next year!
The Summer Reading Challenge
Our Castro goal is to avoid summer reading loss for every student. What does that mean for you as parents?? Help us with the following:
Students need to read daily. Is summer school enough?? No!!! Summer school ends on July 13, that leaves almost a month where your child can read. Go to the library, buy books at garage sales or the flea market.
Please read the flyer in this newsletter and the paper copies sent home about Public Library Opportunities
Students who return to Castro and test on iReady at or above their end of year level in reading will receive an ice cream party. If students don’t read over the summer, our experience shows they will fall behind their May achievement levels by August.
Reminders
Thursday, June 2 - Minimum Day - Dismissal at 12:10pm
Friday, June 3rd - Last Day of School Minimum Day - Dismissal at 12:10pm
With gratitude for all you have done to support our students.
Dr. Judy Crates
CALENDAR
- June 3, 2022- 5th Grade celebration with parents, 8:30 a.m.(mask & vaccination required)
- June 3, 2022- Kindergarten celebration, 11:40 a.m.(mask & vaccination required)
- June 3, 2022 - Report cards sent home electronically
- June 3, 2022 - Last day of school (minimum day)
FROM THE DISTRICT OFFICE
FLYERS
MVWSD’s Summer programs
Click here for information about free meals and resources for students to practice their academic skills this summer. mvwsd.org/summer
School construction this summer
Please click on your school below to learn more about what Measure T- funded projects are happening at each site over the summer. Postcards are also being mailed to the residents in the neighborhoods surrounding each school. Thank you for your support of our schools.
Board meeting preview: June 2
The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, June 2 at 6 p.m. Topics include:
* (6 p.m.) Staff members’ years of service and retirements
Please join us in recognizing our staff members’ years of service and retirements. We are grateful to our MVWSD staff members for their years of dedication and commitment to our students and families. On June 3, check out tributes to these staff members in district social media and the June 3 ad in the Mountain View Voice Express email!
Other meeting topics include:
* Universal PreK initial plan
* LCAP and Public Hearing
* Health and Wellness Policy
* Governor's May Revision to the Proposed 2022-2023 State Budget
* Public Hearings: 2022-2023 Budget Overview and Adoption
For meeting details and agenda, please click here: mvwsd.org/trustees. Note: There will be no Community Check In on June 3.
Summer meals at schools and on the move
MVWSD is partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank to provide FREE summer meals to children, 18 years old and younger. The summer meals program reaches children who need good nutrition when school is out of session.
Rengstorff Park
June 13-July 29, 2022 (No service June 20 and July 4)
11:30 AM-1:00 PM Children 18 years and under
Castro/Mistral Schools (500 Toft St.)
June 13- July 8, 2022 (No school/meal service on June 20 and July 4)
Breakfast, 7:30-8:30 AM
Lunch, 11:30 AM -1:00 PM
Mistral Elementary School (505 Escuela Ave)
Meal pick up
July 11-July 29, 2022
11:30 AM -1:00 PM
Please spread the word to children who may benefit from a FREE meal, For information, call 650-903-6965 ext. 1223 or visit mvwsd.org/parents/nutrition
Available June 3: i-Ready Diagnostic 3 Assessments and Student Reports
Parents can access their children’s i-Ready Reading and Mathematics score via their Powerschool Parent Portal on June 3 at 3:00 pm. Parents will have access to three reports for their child - For Families Report, Common Core State Standards Report (CCSS), and the Diagnostic Growth Report. Here’s how to access PowerSchool Parent Portal i-Ready Reports. Please contact your child’s school office if you have any trouble accessing reports.
Families of English Learners: Look for Summative ELPAC results in the mail
MVWSD has begun to receive scores for English Learner students who took the Summative ELPAC assessment this spring. Due to the nature of the assessment, scores will come in on a rolling basis and will be sent to families over the course of the summer. Families should also look for an email this summer detailing how to download the score reports on the PowerSchool Parent Portal. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Leticia Corcoran at lcorcoran@mvwsd.org.
Supporting neighbors in need: CSA
Community Services Agency (CSA) provides safety-net services to the most vulnerable members of the Mountain View/Los Altos community. They offer emergency rental assistance, short-term hotel stays, car repairs, senior case management, a food pantry, and many other essential services. In order to support the community, CSA holds events like the upcoming Back-to-School Program on July 29 and 30, when parents and children from the Mountain View Whisman School District who are in need can get gift cards to buy school supplies for the 2022-23 school year. If you are interested in learning more about the Back-to-School Program and how you can help, click here. If you are in need of services, contact CSA at 650-968-0836.
MVEF: Additional ELA Teachers Next Year!
Due to increased support from our donors, MVEF has nearly met the stretch goal to raise an additional $300,000 to hire two additional English Language Arts teachers next year, one at each of the MVWSD middle schools. We are happy to announce that MVEF has committed the funds to the District so they can hire the ELA teachers. We are so grateful for the support we have received, and are looking forward to seeing the benefits of smaller class sizes to our students’ education next year!
Summer Reading at MV Public Library
Read, learn, and earn rewards with the Mountain View Public Library this summer! The summer reading program will run from June 4 to July 31, 2022 and is free for all. Register the whole family at mountainview.gov/summerreading.
Covid vaccines and testing locations
The Food and Drug Administration has authorized a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. To get a COVID vaccine for yourself or your child, see the county’s drop-in clinics here or schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider or pharmacy.
COVID testing remains an important tool to keep yourself and our community safe this summer. Schedule a COVID PCR test with your healthcare provider or at a county facility here. Additionally, every home in the U.S. is eligible to order a 3rd round of free at-home rapid tests if you have not already done so at covid.gov/tests.