Quetzal News

Dear Mistral Families,

We are excited to announce that it’s time to vote for our Hispanic Heritage Month door contest! It has been a joy to see all the beautiful doors that celebrate the importance of diversity and inclusion in our community. A heartfelt thank you to our room parents, Playna, ELAC, and PTA for their incredible support of this activity.

Our students had a wonderful time participating in an arts activity for Día de los Muertos. Thank you to the ELAC committee, PTA, and all the parents who came out to support this meaningful event. I can’t wait to see the welcoming board we have planned for this month!

Please mark your calendars for our fun Walkathon on November 8th, after school. This important community event provides a fantastic opportunity to connect with one another while supporting our PTA. The Walkathon is our main fundraiser, which helps fund assemblies, field trips, Playworks, and teacher support for extracurricular activities. We would love to see our amazing parents volunteer and join us that day. Our community thrives on your involvement!

I also want to commend our students and staff for their outstanding performance during today’s earthquake drill. Thank you to all parents who were on-site to assist. As we’ve said before, the safety of our students is our top priority. In the event of a real emergency, we ask for your cooperation and patience. Here are some important reminders:

1. Stay calm and cooperative for the protection of all students and staff.

2. Report to the Sign-Out Area (near Room 19 and the play structures).

3. Have your ID ready: Safety first! We want to reunite you with your child as quickly as possible.

4. Complete and sign the student release form.**

5. Receive a ticket or card. We won't be able to release your child if this card or ticket is not provided.

6. Move to the Student Reunion Area (near the play structure and the field).

7. Your patience is important! Staff will bring children to the waiting area to meet their parents.

8. Parents and children should leave campus immediately. The campus will not be secure to enter after a disaster. Students should not expect to collect their backpacks or belongings.

9. Trust us and allow emergency responders to do their job.

Thank you to all the parents of our English Learners who attended our ELAC meeting this week. It was a wonderful event!

Wishing you all a fantastic rest of your week!

Warm regards,

Claudia Olaciregui, Principal

PTA Updates:

November 1, 2:45pm in the MUR: Celebrate Día de Los Muertos with a screening of Coco (presented in Spanish), pan dulce, popcorn, and hot chocolate. Open to all Mistral families.

November 2, 11-4pm: Check out Mistral's altar at the City of Mountain VIew Día de Muertos event at the Civic Center Plaza.

November 8, afterschool-6pm: Save the date for the Mistral Walkathon.

October 21-25

• Conference Week-Minimum Day Schedule

• School Spirit Day - Twin Day

October 23

• Parent U-Raising resilient children @ 5pm in the MUR

November 1

• Dia de los Muertos/Movie-MUR @ 2:30 pm - Coco

November 8

• Walkathon after school event

November 11

• Veterans Day-No school

November 25-29

• Thanksgiving Recess

DISTRICT NEWS

The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 6 p.m.

Some of the topics include:

• Shoreline Update

• Reading Difficulty Risk Screener Selection Process

• Budget Advisory Committee Update

• Vendor Approval Process

• Board policy: Dress Code

For meeting details and agenda, please click here: https://www.mvwsd.org/trustees.

MVWSD seeking District Equity Advisory Committee members

MVWSD is continuing our work by engaging meaningfully with the community on issues of equity through the District Equity Advisory Committee (DEAC). The goal of the DEAC is to provide feedback to the Superintendent on how to support MVWSD towards achieving its goals of becoming a more equitable and inclusive school district.

We are seeking a combination of district-level leaders, principals, teachers, staff members, and parent participants who represent the interests of both elementary and middle schools. Committee members will be expected to attend and participate virtually in meetings held once monthly (on average) online during the 2024-25 school year in the evening hours.

If you’re interested in participating, please click here to apply.

Your donations of any amount help MVEF enrich education for every MVWSD student!

Love seeing your kids enjoy art, music, and hands-on science in elementary schools, and smaller English classes, athletics, clubs, and other activities in middle schools? MVWSD has one of the most socio-economically diverse student bodies in the Bay Area, and donations to MVEF ensure all students benefit from these essential programs, regardless of financial status.

With the MVEF Textathon & Phonathon season approaching, donate today to save a text and call! Every contribution makes a difference. Learn more about how you can support MVEF or make your tax-deductible donation here.

Crittenden Mattress Fundraiser on Oct. 20

The Crittenden Music Department will be hosting a Mattress Fundraiser on Sunday, Oct. 20 from 10 am - 5 pm. This fundraiser will help with the music department's general fund. This is one of our biggest events of the year and we need your help! The MUR is turned into a mattress showcase room where customers can try out the beds. There are brand names at this event as well as special models of beds that can't be found in regular stores. Thanks for your support.

Free COVID tests available to order

US residential households are now eligible to order four free at-home COVID tests from the US Postal Service COVID test order page. Prepare for respiratory virus season and learn how and when to test for COVID-19. Some of the tests shipped may show expired dates on the box—please note the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the expiration dates of the tests being distributed through this program. You can find the full list of extended test expiration dates at the FDA At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests web page.

FROM OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS

MVLA Speaker Series: Never Enough with Jennifer Wallace

Join the next MVLA Speaker Series presentation, “Never Enough: Mattering as a Solution to Toxic Achievement Pressure,” with author Jennifer Wallace on Wednesday, October 30th at 7PM at the Crittenden Middle School Auditorium. In this eye-opening talk, Wallace investigates the deep roots of toxic achievement culture, explores its harmful impact on our kids, and delivers the powerful solution: mattering, the psychological concept of feeling like you add value and are valued regardless of your external achievements. Wallace provides a practical mattering framework that parents and educators can use to tackle achievement pressure at home and in the classroom. Register for this free event here.

Learning Challenges events for Fall 2024

For local coverage of issues related to learning challenges and special education, please check out the Learning Challenges Committee http://learningchallenges.lamvptac.org/

For broader coverage, look into the Northwest SCC SELPA CAC

Northwest Santa Clara County CAC meeting

October 29, 9 am

Register: https://sccoe.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYpfuipqTwiGd2j1kNEBuVtKlTXV4IJn1TB

Morning Let’s Talk Parent Support group

October 30, 9 am on Zoom.

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. Register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqcu-vrDsiHdW_I5OTIYOiHcpy1tEmzuta

Who’s Who is Serving Our Little Ones? - Planning and Strategies for Children 3-5

From Department of Developmental Services and Palo Alto CAC

November 14, 6-7 pm on Zoom. Register: http://bit.ly/DDSTraining2

Evening Let’s Talk Parent Support group

November 19, 7 pm on Zoom.

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. Register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMtfu2hrj0pG9zqGFeTzEnqs1U7cVxTcfl-

Learning Challenges Committee Meeting

December 3, 7:30 pm on Zoom

The LCC is working on providing a support group for parents, and planning to create a wish list for teachers throughout Mountain View and Los Altos for classroom supplies to support sensory needs. Would you like to help? Other ideas to support students and families with learning challenges? Join us here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUld-usrj8tEtNskynSpmorDiYZNt9_KAgq

Morning Let’s Talk Parent Support group

December 19, 10 am on Zoom.

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. Register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrduupqD0vEtSpweFX71KvNAcKW8Csy4D3

Missed past Parent Education events?

We have a YouTube channel with many of our past events including the recent talk on Assistive Technology, info summer camps and recreational activities, Anxiety and Depression in Children with Learning Challenges, SMART Goals and IEP Troubleshooting, and more. Channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuy7IcVz-4LTDxv2Jaq13nw

Volunteer with Mentor Tutor Connection

Mentor Tutor Connection is actively recruiting volunteers for our mentoring (high school students) and tutoring (K-8 students) programs located in Los Altos and Mountain View public schools. To learn more about Mentor Tutor connection, please email programs@mentortutorconnection.org or visit mentortutorconnection.org.

The View Teen Center: October

The View Teen Center is a free facility in Mountain View (263 Escuela Ave) for all Mountain View and Los Altos 6th - 12th grade students. Drop-in hours are Monday - Friday, 3:15 - 7 p.m. and Saturdays, 1 - 6 p.m. (Adjusted Hours: Oct. 10-11 & Oct. 21-25, 1-6 p.m.), and the center features a game room, makerspace, kitchen, computer/study room, and outdoor area. October events include Halloween-themed activities, art classes, a Bike to Boba, and much more. For more information, click here.