LP Principal Newsletter

Dear La Primaria Families,

Happy February! It’s hard to believe how quickly the school year is flying by. This month, we celebrate the power of love, kindness, and learning. February also reminds us of the importance of staying committed to our goals, both academic and personal.

One of our top priorities is attendance, as Success Starts with Showing Up! Let’s work together to ensure our students are present every day, ready to learn and grow. Don’t forget to encourage your child to strive for their best and take pride in their daily achievements.

We have some exciting events planned this month, including our continued Attendance Challenge, Valentine’s Day activities, and special learning opportunities in the classroom. As always, thank you for your support in making La Primaria a nurturing, safe, and engaging place for our Lion Cubs 🦁✨ to thrive.

With gratitude,

Mrs. Hamilton
Principal, La Primaria Elementary School

At La Primaria, we believe regular attendance is essential for academic success and helps students build positive habits for the future. Missing even a day here and there adds up and can impact learning. That’s why we strive for a 98% attendance rate—because we know that Success Starts with Showing Up! Together, let’s make every day a great day at school!

To celebrate our students' commitment to being present, we’ve introduced special recognitions:

• Daily Blue Ribbon: Classes with 100% attendance for the day proudly display a blue ribbon on their door.
• Weekly Honors: The class with the best overall attendance each week is celebrated during our announcements and awarded a Class Attendance Certificate.

Attendance Goals and Recognitions

Students who meet these attendance levels receive special recognition:

• 🥇 Gold Level: 98% attendance
• 🥈 Silver Level: 97% attendance
• 🥉 Bronze Level: 96% attendance
• 🌟 Rising Stars: Special recognition for notable attendance achievements

Let’s work together to encourage our students to be present, engaged, and ready to excel every day. With your partnership, we can ensure every child is on the path to success!

A Special Thank You to Our Families

We celebrated our families for prioritizing attendance with a Family Movie Night! Families brought blankets, dinner, and smiles while the staff popped fresh popcorn and hosted a fun-filled evening with a great movie. It was a wonderful night of community, connection, and celebration.

Thank you for your continued support in helping our children thrive! Together, we can make every school day count!

La Primaria is incredibly proud to recognize the outstanding contributions of Leticia Olivas and Isela Ponce de Leon, both of whom were honored at the November 2024 Board of Education meeting.

Both Ms. Olivas and Ms. Ponce de Leon exemplify the heart and soul of the La Primaria community. Leticial Olivas, serving as a dedicated counselor, and Isela Ponce de Leon, excelling as our Office Manager, are unwavering in their commitment to the success and well-being of our students. Their passion for their roles shines through in their tireless efforts and the positive energy they bring to their work each day. Their shared love of lifelong learning and dedication to fostering an inclusive environment ensure that every Lion Cub has the opportunity to thrive.

Additionally, the evening also featured the Board of Education’s recognition of two remarkable La Primaria students: Mayaniseth "Yani" Lamson and Jesse Lopez, who have been named our school's Students of the Year for the 2024-25 school year. These exceptional scholars embody the values of curiosity, a love of learning, and academic ambition. Their achievements serve as an inspiration to the entire La Primaria community and reflect the high standards we hold for all of our students.

Our MAX Learning after-school enrichment program offers students exciting opportunities to engage in fun, skill-building activities that expand their horizons. In the Home Field Advantage soccer and tennis classes, students learned the fundamentals of the games while fostering teamwork and active lifestyles. Through the Cultural Bytes Academy, they practiced short, fun conversations in Mandarin and Spanish, broadening their cultural awareness and communication skills.

For our youngest learners in TK and Kindergarten, Windtree Education provided hands-on experiences in Instruments, Simple Machines, Art, and Theater, igniting their creativity and curiosity. First through

Third graders explored advanced topics such as Art, Mechatronics, Space Exploration, and Robotics, expanding their problem-solving skills and imagination.

Additionally, students gained empowerment and lifelong benefits by learning the valuable skill of cooking, equipping them with practical knowledge they can carry into their future.

We are so grateful for our amazing parent volunteers! Your creativity, time, and dedication truly transform our school during every event and holiday, making it a warm and inviting space for our students. From supporting teachers with prep work to volunteering in the classroom, your efforts make a huge difference in our school community. What’s even more inspiring is how much fun you have while working together—it’s clear that volunteering is not just meaningful but also a great way to make new friends!

If you’re interested in getting more involved, we’d love to have you join our volunteer team! Please reach out to our LP Community Liaison to get the process started. All are welcome, and we look forward to seeing you on campus!

Yuliana Diaz

Community Liaison

📲(626) 652-4150

📩 ydiaz@mtviewschools.net

We’re encouraging our students to practice ROARing during lunch by showing good manners and positive behavior at the lunch tables. Classes can earn stars by demonstrating our core values:

• Respect Others
• Own Their Actions
• Act Safely
• Rise to the Challenge

When a class earns 5 stars, they’ll get to enjoy lunch at a special table decorated with a certificate proudly announcing them as Fine Diners! Let’s work together to make lunchtime a fun, respectful, and safe experience for everyone. Keep ROARing, Lion Cubs! 🦁✨

December was a festive and joyful month filled with activities that brought our school community together to celebrate the season and our students' achievements. Here’s a look at the wonderful moments we shared:

🎶 Winter Performance
Our students dazzled on stage as every classroom participated in the Winter Performance. Families filled the audience to cheer on their children as they spread holiday cheer through music and dance. The excitement and pride were evident in every smile, creating memories to cherish for years to come.

🎅 A Special Visitor
A very special visitor made their way to each classroom, spreading holiday magic. Each child received a brand-new book to take home and enjoy, bringing joy and the gift of reading to every student.

📽️ Attendance Celebration
We also celebrated students who demonstrated outstanding attendance with a Movie in the Cafeteria event! Students with perfect attendance (no more than one tardy) for November and December enjoyed a fun movie experience with their peers. It was a wonderful way to reward their dedication and commitment to showing up every day.

Thank you to all the families and staff who helped make these events so special. Your support and involvement continue to make La Primaria a vibrant and caring school community!

Here’s to more exciting moments in the months ahead!

We encourage you to join us for learning and to support your child's education at the same time. Here are some ways that you can participate:

• Join us for our PAC Meetings and our CPAC Meetings
• Parent Workshops

Thank you to all parent volunteers for your dedication and effort so that all school events and activities can be possible, and for helping teachers prepare materials for all their students. If you want to become a parent volunteer, feel free to contact our Community Liaison, Yuliana Diaz at (626) 652-4150.

• Open through February 27 - Intra-District Permit Window
• Open through February 15 - Community Schools Assets & Needs Survey
• February 13 - Board of Education Meeting
  
• February 17 - Presidents Day
• February 19 - Immigration Law Clinic
• February 20 - Districtwide Speak-Up Competition
• February 21 - 50th Americanism Parade
• March 3 - Student Free Day/Staff Development
• March 24 - Student Report Cards Released
• April 5 - Math Field Day
• April 18-25 - Spring Break
• May 3 - La Verne Family Literacy
• May 21 - Community Fair: Artists & Writers Celebration
• May 26 - Memorial Day
• June 11 - Last Day of School

Do you or someone you know have legal questions? If so, you are invited to attend and sign-up for a 1:1 consultation.

FREE Immigration Law Clinic:

🗓️ Wed, February 19, 2025

⌛ 5:00 - 7:30 p.m.

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🙋🏼 In Person:

Payne Elementary School

2850 Mountain View Road, El Monte, CA 91732

🅿️ FREE Parking: Off of Mountain View Rd. & Cogswell Rd.

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📲 Virtually:

Via Zoom (use this link or SCAN QR Code)

https://mtviewschools.zoom.us/j/83474884388

Meeting ID: 834 7488 4388

Our District families' participation in this survey is part of the California Community Schools Implementation Grants that MVSD was awarded in May of 2024.

Our students stand to benefit from the transformational educational outcomes of Community Schools through the establishment of the whole child and family and community connections at each of our school sites.

Mountain View School District continues to foster a culture of health, safety, and well-being for students, staff and families. We’re pleased to offer free mental-health resources through Hazel Health and Care Solace.

Together, we can support every student’s journey to wellness. For more information, reach out to your school or visit our website.

Many of our students and families may have noticed the addition of solar panels at several of our campuses. We are excited to provide an update, as construction on ALL solar panel projects is expected to be completed by this summer 2025.

A few years back, after careful consideration, MVSD determined it was in the District’s best interest to research and implement a solar panels initiative to support the District’s energy efficiency and renewable energy production with the following goals:

1. Achieving energy cost reductions

2. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and

3. Providing educational opportunities and shade structures to students and staff

Through the use of solar panels to generate electricity, MVSD will contribute to sustainable green energy which will lead to substantial cost savings for the District. At the May 5, 2022 board meeting, the power lease agreement estimated that MVSD's solar initiative could result in reduced electrical costs of up to 35% over the 25-year term. Solar installations across ten campuses are expected not only offset those electrical costs but provide shade and rain cover for students. As part of the power lease agreement the installation and maintenance of the solar structures will be the responsibility of Lumince, the installer of the system.

The ten campuses benefiting from solar energy include Baker Elementary, Cogswell Property (housing our Children’s Center and Warehouse), La Primaria Elementary, Maxson Elementary, Miramonte Elementary, Monte Vista School, Parkview School, Payne Elementary, Twin Lakes School, and the Voorhis Property (the future location of the MVSD District Office).

Our Family Center’s Walk-Up Food Pantry is still going strong with five more dates scheduled through April 2025.

Check out all their dates through the 2024-25 school year. Help us spread the word and read more by clicking here.

Interested in volunteering? Volunteers are always needed! If you or someone you know, such a business or community organization are interested in giving back, please call the Family Center at (626) 652-4077.

Year two of the Disney Imagination Campus STEAM field trips kicked-off this January and will continue through March 2025.

Last year, MVSD was one of only four school districts in Los Angeles County to be invited to participate in this outstanding three-year program, exposing our students to innovative and valuable STEAM experience.

During their full-day trip, our MVSD 5th grade students will participate in “Theme Park Design” at Disneyland and our 8th grade students will partake in “The Physics of Roller Coasters” at the neighboring California Adventure.

We want to thank all our amazing parent and family Volunteers as well as our dedicated staff for making this experience a reality for each 5th and 8th grade student in our District!

We are excited to share that several furniture and structural installations have taken place throughout the District to refresh our schools’ indoor and outdoor spaces!

We extend a big thanks to our Maintenance & Operations staff for their hard work and dedication in completing these upgrades over the Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks.

Additionally, we must thank our amazing teachers and staff for the time they spent preparing and setting up their learning spaces before our students returned to class.

We heard that our students returned to school after each break to find their spaces newly refreshed, with new classroom furniture, cafeteria tables and other, providing an inviting and comfortable environment for learning, eating and playing.

We appreciate everyone’s efforts in making these school enhancements possible throughout MVSD.

MVSD joined schools across the nation in highlighting the crucial role of school counselors in U.S. education systems. At Mountain View School District, counselors collaborate to create a comprehensive counseling program that supports students' academic, social-emotional, and career development.

In an interview, Ms. Lira, a Monte Vista School counselor, shared her passion for the profession saying, "I became a counselor because I love working with kids. It's rewarding to watch students progress from setting goals at the beginning of the school year to achieving them. I enjoy measuring their growth throughout this process."

When asked about what makes counseling at Mountain View unique, Ms. Lira emphasized: "I appreciate the strong support our counseling team provides to one another. Mountain View has also given us the opportunity to participate in the Hatching Results program, which has enhanced our knowledge and helped establish a district-wide counseling program."

We are very grateful for the invaluable service our School Counselors and comprehensive student support staff bring to our students everyday!

Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten (TK) Enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year begins February 19. MVSD is proud to offer excellent full-day Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten programs at our outstanding schools.

Children who will be 5-years-old on or before September 1, 2025, are eligible to register for Kindergarten and children turning 5-years-old between September 2, 2025 and June 2, 2026 are invited to register in Transitional Kindergarten (TK), which is a bridge between preschool and kindergarten and gives young learners a head start, providing them with an opportunity to learn and grow in an environment that is tailored to meet their academic and social needs.

To access the online student enrollment process, click this link https://mountainviewesd.asp.aeries.net/air/.

Our District’s Preschool Programs serve our community by offering valuable educational and family support services to expectant mothers and children ranging from ages 0-4 years old!

• Free for eligible families

• Full day, year-round services

• Healthy meals and snacks

• Services for children with special needs

To learn more call (626) 652-4250 or visit the MVSD Children’s Center at 2109 Burkett Road, El Monte, CA 91732. Enroll today at preschoolprograms.mtviewschools.com.

Quick overview:

• Early Head Start Home-based Programs at Baker and Monte Vista support expectant mothers and children 0-2.9 years of age.
• Early Head Start Center-based Programs at Cogswell and Baker support children 18 month-2.9 years.
• Head Start and State Preschool Programs at Baker, Cogswell, Children’s Center/Kranz, Maxson, Miramonte, Monte Vista and Parkview support children 3-4 years of age.

MOUNTAIN VIEW SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION

Jacqueline Saldaña - President

Adam Carranza - Vice President

Veronica Sifuentes - Clerk

Christian Diaz - Member

Cindy Wu - Member

DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION

Raymond Andry, Ed.D. - Superintendent

Darrin De Knikker, Ed.D. - Associate Superintendent of Business Services and Strategic Planning

Mercedes Gomez, Ed.D. - Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services

Roberto López-Mena - Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources