Quetzal News

Dear Quetzal Families,

It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving Break is already here! I hope you and your family have a wonderful and restful week off. As we pause for this holiday, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to each of you. It is truly an honor to serve such a kind, caring, and diverse community.

At Mistral, our mission goes beyond academics. While we are deeply committed to providing every child with the high-quality instruction in English and Spanish they need to prepare for a bright future, we also prioritize their social-emotional wellness, personal growth, and overall well-being. Values like kindness, empathy, inclusion, respect, and gratitude are at the heart of everything we do. Thank you for partnering with us to nurture these qualities in our students and to guide our Quetzales on this incredible educational journey.

Upcoming i-Ready Assessments

When we return from the break, we will begin administering the i-Ready assessments to measure student progress this trimester. The schedule is as follows:

• English Language Arts Assessment: Tuesday, December 3rd
• Math Assessment: Thursday, December 5th

To help your child do their best, please ensure they get a good night’s sleep, eat a nutritious breakfast, and feel encouraged about their progress. Remind them that these assessments are simply tools to help us understand what they’ve learned and how we can continue to support them. Your words of encouragement can make a big difference!

Community Potluck

The Mountain View Tenant Coalition is hosting a Community Potluck this Friday at 6 PM. Please see the flyer included in this newsletter for more details. It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect and share in the spirit of community!

Thank you again for your ongoing partnership, care, and commitment to our school. Wishing you and your loved ones a joyous and peaceful Thanksgiving Break.

With Gratitude,

Claudia Olaciregui, Principal

I have some exciting news to share: Due to the passage of Proposition 28, California schools will now receive additional funding for arts and music each year. In addition to our current arts programs, our school will soon have an additional annual budget of approximately $52,000 to spend on more arts and music experiences for students, and we need your ideas!

There will be two main ways to share your thoughts:

1. Please click here for a brief survey about potential future arts programming. (The students and staff will be given similar surveys at school). This survey will be open until December 15.
2. Come and hear more about Prop 28 and give input on this topic at these upcoming meetings:
   

• Principal’s Cafecito December 4th @ 8:15
• SSC Meeting, December 3rd @ 5pm
• ELAC Meeting, December 11 @ 6pm in person

Your input is valued and an important part of our process. To learn more about Proposition 28, click here.

November 22

• School Spirit Day - Disney Day

November 25-29

• Thanksgiving Recess - No School

• School Site Council Meeting/Neighborhood Community @ 5pm

• Cafecito Meeting @ 8:15am

• ELAC Meeting @ 6pm in person

DISTRICT NEWS

The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, November 21. Closed session will begin at 4:30 p.m., and open/public session begins at 6 p.m.

Some of the topics include:

• Outdoor Learning Areas Designs

• First Interim Budget Report

• Staff Housing Documents

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

Parent University Speaker Series: Understanding Your Child’s Score Reports

Date and Time: December 3, 2024, 5:30-7pm Registration Link: http://mvw.sd/pu120324r

Understanding your child’s district and state test scores is a key part of building a foundation of excellence. Join Swati Dagar, our Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment as she discusses how to (i) access and interpret score reports and (ii) use the information to engage in a productive partnership with your child’s teacher(s).

To submit questions prior to the event, go to mvw.sd/questions. We will do our best to address your question during the session.

MVWSD Preschool Is Enrolling Now

MVWSD’s award-winning preschool has openings in its part-day afternoon session (12:00 - 3:00 pm) at Theuerkauf. Families can get an application at mvwsd.org/preschool, stop by the preschool office (1850 Latham St.) or call 650-526-3560.

Join MVEF at the Mountain View Tree Lighting Celebration!

Monday, December 9, 2024 5:30 - 8:00 PM Mountain View City Hall

Celebrate the season with MVEF at this festive community event in downtown Mountain View! Enjoy live performances, multicultural tributes, free refreshments, crafts, games, train rides, the dazzling tree lighting, and even a visit from Santa - all free for everyone!

Visit MVEF in the crafts area:

Kids can decorate holiday cards to take home and contribute to a collaborative community canvas painting themed “DREAM”.

Bring your friends, meet fellow parents and students, and spread the holiday cheer as we build connections in our vibrant community!

Also, Save the Date for Giving Tuesday Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Giving Tuesday is a perfect opportunity to support the education of every child in the Mountain View Whisman School District. Mark your calendar and help us make a difference!

FROM OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS

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

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 on 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

MVHS Spartan Turkey Trot

MVHS Sports Boosters is proud to host the 15th Annual Spartan Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning (Thursday, November 28, 2024) at the Mountain View High School Track (3535 Truman Ave, Mountain View, CA). People of all ages are encouraged to participate in the 5k Run & Walk and the Spartan Mile (1-mile). Kids are welcome to participate in the 5k and/or Spartan Mile + the 60/400 yd dash races (aka kids races). All proceeds benefit the MVHS athletics department and supporting teams/clubs. Register at https://www.spartanturkeytrot.com/.

MVHS Tree Lot

MVHS Sports Boosters will be opening up the Annual Spartans Tree Lot on Friday, November 29 at 10 AM for the 2024 season at the Mountain View High School Stadium (3535 Truman Ave.). Spartans Tree Lot offers premium, top-quality trees ranging in size from 3 feet to 12+ feet, holiday decorations, and supplies. In person and online delivery options are available. All proceeds benefit Mountain View High School Athletics. For more information, head to SpartansTreeLot.com.