

Viking Vibes
Engage. Educate. Empower.
Volume 3 ~ Issue 38 ~ Week of June 1, 2025
Viking Spotlight: Dina Rios and Eva Perez
Congratulations to Dina Rios and Eva Perez on their amazing success at the Districtwide Solar Spring Car event on May 17th!! Out of all the competing middle schools in our district, Dina and Eva's solar car won 1st place in Design and 2nd place in Innovation! We are so proud of you! ๐ค Shout out to Mrs. Trejo for her unwavering support as their advisor. ๐
๐ Message from the Principal ๐
Well, the time has come. As we close out our final week of the school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on all that our students have accomplished and how much theyโve grown. Whether it was mastering new math skills, improving their writing, navigating friendships, or learning how to bounce back after challengesโour Vikings have come a long way. Middle school is more than just academics; itโs about building character, resilience, and confidence. I hope every student walks away from this year with a better understanding of who they are, what theyโre capable of, and how they want to contribute to the world around them.
As we officially head into final exams, I want to remind all of our students that this is your chance to show how much youโve learned and how far youโve come. Youโve worked hard for over 175 school daysโnow itโs time to finish strong. Remember, success isnโt about being perfect; itโs about giving your best effort and not giving up, even when things feel challenging. Stay focused, get plenty of rest, ask for help when you need it, and believe in yourself. Parents, your encouragement and support at home during this time can make a big differenceโkeep cheering them on! Letโs push through these last few days with purpose and pride. Youโve got this, Vikings!
To our 8th grade Vikingsโcongratulations! We are so proud of you. Youโve left your mark here, and now itโs time to take all youโve learned and step boldly into high school and beyond. You are ready, just remember to make good decisions and surround yourself with good friends who lift you up, not bring you down. For our 7th graders, your journey is halfway done. Keep growing, stay curious, and come back ready to lead with kindness and purpose. To all of our parents and familiesโthank you. Your partnership, encouragement, and involvement have been vital to your childrenโs success this year. We are grateful for the trust you place in us and wish your families a safe, joyful, and restful summer. Once a Viking, always a Viking!
Let's make it a great last week of school, Vikings!! ๐
Take care,
Ms. Scott
๐ Monday, June 2nd Bell Schedule is a Full Day ๐
Yearbook Distribution Details
๐ 8th Grade Awards - Monday, June 2nd at 6pm ๐
Tomorrow, June 2nd at 6pm on the Viking Stage, we will be honoring some of our 8th graders at our first ever 8th Grade End of Year Awards! Aside from our traditional awards of Principal's Honor Roll, Perfect Attendance, and Most Improved, we have some additional special awards that we will be recognizing! Nominated by MVA Admin, Teachers, Staff, and Coaches, we are so excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our 8th grade Vikings! Emails were sent via Jupiter last week and a reminder today to the students receiving an award and their parents. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Scott at sasha.scott@sweetwaterschools.org.
๐ป 2025 Final Exam Schedule ๐ป
๐ Bell Schedule for the Last Day of School ๐
๐ Viking Celebrations ๐
Over the past couple of weeks, we have had so many celebrations and recognitions of our amazing Viking students, parents, and staff! I wanted to take a section in this week's newsletter to highlight them! We are so proud of you all!
SUHSD Biliteracy Excellence Awards
On May 21st, our district hosted an event at Otay Ranch High School to honor our parents, staff, and students who have made contributions to biliteracy and student academic improvements at schools sites. Whether it is serving as a parent volunteer on a committee, staff supporting and teaching our English Learners, or students making significant strides in their English acquisition, we are so grateful and proud of our MVA honorees!
Congratulations to William Moreland!
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. is thrilled to inform us that Will's essay, Leadership in Progress, was awarded 1st Place in this yearโs Middle School Essay Competition. The Spoken Word Contest Committee stated that Will's submission stood out for its powerful message, originality, and the clarity with which he honored both history and hope through his words. Great job, Will!! You are truly a voice of the future!
Bos' Buddy Ball Awards
Congratulations to Jocelyn Cordova and Gael Patino for being honored as Mar Vista Academy's Unified Partner and Athlete of the Year at the Bos' Buddy Ball Awards on May 31st. Thank you for choosing to be inclusive and being involved with Viking Buddies!!
SUHSD Employee Recognition Event
Last week, SUHSD employees were recognized for their years of service and retirements were celebrated. From Mar Vista Academy, the following staff members were recognized:
10 years of Service:
- Crystal Bailon
- Maricu Zavala
- Tracie Petersen
20 years of Service:
- Guadalupe Trejo
25 years of Service:
- Sergio Alvarado
- David Cuevas
- Thomas Swalley
30 years of Service:
- Jesus Delgado
Retirement:
- Marie Kracha
- Robert Holguin
We are grateful for our MVA staff and the hard work they put in everyday to serve our students and community! ๐
Spirit Days in Honor of Mr. Holguin's and Mrs. Kracha's retirement!
Last week, we had a super secret staff spirit day to honor our retirees, Mr. Holguin and Mrs. Kracha! Staff had to dress up like one of our retirees and we had a great turnout! You are loved, Mr. Holguin and Mrs. Kracha...your MVA family will miss you! ๐
๐ Important Promotion Information ๐
Attention 8th Grade Parents: We are only 4 school days away from the 2025 Promotion Ceremony! Please click the links below to read the important information regarding Promotion Day details. The Promotion ceremony will be live-streamed on the internet, so as soon as I am provided the link, I will email it out to parents.
Recording of the Promotion Presentation from 5/22: www.tinyurl.com/MVAZoomRecording25
PDF of the Promotion Presentation Slides on 5/22: www.tinyurl.com/MVAPromoPresentation
Promotion Info Document: www.tinyurl.com/MVAPromo25
Non-Promotion List: www.tinyurl.com/MVANonPromo25
(If your child is on this list, they are not eligible to promote. if you have any questions, please contact the counseling center at 619-628-5112 or nancy.schmerbauch@sweetwaterschools.org.
Please keep in mind: just because they are not on this list doesn't mean they are automatically promoting, they still need to pass all of their current classes with a D- or higher!!)
๐ 7th Grade Awards ๐
This is the time of year where our 7th grade teachers nominate one student from each class that exemplifies one of the 7 characteristics of the Vikingsโ Code. Parents of award winners will be notified by the end of the day on Monday, June 2nd and invited to attend the ceremony.
Register for the 2025-2026 school year asap!!
๐ VALOR CORNER ๐
๐ค Join the FREE 5-day Summer VALOR Program!! ๐ค
๐ Upcoming Community Events & Announcements ๐
Attention 8th Graders: Options Middle College High School seeking students!
Options Middle College High School (OMCHS) is still actively seeking highly motivated rising 9th grade students to join our unique programโan exceptional opportunity to earn a high school diploma while simultaneously working toward or completing an AA Degree. Click the links below to apply!!
๐ฎ Game Jam 2025 - Participation is FREE!!! ๐น
*Game Jam 2025 - Entering Grades 6 to 12
We are excited to host Game Jam 2025 at the Otay Mesa-Nestor Library. The program engages students to develop their own video game using Scratch, Godot, or Ren'py. Game Jam is a free program for students entering grades 6 to 12. Game Jam starts on June 9 and ends on June 21, 2025.
No experience is necessary, and participants are not obligated to complete a game but to enjoy the experience and the process of video game development.
Sessions (Choose one)
Session 1: 1 pm to 2:30 pm
Session 2: 3:30 to 5 pm.
Final Showcase: Saturday, June 21, from 10 am to 12 pm.
Registration is now open and closes on June 2.
https://sandiego.librarymarket.com/event/game-jam-2025-south-429760
Keep our school safe!!
Interested in donating to MVA?!?
About Us
The mission of Mar Vista Academy is to engage, educate and empower each student to thrive in the global community.
Please reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns!
The Sweetwater Union High School District prohibits discrimination, intimidation, harassment (including sexual harassment) or bullying based on a personโs actual or perceived age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, immigration status, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or association with a person or a group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. For questions or complaints, contact Equity Compliance Officer Dr. Vernon Moore at 1130 Fifth Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91911, (619) 691-5564, vernon.moore@sweetwaterschools.org; Title IX Coordinator Robert Hughes at 670 L Street, Suite G, Chula Vista, CA 91911, (619) 600-4900, robert.hughes@sweetwaterschools.org; and Section 504 Coordinator Sonia Picos at 1130 Fifth Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91911, (619) 691-5564, sonia.picos@sweetwaterschools.org.
Email: sasha.scott@sweetwaterschools.org
Website: mva.sweetwaterschools.org
Location: 1247 Thermal Avenue, San Diego, CA, USA
Phone: (619) 628-5100