The Dolphin Whistle

Dear Parents,

It is with great sadness that I am announcing that I will not be Principal at Castro next year. I will be in a district-wide position, helping with programs for all students that need support with their learning due to the pandemic. I am excited about this new position and the opportunity to support students in the entire district, while at the same time I know I will miss seeing the Castro families, students, and staff every day.

Please know that an important part of my new position will involve supporting Castro students with their learning recovery, so I will not be far away. I encourage you to stay involved with your child's learning, support the new Principal, and continue your tremendous support of the amazing staff and teachers here.

I will continue as Principal until the end of this school year and for those who will be attending summer school, you will hear from me there as well. I wish all of you the best and will keep you all in a warm place in my heart.

Best Regards,

Theresa Lambert

Principal Mariano Castro Elementary

cell number (831)206-9522

Dear Dolphin Parents,

All Castro students (K-5) will be taking their third round of i-Ready Reading assessments on Tuesday 5/11 and Thursday 5/13. Students will take the i-Ready Math assessment on Tuesday 5/18 and Thursday 5/20. The i-Ready data helps us monitor student progress throughout the year. It also helps us identify standards that students have already mastered, as well as areas of focus during first instruction. The i-Ready assessment is also one of the measures we use to determine the math placement for our middle school students.

Roomies will be testing in-person, and Zoomies will be testing virtually. For Roomie families, please remember that families are not proctoring the assessment for their students. Students will log in to their Zoom session with their teacher. Teachers will be on Zoom to monitor in real-time your child’s participation in the assessment. As parents/ guardians, you play a very important role in supporting your children before they take the diagnostic assessments.

Below are some tips you may find useful to help prepare your child for the diagnostic assessment:

• Explain to your child that it is important to do his/her best and SHOW WHAT YOU KNOW. (ALL Parents)

• Remind your children to work out their problems and pace themselves (Zoomies)

• Make sure your child has a distraction-free area to take the assessment (Zoomies)

• Zoomies must take the assessment on the Chromebook provided by the school.

• Teachers will live-proctor the assessment (Both Roomies and Zoomies)

• During the Zoom assessment session, your child’s camera must be on, showing their face, and audio be enabled when asked by the teacher (Zoomies)

• Do not help your child during the assessment (Zoomies)

• Encourage your child to stay steady, focused, and do his/her best during the test. For math, use scratch paper to do the math problems before choosing an answer. (Zoomies and Roomies)

Remember that it is important to support a growth mindset by encouraging your children to try their best and then giving them the space to take the assessment and problem solve on their own.

Summer School for Castro students will be June 14 to July 9. You have a choice between in-person classes, to be held at Monta Loma, or virtual classes via Zoom.

The morning session is 8:15- 1:00 p.m. (lunch is 12:30 - 1:00 p.m.).

Additional targeted tutoring is in the afternoon from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

For in-person students, there is childcare available until 6:00 p.m.

Please look for the permission form in your email and/or in your child's backpack if they are roomies now.

Wednesday, May 5, 2021 - Food Pantry, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 6, 2021 - School Board Meeting, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, May 7, 2021 - Community check-in with Superintendent 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday, May 11, 2021 - Important parent workshop on social media, 6:00 p.m.

Wed, May 12, 2021 - Diaper Distribution, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m

Tuesday, May 18, 2021 - ELAC Meeting, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30p.m.

Wed, May 19, 2021 - Principal's Coffee - 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Wed May 19,2021- Food Pantry, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Wed, May 26, 2021 - Diaper Distribution, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Friday, May 28, 2021- End of Trimester 3 , Minimum Day

Monday, May 31, 2021- Memorial Day ( No School)

Wed, June 2nd, 2021 - 5th Grade Promotion Photos and Certificates 11:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Wed, June 2nd, 2021 - 5th Grade Promotion Celebration via Zoom - 5:00 p.m.

Friday, June 4, 2021 - Last Day of school, Minimum DAY

The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, May 6 at 5:30 p.m. Some of the meeting topics include: Learning Recovery Plan, construction updates and staff appreciation. Agenda and login information are here. The meeting is also streamed on https://www.youtube.com/mvwsd.

Please join us for an informal, online conversation with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Friday, May 7, 3:30 p.m. Spanish interpretation is available. Click here to register

This month's #BetterTogether infographic features tools and resources to help all those who work, learn, and partner with MVWSD to prioritize mental health and wellness. No one ever needs to be alone in their struggles. Together we can prioritize mental health and wellness. Click here to view this month’s calendar or visit https://www/mvwsd.org/bettertogetherMVWSD

Last week we identified topics that can help you build your own set of #Tools2Thrive which include recognizing and owning your feelings; finding the positive after loss; connecting with others; eliminating toxic influences; creating healthy routines; and supporting others.

When it comes to your feelings, it can be easy to get caught up in your emotions as you’re feeling them. Most people don’t think about what emotions they are dealing with but taking the time to really identify what you’re feeling can help you to better cope with challenging situations. It’s ok to give yourself permission to feel. By looking for opportunity in adversity or finding ways to remember the good things about who or what we’ve lost, we can help ourselves to recover mentally and emotionally. Access a Mental Health America Tips for Success to learn more.

For each of us, the tools we use to keep us mentally healthy will be unique. But Mountain View Whisman School District wants everyone to know that mental health challenges and conditions are real, and recovery is possible. Finding what works for you may not be easy but can be achieved by gradually making small changes and building on those successes. By developing your own #Tools2Thrive, it is possible to find balance between work and play, the ups and downs of life, and physical health and mental health – and set yourself on the path to recovery.

Discover your #Tools2Thrive by listening to Renee Jain and Dr. Shefali Tsabary discuss our superpowers we are born with and how to transform our biologically natural anxiety so that we are empowered by it. You can access this 18 minute conversation in English at NPR How To Help Your Kids Reframe Their Anxiety — And Reclaim Their Superpowers

Date: May 19, 2021, 5:30 p.m. Registration Link: http://mvw.sd/osiVT

Is there a rising high school freshman in your home? Do you want to learn a bit more about the habits, traits, and skills students should develop to be ready for high school? Join us at our final Parent University session of the year as we meet members of staff and students at the Mountain View-Los Altos High School District to hear them talk about this ever-important topic!

To submit questions prior to the event, please click here. We will do our best to address your question during the session.

And if you missed any of our content this year, have no fear: www.mvwsd.org/parentu has recordings of all of our Parent University sessions this year!

It is the time of year when our incoming middle school students choose their electives for next year. Our middle schools are currently working to provide quality offerings that we hope will pique students’ interests and a great complement to our core academics. We are requesting each child's top 5 interests so that we can provide at least one of his/her top choices.

These electives are all subject to staffing, student interest and COVID safety guidance. Your child’s preference will help us plan and schedule courses for next year.

Please visit https://www.mvwsd.org/MSelectives for course catalogs and selection directions. All 5th-7th graders will preference their course electives online through Powerschool through May 7, 2021.

Mountain View Educational Foundation is Hiring a Content Writer to Help MVEF foster growth, optimize outreach, reach a wider audience, persuade the reader, and inspire action through the power of the written word.

Can you get people excited about the work that MVEF is doing? Do you write compelling, engaging and meaningful content in a concise newsletter, post web page or direct mail? Are you a superb storyteller that can capture people’s hearts and communicate the data? Is your style personable, specific, and easy to read?

MVEF needs a writer with these skills to enhance communication, marketing, and fundraising letter solicitations. The ideal candidate will help MVEF communicate with donors and parents, meet current fundraising goals, find new funding, spread awareness, and help donors understand the full impact of their donation.

This is a flexible, part time position. We need you to write Bi-monthly (sometimes monthly) updates for newsletters, website, and/or social media to keep supporters, donors, and volunteers educated about the impact on the community. We also need help with back to school marketing presentations and fundraising letters for all levels of donations.

Please send questions, email and/or resume to contact@mvef.org

Registration is now open for the 18th Annual MVWSD Interscholastic Chess Tournament, to be held online again due to COVID-19 on Sunday, May 16, from 12:00 to 5:00. The registration form and complete instructions can be found at tinyurl.com/mvwsdchess, and the deadline is May 14. Any questions can be sent to Mark Ruzon, tournament director, at mvwsdchess@gmail.com.

CHAC has opened registration for their free virtual workshops in May, which focus on unlocking our inner strengths and supporting mental wellness. You are welcome to join for any or all events. Events will be held from 6:30 to 7:30pm, with optional 30-minute Q&A from 7:30 to 8pm.

May 5: From Puppies to Paintings! Creative Ways to Build Lasting Connections

May 12: Self-Empowerment Through Expression: The Crucial Role of Mental Wellness in Motivating Tomorrow’s Leaders

May 19: Parenting Teens Doesn’t Have to be Painful!

May 26: Self-Care & Support Across Diverse Communities

For more information about each session and to register in advance, head to: https://funraise.org/give/Community-Health-Awareness-Council/a25a1482-56ef-448d-80f1-c36132be901c/.

El Camino Health is continuing to administer free COVID-19 vaccines – by appointment – for those aged 16 and up who live or work in Santa Clara County. Vaccines are administered at El Camino Health’s Sunnyvale Clinic Monday – Saturday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Visit elcaminohealth.org/schedulevax to make an appointment.

See attached flier for information and scheduling assistance available in Spanish and Mandarin. If you need assistance scheduling an appointment online, please call 408-871-7460, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The County of Santa Clara announced that most County Health System vaccination sites will accept drop-ins for COVID-19 vaccines. Same-day appointments and some drop-in locations across the county are available at sccfreevax.org.

The Mountain View - Los Altos High Schools Speech and Debate Team is holding our annual summer camp from June 14–18 and June 21–25! The camp will be completely virtual, and students will learn about fundamental concepts in speech and debate in order to help them become more persuasive speakers and stronger critical thinkers. Additionally, we’re offering three different courses to accommodate for different skill levels and allow students to build off of their existing knowledge. For more information about pricing and registration, visit our website at mvlasdcamp.org.