Quetzal News
December 1, 2021
From Ms. O's Desk
Dear Quetzal Families,
Ti's the season of giving...the gift of time, caring, patience, and lots of love! This is the perfect time to model love for our families, friends, school, and our environment. At Gabriela Mistral, our community is working on kindness and caring this month. Small acts of kindness and caring go a long way! Let's choose kindness, and let's make this world a better place. Princess Diana once said, "Carry out random acts of kindness with no expectations of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you." Here are some ways you can help your child practice kindness:
- Be vulnerable: Admit you don't know all the answers
- Be kind, YOURSELF: Exercise patience and give people the benefit of the doubt ("Let's let this car in front of us.")
- Exercise gratitude and kindness: Create a "thankful wall or jar" where you draw or write what you are grateful for.
- Celebrate differences and include others: join events and organizations that celebrate diversity.
- Teach and model empathy: When you watch a movie or read a book, ask your child "how do you think they feel?"; Do role playing, "how do you think you would feel if...?
- Here are some well known books that show great examples of kindness: "Be Kind", "Have you filled a Bucket Today?, "Last Stop on Market", and "We're all Wonders"
Next week our students will take their mid year iReady reading and math assessment on Monday and Wednesday, respectively. Please have your child go to bed early, eat a healthy and balanced breakfast, and remind them to do their best. You can access your child's score via PowerSchool starting December 17, 2021.
Please remember to stay safe and healthy. Continue practicing the wonderful three Ws: Wear a mask, Watch your distance, and Wash your hands.
Conferences are coming up in January! There will be minimum day schedules the week of 1/10/22-1/14/22. Take care and have a great rest of your week.
Ms. Olaciregui, Principal
PTA News
Calendar
December 7, 2021
- ELAC Meeting (6:00 - 7:00 pm) Register
December 14, 2021
- Mistral Info Night (6:00 pm) Register
December 17, 2021
- Spirit Day/Pajama Day
December 20, 2021 to January 3, 2022
- December Holiday Break - No School
January 4, 2022
- Students Return to School
January 10 through January 14, 2022
- Conference Week: Minimum Day Schedule
District News
Upcoming i-Ready Diagnostic 2 Assessments
i-Ready is an online program that helps us determine your child’s strengths and areas for growth in mathematics and reading. Teachers use this information to support instruction in core subjects for every student.
Your child will take the second i-Ready Math and Reading diagnostic assessments during the week of December 6th, 2021. Your child’s school will share their specific schedule.
Elementary school families can access their child’s i-Ready Reading and Mathematics score via their Powerschool Parent Portal starting December 17, 2021. Parents will have access to three reports for their child - For Families Report, Common Core State Standards Report (CCSS), and the Diagnostic Growth Report. Here’s how to access PowerSchool Parent Portal i-Ready Reports.
Parents can learn more about the i-Ready platform and how to interpret the various i-Ready reports. Join us for an i-Ready Parent Informational Webinar on December 16th, 2021 at 6:00 - 7:00 pm. Please register in advance via the link .
Please contact your child’s school front office if you have any trouble accessing reports.
Please complete the Health and Wellness survey before Friday
As part of its Strategic Plan 2027, our district is prioritizing our health and wellness. MVWSD has partnered with an education market research firm, Hanover Research, to seek the opinions, perceptions and needs of our school community in order to inform our health and wellness programs and practices.
We want to hear the voices and experiences of parents/families, staff members, and middle school students. We invite you to participate in the Health and Wellness Needs Assessment Survey through December 3, 2021.
To participate in this survey, click this link or paste the following URL in your browser: http://mvw.sd/HW
The survey should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete and is confidential (i.e., no personally identifiable information will be collected or reported).
If you or a loved one is experiencing a health emergency, please visit an emergency room, or call 911. For self-help and community resources, please see the MVWSD Virtual Wellness Center: https://www.mvwsd.org/wellness. Thank you for your input that will help us provide effective health and wellness supports and services.
Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) Approval
On Dec. 9, the Board of Trustees is expected to approve each school’s Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), the document that represents a school’s cycle of continuous improvement of student performance. The plans are the result of a collaborative effort between the school staff and members of the School Site Council (SSC) with input from the school community and site advisory groups including the English Learner Advisory Council (ELAC). Draft site plans have been available for Board of Trustee and public review through the District website since October 22, 2021.
Please Upload Your Child’s Completed Vaccine Card
Many of our younger students are getting their 2nd COVID vaccine shot this week. When your child's vaccine card has their second shot listed, please upload a copy to Powerschool. Vaccine cards will be referred to in the case of a positive COVID exposure for your student, and MVWSD needs accurate data for decisions about COVID protocols. Click here for a video that shows you how to upload documents: https://vimeo.com/606954357.Thank you in advance for uploading your documents now!
Community Engagement: Security Cameras
One of the projects identified in MVWSD’s Master Facility Plan and the Measure T Bond was the need for security cameras in public areas at all school sites as a way to increase safety for students and staff members by deterring misconduct and preventing vandalism.
Members of the schools’ communities may engage in a series of feedback meetings through Jan. 2022 before the plan for security cameras is finalized. Principals will gather feedback at regularly scheduled meetings such as Principal’s Coffee, School Site Council, PTA, and ELAC.
Additionally, parents and neighbors may attend community meetings:
Stevenson, Theuerkauf, Bubb, Imai, Landels on December 6 from 4:00-5:00 p.m. Access the online meeting at http://mvw.sd/security12_6_12
Graham, Crittenden on December 7 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Access the online meeting at http://mvw.sd/security12_7_12
Castro, Mistral, Vargas, and Monta Loma on December 8 from 4:00-5:00 p.m. Access the online meeting at http://mvw.sd/security12_8_12
Parent University: How to Talk to Our Kids About Race, Racism, and Equity (with Project Cornerstone)
Date: December 8, 2021, 5:30pm-7:00pm Registration Link: http://mvw.sd/pu120821
Conversations on race, racism, and equity can be uncomfortable. Where do we even start? This presentation will:
Explore the concept of recognizing our own racial identity. It starts with us.
Build a shared understanding of key definitions so we can be more informed when we listen, learn, and talk.
Gain language and tools to hold conversations with our kids.
To submit questions prior to the event, please click here. We will do our best to address your question during the session.
School meetings are coming up. Open Enrollment for all MVWSD students starts in January
For CURRENT students in transitional kindergarten-7th grade: Parents will be asked by email to confirm enrollment from January 24-28.
For NEW students: Open Enrollment is from January 10 through Feb. 4, 2022 online. You can register your child for the 2022-23 school year when online registration opens here: www.mvwsd.org/register
School info meetings: Check www.mvwsd.org/register for a complete list with login information.
School kindergarten/new student information nights are online on December 7 at 6:00 p.m. for all elementary schools, and include choice school information. Click here for meeting information: http://mvw.sd/schoolinfo
If your child turns 5 years old between September 2, 2022 – February 2, 2023, he/she may qualify for transitional kindergarten. TK info night is December 14 at 5:00 p.m online at http://mvw.sd/TK1214
If you are interested in the District's choice schools, information nights are:
Gabriela Mistral: Dual Spanish/English Immersion: December 14 at 6 pm at http://mvw.sd/MI1214
Stevenson: Parent Child Teacher: December 15 at 6 pm at http://mvw.sd/ST1215
Choice schools will also have information at the elementary schools’ info nights (6 p.m. Dec. 7).
Please visit www.mvwsd.org/register for more information.
Seeking EL Testers!
Are you looking for a part time job and enjoy interacting with kids? Our district is looking for a few more EL Testers to administer the annual assessment of Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking for English Learners. Fluency in academic English is required. For more information, or to apply, please visit mvwsd.org/jobs and look under “Support Staff - Hourly.” Alternatively, you may contact department secretary Leticia Corcoran at lcorcoran@mvwsd.org.
Upcoming MVEF Phonathon
Our Phonathon is coming up in December and we would love you to save us both a call!
We hope this serves as a gentle reminder to donate to MVEF today and support your child and every child in the district! The majority of our funding comes from donations from parents like you! Make a difference, save us both a call and donate today at mvef.org/donate.
MVHS Spartans Tree Lot
MVHS Sports Boosters is hosting the 8th Annual Spartans Tree Lot at Mountain View High School Stadium (3535 Truman Ave., Mountain View, CA 94040). 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: SpartanTreeLot.com.
City of MV Santa’s Workshop Event
Join the elves at Santa’s Workshop for a jolly-filled time in building and creating some incredible holiday themed crafts on Saturday, Dec. 11th from 9:00 a.m. to 12 p.m at the Senior Center Social Hall. Children will have the opportunity to design ornaments, decorate cookies, customize their own stocking, make a snowy wonderland globe, write a letter to Santa, and so much more! This holiday program is open to all children ages 6 to 11 years old. Register online at MountainView.gov/Register using Code 15789.