The Dolphin Whistle

Thank you so much for supporting your students during state tests. On our first day of testing 100% of our students arrived on time to take the test. Let’s make this a habit. It makes for a much smoother start for the day for everyone. We continue testing through mid-May.

Fun Friday. Friday is your lucky day if you have trouble matching socks for your children. Friday is mismatched sock day! Yes, this is the day when we want everyone to wear 2 different socks. We are also celebrating great student behavior by playing music at lunch on Fridays. Many of our students are dancing and just having a great time.

School Facilities Updates

Happening now: You’ll notice that the wide gate located by the City’s Tot lot will be locked at all times beginning on May 2nd. We have noticed that our community has been using it as an entrance to campus in the mornings and in the afternoons. This gate is far from the office and is difficult to supervise. Moving forward, please use the gate at Latham or the gate in front of Castro to enter campus.

This Summer:

After June 3, locks will be added to all of the campus gates, pending material availability. With the installation of the automatic locking/unlocking gates, the public will continue to have access to fields in the evenings and on weekends. The purpose of gates and locks is to secure campuses during school hours when students are present.

Security cameras in public areas will be installed in the summer to help deter misconduct and prevent vandalism.

New lighting will be installed to illuminate pedestrians’ path of travel between campus and parking lots. This additional lighting is an important safety measure for staff members and guests using the campus in the evenings and winter late afternoons.

This Fall:

A prefabricated, standalone toilet building will be installed at the southeast corner of the field near the Latham Street tot lot. Construction has been delayed until Fall. The bathrooms may be used after school hours by the public; not by students during the school day. This is an important security measure to ensure adults are not mixing with children in student restrooms.

Sincerely,

Dr. Judy Crates

Principal

As our community is still reeling from the recent student tragedy, many of us are asking the question of “how can we make school commutes safer for our students?” The Mountain View Whisman School District is recording these organic conversations in an online exchange of ideas, with the goal of involving all of the organizations and people who have a role in making our community safer.

Please click here to participate in a ThoughtExchange about safety: my.thoughtexchange.com/scroll/545040823. Your participation is confidential. Please share and come back often to rate new ideas until the exchange closes on May 4.

Interpreters and Translators Needed!

Looking for a part-time job with a positive social impact? Are you bilingual in Spanish, Korean, Russian, Vietnamese, Tagalog, or ASL (Sign Language)? MVWSD is now hiring organized and friendly individuals to become interpreters and translators for school and district events, documents, and parent meetings. To find out more, click here: http://mvw.sd/translators

1. Preparing for Middle School

Date and Time: April 27, 2022, 5:30pm Registration Link: http://mvw.sd/pu042722

Nervous about middle school? We get it! Change can be daunting, but it can also lead to amazing new experiences. Join us to learn how to support your children as they prepare for the next stage in their academic and social lives. We will feature a panel of staff and students from Crittenden and Graham who will offer lots of wisdom and details about grades six, seven, and eight. See you there!

To submit your questions prior to the event, go to mvw.sd/questions.

2. High School Readiness

Date and Time: May 11, 2022, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Registration Link: https://mvw.sd/pu051122

Do you have a child who is about to enter high school? Join us at our final Parent University session of the year to learn about high school campus life from students and staff at Los Altos High School and Mountain View High School. You and your child will hear tips from the experts about how to make the transition as smooth as possible and get the most out of your high school experience. You do not want to miss out!

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

It's time for our annual celebration of former English Learner students who have successfully reclassified as English Proficient this school year! We are extremely proud of all the students as well as all of the families, teachers, and school staff who have supported them along the way. Families of newly reclassified students should have received email invitations and formal paper invitations this week to the event to take place at Crittenden the evening of April 28. If you have any questions, or believe you should have received an invitation but didn't, please contact your child's school or Leticia Corcoran at lcorcoran@mvwsd.org or (650) 526-3500 x1121. Congratulations!

This April, we herald in Autism Acceptance Month and celebrate our neurodiverse community. MVWSD is a district that aims to provide an identity-affirming, empowering space for all of our students. We strive to challenge biases and champion change that makes our world more equitable, accessible, and just. Check out this month's infographic for ideas and resources to spark a conversation about autism acceptance and about the gifts our neurodiverse people bring to our community. Please see the graphics attached to this newsletter, or visit https://www.mvwsd.org/bettertogetherMVWSD.

Homeowners aged 65 or older, and residents who qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) who reside in the Mountain View Whisman School District are eligible for an exemption for their principal residence from Measure B/parcel tax.

An exemption from Measure B/the parcel tax will be made available, upon application, to any owners of a parcel used solely for owner-occupied single-family residential purposes who:

* are receiving Social Security Income for a disability regardless of age;

* are 65 years of age prior to July 1 of the tax year; or

* are receiving Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, regardless of age, and whose yearly income does not exceed 250% of the 2012 federal poverty guidelines issued by the United States Department of Health and Human Services

For application and information, call 650-526-3500 or visit https://www.mvwsd.org.

Everyone has upsetting thoughts from time to time, which can make us feel angry, sad, or frustrated. This is normal! It is often our emotions that drive these upsetting thoughts, not the facts of the situation. By catching our upsetting thoughts, checking the facts, and changing our thoughts based on those facts, we can start to have more helpful thoughts and improve our mood.

Watch this video and learn more about how to change upsetting thoughts to be more helpful.

To change your upsetting thoughts:

1. Catch it. When you feel upset, pause and ask yourself, “What words or phrases are running through my mind right now?”

2. Check it. Consider whether the thought you are having is helpful or not.

3. Change it. If you are having an unhelpful thought, consider other ways of looking at the situation. Reframe your thought to one that is more helpful.

Catching, checking, and changing your thoughts takes practice. By noticing your unhelpful thoughts and reframing them based on facts, you can improve your mood.

Día de los Niños/Día de los libros (Day of the Children/Day of the Books) will be celebrated with a performance from Raices de Mexico, a Mexican folkloric dance company that will perform regional dances from Mexico, on Saturday, April 30 from 11-11:45 a.m. in Pioneer Park. The event is open to all ages, and no registration is required. Click here for more information.