The Dolphin Whistle
September 30, 2020 Issue 9
MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL LAMBERT
Dear Parents,
Please join me today at our Principal's Coffee, and if you are unable to make it please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you have. Today's topics include school fencing and future school reoopening and student engagement during class time. I welcome your opinions and ideas. Please check your email for the meeting link.
Also, there is a community check-in meeting with Superintendent Rudolph this Friday at 3:30 p.m. This is a good opportunity to hear district-wide perspectives alongside other parents.
Congratulations to Kindergarten for having the most students participate in Crazy Hair Day! Spirit days are always fun. We have one on the 4th Friday of each month. Check out our facebook page (Mariano Castro Elementary) for pics from last week. Please help your child to show their school spirit and participate each month. This is a great way for your child to feel included and part of the school family.
Warm Regards,
Theresa Lambert
Principal Mariano Castro Elementary
cell number (831)206-9522
COVID Safety Reminder
Any child that is ill should not come to school, and you should notify school officials if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are diagnosed with COVID-19, are waiting for test results, or have been exposed to someone with symptoms or a confirmed or suspected case.
Calendar
Wednesday, September 30, 2020 - Principal's Coffee 4:00 p.m.
Friday, October 2, 2020 - Check in Meeting with the Superintendent 3:30 p.m.
Monday, October 12,2020 - Recess Day (No School)
Tuesday, October 15, 2020 - ELAC Meeting 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, October 28, 2020 - School Site Council Meeting 5:00 p.m.
FROM THE DISTRICT OFFICE
I-Ready
Dear Elementary School Parents,
Your child recently completed his/her first i-Ready Math and Reading 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. Elementary school families can access their child’s i-Ready Reading and Mathematics score via their Powerschool Parent Portal starting October 1, 2020.
Steps for accessing reports on PowerSchool Parent Portal: Accessing PowerSchool Parent Portal i-Ready Reports
Please contact your child’s school front office if you have any trouble accessing reports.
Check-In with the Superintendent on Oct. 2
Please join us for our Community Check-In with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Friday, Oct. 2, 3:30 p.m. Bring your questions. Click here to register: http://mvw.sd/TIUcn
Free Student Meals: *New* Pick up meals for multiple days
Free meals are again available to all children in the Mountain View Whisman School District age 18 and younger. No IDs required.
Daily breakfast and lunch at all schools, except Stevenson (pickup for Stevenson is at Theuerkauf). Times: 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. at the elementary schools. 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the middle schools.
Come to Graham Middle School between 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. to pick up meals for multiple days. Food items will be different from what is served during daily pickups. On Monday: Pick up for four days. On Friday: Pick up for three days.
Walk, drive or roll up to grab a free meal and go! For menus and information, please see https://www.mvwsd.org/nutrition.
Online Parenting Toolkit by Yale Professor Dr. Kazdin
It’s difficult to be a parent right now. Everyday Parenting is a free, online course developed by parenting expert, Dr. Alan Kazdin. In this course, you will learn techniques supported by the highest quality science for improving your child’s behavior, increasing your child’s compliance with your requests, and strengthening your relationship with your child.
Please click here to access the FREE course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/everyday-parenting?utm_source=YALE&utm_medium=institutions&utm_campaign=202004-Group-EP-Crittenden-Middle-School
*While we believe it can be helpful to families, this resource is not directly affiliated with MVWSD.
Parent University: Raising Digitally Resilient Children and Teens during Quarantine
Kids are online more than ever in this post-COVID world, with increased use of digital technology for academics, entertainment, and social connection.
Join My Digital TAT2 for a highly engaging and informative webinar at the MVWSD Parent University event on Wednesday, October 7th from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. Hear how young people are affected by the latest news, trends, and data from the world of technology. Get tips and strategies for how to teach responsibility and balanced and healthy use of the internet and social media.
Click here to register for this event on Zoom.
Recommended for all adults who support youth and want to learn thoughtful and supportive ways to navigate media with children. For more information about My Digital TAT2 and their mission, please visit: www.mydigitaltat2.org
Together We Are a Better MVWSD: Hispanic Heritage Month (Flyers attached)
We are excited to announce that this month marks the beginning of a monthly offering towards MVWSD’s equity goals titled Together We Are a Better MVWSD. Each month you will receive an infographic in both English and Spanish that offers educational tools and community guidance inspired by a national diversity calendar. This month is National Hispanic Heritage Month.
You’ll see:
Lessons provided by grade level that are designed to be used by teachers to enhance work they are doing in the classroom.
Activities provided to parents, which are meant to help bridge the gap between lessons at school and conversations at home.
Organization spotlights to help us engage with our community and learn more about organizations doing equity work.
Children’s books by authors who have either the lived experience or scholarly background to contextualize this topic for children and adolescents.
Please see mvwsd.org/BetterTogetherMVWSD
Distance Learning Tip:
How can I help my child when I see him/her getting anxious and upset about distance learning?
Be proactive: When you see your child getting anxious, let him or her know that you notice he or she may be having a difficult time. Ask them if they would like a 2 minute break. Set a timer and then redirect him or her back to the session.
If the situation has already escalated, have your child use calming breathing exercises. Once he or she calms down, you can discuss what your child needs to do before going back to the session. He or she may need a drink of water, a snack or a two minute break.
You can use phrases such as: It seems like you’re having a hard time … I can imagine how difficult it must be… How can I help you?
MVEF news: Did you know that your donations to MVEF support CSMA art and music for your student
Fifth grade art and music started on 9/23! TK-4 art and music started the week before! All TK-4th students will have virtual art and music classes led by a teacher from CSMA. This year 5th grade students chose instrumental music or art with CSMA. We thank the CSMA teachers for sharing their engaging and FUN talents as well as filling a need for creativity and active learning on Zoom.
MVEF raises money to provide all MVWSD students with an educational experience beyond what is possible with public funding. Please see the website at https://www.mvef.org/ for more information and to donate online. Please consider joining our team of volunteers or emailing us with any questions at contact@mvef.org. Thank you for your support!
What’s the easiest way to help my child upload pictures of student work?
First, create a child’s folder in a parent’s Google Drive (only has to be done once. Requires parent to have a gmail account.)
-download google drive app on smartphone
-create a folder with child's name (ie "Emma’s Schoolwork”)
-share the folder with child’s school email address. (Note: Students in grades TK-5 will not get an email notification of this share. The child does not have to access his/her email account. The folder automatically will appear in student’s “shared with me” folder on their Drive after parent “shares” with the student’s email address.)
After that set up, its as easy as this:
-open google drive app
-open the shared folder
-push + button and select “use camera” to take picture (this uploads it automatically)
-child now has the pic on his/her school drive in the parent/child shared folder (under "shared with me" in child’s drive). They can also upload these images to other programs, such as SeeSaw.
Parent Ed Speaker Series - Jeff Selingo on Oct, 1st, 2020
The MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series presents: Jeff Selingo on "Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside the College Admissions Process" on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2020 - 7:00 - 9:00pm | Live Online | Zoom
Join us for an insightful evening with journalist and higher education expert Jeff Selingo, as he dispels entrenched notions about the college admissions process. While many have long believed that college admissions decisions are driven largely by merit, Jeff presents a more complicated truth. Embedded in three distinctly different admissions offices — a selective private university, a leading liberal arts college, and a flagship public campus — Jeff closely observed college admission officers as they made their often agonizing and sometimes life-changing decisions. Based on a year of reading applications and sitting through committee meetings where up and down votes were taken, Jeff reveals what really matters to the gatekeepers and how their ultimate decisions are often based on a college’s priorities. Following interviews with students, testing agencies, marketers, and ranking organizations, Jeff also shares practical advice and helpful strategies for navigating the confusing, chaotic, and often-times stressful college application process. Audience: High school parents and students; teachers and counselors Register: To register for this free event, go to https://mvla2020-21-jeffselingo.eventbrite.com Book: Jeff's new book, Who Gets In and Why, will be released Sept. 15th and is available with free shipping from Books, Inc. Jeff is generously offering our community a 30% discount + free shipping for pre-orders made directly through him. If interested, use code MVLA30. Event Login: We will send the Zoom link via Eventbrite email, Thursday afternoon, October 1st.
If you have not used Zoom before, please make sure to allow a few extra minutes before the event to download the free Zoom app.
Sponsored by Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF), MVLA High School Foundation, Mountain View Educational Foundation (MVEF), and Los Altos-Mountain View PTA Council.
Mountain View Public Library presents “Sea Otters”
Mountain View Public Library presents “Sea Otters: Author Talk for Kids” (ages 7-12) on Wednesday Oct 14 - 4-4:30 pm. See attached flyer. Free. Sign-up at https://mountainview.gov/librarycalendar