Quetzal News

Dear Mistral Families,

Fall is my favorite time of year! I love the cooler weather, vibrant colors, and the chance to reflect with the change in seasons. This time of year also brings a special focus on gratitude, which is one of the healthiest and most fulfilling habits we can practice. Cultivating gratitude helps us maintain a positive outlook and fosters a growth mindset, essential skills for lifelong learning and resilience.

Being grateful is powerful because it shifts our focus from what we lack to what we have, cultivating a mindset of abundance rather than scarcity. This simple change in perspective can improve our mood, relationships with others, and develop resilience. Research has shown that practicing gratitude boosts dopamine and serotonin levels, body chemicals that make us feel good, essentially rewiring our brains to foster positivity.

On an emotional level, gratitude helps us to be more compassionate, patient, and forgiving, enhancing our relationships by reminding us of others' kindness and support. Grateful people also tend to experience less stress and anxiety, as gratitude promotes a sense of grounding and contentment, even during challenging times.

In education, gratitude can strengthen connections among students, teachers, and the school community. When students and staff acknowledge each other’s contributions, it fosters a positive atmosphere, enhancing motivation and collaboration. For both personal well-being and community health, gratitude is a foundation for growth and resilience. At school, we are committed to nurturing these values with your child, and we invite you to join us at home in this wonderful journey. Together, let’s make this season a meaningful and enriching experience for your family!

I’m excited to see everyone this Friday at our biggest PTA fundraiser of the year! Your support is essential in helping our PTA fund field trips, assemblies, Playworks, classroom resources, and much more. We’re still in need of parent volunteers to make this event a success, so please consider signing up to lend a hand. As a reminder, students must stay with their parents during the walkathon. Please plan to pick up your child at dismissal and head over to the field together. Let’s make it a memorable event for our school community!

In partnership,

Claudia Olaciregui, Principal

Construction on the long-awaited public restroom project, in partnership with the City of Mountain View and funded through Measure T, will start in November and continue for several weeks.

A prefabricated, standalone toilet building will be installed on campus. The unit will be maintained by the City and 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. The restroom's design and placement were determined through a community input process held in Spring 2021.

Location:

Imai Elementary: On the southwest corner of the field between the MUR and baseball diamond.

Castro/Mistral Elementary: On the southeast corner of the field near the Latham Street tot lot.

Landels Elementary: On the southeast side of the field near the gate from Mercy Street.

Timeline:

The total construction time is estimated to be November 2024 to January 2025. Building delivery/installation is planned for November and December. Construction has been scheduled to minimize disruptions for students, staff and neighbors. The areas will be secured for the safety of students and adults.

The Mistral PTA Walkathon is on Friday, November 8th! Check your child's backpack Friday for their Walkathon packets.

1. Help raise money for our school! Set up a pledge site on 99Pledges and start asking family and friends for donations. Or use the paper pledge form.

2. Join our team of volunteers! Sign up for a volunteer shift on Konstella . Sign up to donate baked goods . Your participation is important!

3. Return the Walkathon permission form by Monday, November 4.

Check out the Walkathon web page..

November 8

• Walkathon after school event 2:45 to 6pm

November 11

• Veterans Day - No school

• Parent U-Parenting in the Digital Era @ 5:30pm-Registration link

• ELAC Meeting 8:15 am

• School Spirit Day - Disney Day

November 25-29

• Thanksgiving Recess

DISTRICT NEWS

The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, Nov. 7. Closed session begins at 4:30 p.m. Open session begins at 6:00 p.m.

Some of the topics include:

• Contract Process and Update on Canceled Contracts

• Measure T Project List Update

• CAASPP 2024 Data Overview

• Canopy and Sustainability Update

• By-Laws for Staff Housing Oversight Committee and Preliminary Staff Housing Budget

For meeting details and agenda, please click here: https://www.mvwsd.org/trustees.

Members needed: MVWSD Child Nutrition Focus Group

MVWSD's Child Nutrition Services Department is seeking parents and staff members to join a series of thoughtful discussions about food nutrition and delivery throughout our school district. MVWSD serves 2,500 breakfasts and 2,700 lunches each day, on average, throughout our schools. This volunteer commitment is expected to be approximately 10 hours throughout the 2024-2025 school year. The Focus Group may visit schools and taste the meals there. Please enter your information here to express your interest. Questions may be directed to Food Service Director Debbie Austin at daustin@mvwsd.org.

Drafts available: Single Plans for Student Achievement

Each year, our schools create Single Plans for Student Achievement (SPSAs or “site plans”) that guide the work for the coming year. These plans help us prioritize programs and strategies that will best serve our students. In the fall, elected parent representatives from School Site Councils and English Language Advisory Committees work with principals and school staff members to create a draft that is reviewed and approved by the MVWSD Board of Trustees. Parents and staff members may give feedback through Nov. 15 to their principal and elected parent representatives to SSC and ELAC. You may review the draft plans here.

Parenting Tweens & Teens in the Digital Era - Supporting Dialogue and Strategies for Building Healthy Tech Habits

Date and Time: November 19, 5:30-7:00 p.m. Registration: mvw.sd/pu111924r

My Digital TAT2 returns to Parent University with updated topics! This workshop will empower parents with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the complexities of raising tech-savvy, digitally responsible children. We will address common tech issues such as texting dilemmas, online friendship drama, and the “Sephora Kids” phenomenon. You’ll also learn a helpful strategy called The Digital Loop that can help you and your family build awareness around each person’s tech use.

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

Parent University Speaker Series: Understanding Your Child’s Score Reports

Date and Time: December 3, 2024, 5:30-7pm Registration Link: http://mvw.sd/pu120324r

Understanding your child’s district and state test scores is a key part of building a foundation of excellence. Join Swati Dagar, our Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment as she discusses how to (i) access and interpret score reports and (ii) use the information to engage in a productive partnership with your child’s teacher(s).

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

Better Together: November & December

As we enter the vibrant months of November and December, our school community embarks on a meaningful journey exploring the rich tapestry of cultures that make our community unique and special. During these months, we focus on three important themes that help us understand and celebrate our differences while building stronger connections with each other: Celebrating diverse communities while acknowledging Native American Heritage Month and Special Education Awareness Month. Through these themes, we'll discover that our differences aren't just something to accept – they're something to celebrate. Together, we'll learn how understanding and appreciating each other's unique qualities makes our entire community better. For more information about Better Together, visit mvwsd.org/BetterTogetherMVWSD.

It's Giving Day Season, a perfect time and opportunity to consider including MVEF!

Employees at large companies: If your organization offers a "giving day" or special donation-matching program, let MVEF know (contact@mvef.org)! Spread the word to your coworkers that Mountain View Education Foundation (MVEF) is a nonprofit that directly supports public schools from TK-8th grade in Mountain View.

To learn more about what MVEF funds, look here. For direct donations, click here. Other donation options can be found here. Contributions are tax-deductible, and we’re grateful for your support in nurturing students’ educational journeys!

FROM OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Mentor Tutor Connection Volunteer Info Session

Mentor Tutor Connection is actively recruiting volunteers for our mentoring (high school students) and tutoring (K-8 students) programs located in Los Altos and Mountain View public schools. We will be hosting a Volunteer Information Session on November 13th at 12pm, over Zoom. This is a great opportunity to learn more about our programs and ask any questions. Help shape a brighter future for students in our local community!

To register for the Volunteer Information Session or to learn more about MTC, please email programs@mentortutorconnection.org or click here.

Learning Challenges events for Fall 2024

For local coverage of issues related to learning challenges and special education, please check out the Learning Challenges Committee http://learningchallenges.lamvptac.org/

For broader coverage, look into the Northwest SCC SELPA CAC

Who’s Who is Serving Our Little Ones? - Planning and Strategies for Children 3-5

From Department of Developmental Services and Palo Alto CAC

November 14, 6-7 pm on Zoom. Register: http://bit.ly/DDSTraining2

Evening Let’s Talk Parent Support group

November 19, 7 pm on Zoom.

IEP/504 support group. Have questions about the process to get help for your child? Have an IEP but are not sure how to make changes? Need to vent? This is your confidential group. Register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMtfu2hrj0pG9zqGFeTzEnqs1U7cVxTcfl-

Learning Challenges Committee Meeting

December 3, 7:30 pm on Zoom

The LCC is working on providing a support group for parents, and planning to create a wish list for teachers throughout Mountain View and Los Altos for classroom supplies to support sensory needs. Would you like to help? Other ideas to support students and families with learning challenges? Join us here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUld-usrj8tEtNskynSpmorDiYZNt9_KAgq

Morning Let’s Talk Parent Support Group

December 19, 10 am on Zoom.

IEP/504 support group. Have questions about the process to get help for your child? Have an IEP but are not sure how to make changes? Need to vent? This is your confidential group. Register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrduupqD0vEtSpweFX71KvNAcKW8Csy4D3

Missed past Parent Education events?

We have a YouTube channel with many of our past events including the recent talk on Assistive Technology, info on summer camps and recreational activities, Anxiety and Depression in Children with Learning Challenges, SMART Goals and IEP Troubleshooting, and more. Channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuy7IcVz-4LTDxv2Jaq13nw

MV Public Library: ​​Print Arts Workshop

Join the Mountain View Public Library for a Printmaking Workshop with Calixto Robes on Saturday, November 16 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. You will have the opportunity to create take home print-art with prepared screens. Calixto Robles is a painter and printmaker whose art reflects his Oaxacan heritage. Register here for a start time.

MVLA Speaker Series: BoyMom with Ruth Whippman

Join the next MVLA Speaker Series presentation, “BoyMom: Exploring the Challenges of Raising Men in the Modern Age,” with feminist writer and mother of three boys Ruth Whippman on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 at 7PM at the Los Altos High School Eagle Theater. Whippman digs into the impossibly contradictory pressures boys now face; and the harmful blind spots of male socialization that are leaving boys isolated, emotionally repressed, and adrift. With wit, honesty, and a refusal to settle for easy answers, Whippman charts a new path to give boys a healthier, more expansive, and fulfilling story about their own lives. Register for this free event here.

MVHS Spartan Turkey Trot

MVHS Sports Boosters is proud to host the 15th Annual Spartan Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning (Thursday, November 28, 2024) at the Mountain View High School Track (3535 Truman Ave, Mountain View, CA). People of all ages are encouraged to participate in the 5k Run & Walk and the Spartan Mile (1-mile). Kids are welcome to participate in the 5k and/or Spartan Mile + the 60/400 yd dash races (aka kids races). All proceeds benefit the MVHS athletics department and supporting teams/clubs. Register at https://www.spartanturkeytrot.com/.

MVHS Tree Lot

MVHS Sports Boosters will be opening up the Annual Spartans Tree Lot on Friday, November 29 at 10 AM for the 2024 season at the Mountain View High School Stadium (3535 Truman Ave.). 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 SpartansTreeLot.com.

The View Teen Center: November

The View Teen Center is a free facility in Mountain View (263 Escuela Ave) for all Mountain View and Los Altos 6th - 12th grade students. Drop-in hours are Monday - Friday, 3:15 - 7 p.m. and Saturdays, 1 - 6 p.m. (Closed Monday, Nov. 11 and Nov. 28-30. Extended hours, 1-6 p.m., Nov. 25-27.), and the center features a game room, makerspace, kitchen, computer/study room, and outdoor area. November events include Thanksgiving-themed activities, an improv class, crafts, and much more. For more information, click here.