Quetzal News

Dear Quetzal Families,

We had an incredible Cafecito this week with fantastic attendance and participation. I’m excited about our next Cafecito and invite all of our parents to join us. This is a great opportunity for us to continue our rich discussions on high-quality instruction, biliteracy, and building our community together.

We are currently seeking parents to join our School Site Council and ELAC (English Language Advisory Committee) committees. Look out for an email with a form if you’re interested in actively participating in your child’s educational journey at Mistral.

Next week, we will commemorate 9/11 at our sites. This is a time for reflection and an opportunity to help our students develop lifelong skills that foster character and make a positive impact. To honor the memory of this tragic event, let’s practice bravery and compassion. Here are some ways to exercise these values at home, too:

- Be kind to someone.

- Offer a helping hand.

- Get to know someone you don’t know.

Lastly, we warmly invite you to our first Potluck of the school year, organized by our ELAC team. Join us next Wednesday, September 11, at 5 PM. Bring a dish to share and enjoy a meal with your Mistral Community! Our school community is wonderfully diverse, with individuals who may look and think differently from one another. These differences are what make our school a unique and stronger place!

We need your help!!!

Please remember not to ride a bike or scooter on campus. It is very important for the safety of our community. Thank you!

Warm regards,

Claudia Olaciregui, Principal

Support the Mistral PTA! The Mistral Parent Teacher Association funds many activities at Mistral, including field trips, after school classes, and events. Learn more about the PTA on our website and make a donation today! Please join us for the first PTA general association meeting, held online on Wednesday, September 25 at 7pm.

September 11

• ELAC Potluck @ MUR 5:00 - 6:30 pm

• Health Fair 9-3

• Spirit Day - Crazy Hair

DISTRICT NEWS

The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m.

Some of the topics include:

• 2023-2024 Unaudited Actual Budget Report

• Resolution: September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

• Contract Approval Process and Ratification

• Budget Advisory Committee

• Social Emotional Learning Instructional Materials

• Workplace Violence Prevention Plan

• Role of School Counselor

• Early Literacy Update
  
  

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

Superintendent's Community Check In on Friday, Sept. 6

Please join us for our Community Check-In with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Friday, Sept. 6 at 3:30 p.m. Bring your questions. Spanish interpretation will be provided. Click here to register: http://mvw.sd/CC96

Better Together: September

A classroom is more than just four walls and desks - it's a vibrant community where students learn, grow, and support each other. #BetterTogether in September highlights how each student contributes their unique talents and perspectives to create a rich learning environment. September 15th also marks the beginning of Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month. Look out for some additional content mid-month. For more information about Better Together, visit mvwsd.org/BetterTogetherMVWSD.

Parent University: The Science of Reading, Part 1 of 2

Date and Time: September 10, 2024, 5:30-7:00 pm Registration Link: mvw.sd/pu091024r

Reading is fundamental. But how do we best teach children to do it? And how do we support them at home? In this two-part series, we will uncover the “Science of Reading”, how our new district curriculum is based on this science, and how parents can translate the science into practical routines and strategies at home.

About the speaker: Dr. Cyndee Nguyen is MVWSD’s Director of Early Literacy. She leads district efforts to ensure that all students, especially those of early elementary age, develop into capable and confident readers. Previously, Dr. Nguyen was a primary grade teacher and the principal of Bubb Elementary School.

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

MVEF & PTA/PACT: Why should we donate to both?
Last week at Back to School Night we heard requests for support from our school’s PTA/PACT and MVEF leaders.

Our annual donations to each organization support students in different ways:

• MVEF provides essential programs at every school in MVWSD for all students:
  CSMA Art & Music classes, Living Classroom Environmental Science classes, environmental field trips in grades 4-5; plus two middle school ELA teachers reducing class sizes by >20%, supplemental support for clubs, sports, and instruments in grades 6-8.

• PTA/PACT is a “hyper-local” advocacy team of volunteers that support each school site in customized ways to improve family engagement and support classrooms within that school community.

Both MVEF and PTA are 501(c)3 charitable organizations and both rely on tax-deductible donations from families and matching contributions from employers and other organizations. You can donate to MVEF and learn more here and find your PTA donation link here.

FROM OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS

MV Public Library: Upcoming Parent Programs

Parenting Program: Individualized Education Program: Thursday, September 5, 2024, Time: 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm. Matthew Torres, an IDEA Specialist from the San Andreas Regional Center, will expertly guide parents through the IEP (Individualized Education Program) process. Gain insights to support and enhance your advocacy for your child. This program is perfect for parents new to the IEP process and seasoned advocates, offering practical tools and knowledge to navigate and champion your child's educational journey. Register in advance for this online meeting.

Calmer Connections: Supporting the Anxious Child: Thursday, September 19, 2024, Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm. With a warm and compassionate approach, Liat Justin, LCSW, supports countless families navigating the challenges of childhood anxiety. Liat empowers parents with the tools and strategies needed to increase their child's emotional well-being. Suitable for parents of children and teens. Register in advance for this online meeting.

The View Teen Center: September

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 on Monday, September 2), and the center features a game room, makerspace, kitchen, computer/study room, and outdoor area. September events include a Teen Wellness Retreat, art classes, a Bike to Boba, and much more. For more information, click here.

Mountain View Citywide Garage Sale

The Mountain View Citywide Garage Sale is back! Join hundreds of residents holding garage sales on Saturday, September 14 and Sunday, September 15. This event helps keep reusable items out of the landfill to conserve natural resources.

Seller registration is open until September 4. Sellers may choose to participate on only one day or both days of the sale. Online and printed address lists will show which day(s) each participating seller is open.

For shoppers, a new online map will allow you to filter garage sales by dates open and items listed, as well as other enhanced features to help shoppers plan which homes to visit for the event.

Sellers can register their Mountain View homes for the sale and shoppers can access the map at MountainView.gov/GarageSale.

The Learning Challenges Committee is looking for members!

Are you interested in helping students with learning challenges? This can include students who receive special education services, students with a 504 plan, or any student with a learning challenge.

The Learning Challenges Committee of the Los Altos Mountain View PTA Council (LCC) helps provide teachers and school staff in Mountain View and Los Altos schools with supplies in their classrooms related to learning challenges. We also can host parent education events, meet with special education administrators and more. We need a variety of parent and student voices to help us best decide how we can help teachers and students about these issues.

Our Learning Challenges Support Group will meet on Zoom on Tuesday, 9/17 at 10 am Register here

Can you attend 2-3 meetings per year to help make these kinds of decisions with the LCC? Please email LCCMVLA@gmail.com

We need more voices to help students with learning challenges. We need you!

MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series: Peggy Orenstein

Let’s Talk About Sex: How a New Generation Navigates Hookups, Porn, Love & Consent

Tuesday, September 17, 2024, 7PM, Los Altos High School - Eagle Theater

In this talk, Orenstein combines her research with voices of both boys and girls (as well as those between or beyond genders), to discuss the impact on high school and college students’ sexual scripts of mainstream media, social media and porn; hookup culture; changing expectations around consent; the politics of sexual pleasure; the diversity of sexual orientations; gendered power dynamics. With humor and compassion, she separates myth from reality, ultimately giving parents, educators and young people the conversational tools they need to ensure safe, pleasurable, mutually satisfying sexual encounters and intimate relationships. Register for this free event here.