Thursday, April 2, 2020

Core value of the month: Responsibility

 

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Dear Monta Loma Families,

I can’t say enough how grateful we are for your partnership. Your efforts and support are noticed and appreciated. Thank you for all you are doing. We are here to help, now more than ever, as your life at home has changed dramatically. 

Next week, April 6th through the 10th is spring break. I encourage you to take this time to relax and just enjoy the fun things you do with your students. Teachers and staff will be off as well. We look forward to connecting with you again on April 12th.

Here are some tips that may help ease the load.  These tips come from an EdWeek article titled E-Learning Overload: 8 Tips Educators Can Give Frustrated, Anxious Parents By David Rauf. 

1. Start slow: Identify subjects your child is interested in and explore from there. 

2. Set a schedule: A daily routine at home is key, but some flexibility should also be built into that schedule. If a student doesn't want to work on math right now, then let them work on reading, or have them work on something more hands-on like an art project. 

3. Set up a workspace: Provide a consistent place at home to work, whether it be for reading or video conferencing. It doesn’t have to be a big space.

4. Stay upbeat and positive: Students are impressionable, and they pick up on your feelings. Keeping your body language and words calm will help your students manage their feelings too.

5. Resist the urge to do too much: It’s OK if your child struggles at some point. It's important to let them try to work through an issue on their own. That's part of the learning process. There's a fine line between helping too much and not helping enough.

6. Communicate with teachers and staff: Over-communicate, if necessary. We are ready and willing to help.

7. Plan for 'brain breaks': Too much screen time or staying buried in a book too long without a break for physical exertion can be a bad recipe. Allow for exercise time or at least some time away from lessons during the day. 

8. Support each other: Reach out to other parents. Some of you asked about setting up a support group. If you would like to participate in a group, let me know. 

Census Reminder

Census week starts April 1, 2020. Individuals have until July 30 to complete the questionnaire. Households can respond by mail, online or phone. The Census does not ask about immigration status, and the Census is prohibited from releasing personally identifiable information to any branch of the government. 

Responding to the Census  is important so that our community gets the funding and services it deserves (for every person not counted, the community loses an average of $20,000 over 10 years in services like MediCal, Free and Reduced School Lunches, and Subsidized Childcare)

Coronavirus Updates

Please be sure you are checking the Coronavirus Update page for the latest district updates.  As you may have heard, the state of California and Santa Clara County decided that school buildings are to be closed through the end of the school year. The next time our students return to classrooms will be in August.

Virtual Spirit Days

Starting this week, we will let you know the theme every Monday. You choose which day that week works for you to participate. By Friday of the same week, share a photo of yourself and any of your family members participating in the theme. We’ll post some photos on our Facebook page. You can share photos by uploading them here.

This week’s theme: Leopard Day: Wear your Monta Loma spirit wear, leopard print, cat ears, facepaint, whatever you want to show you have that Leopard Spirit.

Virtual Science Fair: This year's Science Fair will now be a Virtual Science Fair. You are still encouraged to participate. Please email Ms. Fassiotto  with any questions at [email protected]

The date for submissions is extended until April 23rd, 2020

Ideas for submitting your project:

• Picture: take a picture of your board and experiment

• Powerpoint: explain your project in a PowerPoint presentation with pictures and information

• Video: Film yourself explaining the parts of your project, this can include your board or just the experiment

• Screencastify: record your voice explaining your project on a screen

• Open to any other ideas you have to show/display what you did! Share with me your ideas!

Please use this form to submit your project by APRIL 23rd!

In partnership,

Gloria

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 CALENDAR

• Monday - Friday: Breakfast and lunch available to youth 18 or younger from 11:30 am to 1 pm at Gabriela Mistral Elementary, 505 Escuela Ave. 

• April 6 - 10: Spring Break 

 

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Teacher office hours

Please feel free to email your students' teacher at any time with questions regarding your students' work. Teachers will be actively responding to your emails and have office hours from 1pm-3pm daily from Monday - Friday. Currently we are not able to print any more work packets. If you would like a chromebook, you can call 650-526-3252. 

NEWS FROM THE DISTRICT OFFICE

The state of California and Santa Clara County decided that school buildings are to be closed through the end of the school year in order to disrupt the transmission of COVID-19 in this pandemic.The next time our students return to classrooms will be in August.

 

To be clear, the 2019-20 school year is not over. When we first announced a temporary closure, we took our first step toward distance learning by transitioning from classroom instruction into flexible learning. Our students have been connecting with each other and their teachers, online, by email and phone, and are engaged in optional learning activities suggested by their teachers.

 

The next step for MVWSD is distance learning. Next week (April 6-10) is spring break, and we’ll be hard at work completing a distance learning plan for students to begin after break.

As we work on this distance learning plan, we want to hear from you about what is working well and what challenges are you currently facing with supporting your children’s learning from home. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts in this online discussion. Click here to access the ThoughtExchange. Thank you!

 

The County of Santa Clara Public Health has extended the previous stay-at-home order through May 3, 2020. Use of playgrounds, dog parks, public picnic areas, and similar shared recreational areas is now prohibited. All individuals currently living within the County are ordered to shelter at their place of residence and leave only for essential activities. More information 

here.

 

The Special Education Department has been supporting students with Flexible Learning Options during COVID-19 school closure. Just as general education teachers, special education teachers are connecting with parents and their students through daily office hours and regular meetings and messages. They are identifying and sharing resources to support parents while at home with their children. Additionally, they are collaborating with general education teachers to provide strategies and support for special ed students. Very soon the department, with guidance from state and federal educational agencies, will provide teletherapy to qualifying students. These virtual therapy services include speech, occupational, clinical, vision, physical and augmented alternative communication. For any questions, please contact your child’s case manager or Arianna Mayes, Director of Special Education.

 

April 2 Board meeting preview: Join us online

The Public's health and well-being are the top priority for MVWSD’s Board of Trustees, and you are urged to take all appropriate health safety precautions. To facilitate this process, the MVWSD Board of Trustees will hold its regular meeting online on Thursday, April 2.

 

Dial in Phone Number: (415) 762-9988

Meeting ID: 602-006-888

There is no participant ID

 

The meeting also will be streamed as usual on www.mvwsd.org.

Members of the public who wish to address the Board during the Board of Trustees meeting may email comments to [email protected].

Make sure you’re counted! The U.S. Census is coming up

It’s crucial that we all participate, because an accurate count of residents is important for funding our community’s public resources, planning for the future, and for our voice in government. We all want to make sure that Mountain View gets the funding, services, and business support we need. 

 

Here's how the Census works (video)

 

Responses are confidential and by law, your personal information cannot be shared. You can respond to the U.S. Census online or by mail. Look for your postcard this week. To learn more, visit 2020census.gov.

Flyers/Events

Spartans Summer Camp - Summer

Financial Assistance Program - For camps

Parents’ Guide to Emergency School Evacuation 

MVWSD 2019-20 calendar

NEW: **MVWSD 2020-21 Calendar**