11.18.21 Stevenson Stingray News


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11.18.21


Dear Stingray Parents and Guardians,


Vandalism on School Campuses: Stand Against Hate 

As you may be aware, our community has been recently impacted by graffiti; much of it containing messages of hate. In the last year, Imai has had racist messages written on play structures. Bubb has had Nazi-sympathetic messaging written on solor panel supports. Twice this fall, the bathroom at the edge of Monta Loma’s campus has been sprayed with racist graffiti.


Almost every one of our campuses has been damaged by graffiti or vandalism in recent years. Our stance is clear: Mountain View is no place for hate or ignorance. In response to bias-motivated vandalism on our campuses and acts of hate in our broader community, the Board of Trustees expressed a desire to pass a resolution affirming our commitment to ending hate at its Nov. 18 meeting.


Our District and Board of Trustees, along with community members and the Mountain View Police Department, continue to work to fight oppression in all forms and stop hate in order to ensure a more equitable and inclusive community. To read Dr. Rudolph’s letter on recent vandalism, please click here. Not only are we working to create a more inclusive community, we plan to add security cameras to catch vandals (See below).


Community Engagement: Security Cameras 

One of the projects identified in MVWSD’s Master Facility Plan and the Measure T Bond was the need for security cameras in public areas at all school sites as a way to increase safety for students and staff members by deterring misconduct and preventing vandalism. 

 

Members of the schools’ communities may engage in a series of feedback meetings through Jan. 2022 before the plan for security cameras is finalized. Principals will gather feedback at regularly scheduled meetings such as Principal’s Coffee, School Site Council, PTA, and ELAC.  

 

Additionally, parents and neighbors may attend community meetings:

 


Sincerely,

Ryan Santiago

Principal, Stevenson Elementary

 


 

SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS


-Fall Door Decorations!

-Solar Panel Fencing

-Vision/Hearing Screening - Nov. 19

-Trimester 1 Report Cards

-Thanksgiving Break

-Stevenson Book Fair at Books Inc.

-Reporting Absences and Tardies


Fall Door Decorations!

Over the weekend, classroom parents helped celebrate the fall season by decorating our classroom doors. It has been fun to see our students excited as they look at the door decorations as they walk down the hallways. Thank you, Stevenson parents!





Solar Panel Fencing

The construction fencing is now completely removed from around the solar panels! We will soon be moving the metal picnic tables closer to the MUR side of the courtyard. Once the tables are moved, all students will be able to use the upper courtyard space to play during recess times.


Vision/Hearing Screening - Nov. 19 (Repeat)

Student vision and hearing screenings coming up.


Each fall, MVWSD conducts hearing and vision screenings of all students in kindergarten, second-, fifth- and eighth-grade, as California State Law mandates. These screenings will take place at Stevenson on Nov. 19. 


Parents will be notified in writing if children fail a screening. Parents who do not want their child screened for either vision and/or hearing should send a letter to their child's school each school year indicating that their child is to be excluded, and vision and/or hearing results will need to be provided from their physician.


If you have any concerns about your child’s vision or hearing please contact your school nurse. Questions about the screenings should be directed to the Health Services office at 650-526-3500 ext. 1050.


Trimester 1 Report Cards

Stingray parents/guardians, please keep a look out for an email containing your child’s trimester 1 report card on Friday, November 19th. 


Thanksgiving Break (Repeat)

We’re excited to announce this year will be the first year students will be receiving a whole week off for Thanksgiving break! Thanksgiving break will be from November 22nd to November 26th. Enjoy the week long break!


Stevenson Book Fair at Books Inc.

Mark your calendars for the Stevenson Book Fair, Nov. 29th - Dec. 5th at Books Inc. in downtown Mountain View. A percent of all sales will be donated to the Stevenson library and families can purchase books for their classrooms or library. They can shop anytime (even online) and tell the cashier (or website) that the special code is “Stevenson.”  Mrs. Donahue will be at Books Inc. on Thursday, December 2nd at 7pm and Saturday, December 4th at 1pm. 




Reporting Absences (Repeat)

Please call the office at (650) 903-6950 or email Renae Rhodes at [email protected] and Kass Madrid at [email protected] to report an absence or late arrival.  Provide the following information: date of absence, student’s name, grade and room number, reason for absence, name and relationship of the person reporting the absence.


 


 

PACT FOUNDATION UPDATES


Pizza My Heart Fundraiser Monday, Nov. 29th

Help support the Stingrays and a local business on Monday, November 29th, 4-8 pm. Pizza My Heart will donate 30% of all food purchases to the PACT Foundation!


Call-in or in-store orders ONLY. 650-938-4200. Pizza My Heart delivery is available.


For participation credit:

- Be sure to mention Stevenson Elementary School when ordering.

- Print this flyer and present it at the time of pickup. Here's a link to the flyer

- Sorry, online orders and 3rd party delivery services do not qualify for participation.


Address: 1037 El Monte Road, Mountain View, 94040. Visit www.pizzamyheart.com for menu options.


Not at home? Gift a pizza to someone special!


* Offer valid only on the fundraising date noted above.


 


 

CALENDAR

2021-2022 MVWSD School Calendar  


Wednesday, November 17th

-Parent University at 5:30pm - Register here

Thursday, November 18th

-MVWSD Board of Trustee Meeting at 6pm - Zoom

Friday, November 19th

-Community Check-In at 3:30pm - Register here.

Monday-Friday, November 22nd-26th 

-Thanksgiving break

Tuesday, November 30th

-Stevenson School Site Council at 3:30pm 

-District Kinder/New Student Night at 5:30pm - Register here


 


 

MVWSD NEWS


Board meeting Preview: Nov. 18

The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. Some of the meeting’s topics include the Educator Effectiveness Block Grant, a resolution affirming our commitment to fighting hate and COVID update. For meeting details and agenda, please click here: http://mvw.sd/APqmF.


Superintendent's Community Check In on Friday: Nov. 19

Please join us for our Community Check-In with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Friday, Nov. 19 at 3:30 p.m. Bring your questions. Spanish interpretation will be provided. Click here to register: http://mvw.sd/t5VUc. To plan ahead, please see this webpage for upcoming meeting dates. In case you miss it, a video recording will be posted on this webpage.


Health and Wellness survey: Look for it in your email this week

As part of its Strategic Plan 2027, our district is prioritizing our health and wellness. MVWSD has partnered with an education market research firm, Hanover Research, to seek the opinions, perceptions and needs of our school community in order to inform our health and wellness programs and practices.

 

As a first step, MVWSD wants to hear the voices and experiences of students, parents/families, and staff. As such, we will invite you to participate in the Health and Wellness Needs Assessment Survey between November 17 and December 3, 2021. Students in grades 6-8 will be asked to participate during the school day. Please be on the lookout for an email from MVWSD this week that will share a secure link to the survey.


Your input will help us provide effective health and wellness services to our students. We look forward to hearing from you! Please contact Karin Jinbo, Director, Health and Wellness, with any questions about the survey.


Parent University: How to Talk to Our Kids About Race, Racism, and Equity (with Project Cornerstone)

Date: December 8, 2021, 5:30pm-7:00pm  Registration Link: http://mvw.sd/pu120821


Conversations on race, racism, and equity can be uncomfortable. Where do we even start? This presentation will:

  • Explore the concept of recognizing our own racial identity. It starts with us.

  • Build a shared understanding of key definitions so we can be more informed when we listen, learn, and talk.

  • Gain language and tools to hold conversations with our kids.


To submit questions prior to the event, please click here. We will do our best to address your question during the session.


Kinder info night, school meetings coming up. Open Enrollment for all MVWSD students starts in January

For CURRENT students in transitional kindergarten-7th grade: Parents will be asked by email to confirm enrollment from January 24-28.


For NEW students:  Open Enrollment is from January 10 through Feb. 4, 2022 online. You can register your child for the 2022-23 school year when online registration opens here:  www.mvwsd.org/register


School info meetings: Check www.mvwsd.org/register for a complete list with login information.


  • District new student information night, covering the registration process, is on November 30 at 5:30 p.m. (in both English and Spanish) at this Zoom link: http://mvw.sd/kinder1130.


  • School kindergarten/new student information nights are online on December 7 at 6:00 p.m. for all elementary schools, and include choice school information. Click here for meeting information: http://mvw.sd/schoolinfo


  • If your child turns 5 years old between September 2, 2022 – February 2, 2023, he/she may qualify for transitional kindergarten. TK info night is December 14 at 5:00 p.m online at http://mvw.sd/TK1214


  • If you are interested in the District's choice schools, information nights are: 

Gabriela Mistral: Dual Spanish/English Immersion: December 14 at 6 pm at http://mvw.sd/MI1214

Stevenson: Parent Child Teacher: December 15 at 6 pm at http://mvw.sd/ST1215

Choice schools will also have information at the elementary schools’ info nights (6 p.m. Dec. 7).


Please visit www.mvwsd.org/register for more information.


COVID vaccinations for children 5-11 years are here

After much anticipation, COVID-19 vaccinations for kids ages 5-11 are underway.  


Parents and guardians can visit www.sccfreevax.org now to sign up for an appointment or to find a convenient walk-in location. If initial available appointments are reserved, continue to check back as additional slots open. MVWSD has requested that Santa Clara County provide free, mobile vaccination events at our schools for our students. We will update you as we know more about the specifics and the dates.


Symptoms?

After receiving the COVID shot, it's possible that your child may have symptoms that may be caused by the vaccine. Side effects of the vaccine are not typically a cause for concern and should go away in a few days. However, if your child has any of these symptoms, regardless of cause, he/she should stay home from school: Loss of taste or smell, fever, chills, cough and shortness of breath.


If it’s possible these symptoms were caused by the vaccine and they resolve in 48 hours, with the last 24 hours being fever-free, the individual may return to work or school. If symptoms persist beyond 48 hours, individuals should stay home and get tested for COVID. After being home with symptoms, parents should present proof of the recent COVID vaccine shot upon the student’s return at school. 


Don’t forget to upload!


When your child receives his/her second shot, please upload proof of being fully vaccinated to PowerSchool at https://ps.mvwsd.org. Here's how to upload proof of vaccination. http://mvw.sd/upload



Want text messages from the District? Opt in!

MVWSD sends text messages infrequently, for the purpose of notifying you of emergencies or with important, time-sensitive information.


In order to receive messages from the District you need to opt-in from the number that is listed as the cell contact number in our student information system. If you need to update this number, please contact your school.


Here’s how to opt in. You can subscribe or unsubscribe to receive text messages from the District at any time by texting one of the short codes listed below to 67587 using the cell phone number that the District has on record. 


  • Opt-in: "Y", "YES", "OPTIN", "OPT IN", and "SUBSCRIBE" are all acceptable keywords for subscribing to SMS text messaging.

  • Opt-out: "END", "CANCEL", "OPT OUT", "OPTOUT", "STOP", "QUIT", and "UNSUBSCRIBE" will cancel SMS messages to the recipient.


Attendance counts: Please ensure students are in school and on time

We want kids to be healthy and be in school. Regular attendance is essential for students’ learning and to establish healthy routines.  Please make sure that your students come to school every day they are able.


If they need to stay home, please call school with the reason. You must contact us in the morning of your child’s absence. This is a safety measure in order to account for all students daily. Illness (including quarantining due to COVID), doctor’s appointments, bereavement, and certain religious exercises are excused absences. Family vacation or travel is not excused. 


California law requires MVWSD to notify parents after three unexcused absences and/ or tardies over 30 minutes. Any three unexcused absences and/ or tardies over 30 minutes means a child is truant. We are here to support your family, so please contact your school for strategies or help, if needed.

For more information on attendance requirements, please see https://www.mvwsd.org/attendance

Seeking EL Testers! 

Are you looking for a part time job and enjoy interacting with kids? Our district is looking for a few more EL Testers to administer the annual assessment of Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking for English Learners. Fluency in academic English is required. For more information, or to apply, please visit mvwsd.org/jobs and look under “Support Staff - Hourly.” Alternatively, you may contact department secretary Leticia Corcoran at [email protected]


MVEF Seeking School Representatives
MVEF is looking for school representatives.  MVEF needs your family's help to be closer to other families at your child(ren)’s school. As a school site rep, you help spread the word about MVEF by chatting with other families about the importance of supporting MVEF and the programs that we fund.

Volunteers needed: Please consider joining us and fellow parent volunteers with our annual phonathon on December 7! If you are interested, please email [email protected].


Palo Alto High School COVID vaccine clinic: Nov. 21 

A COVID vaccination clinic for children ages 5-11 is happening Sunday, November 21, 2021 from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. at Palo Alto High School (50 Embarcadero Rd. Palo Alto). Make an appointment for your child at: www.mhealthsystem.com/PaloAltoPeds. No appointment is needed for booster shots or flu shots. Note: the clinic appointment slots are opened in blocks of 500. If there are no appointments available, you are advised to wait and try again later as more appointments open.


Safe Gun Storage Notice

Schools alone cannot prevent incidents of gun violence. In 2019, California Education Superintendent Tony Thurmond requested that all schools send parents education about the legal requirements for storing firearms at home. California Penal Code Section 25100 mandates that in all homes where children live (or where children might reasonably be expected to enter), firearms must be safely stored. 


Gun owners can avoid criminal penalty by keeping their firearms in a locked container or secured with a locking device that renders the firearm inoperable. Ensuring firearms are securely stored prevents small children from accidentally accessing the firearm and prevents older children from using an unsecured firearm to commit school violence or suicide. For more information, please see https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/el/le/yr19ltr1120.asp


MVHS Turkey Trot: Registration Open

MVHS Sports Boosters is proud to present the 12th Annual Spartan Turkey Trot this coming Thanksgiving weekend 2021. This year there are both in person and virtual opportunities to participate. 100% of proceeds benefit Mountain View High School Athletics and supporting clubs and teams. Find more details and registration at SpartanTurkeyTrot.com


City of MV Santa’s Workshop Event 

Join the elves at Santa’s Workshop for a jolly-filled time in building and creating some incredible holiday themed crafts on Saturday, Dec. 11th from 9:00 a.m. to 12 p.m at the Senior Center Social Hall. Children will have the opportunity to design ornaments, decorate cookies, customize their own stocking, make a snowy wonderland globe, write a letter to Santa, and so much more! This holiday program is open to all children ages 6 to 11 years old. Register online at MountainView.gov/Register using Code 15789.


 


 


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