3.11.22 Stevenson Stingray News


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03.11.22


Dear Stingray Parents and Guardians,


I am so proud of our Stingray community! Over the past couple of weeks, some of our teachers have facilitated conversations with students to help them process, share thoughts, and ask questions about the invasion of  Ukraine. With these discussions, students started to think of ways they can reach out and make an impact. Here are just a few examples that I have heard… One Stingray student donated her birthday money. Another Stingray student held a bake sale over the weekend and is donating the profits. 

In addition, our Student Leadership organized a “Market Day” and is fundraising this week to support children from Ukraine and also foster youth. If you would like to support the Student Leadership fundraiser, please stop by the front office or talk to one of the upper-grade teachers at the grass field during pick-up to donate money. I am so proud of the thoughtfulness of our Stingray students in finding ways to make a difference in the lives of children around the world.


I am also looking forward to Stevenson's next Equity Community Storytelling Session. Our first session was a big hit and we are excited for our second one!  Please join us on Tuesday, March 15th 5:00-6:15 pm on Zoom for a safe, relaxing opportunity to listen to each other's stories and learn about each other. We'll explore themes of our rich identity and share our stories.  By the end of the session, you'll feel inspired and connected, and have the opportunity to really get to know someone else.  Everyone is invited!   Teachers and staff and everyone from different backgrounds. Share only what you feel comfortable sharing.  The session is hosted by the Stevenson Equity Working Group, and will be facilitated by DEI facilitator and fellow PACT Foundation parent Poonam Singh. 

Zoom Link to register and attend


Sincerely,

Ryan Santiago

Principal, Stevenson Elementary

 


 

SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS


-FAN-tastic Friday Staff!

-Principal’s Coffee

-Update on Mask Mandate

-Trimester 2 Report Cards

-Reminder No School - March 14th

-Spring Picture Day - March 22nd

-Reporting Absences and Tardies


FAN-tastic Friday Staff!

The month of February is National Random Acts of Kindness Day! In celebration of random acts of kindness, Mr. Santiago and Mrs. Lyons will be randomly picking 4 staff members to highlight each Friday from now to the end of the year. This week the 4 staff members picked at randomly were:

  1. Ms. Lei, 3rd grade teacher 

  2. Ms. Alessi, 5th grade teacher

  3. Mr. Nassau, ARIS

  4. Ms. Thornton, District Nurse

Please feel welcome to join us in filling their buckets and sending acts of kindness their way! If you have free time, have your student(s) draw them a picture or write them a note. These FAN-tastic staff members will surely appreciate it!


Principal’s Coffee

Please join Principal Santiago at our next Principal’s Coffee on Thursday, March 17th at 9am. Here is the Zoom link to register and attend.


Update on Mask Mandate (Repeat)

Even though the state will be downgrading face-mask requirements to a strong recommendation for indoor areas (with some exceptions) beginning on March 12, our students will still be required to wear masks for the near future. To learn more about the timeline and factors MVWSD is considering to determine when/if we make changes to the mask requirement, please click here.


Trimester 2 Report Cards (Repeat)

Trimester 2 report cards will be sent by email on Friday, March 11th by 4pm.


Reminder No School - March 14th

Reminder that there will be no school on Monday, March 14th due to Teacher Service Day. Enjoy a 3-day weekend :)


Spring Picture Day - March 22nd (Repeat)

Mark your calendars for spring picture day on Tuesday, March 22nd! Flyers and ordering forms will be sent in students’ backpacks a week before picture day, please keep a lookout. 

School Name: Stevenson Elementary School

Picture Day Date: Tuesday, March 22

Picture Day ID: EVTM7RD7S


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


Prepare for Rocket Day!!

Only 12 days until Rocket Day! Scheduled 6PM on Friday March 18th in the Stevenson grass field. If this is your first Rocket Day, you are in for a treat. Rocket Day is a super fun event for Stevenson families. Bring a picnic blanket or camp chair and a picnic dinner to the event. Watch out over the next couple of weeks when each kid will bring home materials to build a rocket. The rockets are built at home and brought to the event. We do need parent volunteers for this event. Please reach out to [email protected] or [email protected] or the STEAM Committee on Konstella.  We are also seeking bike pumps. If you have a bike pump you could loan for the event, please drop off your bike pump (labeled with your name/ phone number) to the office after the winter break. Pro models are best, but we will take what we can get. Sometimes bike pumps break and we do our best to replace them when they do, but please keep that in mind. Instructions for building a rocket can be found at http://web.tock.com/rocket/   Finally Rocket Day is  a masked event this year - our priority is to keep all Stevenson families safe. . Thanks! -STEAM Committee


 

Coming Soon

3/15 - Equity Community Storytelling Session #2 5:00-6:15 pm (register in advance)

3/18 - Rocket Day (Save this Friday night. It is the best!!!)

 

Early Notice

3/22 - PACT Foundation General Meeting

4/1 - Walkathon


Save the Date

Weekend of 5/20 - Herotown performances (dates/times TBD)


 


 

CALENDAR

2021-2022 MVWSD School Calendar  


Friday, March 11th

-Community Check-in - Register here

Monday, March 14th

-Teacher Service Day - No School

Tuesday, March 15th

-Stevenson Community Equity Storytelling Session @ 5p - Register here

Wednesday, March 16

-Parent University: Effective Parent-Teacher Communication - Register here

Thursday, March 17

-Stevenson Principal’s Coffee @ 9am - Register here

Friday, March 18

-Stevenson’s Rocket Day @ 6pm

Monday, March 21

-District Equity Advisory Committee Meeting - Zoom link

Thursday, March 24th

-MVWSD Board of Trustee Meeting - Register here

Friday, March 25th

-Community Check-In - Register here


 


 

MVWSD NEWS


Board meeting Preview: March 10

The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, March 10 at 6 p.m. Some of the meeting’s topics include:

  • COVID update

  • Summer programming and extended learning

  • Learning Recovery Plan update

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



Superintendent's Community Check In on Friday, March 11

Please join us for our Community Check-In with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Friday, March 11 at 3:30 p.m. Bring your questions. Spanish interpretation will be provided. Click here to register: http://mvw.sd/CC311. Please see this webpage for upcoming meeting dates and for video recordings of past meetings. https://www.mvwsd.org/about/communications/news___events/connecting_with_the_community



March Better Together Infographic 

When women succeed, we all succeed. The same can be said for any of our community members who have felt the sting of marginalization or oppression. On International Women’s Day, let us appreciate all of the women and girls in our lives and the many intersecting identities that make them who they are. Let us never stop fighting for a world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. After all, we are #BetterTogether. Please see the graphics attached to this newsletter, or visit https://www.mvwsd.org/bettertogetherMVWSD.



The Talk: “The Culture of Success” on Mar. 16th

“Pull yourself up by your bootstraps,” is a common phrase used in American political discourse, particularly around self-reliance and emotional resilience. Today’s culture of success was built upon our ideas, beliefs, and values. However, the pandemic and resulting shifts in our daily lives have called us to reflect on our foundational beliefs about the success and emotional resilience of our children. Let's talk about it.


You are cordially invited to MVWSD’s next Roundtable event: “The Talk: The Culture of Success – Our Beliefs About Success and Emotional Resilience” on Wednesday, March 16 from 6:00 – 7:00 pm. Register at: http://mvw.sd/talk316.



Health and Wellness Parenting Tip: Belly Breathing

Our mood is influenced by physical sensations in our body. When we feel stressed, we tend to take quick and shallow breaths. By taking slow and deep breaths, we can signal our body to relax.


Watch this video to learn more about how belly breathing can help your child (or you) feel more relaxed. 


To belly breathe:


  1. Choose a comfortable position, such as sitting on a chair or laying on your back.

  2. Place one hand on your belly.

  3. Take a deep breath in through your nose while you count to four. As you breathe in, your belly should rise.

  4. Hold your breath while you count to five.

  5. Breathe out through your mouth while you count to six. As you breathe out, your belly should flatten.


You may need to repeat these steps for 5-10 minutes before you start to feel relaxed. By practicing these steps, you can learn to relax after stressful situations.



Get your tickets to the MVEF Spring Gala “The Art of Words”

Join MVEF on Saturday, April 23 for a lively evening that includes dinner, fundraising, and trivia in support of our schools.    Individual tickets are $125.  (Reduced to $110 until March 20!)  Join us from home with a single virtual login for trivia plus access to online fundraising for $50.  Find more information at https://www.mvef.org/ or https://secure.qgiv.com/event/mvefgala/



March CAC Announcements 

SELPA 1 CAC and the Learning Challenge Committee are your groups for special education and broader learning challenge needs. If you have questions about learning challenges and special education needs, email [email protected] or check out www.selpa1cac.org


Parent Education Event - “FINDING SUCCESS WHEN NAVIGATING CHALLENGING CONVERSATIONS" - this is an alternative dispute resolution training with help from the county SELPA

3/16 Wednesday 7:00-8:30 p.m. Register in advance for this meeting: https://sccoe.to/SELPA1CAC_ChallengingConversations. Attendees of this interactive training will be introduced to a prep-sheet that was inspired by the “Getting to Yes” workbook by Roger Fisher and William Ury. This tool has helped many IEP team members have successful meetings by preparing thinking through interests, options and bringing legitimacy to requests. It is the goal of this training that attendees will leave feeling more prepared and confident for the next IEP team meeting. To be facilitated by Purchin Consulting.


3/30 Wednesday 17-8:30 pm  Evening Let’s Talk -  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 here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYrce6qrz8vGdNbIywjg1vppQq3tHwvruYI



Free CHAC Self-Care and Resilience Workshop 

CHAC Family Resources Center is holding a free online Self-Care and Resilience workshop for parents and caregivers on Fridays from March 4th to April 22nd from 1:00-2:00 PM. This course will provide participants guidance and strategies regarding how to guide children to express their feelings in a nonaggressive way, be more resilient, and teach children to build up relationships. To register, contact Lin Xu at [email protected] or (650) 967-4813.



MVLA Parent Ed Speaker Series: Scott Schimmel, Tue. March 22 

Join the MVLA Parent Ed Speaker Series on Tuesday, March 22nd from 7:00 - 9:00pm for Scott Schimmel’s talk, “Critical Foundations: The questions every kid must answer to build a meaningful life.” In this interactive presentation, you will learn about the critical questions every kid must answer to build the three pillars of a meaningful life- identity, purpose, and belonging, reflect on your parenting style and make adjustments to what your kid(s) need now, and put together an actionable plan to more effectively engage your kids in discussion. Register for this free event.



MVHS Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk: March 18th

MVHS Ambassadors have organized an Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk on Friday, March 18th, from 5:30-7:30 pm on the MVHS Track. The walk is inspired by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Out of the Darkness program, and is being held to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention and to show community solidarity in our goal of becoming more supportive to those struggling with mental health issues. There will be speakers, performances, introductions to partnership agencies, and a lantern-lighting ceremony to close the event. Registration information: url.mvhs.io/outofdarkness



LAHS Writers Week - Community Read event

From March 15-18, Los Altos High School is holding the 37th annual Writers Week event, which brings a diverse and inspiring lineup of writers, poets, and journalists to LAHS English classrooms. This year’s Community Read features New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman in discussion with a panel of LAHS students about his books. This event will be held on Zoom on Wednesday, March 16 at 6 p.m. Please RSVP via this Eventbrite link to be sent the Zoom information prior to the event. Read more about our other Writers Week visiting writers here: 2022 Writers Week.



 



 

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