09.21.22
Dear Stingray Parents and Guardians,
This month, we are bringing awareness to student mental health with All The Feels September! Whether you are a parent, student, or school staff, it’s normal for the start of the school year to bring some anxiety and other challenges to our mental health. When those challenges become too big for us to handle on our own or when we worry about a friend’s mental health, talking with a trusted friend or adult can be difficult.
Even though it can be awkward, initiating conversations about mental health with trusted adults can make a big difference for ourselves and others.
SeizetheAwkward.org offers older children and adults tools for recognizing the signs someone is struggling and tips for starting and engaging in conversations about mental health.
When we face challenges that are too big to handle on our own, we need the care and support of one another!
Sincerely,
Ryan Santiago
Principal, Stevenson Elementary
SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS
-Picture Day Wednesday, September 28th
-Student vision and hearing screenings coming up
-Recess and Lunch Volunteers
-Reporting Absences and Tardies
-Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
Picture Day Wednesday, September 28th
Picture day is next week! Flyers were sent out today, please check your students’ backpacks.
School Name: Stevenson Elementary School
Picture Day Date: Wednesday, September 28
Picture Day ID: EVT2QFJJC
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 Oct. 7.
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.
Recess and Lunch Volunteers
We are looking for parents that are already regular volunteers to help during recess and lunch until regular classroom shifts start on November 28th. If you are interested and have availability, please complete this Google Form. We will be back in contact with parents that complete the Google Form next week.
Reporting Absences (Repeat)
Please call the office at: (650) 903-6950 or email Kass Madrid at [email protected] and Renae Rhodes 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, your name, and relationship to the student.
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook (Repeat)
- Twitter - @StevensonElem_
- Instagram - @stevenson__elementary
- Facebook - @StevensonElem
PACT FOUNDATION UPDATES
Parent Ed Sessions for New Families
Parent Education is a 3-session course that covers a wide variety of topics intended to prepare parents for in-class volunteering, as well as bring them into the larger community with historical and cultural context. Each session is 3 hours long and covers different topics. Everyone who plans to volunteer in the classroom should attend all 3 sessions if at all possible.
We're excited to see you, whether you're a new family to Stevenson, or you just want to refresh your memory (nobody would blame you). And even moreso, we're excited to give you the opportunity to mingle with each other!
Note that due to campus restrictions, the Thursday sessions will be held at the Mountain View Community Center (201 S. Rengstorff Ave).
Session 3:
Thursday, 9/22, from 8:45AM to 11:45AM at the Mountain View Community Center OR
Saturday, 9/24, from 9:00AM to 12:00PM at the Stevenson MUR
We hope to see you there! Refreshments will be provided.
Walkathon is only a month away!
Party People! We are so excited to announce the formal kick off of WALKATHON 2022-23!
The Stevenson Walkathon, our biggest fundraising event of the entire year, funds 25% of the Foundation budget which helps pay for classroom supplies, Arts Focus, buses for OLEs (field trips), school-wide events, and more. Our fundraising goal for this year is $50,000. Our theme this year! WORLD CUP!
Save the date for Walkathon. Friday, October 21, 3-5:30pm
Let’s give a big congrats to our 5th grade logo contest winner Zoey Mak!
Check out our updated website (https://sites.google.com/view/stevensonpactwalkathon/home) where you will find info on how to create your fundraising page, important FAQs and also our spirit day schedule. Start rallying your students' sponsors!
This year we will have food, Raffles, T-shirt sales, obstacle courses and of course a DJ. It's going to be a blast.
Arts Focus Kick-Off Meeting Coming Up on Wednesday, October 5
Arts Focus teams will meet with teachers on Wednesday, October 5 from 3-4pm in the library.
CALENDAR
2022-2023 MVWSD School Calendar
Thursday, September 22nd
-MVWSD Board of Trustees - Register here
Tuesday, September 27th
-School Site Council @ 3:30pm
Wednesday, September 28th
-Picture Day
Thursday, September 29th
-EL Parent Workshop @ 5pm - Register here
-ImPACT Oct. Lesson (Resilience) @ 8pm - In Person
Monday, October 3rd
-District Equity Advisory Committee Meeting - Register here
MVWSD News
Board meeting: Sept. 22
The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, Sept. 22 at 5 p.m. Please click here for the agenda: https://www.mvwsd.org/trustees.
Topics include:
* Newly Permanent Teachers for the 2022-2023 School Year
* Resolution In Support of National Hispanic Heritage Month
* School Plans for Student Achievement: 2022-23 Process
There will not be a Superintendent’s Community Check In on Sept. 23.
EZMealApp: Future benefits could include after school care!
Even though all public school meals are currently free in California, applying for free- or reduced-price lunch status by October 1 means potentially more district funding and other benefits for your family. In 2022-23, families who qualify will also be offered free after school childcare and summer programs when they become available. Go to http://secure.ezmealapp.com now to see if you qualify for free- or reduced-price lunch status, and to apply!
Attendance Awareness Month: September
What’s an Excused vs. Not Excused absence?
Illness (including staying home for COVID-like symptoms), doctor’s appointments, bereavement, and certain religious exercises are excused absences. Please see MVWSD board policy for the full list. All other reasons are not considered excused. Research shows that school attendance is a strong indicator of success. It's about students learning what they need to know, belonging to the school community, and being part of the team that is preparing them with good habits for high school.
Family Health and Wellness Fair: Sept 24
There will be a free Family Health and Wellness Fair hosted by Assemblymember Marc Berman and in partnership with El Camino Health and MVWSD on Saturday, Sept. 24 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Mariano Castro Elementary School (500 Toft St).
Come for free screenings and vaccines, free school supplies, backpacks, kid’s masks, diapers, period products, bike repair and healthy snacks.
Available:
* Kids’ health screenings: dental, vision, heart, mental health, and nutrition screenings
* Free school supplies and backpacks
* Healthy snacks
* Fun activities for kids
* COVID-19 vaccines and boosters
* Hands-on science with NASA
* COVID-19 test kits
* Fire and garbage trucks up close
* Art projects
* Bike raffle and repair
* Casework services
For more information, please call (650) 324-0224 or visit http://ASMDC.ORG/CP-FHWF.
Volunteer with MVEF
MVEF needs volunteers to help meet our goals in 2022-23 and beyond! As a 501(c)3 non-profit, volunteering with MVEF is a great way to add experience to your resume while meeting and working with local families who have similar interests and priorities.
Please reach out to [email protected] if you are interested in helping in any of the following ways:
Represent MVEF at your school site’s events and activities.
Ensure that MVEF messages and programs are relevant to your school community.
Plan the MVEF Gala, Auction, and other events.
Technical work like automation and data migration.
Visual designs, graphic design and layout.
Serve as an MVEF Board Member.
MVEF is the local educational foundation providing essential programs at every school in MVWSD. Over 70% of MVEF contributions come from MVWSD families. To make a donation, click here. Use the monthly credit card payment option to pay your total donation over time.
Elevate MV: Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot Program
Applications open September 16th for the Mountain View Elevate MV pilot program, which will give direct cash payments of $500 per month to 166 randomly selected eligible extremely low income Mountain View residents. The pilot program sets itself apart from other direct relief programs by providing unrestricted financial assistance to the most vulnerable in our community. This pilot program will be a part of a national research study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania Center for Guaranteed Income Research. For eligibility requirements and details about the program, including how to receive assistance with the application, click here.
MVLA Speakers Series: Friendship in the Age of Loneliness: How to Make Friends As An Adult
Thursday, October 6, 2022 - 7:00 - 9:00pm | MVHS Spartan Theater ⧫ 3535 Truman Avenue
We are lonelier than ever. Two-thirds of Americans are lonely and the average person hasn't made a new friend in the last five years. In the wake of the pandemic, it’s more clear than ever that our friendships are vital to our health and happiness. But why can it feel so difficult to keep those bonds alive as an adult—especially as parents? Why do we spend only four percent of our time with friends? Join us as Adam Smiley Poswolsky , workplace belonging keynote speaker, and author of the recent book, Friendship in the Age of Loneliness, proposes a new solution for the mounting pressures of modern life: focus on your friendships. In this talk, Smiley will share practical habits and playful reminders on how to create meaningful connections, make new friends, be a Minister for Loneliness in your community, prioritize real-world experiences, and deepen your relationships at work and outside of work. With warmth and inspiration, Smiley reminds us that nurturing old and new friendships is a ritual, a necessity, and one of the most worthwhile things we can do in adult life.
Audience: Grade TK - 12 parents, caretakers, teachers, and counselors
Register here for this free event