04.01.2021
Dear Stingray Parents and Guardians,
It has been great to welcome back some of 3rd-5th grade students on campus this week. Our teachers and staff are dedicated to ensure that students that are on campus and students that are continuing to learn from home are engaged, connected, and continuing with their academics as we have now transitioned into hybrid teaching. Thank parents for all your support as we have reopened our school!
COVID Testing - Now Available to Students and Families
Our school district partners with El Camino Hospital to provide regular COVID testing to staff. We have now expanded COVD testing to students and families. Please see information in the school updates section for more information and to schedule COVID tests.
Spring Break Travel Advisory
As Spring Break approaches, MVWSD wants to remind our community to take precautions to keep our community safe and our schools open.
Under our current risk tier, the Health Officer’s Mandatory Directive on limiting travel has been lifted. However, the state continues to advise Californians to avoid non-essential travel to any part of California more than 120 miles from one's place of residence, or to other states or countries.
If you travel, please test. COVID-19 testing is not required for students, however it's recommended for people who travel. Free testing for students and families is available through El Camino Health at https://www.elcaminohealth.org/landing/schedule-covid-19-test?s=mapPin. The CDC advises that individuals get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel. Make your appointment now for after you return.
Superintendent's Coffee With the Stevenson Community
We look forward to Superintendent Dr. Rudolph joining Stevenson at our next school’s coffee meeting on Tuesday, April 6th at 9:30am.
Please use this Zoom link to register and attend.
Sincerely,
Ryan Santiago
Principal, Stevenson Elementary
School Announcements
- Materials Distribution for Zoomie Students
- Superintendent Community Check in- Friday, April 2
- Superintendent Coffee at Stevenson- Tuesday, April 6
- Picture Day - Wednesday, April 28th
- COVID Testing Available for students and families
- OkToReopen Health Screener Pro Tips
- Registration Open for Afterschool/Care Programs RAS and YMCA (Repeat Information)
- Newton After School Care Program (Repeat Information)
- Technology Support (Repeat Information)
Materials Distribution
Stevenson will host the next materials distribution for Kindergarten through Fifth Grade Zoomie students Thursday, April 1st and Friday, April 2nd from 3:30pm to 5:00pm each day. A reminder that materials will vary from classroom to classroom based on teacher guidance.
Superintendent's Community Check In on Friday
Please join us for our Community Check-In with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Friday, April 2 at 3:30 p.m. Bring your questions. Spanish interpretation is provided. Click here to register: http://mvw.sd/vrNfN
Superintendent Coffee at Stevenson
Join us next Tuesday, April 6th for a Superintendent Coffee with our Stevenson community. Our virtual event starts at 9:30am. To register in advance, please click here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Picture Day - Optional - Wednesday, April 28th
Picture Day will be on Wednesday, April 28th. Please note Picture Day is optional this year, and we will not have a make-up day. This will be the only opportunity for school pictures for the 2020-2021 school year.
We will send more details in our next communication regarding time spots and schedules for students to take their picture.
COVID testing available for students and families
Regular, asymptomatic COVID testing for students is not required at this time however, parents may want to have students tested, especially after travel, to ensure that they are not carrying the COVID-19 virus.
Free, asymptomatic testing is available for students and parents at:
* El Camino Hospital or MV Center for Performing Arts. Dates: Ongoing. Schedule through El Camino Health at https://www.elcaminohealth.org/landing/schedule-covid-19-test?s=mapPin.
* Graham and Crittenden Middle Schools. Dates: Tuesday March 30 at Graham MUR; Tuesday, April 20 at Crittenden MUR and Wednesday, April 28 at Graham MUR. You should register here. You also may schedule an appointment by calling 650-940-7022 and use option 4. Please mention you are with the Mountain View Whisman School District when calling.
If your child has symptoms of COVID or has had a known exposure to someone who may have COVID, please contact your child's pediatrician for testing information. If you do not have a health care provider, make a symptomatic testing appointment with a county provider here: https://scl.fulgentgenetics.com/appointment/screen/landing.
OKtoReopen Health Screener Pro Tips
OKtoReopen is the daily health screener for in person students to complete each day before they arrive on campus. Here are a few tips to make the process even easier:
You don’t have to wait until you get the message
Reminders are sent each day that the student is expected on campus. If parents have already completed the survey before the first reminder is scheduled to be sent they don't receive a reminder.
Parents can always complete the screener earlier than the reminder by using a previous email or going to oktoreopen.com on a browser they previously have used.
You can complete the screener for multiple students
You can complete the survey for more than one child in the same window by clicking through the names at the top right drop-down menu. If there is another student in the family you can hit next to complete that survey. When all of the surveys have been completed there is a done button.
Make sure your survey is submitted
For families with just one student you hit submit and then done (students with more than one student click next until all surveys are completed, and then submit). You don't have to click done to complete the survey.
Send the reminder to just your phone instead of both phone/email
Parents can adjust their OKtoReopen settings to receive text or email only by contacting their school office to make the change in Powerschool.
For a closer look on how to use OktoReopen, check out these videos: https://vimeo.com/521538560 (English) and https://vimeo.com/524450668 (Spanish)
Meals (Repeat Information)
Due to federal funding, the district is able to provide free breakfast, snacks and lunches to students on campus daily. Grab and Go lunches will still continue at Theuerlaf as they have been occurring while in Distance Learning. Breakfast and snacks are cold. Lunches will be hot. Menus and nutritional analysis are posted at https://www.mvwsd.org/nutrition. There will be a vegetarian option each day. Our Food and Nutrition Services Department may be able to meet some specialized dietary restrictions. Please contact the department at 650.903.6965. Gluten free lunches are not available. Students may bring their own snacks/ lunches if desired.
Registration Open for Afterschool/Care Programs Right at School and YMCA (Repeat Information)
The District’s partners with RAS and YMCA who provide parent-paid after school care and distance learning support are opening registration for the rest of this school year.
Right at School
Right at School has opened registration for their afterschool programs and asynchronous support on Wednesdays. Please follow the links below to access programs for each school site, including asynchronous support on Wednesdays located at Crittenden.
Huff
Bubb
Vargas
Landels
Castro
Mistral
Theuerkauf
Stevenson
Monta Loma
Distance Learning Support
Additionally, Right at School will continue to offer distance learning support for families that opt out of in-person learning. Registration can be found at Distance Learning Support.
YMCA
YMCA is also providing aftercare at school sites. Contact [email protected] for more information and availability.
YMCA will have "Y Learning Labs for Super Scholars"
Locations: Bubb, Monta Loma and Theuerkauf Elementary
Hours of Operation: 7:45am - 5pm, Monday - Friday
Fee: $280 per youth per week ($20 per week non-refundable deposit)
Sessions: Set in three week sessions. Session 14 is four weeks in length.
Registration: Available online via our website at https://www.ymcasv.org/child-care-camps
Questions: Please email [email protected]
Newton Center - After School Care and Asynchronous Wednesdays (Repeat Information)
Newton Center is offering on campus After School Care on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from school dismissal time until 6 pm and Wednesdays from 8 am until 6 pm. To register and for more program information, please click here. If you have any other questions about the program or tuition fees which would cover services from March 22 to June 4 please reach out to [email protected].
Thank you so much for considering Newton and welcome back to school.
Technology Support (Repeat Information)
If you are having problems with the chromebook you can contact: [email protected] to create a ServiceNow ticket or call the Tech Department at (650) 526-3252.
If it's not device/hardware related or account related, and more about using a program, please contact Marissa Hamaguchi, Tech Coach, ([email protected]) or call/text (650) 336-5863.
PACT Foundation Updates
Stingray Pizza My Heart Night, April 6th!
Save the date! Tuesday, April 6th, 4 - 8 p.m. Pizza My Heart will donate 30% of all food purchases to the Pact Foundation. Call-In or In-Store Orders accepted. Pizza My Heart delivery service and curbside pickup available. Don't forget to mention Stevenson School when placing your order. Print flyer and present at pickup. Sorry, online orders or 3rd party delivery services do not qualify. Questions? [email protected]
Calendar
Wednesday, March 31st
- CAC Parent Education Event - Mental Health for the Whole Family - with Thierry Kolpin, Ph.D
Thursday, April 1st
- MVWSD Board of Trustees Meeting
- Zoomie Materials Distribution from 3:30pm-5:00pm
Friday, April 2nd
- Community Check-in with Superintendent at 3:30pm - http://mvw.sd/vrNfN
- Zoomie Materials Distribution from 3:30pm-5:00pm
Tuesday, April 6th
- Superintendent Coffee at Stevenson at 9:30am - Zoom link
- PACT Foundation Board Meeting at 5pm
Thursday, April 8th
- Stevenson ELAC Meeting at 5pm - Zoom Link
- Parent University: A Conversation with Haben Girma from 6:00pm to 7:00pm, Register here.
April 12th - April 18th
MVWSD News
- Board meeting preview: April 1
- Resilience Pause Series starts March 29
- Parent University: A Conversation with Haben Girma, the Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law
- In case you missed it: Parent University videos and materials are available online
- Join the MVEF Board and make a difference!
- CAC Parent Education Event - Mental Health for the Whole Family - with Thierry Kolpin, Ph.D Wednesday. March 31, 7PM - 8:30 PM.
- MVLA Parent Speaker Series, “The Power of Showing Up: What Kids Really Need from Adults,” April 22 from 7:00 - 9:00pm
- Virtual Earth Day Events with the City of Mountain View
Board meeting preview: April 1
The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, April 1 at 5:00 p.m. Some of the meeting topics include updates on: the LCAP, 2021-22 school year learning options, Huff renaming, and reports from the Bond Oversight Committee and the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee. Agenda and login information are here. The meeting is also streamed on https://www.youtube.com/mvwsd.
Resilience Pause Series starts March 29
The 30-minute, online Community Resiliency Model Resilience Pause sessions for adults (parents and staff members) are scheduled during this transition in our school year to assist participants with building resilience throughout return to in-person instruction. Participants can learn strategies on Mondays and build habits towards resilience during the week. These sessions are designed to teach life-long habits that help us to self-regulate during stressful moments.
March 29, 4pm: Tracking Sensations
April 5, 4pm: Grounding
April 19, 4pm: Resourcing
April 26, 4pm: “Help Now!” A Reactive Strategy
Sessions can be drop-in or attended in a series. To join: http://mvw.sd/HAjbz
Parent University: A Conversation with Haben Girma, the Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law
Date and Time: April 8, 2021, 6:00-7:00 p.m. Registration Link: http://mvw.sd/X85Z0
Haben Girma is a human rights lawyer and an advocate for disability justice. She was the first Deafblind person to graduate from Harvard Law School. As a community, we are all tasked with resisting ableism, racism and other forms of oppression. We face the choice to accept oppression or advocate for justice. Come and be inspired by Haben, who has received the Helen Keller Achievement Award, a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and TIME100 Talks.
President Bill Clinton, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Chancellor Angela Merkel have all honored Haben. President Obama named her a White House Champion of Change. Haben believes disability is an opportunity for innovation, and she teaches organizations the importance of choosing inclusion.
To submit questions prior to the event, please click here. We will do our best to address your question during the session.
In case you missed it: Parent University videos and materials are available online
Check out mvwsd.org/parentu for English and Spanish recordings on topics such as wellness, mental health, supporting your child’s literacy and math at home, our special education team, the impact of drugs and other substances on adolescents, and many more.
Join the MVEF Board and make a difference!
The Mountain View Educational Foundation (MVEF) is seeking new volunteers and board members to join us in supporting its mission to ensure that every child in every school has access to a competitive, comprehensive, and inspiring education.
Board members have the opportunity to make a difference in the experience of every child in the district, gain insight into district programming and planning, and collaborate with other parent leaders in the district. Learn more about MVEF, and its impact on your child’s school day at mvef.org. If interested, please send a message to [email protected].
CAC Parent Education Event - Mental Health for the Whole Family - with Thierry Kolpin, Ph.D Wednesday. March 31, 7PM - 8:30 PM.
Join us for a much needed discussion of mental health and mindfulness for the whole family. After the year we’ve all experienced, we all need to learn techniques to evaluate and improve our mental health and that of our families. Professor Thierry Kolpin of Brandman University will discuss the challenges we are facing and how every member of the family can improve their mental health. Special attention will be paid to the additional challenges in families of students with learning challenges. Prof. Kolpin is an Assoc. Professor at Brandman University and specializes in school counseling and mindfulness in counseling. Email [email protected] for the link to the event.
*presentation at event will be recorded and available at www.selpa1cac.org, Q&A will not be recorded to protect personal information
MVLA Parent Speaker Series, “The Power of Showing Up: What Kids Really Need from Adults,” April 22 from 7:00 - 9:00pm
MVLA will be hosting their last Parent Speaker Series event for the season, “The Power of Showing Up: What Kids Really Need from Adults,” on Thursday, April 22 from 7:00 - 9:00pm with Dr. Tina Payne Bryson, a psychotherapist and best-selling author.
Parents worry. It’s what we do. Reassuringly, the latest brain and attachment research is clear on how best to make a difference in our child’s life over the long run: we simply need to show up. Offering plenty of warmth and humor, Dr. Bryson will explore what showing up means, sharing stories and simple strategies for honoring the Four S’s - helping kids feel secure, seen, soothed, and safe. She'll discuss practical advice for supporting anxious kids, hitting the reset button on parenting, and creating a safe harbor at home for children of all ages. Registration for this free event can be found at: https://mvla2020-21-tinapaynebryson.eventbrite.com.
Virtual Earth Day Events with the City of Mountain View
We know that Earth Day (4/22) is looking a little different this year, so it’s going virtual here at the City of Mountain View! We’re holding two contests with multiple gift card prizes (a short video competition and a student poster contest), all centered around creativity and how you restore the Earth in your own way. For both contests, the deadline for entries is Monday, April 16th, 2021 no later than 5pm. Submissions can be made at: this link; see attached flyers for more information.
Additionally, please join us on Thursday, April 22nd from 6pm-8:30pm for our Virtual Earth Day Event! We’ll be having speakers from the Planet Bee Foundation, Acterra, Recology, and Cool Block. Community members will also be giving 5-minute ‘micro talks’ about how they’re “Restoring the Earth.” And finally, we’ll be announcing the winners of the video and poster contests live during the event. Please visit this link for details.