09.09.21 Stevenson Stingray News


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09.09.21


Dear Stingray Parents and Guardians,


This Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the events of 9/11.  Like many of you, I can remember where I was when I first heard the news and all the feelings that I had that morning. This Friday, we are going to commemorate the events with a moment of reflection with our students and staff. At 8:46am on Friday, each school site’s Principal will be sharing a brief message to students and a moment of silence.  


To honor a memory of a tragic event, in addition to remembering all that was lost, we must also practice bravery and compassion for others: we can be kind to someone, offer a helping hand, or get to know someone we don’t already know.  Each of these actions reflects how our stingray students and staff are “Filling Buckets” this school year.


We encourage families from their own home or work to join our district and take a moment of silence this Friday at 8:46am and also find ways to honor the memory of 9/11 with acts of kindness and filling someone’s bucket.


Sincerely,

Ryan Santiago

Principal, Stevenson Elementary

 


 

School Announcements

-School Picture Day - Monday, September 13th

-School Site Council - Parent Election Update

-School Site Council Meeting

-English Language Advisory Committee -Parent Election Elections

-English Language Advisory Committee Meeting

-Stevenson’s Principal’s Coffee & Reopening Plan

-Reporting Absences and Tardies


School Picture Day

School photos will take place Monday, September 13th.

Next Monday, we are going to take school pictures. Each class will go into the MUR at their scheduled time. All doors will be open and they will be in and out of the MUR quickly. Students will be asked to take off their masks only when it’s their turn to be in front of the camera to take their picture (masks will be for a few seconds). Students will continue to wear their masks while waiting in line. Please check your child’s backpack for a flyer on ordering pictures.

School Name: Stevenson Elementary School

Picture Day Date: Monday, September 13

Picture Day ID: EVT4KJZCF




School Site Council - Parent Elections

Congratulations to newest SSC parent member Chistina Woo. Christina Woo was officially voted in by other Stevenson Elementary parents and Guardians.  


School Site Council Meeting

Our next School Site Council meeting is today, Thursday, September 9th at 4pm.  During this meeting, we will discuss Stevenson’s Single Plan for Student Achievement and also vote on SSC officer roles. SCC are public meetings. If you would like to attend, please register and join using this zoom link.


English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC) Elections

Each year, our school elects parents of English Language Learners to be official members for our ELAC. We have all three of the parent ELAC positions open.  Parents Veronica Del Rio, Marisol Magallon, Lordes Vernet have self-nominated to be candidates for the three open positions. Parents of English Language Learners will have the opportunity to officially elect these parents. The election process started yesterday, Wednesday, September 8th and will conclude on Wednesday, September 15th. An email was sent yesterday for parents of English Language learners to vote. Please see the attached document for more information on our candidates.


ELAC Meeting

Our next ELAC meeting is today, Thursday, September 9th at 5pm.  During this meeting, we will discuss Stevenson’s Single Plan for Student Achievement and how our school supports English Language Learners. ELAC meetings are open to community members. If you would like to attend, please register and join using this zoom link.


Principal’s Coffee and School Reopening Plan

Thank you to all the families that were able to attend last week’s Principal’s Coffee. Our main discussion of our School’s Fall 2021 Reopening Plan and COVID related questions. If you were unable to attend, here is the video recording of the coffee.


(Repeat) Reporting Absences

Please call the office at (650) 903-6950 or email 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, name and relationship of the person reporting the absence.


 


 

PACT Foundation Updates

Open committee chair positions

 

We’re looking for committee chairs for the Cooking, Fundraising, Staff Appreciation, and Social committees. Committee chairs share the committee tasks and responsibilities with their team, and committees have a long history to draw from and former chairs that can coach you. We’ll help fill open volunteer spots - most committees have volunteers returning from previous years - and help figure out how to adapt this year if things look a little different for your committee. 

 

Have any questions? Is the chair position calling you? Please contact for Cooking - Sheung Li ([email protected]), Fundraising - Heather Abadie ([email protected]), Staff Appreciation or Social - Carlos Diuk ([email protected]), or general questions Jenny Mailhot ([email protected]).


Parent Ed

Parent Education Starts Tomorrow!

Friday, September 10 is the first of 3 sessions of Parent Education! So far, most of the communication has been focused on Kinder and 1st Grade parents, but I wanted to make a broader announcement for 2 reasons:

- There are plenty of new families (transfers, etc) that aren't in lower grades who've never attended Parent Education
- We're all probably a bit rusty :)

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 try to attend all 3 sessions.

Session 1: Friday, 9/10 OR Saturday, 9/11, 9AM - 12PM
Session 2: Friday, 9/17 OR Saturday, 9/18, 9AM - 12PM (If you can only make one session, prioritize session 2)
Session 3: Friday, 9/24 OR Saturday, 9/25, 9AM - 12PM

If this is the first time you've heard about it, and you'd like to attend but feel it's a bit short notice, first of all, GREAT! We love that you want to come learn with us. Secondly, sorry about that! We try to get the word out, but it can be hard to reach everyone when there's so much communication to compete with. Lastly, don't despair! Because this year's presentation will be virtual, we will attempt to record the Zoom and share the slides for folks who can't make it. But please do try to attend. There will be interactive elements and breakout discussions that should make the live version considerably more engaging.

 

Feel free to PM me with any questions or concerns. See you tomorrow or Saturday morning for Session 1!

 

https://zoom.us/j/99896835718?pwd=YmR5Y05MdXRtb01UYjd1dytuVW01dz09

Meeting ID: 998 9683 5718

Passcode: 578803



 


 

Calendar

2021-2022 MVWSD School Calendar  


Thursday, September 9th

-Stevenson School Site Council at 4pm - Zoom Link

-Stevenson ELAC Meeting at 5pm - Zoom Link

-MVWSD Board of Trustees Meeting at 6pm

Friday, September 10th

-Community Check-In with Dr. Rudolph at 3:30pm

Monday, September 13th

-Stevenson School Picture Day

-MVWSD DELAC at 5:30pm

Tuesday, September 14th

-PACT Foundation Meeting at 5pm


 


 

MVWSD News

Board meeting Preview: Sept. 9

The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, Sept. 9. Some of the meeting’s topics include updates on:

  • Construction

  • Monta Loma greenspace project

  • Student growth

  • Air quality protocols

  • Honoring newly tenured teachers


Agenda and meeting details are here: http://mvw.sd/ZdiNA. The meeting is also streamed on www.youtube.com/mvwsd


Superintendent's Community Check In on Friday

Please join us for our Community Check-In with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Friday, Sept. 10 at 3:30 p.m. Bring your questions. Click here to register: http://mvw.sd/RNm0l

Parent University: Supporting Language Development

Date: Wednesday, September 15th 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Registration Link: mvw.sd/pu091521

Consistent development of language (reading, writing, speaking, listening) is one of the keys to a child’s overall academic success. What habits can parents develop to support English language development in the home, especially in a multilingual household? Join two of our district experts, Principal Arline Siam and Instructional Coach Karen Gordon, as they explore this complex topic and offer ideas for families to use daily.

To submit questions prior to the event, go to mvw.sd/questions. We will do our best to address your question during the session.

Securly: Keeping students safe on the Internet

MVWSD provides a tool that allows parents to be aware of their students' online activities and to help keep them safe on their school-issued devices. 


Securly (www.securly.com/) allows you to see what choices your student is making online while at home so that you will be alerted to potential issues and can guide your student. Please note: Securly is for school-issued devices only. Check your email for these weekly reports, and you may also download the Securly app. For more information, please see https://www.mvwsd.org/technology.


Returning District Hotspots

Families, if you still have a district-issued internet hotspot from last year that you are no longer using, please return them to your school’s office. Thank you.



Better Together: Appreciating Differences  

This is the first issue of #BetterTogether’s second year in circulation. This past summer, the Tokyo Olympic games had us transfixed. Though there is still a way to go, these past games had the most culturally and racially diverse Team USA in history. Just before the start of the school year, the release of the US Census data also confirmed for all of us that we are one nation, more beautifully diverse than ever. This month, Mountain View Whisman School District is celebrating our diversity with resources for teachers, parents, and community partners to aid in the transmission of our message: our diversity is one of our greatest strengths as a nation, as a city, and as a school district, where all are welcome. Please see the graphics attached to this newsletter, or visit https://www.mvwsd.org/bettertogetherMVWSD.


Health and Wellness tip: Modeling behavior

As we settle into our back-to-school routine as best as possible, we might be experiencing some challenges at home with unwanted or undesired behaviors.  Our partners from Palo Alto University, Dr. Alana Park and Dr. Eduardo Bunge, have provided us with some information to support our parents as the school year progresses. Here is a great tip from our partners at Palo Alto University to promote desired behavior at home: 


Modeling refers to teaching by example. Your child will learn by observing your actions and the actions of others. To model desired behaviors:

For example, you could model being kind to others by greeting your neighbors or offering to help other family members around the home. Make sure to keep praising the behaviors that you want to see (“Great job helping your sibling with their homework”).


This tip came directly from the free, online Everyday Parenting program created by parenting expert, Dr. Kazdin. To learn more parenting tips click here


MVEF: Please Support Our Students!

MVEF raises money to provide all MVWSD students with an educational experience beyond what is possible with public funding.  Help us fund programming for your child and every child in the district!  We hope you saw the MVEF brochure (which doubles as a donation envelope) or watched the video during Back to School.  Please see the website at mvef.org for more information and to donate online.  Use your credit card to pay in monthly installments.  Please consider joining our team of volunteers. Email us with any questions at [email protected].  Thank you for your support!


Register for 2021-22 Parent U Event

Register in advance for this year’s MVWSD Parent University events. For more information about Parent U and event dates, see attached flyers or head to www.mvwsd.org/parentu.


InPlay: Afterschool activities

Looking for afterschool activities for your student? InPlay offers a free searchable program guide for parents, with filters for age, location, price (including free or reduced cost), and more. To find programs local to Mountain View, head to: https://www.inplay.org/r/mountain-view. Available programs include those that serve students with special needs or English learners.


Local Covid Vaccine Clinic: Sep. 25th- Gift cards for first doses!

Santa Clara County is hosting several upcoming Covid-19 vaccination clinics at the Waldorf School of the Peninsula and Saint Athanasius Church in Mountain View (160 N Rengstorff Ave). Vaccinations are free. Gift card incentives will be provided for first doses.

  • 1st/2nd dose on September 25th from 12:30pm to 5:30pm. (This is a 1st dose clinic for Saint Athanasius Church Second Harvest Food Distribution Event, those who received a vaccine on 9/3 can get their second dose on 9/25.)

  • 2nd dose October 16th from 12:30pm to 5:30pm. (This is a clinic for those who received a first dose on 9/25)

For more information about COVID vaccinations in the area, please visit https://vax.sccgov.org

Mayor for a Day contest with City of Mountain View 

Do you have an elementary or middle school-aged student who would like to be the mayor of Mountain View (at least, for one day in October)? The Mayor for a Day contest is an exciting opportunity for kids to learn about local government and civic issues.


Students are invited to write up to a 500-word essay about what Mountain View would be like if they were mayor for a day. Mountain View’s mayor will select the two winners, who will each present their essay at a City Council meeting in October.


For more details, including contest rules and how to submit your entry, visit MountainView.gov/MayorforaDay. All entries are due by Friday, Oct. 1 at 5 p.m.


Discovery Education Hands-On STEM event: Tuesday, Sep. 21

You're invited to Discovery Education’s upcoming Hands-On STEM event on Tuesday, September 21 at 10:00 a.m. PST! This action-packed virtual session empowers the next generation of STEM Solution seekers, equipping them with the skills they need to take on some of the planet's greatest sustainability challenges.


Join host Brandon Okpalobi, President of Siyanse, a STEM organization helping kids to create, think, and innovate. During each Hands-On STEM, Brandon will identify a local or global issue, explore why it's happening, introduce interesting people who are working to find solutions, and inspire your students to uncover their own potential with exciting hands-on STEM activities. 

Register at: https://www.discoveryeducation.com/info/hands-on-stem-9-21-21/. If you have any questions about this event, reach out to Nina Sclafani at [email protected].



MVEF: Please Support Our Students!

MVEF raises money to provide all MVWSD students with an educational experience beyond what is possible with public funding.  Help us fund programming for your child and every child in the district!  We hope you saw the MVEF brochure (which doubles as a donation envelope) or watched the video during Back to School.  Please see the website at mvef.org for more information and to donate online.  Use your credit card to pay in monthly installments.  Please consider joining our team of volunteers. Email us with any questions at [email protected].  Thank you for your support!


General CAC Parent/Community meetings

All are welcome. Monthly updates from Special Ed. Directors & Staff, to plan programs and parent education.

Aug 30th at 4pm, Oct 4th at 9am, Nov 1st at 4pm, Dec 6th at 9am, Feb 7th at 4pm, Mar 7 at 9am, May 2nd at 4pm


Parent Education Talks

SMART Goals – Creating and Troubleshooting IEP Goals that Work. IEP Goals are written in very specific language and it can be difficult to see how the goals relate to concrete skills and goals for your child. Learn more about SMART Goals and how they work with Professor Anne Spillane of Brandman University.

Tuesday, October 19th at 7pm on Zoom


Let’s Talk, IEP/504 Support Group on Zoom

A chance to ask questions and share ideas, resources, and support with other parents of students with IEPs, 504s, learning differences, mental health challenges, etc. All are welcome; participants must respect confidentiality.

Sept 21st at 10am, Oct 13th at 7pm, Nov 16th at 10am, Dec 8th at 7pm, Jan 11th at 10am


Parent Chat, Support for Parents of Teens with Mental Health Challenges

Are you concerned about the emotional well-being of your child?  Peer to peer support for parents of teens with mental health challenges.

               Second Tuesday of every month, 10-11am on Google Meet


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