10.06.22
Dear Stingray Parents and Guardians,
Our school district will be continuing the conversation regarding Equitable Access to Choice Schools in Mountain View Whisman School District at tonight’s Board of Trustees meeting. The overall goal of these conversations and meetings is to examine how we can address the underrepresentation of specific student groups (socioeconomically disadvantaged and English learner youth) by addressing barriers to enrollment and matriculation for these populations.
At the end of the last school year, our board of trustees approved a new weighted and tiered enrollment policy that supports the efforts of Stevenson Elementary having a more diverse student population. The new enrollment policy still keeps the sibling priority the same. There will also be updates on (1) recruitment for enrollment for Choice Programs in MVWSD, (2) access to transportation for students at Choice Programs, and (3) creating inclusive climates for parents and students at Choice Programs. I am grateful to the parent community, staff, and our school district for the level of commitment to equity and inclusion at Stevenson Elementary and our schools in MVWSD.
Expanded Learning Opportunities Program
As part of the recent state-funded Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), MVWSD is planning after school, school break, and summer programs for socioeconomically disadvantaged, foster youth, and English learner students across the district. We are excited to share that this ELOP afterschool program will start at Stevenson later in October. Our district staff is starting to be in communication with families for student enrollment based on staffing from our afterschool program providers. Over the course of the school year, all families with student(s) that are socioeconomically disadvantaged, foster youth, or with an English Learner will have the opportunity to join the afterschool program free of charge. We are thankful for the state providing the funding and our district organizing ELOP at Stevenson Elementary as we continue to implement more practices and programs for equitable access and opportunities for families at Stevenson.
Sincerely,
Ryan Santiago
Principal, Stevenson Elementary
SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS
-Friday Fever (For Students)
-Attendance Awareness Month: September
-Tardies
-School Site Council Meeting
-Upcoming October no-school days
-Student vision and hearing screenings coming up
-Reporting Absences and Tardies
-Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
Friday Fever for Students
We are excited to have our second Friday Fever of the school year. Friday Fever’s align to our school’s core value and the lesson that our students will be learning with our SEL ImPACT program. Our 5th grade students and teacher will be leading the assembly with a focus on the Stevenson Core Value, Resilience.
What is a Friday Fever Assembly? To kick off our core value of the month, a grade level will host an assembly that highlights the core value. Our ImPACT SEL lessons that are provided are aligned with the monthly core value. Due to COVID guidelines, only students and staff will be able to join the Friday Fever Assembly. We will be sure to post pictures on our social media platforms.
Attendance Awareness Month: September
My student is in school most of the time, so that’s ok, right?
Most parents are aware of what it means for a child to be truant from school. However, we are required by the state of California to reduce the numbers of students who are “chronically absent.” Students who are chronically absent typically attend school fairly regularly, but miss a few days here and there, which really add up and affect their learning. It's important to know both excused or unexcused absences count toward chronic absenteeism.
The District is required to track this data and report it to the state. MVWSD will contact parents when students reach concerning absence levels. If not remedied, chronically absent students and their families may be referred to the District’s Student Attendance Review Board, in a process similar to how truancy is handled. MVWSD is bound by law to report and handle chronic absences in this manner.
Tardies - Students being dropped off late to school
We have seen an increase in the number of students that are late to school. Many days, the parking lot drop off is still crowded with vehicles after the school day begins at 8:10am. We are asking parents to please plan and leave your house a few minutes earlier to make sure that students arrive at class on time. The start of the school day is one of the most important parts as teachers create a welcoming environment with morning meetings and reviewing the agenda & learning outcomes for the day. Thank you in advance for your efforts to leave your households a few minutes earlier to help your child arrive at school safely and on time.
School Site Council Meeting
Our next School Site Council meeting is on Tuesday, September 12th at 3:30pm. If you would like to join us, please use this link to register in advance of the meeting. Our main agenda item is continuing to review and revise Stevenson’s Site Plan for the 22-23 school year. The school Site Plan outlines Stevenson’s goals and the actions that we take as a school community for students’ social emotional wellness and academic success.
Upcoming October No-School Days
Friday, October 14 is a recess day (no school for students and staff). Thursday, October 13 is a staff development day, which means no school for students and no work for 10-month classified staff. Oct 13 is a staff development/work day for teachers, school secretaries and 12-month classified staff.
Student vision and hearing screenings coming up (Repeat)
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.
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
Save the date for Walkathon: Friday, October 21, 3-5:30pm
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!
Check out our updated website where you will find info on how to create your fundraising page, important FAQs and also our spirit day schedule. Start rallying your student's sponsors! This year we will have food, raffles, T-shirt sales, obstacle courses and a DJ. It's going to be a blast.
Take a look at this special video about the Walkathon!
Please click here to volunteer to support all the kids on the field AND/OR click here to volunteer to bake something yummy to bring to the bake sale!
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Bearcat Brant or Edena Lin.
Let’s start the countdown for Trunk or Treat! October 28, 2022 from 6pm to 8pm
If you’d like to decorate your trunk and be part of this ghoulish event, please sign up here - Trunk or Treat Interest Form. For ideas on how to decorate your trunk - Decorating Trunk or Treat Ideas.
Please consider donating candy or small treats for the decorated trunks to hand out. We will leave a box at the front office starting this week.
Thank you and please let the Social Committee know if you have any questions.
Arts Focus is gearing up to start again soon (Repeat)
We’re so excited to have Arts Focus back for our kids starting Nov 3rd! Check out this fun 3 minute video of our program. If you’re on the Arts Focus team, our kick off meeting is Wednesday Oct 5th from 3 - 4pm in the library. Be sure to RSVP as soon as you can! If you’re not on the committee, you are still welcome to volunteer as we still need lots of helpers to get this program restarted. Email Sandi Juliano at [email protected] with any questions.
CALENDAR
2022-2023 MVWSD School Calendar
Thursday, October 6th
-MVWSD Board of Trustee Meeting @ 6pm - Register here
Friday, October 7th
-Friday Fever (for students)
-ST: Hearing and Vision Screening
-Community Check-In @ 3:30pm - Register here
Tuesday, October 11th
-School Site Council @ 3:30pm
Thursday, October 13th
-No School - Teacher Service Day
Friday, October 14th
–No School
Tuesday, October 18th
-Parent University Seminario @ 6pm - Register here
MVWSD News
Board meeting: Oct. 6
The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, Oct. 6 at 6 p.m.
Some of the meeting topics include:
* Equitable Access to Choice Schools
* Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health
For meeting details and agenda, please click here: https://www.mvwsd.org/trustees.
Superintendent's Community Check In on Friday, Oct. 7
Please join us for our Community Check-In with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Friday, Oct. 7 at 3:30 p.m. Bring your questions. Spanish interpretation will be provided. Click here to register: http://mvw.sd/CC107
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!
MVEF wants to hear student stories!
Conversations with our children about what they are learning and enjoying in school can help them build deeper connections with what they learn at school. Stories about students’ experiences in their MVEF-funded classes and activities can inspire and thank the teachers and providers of the classes, suggest program improvements, or (with parent permission) enhance future MVEF publications. To share discoveries from your conversations with MVWSD students about their MVEF-funded classes, please click here!
MVEF brings Environmental Science, Art and Music to K-5 classrooms several times each month through our partnership with Living Classroom, CSMA, Environmental Volunteers, and MVWSD. In Middle School, an additional MVEF-funded ELA (English) teacher at each middle school facilitates smaller classes as they discuss and write about the material they are reading. MVEF also provides funds for athletics, special clubs, and to supplement music instruction at both middle schools. Over 70% of MVEF contributions come from MVWSD families like yours. To make a donation, click here.
The View Teen Center
The View Teen Center is a free facility in Mountain View (263 Escuela Ave) for all Mountain View and Los Altos 6th - 12th grade students. The center is open Monday through Friday: 3:30 - 7 p.m. and Saturday: 1 - 6 p.m, and features a game room, makerspace, kitchen, computer/study room, outdoor area, and much more! See attached flyer for details about upcoming events and programs or visit their webpage for more information.
County MedAssist Program
The MedAssist Program aims to improve health outcomes and medication adherence for select individuals who reside in Santa Clara County. Qualified patients will receive financial assistance in the form of a grant designed to off-set high out-of-pocket expenses for life-saving medications such as anti-diabetics, asthma inhalers, and/or epinephrine auto-injectors. For more information and application, visit medassist.sccgov.org/.