October 16, 2024
Dear Stingray Parents and Guardians,
It’s the famous Walkathon this Friday! Please join us at 2:50 p.m. (grades 1-5 or 1:50 p.m. for Kinder). At the regular dismissal time, students must be with a parent or other authorized contact in order to continue in the Walkathon. It is such a fun day and I am looking forward to seeing the Stevenson community at this event. Gather up those final pledges so we meet our school fundraising goal!
October is Safety Month in MVWSD. Don’t forget that the districtwide earthquake drill is tomorrow. We have reviewed our procedures, and we are ready to practice. Parents, since students will be outside for approximately one hour, please plan to apply sunscreen to your child in the morning and have them bring a hat if they’re sun-sensitive. Please reassure your child that drills are our way of practicing for an emergency.
In the event of an emergency, like an earthquake, it’s possible that circumstances are not safe enough for us to release students as we typically do at the end of the school day. In an emergency, parents should not rush to school, but instead wait for updates from email, on mvwsd.org, social media and text/phone calls. So we know all students are accounted for, our schools will release students systematically to authorized adults when it’s safe. Please review our parent-student reunification procedures here.
If you are scheduled to volunteer for the first shift on Thursday, be prepared to stay past your normal end time as no one is allowed to come and go during the drill. If you cannot stay until the drill is over, please let your teacher know that you will not be able to do your shift that day. If you are scheduled for the second shift, please remind your teacher that you will not be working your shift that day as parents are not allowed to enter during the drill time and we are unable to state a definite end time for the drill.
Emergencies may never happen, but if they do, we’re better protected and are more able to help ourselves and others.
Warm Regards,
Terri Lambert
Principal, Stevenson Elementary
IMPORTANT DATES
2024-2025 MVWSD School Calendar
Wednesday, October 16th
-Parent University Session - Mindfulness at Home @ 5:30pm in person in MUR
Thursday, October 17th
-Board of Trustees Meeting @ 6pm - Zoom link
Friday, October 18th
-Walkathon
Monday, October 21st - Friday, October 25th
-Conference Week & Minimum week (12:05pm)
Monday, October 21st
-Retake Picture Day
Wednesday, October 23rd
-Safe Moves Assembly
Friday, October 25th
-Trunk or Treat @ 6pm
SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS
2024-2025 Stevenson Bell Schedule
October 2024 Lunch Menu
School Year Calendar - plan your 24-25 vacation using the school vacation times!
Parent University - Mindfulness Night - Wednesday, October 16th @ 5:30pm
Join us for a special Parent Workshop on Mindfulness! Discover practical techniques to enhance your well-being and support your family's mental health. Together, we’ll explore strategies to cultivate mindfulness in everyday life, helping you and your children navigate challenges with greater ease. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with other parents and learn valuable skills. We look forward to seeing you there!
Picture Retake Day - Monday, October 21st
Picture Retake Day is Monday, October 21st. Please fill out this survey if you would like your child(ren) to retake their school picture
Safe Routes to School Assembly - Wednesday, October 23rd
Stevenson Walkathon is on Friday, October 18th, from 1:45 pm - 6 pm.
This is a major fundraiser for school and our goal this year is $50,000. We are looking forward to this great PACT Community gathering that's only THREE weeks away and we invite the entire community to join in.
Please REGISTER your student on 99Pledges to start gathering your pledges for Walkathon.
Visit Walkathon Website! for all the details about the event. We would love for you to sign up for a volunteer shift at the event.
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook
- Instagram - @stevenson__elementary
- Facebook - @StevensonElem
Reporting Absences
Please call the office at (650) 903-6950 or email Stevenson Attendance [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.
MVWSD News
The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 6 p.m.
Some of the topics include:
For meeting details and agenda, please click here: https://www.mvwsd.org/trustees.
MVWSD seeking District Equity Advisory Committee members
MVWSD is continuing our work by engaging meaningfully with the community on issues of equity through the District Equity Advisory Committee (DEAC). The goal of the DEAC is to provide feedback to the Superintendent on how to support MVWSD towards achieving its goals of becoming a more equitable and inclusive school district.
We are seeking a combination of district-level leaders, principals, teachers, staff members, and parent participants who represent the interests of both elementary and middle schools. Committee members will be expected to attend and participate virtually in meetings held once monthly (on average) online during the 2024-25 school year in the evening hours.
If you’re interested in participating, please click here to apply.
Your donations of any amount help MVEF enrich education for every MVWSD student!
Love seeing your kids enjoy art, music, and hands-on science in elementary schools, and smaller English classes, athletics, clubs, and other activities in middle schools? MVWSD has one of the most socio-economically diverse student bodies in the Bay Area, and donations to MVEF ensure all students benefit from these essential programs, regardless of financial status.
With the MVEF Textathon & Phonathon season approaching, donate today to save a text and call! Every contribution makes a difference. Learn more about how you can support MVEF or make your tax-deductible donation here.
Crittenden Mattress Fundraiser on Oct. 20
The Crittenden Music Department will be hosting a Mattress Fundraiser on Sunday, Oct. 20 from 10 am - 5 pm. This fundraiser will help with the music department's general fund. This is one of our biggest events of the year and we need your help! The MUR is turned into a mattress showcase room where customers can try out the beds. There are brand names at this event as well as special models of beds that can't be found in regular stores. Thanks for your support.
Free COVID tests available to order
US residential households are now eligible to order four free at-home COVID tests from the US Postal Service COVID test order page. Prepare for respiratory virus season and learn how and when to test for COVID-19. Some of the tests shipped may show expired dates on the box—please note the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the expiration dates of the tests being distributed through this program. You can find the full list of extended test expiration dates at the FDA At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests web page.
PACT FOUNDATION UPDATES
Walkathon is THIS FRIDAY!!!
REGISTER your child on 99Pledges to fundraise for Walkathon!
As of October 13th, we only have 36%, 164 students registered in 99Pledges. Please use the link above to get registered and start fundraising! Here is a paper form (also available in the front office) so your child can practice their public speaking and fundraising skill.
We have $14,472 raised in 99Pledges, up from $3,495 last week. Our goal this year is to raise $50,000 plus an additional $5,000 in corporate donations.
Sign up to volunteer day-of (we still have 99 open slots!!) and/or bake something for the bake sale and/or lend us some equipment on the Walkathon Website!
Raffle & food tickets will be available for sale after school. We are selling them in packs of 10, $1 per ticket, so the total will be $10 per pack. Poster for raffle prizes are behind the gate
The PACT Foundation will host the 2024 Walkathon on Friday, October 18th, from 1:45pm-6pm. This event is our school’s largest fundraiser and helps pay for OLE bus trips, Arts Focus programming, classroom supplies, school-wide events, campus enhancement, and enrichment activities to name a few.
There will be classroom parties & trophies for classrooms with the most laps walks (weighted because not all classrooms have the same number of students) + 99pledges participation with at least one sponsor.
Please plan to bring your whole family to join the fun and cheer on the students.
HALLOWEEN COSTUME EXCHANGE @ WAT
During Walkathon (10/18!), the Social Committee will host a Halloween Costume Exchange.This will be a simple, self-serve event: we will have a clothing rack on the blacktop for anyone to hang used costumes your kids outgrew, and anyone needing a costume to pick up what you find and like.
TRUNK OR TREAT
It's that time of the year! Trunk or Treat is happening on Friday, 10/25 6-8pm
We need your decorated cars! We still have about 8 open spots.
Please sign up here if interested in hosting a trunk.
FAQ:
- You will be assigned a spot in the Stevenson parking lot. You can start setting up at 4:30pm and are expected to stay until the end of the event.
- You are more than welcome to provide your own candy or goodies, but you don't have to. We will have a candy donation campaign (see below) and also buy extras, and will distribute among the cars.
- Plan for small kids, please don't make your decorations violent, gore or too scary.
- There will be food options!
CANDY DONATIONS FOR TRUNK OR TREAT
We need candy! Our kids do. Or maybe they don’t, but we will still hand it out during Trunk or Treat (10/25, see above). There will be a box in the Front Office for you to drop off any candy you can generously donate. We will also bring it out during WAT, if you’re able to bring your donation that day.
FROM OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
MVLA Speaker Series: Never Enough with Jennifer Wallace
Join the next MVLA Speaker Series presentation, “Never Enough: Mattering as a Solution to Toxic Achievement Pressure,” with author Jennifer Wallace on Wednesday, October 30th at 7PM at the Crittenden Middle School Auditorium. In this eye-opening talk, Wallace investigates the deep roots of toxic achievement culture, explores its harmful impact on our kids, and delivers the powerful solution: mattering, the psychological concept of feeling like you add value and are valued regardless of your external achievements. Wallace provides a practical mattering framework that parents and educators can use to tackle achievement pressure at home and in the classroom. Register for this free event here.
Learning Challenges events for Fall 2024
For local coverage of issues related to learning challenges and special education, please check out the Learning Challenges Committee http://learningchallenges.lamvptac.org/
For broader coverage, look into the Northwest SCC SELPA CAC
Northwest Santa Clara County CAC meeting
October 29, 9 am
Register: https://sccoe.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYpfuipqTwiGd2j1kNEBuVtKlTXV4IJn1TB
Morning Let’s Talk Parent Support group
October 30, 9 am on Zoom.
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 at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqcu-vrDsiHdW_I5OTIYOiHcpy1tEmzuta
Who’s Who is Serving Our Little Ones? - Planning and Strategies for Children 3-5
From Department of Developmental Services and Palo Alto CAC
November 14, 6-7 pm on Zoom. Register: http://bit.ly/DDSTraining2
Evening Let’s Talk Parent Support group
November 19, 7 pm on Zoom.
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 at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMtfu2hrj0pG9zqGFeTzEnqs1U7cVxTcfl-
Learning Challenges Committee Meeting
December 3, 7:30 pm on Zoom
The LCC is working on providing a support group for parents, and planning to create a wish list for teachers throughout Mountain View and Los Altos for classroom supplies to support sensory needs. Would you like to help? Other ideas to support students and families with learning challenges? Join us here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUld-usrj8tEtNskynSpmorDiYZNt9_KAgq
Morning Let’s Talk Parent Support group
December 19, 10 am on Zoom.
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 at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrduupqD0vEtSpweFX71KvNAcKW8Csy4D3
Missed past Parent Education events?
We have a YouTube channel with many of our past events including the recent talk on Assistive Technology, info summer camps and recreational activities, Anxiety and Depression in Children with Learning Challenges, SMART Goals and IEP Troubleshooting, and more. Channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuy7IcVz-4LTDxv2Jaq13nw
Volunteer with Mentor Tutor Connection
Mentor Tutor Connection is actively recruiting volunteers for our mentoring (high school students) and tutoring (K-8 students) programs located in Los Altos and Mountain View public schools. To learn more about Mentor Tutor connection, please email programs@mentortutorconnection.org or visit mentortutorconnection.org.
The View Teen Center: October
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. Drop-in hours are Monday - Friday, 3:15 - 7 p.m. and Saturdays, 1 - 6 p.m. (Adjusted Hours: Oct. 10-11 & Oct. 21-25, 1-6 p.m.), and the center features a game room, makerspace, kitchen, computer/study room, and outdoor area. October events include Halloween-themed activities, art classes, a Bike to Boba, and much more. For more information, click here.
FLYERS
Mentor Tutor Connection
October Teen Center
Crittenden Music Mattress