Apr 2 Principal’s Coffee – 8:30 a.m. Register Here
Apr 2 Superintendent's Community Check In on Friday – 3:30 p.m. http://mvw.sd/vrNfN
Apr 6 Parenting Workshop #3 with Dr. Bunge and Dr. Park – Palo Alto University
8:30 – 9:30am (Save the date: April 20) Zoom Link
Apr 7 PTA Career Speaker Series #4 – 9:00am – 9:45 a.m. Click Here (same link as assembly)
Apr 7 Picture Day – 12:30-6:00 p.m., Landels MUR (see schedule below)
Apr 7 Landels Principal Process Input Session, 5:00-6:00 p.m. Register Here
April 12-16 Spring Break – NO SCHOOL
Landels News
Message from our principal:
Hello Landels Families!
As you know, I will be starting the 2021-2022 school year as the principal of Graham Middle School. I want to thank you for being such a supportive, engaged community. I feel both grateful and privileged to come to work every day and work with our community of staff, students, and families. I know we are going to finish off this school year strong at Landels with everyone’s support! The good news is that I’ll be right down the road and will see some of you there! That definitely makes me smile!
Landels Principal Process Input Session
April 7th, 5 - 6:00 p.m,
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUqd-qhpzIoGdZ3KBLFQgP1cLxhp7KGzqpc
A few important reminders:
· Fill out your OKtoReopen Screening form that you will receive via email or text. This form needs to be completed everyday by 7:45am.
· Please arrive on time and remember to stay in the car while your child gets out.
· Please send your child to school with a filled water bottle every day.
· No parents/visitors allowed on campus.
Second Session of Wednesday PE
You should have received an email to sign up for our second session of in-person Wednesday PE. If you did not, please check your spam folder or let us know. The second session starts the Wednesday after Spring Break and we will be giving priority to our ZOOMies if there is a waitlist.
Picture Day for Students – April 7 - Optional
Picture Day is April 7th and it is OPTIONAL. No retakes will be taken. Lifetouch will be here to safely take individual pictures of students according to the following schedule. Please adhere to this schedule as much as you can to provide social distancing for all. If you have more than one grade level child, you may pick one time frame for all your children.
12:30 - 1:30 pm Kinder and 1st grades
1:30 - 2:30 pm 2nd and 3rd grades
2:30 - 3:30 pm 4th and 5th grades
4:00 - 5:00 pm Kinder - 2nd grades
5:00 - 6:00 pm 3rd - 5th grades
Ways to order:
1. Order before Picture Day on mylifetouch.com using your Picture Day ID: EVT6GNDNK
2. Paper order forms are available in the office. Bring order form with payment to the photographer on April 7.
3. If you order after Picture Day, a shipping charge will be added and the pictures will be shipped directly to your house.
Important Information:
1. Please make sure to bring your child camera ready - no one will be available to help with grooming.
2. Students must wear a mask until they are instructed by the photographer to take it off. They will promptly put the mask back on after the photo is taken.
3. Students will enter the front door and exit the back door.
4. Please note, only the student is allowed to enter the MUR to take pictures. Parents must wait outside the MUR with masks on and stand 6 feet apart.
Principal’s coffee, Friday, April 2nd at 8:30 a.m.
You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Apr 2, 2021 08:30 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMkc-qpqzguHtPcwGsWIGRZKX9a5XGWCbgb
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Upcoming Parenting Workshop
Drs. Eduardo Bunge and Alayna Park at Palo Alto University would like to support students and parents at Landels Elementary School. Starting next month, they will be offering four biweekly synchronous classes on tools for improving your child’s behavior, increasing your child’s compliance with your requests, and strengthening your relationship with your child. They will also provide information on how you can access a free, online program with more techniques for making parents' typical day in the home easier. Join the next class on Tuesday, April 6, from 8:30am-9:30am PST: https://paloaltou.zoom.us/j/93362960411.
Save the Date: April 20
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Here is a great parenting tip for increasing desired behaviors at home.
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Modeling refers to teaching by example. Your child will learn by observing and seeing the behavior of others. To model desired behaviors:
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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”).
These tips came directly from the free, online Everyday Parenting program created by parenting expert, Dr. Kazdin.
To learn more parenting tips click here.
MVWSD News
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)
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.
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.
Student meals
If your student is returning to campus, you might be wondering about lunch. Due to federal funding, MVWSD is able to provide free breakfast, snacks and lunches to students on campus daily. Breakfast and snacks are cold. Lunches will be hot. Students will be able to pick up lunches at their classrooms. Menus and nutritional analysis are posted at https://www.mvwsd.org/nutrition. A count of those taking school lunch will be taken at the beginning of the school day. Students may bring their own self-contained lunches, if desired. MVWSD continues to provide free grab and go meals at each school (Stevenson and Theuerkauf are combined) during lunchtime for students who continue in distance learning and for young children in the community.
Your Donations to MVEF at Work!
MVEF is proud to fund both (New!) sessions of the Rhythm and Moves Optional fitness classes at the elementary schools. We are also funding CSMA music and art, TechSmart, Living Classroom, and environmental education programs at the elementary level.
MVEF funds the Middle School Elective wheel including apps, music books, art supplies, robotics and TechSmart at both of the middle schools.
Thank you to all our Mountain View Educational Foundation donors for your support during this school year of remote learning! If you haven't donated yet this year, there is still time to donate to support the MVWSD schools right now. https://www.mvef.org/donate
March 31
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
April 1
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.
April 2
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
April 5, 19 and 26
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
April 8
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.
April 22
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.
April 22
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.
PTA News
Career Speaker Series - April 7
We are so excited about this new program! Through a series of sessions in March and April, students will learn about various careers and occupations from in our very own community. Our speakers will share about what is involved in their job, things they enjoy about their job and any training and education that was necessary. They will also share their experiences, challenges and rewards. Our next Speaker Series is on Wednesday, April 7 from 9:00am-9:45am, directly after the morning assembly.
Parents, if you are interested in being one of our speakers, please email Bea at[email protected]. We’ll have 2-3 speakers every Wednesday from 9:00-9:45 a.m.. Please email Bea with your name, your student’s name, your career/job and the date that you are available to present. The students will love learning about your job! Thanks!