Quetzal News
April 20, 2022
From Ms. O's Desk
Dear Quetzal Families,
I remember always telling my students that "April showers bring May flowers". It has been along time since I had seen this amount of rain in April. I am very happy to see that our wonderful land is getting some water. This rain comes just in time for us to celebrate Earth Day. At Mistral, we have been working on ways that we can help and support our earth. It is very concerning to see how global warming is affecting our environment land, water, and air. Please help us model at home ways to take care of our beautiful world by modeling some of these behaviors at home:
- Conserve water: when brushing your teeth and taking a shower, turn off the water.
- Recycle: have a separate container at home where you can recycle cans, bottles, and boxes.
- Reuse: use both sides of papers and utilize the entire page before starting a new one.
- Reduce: reduce the amount of electricity used at home: turn off lights not in used.
- Carpool, ride or walk to school
- Start a garden at home
- Compost if possible
- Avoid using disposables as much as possible
We are starting state testing next week for grades 3rd to 5th grade. Please help us provide the best environment and tools for our students to be successful. Testing will start on Tuesday, April 26, and we will complete testing on May 13th. Testing will take place from 8:15am to 10:00am. Please remind your child to:
- Do their best
- Charge their Chromebooks and turn them off every evening
- Go to bed by 8:30pm
- Have a healthy breakfast before coming to school
- Have a positive attitude towards these assessments
Your child also needs your help. Please remind them how proud you are of them regardless of outcomes; this is a measurement to tell us what they have learned this year. It is important that they come to school on time. Please avoid any appointments these days in the morning. We appreciate your help and support in ensuring success for our students. Let us know if you have any questions.
"If you try your best, there is no failure." Mike Farrell
If you haven't done so yet, please read our first edition of the Quetzal Chronicles.
Take care and stay safe,
Ms. Olaciregui, Principal
Calendar
April 21
- ELAC Meeting @ 6pm-Link
- School Spirit Day - Mismatch Day
- Earth Day
- Reclassification Ceremony @ Crittenden Middle School 5-7pm
- Día del Niño & Share Fair @ CA/MI MUR 3:30pm
District News
Please share your thoughts: Safety ThoughtExchange beginning April 20
As our community is still reeling from the recent student tragedy, many of us are asking the question of “how can we make school commutes safer for our students?” The Mountain View Whisman School District is looking to focus and record these organic conversations in an online exchange of ideas, with the goal of involving all of the organizations and people who have a role in making our community safer.
On April 20, please look in your email for a link to a ThoughtExchange about safety. Middle school students will also be participating. Your participation is confidential. Please share and come back often to rate new ideas until the exchange closes on May 4.
Parent University: Preparing for Middle School
Date and Time: April 27, 2022, 5:30pm Registration Link: http://mvw.sd/pu042722
Nervous about middle school? We get it! Change can be daunting, but it can also lead to amazing new experiences. Join us to learn how to support your children as they prepare for the next stage in their academic and social lives. We will feature a panel of staff and students from Crittenden and Graham who will offer lots of wisdom and details about grades six, seven, and eight. See you there!
To submit your questions prior to the event, go to mvw.sd/questions.
MVWSD Celebrates Its Reclassified Students!
It's time for our annual celebration of former English Learner students who have successfully reclassified as English Proficient this school year! We are extremely proud of all the students as well as all of the families, teachers, and school staff who have supported them along the way. Families of newly reclassified students should have received email invitations and formal paper invitations this week to the event to take place at Crittenden the evening of April 28. If you have any questions, or believe you should have received an invitation but didn't, please contact your child's school or Leticia Corcoran at lcorcoran@mvwsd.org or (650) 526-3500 x1121. Congratulations!
COVID masking
Both outdoor and indoor masking is strongly recommended (but no longer required) for students and staff in our schools and offices. However, there are times that masks are still very highly recommended.
April Better Together Infographic
This April, we herald in Autism Acceptance Month and celebrate our neurodiverse community. MVWSD is a district that aims to provide an identity-affirming, empowering space for all of our students. We strive to challenge biases and champion change that makes our world more equitable, accessible, and just. Check out this month's infographic for ideas and resources to spark a conversation about autism acceptance and about the gifts our neurodiverse people bring to our community. Please see the graphics attached to this newsletter, or visit https://www.mvwsd.org/bettertogetherMVWSD.
Health and Wellness Tip: Changing Your Thoughts
Everyone has upsetting thoughts from time to time, which can make us feel angry, sad, or frustrated. This is normal! It is often our emotions that drive these upsetting thoughts, not the facts of the situation. By catching our upsetting thoughts, checking the facts, and changing our thoughts based on those facts, we can start to have more helpful thoughts and improve our mood.
Watch this video and learn more about how to change upsetting thoughts to be more helpful.
To change your upsetting thoughts:
Catch it. When you feel upset, pause and ask yourself, “What words or phrases are running through my mind right now?”
Check it. Consider whether the thought you are having is helpful or not.
Change it. If you are having an unhelpful thought, consider other ways of looking at the situation. Reframe your thought to one that is more helpful.
Catching, checking, and changing your thoughts takes practice. By noticing your unhelpful thoughts and reframing them based on facts, you can improve your mood.
MVPAL Youth Extravaganza 2022
Join the MV Police Activities League on Friday, April 22 from 4 pm to 7:30 pm at Rengstorff Park for a family night of fun promoting health and mental wellness for youth of all ages. The event is free for local Mountain View youth and families. A picnic dinner will be provided!
City of MV Earth Day Celebration
The City is hosting an Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 23rd at the Mountain View Senior Center from 11am-3pm. The event will have food trucks, activities for kids, electric vehicles that folks can do a free test drive in, and sustainability booths and presentations throughout the day. Anyone who is interested is welcome to attend!
Día de los Niños with MV Public Library
Día de los Niños/Día de los libros (Day of the Children/Day of the Books) will be celebrated with a performance from Raices de Mexico, a Mexican folkloric dance company that will perform regional dances from Mexico, on Saturday, April 30 from 11-11:45 a.m. in Pioneer Park. The event is open to all ages, and no registration is required. Click here for more information.
MVLA Speech & Debate Summer Camp
Registration is open for MVLA’s Speech and Debate Summer Camp, which is being held at Mountain View High School from June 20–24 and June 27–July 1 for students entering grades 3-9. The camp is taught by the team’s varsity level debaters and speakers, and there are options for focusing on general speaking skills or preparation for competition. Free and discounted options are available for families with need. For more information and digital registration: mvlasdcamp.org. For paper registration options, scholarships, and questions: contact julieherman@mvlasdb.org or (925) 315-5514.
Suicide Prevention 101 Webinar for Parents
Register for the upcoming free webinar and Facebook Live event: Suicide Prevention 101 for Parents: Recognizing Signs and What to Do in English on April 20, 2022 from 5 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. This free webinar will provide information about suicide prevention for parents, including warning signs for suicide, how to have a conversation with their teen, actions to take if their teen is having a suicidal thoughts, and resources. The webinar is provided in partnership with the California Department of Education, the California Mental Health Services Authority, the Directing Change Program, and Teen Line. English meeting zoom information is here.