Quetzal News
March 24, 2022
From Ms. O's Desk
Dear Quetzal Families,
Last week, our district suffered a great loss. One of our Graham student passed away in a tragic accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the student’s family, friends, and the Graham community. We know how hard it can be for students and adults to express their feelings when there is a loss of a dear one. Please let us know if your child is in need of support, or if we can be of any assistance.
As you know, the safety of our students and community is our top priority. Please visit our district's website for updated information about safe walking and biking routes to school. The link has preferred biking routes to avoid major streets, Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety guide, and tips on how to get to school safely. Please take some time to review this information and talk to your child about the importance of being safe when they walk, bike, ride a scooter, or skateboard as they come to school.
The Parent Project is starting a new workshop on "Transforming Adolescents" on Tuesdays from 6pm to 8pm. If you are interested in attending, you can register and learn more about the program.
With the implementation of the new COVID guidelines, our district and school have made some changes on the guidelines for wearing masks on site. It is recommended for students, parents and staff to wear a mask when outside buildings and classrooms. Masking indoors continues to be a requirement. As you know, we all have different believes and expectations on this matter. At Gabriella Mistral, we foster an inclusive community where all beliefs and perspectives are respected. At our school, students of all backgrounds, learning styles, abilities and beliefs are welcome. Our learning environment and teaching strategies contribute to an inclusive place where all students feel successful and feel equally valued. Here are some strategies to support and develop an inclusive environment:
- Make it personal: Allow children to share their experiences.
- Include various perspectives: Include different ideas and unique views when discussing a controversial topic.
- Watch for problematic assumptions: Develop awareness of the assumptions and biases.
- Respect diverse people and talents: Model respect for others regardless of biases or beliefs.
Maya Angelou said, "We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter their color."
Have a great weekend, stay healthy and be safe!
Ms. Olaciregui, Principal
Calendar
March 29
- Cafecito with Principal O. @ 6pm Link
March 30
- Parent Workshop - Session#3 @ 5:30pm
- School Site Council @ 6pm
April 8
- Lifetouch Spring Pictures
District News
Board meeting Preview: March 24
The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, March 24 at 6:30 p.m. Some of the meeting’s topics include:
Child Nutrition Overview
Future Growth Considerations and Solutions
COVID Protocols Update
Strategic Plan Update
For meeting details and agenda, please click here: https://www.mvwsd.org/trustees.
Superintendent's Community Check In on Friday, March 25
Please join us for our Community Check-In with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Friday, March 25 at 3:30 p.m. Bring your questions. Spanish interpretation will be provided. Click here to register: http://mvw.sd/CC325. Please see this webpage for upcoming meeting dates and for video recordings of past meetings. https://www.mvwsd.org/about/communications/news___events/connecting_with_the_community
For grades 5-7: Middle School electives selection coming soon
It is the time of year when our incoming middle school students choose their electives for next year. Our middle schools are currently working to finalize quality offerings that we hope will pique students’ interests and be a great complement to our core academics. Look for an email on March 25 with the course descriptions. All 5th-7th graders will preference their course electives online through Powerschool on March 28-April 8, 2022.
The Talk: The Culture of Success recording
Did you miss “The Talk: The Culture of Success – Our Beliefs About Success and Emotional Resilience” on Wednesday? A panel of parents and community members reflected on our foundational beliefs about the success and emotional resilience of our children. You can still watch it. Click here to watch a recording of the event.
Speaking respectfully about mask choices (flyer attached to email on 3/21)
As mask mandates change at MVWSD, it is important to respect the decisions of individuals and families as they choose to mask or not mask while outdoors at school (indoor masks are still required). Staff members will support students with respectful conversations on campus. We encourage you to talk with your children about your family’s choices, and about communicating empathy and understanding for others’ choices. For tips on how students can respectfully speak up and speak out, see this helpful infographic. We know our students will be upstanders and take care of each other!
In addition to the MVEF "Art of Words" Gala, MVEF is having a Raffle.
Take your chance at one of 3 great prizes!
1 year subscription Adobe Creative Cloud:
Adobe Creative Cloud gives you the world’s best creative apps and services so you can make anything you can imagine. Get all 20+ creative desktop and mobile apps including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, and Acrobat. Retail Value $599
Apple AirPods Pro:
These in-air earphones combine comfort and a customizable fit that forms an exceptional seal for Active Noise Cancellation. Use the force sensor to easily control music and calls, and switch between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode. Value $249
San Jose Earthquakes Tickets:
Win 4 tickets to ANY regular season game to the 2022 season for the San Jose Earthquakes. The first home game is 4/2/2022 and the last 10/1/2022. Certificate must be redeemed by 9/1/2022. Value $120
Ticket Cost: 1 ticket - $5, 5 tickets - $20, 20 tickets - $60, 50 tickets - $100
The winners will be drawn at the gala, but you need not be present to win!
To buy tickets please send an email: aisha@mvef.org
InPlay Summer Program Guide
Looking for summer fun and out-of-school opportunities? MVWSD partners with nonprofit InPlay to help you find the perfect fit for your child and for your family. Hundreds of programs, including free and reduced-cost programs and those that serve students with special needs or English learners, are nearby and can be found through this free, searchable site. Check out MV.inplay.org.
MVWSD has not reviewed the programs and does not specifically endorse them. Parents should thoroughly research all activities before enrolling their children.
March CAC Let’s Talk Support Group: Date Change to 3/31
SELPA 1 CAC and the Learning Challenge Committee are your groups for special education and broader learning challenge needs. If you have questions about learning challenges and special education needs, email selpa1cacinfo@gmail.com or check out www.selpa1cac.org
Thursday March 31, 7-8:30 pm. (Note: date has changed from Mar. 30) Evening Let’s Talk - 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 here at the new link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUsf-2gqDsiH9JitJ2mQGEKBq5Nq2dvSM25
SCCOE Career Exploration for Middle School Parents
Join the Santa Clara County Office of Education virtually on March 24th from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.to explore future career options for your middle schooler. Parents will learn about the 15 Industry Sectors and the courses designed for career success, in addition to the Career Pathways at Santa Clara County High Schools and Community Colleges including Early College Credit. The session will be conducted in English with Spanish interpretation available. Registration for this free event: https://na.eventscloud.com/670621
MV Public Library: Intro to Game Design Workshop
Want to create animations, stories and games? Learn the basics of Scratch, a block-based programming language, at this MVPL workshop with Pixelators Education on Thursday, April 21 4-5 p.m. on Zoom. Workshop recommended for programming beginners in grades 1-3. Parent/guardian assistance welcome. Register in advance at: https://mountainview.libcal.com/event/8915612.
City of MV: Multicultural Festival and Summer Camps
Join the City of Mountain View for their Multicultural Festival on Saturday, March 26, 2022 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Civic Center Plaza (500 Castro Street). The free community event will celebrate the cultural diversity of the City of Mountain View with performances, music, and activities. See MountainView.gov/CultureFest for more information.
The City is also offering a variety of summer camps for children and teens through the Recreation Division. See attached flyers for camp details and register at MountainView.gov/ActiveNet.
MVHS Spartans Sports Camp: Registration Open
Spartans Sports Camp is proud to announce that registration for Summer Camp 2022 is now open. Camp will run Jun 13-July 29 this summer, and include sports, performing arts, and academic enrichment camps. Spartans Sports Camp is operated entirely by the MVHS Athletic Department and all proceeds go directly to support the sports programs at MVHS. For more information and registration, visit www.SpartansSportsCamp.com.