Quetzal News
Gabriela Mistral's News September 1, 2021
From Principal Olaciregui's Desk
Dear Quetzal Parents:
At Gabriela Mistral, we are very proud and happy to be partnering with you in this wonderful educational journey. We need your help sharing a common language and reminders at home that help foster character traits that are important in the life of all children. As part of our Quetzal Way, this month we will be working on responsibility. Take some time at home to talk to our scholars about the importance of being responsible at home, school, our community, and with our environment. It would be great if you could take some time to provide examples of responsibility in each of these areas. One great strategy to use it at home is providing examples of how responsibility looks and sounds when we model this behavior to our children. An example of how responsibility looks like at home could be children cleaning their bedroom after playing. What responsibility sounds like at home can be, “I am so happy reading in an organized and clean bedroom.” Like President Barack Obama said, “What is required of us now, is a new era of RESPONSIBILITY- A recognition on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world.” Together, we can all be models of this needed character trait for our Quetzales.
Help wanted! Gabriela Mistral is forming its School Site Council for the 2021-2022 school year. It will consist of five staff members and five parents. The School Site Council is very important as it is responsible for developing the school goals and budget with the Principal. The School Site Council (SSC) works with the Principal to provide guidance and oversight on the goals in the Gabriela Mistral's Site Plan. If you are interested in running to be a member for our SSC, please complete this form.
Our onsite Covid Testing starts next week. If you have not completed the Consent Form, please do so as soon as possible. You can find information on this on our district’s website.
Our Quetzal handbook has everything you need to know about Gabriela Mistral. You can access our handbook on our website. If you need a printed copy, please let us know, and we will be happy to provide you with one. You can also find our school’s dress code there. Please remind our students about inappropriate attire for school days:
Tank tops with thin (less than one inch) straps. No strapless or spaghetti strap tops.
“Basketball” or muscle T-shirts unless under another shirt.
Skirts shorter than mid-thigh.
Pants with waistbands below the waist. A belt must be worn if pants cannot stay at/above hips.
Backless sandals, flip-flops, or shoes with no backs. Shoes must be attached to feet and suitable for running. This ensures safety.
Too short shorts. Shorts must be at fingertip length when arms are held at sides.
See-through, fishnet blouses/shirts or bare midriffs (tops must meet whatever is worn on the bottom, covering the torso); no off-shoulder tops.
Clothing with offensive pictures or writing. These include references to drugs, alcohol, skeletons, certain nationalities, religions, and violence. This includes images of or references to people who promote these ideas as well.
Swim/beachwear and exercise wear.
Hats, caps and sunglasses inside classrooms or buildings (unless there is a medical reason).
Holes, rips or tears in clothing.
Chains of any kind and clothing or jewelry with protrusions that could be considered dangerous.
Students who come to school wearing inappropriate clothing will be asked to contact a parent to bring a change of clothing to school. The school principal and/or classroom teacher will determine appropriate school dress.
Have a fantastic rest of our week!
Ms. Olaciregui
Principal
Picture Day - Friday, September 3, 2021
Picture day is coming. Please check your child's backpack for ordering information. If you'd like to purchase online please use the information below on Lifetouch.com
School Name: Gabriela Mistral Elementary School
Picture Day Date: Friday, September 3
Picture Day ID: EVTQCN6V2
Up Coming Events
September 3, 2021
- Fall Picture Day
September 6, 2021
- NO SCHOOL - Labor day
September 9, 2021
- ELAC Meeting (6:00pm-7:00pm)Link
September 14, 2021
- SSC Meeting (6:00pm-7:00pm)
District News
There’s still time: Please complete the COVID testing consent form in your inbox
Our District is partnering with Concentric for simple, pooled COVID-19 testing on campus for students weekly and rapid COVID antigen tests for staff members.
We need your help! The more students who participate in the program, the more effective it will be. We are requesting each student participate in testing because:
* Participation helps safeguard the wellbeing of our entire school community, as well as give you information to help you keep your loved ones healthy.
* Students who participate in pooled testing may have a modified quarantine and continue to attend school (if requirements are met) if there is a positive test result in the pool - thus reducing time out of school and missed instruction.
Please complete the consent form sent to your email on Aug. 27. If you do not see it there, please check your spam/junk/promotional email folder.
For specifics about the program, please view https://www.mvwsd.org/COVIDtesting, specifically the frequently asked questions linked here.
Parent University: Mental Health: Care and Support
Date: September 1, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. Registration Link: mvw.sd/pu090121
Join us to learn about mental health care and support. We will share a wide range of information from basic wellness to seeking mental health treatment. Presenters include representatives from MVWSD, Santa Clara County Behavioral Health, and local agencies or organizations.
To submit questions prior to the event, please click here. We will do our best to address your question during the session.
Better Together: Appreciating Differences
This is the first issue of #BetterTogether’s second year in circulation. This past summer, the Tokyo Olympic games had us transfixed. Though there is still a way to go, these past games had the most culturally and racially diverse Team USA in history. Just before the start of the school year, the release of the US Census data also confirmed for all of us that we are one nation, more beautifully diverse than ever. This month, Mountain View Whisman School District is celebrating our diversity with resources for teachers, parents, and community partners to aid in the transmission of our message: our diversity is one of our greatest strengths as a nation, as a city, and as a school district, where all are welcome. Please see the graphics attached to this newsletter, or visit https://www.mvwsd.org/bettertogetherMVWSD.MVEF: Please Support Our Students!
MVEF raises money to provide all MVWSD students with an educational experience beyond what is possible with public funding. Help us fund programming for your child and every child in the district! We hope you saw the MVEF brochure (which doubles as a donation envelope) or watched the video during Back to School. Please see the website at mvef.org for more information and to donate online. Use your credit card to pay in monthly installments. Please consider joining our team of volunteers. Email us with any questions at contact@mvef.org. Thank you for your support!InPlay: Afterschool activities
Looking for afterschool activities for your student? InPlay offers a free searchable program guide for parents, with filters for age, location, price (including free or reduced cost), and more. To find programs local to Mountain View, head to: https://www.inplay.org/r/mountain-view. Available programs include those that serve students with special needs or English learners.Announcing the MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series for 2021 - 2022 (flyers attached to email on 8/30)
The MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series is excited to announce our speaker line-up for the 2021 - 2022 school year. Nationally and internationally recognized experts will join us to discuss important topics in child and adolescent well-being, including – delving inside the college financial aid decisions process; talking honestly and intentionally about money; navigating the often crazy teen years; engaging kids in deeper critical thinking; building stronger resilience to addiction; mitigating cognitive biases in our daily actions; building a more meaningful life; and talking frankly about porn.
2021 - 2022 Speaker Events
Ron Lieber
The Price You Pay For College: An Entirely New Road Map
Tuesday, September 28, 2021 – 7pm
Live Online
Ron Lieber
The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous, and Smart About Money
Thursday, September 30, 2021 – 7pm
Live Online
Michael Bradley
Yes, Your Teen Is Crazy
Thursday, October 21, 2021 – 7pm
Live Online
Colin Seale
The Question Is the Answer: Practical Strategies to Unleash Critical Thinking At Home
Tuesday, November 16, 2021 - 7pm
Live Online
Jessica Lahey
The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence
Thursday, January 13, 2022 – 7 pm
Live Online
Rosetta Lee
Implicit and Unconscious Bias: Bridging the Distance Between Our Professed Values and Daily Behaviors
Tuesday, February 1, 2022 – 7pm
MVHS Spartan Theater
Scott Schimmel
Raising Well: The 25 Questions Every Kid Must Answer to Build a Meaningful Life
Tuesday, March 22, 2022 – 7pm
MVHS Spartan Theater
Shafia Zaloom
Kids Are Watching Pornography: Here’s How to Talk About It
Tuesday, April 19 - 7pm
LAHS Eagle Theater
Local Covid Vaccine Clinic: Sep. 3rd- Gift cards for first doses!
Santa Clara County is hosting several upcoming Covid-19 vaccination clinics at the Waldorf School of the Peninsula and Saint Athanasius Church in Mountain View (160 N Rengstorff Ave). Vaccinations are free. Gift card incentives will be provided for first doses.
1st dose on September 3rd from 3pm to 5:30pm.
1st/2nd dose on September 25th from 12:30pm to 5:30pm. (This is a 1st dose clinic for Saint Athanasius Church Second Harvest Food Distribution Event, those who received a vaccine on 9/3 can get their second dose on 9/25.)
2nd dose October 16th from 12:30pm to 5:30pm. (This is a clinic for those who received a first dose on 9/25)
For more information about COVID vaccinations in the area, please visit https://vax.sccgov.org/