Supts eNews - March 19, 2021

 

In this edition ...

  • Update: Reopening for in-person learning
  • Board of Trustees meeting review: Wellness, Strategic Plan, Monta Loma perimeter fencing
  • Staff changes: Graham Principal, Human Resources
  • Cafecito: March 24
  • Resilience Pause Sessions start March 29
  • Promotion celebrations: School communication award
  • Parents: How to get your child tested for COVID
  • COVID: Vaccines are safe
 
Reopening for in-person learning
reopening video thumbnailWow, it’s been a year! Yesterday, we began opening our schools for in-person learning for the first phase of students whose families have selected “Option B/Blended” in the learning options survey. For a video of the day, click here. Thank you to all the staff members and volunteers who made this possible!

"Roomies": For families who selected "Option B/Blended," their children will return to school as follows:
* March 18: PK, TK, K, Grades 1, 2, 6, SAI
* March 29: Grades 3, 4, 5, 7
* April 5: Grade 8

Zoomies” will continue distance learning.

Parents may check their PowerSchool parent portal account for their students’ schedule. For more information, graphics, calendars and videos about returning to campus, please see mvwsd.org/academicsduringcovid

 
Board of Trustees meeting review: Wellness, Strategic Plan, Monta Loma perimeter fencing

The Board of Trustees met last night. Updates are:

Wellness: Health and Wellness Coordinator Karin Jinbo presented existing programming and examined considerations for developing Strategic Plan 2027 activities.

While counseling and crisis support exists and teachers and support staff have been provided professional development on a variety of SEL topics, MVWSD is looking toward an integrated, consistent approach to social-emotional learning. Some of these efforts could include comprehensive data collection, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum for students and SEL integration within classroom structures.

Strategic Plan: Staff presented the initiatives for the first three phases of the new six-year Strategic Plan 2027. The plan aligns with two cycles of the district’s three-year Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP).

These initiatives are the efforts that support each of the plan’s five goal areas.
1. Effective and consistent instructional practices
2. Student social emotional health
3. Inclusive and welcoming culture
4. Effective and engaged employees
5. Equitable distribution of resources that support and student success.

The process started in fall 2020 with parent, student and staff engagement through surveys and meetings. The strategic plan framework was presented to the Board of Trustees in October. In November, district teams identified goal areas and objectives. In January and February, the teams worked to create and research initiatives for each goal/objective area.

To view the initiatives, click here. To learn more, see https://www.mvwsd.org/strategicplan

Monta Loma perimeter fencing: The Monta Loma working group’s task is to make sure we have heard all of the considerations regarding the shared use at the campus and build consensus around a solution that works for stakeholder groups according to the goals outlined for the Work Group. The group recently completed its second meeting. The group is in the process of exploring and discussing the shared use of school fields described in the City/District Joint-use agreement, and current community and school uses and hours. Potential solutions may be discussed at the next meeting. For meeting information, see https://www.mvwsd.org/MLfence

Staff changes: Graham Principal, Human Resources

Graham Middle School Principal Dr. Lauren Petrea is resigning effective April 1 to relocate to another state with her family, due to her husband’s job. We support her in the midst of this life change, we appreciate her work on behalf of our students and staff members and we wish her the best.

Judy CratesMVWSD is pleased to announce Dr. Judy Crates, a familiar face in our community and former principal of Graham Middle School, as the school’s Interim Principal. Dr. Crates has been a teacher and school administrator for more than 40 years. At MVWSD, she was a principal at Bubb Elementary (1995-2001), Graham Middle (2001-2005) and most recently at Mariano Castro Elementary (2008-2013) where she directed both the neighborhood school and the Dual Immersion Program (now Gabriela Mistral). A fluent Spanish speaker, she served as MVWSD’s Director of English Language Development and Continuous Improvement.

Tara VikjordTara Vikjord has moved from interim to permanent Chief Human Relations Officer. Ms. Vikjord has served the Mountain View Whisman School District since the 2014-15 school year in her roles as Educational Services Coordinator and Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. Prior to joining the MVWSD team, she served as a principal and coordinator in South Monterey County and taught elementary and middle school students in the Central Valley.

Cafecito: March 24

cafecitoMVWSD will be hosting an informal meeting for Spanish-speaking parents with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Wednesday, March 24 at 5:30 p.m. on Zoom. Interpretation will be provided. Please register in advance for this meeting here: http://mvw.sd/zIHrd.

Resilience Pause Sessions start 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/7uR5i
 

Promotion celebrations: School Communications Award
calspra awardMVWSD has received a CalSPRA Award of Excellence for our School Promotion Ceremonies last year! With support from B43Productions, students and families were celebrated with COVID-safe promotion ceremonies. The District and schools are currently preparing for this year’s promotion celebrations, with several options being explored that are in accordance with guidelines from the state’s COVID Tier system.


Parents: How to get your child tested for COVID
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:
  * Click here to schedule through El Camino Health at El Camino Hospital or MV Center for Performing Arts.

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, click here to make a symptomatic testing appointment with a county provider.

COVID: Vaccines are safe

MVWSD encourages our community members to get a COVID-19 vaccine when they are eligible. The available vaccines are safe and effective, and an important tool we have to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information about the vaccines, check out this fact sheet from the CDC.

covid things to know

 

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