(La traducción al español está abajo)

September 18th, 2020

Dear Crittenden Families, 

I hope this email finds you and your family well. 

I’m looking forward to spending time hiking with my two daughters and husband this weekend. I hope that you can find time for some fun activities with your family as well. Of course, remembering the importance of social distancing and wearing a mask. 

Some of you probably heard at our Board of Education meeting last night or attended the community check-in with Dr. Rudolph this afternoon. He mentioned that two important surveys are going out. One is a Strategic Plan survey and the second one will be a learning options registration survey that will be due Sept 25th.  Please be sure to check your emails for these surveys. The data from the learning options registration survey will play an important role in the way we will allow us to plan and prepare for Stage 3. If you were not able to attend the meeting, you can watch the video on this link.

I want to provide you with an update from our district regarding our dashboard. 

Distance Learning Dashboards were created this spring in order to give parents easy access to student schedules and assignments during asynchronous learning days. Now, Dashboard information is easily accessed by parents and students in Google Classroom. Currently with Google Classroom and synchronous learning four days a week, recent feedback from parents and teachers shows that the Dashboard is not used as often. 

Starting today, Wednesday will be the only day listed on the Dashboard. It will remain a tool to help parents organize their students’ asynchronous learning day (Wednesday), in addition to Google Classroom. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, please login to Google Classroom to see your child’s schedule and assignments. 

For help viewing your child’s assignments and schedules in Google Classroom:

Google Classroom video

Google Classroom video 2

Get the Google Classroom App

Our CMS Dashboard has been updated to reflect Wednesday 23rd.

Have a wonderful weekend, 

Mrs.Gomez

Estimadas Familias de Crittenden, 

Espero que este correo electrónico los encuentre bien a usted y a su familia.

Espero poder pasar tiempo caminando con mis dos hijas y mi esposo este fin de semana. Espero que también pueda encontrar tiempo para algunas actividades divertidas con su familia. Eso sí, recordando la importancia del distanciamiento social y el uso de una máscara.

Algunos de ustedes probablemente escucharon en nuestra reunión de la Junta de Educación anoche o asistieron a la reunión comunitaria con el Dr. Rudolph esta tarde. Mencionó que se están realizando dos encuestas importantes. Una es una encuesta del Plan Estratégico y la segunda será una encuesta de registro de opciones de aprendizaje que vence el 25 de septiembre. Asegúrese de revisar sus correos electrónicos para estas encuestas. Los datos de la encuesta de registro de opciones de aprendizaje jugarán un papel importante en la forma en que nos permitiremos planificar y prepararnos para la Etapa 3. Si no pudo asistir a la reunión, puede ver el video en este enlace .

Quiero brindarles una actualización de nuestro distrito con respecto a nuestro tablero.

Los paneles de aprendizaje a distancia se crearon esta primavera para brindarles a los padres un fácil acceso a los horarios y las tareas de los estudiantes durante los días de aprendizaje asincrónico. Ahora, los padres y estudiantes pueden acceder fácilmente a la información del Panel de control en Google Classroom. Actualmente, con Google Classroom y el aprendizaje sincrónico cuatro días a la semana, los comentarios recientes de padres y maestros muestran que el Tablero no se usa con tanta frecuencia.

A partir de hoy, los miércoles serán el único día que quedarán publicados en el panel. Seguirá siendo una herramienta para ayudar a los padres a organizar el día de aprendizaje asincrónico de sus alumnos (miércoles), además de Google Classroom. Los lunes, martes, jueves y viernes, inicie en la sesión de Google Classroom para ver el horario y las tareas de su hijo.

Para obtener ayuda para ver las tareas y los horarios de su hijo en Google Classroom:

Video de Google Classroom (español)  

Video 2 de Google Classroom (español)

Obtener la aplicación de clase de Google

Nuestro Panel de Aprendizaje de CMS se ha actualizado para reflejar el miércoles 23.

Que tengan un bonito fin de semana, 

Sra.Gomez

(La traducción al español está abajo)

Sept 11th, 2020

Dear Crittenden Families,

In the spirit of our Crittenden Panther slogan What can you do today to brighten someone’s day? I want to ask you to take a few minutes to tell your students how proud you are of them for all of their hard work and perseverance. I also want to tell you that I could not be more thrilled to have the parent community we have at Crittenden. You have taken on the role of a teacher, mentor, and coach for your student. We appreciate you! I highly encourage you to take a few minutes to send a kind message to your child’s teachers. They have been working very hard and a message from you will certainly brighten their day. 

I’m excited to share with you that our librarian Ms.Engle has been working hard to create a connection with our students and sharing the love of reading with them. Please take a look at the Crittenden library website https://tengel4.wixsite.com/reviews that she created. She is also in the process of finding ways in which we can create a lending book library and book clubs. Stay tuned for more information. 

Our CMS Dashboard has been updated for the week of Sept.14th.  Please be on the lookout today for an important email from our district with an update on the  attendance and engagement process. 

In partnership, 

Mrs.Gomez

Principal

****************************

11 de Septiembre del 2020

Estimadas familias de Crittenden,

En el espíritu de nuestro lema Crittenden Panther ¿Qué puede hacer hoy para alegrarle el día a alguien? Quiero pedirles que se tomen unos minutos para decirles a sus estudiantes lo orgullosos que están de ellos por todo su arduo trabajo y perseverancia. También quiero decirles que no podría estar más emocionado de tener la comunidad de padres que tenemos en Crittenden. Ha asumido el papel de maestro, mentor y entrenador de su estudiante. ¡Los apreciamos! Le recomiendo encarecidamente que se tome unos minutos para enviar un mensaje amable a los maestros de su hijo. Han estado trabajando muy duro y un mensaje de usted sin duda les alegrará el día.

Me complace compartir con ustedes que nuestra bibliotecaria, la Sra. Angle, ha estado trabajando arduamente para crear una conexión con nuestros estudiantes y compartir el amor por la lectura con ellos. Eche un vistazo al sitio web de la biblioteca de Crittenden https://tengel4.wixsite.com/reviews  que creó. También está en el proceso de encontrar formas en las que podamos crear una biblioteca de préstamo de libros y clubes de lectura. Estén atentos para más información.

Nuestro panel de aprendizaje se ha actualizado para la semana del 14 de septiembre. Esté atento hoy para recibir un correo electrónico importante de nuestro distrito con una actualización sobre el proceso de asistencia y participación.

Sinceramente,

Señora Gomez

Directora

August 28th, 2020

Dear Crittenden Families, 

We are well on our way to a successful school year. I hope that by now your student has been able to feel more comfortable with navigating technology, establishing a daily routine, and creating connections with their teachers and classmates. As a parent myself, I have found that setting a morning routine has been the most important part of the day. My daughters and I spend a few minutes before class starts to engage in mindfulness activities to help us start our day with an open mind and calmness. I encourage you to find a strategy that can help you and our students start the day on a positive note. 

  Our CMS Dashboard has been updated for this week. Our teachers update the dashboard every Friday by 4pm. This will help you and our student plan and review the materials for the coming week. Be sure to also take a few minutes to review the weekly announcements posted on the dashboard. 

Since many of you had questions, we want to clarify our expectations for your student's physical education class. Physical education (PE) is a state requirement by law for students. Our PE teachers will continue to post five asynchronous lessons per week of PE.  We want to encourage students to get exercise, especially during this time of at-home learning. 

Students can complete PE during the 6th period afterschool or any other time during the week. Assigning PE in this timeframe gives students the flexibility to decide when they’ll complete a lesson. Students are responsible for completing 2 lessons each week.  They will submit assignments through Google Classroom to the teachers based on teachers’ directions. Grading will be pass/fail, rather than a letter grade, and will not affect students’ grade point averages. Please reach out to your child’s PE teacher if you have any questions. 

I am grateful for the continuous support from our community and the hard work of our dedicated educators. We truly are in this together.

In partnership, 

Mrs.Gomez

Crittenden Panther learning together, wherever we are.

28 de agosto de 2020

Estimadas familias de Crittenden,

Estamos bien encaminados hacia un año escolar exitoso. Espero que a estas alturas su estudiante se haya sentido más cómodo navegando  la tecnología, estableciendo una rutina diaria y creando conexiones con sus maestros y compañeros de clase. Como madre, he descubierto que establecer una rutina matutina ha sido la parte más importante del día. Mis hijas y yo pasamos unos minutos antes de que comience la clase para participar en actividades de atención plena para ayudarnos a comenzar el día con la mente abierta y la calma. Los animo a encontrar una estrategia que pueda ayudarlos a ustedes y a nuestros estudiantes a comenzar el día con una nota positiva.

Nuestro panel de aprendizaje el CMS Dashboard se ha actualizado para esta semana. Nuestros maestros actualizan el panel de aprendizaje todos los viernes a las 4 p.m. Esto le ayudará a usted y a nuestro estudiante a planificar y revisar los materiales para la próxima semana. Asegúrese también de tomarse unos minutos para revisar los anuncios semanales publicados en el panel.

Dado que muchos de ustedes tuvieron preguntas, queremos aclarar nuestras expectativas para la clase de educación física de su estudiante.

La educación física (PE) es un requisito estatal por ley para los estudiantes. Nuestros maestros de Educación Física continuarán publicando cinco lecciones asincrónicas por semana de educación física. Queremos animar a los estudiantes a hacer ejercicio, especialmente durante este tiempo de aprendizaje en casa.

Los estudiantes pueden completar la educación física durante el sexto período después de la escuela o en cualquier otro momento de la semana. Asignar la educación física en este período le da a los estudiantes la flexibilidad de decidir cuándo van a completar una lección. Los estudiantes son responsables de completar 2 lecciones cada semana.  Enviarán las tareas a través de Google Classroom a los profesores basándose en las instrucciones de los profesores. La calificación será de aprobado/reprobado, en lugar de una calificación de letras, y no afectará los promedios de calificación de los estudiantes.

Estoy agradecida por el apoyo continuo de nuestra comunidad y el arduo trabajo de nuestros dedicados educadores. Realmente estamos juntos en esto.

Atentamente, 

Sra.Gomez

Crittenden Panther aprendiendo juntos, dondequiera que estemos.

August 21st, 2020

Dear Crittenden Families,

We appreciate all of your hard work this week with troubleshooting and encouraging our students along the way. It’s great to know how positive our students are as they learn how to navigate this new way of learning. This week our teachers introduced and reviewed with our students the distance learning expectations, Google classroom, dashboard, and engaged in welcome week activities. 

We are continuing to use a dashboard this year. You may notice a different set up in our dashboard from our Spring dashboard.  In order to support our students with organization we have created a dashboard template that all teachers will use to add their classroom assignments.  Please take a few minutes to watch this video on where you can find the dashboard and helpful resources for parents. Our dashboard is updated every Friday by 4pm for the following week.  In addition, here is a  video  from one of our teachers in our district on how students can add their class zoom links to their google calendar. 

Please keep in mind that you can call our front office at (650) 903-6945 if you have any questions and or if you need to clear an absence. We understand that our students may have technical issues. We will do all in our power to troubleshoot with you or your student. We are all learning together and will continue to support each other. 

I hope that you find some time to relax this weekend. 

We are on our way to a great start to the school year. 

Crittenden Panthers learning together, wherever we are. 

In partnership,

Mrs.Gomez

Principal

21 de agosto de 2020

Estimadas familias de Crittenden,

Apreciamos todo su arduo trabajo esta semana para solucionar problemas y alentar a nuestros estudiantes en el camino. Es bonito saber lo positivos que son nuestros estudiantes mientras aprenden a navegar por esta nueva forma de aprendizaje. Esta semana, nuestros maestros presentaron a nuestros estudiantes las expectativas de aprendizaje a distancia,  Google classroom, el tablero de información y participaron en las actividades de la semana de bienvenida. 

Seguimos usando un panel de aprendizaje este año. Es posible que observe una configuración diferente en nuestro panel de aprendizaje de nuestro panel en la primavera. Para ayudar a nuestros estudiantes con la organización, hemos creado una plantilla de tablero que todos los maestros usarán para agregar sus tareas en el aula. Tómese unos minutos para ver este video sobre dónde puede encontrar el tablero de aprendizaje  y recursos útiles para los padres. Nuestro panel de aprendizaje se actualiza todos los viernes a las 4:00 p. m. para la semana siguiente. Además, aquí hay un video de una de nuestros maestros en nuestro distrito sobre cómo los estudiantes pueden agregar los enlaces de zoom de su clase a su calendario de Google. 

Tenga en cuenta que puede llamar a nuestra oficina principal al (650) 903-6945 si tiene alguna pregunta o si necesita aclarar una ausencia. Entendemos que nuestros estudiantes pueden tener problemas técnicos. Haremos todo lo que esté a nuestro alcance para solucionar problemas con usted o su estudiante. Todos estamos aprendiendo juntos y nos apoyaremos unos a otros. Espero que encuentre algo de tiempo para relajarse este fin de semana.

Estamos en camino a un gran comienzo de año escolar.

Crittenden Panthers aprendiendo juntos, dondequiera que estemos.

Señora Gomez

Directora

(La traducción al español está abajo)

August 3rd, 2020

Dear Crittenden Families,

As our new school year approaches, with our official first day of school on August 17th, I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome our new  families to Crittenden and welcome back our returning families. Please note below some important upcoming meetings in the next two weeks that will help you and your students be prepared for the first day of school. 

I hope you all had a safe and relaxing summer, and that you all got some well deserved rest. I had a great time with my family, going on long (socially distant) walks and doing lots of arts and crafts projects with my two young daughters.  

 We invite you join upcoming opportunities to learn more about the upcoming school year:

• MVWSD School Board meeting: Thursday, August 6th.  Information on how to view that Board Meeting can be found here.

• Superintendent Community Check In: Friday, August 7, 3:30 pm.  Register in advance for this meeting by clicking here.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

•  6th grade parent orientation Wednesday, Aug. 12th, 6:00-7:00pm: Register in advance for this meeting by clicking here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

• Principal’s Coffee: Thursday, August 13th at 3:30-4:30pm.  Register in advance for this  meeting by clicking here.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. 

• Principal’s Coffee (In Spanish) : August 13th at 6:00-7:00pm Register in advance for this  meeting by clicking here.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. 

Our staff is working diligently to get ready for our new school year. We will be sending an email in the next couple of weeks with information about materials, chromebook pick up, and access to your student’s class schedule. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. 

In partnership, 

Mrs.Gomez

Principal

3 de agosto de 2020

Estimadas familias de Crittenden:

A medida que se acerca nuestro nuevo año escolar, con nuestro primer día oficial de clases el 17 de agosto, me gustaría aprovechar esta oportunidad para dar la bienvenida a Crittenden a nuestras nuevas familias y darles la bienvenida a nuestras familias que regresan. Tenga en cuenta a continuación algunas reuniones importantes en las próximas dos semanas que lo ayudarán a usted y a sus estudiantes a prepararse para el año escolar.

Espero que todos hayan tenido un verano seguro y relajante, y que todos hayan tenido un merecido descanso. Yo me lo pasé muy bien con mi familia, haciendo largas caminatas (socialmente distantes) y haciendo muchos proyectos de manualidades con mis dos hijas pequeñas.

 Te invitamos a unirte a las próximas oportunidades para aprender más sobre el próximo año escolar:

• Reunión de la Junta Escolar de MVWSD: jueves 6 de agosto. Puede encontrar información sobre cómo ver esa reunión de la Junta aquí.

• Superintendente Registro comunitario: viernes 7 de agosto a las 3:30 p.m. Regístrese con anticipación para esta reunión haciendo clic aquí. Después de registrarse, recibirá un correo electrónico de confirmación con información sobre cómo unirse a la reunión.

•  Orientación para padres de sexto grado: miércoles 12 de agosto de las 6:00-7:00pm. Regístrese con anticipación para esta reunión haciendo clic aquí. Después de registrarse, recibirá un correo electrónico de confirmación con información sobre cómo unirse a la reunión.

• Café del director: jueves 13 de agosto a las 3: 30-4: 30pm. Regístrese con anticipación para esta reunión haciendo clic aquí. Después de registrarse, recibirá un correo electrónico de confirmación con información sobre cómo unirse a la reunión.

• Café con la Directora (En Espanol): 13 de agosto a las 6: 00-7:00pm Regístrese con anticipación para esta reunión haciendo clic aquí. Después de registrarse, recibirá un correo electrónico de confirmación con información sobre cómo unirse a la reunión.

Nuestro personal está trabajando diligentemente para prepararse para nuestro nuevo año escolar. Le enviaremos un correo electrónico en las próximas semanas con información sobre el material, la recolección de Chromebook y el acceso al horario de clases de su estudiante. No dude en contactarnos si tiene alguna pregunta.

Con agradecimiento,

Mrs.Gomez

Principal

May 4th, 2020

Dear Crittenden Families,

I hope that this email finds you and your family in good health and good spirit. 

Our CMS Dashboard has been updated for this week.  As we receive feedback from stakeholders we are doing what we can to adjust our Distance Learning plan in order to best support our students. As of this Friday, May 8th our teachers will be updating the dashboard every Friday by 4pm. This will help you and our student plan and review the materials for the coming week. Be sure to also take a few minutes to review the weekly announcements posted on the CMS Dashboard. 

This week’s reminders:

•  Teacher Appreciation Week  (Send a message to our teachers letting them know how much you appreciate them)
•  Spirit Week  (theme: May the 4th Be with You Spirit Week)

As we enter this extension of shelter in place my family and I have found that meditation has helped us be more mindful, grateful, and connected. We’ve engaged in reading daily positive quotes, listening to calming music before we start our day, and arts in crafts. I invite you to take some time to try some of these activities. I would love to hear what you and your family do to help you stay balanced.  Have a wonderful week. 

Sincerely, 

Mrs.Gomez

Principal

April 20, 2020

Hello Crittenden Families:

As we start our first week of our Distance Learning Plan, our team is committed to providing meaningful, engaging distance learning for your student. Though we miss seeing our students' faces in person every day, we hope to continue encouraging active participation from our students from a distance. We appreciate the amount of time and effort that our team of  educators have put into creating a sense of normalcy for our students.

Please take a moment to read the information about our Distance Learning Plan listed below:

Weekly Schedule:

•  Zoom Meetings: Teachers will be available Monday - Thursday to provide Zoom check in meetings. Purpose of Zoom Check-Ins: Non-academic 20 minute class meetings to give students opportunities to connect with peers and teachers; CMS Zoom Schedule;  Teachers shared this schedule with students last week. Zoom security measures  

• Teachers will post activities and work in Google Classroom for the entire week M-F. 

• Video Instruction: Students will receive instruction on new learning topics weekly by video. Lessons can be sent in different ways.  Some teachers may send a recorded video, ask students to watch an educational video explaining the content, some will provide live sessions, and some will do a combination of all three. Recorded videos provide instruction on key concepts and skills. Following the video, students will be directed to independent practice. If they need additional support, teachers are available during office hours or or by appointment.

• CMS Dashboard  will be updated weekly by teachers. The dashboard is intended to be a quick summary reference for you and our students of each teachers’ weekly assignments, activities, and resources. 

• Fridays will be reserved for staff meetings, professional development, collaboration and planning and there will be no student check-in meetings or office hours. Students will still have assignments on Friday.

Student feedback: Teachers will offer feedback on students' work. Although student assignments are not graded and students are not to be penalized for missed assignments or unfinished work, feedback on the work assigned for all students is really important to motivate and engage students in continuing to learn.

Student Schedule: Having a consistent routine will help your students stay on track with their class lessons as well as stay organized. Here are samples schedules that your student can follow during our distance learning. 

Parent Communication: Our Panther Blog’s are back! Starting this week our weekly parent email will be part of our Panther Blog. Please read our weekly Panther Blogs every Thursday for up to date information. 

Spirit Week: This is a great way to keep the Crittenden spirit alive. We had a fair amount of participation in our spirit week from students and staff last week, but we are hoping for more. I want to pass this along with the hope that you can encourage your student to participate in our spirit week. Please take a look at the weekly spirit week schedule : spirit week

I am grateful for the continuous support from our community and the hard work of our dedicated educators. We truly are in this together. 

Sincerely,

Sonia Gomez

Principal

April 14, 2020

Hello Panther Families, 

We are sure your Spring Break was not quite what you imagined, but we hope you took some time to relax, virtually connect with the family and friends, and engage in some self-care.

As you know, our Distance Learning Plan will start the week of April 20th. During Distance Learning instruction, students will be assigned work in both online platforms and on paper. While not mandatory, Thursday and Friday is your opportunity to get your children’s Language Arts and Math workbooks if you’d like them to work in both formats, or if your child does not have regular access to a computer and internet. Reminder to please fill out this Google Form  by today.  All the details are in our previous email that you can read here. 

I’m sure that by now you have established a new routine for you and your family. I know first hand that working from home with children brings an added complexity. In my previous emails I shared tips with you on how to establish routines, engage in fun and creative activities, and ways to practice self-care. We recently put together a document with various activities that the whole family can engage in during this shelter in place. I tried a few of these activities with my family last week, and we had a lot of fun. It’s important to find a balance during this health crisis. Attached you will find the  document with a list of fun ideas. 

Some of you may be having a hard time getting your kids to sleep at "normal" times. Here are some ways you can maintain a healthy sleep routine for your child. 

1. Shut off all electronics before bed

This is a tough one for most teens, but is so important especially now. We should all stop using electronic devices at least an hour before going to bed. If the kids need a reason, the research shows that “The blue light emitted from electronics tricks your brain into thinking it’s day time and your body decreases the amount of melatonin it secretes, which makes it more difficult to fall asleep.” Encourage reading or playing cards before bed instead. This is a great opportunity to connect and start new habits.

2. Don’t fall asleep with the TV on or using Cell phones

Students sometimes say the soft sounds of a television, or music from their phones helps them fall asleep, but having the TV makes the quality of sleep suffer. Kids won't feel rested with all of that background noise. This is a great opportunity to get TVs (and all electronics) out of the bedroom! Phones should not be allowed in bedrooms for middle schoolers. Instead, make a charging station where they need to be checked in by 9:00pm. For those who say they need their phones for an alarm in the morning, this is a great time to call that bluff. 

3. Set a regular sleep schedule and stick to it

Especially in these uncertain times, our body clock needs regularity. An hour later on weekends is reasonable, but treat weekdays like the school days that they are. School is not typical at the moment, but learning is still in session.

Middle School electives selection coming soon:

It is the time of year when our incoming middle school students choose their electives for next year. As we enter the third year of the new inclusive middle school schedule, our middle schools are currently working to provide quality offerings that we hope will pique students’ interests and a great complement to our core academics.

Parents will receive an email on April 24 with course descriptions and selection directions. All 5th-7th graders will preference their course electives online through Powerschool on April 29-May 8, 2020. 6th & 7th grade students received information and the application for Leadership, WEB, and College Bound a couple of weeks ago. Please remind your student that they need to submit their application by Friday, April 17th. 

 Please know that we are thinking of you and your families. We hope that you and your family stay in good health and good spirits. 

Thank you and always remember

Crittenden Panthers are

 Positive People

Actively Engaged

Working Together, and

Striving for Excellence

 Mrs. Gomez,

Principal, Crittenden Middle School

April 10, 2020

Hello Panthers Families, 

I am encouraged by the positive feedback I am hearing from our students, parents and staff as we are all adjusting to this unprecedented situation. In that light, I would like to follow up on the email from Dr. Rudolph that went out yesterday, Thursday, April 9th describing our Distance Learning Plan (DLP), which starts on Monday, April 20. 

• The Distance Learning Plan access for all students with both e-learning using the internet and at-home learning using consumable materials, such as workbooks.                  

Our administrative team and staff have arranged a plan for how you can access these consumables if you don’t have a device or Internet. For next week we have arranged a drive-through car line in the back of the school (gym-parking lot drop-off area). If you need to pick up these consumables, we ask that you take a few minutes to complete this Google Form by Tuesday, April 14th. Bags of consumable will only be prepared for individuals that complete the Google form.  This will help us plan accordingly. We will have a bag with your student’s Eureka and Language Arts (StudySync) workbook to give to you when you drive up. 

The pick up guidelines, dates, and times are as follows:

• Parents will stay in the car until approached by a school staff member.
• Parents will say their child's name and math level to a staff member.
• Staff will approach the car with the student bag of consumables. Parents will release the trunk or back hatch of the vehicle, and a staff member will put the bag in the trunk.
• Parents will drive to the back of the school drop-off/pick-up area (behind the gym) during the time you indicated on the Google form indicated above.

Pick-up Dates & Times: 

• Friday, April 17th 1:00 - 3:00 pm in the gym parking lot

• Thursday, April 16th 10:00am - 12:00 pm in the gym parking lot

During the week of April 13, Flexible Learning Options will continue for students. Please be sure to check out our CMS Dashboard on our website under What's New. This Dashboard will provide weekly updates that parents and students can reference all in one place. You will be able to click on any teacher, by subject, and it will take you straight to their page. Teachers will be updating this weekly. Keep in mind that your student will still continue to receive emails and Google Classroom updates - this dashboard is intended to be a quick summary reference for you and our students. If you would like to access Google Classroom from your phone, please download the app. Directions for downloading the app can be found here.

I can assure you that the Crittenden staff and our District Office are working hard to provide the best possible support for our students. We appreciate you and our students, for your continuous support, patience, and flexibility as we work through this public health crisis. 

Sincerely, 

Mrs.Gomez

Principal

Crittenden Panthers will continue being

Positive People

Actively Engaged

Working Together, and

Striving for Excellence

March 31, 2020

"Friends and Teachers are like stars. You don't always see them, but they are always there" 

Hello Panthers,    

I continue to be amazed at the strength of our staff, families, and community during these difficult and unprecedented times. 

    As a friendly reminder, please note that staff and students will be on Spring Break next week from April 6th to April 10th. As you may know, per the letter from our Superintendent Ayinde Rudolph, the school closure has been extended to May 1st with students to return on Monday, May 4th. Please check in regularly for updates at the district website here.

    We are continuing to adjust and augment how we communicate with our students and families, but don’t forget the tools we already have in place, such as the main page of our website for news and events. One change that is coming after Spring Break will be a dashboard in Google Docs that parents and students can reference all their resources in one place. You will be able to click on any teacher, by subject, and it will take you straight to their page which will have their latest flexible learning options and resources. Teachers will be updating this weekly. Keep in mind that your student will still continue to receive emails and Google Classroom updates- this dashboard is intended to be a quick summary reference for your and our students. On April 13th, Look for Learning Resources on our website under the “What’s new” section.

Another resource that I recommend everyone take advantage of is our teaching staff’s office hours. Each teacher has set aside specific times each day in which their students can contact them with specific questions, if they need guidance, or if they just need the support that only their teacher can provide. We have put together a quick reference guide that you can download here: Teacher Office Hours

During these stressful times, having an academic routine is important, but it is just as important to spend time on activities that strengthen social and emotional support. Part of keeping a consistent routine is to remember the importance of taking breaks and getting needed rest and relaxation. Many families are having “virtual reunions” using Zoom online meetings or Facetime- it’s a great way to stay connected to your loved ones. To add to the links we sent out last week to assist you in planning your daily activities, Project Cornerstone (YMCA) sent out a link for kindness and even cooking suggestions. Check it out here: 

https://www.ymcasv.org/covid-19-resource-center/project-cornerstone-virtual-resources. 

As with everything these days, we are all learning as we are going, and responding to the changes of the times as they come. Please know that while we all may be separated by distance, Crittenden is still here for our students and families and we are working hard every day on their behalf.  We miss our students and families. Stay safe, healthy, and in good spirits!

Crittenden Panthers will continue being

Positive People

Actively Engaged

Working Together, and

Striving for Excellence

 Mrs. Gomez,

Principal, Crittenden Middle School

March 24, 2020

Hello Panthers, 

First and foremost I hope that you and your loved ones are healthy.  

As we start our second week of school closure and students engage in the flexible learning options. I hope that everyone is transitioning well.  As you may now I have two daughters, I recognize what this transition is like for the whole family. We also understand that things may be getting a little challenging at home as our kids may be getting restless. While kids this age can be quite good at finding things to do in their free time, they are still young enough to need guidance. We here at Crittenden are dedicated to providing your students with many resources, both for learning and to pass the time in a constructive way. Our wonderful teachers have shared useful learning resources with our students. Ask your kids to check in on Google Classroom and emails to find them. Starting this week our teachers have been remotely doing the following for their students and families- this is a great way to stay connected:

1. Share weekly activities on Mondays on Google Classroom, email and/or other platforms that are designed for their students, as well as serve as resources for parents.
2. Set up daily virtual office hours for families to assist with questions, concerns or other items.  This will be a two-hour block of time each day that you can connect with teachers. 
3. Personal messages to our students and families at least two times per week (This includes Special Education teachers, case managers and STEAM teachers). The format can be video, email, or audio.  

    Of course, we are not recommending days of all work and no play! Finding leisure time while sheltering can be a challenge, and our counselors have come up with some great suggestions. Here are just a few: 

https://www.kqed.org/arts/13877094/8-calming-livecams-of-kittens-penguins-jellyfish-and-more - Calming Livecams

https://www.paacf.org/collage-with-sam-price.html Virtual art classes for kids

https://www.warner.rochester.edu/newsevents/story/2565/rochester-school-counseling-expert-offers-tips-to-help-parents-support-kids-during-covid-19-outbreak How parents can help support kids

https://www.mindfulschools.org/free-online-mindfulness-class-for-kids/?fbclid=IwAR2-mUsOabJ2a3zoLFvEDXRtZSlUPAcWJG7zV6toIhdZw4YlDpyBaPaTqrM - Mindfuless classes for kids

https://www.inkpug.com/coloringpages - Pug coloring pages

https://www.mindfulschools.org/video/train-your-brain-to-be-kinder/ - Sending Kind Thoughts to others

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dogNpG2XVSE - Yoga for ages 11-13

Together, we will embark on this new journey to ensure your student is not only learning, but to ensure health and wellness to support them during these difficult times. Ms.Carter (counselor) is available and would love to hear the fun activities that your student tries. I will be sending students an email this week with some of these fun activities. 

I want to thank you for all of your support and patience as we develop the best educational plan for our students as possible. 

Thank you, and remember, Crittenden Panthers are

Positive People

Actively Engaged

Working Together, and

Striving for Excellence

 Ms. Gomez,

Principal, Crittenden Middle School

March 19, 2020

Hello Panthers, 

I hope this email is finding you and your family doing well. This is the first of several regular emails and communications that I will be sharing with you in order to stay in touch and keep you informed. Please know that while we are taking these important measures to keep our students and our community safe, Crittenden and MVWSD are still working hard to provide our students with the education and support that they need. 

Our community is strong and resilient, and together we will make this work. 

Yesterday we passed out work packets so that the students can continue with their learning while they are at home. You can also download the workpackets and review updates by clicking here. Please stay in contact as things develop. Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to me. 

Here are some suggestions for helping your middle schooler through shelter in place:  They might have the temptation to stay up too late, or spend too much time on social media. One way you can help make it manageable is to keep a consistent routine that is similar to their typical school days. Wake up early, have a good breakfast, and get started on schoolwork on time. Encourage them to watch a Khan Academy or YouTube video on the subject. For more guidance, you can refer to the District’s recommended schedule, as shown below. 

In addition, none of us can forget the importance of physical activity. Remember that outdoor activity is allowed- provided you avoid groups and practice social distancing of at least 6 feet. Go for a long walk or a hike, or a bike ride in the neighborhood. Try to get at least 20 minutes of outdoor activity each day. 

Please know that we are thinking of you and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions. 

Thank you, and remember, Crittenden Panthers are

Positive People

Actively Engaged

Working Together, and

Striving for Excellence

 Ms. Gomez,

Principal, Crittenden Middle School

Dear Parents,

The news about the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to evolve. The District is communicating regularly with the County of Santa Clara Department of Public Health. In order to help keep our students and staff members healthy, MVWSD is postponing or cancelling non-essential events in March. Some of these events include performances, meetings, field trips and fundraisers. 

The following events will be postponed and their status revisited after spring break:

Please reach out to me if you have further questions or concerns. The District’s coronavirus information and communications are found at https://www.mvwsd.org/coronavirus.

Respectfully,

Sonia Gomez

Principal, Crittenden Middle School