Panther Blog Apr 28

Crittenden blog header

Hello Panthers! Please read your weekly newsletter below.  Here is a quick summary of this week’s message followed with further details:

April 28th, 2022 

Crittenden News:
-CAASPP Testing

-A message from our PTA

-Summer Projects

-Library News

 

District News:
-Please share and rate thoughts before May 4: Safety ThoughtExchange

-Interpreters and Translators Needed!
-Two Upcoming Parent University Events

-MVWSD Celebrates Its Reclassified Students!

-April Better Together Infographic Flyer 

-Senior Citizens/SSI recipients: Apply now for tax exemption

-Health and Wellness Tip: Changing Your Thoughts

-Día de los Niños with MV Public Library Flyer 

Dear Crittenden Families,

We have so many end of the year activities, one being our annual Lion King Junior musical which will be performed in late May! Ms. Rzepiela (our music teacher) and our students are rehearsing away.

However, they are in need of volunteers to help with other aspects of the musical beyond the actors -costumes, sets, props, etc. If you would like to help and participate in any of these areas, please contact our musical volunteer coordinator: Sandi Juliano ([email protected]). 

 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Gomez

Crittenden Middle School Principal

What can you do today to help others feel valued, cared for, safe, and included at Crittenden?

 

Crittenden News:
 

CAASPP Testing

Friendly reminder: Testing for all grade levels begins next week, May 2nd: We have scheduled a 90 minute block (M,T,W,& F) for testing. ELA will start next week and Math will be the week of May 9th. We will conclude our testing window the week of May 16th with i-Ready. 

 

Please remind your child to come to school prepared with a fully charged chromebook and wired headphones. This will assure your student is able to test without delays and are successful in completing their tests.

A message from our PTA

Teacher and staff appreciation week is next week, and the PTA is creating appreciation cards for our teachers and staff. Please help us by taking just a couple minutes to fill out this short form for each teacher, aide, or office staff member who has helped you or your child this year. These personalized messages will be put together into a card for each staff member as a reminder of how much their work matters for our children. Share your feedback by the end of day on Tuesday, May 3, so we can finalize the cards. 

https://forms.gle/34We19SuKqFPrCGp8

Summer Projects
This summer our campus will be having a few projects worked on:

Solar:

Solar panels will be installed in arrays on rooftops and on a structure over the auditorium parking lot on Rock Street. Solar panels to save the district $600,000 annually in electrical costs.

HVAC:

Aging HVAC units will be replaced. The existing HVAC system has already been updated to include MERV-13 filters, which is the highest-grade filter available for our units.

Electrical:

The main breakers will be replaced as part of the school's electrical upgrade. Campus will be without power during this work.

Lighting:

New lights and/or bollard style light posts will be installed to illuminate pedestrians’ path of travel between campus and parking lots. The light locations were determined by photometric survey data. This additional lighting is an important safety measure for staff members and guests using the campus in the evenings and winter late afternoons. https://mvwsd.novusagenda.com/AgendaPublic/CoverSheet.aspx?ItemID=2297&MeetingID=138

Security Cameras:

Security cameras in public areas will be installed at all school sites as a way to increase safety for students and staff members by deterring misconduct and preventing vandalism. Members of the schools’ communities were engaged in a series of feedback meetings in Winter 2022.

Paving:

Due to damage from adjacent trees, a section of the existing asphalt parking lot off Middlefield Rd will be removed and replaced to provide a flat, safe surface. We will try to save all trees but if the roots are too disrupted we may need to remove some of the trees. During construction, there will be no car entrance off of Middlefield Road. Sports Center parking will be accessible from Rock Street.

Gate Locks:

Last year, new fencing and gates were added in order to completely enclose the campus and to match existing fencing. This summer, pending material availability, a lock management system will be added to the gates. With the installation of the automatic locking/unlocking gates, the public will continue to have access to fields in the evenings and on weekends. The purpose of the perimeter controls is to limit points of entry during school hours and secure campuses during school hours when students are present. Additionally, this fall, staff members will be able to access classrooms and offices using key cards, instead of keys.

Library News

It’s nearly the end of the school year and the library needs your help to make sure all its books are returned. These books include any class novels, textbooks, and any library books. 

 

Mr.Neal (School Librarian) has sent an email to those with overdue books.

 

The last day to checkout a library book will be May 6th. You can contact Mr.Neal at ([email protected]) if you have any questions.

 

Upcoming Events:

May
5/2-5/20 CAASPP & i-ready Testing

5/27 End of Trimester (Minimum Day)
5/30 Memorial Day (No School)

 

District News:
 

Please share and rate thoughts before May 4: Safety ThoughtExchange

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 recording 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.
 

Please click here to participate in a ThoughtExchange about safety: my.thoughtexchange.com/scroll/545040823. Your participation is confidential. Please share and come back often to rate new ideas until the exchange closes on May 4.

 

Interpreters and Translators Needed!

Looking for a part-time job with a positive social impact? Are you bilingual in Spanish, Korean, Russian, Vietnamese, Tagalog, or ASL (Sign Language)?  MVWSD is now hiring organized and friendly individuals to become interpreters and translators for school and district events, documents, and parent meetings.  To find out more, click here: http://mvw.sd/translators
 

Two Upcoming Parent University Events

1. 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.

2. High School Readiness

Date and Time: May 11, 2022, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Registration Link: https://mvw.sd/pu051122

Do you have a child who is about to enter high school? Join us at our final Parent University session of the year to learn about high school campus life from students and staff at Los Altos High School and Mountain View High School. You and your child will hear tips from the experts about how to make the transition as smooth as possible and get the most out of your high school experience. You do not want to miss out! 

To submit questions prior to the event, go to mvw.sd/questions. We will do our best to address your question during the session.
 

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 [email protected] or (650) 526-3500 x1121. Congratulations!
 

April Better Together Infographic

Flyer 

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.
 

Senior Citizens/SSI recipients: Apply now for tax exemption

Homeowners aged 65 or older, and residents who qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) who reside in the Mountain View Whisman School District are eligible for an exemption for their principal residence from Measure B/parcel tax.
 

An exemption from Measure B/the parcel tax will be made available, upon application, to any owners of a parcel used solely for owner-occupied single-family residential purposes who:

* are receiving Social Security Income for a disability regardless of age;

* are 65 years of age prior to July 1 of the tax year; or

* are receiving Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, regardless of age, and whose yearly income does not exceed 250% of the 2012 federal poverty guidelines issued by the United States Department of Health and Human Services
 

For application and information, call 650-526-3500 or visit https://www.mvwsd.org.

 

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: 

1.
Catch it. When you feel upset, pause and ask yourself, “What words or phrases are running through my mind right now?”

2.
Check it. Consider whether the thought you are having is helpful or not. 

 

3. Change it. If you are having an unhelpful thought, consider other ways of looking at the situation. Reframe your thoughts 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.
 

Día de los Niños with MV Public Library
Flyer 

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.

 

Thank you!!

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