Hello Panthers! Please read your weekly newsletter below. Here is a quick summary of this week’s message followed with further details:
October 7, 2021
Crittenden News:
-October lunch menu
-SSC elections
-P1 Progress Reports
-Monthly Study Skills Workshop
-PowerSchool uploads
-Virtual Principal Coffee (Rescheduled)
-October 11 and 12 (No School)
-Athletics
-Social-Emotional Learning Tips
-Parent University Event
District News:
-Board meeting Preview: Oct. 7
-Superintendent's Community Check In on Friday
-Parent University: Supporting Math at Home Grades 3-8
-COVID updates: Testing and PowerSchool uploads
-Better Together: Seeking Multiple Perspectives
-Online Wellness Center and October Wellness calendar
-No school for students on October 11 and 12
-Up the effectiveness of kids’ COVID masks
-MVEF Relies on Parents Like You!
-Disaster Preparedness
-Joint Letter from county officials Dr. Cody and Dr. Dewan
-SMART Goals
-Mentor Tutor Connection Volunteer Information Session - Thursday, October 14th
-Eviction Help Center at MV Public Library
-MV Public Library Event
Hello Crittenden Families,
It’s hard to believe that more than seven weeks have passed since we began the 2021-22 school year, and our students are making remarkable progress. Our staff has gone the extra mile to create engaging classwork, projects, and instruction. We appreciate your partnership as we could not do this without your support.
I’m proud to share that our Pilot Pool Testing began Tuesday, October 5th. We are happy to say our nurses were able to finish within the allotted time frame and our students were able to follow instruction with ease thus we would like to emphasize the importance of having your student arrive on time in order for them to not delay or miss the testing period.
As we continue to focus on monthly character traits October will be focused on INTEGRITY; doing the right thing even when it's hard or when no one is looking. We encourage families to have conversations about what INTEGRITY looks like and to describe a time they felt it was being tested.
Crittenden News:
October lunch menu
We all deserve a good meal to keep us going through the day. Our kitchen staff has been hard at work to find new ways to make our school food exciting and inviting by offering a variety of options each month. Please see the link to October's menu
School Site Council Elections
Please take a few minutes to vote for our school site council candidates using this link.
P1 Progress Reports
Your student can now view their P1 progress report grades in PowerSchool. We highly encourage students to use this time to reflect on their progress and celebrate their accomplishments. In addition, we ask that you work with your students if they are struggling to keep up with their assignments and or organization. Trimester 1 ends on Nov.5th
Monthly Study Skills Workshop
In an effort to support our students and their continued learning of skills. Our school counselor, Ms. Hinojosa will be hosting monthly Study Skills Workshops to support our students' academic success. The first workshop will take place on Thursday, October 28th right after school from 2:30-3:30 pm in room 205. The first workshop topic will be Organization and Time Management. Through the use of presentations, resources, tips, activities and independent time to work, the workshops will cover different fundamental skills to ensure student success in middle school and for life! Please email [email protected] to reserve a spot for your student.
PowerSchool uploads
PowerSchool Uploads: Parents can now upload to PowerSchool the important COVID documents that will help expedite students’ return to school after a COVID exposure. Please take a moment now to upload your documentation. After logging in to https://ps.mvwsd.org/public, parents will be able to click on the “COVID reporting” icon to upload:
- Students’ proof of COVID vaccination and
- Past positive COVID test. Here’s how to upload.
Virtual Principal’s Coffee (Rescheduled)
We apologize for the inconvenience, but we will reschedule the principal’s coffee due to overlap of the principal’s coffee and overlap of a district event. The new date for our principal’s coffee is Tuesday, October 19th from 6:00-7:00pm. We will review our D1 iReady data, school goals for the year, and SEL updates. Please pre-register for the meeting by using the following link -Registration link
No school for students on October 11 and 12
Monday, October 11th is a recess day (no school for students and staff). Tuesday, October 12th is a staff development day, which means no school for students but a staff development/work day for teachers,
Athletics
Girls Volleyball sign ups are still happening! The deadline is tomorrow Friday, October 8th . Sign up sheets are posted outside Ms. Hinojosa’s Office (Guidance Counselors Office). Permission slips will only be sent out to students who indicated interest or click here.
Tryouts will be held October 13 and 14th from 3:45pm-5:15pm in the gym. Permission slips are required for tryout eligibility.
Want another way to get involved in your Panthers life?! You have an opportunity! If there are any parents or folks who are interested in coaching, we are still looking for coaches for all three of our girls volleyball teams. Please apply at this link - https://www.applitrack.com/mvwsd/onlineapp/JobPostings/view.asp?FromAdmin=true&AppliTrackJobId=1744
Thank you for supporting our Panther Athletes!
Make-up Picture Day
As we mentioned in the last panther newsletter we had a tentative date for make-ups. Unfortunately, Lifetouch has informed us that they had an issue with the lab that was developing our students' pictures which has caused a delay in receiving them. We are pending a new make-up date. We will notify you as soon as a date has been finalized. The great news is that we recently received the student ID cards. They will be distributed in class next week. Thank you very much for your patience and understanding.
SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) Tips
A message from our school Guidance Counselor, Ms.Hinojosa -
Asking for help can sometimes be difficult for our students and knowing where and how to get help is an important problem-solving skill. How can you support your students at home with getting them more comfortable with asking for help?
Here are some tips:
- Engage your child in a conversation on the importance and difficulties of asking for help.
How do you know when you need help?
How do you know who to ask for help?
What kinds of things do you typically ask for help on?
- Explain that asking for help may be difficult, as we sometimes view it as a sign of weakness. But strategic requests for help are actually a sign of resourcefulness.
- Explain that your child's teachers want their classrooms to be a space where students feel comfortable asking for help.
- Ask your child to identify a problem they could use help on right now, and someone who might be able to help. This might be an expert, a family member, a teacher, a friend, etc.
- Ask students to craft a written request for help. The most effective requests for help are specific, measurable, actionable, results-focused, and time-bound. These requests can be via email or even on a piece of paper for practice!
- Ask your child to practice their requests out loud with you at home, if they are comfortable. What was it like to write the requests? How do they feel now?
- Have each student plan to deliver their request for help before the next class.
After some time has passed, check back with your child to ensure that they requested and received the help that they needed.
Parent University: Supporting math at home grades 3-8
Date and Time: October 13, 2021, 5:30-7:00 p.m. Registration Link: http://mvw.sd/pu101321
Join Principal Heidi Galassi (former math teacher and coach), Instructional Coach Ranen Bhattacharya, and our friends from YUP, the on-demand online math tutoring app, to learn about how you can better support your young mathematicians at home. The math seed you plant now will blossom and help them to succeed in life whatever path they choose!
To submit questions prior to the event, go to mvw.sd/questions. We will do our best to address your question during the session.
Note: While the title indicates that this will focus on students in grades 3-8, everyone is welcome to attend. Please also check out last year’s math-related Parent University event, which focused more on supporting the lower grades: Video (English) // Presentation slides (English)
Upcoming Events:
October
10/11 Recess Day (No School)
10/12 Teacher Service Day (No School)
10/13-10/14 Girls Volleyball Tryouts (in gym 3:45-5:15pm)
10/19 Virtual Principals Coffee (6:00-7:00 pm)
10/28 Monthly Study Skills Workshop (2:30-3:30pm)
In partnership,
Mrs.Gomez
Principal
What can you do today to help others feel valued, cared for, safe, and included at Crittenden?
District Announcements:
Board meeting Preview: Oct. 7
The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. Some of the meeting’s topics include:
- Equitable Access to Choice Schools
- Learning Recovery Plan Update
- Enrollment Update
- ESSER III Expenditure Plan and Safe Return Plan
Agenda and meeting details are: http://mvw.sd/c54jS. The meeting is also streamed on www.youtube.com/mvwsd.
Superintendent's Community Check In on Friday
Please join us for our Community Check-In with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Friday, Oct. 8 at 3:30 p.m. Bring your questions. Click here to register: http://mvw.sd/sZD6Z. To plan ahead, please see this webpage for upcoming meeting dates: https://www.mvwsd.org/about/communications/news___events/connecting_with_the_community. In case you miss it, a video recording will be posted on this webpage.
COVID updates: Testing and PowerSchool uploads
Upcoming testing: Full-scale COVID pooled testing for students is coming this month. Please check your email for important information on this topic from MVWSD. Click here for a video showing what student testing will look like.
PowerSchool Uploads: Parents, please take a moment now to upload to PowerSchool the important COVID documents that will help expedite students’ return to school after a COVID exposure. After logging in to https://ps.mvwsd.org/public, parents will be able to click on the “COVID reporting” icon to upload 1) students’ proof of COVID vaccination and 2) Past positive COVID test. Here’s how to upload. Let us know if you have trouble accessing PowerSchool.
Better Together: Seeking Multiple Perspectives
FLYER: Better Together
The focus of October’s Better Together infographic is “Seeking Multiple Perspectives.” When individuals examine issues from a different point of view, they are able to think more critically and question dominant beliefs. Please see the graphics attached to this newsletter, or visit https://www.mvwsd.org/bettertogetherMVWSD.
Online Wellness Center and October Wellness calendar
MVWSD now has a Virtual Wellness Center on mvwsd.org. At https://www.mvwsd.org/wellness, there is information on physical health, as well as resources for families, students, and employees about sustaining well-being and for accessing care when it is needed.
On the Virtual Wellness Center landing page, you will find Community Resources and monthly Wellness Calendars. The printable October wellness calendar features a tip a day to help you and your family stay well.
In the Physical Health section: Health Screenings, Teen Health Education, Vaccinations, Health Insurance for Children, Health Resources and Forms, as well as various other physical health related information.
In the Mental Health section: Info on immediate mental health crisis needs, mental health literacy, and information on how to take charge of your mental health.
Up the effectiveness of kids’ COVID masks
Please click here for tips.
MVEF Relies on Parents Like You!
Please donate to MVEF to help us reach our annual $800,000 fundraising goal and raise an additional $300,000 to fund two ELA teachers to reduce class sizes at the middle schools in 2022-23. Please see the website at mvef.org for more information and to donate online. You can use your credit card to pay in monthly installments.
Disaster Preparedness: Make a Plan
It’s important to take time to prepare for community disasters and emergencies. Asking a few questions of yourself will help guide the creation of an emergency plan:
- How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?
- What is my shelter plan?
- What is my evacuation route?
- What is my family/household communication plan?
- Have I updated my emergency plans due to COVID-19?
As you make your emergency plan, be sure to stay informed. Getting verified information from trusted sources is extremely important before, during, and after an event or emergency. Sign up to get free text or email alerts from AlertSCC, the County of Santa Clara’s official emergency alert and warning system.
Planning for the unexpected begins with the whole family and should be a household conversation. Ready.gov provides age-appropriate tools for parents and teachers to teach emergency preparedness to both kids and teenagers.
Joint Letter from county officials Dr. Cody and Dr. Dewan
Santa Clara County Health Officer and Director Dr. Cody and County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dewan emphasize the importance of in-person learning for our youth and offer ways to stay healthy. Click here for the letter.
SMART Goals - Creating and Troubleshooting IEP Goals that Work
FLYER: SmartGoals
IEP Goals are written in very specific language and it can be difficult to see how the goals relate to concrete skills and goals for your child. Learn more about SMART Goals and how they work with Professor Anne Spillane of University of Massachusetts Global.
What: Parent Education Event and Discussion
When: Tuesday, October 19, 7-8:30 PM
Where: On Zoom, email [email protected] for link
Mentor Tutor Connection Volunteer Information Session - Thursday, October 14th
You can change the life of a student! Come learn about volunteer opportunities to Mentor high school students and Tutor students in grades K-8 in our Mountain View and Los Altos schools. Becoming a Mentor or Tutor will add joy to your life and help a student in our local community to a brighter future!
There is no obligation to sign up as a volunteer. You're welcome to just come and learn more about what we do.
All volunteers must be high school graduates.
Date: Thursday, October 14th
Time: 5:30 - 6:30 pm
Location: Online via Zoom (URL provided upon registration)
Register: REGISTER ONLINE
Questions: programs@mentortutorconnection.org
Information: MentorTutorConnection.org
Eviction Help Center at MV Public Library
FLYER: Eviction Help Center
The City of Mountain View hosts a help center at the MV Public Library with city staff, CSA, and Project Sentinel to provide residents with rent assistance, eviction help, legal resources, and other support services. There are multiple representatives that speak Spanish. The help center is available every Thursday from 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the Mountain View Public Library on the 2nd Floor, Room 205. For more information, contact [email protected] or visit mountainview.gov/COVID19HousingRelief.
MV Public Library Event: Learn + Explore with Science Comics Author Jason Viola
On Tuesday, Oct. 12 from 1-2 p.m., join the MV Public Library for an interactive look at how Science Comics are made with graphic novel author Jason Viola. Recommended for children ages 7-12. Registration required: mountainview.gov/librarycalendar.
Science Comics
FLYER: Science Comics
Join and learn how science comics are created with graphic novel author Jason Viola.
Thank you for your support!