Hello Panthers,
Students are doing well as we progress through the new school year. I am happy and confident when I see the results of everyone’s hard work.
Nevertheless, as we continue to improve our distance learning plan our staff is dedicated to learning new strategies to continue engaging our students. They have been working hard to add tools to their tool belts and implementing engagement strategies in class. Our staff will continue to engage in various professional development throughout the year in order to continue creating a rigorous academic environment.
Our staff and I miss having our students on campus and hope to continue creating a strong community this year in spite of being apart. We are confident that our students will continue to follow the Crittenden slogan What can you do to brighten someone's day? even from a distance. We know that Crittenden students will continue to thrive and rise to the challenge. I will be hosting a lunch with the Principal for our students on Wednesday, September 16 between 12-1pm. This will provide students with the opportunity to ask me questions and/or to share how distance learning is going for them. I will email students the zoom link on Monday.
Message from our district:
If you haven’t had a chance to join the MVWSD conversation Distance Learning: What's working? We’re now up to 1200 thoughts so far. There are some important considerations! Please rate the thoughts in the Star step to help us better understand what's most important to you. Before Thursday, Sept 17: Please take some time to participate or rejoin the conversation to star thoughts entered since you were there last. Now that we've been distance learning for several weeks due to COVID-19, in your opinion, what’s working well and what are our areas of improvement? You may participate in this exchange by clicking on this link: http://mvw.sd/TE. Translation is available in multiple languages. Your input will help us further improve and refine our plans as we move into the future.
Here is a tip for distance learning from our district:
Distance Learning tip: How can I set sound alerts so that my student doesn’t miss a class meeting?
To have sound, Chromebook users will need to make sure their Google Calendar settings are set correctly. The instructions below will show how to change the notification setting.
- Go to the following page: calendar.google.com/calendar/r/settings
- On the left side of the page under "General" choose "Event Settings"
- Make sure the "Notifications" are set to "Desktop Notifications" and that the play notification sounds button is checked. This should have the calendar play sound when events trigger
See below for an important message from our PTA.
Thank you all and have a great weekend.
Crittenden Panthers learning together, wherever we are.
Mrs. Gomez
Principal
Join us for our first PTA Meeting
On behalf of the Crittenden Middle School PTA, welcome to the 2020-21 school year! While there are still many unknowns about this year, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our students, families, and educators.
Join us on Tuesday, September 15th at 6:30pm with our first PTA meeting where we will host the candidates for school board trustee. See below for the Zoom login information
This year, the Crittenden PTA will continue to support our teachers with classroom funds, provide enrichment opportunities for our students, and help our community stay connected. Your support is needed now more than ever. Please visit our website at http://crittenden.mvwsd.org/pta and
- Join the Crittenden PTA by becoming a member for just $11.00
- Donate to the Crittenden PTA annual fund--our suggested donation is $200 per student, but we appreciate any amount that works for your budget
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we expect that the needs of our teachers, staff, and students will be different than in previous years; however, we also know that PTA funds will be crucial in providing the best experiences and opportunities for our students. If you are able, please consider donating because even though we are Distance Learning, the PTA is still actively funding enrichment activities, online learning tools, and more.
The PTA is a powerful voice for all children, a relevant source of information for families and communities, and a strong advocate for the education and well-being of every child. We are fortunate to have an active PTA at Crittenden. Again, we invite you to join the PTA, and we encourage you to become involved and support our children as they transition to becoming independent individuals!
Sincerely,
Laryssa Polika-Engle, Mara Wildfeuer, & the Crittenden Middle School PTA
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84495556052?pwd=Sm1jUmhCQ3B2WCtXZ1lGT01wcGVCUT09
Meeting ID: 844 9555 6052
Passcode: 558762
Phone: +1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kb3PYnN932
UPCOMING EVENTS:
15 SEP, THU
6:30 – 8:30pm
Crittenden PTA Meeting
16 SEP, THU
12:00 – 1:00pm
Crittenden Lunch with Principal
17 SEP, THU
6 – 7pm
Crittenden ELAC Meeting
12 OCT, MON
Recess Day: No School
22 OCT, THU
6 – 7pm
Crittenden ELAC Meeting
6 NOV, FRI
End of Trimester One
DISTRICT ANNOUNCEMENTS
The free meal program has been extended! (flyers attached) During Distance Learning, free meals are again available to all children in the Mountain View Whisman School District age 18 and younger. No IDs required. Locations: All schools, except Stevenson (pickup for Stevenson is at Theuerkauf). Times: 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. at the elementary schools. 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the middle schools. Walk, drive or roll up to grab a free meal and go! Parents should continue to go here https://secure.ezmealapp.com/ to apply for free or reduced price meal benefits through the National Lunch Program, if needed.
The MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series presents: Jeff Selingo on "Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside the College Admissions Process" on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2020 - 7:00 - 9:00pm | Live Online | Zoom
Join us for an insightful evening with journalist and higher education expert Jeff Selingo, as he dispels entrenched notions about the college admissions process.
While many have long believed that college admissions decisions are driven largely by merit, Jeff presents a more complicated truth. Embedded in three distinctly different admissions offices — a selective private university, a leading liberal arts college, and a flagship public campus — Jeff closely observed college admission officers as they made their often agonizing and sometimes life-changing decisions.
Based on a year of reading applications and sitting through committee meetings where up and down votes were taken, Jeff reveals what really matters to the gatekeepers and how their ultimate decisions are often based on a college’s priorities. Following interviews with students, testing agencies, marketers, and ranking organizations, Jeff also shares practical advice and helpful strategies for navigating the confusing, chaotic, and often-times stressful college application process.
Audience: High school parents and students; teachers and counselors
Register: To register for this free event, go to https://mvla2020-21-jeffselingo.eventbrite.com
Book: Jeff's new book, Who Gets In and Why, will be released Sept. 15th and is available with free shipping from Books, Inc. Jeff is generously offering our community a 30% discount + free shipping for pre-orders made directly through him. If interested, use code MVLA30.
Event Login: We will send the Zoom link via Eventbrite email, Thursday afternoon, October 1st.
If you have not used Zoom before, please make sure to allow a few extra minutes before the event to download the free Zoom app.
Sponsored by Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF), MVLA High School Foundation, Mountain View Educational Foundation (MVEF), and Los Altos-Mountain View PTA Council.