Hello Crittenden Families,
Please note that next Friday is a minimum day schedule because our first trimester will be ending on November 6th. You can view the bell schedule on our website here. We have one more week to go. That also means that Trimester 2 will be beginning, and students will be needing new materials. We will be having a supply distribution on Friday, Nov.6th (2-4pm), for Math books and art supplies. A detailed email from me with distribution drive through instructions will be sent early next week.
As the end of Tri 1 approaches, this is a good opportunity to go to your PowerSchool account and review your child's grades and any missing assignments before grades are finalized on November 6. Every parent will have an active PowerSchool account set up for them that can be accessed easily right here. Please bookmark this link for future reference. You can access it on any device, including your phone- they have a free PowerSchool app. If you are unsure of or misplaced your username and password, just give us a call and we can help you with your access.
Many parents ask how to best monitor their kids progress in this online environment that uses many different apps and sites. Here are some guidelines that I hope will help you:
To know what assignments your student has on a given day, have them show you their Google Classroom and/or Clever accounts, and you can help them work out a plan in advance to monitor and complete everything. For the big picture, PowerSchool is the best reference. You can see their current grade and see if they are missing assignments. Please understand though, that there will be a delay between the time your student submits any assignment and when the teacher updates the grade in PowerSchool, because the teacher will need time to review everyone’s work.
This leads to an often asked question- “if teachers need time to grade the work, then why do I get calls and emails about missed assignments on the very next day?”. These notifications are regarding asynchronous assignments for Wednesdays and the PE logs due Thursday and Friday. Please understand that you are only being notified if the work was not turned in, and has nothing to do with their actual grade. I understand that the new attendance process can be confusing and frustrating, but the best advice I can give is to use the notifications as a tool to monitor how well your student is keeping up. If they miss a few assignments, just make sure they turn them in later and everything will be fine with both their grade and their attendance. If you receive a notification and you are not sure what assignment was missed- again, PowerSchool is your best resource. You will be able to see firsthand which classes had missing assignments and when. Our staff is here to offer help and resources to get your student back on track.
This week’s executive functioning parent tip; Encourage your student to add assignments, due dates, and upcoming tests to their Google calendar or planner. You can also have them share their calendar with you, which will give you access to their school and assignment schedule. Encourage them to check the calendar daily to see what is on their schedule for the day as well as which assignments are due the following day. You can also create a Google calendar of your own and share your calendars with each other. Having a shared calendar will give you the ability to add things to your child’s personal calendar as well. Here is a video tutorial on how to use a planner.
As we continue to monitor our student’s academic progress, we are pleased to announce that we will be offering additional support on Wednesdays in the following areas : completing/submitting classwork, organization, time management, and technology. Please encourage your student to attend our open office hours every Wednesday. See details below.
Every Wednesday: Zoom Meeting Link
Ms. Susie Morales - 9:00 am to 10:00 am
Ms. Alicia Carter - 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Mr. Omar Hernandez - 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm
I know it can be difficult, but I have to say as our first trimester comes to a close, I am extremely proud of the hard work and progress that our students have made. Keep up the good work!
As you know we are approaching Halloween and our leadership class has organized a Virtual Halloween Party! Students can find the link and information about the event on our CMS dashboard. There are many fun activities to participate in, such as a costume contest, meme contest, virtual jack o'lantern decorating contest, and more! Encourage your students to participate in these fun activities.
Thank you for all that you do and your partnership,
Crittenden Panthers learning together, wherever we are.
Mrs. Gomez
Principal
UPCOMING EVENTS:
6 NOV, FRI
End of Trimester One
10 NOV, Tues
SSC meeting
12 NOV, Thurs
ELAC meeting
DISTRICT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Parents, just as a reminder, Senate Bill 820 prohibits any person, including parents, from making any audio, video, or digital recording of our school’s live or synchronous distance learning instruction without the prior consent of the teacher and myself.
Halloween: Have fun but stay safe
Just a reminder for Halloween that local and state Health Officer Orders are still in effect. The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department strongly recommends alternative festivities in lieu of traditional activities. Rather than trick-or-treating or costume parties, consider focusing on decorating, limiting activities to the people with whom you do not reside, and opting for virtual costume parties. Click here for more information and ideas.
Please consider substitute teaching: Info fair on Oct. 29
The Mountain View Whisman School District is seeking substitute teachers. We need you! Please consider this flexible, fun, dynamic work that has a big impact on our students.
Join us to learn more about how you can become qualified to substitute teach.
Substitute Teaching Fair
Thursday, Oct 29, 2020 9:30-11 AM.
Register in advance for this meeting: http://mvw.sd/yrhZ4
Click here to learn more about substitute teaching. We can help you through the steps.
If you are already qualified, you may view jobs and apply online on our website. For information, call 650-526-3555.
Police Interactions, Race and “The Talk:” A Panel Discussion
Date: Thursday, Oct. 29, 6:30 p.m. on Zoom: http://mvw.sd/talk
For Black children, the “talk” about how to interact with police is a rite of passage. Join MVWSD for a panel discussion with parents, the Mountain View Police Department and other leaders about what this means for policing for all of our children and families in our community and schools.
For more information about how MVWSD is working to support equity in our community, please see https://www.mvwsd.org/BetterTogetherMVWSD. For more information about the City’s racial equity and inclusion efforts, please click here.
Parent University: Supporting Math at Home during Distance Learning and Beyond
Join us on Wednesday, November 18th from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. for our next Parent University event: Supporting Math at Home during Distance Learning and Beyond.
MVWSD Landels Elementary Principal Heidi Galassi will share several resourceful strategies for supporting math learning and achievement at home:
- Are you confused about which math program to use at home?
- Learn how to boost math achievement K-8th
- Support your child at home with math homework
- Learn new ways to enrich and deepen math concepts
- Get your child ready for Algebra
Spanish interpretation is provided. Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcvdOqorTgtGtXg5trN1qiFh5EefCHgIAm1
Application help for free healthcare coverage
Free application assistance for healthcare coverage for families in Santa Clara County is offered by the Healthier Kids Foundation. Your family may qualify for medical, vision, dental, prescription and mental health services. Please see the attached flyer for more information.
Get a flu shot: Not the flu!
Free flu Shots on Saturdays at the Fairgrounds in San Jose on Saturday, October 31, 2020, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. and every Saturday through mid-December
- Car entrance for general parking: Gate D, 2542 Monterey Road, San Jose, CA 95111
- No appointment needed
- All are welcome regardless of immigration status
- No cost
- Shots available at this location for everyone age 3 years and older. Children aged 3 - 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Younger children should get a shot from their regular pediatrician.
- Right next door to free County COVID-19 testing. Get a COVID-19 test at the same time!
More Free Flu Shots in Your Neighborhood
The MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series presents: Permission to Feel: The Power of Emotional Intelligence to Achieve Well-Being and Success on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020 - 7:00 - 9:00pm | Live Online
Join us for an insightful evening with Marc Brackett, as he explores the value of our emotions and why what we do with our emotions is especially important. Marc Brackett, Ph.D., is the Founder and Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and a Professor in the Child Study Center of Yale University.
The goal of this presentation is to (1) inspire a new mindset around the power of emotions to transform our lives, (2) describe the five key underlying skills of emotional intelligence, known as the “RULER” skills, and (3) provide innovative strategies and tools for developing emotional intelligence so that our emotions help, rather than hinder, our well-being and success at home, in school, at work, and in everyday life.
Audience: Parents with children K - 12; teachers, and counselors
Register: To register for this free event, go to https://mvla2020-21-marcbrackett.eventbrite.com
Sponsored by Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF), MVLA High School Foundation, Mountain View Educational Foundation (MVEF), and Los Altos-Mountain View PTA Council.