Hello Panthers! Please read your weekly newsletter below. Here is a quick summary of this week’s message followed with further details:
December 2nd, 2021
Crittenden News:
-Lunch Menu
-Message from our SCEF
-Have you completed the Health & Wellness survey?
-iReady Assessment
-SEL Parent Tip
-Driving & Bicycle Safety
-Absences
-PTA Fundraiser (see attached flyer)
District News:
-i-Ready Diagnostic 2 Assessments
-Health and Wellness survey
-Single Plan for Student Achievement
-Upload your child’s completed vaccine card
-Community engagement: Security cameras
-Parent University
-Open Enrollment for all MVWSD
-Seeking EL Testers
-MVEF Phonathon
-MVHS Spartans Tree Lot
-City of MV Santa’s Workshop Event
Hello Crittenden Families,
Welcome back to school, I hope you all had a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Everyone has been working so hard this year, and we all earned a well deserved break. I see our students and staff really hitting their stride as we get into full gear for our second Trimester. There is a lot happening- please read on for important information on upcoming events.
This month our characteristic trait will be Responsibility; to be responsible or accountable for your actions, taking care of priorities.
Crittenden News:
December Lunch Menu
Not sure what else to pack for lunch ? Check out this month's lunch menu!
A message from School & Community Engagement Facilitator: Family Resources and Parent Involvement- Ms. Susie Morales
We are pleased to announce Crittenden’s 1st Annual Warm Coat Drive!
“One Warm Coat At A Time” to give back to students within our school community. Share the warmth and donate a brand new coat, jacket, or hoodie.
Further details are as follows:
Needed: New warm coats and sweaters for boys, girls and gender neutral for children ages 11 to 14 years old. Sizes from S- XL. Or if you prefer gift cards are also welcomed!
When: Now- Friday, December 10
Where: Donations are accepted between M-F 7:30am and 3:30pm in the school office donation bin.
Due to COVID Sanitary Restrictions we kindly request only new items.
For further information or questions please contact either Bianca or Susie 650.903.6945 ext. 2204/2206.
Please complete the Health and Wellness survey before Friday
As part of its Strategic Plan 2027, our district is prioritizing our health and wellness. MVWSD has partnered with an education market research firm, Hanover Research, to seek the opinions, perceptions and needs of our school community in order to inform our health and wellness programs and practices.
We want to hear the voices and experiences of parents/families, staff members, and middle school students. We invite you to participate in the Health and Wellness Needs Assessment Survey through December 3, 2021.
To participate in this survey, click this link or paste the following URL in your browser: http://mvw.sd/HW
The survey should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete and is confidential (i.e., no personally identifiable information will be collected or reported).
If you or a loved one is experiencing a health emergency, please visit an emergency room, or call 911. For self-help and community resources, please see the MVWSD Virtual Wellness Center: https://www.mvwsd.org/wellness. Thank you for your input that will help us provide effective health and wellness support and services.
iReady assessment
iReady testing will take place next week. We will be following an adjusted bell schedule that will have the least interruption to instruction time. The reading assessment will take place on Monday (12/6) & Tuesday (12/7). Math Assessment will take place on Wednesday (12/8) & Thursday (12/9), make-ups will take place on Friday 12/10. Please help your students succeed by making sure they are well rested and have a good breakfast. Also, be sure that they bring a fully charged chromebook and headphones with them. We look forward to seeing the progress our students are making.
SEL Tip: SMART Goals
Goal setting is a critical strategy that helps students learn important life skills such as planning, organization, and time management, while also building communication skills, self-awareness, and confidence.
Establishing short-term SMART goals is a way to help children succeed. SMART provides the detail, support, and guidance children and parents need to stay focused on current academic/life achievements and supports determining direction for the future.
SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-focused, and Time-Bound. Here is a breakdown of each section:
- Specific: Goals should be simple and defined.
- Measurable: There should be evidence of a met goal.
- Achievable: Goals should feel slightly challenged but still possible.
- Results-focused: Goals should measure outcomes and not processes or steps.
- Time-bound: Goals should have a timeframe that creates a practical sense of urgency.
By using SMART goals, your child will have clear and focused steps that allow them to manage their time and have less room for procrastination. They also allow students who get overwhelmed more easily, to break bigger goals into short-term goals, making it more manageable. When students start to make progress towards their goals, it’s a big confidence boost! With that new found confidence, your child can continue to set more ambitious goals.
Driving and Bicycle Safety
One of our top priorities is student safety. When driving into the parking lot off of Middlefield, you are crossing a busy bike lane. Watch out for cyclists!
Be careful to give them at least three feet of space and do not cut them off when you turn right into the lot. The cyclists have the right of way. Let them pass you, then turn right. Please remember to pull forward when you drop off/pick up your child. This helps minimize traffic. Thank you for your cooperation and partnership.
Holiday Absences
Holiday season is the most magical time of the year! We understand the excitement it brings to go out of town and visit distant friends and family. Please be mindful of the amount of days your student misses school. The December Holiday Break will be December 20 - January 3. We’d like to remind all Crittenden Families that vacation time taken prior to or after the holiday breaks are not excusable absences.
For any absences please be sure to contact the office at (650) 903-6945 ext. 2280 or email [email protected]. Please be sure to mention your students first & last name, date, relation to student and reason for absence.
PTA Fundraisers
Help your school PTA! See the attached Flyers for fun fundraiser events!
Book Fair
Mendocino Farms
Upcoming Events:
December
12/6-12/10 iReady Assessments
12/7 Security Camera Meeting
Register in advance for this meeting:https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpc-yuqTsvE9wtHPs7vccC2cftlDlWFu05
12/16-Study Skills Workshop (Details Next Week)
12/20-12/31 Holiday Break (No School)
In partnership,
Mrs. Gomez
Principal
What can you do today to help others feel valued, cared for, safe, and included at Crittenden?
District Announcements:
Upcoming i-Ready Diagnostic 2 Assessments
i-Ready is an online program that helps us determine your child’s strengths and areas for growth in mathematics and reading. Teachers use this information to support instruction in core subjects for every student.
Your child will take the second i-Ready Math and Reading diagnostic assessments during the week of December 6th, 2021. Your child’s school will share their specific schedule.
Elementary school families can access their child’s i-Ready Reading and Mathematics score via their Powerschool Parent Portal starting December 17, 2021. Parents will have access to three reports for their child - For Families Report, Common Core State Standards Report (CCSS), and the Diagnostic Growth Report. Here’s how to access PowerSchool Parent Portal i-Ready Reports.
Parents can learn more about the i-Ready platform and how to interpret the various i-Ready reports. Join us for an i-Ready Parent Informational Webinar on December 16th, 2021 at 6:00 - 7:00 pm. Please register in advance via the link .
Please contact your child’s school front office if you have any trouble accessing reports.
Please complete the Health and Wellness survey before Friday
As part of its Strategic Plan 2027, our district is prioritizing our health and wellness. MVWSD has partnered with an education market research firm, Hanover Research, to seek the opinions, perceptions and needs of our school community in order to inform our health and wellness programs and practices.
We want to hear the voices and experiences of parents/families, staff members, and middle school students. We invite you to participate in the Health and Wellness Needs Assessment Survey through December 3, 2021.
To participate in this survey, click this link or paste the following URL in your browser: http://mvw.sd/HW
The survey should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete and is confidential (i.e., no personally identifiable information will be collected or reported).
If you or a loved one is experiencing a health emergency, please visit an emergency room, or call 911. For self-help and community resources, please see the MVWSD Virtual Wellness Center: https://www.mvwsd.org/wellness. Thank you for your input that will help us provide effective health and wellness support and services.
Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) approval
On Dec. 9, the Board of Trustees is expected to approve each school’s Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), the document that represents a school’s cycle of continuous improvement of student performance. The plans are the result of a collaborative effort between the school staff and members of the School Site Council (SSC) with input from the school community and site advisory groups including the English Learner Advisory Council (ELAC). Draft site plans have been available for Board of Trustee and public review through the District website since October 22, 2021.
Please upload your child’s completed vaccine card
Many of our younger students are getting their 2nd COVID vaccine shot this week. When your child's vaccine card has their second shot listed, please upload a copy to Powerschool. Vaccine cards will be referred to in the case of a positive COVID exposure for your student, and MVWSD needs accurate data for decisions about COVID protocols. Click here for a video that shows you how to upload documents: https://vimeo.com/606954357.Thank you in advance for uploading your documents now!
Community engagement: Security cameras
One of the projects identified in MVWSD’s Master Facility Plan and the Measure T Bond was the need for security cameras in public areas 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 may engage in a series of feedback meetings through Jan. 2022 before the plan for security cameras is finalized. Principals will gather feedback at regularly scheduled meetings such as Principal’s Coffee, School Site Council, PTA, and ELAC.
Additionally, parents and neighbors may attend community meetings:
Parent University: How to Talk to Our Kids About Race, Racism, and Equity (with Project Cornerstone)
Date: December 8, 2021, 5:30pm-7:00pm Registration Link: http://mvw.sd/pu120821
Conversations on race, racism, and equity can be uncomfortable. Where do we even start? This presentation will:
- Explore the concept of recognizing our own racial identity. It starts with us.
- Build a shared understanding of key definitions so we can be more informed when we listen, learn, and talk.
- Gain language and tools to hold conversations with our kids.
To submit questions prior to the event, please click here. We will do our best to address your question during the session.
School meetings are coming up. Open Enrollment for all MVWSD students starts in January
For CURRENT students in transitional kindergarten-7th grade: Parents will be asked by email to confirm enrollment from January 24-28.
For NEW students: Open Enrollment is from January 10 through Feb. 4, 2022 online. You can register your child for the 2022-23 school year when online registration opens here: www.mvwsd.org/register
School info meetings: Check www.mvwsd.org/register for a complete list with login information.
- School kindergarten/new student information nights are online on December 7 at 6:00 p.m. for all elementary schools, and include choice school information. Click here for meeting information: http://mvw.sd/schoolinfo
- If your child turns 5 years old between September 2, 2022 – February 2, 2023, he/she may qualify for transitional kindergarten. TK info night is December 14 at 5:00 p.m online at http://mvw.sd/TK1214
- If you are interested in the District's choice schools, information nights are:
Gabriela Mistral: Dual Spanish/English Immersion: December 14 at 6 pm at http://mvw.sd/MI1214
Stevenson: Parent Child Teacher: December 15 at 6 pm at http://mvw.sd/ST1215
Choice schools will also have information at the elementary schools’ info nights (6 p.m. Dec. 7).
Please visit www.mvwsd.org/register for more information.
Seeking EL Testers!
Are you looking for a part time job and enjoy interacting with kids? Our district is looking for a few more EL Testers to administer the annual assessment of Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking for English Learners. Fluency in academic English is required. For more information, or to apply, please visit mvwsd.org/jobs and look under “Support Staff - Hourly.” Alternatively, you may contact department secretary Leticia Corcoran at [email protected].
Upcoming MVEF Phonathon
Our Phonathon is coming up in December and we would love you to save us both a call!
We hope this serves as a gentle reminder to donate to MVEF today and support your child and every child in the district! The majority of our funding comes from donations from parents like you! Make a difference, save us both a call and donate today at mvef.org/donate.
MVHS Spartans Tree Lot
Tree Lot
MVHS Sports Boosters is hosting the 8th Annual Spartans Tree Lot at Mountain View High School Stadium (3535 Truman Ave., Mountain View, CA 94040). Spartans Tree Lot offers premium, top-quality trees ranging in size from 3 feet to 12+ feet, holiday decorations, and supplies. In person and online delivery options are available. All proceeds benefit Mountain View High School Athletics. For more information, head to: SpartanTreeLot.com.
City of MV Santa’s Workshop Event
Click Here for Registration Information
Join the elves at Santa’s Workshop for a jolly-filled time in building and creating some incredible holiday themed crafts on Saturday, Dec. 11th from 9:00 a.m. to 12 p.m at the Senior Center Social Hall. Children will have the opportunity to design ornaments, decorate cookies, customize their own stocking, make a snowy wonderland globe, write a letter to Santa, and so much more! This holiday program is open to all children ages 6 to 11 years old. Register online at MountainView.gov/Register using Code 15789.
Thank you for all your support!