9/30/20 Huff n Stuff

Quote of the week:

“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.”

-Helen Keller

Principal’s Message:

Dear Huff families,

The District is in the process of planning to install perimeter controls around Huff to keep students safe during the school day. The planned fencing is intended to help secure the school buildings and fields where the children play from unscreened members of the public. Increasing security at all school sites in the District was part of Measure T and was expedited due to COVID.

While we want to secure our campus, we also want to continue to share the fields and playgrounds with community members for use after school hours. Gates along the field will automatically unlock after school and remain unlocked during the weekends so the community has access for recreation. Like Crittenden Middle School field, the fences around the district fields have not impeded public access.

Dr. Rebecca Westover, MVWSD’s Chief Business Officer, will be holding a community meeting on Thursday, Oct 8, 3:30-4:30 to present information and to answer your questions. Please join us at the Zoom meeting at http://mvw.sd/v7rUl (Registration required).

Upcoming events

Principal’s Coffee

10/2/2020 5-6PM (register here)

ONLINE BOOK FAIR COMING - NEW DATES! Our online Scholastic Book Fair has been moved up to begin NEXT WEDNESDAY, Oct. 7, running until Oct. 20. Support your students’ love for reading AND earn rewards for our school and library in the virtual book fair. More information below.

Have a wonderful week! Stay safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Arline Siam

Upcoming Events

October

-2: Principal’s Virtual Coffee 5pm(register here)

-6 ELAC 5:30pm * new date

-12: Recess Day - No School

-14: School Site Council (SSC) 3:30pm * new date

-28: School Site Council (SSC) 3pm

-28: ELAC 5:30pm

Reporting Absences

If you are reporting a student's absence, please email [email protected] or call the attendance line at (650)526-3490 ext 3080.

Reminder: Please include your student's name, your student's room or teacher, the reason for absence, the date of absence(s) and the relationship of the person leaving the message. Thank you from the office staff!

District News:

-Check-In with the Superintendent on Oct. 2

Please join us for our Community Check-In with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Friday, Oct. 2, 3:30 p.m. Bring your questions. Click here to register: http://mvw.sd/TIUcn

-Parent University: Raising Digitally Resilient Children and Teens during Quarantine

Kids are online more than ever in this post-COVID world, with increased use of digital technology for academics, entertainment, and social connection.

Join My Digital TAT2 for a highly engaging and informative webinar at the MVWSD Parent University event on Wednesday, October 7th from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. Hear how young people are affected by the latest news, trends, and data from the world of technology. Get tips and strategies for how to teach responsibility and balanced and healthy use of the internet and social media.

Click here to register for this event on Zoom.

Recommended for all adults who support youth and want to learn thoughtful and supportive ways to navigate media with children. For more information about My Digital TAT2 and their mission, please visit: www.mydigitaltat2.org

-Together We Are a Better MVWSD: Hispanic Heritage Month (Flyers attached)

We are excited to announce that this month marks the beginning of a monthly offering towards MVWSD’s equity goals titled Together We Are a Better MVWSD. Each month you will receive an infographic in both English and Spanish that offers educational tools and community guidance inspired by a national diversity calendar. This month is National Hispanic Heritage Month.

You’ll see:

Lessons provided by grade level that are designed to be used by teachers to enhance work they are doing in the classroom.
Activities provided to parents, which are meant to help bridge the gap between lessons at school and conversations at home.
Organization spotlights to help us engage with our community and learn more about organizations doing equity work.
Children’s books by authors who have either the lived experience or scholarly background to contextualize this topic for children and adolescents.

Please see mvwsd.org/BetterTogetherMVWSD

-Distance Learning Tip:

How can I help my child when I see him/her getting anxious and upset about distance learning?

Be proactive: When you see your child getting anxious, let him or her know that you notice he or she may be having a difficult time. Ask them if they would like a 2 minute break. Set a timer and then redirect him or her back to the session.

If the situation has already escalated, have your child use calming breathing exercises. Once he or she calms down, you can discuss what your child needs to do before going back to the session. He or she may need a drink of water, a snack or a two minute break.

You can use phrases such as: It seems like you’re having a hard time … I can imagine how difficult it must be… How can I help you?

-Free Student Meals: *New* Pick up meals for multiple days

Free meals are again available to all children in the Mountain View Whisman School District age 18 and younger. No IDs required.

Daily breakfast and lunch at 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.

Come to Graham Middle School between 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. to pick up meals for multiple days. Food items will be different from what is served during daily pickups. On Monday: Pick up for four days. On Friday: Pick up for three days.

Walk, drive or roll up to grab a free meal and go! For menus and information, please see https://www.mvwsd.org/nutrition.

-Your child recently completed his/her first i-Ready Math and Reading 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. Families can access their child’s i-Ready Reading and Mathematics score via their Powerschool Parent Portal starting October 1, 2020.

Steps for accessing reports on PowerSchool Parent Portal: Accessing PowerSchool Parent Portal i-Ready Reports

Please contact us if you have any trouble accessing reports.

-MVEF news: Did you know that your donations to MVEF support CSMA art and music for your student?

Fifth grade art and music started on 9/23! TK-4 art and music started the week before! All TK-4th students will have virtual art and music classes led by a teacher from CSMA. This year 5th grade students chose instrumental music or art with CSMA. We thank the CSMA teachers for sharing their engaging and FUN talents as well as filling a need for creativity and active learning on Zoom.

MVEF raises money to provide all MVWSD students with an educational experience beyond what is possible with public funding. Please see the website at https://www.mvef.org/ for more information and to donate online. Please consider joining our team of volunteers or emailing us with any questions at [email protected]. Thank you for your support!

-Mountain View Public Library presents “Sea Otters” (Flyer attached)

Mountain View Public Library presents “Sea Otters: Author Talk for Kids” (ages 7-12) on Wednesday Oct 14 - 4-4:30 pm. See attached flyer. Free. Sign-up at https://mountainview.gov/librarycalendar

-The MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series presents: Jeff Selingo on "Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside the College Admissions Process" on Thursday, 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

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.

October CAC Events

SELPA 1 CAC and the Learning Challenge Committee are your groups for special education and broader learning challenge needs. We are ALL having learning challenges right now, and CAC and LCC are here to help. If you have questions about learning challenges and special education needs, email [email protected] or check out www.selpa1cac.org

October 5, 9 am- General Parent/Community Meeting with Special Ed. Directors & Staff, Zoom at 9:00 am for LCC and 9:30 am for CAC. We will be planning for the year, discussing upcoming programs and discussing distance learning and learning challenges. For our agenda, please join our Google group, https://groups.google.com/g/selpa1cac. For the Zoom link for this meeting, email [email protected].

October 6, 9:30 am - Alternative Dispute Resolution training from SC County. BUILDING POSITIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS. (Active listening, question strategies, `I’ messages). This two-hour training will provide parents with strategies for holding effective and productive conversations with teachers, service providers and administrators who work with their child(ren). Sign up here: https://santaclara.k12oms.org/421-190128

October 7, 7 - 9 PM - College with Mental Health, Learning or Developmental Challenges with Dr. Laurie Leventhal-Belfer. Dr. Leventhal-Belfer, PhD is the author of, “College on the Autism Spectrum“. Contact [email protected] for Zoom link.

October 13, 10 am - Parent Chat - Support for parents of teens with mental health challenges. A great place for help and support for challenges with your teens. Please contact [email protected] for Google Meet invite.

October 14, 7 pm - Evening Let’s Talk - IEP/504 support group. Have questions about the process to get help for your child? Have an IEP but are not sure how to make changes? Need to vent? This is your confidential group. Please contact [email protected] for the Zoom link for this meeting.

October 19, 7:30 pm - Decoding Dyslexia meeting on Zoom. Melissa Baten Caswell, PAUSD board trustee and parent of dyslexic child. Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZElc-iprDgiGtNHAaoHhQzOLq_q8qMjndCW

October 24 10am - 12 pm - IEP Goals & Progress Monitoring Webinar Presented by Disability Rights California and organized by Palo Alto CAC. Topics: – IEP Process -Your Rights at an IEP Meeting -Goals & Objectives – FAPE and LRE -Related Services -Assistive Technology -Transition Services/Vocational Services Zoom link at cacpaloalto.org

PTA News:

Sales will go live from our bookfair webpage next Wednesday, October 7. See the attached 4-page Book Fair catalog with featured titles for you and your students to browse.

10% off Yearbooks Until September 30th!

Go to www.TreeRing.com/validate

Enter our school’s passcode: 1015335719921389

Special offer price before tax: $13.95.

(Regular price: $15.50.)

TreeRing’s yearbooks are unique in that you get two FREE custom pages to fill with pictures and memories of your child. Plus TreeRing plants a tree for each yearbook sold.

Please remember a free yearbook is NOT included with PTA membership this year.

Contact Kathleen Mikulis or Dorothy Lin with any questions at [email protected]

YEARBOOK FAQ

But there’s no events. How will there be a yearbook?

This year’s yearbook will be about 50 pages (compared to last year’s 78) because there aren’t school-wide in-person events. Each class will still have a page with school photos of each child and a page of class candids. We plan to still have pages devoted to Halloween, School Spirit Dress Up Days, and 5th Grade Then and Now, among others. Also, we hope to have some fun additions like class surveys and paragraphs from graduating 5th graders on their interests and what’s important to them.

Plus there are two FREE customized pages that come with every yearbook purchase for you to add your own pictures of your child. (We’ll walk you through those steps on how to do that later in the year.)

How are you going to get photos?

We are definitely going to have to rely on teachers and YOU parents (taking photos at home) to send us pictures this year, and we have an online drop-off for photos on Google Drive. We will send reminder messages throughout the year about different events to be sure to photograph. If there are fun class- or grade-wide projects going on, send us photos. And finally, if you would like to see your child in the yearbook, PLEASE take photos!

There are no fall portraits this year so how will each class have a page of their formal portraits?

It’s true, there are no fall portraits this year, but spring portraits are still scheduled. We hope to use those, but if picture day gets cancelled or if anyone misses that day, we plan to reach out to teachers and parents for photos.

How do I submit photos:

Please upload photos here: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1sHtAxYqeSUzQDhg2T4hWvOgS--31elW3

Amici’s Fundraiser

Don't cook on Tuesday 10/6, get lunch or dinner from Amici's Pizzeria instead!

From 11:30 am - 9:00 pm pick up pizzas (or salads or sandwiches) for the family. They also have an extensive menu of pastas and many are family-size.

Be sure to mention Huff Elementary, and Amici’s will generously donate 25% of your food and beverage purchases to the Huff PTA.

Pick-up ONLY. (No deliveries.)

PTA Membership Drive Magic Show Contest

The virtual race is still on for the professional magic show party! The classroom with the highest percentage of students with at least one PTA family member will win a virtual 30 minute professional magic show party, during the school day, coordinated with the classroom teacher. The contest will run until Sept 30th, 2020. Ms Schaefer’s class (Room 16) is still in the lead while Ms Lopez’s class (Room 1) gained the most ground on the leaderboard jumping from 18th place to 6th in one week! The top 5 classroom standings are as follows:

Room 16 - Ms Schaefer (50%)
Room 11 - Ms Hinson (48%)
Room 18 - Ms Libuit (41%)
Room 17 - Ms Martinka (38%)
Room 14 - Mr Mello (35%)

Membership costs just $12. Huff PTA strives to support and advocate for our children by partnering with staff, families, and the wider community to create a safe, healthy and inclusive learning environment where students can excel and feel confident in themselves.

Join now @ huffpta.org/join

Please email [email protected] with any questions.

Attachments:

Amici’s Flyer Multi Meals Flyer MVLA Speaker Series

September Equity graphic English Otter author talk LCC: Sensory Handout

Online Book Fair Scholastic Book Fair flyer College with Challenges

Amy Imai Elementary School

Amy Imai Elementary School

9/30/20 Huff n Stuff

Amy Imai Elementary School