9/9/2020 Huff n Stuff

Quote of the week:

Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero to me. 

-Fred Rogers

Principal’s Message: 

Dear Huff families,


This week we are continuing with the i-ready assessment and should be done by the end of the week. Thank you for allowing your child to show us how much they know and not helping them out. 


During distance learning, as we acquire new routines for instruction, please take some time to breath and remember that we are all in this together. Here are some tips to implement during your journey at home:

 

  • Establish routines and expectations

  • Choose a good place to learn

  • Stay in touch with teachers, principals, and school staff

  • Help students own "their" learning

  • Begin and end the day with check-ins

 

Our next  principal’s coffee  is scheduled for September 11  from 5-6PM. Hope you can join me. 

Please register here 


Please reach out to us if you have any questions.


Sincerely,


Arline Siam


Upcoming Events

September

-11: Principal’s Virtual Coffee (New Date)  5pm Please register 

-17: PTA General Association Mtg (Virtual) 7pm

-30: School Site Council (SSC)  3pm

-30: ELAC 5:30pm

October

-2: Principal’s Virtual Coffee 5pm

-12: Recess Day - No School

-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:

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. 


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.

 

Join the MVWSD conversation: Distance Learning: What's working?

We’re now up to 1200 thoughts so far in our online conversation about Distance Learning.  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?


Before Thursday, Sept 17: Please take some time to participate or rejoin the conversation to star thoughts entered since you were there last. 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.


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.


Public hearing on Sept. 17: Sufficient instructional materials

A public hearing will be held in order to comply with Ed Code section 60119 on September 17, 2020 to detail the extent to which text books and instructional materials were provided to all students, including English Learners.

 

The definition of “sufficient textbooks or instructional materials” means that each pupil has textbooks or instructional materials, or both to use in class and to take home in each of the following subjects:

• Mathematics

• Science

• History/Social Science

• Language Arts

The public hearing on September 17, 2020 at 7:00pm will be held during the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees. To view details about accessing the meeting either online or by phone, please click on the September 17 agenda link on this webpage: https://www.mvwsd.org/about/board_of_trustees/board_meetings

 


MV Parent U on Sept. 9: Increasing Student Engagement with Literacy

Join us on Wednesday, September 9 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. for our next Parent University event: Increasing Student Engagement with Literacy from Home.

 

MVWSD Instructional Coaches Karen Gordon and Natalie Gallagher will share several resourceful strategies for supporting reading, writing, listening, and speaking at home during distance learning:

  • Easy activities to boost your child's reading engagement 

  • Creative ways to encourage and support writing using four text types (expository/informative, narrative, opinion, argumentative)

  • Fostering listening skills to be able to extract key information

  • Cultivating speaking skills using academic vocabulary

  • Tips to prepare your child for ELPAC testing

Register here


Mentor Tutor Connection Volunteer Information Session - September 10th


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 they we do.


Please note: Mentor Tutor programs are currently remote and will remain so until students are back in school and the school district permits volunteers in the classroom


All volunteers must be high school graduates.  


  Date:             Thursday, September 10th


      Time:           5:00 - 6:00 pm


        Location:     Online via Zoom (URL provided upon registration)


  Register:       REGISTER ONLINE

     Questions:    [email protected]

Information:  MentorTutorConnection.org

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PTA News:

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

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.

You can join now, here: Huffpta.org/join

 

This year there is an exciting new membership drive contest! The classroom with the most students with at least one family PTA 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 with the show in early October.

Please email [email protected] with any questions.

Warmly,

Katie Swirsding and Ann Walsh


Attachments:

Amici’s Flyer

Food Flyer

MVLA Speaker Series

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