Principal’s Message:

Greetings from Mrs. Siam
Not only am I excited to be working with your children but I also look forward to the work we will do together. My goal is to ensure our students are healthy, happy and safe so they can learn as much as possible. Twenty four years ago I started my career as a first grade teacher in the Redwood City School District. From there I joined Mountain View Whisman School District and this is my 14th year here, my 9th year as an administrator. My husband and I are the proud parents of a 20 year old who is a Junior at Stanford. We also have three crazy and beautiful cats. In my spare time I enjoy spending it with my family, hiking, and enjoying the outdoors.  I am looking forward to meeting you and your child personally. Please stop by and say hello when you get a chance!

School Site Council Members
We are recruiting new members to join our School Site Council meetings. SSC works with the principal and the committee to develop, review and evaluate school improvement programs and school budgets. If you are interested in joining us or want to learn more about what we do, email me ([email protected]) and come to our next meeting on October 15th at 3:15pm in the Staff Lounge.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

October 7-11 is our annual Conference week, a key opportunity for families and teachers to discuss the progress of each student and to discuss what supports or extensions are needed to ensure success. Each family signs up for a 20-minute conference per child. Conferences take place in the afternoons; every day that week is a minimum day: students are dismissed at 11:55 a.m. M-F.

Conference sign ups happen via Google Docs. Your child’s teacher will have sent a link by September 24th. The sign up sheets will be open from now until Friday, October 4 at 8:00 a.m. If you miss the sign up window or need to make changes after Friday morning, please contact your child’s teacher directly. If you didn’t receive this email, please email Teresa Diaz at [email protected].

Also, the week of Sept. 30 - Oct. 4th is conference week for Graham Middle School.  If you have students in middle school, please instruct your students if they ride a bike to school that they should walk their bike through the Huff campus.  Huff will still in session during Graham’s conference week.  Thank you for your assistance. 

Caught YOU Being Good Winners

• Charlotte I. - Rm 7
• Martina M. - Rm 7
• Yajahira R. - Rm 8
• Andrew C. - Rm 1
• Lucas P. - Rm 2
• Cremer L. - Rm 10
• Riley A. - Rm 25
• Spencer D. - Rm 26
• Sophia B - Rm 16

Upcoming Events

September

25- Cafecito with the Superintendent: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at Graham Middle School staff room

26- Author Visit: Kelly Yang

26- MVLA Parent Education: Speaker Series at 7 PM in Mountain View High School, Spartan Theater

30- Picture Retake

October--Safety Month

2- Principal’s Coffee: 8:15 - 9AM -Library

7-11 - Arctic Adventure Book Fair

7-11 Parent-Teacher Conferences: Minimum Day all week - 11:55 AM dismissal 

15- ELAC in the MUR at 8 AM

15- School Site Council (SSC): 3:13 - 4:40PM 

23- Parent U: Mental Health Basics 6:30-8 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Graham MUR

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!

PTA News:

Lost & Found:

This year Brownie Troop 60842 will be taking care of the lost and found closet. Please check the lost and found closet by this Friday, September 27th to claim any lost items. The Troop will clean out any items left.

Box Tops:

Hey Huff Hawks!   Thanks to everyone who turned in Box Tops the last couple of weeks in the office (and online!).  Our winners this time around are: Dylan A, Sheina S, Abigail L, and David O!  I’ll be around soon with your prizes.  The raffle is over for now, but keep clipping and scanning because it all adds up.  This week Box Tops is having a promotion where they are doubling what Box Tops are worth when you scan your receipt using the app.  
You can get the app for iPhone here:  https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1150038564
and Android here:  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.generalmills.btfe  

Order Your Yearbook Before Sept. 30 and Save!

Order now to reserve your 2019-2020 Huff Yearbook! The books are full of photos from each classroom and all the activities that take place at Huff throughout the year. Our yearbooks from TreeRing are unique in that you can customize two pages in your student's book for free, with pictures and memories unique to you! Remember that a free yearbook is NOT included with PTA donations this year.

Save 15% if you order by Sept. 30! Regular price is $20 but order now for $17.  Click here to start your order or visit TreeRing.com/validate and enter Huff's passcode 1015335719921389. 

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

In Need of Event Photos for Yearbook

We are looking for photos for the yearbook from lots of the recent exciting back to school activities. If you have photos from the following events below, we would love it if you could upload them to our yearbook folders.

• Beautification Day
• Kinder Orientation
• First Day of School 
• Hawkfest (from Spring 2019)

Please put them in the folders at the link:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14ZXP5RgRO1aF37E57zO7k1erlkvRPdad

 

District News:

 

Are Vacations / Travel Excused Absences?:  Unfortunately, family vacations or travel is not excused – even when you inform your teacher or the office.  This may come as a surprise for parents.  We appreciate you letting us know so that you will not receive a call from the auto-dialer asking you to verify the absence. For more information, click here. 

Cafecito

For Spanish-speaking parents of MVWSD students - Join Superintendent Dr. Ayindé Rudolph for casual conversation on Wednesday, Sept. 25 from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at Graham Middle School staff room. Bring your questions and comments. Interpretation will be available.

MVEF

MVEF is thrilled to have their new signs up at most of MVWSD schools, and even more excited to mark their fundraising progress on them! Thanks to parents in our community we are on our way to raising $800,000 to fund programming across the district. Elementary students are enjoying hands-on science, standards-based art and music instruction, 4th and 5th-grade environmental science field trips, and more. Middle schools receive funding for afterschool athletics, science materials, electives and an environmental science field trip for every 6th-grade student. MVEF cannot do this without your help! Donate today at mvef.org.

CMS Luau

Crittenden Middle School will hold its annual Music Department Hawaiian Luau on Thursday, October 3rd- 5:30-8:00 in the M.U.R. at Crittenden Middle School. Tickets are $20.00 adults (pre-order) $25 adults at the door. $10.00 for students. Ticket order form is attached.

MV Parent U: Mental Health Basics

Learn the basics of mental health, including: definitions, coping with stress, when it is important to seek help, combating stigma, and how to get help in our county.

October 23, 6:30-8 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Graham MUR

A team of professionals from Palo Alto University will present foundational information about mental health and mental illness and how mental health challenges may look different in different people or cultures. Participants will engage in interactive dialogue about how to maintain good mental health, and how to combat stigma around mental illness. The training also discusses what to do when someone needs support or help.

Spanish interpretation and child care will be provided. Seating is limited and RSVPs are required for this event. Please click here to reserve your seat. 

Decoding Dyslexia CA – Support Group, South Peninsula

Topic: Dyslexia Resource Share

When: Wednesday, September 25th, 7:00pm - 8:30pm

Where: Mountain View Community Center, Willow Room

201 S Rengstorff Ave, Mountain View, CA 

RSVP:  [email protected]

This group is parent-moderated and free.

Workshop on IEP( Individual Education Plan ) for Special Education & 504 Plan 

FREE. This workshop covers the basics of the IEP/ 504 plan including some common problems, complications, solutions and suggestions. There will be a discussion about common accommodations and parental rights, and a Q & A session during this workshop. Organized by Palo Alto CAC (cacpaloalto.org), presented by H.E.A.L. (Hospital Educational Advocacy Liaisons Program from Stanford Children’s Health), and co-sponsored by PTAC. Please use this form to let us know if you are coming, especially if you would like childcare or Spanish translation.

Sat, Oct 5th, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

JLS Middle School Room 730 , 480 East Meadow Drive, Palo Alto

General Meeting: Monday 10/7, 9:30 at MVWSD Office at 1400 Montecito Ave in Mtn View.  

Parent Chat Support Group for parents of teens with mental health challenges. Second Tuesday of each month, 7-8:30 PM Los Altos Library.

Let’s Talk, IEP/504 Support Group Wednesday October 9, 7PM - 8:30 PM Los Altos Library

Exciting Parent Education Event!

Decoding Dyslexia CA Please come join SELPA 1 CAC as we talk about what dyslexia is, the California Department of Education Dyslexia Guidelines and the importance of early identification. The presentation will include an abbreviated dyslexia simulation so participants can gain an understanding of what it is like to be dyslexic.

Wednesday, October 16, 7:00pm - 8:00pm

Springer Elementary Multi

1120 Rose Ave, Mountain View

MVLA speaker’s series 

The MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series presents: "The Orchid and the Dandelion:  Why Some Children Struggle and How All Can Thrive" with W. Thomas Boyce, M.D. on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019 - 7:00 - 9:00pm | MVHS Spartan Theatre | 3535 Truman Ave, Mountain View, CA.

 Developmental pediatrician, Dr. Thomas Boyce, will delve into results from four decades of research and clinical practice – exploring his major discovery that reveals how both genetic make-up and environment shape behavior. Dr. Boyce will explore how the “dandelion” child (hearty, resilient, healthy) is able to survive and flourish under most circumstances and the “orchid” child (sensitive, susceptible, fragile) when given the right support, can thrive as much as, if not more, than other children. Dr. Boyce will share how we as parents can better nurture and support the unique characteristics of both types of children.

To register for this free event, go tohttps://mvla2019-20-thomasboyce.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.

Meal payment:  Full or reduced price meals can be paid online throughout the year at www.EZschoolPay.com.  For 2019-20, full price meals cost $3.50 for lunch and $2.50 for breakfast (reduced price is 40¢ for lunch and 30¢ for breakfast).  You can pay in advance (online, check, or cash) or at the time of purchase. 

Please call MVWSD Food and Nutrition Services at (650) 903-6965 if you have any questions.

Menus are found here: https://www.mvwsd.org/parents/nutrition

Attachments:

CMS Luau Flyer

MV Parent U: Mental Health Basics

MV Parent U: Fundamentos de la salud mental