Principal’s Message:
Dear Imai Families,
October is Safety Month in MVWSD. As you read in last week’s Superintendent’s newsletter, we want to be ready to act when dangerous situations arise. We have already practiced fire drills and soon will practice an earthquake drill and how to react to a dangerous intruder.
This week, our teachers and staff members will be training on the Incident Command System (ICS) and general emergency procedures. The ICS assigns roles to school staff members so that even scary situations can have well-organized responses.
Earthquake drill: After training, we’ll practice what to do during the districtwide earthquake drill to be held on Oct. 17. Click here to view the video that shows how we approach safety and what an earthquake drill looks like.
We talk with students in age-appropriate ways about what they can expect and why we practice emergency responses. For elementary students we say the most important things to remember if an earthquake happens at school are duck, cover and hold if they feel the ground shake. When it stops, go outside to the field. Stay calm with kid voices off so we can follow adult instructions. In an emergency, we will keep them safe at school until their grown ups can pick them up.
Dangerous intruder: Our schools will review what to do in the event of a dangerous intruder or similar event on campus. The dates for each school’s practice will vary depending on scheduling.
Practice at the elementary schools means students will view an age-appropropriate “dangerous intruder” video (which you may preview here) and talk with their teacher. The video and classroom discussion will encourage children to stay calm, follow directions, and listen to trusted adults. More details and timeline will come from your principal.
For more details about safety at school, please see https://www.mvwsd.org/safety.
Conferences
Goal setting conferences are the week of 10/21-10/25. A goal setting conference is an opportunity for parents and teachers to meet early in the school year to discuss students' strengths and areas to grow. Upper grade students may be included in this conference as well. Report cards do not go home during goal setting conferences as the trimester hasn’t ended yet. Don’t forget to be on the lookout for the email on how to sign up with your child’s teacher.
Important dates:
10/10 and 10/11 No School
10/17 9AM Earthquake Emergency Drill (TK-5)
10/18 Principal’s Coffee 8:30-9:30 AM MUR (Greening Input for Imai)
10/18 PTA Parents Night Out
10/21-25 Conference Week (minimum week schedule)
10/25 Trunk or Treat 5-7PM
10/31 Halloween Parade 8:15 AM (parking lot so please plan accordingly as there will be no parking or drop off on the lot)
Have a wonderful rest of the week!
Arline Siam
Principal
Upcoming Events
October
10- Teacher service day (No School)
11- Recess Day (No School)
18- Principal’s Coffee at 8:30 am
18- PTA Parents Night Out
21- Picture retake (ID: EVTF72TPS) order here
21-25- Conference Week (Minimum day all week)
25- Trunk or treat 5pm-7pm
30- Bookmobile at 2:30pm
31- Halloween Parade at 8:10 am
November
11- Veteran’s Day (No School)
14- SSC at 3:30pm
14- ELAC at 5:30pm
15- Principal’s Coffee at 8:30 am
18-22- 5th grade Walden West
20- Bookmobile at 2:30pm
25-29- Thanksgiving Recess (No School)
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:
Better Together: October
Families come in all shapes and sizes, each one a unique community bound by love, support, and shared experiences. This month #BetterTogether presents the topic “A family is a community”. October is also LGBTQ+ History Month. As we celebrate both of these together, we are reminded of the countless families that have fought for recognition and acceptance, paving the way for a more inclusive understanding of what family means. From single-parent households to multigenerational homes, from same-sex couples to chosen families within the LGBTQ+ community, each family contributes its own special thread to the vibrant tapestry of our society. For more information about Better Together, visit mvwsd.org/bettertogetherMVWSD.
Parent Involvement Board Policy
Families, thank you for your engagement and involvement with our schools. Our sustained partnership is a big part of our continuous improvement as a district. Per California Department of Education guidelines, here for your review is the most recently updated version of our Board Policy on Parent Involvement. Any questions should be directed to Geoff Chang, Director of Federal, State, and Strategic Programs ([email protected]).
Your employer could help us meet the MVEF goal of $1.2 MM for 2024-25!
Employer matching and grants from local companies are a major source of the funding for MVEF each year. October, November, and December are months when many companies coordinate “giving days” to encourage their employees to make philanthropic gifts to support nonprofits. If your company does this, please consider listing MVEF as a non-profit organization doing good work in your child’s school district nurturing all students’ learning experience and education. Sometimes corporations even offer to double match your contribution for a specific time period. Please check here whether your employer offers a corporate matching program.
For more information about what MVEF does, please click here.
Free COVID tests available to order
US residential households are now eligible to order four free at-home COVID tests from the US Postal Service COVID test order page. Prepare for respiratory virus season and learn how and when to test for COVID-19. Some of the tests shipped may show expired dates on the box—please note the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the expiration dates of the tests being distributed through this program. You can find the full list of extended test expiration dates at the FDA At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests web page.
FROM OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Walden West: Autumn Adventure 2024
Join the entire Walden West Community for an Autumn Adventure in the woods on Saturday, October 12 from 9am - 12 pm at Walden West! It is a great way for families to see Walden West if they have not been to science camp yet or to revisit their favorite spots if they have already attended. It will be fun for all ages with hiking, nature activities, garden time, food, music, and more! For tickets and ways to be involved, visit https://givebutter.com/wwf-autumn-adventure.
MVLA Speaker Series: Never Enough with Jennifer Wallace
Join the next MVLA Speaker Series presentation, “Never Enough: Mattering as a Solution to Toxic Achievement Pressure,” with author Jennifer Wallace on Wednesday, October 30th at 7PM at the Crittenden Middle School Auditorium. In this eye-opening talk, Wallace investigates the deep roots of toxic achievement culture, explores its harmful impact on our kids, and delivers the powerful solution: mattering, the psychological concept of feeling like you add value and are valued regardless of your external achievements. Wallace provides a practical mattering framework that parents and educators can use to tackle achievement pressure at home and in the classroom. Register for this free event here.
Free Parent Training for Families of Children with Disabilities
The Community Advisory Committee and Department of Developmental Services are hosting parent training this year. There will be interpretation available through DDS in Spanish, Vietnamese, and ASL. See below for details:
Who's Who in Serving Our Little Ones
Planning and Strategies for Kids Ages 3 to 5
For more information, contact [email protected] or [email protected]
Thursday, November 14, 2024
6-7pm on Zoom
Register here: https://bit.ly/DDSTraining2
Stay Tuned for 2025 Topics: Ages 5 to 14 & 14 to Adulthood
Volunteer with Mentor Tutor Connection
Mentor Tutor Connection is actively recruiting volunteers for our mentoring (high school students) and tutoring (K-8 students) programs located in Los Altos and Mountain View public schools. To learn more about Mentor Tutor connection, please email [email protected] or visit mentortutorconnection.org.
The View Teen Center: October
The View Teen Center is a free facility in Mountain View (263 Escuela Ave) for all Mountain View and Los Altos 6th - 12th grade students. Drop-in hours are Monday - Friday, 3:15 - 7 p.m. and Saturdays, 1 - 6 p.m. (Adjusted Hours: Oct. 10-11 & Oct. 21-25, 1-6 p.m.), and the center features a game room, makerspace, kitchen, computer/study room, and outdoor area. October events include Halloween-themed activities, art classes, a Bike to Boba, and much more. For more information, click here.
Attachments:
MTC GENERAL
TeenCenterOctober
DDStrainingseries Oct & Nov
Walden West Autumn Adventure
MVLA Speaker Series 2024-25 Line-Up