Principal’s Message:
Dear Imai Families,
Tomorrow commemorates the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Our site will take a moment of silence in the morning, and focus the day on kindness, helping others, and honoring the memory of this tragic event. Former President Obama has once shared, “Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honor those we lost, a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11.”
September is Attendance Awareness month:
DID YOU KNOW?
• Starting in preschool and kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
• Missing 10%, or about 2 days each month over the course of a school year, can make it harder to learn to read.
• Students can still fall behind if they miss just one or two days every few weeks.
• Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
• Absences and tardiness can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up
WHAT YOU CAN DO
• Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
• Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
• Try to schedule non-urgent related medical appointments and extended trips when school isn’t in session.
• If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors and other parents for advice on how to make your child feel comfortable and excited about learning.
• If your child must stay home due to illness, call the office and let your child’s teacher know.
Upcoming Events
Welcome Back Family Picnic 5-7PM Bring your dinner and come have fun reconnecting with old friends and making new friends along the way)
Principal’s Coffee in Spanish 9/19 8-9 AM (staff room)
Have a wonderful rest of the week.
Arline Siam
Principal
Upcoming Events
September
11- SSC at 3:00pm
12- Welcome back family picnic 5pm-7pm
17- Bookmobile at 2:30pm
18- SSC at 3pm
26- Principal’s Coffee at 8:30am
October
6- Picture Re-take (Picture ID: EVTHM9SKM)
8- Bookmobile at 2:30pm
9- Teacher Service Day (No School)
10- Recess Day (No School)
13-17- Conference Week (Minimum Day)
23- SSC at 3:30pm
24- Principal’s Coffee at 8:30 am
24- Trunk or Treat 6pm-8pm
27-30- Walden West (5th grade)
29- Bookmobile at 2:30pm
31- Halloween Parade at 8:15 am
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:
Showing Up Matters….for learning, for friendships, for success
Why is it important that students are in school regularly? Research shows that school attendance is a strong indicator of success. Missing just two days of school a month is 10% of the school year, and negatively affects a student’s academic performance. Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Start building this habit early so they learn that going to school on time, every day, is important.
When we reduce chronic absence, we improve graduation rates, increase academic achievement and give young people the best chance at success in their adult life. Read here the FAQs about MVWSD student attendance.
Puberty Talk Information Session
As part of the California Health Education Content standards for 5th grade, the Mountain View Whisman School District is required to provide 5th grade students with a unit on human growth and development. The District continues to use the Puberty Talk program, a five-hour program developed by Health Connected, a non-profit agency dedicated to helping young people feel confident and supported to make informed decisions about their own sexual health.
Your 5th grade teacher will communicate your school's scheduled week. The classes will be taught by trained health educators from Health Connected during school time. Please click here to register for the Puberty Talk parent information session on September 15th at 5:30 pm for MVWSD parents only. Parents who wish to know more about the Puberty Talk sessions and content can see the Family Guide here. More information: https://www.health-connected.org/.
Vision and Hearing Screenings
MVWSD conducts hearing and vision screenings of all students in TK/kindergarten, second-, fifth- and eighth-grade, as California State Law mandates. These screenings will take place:
- At Imai on Sept. 19 and 22
Parents will be notified in writing if children fail a screening. Parents who do not want their child screened for either vision and/or hearing should send a letter to their child's school each school year indicating that their child is to be excluded, and vision and/or hearing results will need to be provided by their physician.
If you have any concerns about your child’s vision or hearing, please contact your school nurse. Questions about the screenings should be directed to the Health Services office at 650-526-3500 ext. 1050.
Curriculum information
The Mountain View Whisman School District engages in a thoughtful process to select curricular materials that align with state and local content standards and support academic achievement. Parents and guardians have the ability to review curriculum from their children's classroom by request. MVWSD will consider parent requests to excuse students from parts of instruction in accordance with applicable law. If you have any concerns about any curricular materials, including concerns related to personal religious beliefs, please contact your child’s principal.
Suicide prevention
September is Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month. Know the warning signs of suicide risk in young people.
Behavior changes can include:
- Talking about or making plans for suicide
- Expressing hopelessness about the future
- Displaying severe or overwhelming emotional pain or distress.
- Worrisome changes in behavior.
If you or someone you know is displaying these warning signs, help is available. Text, call, or chat 988 from anywhere at any time. Visit 988lifeline.org for more information.
Content provided by: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SEL Survey and Mental Health Screening Parent Notification and Opt Out
Parents received an email that provides information about our SEL Survey process. Please take time to review it.
In grades 3-8, three times this school year—in September, November, and March— students will take a Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Survey (Gr 3-5 ENG/ ESP & Gr 6-8 ENG/ ESP) through Panorama, which replaces the twice-yearly Sown to Grow SEL survey. This new tool helps us efficiently & effectively identify students who may need extra support, such as school counseling or participation in a small group intervention.
In grades 6-8, if a student’s SEL Survey results fall in the “moderate” or “high” needs range, they will meet up to two times in a small group with a school counselor. These sessions use our District’s SEL curriculum, CharacterStrong, and include completing the Youth Needs Screener.
Paper copies of the SEL Survey and Youth Needs Screener are available for review at our school. For questions, please email [email protected] or call 650-526-3500 x1130. We appreciate your partnership in ensuring every student has the support they need to succeed this school year.
i-Ready Diagnostic 1 Assessment Scores (grades K-8)
Families can access their student’s i-Ready Reading and Mathematics score through their Powerschool Parent Portal on September 8, 2025, after 4:00 p.m. Reports are available on the PowerSchool Parent Portal at https://ps.mvwsd.org/public/ under “Parent Reports” for each of your students. Steps for accessing reports on PowerSchool Parent Portal are here: Accessing PowerSchool Parent Portal i-Ready Reports. If you have difficulty logging into the PowerSchool Parent Portal, please contact your school’s office.
Get Involved And Become an MVEF Ambassador!
Are you passionate about education and community? Become an MVEF Ambassador! Ambassadors are volunteers who help raise awareness, support outreach, and strengthen the connection between our schools and MVEF. We are especially looking at the following schools: Monta Loma, Castro, Imai, Vargas, and Theuerkauf.
What Ambassadors Do:
· Share updates with your school community
· Represent MVEF at events
· Help with outreach and fundraising
· Provide valuable feedback
Who Can Join:
Parents, teachers, alumni, and community members — all are welcome!
Time Commitment:
Just 2–4 hours/month (flexible) + optional events
Perks:
Volunteer hours, MVEF swag, community connections, and more!
Interested? Contact us.
Let’s make a difference together!
FROM OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Join MVLA for an evening with Jeff Selingo, author of Dream School: Finding the College That's Right For You
Attending college has long been a rite of passage for millions of teens and a bedrock of the American dream. But that well-worn path has lately taken a wrong turn, denying admission even to super-achievers and putting intolerable stress on family finances. Bestselling author Jeff Selingo shifts the spotlight from how colleges pick students to how students can better pick colleges in his new book coming out this September: Dream School: Finding the College That’s Right For You.
Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 7PM, Los Altos High School - Eagle Theater
Register for this free event
For more information, visit mvlaspeakerseries.org. Events are free thanks to our generous sponsors: MVLA High School Foundation, Los Altos Educational Foundation, Mountain View Educational Foundation, and the Los Altos-Mountain View PTA Council.
Free, Fun JRMF Math Festival
Every student can be a mathematician! Join JRMF for a day of play and problem-solving. At the JRMF Math Festival at Sports Basement Sunnyvale, children and families drop in to enjoy a variety of fun, hands-on math puzzles and games.
The JRMF Math Festival at Sports Basement Sunnyvale is free, open to all, and an event where you can drop in and drop out whenever you’d like. Free snacks will be provided.
When: September 13th, 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Where: 1177 Kern Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94085 in the Summit Room
Register here.
Make a Difference in Your Community: Volunteer with Mentor Tutor Connection!
Are you passionate about helping students succeed? Mentor Tutor Connection is seeking dedicated volunteers to mentor high school students or tutor K-8 students in math, writing, or reading at local public schools in Los Altos and Mountain View.
Why Volunteer with MTC?
· Make a Lasting Impact: Help underserved students reach their full potential, both academically and personally.
· Support Future Leaders: Mentoring high school students or tutoring younger students can help students navigate challenges and build confidence.
· Join a Community of Like-minded Volunteers: Connect with other compassionate individuals and gain a deeper sense of purpose by helping others.
Get Involved: Join us for a Volunteer Information Session on September 18th at 12 pm online. During this session, you’ll learn about our mentoring and tutoring programs, and have the chance to ask any questions you might have.
To register for our Volunteer Information Session or to learn more about MTC, please email [email protected] or visit mentortutorconnection.org.
Upcoming Programs at Mountain View Public Library - Flyers (Improv and Model UN) sent 9/2
AMPLIFY: Improv-aganza Workshop
Enter the world of improv comedy with this workshop from the LAHS improv club! The program starts with a high-energy performance, followed by a workshop where you’ll rotate through stations and try out the games for yourself! Finally, you’ll get to show off what you learned with your own short performance for your friends. No prior experience is necessary for this fun and interactive program.
Saturday, September 13
4:30 p.m.-5:45 p.m.
Grades 4-8
First Floor Program Room
Register here or with the QR code on the attached flyer.
AMPLIFY: Model UN Workshop
This fun and engaging workshop introduces Model UN to students in grades 5-9. We will cover all the Model UN basics and build critical life skills, including public speaking, esearch, paper writing, and creative problem-solving. This is an interactive chance for students to learn more about global affairs, collaborate to create solutions on key issues, and practice public speaking in
learning environment.
Saturday, Sept. 20
2:00-4:00 p.m.
Grades 5-9
First Floor Program Room
Register here or with the QR code on the attached flyer.
Learning Challenges events for Fall 2025
For local coverage of issues related to learning challenges and special education, please check out the Learning Challenges Committee.
Calm Down Kit Making Sessions
Volunteers will make Calm Down kits for classrooms throughout Mountain View and Los Altos and learn how to make their own for their home! Thursday September 26 (5-7 pm), Tuesday September 30 5-7 pm. For location, contact [email protected].
Learning Challenges Committee General Meeting
October 7, 7 pm in person (TBA) and Zoom hybrid
We will be finishing up the Wellness Wish List and will likely need a work session to finish up packing orders for delivery to classrooms! For more info, email [email protected].
Evening Let’s Talk Parent Support group
October 15, 7 pm on Zoom.
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. Register here.
Missed past Parent Education events?
We have a YouTube channel with many of our past events including the recent talk on Assistive Technology, info on summer camps and recreational activities, Anxiety and Depression in Children with Learning Challenges, SMART Goals and IEP Troubleshooting, and more. Channel is here.
Attachments
MentorTutor
TeenCenter
Showing Up Matters
Amplify Improv Workshop
JRMF at Sports Basement Sunnyvale