09.01.23
Dear Stingray Parents and Guardians,
We have had 18 days of school and they have flown by! Students are showing that they know the routines and rules and are focusing on treating each other with respect and kindness. Please find opportunities to engage your child in conversation around our 5 school values of Respect, Collaboration, Resilience, Community, and Innovation.
The first PBL project has begun or will be beginning soon in your child’s classroom. Talking about what they are learning and why they are doing that project will help your child to make connections and integrate the learning from several subject areas.
Next week art and music begin with CSMA, providing even more variety to your child’s educational experience and more topics for your conversations at home! Thank you to the Mountain View Educational Foundation for financially supporting this art and music instruction at Stevenson!
Have a fantastic long weekend and I hope to see you at Rocket Day on Friday, September 8th!
Best Regards,
Terri Lambert
Principal, Stevenson Elementary
SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS
2023-2024 Stevenson Bell Schedule
September 2023 Lunch Menu
School Year Calendar - plan your vacation using the school vacation times!
-No school - Monday, September 4th
-Volunteer Process Chart
-Student Leadership
-Follow us now on Twitter and Instagram
-Reporting Absences and Tardies
No school - Monday, September 4th
There will be no school this Monday, September 4th. Enjoy the 3-day weekend!
Volunteer Process Chart
Please see this one-page chart of the volunteer process. Kindly note that this may be a lengthy process so please get started as soon as possible if you haven't already done so.
Student Leadership
Student Leadership for this school year is starting soon! If your fourth or fifth grade student is interested in participating, they can pick up an application from Room 7 or Room 8. Applications were available starting Wednesday and are due on Friday, September 8th. Our first meeting will be on Monday, September 11th during lunch!
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook
- Instagram - @stevenson__elementary
- Facebook - @StevensonElem
Reporting Absences
Please call the office at (650) 903-6950 or email Renae Rhodes at [email protected] and Kass Madrid at [email protected] to report an absence or late arrival. Provide the following information: date of absence, student’s name, grade and room number, reason for absence, name and relationship of the person reporting the absence.
PACT FOUNDATION UPDATES
PACT Pals Registration is open!
You can register for classes at pactpals.org. Registration closes Sunday Sept 3.
New classes:
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Fun with French: Art, Crafts, Cooking & Culture - All grades
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Basic Electronics and Coding - Grades 4, 5 - Our very own Steve Song will help students build a programmable Batmobile kit
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Musical Theater - Grades 3, 4, 5 - THE Shauna McGuiness will teach a musical theater class! Shauna wrote Road Trip and other past musicals, and is a former Stevenson parent.
If you see the registration link after Sept 3, that means the class is still taking students.You can register anytime.
If your child attends an after-school program, you don’t need to be there for PACT Pals drop-off. See pactpals.org for details.
Questions? Email [email protected]
Save the Dates for Parent Ed (Repeat)
Parent Education is a 3-session course that covers a wide variety of topics intended to prepare parents for in-class volunteering, as well as bring them into the larger community with historical and cultural context. Each session is 3 hours (and 2 hours for the last one) long and covers different topics. Everyone who plans to volunteer in the classroom should attend all 3 sessions if at all possible.
We're excited to see you, whether you're a new family to Stevenson, or you just want to refresh your memory. And even moreso, we're excited to give you the opportunity to mingle with each other! This year, all sessions will be held in the Stevenson MUR, in a triumphant return to campus! Attendees on Thursday can come to the MUR directly after drop off (please no wandering around on campus).
Save the Dates!
Session 1:
Thursday 9/7, from 8:30AM to 11:30AM
OR
Saturday, 9/9, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Session 2:
Thursday, 9/14, from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM
OR
Saturday, 9/16, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Session 3:
Thursday, 9/21, from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM
OR
Saturday, 9/23, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM
We hope to see you there! Refreshments will be provided.
CALENDAR
2023-2024 MVWSD School Calendar
Friday, August 25th
-Bond Oversight Committee Meeting @ 4pm
Monday August 28th - Sunday, September 3rd
-PACT Pals Registration Week
Wednesday, August 30th
-School Site Council Orientation @ 5pm - Register here
Monday, September 4th
-No School - Labor Day
Thursday, September 7th
-Board of Trustees Meeting @ 6pm - Register here
Friday, September 8th
-Rocket Day @ 5pm
MVWSD News
Sown to Grow
MVWSD is again partnering with Sown to Grow for the 2023-24 school year for grades K-6. Sown to Grow is a platform designed to promote safe and supportive classrooms. Through student check-ins and reflective activities, students are encouraged to engage in self-awareness, set personal goals, and develop essential social and emotional skills. This data allows teachers, principals, and counselors to proactively reach out to support student needs. For more information, please read the attached letter. Sown to Grow Letter (English)
Looking for an afterschool program? Read on to see if your child qualifies for MVWSD+!
A student qualifies for the free MVWSD+ afterschool program if one or both of the following conditions are true:
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The student is an English Learner (EL). EL status is established via the results of the Initial ELPAC exam, which is being administered to certain students in August and September. Results are usually available within two weeks of the completion of testing. If you have questions about the Initial ELPAC exam, please contact Leticia Corcoran at [email protected].
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The student qualifies for free or reduced price lunches based on federal income guidelines. At this time, lunch for all children is free, but this may not always be the case. To fill out the application for free or reduced lunch, please go to ezmealapp.com. Qualifying students’ data is collected at the state level and usually appears in the district’s data system within two weeks. If you have questions, please contact your school office.
Soon after a student’s EL or Free/Reduced Lunch Status changes to indicate he/she qualifies for MVWSD+, you will receive an email from the MVWSD+ Team inviting your child to enroll.
For questions or troubleshooting, please reach out to [email protected] or Jennifer Nunez at (650) 526-3500 x1061.
MVWSD Seeks Parents & Staff Members for Health & Wellness Committee
The Health & Wellness Committee is looking for parents and staff members for the 2023-24 school year! This committee aligns District efforts to support student wellness through health education, physical education and activity, health services, nutrition services, psychological and counseling services, and through promoting a safe and healthy school environment.
Last year, the committee’s work helped increase student access to nutrition information and education, professional development on USDA standards for school nutrition, and supported student opportunities for physical activity throughout the school day. We are seeking at least 1 parent and 1 certificated staff member representative from each school.
If you have experience, knowledge, or interest, please complete an application at: http://mvw.sd/health. Applications are due by September 13.
The Health and Wellness Committee will meet 4 times during the school year on Zoom, with the first meeting scheduled for September 28.
If you have any questions, please contact Brian White, Health & Wellness Coordinator at [email protected].
MVWSD seeking District Equity Advisory Committee members
MVWSD is continuing our work by engaging meaningfully with the community on issues of equity through the District Equity Advisory Committee (DEAC). The goal of the DEAC is to provide feedback to the Superintendent on how to support MVWSD towards achieving its goals of becoming a more equitable and inclusive school district.
We are seeking a combination of district-level leaders, principals, teachers, staff members, and parent participants who represent the interests of both elementary and middle schools. Committee members will be expected to attend and participate virtually in meetings held monthly (on average) online in the evening hours.
If you’re interested in participating, please complete the application here.
Volunteer with MVEF!
MVEF needs 1-3 additional volunteers at each school in MVWSD. MVEF school representatives help the families at their school understand what MVEF is and why it exists so that they are inspired to donate and spread the word about the impact of MVEF funding. MVEF also needs volunteers to help with planning our annual Gala and other community events. To learn more, visit: https://www.mvef.org/volunteer
Mentor Tutor Connection: Volunteer Information Session
Mentor Tutor Connection is holding a Volunteer Information Session on Wed., Sept. 13, 12:00 - 1:00 pm, MVLA District Office Conference Room, 1299 Bryant Ave., Mountain View. Please join us and learn about becoming a mentor and/or a tutor in the Mountain View and Los Altos public schools. Help a local student to a brighter future! To register go to www.mentortutorconnection.org/events - or email programs@mentortutorconnection.org.
August/September CAC and LCC 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
We encourage families to learn about the sensory needs all children: Try a Sensory Diet
General Parent/Community Meeting
August 28, 9 am
with Special Ed. Directors & Staff, Zoom at 9:00 am for LCC and 9:15 am for CAC. We will be planning for the year, discussing upcoming programs and having a question period for administrators. For our agenda, please join our Google group, https://groups.google.com/g/selpa1cac. Register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEvd-qorDwsH9UXSPmOtja90uQqRnD9kef3
Parent Chat
September 12, 10 am
Are you concerned about the emotional well-being of your child? Peer to peer support for parents of teens with mental health challenges. Every second Tuesday of the month at 10 am on Google Meet. Meeting is for 1 hour only due to Google Meet limitations. Contact [email protected] for invite.
September 13, 10 am Morning 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. Register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZModeirqToiHdQpAOpxx4g3NaLHuElaLtJs
Missed our Parent Education events last year?
We have a YouTube channel with many of our past events including last year’s Inclusive Fun Fair for summer camps and recreational activities, Anxiety and Depression in Children with Learning Challenges, SMART Goals and IEP Troubleshooting, and more. Channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuy7IcVz-4LTDxv2Jaq13nw
Housing and Eviction Help Center
The City of Mountain View's Rent Stabilization Program runs the Housing and Eviction Help Center (HEHC) at the MV Public Library to provide housing-related support to the community, including information about housing programs and legal resources. These services are available on 1st and 3rd Thursdays (walk-ins welcome or virtually at mountainview.gov/housinghelpclinics) from 6 - 8 p.m. For more information, see flyers attached or visit mountainview.gov/evictionprevention.
City Searching for Volunteers to Serve Community
Recruitment is open for upcoming vacancies on several City boards, commissions and committees that weigh in on a wide range of matters. If you have an interest or background in the City’s downtown interests, environmental planning process, library, parks and recreation, performing arts, inclusive community relations or bike and pedestrian concerns, we welcome you to apply to serve on one of these bodies. Find more information and the application form at MountainView.gov/Advisors. Questions can be directed to the City Clerk’s Office at [email protected] or 650-903-6304. The deadline to apply is Sept. 29 at 5 p.m.
SCCOE Family Engagement Symposium 2023: Sept. 9
Join SCCOE’s upcoming free Family Engagement Symposium “Belonging Begins with Me” on Saturday, Sept 9, 2023. Workshops include Family Writing Activity - Writing Your Belonging Story, Establishing Your Financial Roots, How to Raise and Nurture an Antiracist Family, and more! Register here: https://sccoe.to/PEPBelongingSept9.
Announcing the MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series for 2023 - 2024
The MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series is excited to announce our speaker line-up for the 2023 - 2024 school year. Nationally and internationally recognized experts will join us to discuss important topics on child and adolescent well-being, as well as our own - including how to help kids face the unique challenges of growing up surrounded by computers, how to raise successful adults and break free of the traps of overparenting, exploring why puberty is so different for today’s kids than past generations and figuring out how to beat the college admissions system.
2023 - 2024 Speaker Events
Devorah Heitner
Growing Up in Public: Helping our Kids Navigate the Digital Coming of Age
Wednesday, September 13, 2023 - 7pm
Mountain View High School - Spartan Theater
Julie Lythcott-Haims
How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success
Tuesday, October 10, 2023 - 7pm
Mountain View High School - Spartan Theater
Cara Natterson & Vanessa Kroll Bennett
This Is So Awkward: A Conversation About How Puberty Has Changed
Tuesday, November 17, 2023 - 7pm
Los Altos High School - Eagle Theater
Susan Paterno
Game On: Why College Admission Is Rigged and How To Beat the System
Thursday, March 7, 2024 - 7pm
Los Altos High School - Eagle Theater
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.