December 10, 2025

December 10, 2025

 

 Principal's Message

Dear Cheetah Community,

Mark your calendar! Join me and our school counselor, Mrs. Wilson on Friday, Dec. 19th at PTA/Principal’s Coffee from 8:15-9am in the library! We will have a delicious breakfast for you as you learn simple and effective ways to coach your child through strong feelings. This is a great opportunity to learn new skills to support your child before our two week break! You will also receive a goodie bag of tools you can use at home! This is an event you won’t want to miss! We look forward to seeing you there! 

                                                   

Arts Wheel Round #2! Prop 28 Funds

Registration now open for the Arts Wheel Rotation 2

Arts Wheel is a free, after school class for students in grades K-5. The second rotation of the year will take place from the week of January 12 to the week of March 9 (8 weeks total). Our days will be Thursdays and Fridays with a focus on comics and storytelling. 

Students enrolled in YMCA or Beyond the Bell (BTB) after school programs will automatically have the option to participate in the Arts Wheel through those programs - please do not register using the link below if your child is in YMCA or BTB. 

 

If your child is not already participating in YMCA or BTB, you can register them for Arts Wheel using the link below. Registrations will close on December 14. Notifications to all families who are successfully enrolled or placed on the waitlist will go out by December 19. 

 

Click here for Arts Wheel Rotation 2 registration. Keep reading School News for more details about Arts Wheel.

Please don’t miss out on some other great events planned for you! 

Wednesday, December 10~Family Board Game Night 4:00-6:00pm - Hosted by Joie, our Co-President for PTA! This is a great opportunity to meet other families and have loads of fun! 

Wednesday, January 14~ STEAM Night 5-6:30pm STEAM Night - Hosted by our STEAM teacher, Haley Burton!   

 

In partnership,

Principal Danielle Lyons

 

 
 Important Dates

 

Wednesday, December 10~ Family Board Game Night 4:00-6:00pm

Thursday, December 18~ Bookmobile 12:00-1:00pm

Friday, December 19~ PTA/ Principal’s Coffee 8:15-9:00am - Special Guest - Counselor Mrs. Wilson, presenting on raising emotionally healthy kids!

December 22-31~ Holiday Break~ No School

January 1-2~ Holiday Recess~ No School

Monday, January 5~ Teacher Service Day~ No School

Tuesday, January 6~ Students Return to School

Wednesday, January 14~ STEAM Night 5-6:30pm 

 
 School News

 

Happy December, Readers!

A reminder to families with 2nd-5th grade students, books are due every week. If you receive an email saying that your student has an overdue book, please help them find it and return it. When students return books every week, they are able to check out more books in a year. If students need to renew a book, the book must be shown to Ms. Baikie in the library. 

 

The Mountain View Public Library will be open over the holidays--please check their website for hours and their calendar for events. https://library.mountainview.gov/

 

We've been learning so much in the library this year as we focus on storytelling and vocabulary. As we discussed Gratitude in November, we read Thank You, Omu! This book gave us words like scrumptious, delectable, and wafted.

 

In December, TK- 1st grades learned from Luli and the Language of Tea by Andrea Wang and Hyewon Yum helped us learn vocabulary such as thermos, canister, and beckoned. Students learned the word “tea” in multiple languages and compared this picture book to Thank You, Omu! We even sang I’m a Little Teapot with TK classes. 

 

The upper grades learned new vocabulary like ancestry, ancestor, etch/etching, time capsule, and resonant as we explored cave art with the book Ancestory: The Mystery and Majesty of Ancient Cave Art by Hannah Salyer. 

 

Cool Cat Winners going above and beyond to show one of the Core Values (Respect, Integrity, Courage, Responsibility, Perseverance) for December 5th

Shannon L.          Rm 14

Ilayda B.              Rm 13

Luca M.                Rm 11

Elias D.                Rm 15

Alani F.                Rm 15

Celina A.             Rm 6

Allison M.            Rm 7

Isla Y.                  Rm 9

Althea P.             Rm 8

Jane F.                Rm 17

Penelope C.        Rm 18

Penelope V.        Rm 20

Camila C.           Rm 20

Alexa G.             Rm 22

Roisin C.            Rm 21

 

TK/K afterschool sports program. Registration is due on December 19  

Our school, in partnership with Kassirer Sports, is offering a session for the afterschool sports program for TK and Kinder students starting in January. Please see the attached flyer or www.kassirersports.com for more information and registration. Registration is due on December 19. Sign up now to secure your spot.

 

Programa deportivo extraescolar de TK/K. La inscripción vence el 19 de diciembre.

Nuestra escuela, en colaboración con Kassirer Sports, ofrece una sesión del programa deportivo extraescolar para alumnos de TK y Kinder a partir de enero. Para más información e inscripción, consulte el folleto adjunto o visite www.kassirersports.com. La inscripción vence el 19 de diciembre. Regístrate ahora para asegurar tu lugar!

Click here for Arts Wheel Rotation 2 registration. Keep reading School News for more details about Arts Wheel.

What is it?

The Arts Wheel is a new, free, weekly after school class for our students in grades K-5. We will have multiple fun themes over the course of the year such as Crafts, Digital Photography & Graphic Design, and Drawing and Comics.. The classes will be taught by local teaching artists.

Why is it called a “Wheel”? 

Each after school class teacher will spend 8 weeks at a school before moving on to another school for the next “rotation”. This way, all participating schools will be able to experience the topic in which each teacher specializes. 

How frequent are the classes, and how long is each class? 

The once-per-week classes will be approximately 45 minutes long and take place over 8 weeks. Tentatively, for Rotation 2, our Arts Wheel teacher will be on campus on Thursdays and Fridays.

Who is it for? 

**If your child is already participating in after school YMCA or Beyond the Bell, they will automatically participate in the Arts Wheel through their after school program - no need to register!**

If your child is not in YMCA or BTB, you may register during the registration period using the link provided.

 

Questions?

Please feel free to contact Danielle Lyons

 
 District News

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Parent Reports Now Available

Social-emotional learning isn’t just something students practice at school—it shows up in how they manage frustration, collaborate with others, and navigate relationships both inside and outside the classroom. Families are key partners and play an essential role in reinforcing these skills.

This year, MVWSD launched a new SEL survey in grades 3-8 that provides helpful data points for both parents and staff. Fall parent reports are now available in PowerSchool, and winter results will be coming the first week of December. 

This is not an assessment, but a tool to understand how students are doing and where they may need support. Counselors will review individual student data confidentially and will contact families if they see areas of concern. At the school level, aggregated data may help guide SEL lessons or schoolwide activities.

The Parent/Guardian Report offers a table organizing students’ average rating for each of seven (7) topics from their most recent SEL Screener survey.

Students self-reported in six key areas:

• Self-efficacy

• Self-management

• Positive feelings

• Supportive relationships

• Challenging feelings

• Emotion regulation

Parents will see some sections of the report include a “Try This!” This feature lists simple strategies and conversation starters you can use at home. If you have questions about your child’s report, please reach out to your school counselor.

Next up, teachers will receive training on how to access and use their students’ SEL data.

Click here for an easy guide to locating your child’s SEL report in PowerSchool and understanding how to read it.

 

Open Enrollment for 2026-27 starts in January

In January, the Mountain View Whisman School District will be opening student enrollment for fall 2026.

For CURRENT students in transitional kindergarten-7th grade: Parents will be asked by email to confirm enrollment from January 20 to February 6.

For families enrolling NEW students: Submit your child’s information during the enrollment period held January 20 to February 6. Please check www.mvwsd.org/register for details about school information meetings held in January.
 

Meetings will be held in person with childcare and Spanish translation provided. Meetings will also have a virtual link option. Click here for details: mvw.sd/26meetings

  • Transitional Kinder Night for all schools: Jan. 7

  • Neighborhood elementary school info nights: Jan. 13

  • Choice elementary school info nights: Jan. 14 

  • Preschool Parent Information Night: January 29 (English) and February 5 (Spanish)

Click here to learn which program is right for your young learner: mvwsd.org/kinderready

Register here for email updates about registration: http://mvw.sd/help

Please check www.mvwsd.org/register for how to locate your neighborhood school, how to explore school options and the four steps to register.

 

(For GR, CR, BU, LN, IM, MI, VA, ML, ST & TH) Share Your Parent Perspective!

MVWSD is hoping to feature more parent/guardian voices on our district and school websites, and we’d love to include yours! You are invited to submit a short testimonial (3-7 sentences) about your experience in our school community. This could be what you value, what’s made a difference for your child, or (if applicable) why you chose your school. Please share your experiences by 12/17: English/Spanish

One of the most meaningful ways new and prospective families learn about our community is by hearing from the families who are already part of it. Your insight helps future families feel informed, welcomed and confident. Thank you for sharing your story!

 

It’s Giving Season — and Your Gift to MVEF Can Go Twice or Even Three Times as Far

Join us in supporting local public schools in Mountain View!

December Challenge Grant

Thanks to generous donors, every dollar donated through December 31 will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $26,000 — including gifts made through employer portals, DAFs, and stock donations. Double your impact today!

 

Employer Matching

You may even be able to triple your impact with employer matching programs. Check here whether your company matches.

With major tax changes ahead, 2025 is an ideal year to give  — especially for donors who itemize — before current rules expire. 

Your donation is 100% tax-deductible and helps ensure every MVWSD student benefits from a well-rounded, enriching education. Donate now — one-time or recurring!

 

 
 PTA News

Join us for a Family Board Game Night in the MUR 4-6pm TODAY. We'll have lots of fun game to share and teach. Bring a game of your own and make a new friend or two! Snacks and refreshments provided. Students must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.

Calling All Crafters & Makers! The Theuerkauf PTA will be selling at the Stevenson Holiday Faire (12/17 3-5pm), and we’d love your help! If you enjoy creating handmade items, help support Theuerkauf by donating your handmade goods to be sold at the Holiday Faire. All proceeds go to Theuerkauf PTA. Contact [email protected] to donate.

Friendship Dance - February 6th One of our students’ favorite traditions is coming up soon! Help us make this year’s Friendship Dance extra special. If you can volunteer, please contact Karin at [email protected].

 
 From Our Community Partners

 

City of Mountain View Teen Center Drop-In Holiday Activities

Location: The View Teen Center - 263 Escuela Avenue 

Open to 6th – 12th graders

 

All activities are available during drop-in hours.    

Gingerbread Cookie Decorating - Thursday, Dec. 11 

Ugly Sweater Ornament Decorating- Wednesday, Dec. 17 

Gingerbread House Building Competition - Monday, Dec. 22 

Click here for more information

 
 Flyers

STEAM 

 

Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2026 SchoolMessenger Corporation. All rights reserved.