| Principal's Message |
Dear Cheetach Community,
Welcome back! It felt so wonderful to begin the week with our cheetah family all in one spot at our Cool Cats Assembly. At the monthly assembly I introduced this month’s core value: courage. Throughout the week, students have been working diligently on the iReady Diagnostic 2 assessment and demonstrating courage by putting forth their best effort, even when tasks may feel challenging. We also spent time discussing what it looks like to have the courage to speak up for others.
This month’s CharacterStrong focus is empathy, which pairs naturally with courage. We define empathy as the ability to understand and connect with the feelings of others. When students take a moment to consider how someone else might feel, they are better able to demonstrate courage—whether by standing up for a peer, offering support, providing comfort, or showing kindness in their daily interactions. I encourage you to talk as a family about what courage and empathy look like at home and in your community.
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 i “School News” for more details about Arts Wheel.
Volunteer Opportunity - Hour of AI 12/15-12/17
This year, Theuerkauf is participating in the Hour of AI, where students will explore fun, hands-on activities that introduce what artificial intelligence is and how to use it responsibly. We want to help students understand AI as a tool for creativity and problem-solving. We’d love your support through volunteering, sharing the event, or trying the activities with your child. Click Here to Sign Up Here!
Parents - Share your Theuerkauf Experience! We’re looking to expand the parent perspectives represented on our websites! One of the best ways for families to truly get to know a school district is by getting to know the families who are already part of it.
We’re inviting parents/guardians to share a short testimonial to help future families understand the experience of being a part of the MVWSD school community. Click here to share your experiences and read more about this opportunity!
Words from Wilson:
Children feel big emotions in little bodies and it can be hard to know how to help! Join us for a morning of simple, effective ways to coach your child through strong feelings using some of the same “emotion tools” they practice at school.
Join us at our Principal’s Coffee for a workshop on Raising Emotionally Healthy Kids.
In partnership,
Principal Danielle Lyons
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| Important Dates |
Wednesday, December 3rd- ELPAC Zoom Meeting at 5:30pm
Tuesday, December 9~ SSC Meeting 3:20-4:20pm
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
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| School News |
Cool Cat Winners going above and beyond to show one of the Core Values (Respect, Integrity, Courage, Responsibility, Perseverance) for November 21st
Luzma C. Rm 13
Maria M. Rm 14
Eleanora S. Rm 16
Nolan M. Rm 11
Noah S. Rm 15
Ryan J. Rm 7
Kiera T. Rm 6
Luna H. Rm 8
Jaydin A. Rm 9
John S. Rm 17
Thea S. Rm 18
Kiana R. Rm 20
Camila C. Rm 20
Aliyanna P. Rm 21
Hannah K. Rm 22
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 in “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 me at [email protected].
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| District News |
Parent University: How to talk to kids about the news, featuring Project Cornerstone
Date and Time: Tuesday, December 9, 2025 Registration Link: https://tinyurl.com/MVWSD-25
The world is a big place, and it seems like current events have never been more complicated. Luckily, our friends at Project Cornerstone are back to share strategies and tips for fostering age-appropriate conversations, explaining the news to kids while protecting their mental health, and enhancing youths’ critical thinking through news literacy. By the end of this session, you’ll have added confidence that you’re able to help your children understand our complex world a little bit better.
To submit questions prior to the event, go to mvw.sd/questions. We will do our best to address your question during the session.
Have you checked your child’s report card?
Families can access their student’s Trimester 1 Report Card now. Grade K-5 Report Cards were sent to you on Nov. 21 via email. TK and Grade 6-8 Report Cards are available on the PowerSchool Parent Portal at https://ps.mvwsd.org/public/ under “Parent Reports.” Steps for accessing reports on PowerSchool Parent Portal are here: Accessing PowerSchool Parent Portal Reports. If you have difficulty logging into the PowerSchool Parent Portal, please contact your school’s office.
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: Please check www.mvwsd.org/register for details about school information meetings held in January, how to locate your neighborhood school, how to explore school options and the four steps to register during the enrollment period held January 20 to February 6.
Click here to learn about which program is right for your young learner: mvwsd.org/kinderready. Please check www.mvwsd.org/register for how to locate your neighborhood school, how to explore school options and the four steps to register.
Double or Triple Your Impact with MVEF’s December Challenge Grant
It’s Giving Season! Thanks to a generous group of donors, every dollar given to MVEF through December 31, 2025 will be matched dollar-for-dollar — up to $26,000. This includes donations made through employer portals (Payroll Giving & Corporate Matching), Donor Advised Funds (DAFs), and stock gifts. Your contribution can go twice or even three times as far!
Why MVEF? Your support powers essential programs for every MVWSD student — from art, music, and environmental science in elementary schools to smaller English classes, sports teams, clubs, and other enrichment opportunities in middle schools.
Give today! All donations are tax-deductible.
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| PTA News |
Huge Thanks for a Fantastic Book Fair! Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s Book Fair such a big success! Your support helps us raise important funds for the Library and provides more engaging and educational books for our curious readers.
A special thank you to all the students who created StoryBoxes. Their creativity is incredible! Be sure to stop by the Library to see these amazing projects on display.
Family Board Game Night — Next Wednesday!  MUR •  4–6pm
We'll have lots of fun games 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].
Join our first Theuerkauf PTA Car Camping trip on April 24 to 26! Explore redwood forests! Find banana slugs! Enjoy quiet hikes and creeks, pristine beach, and berry picking! Sign ups begin today Check out the Theuerkauf PTA website for more information and the sign up link.
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| From Our Community Partners |
Write Your Letter to Santa!
This holiday season, all children who are residents of Mountain View can write a letter and send them to Santa. In return, Santa will mail a letter back! Letters will be accepted until Monday,
December 1. There is no cost to receive a letter back from Santa. For more information, check out the attached flyer or contact [email protected].
Nov/Dec 2025 Learning Challenges Committee Events
The Learning Challenges Committee of the Los Altos-Mountain View PTA Council is made up of parents, teachers and students in the Mountain View and Los Altos areas. We are committed to helping families get the best education for students with learning challenges and/or special education needs.
Wednesday December 3, 7:30 PM, Zoom - LCC General Meeting - We will be planning events for the Spring, a schedule for support group sessions, and troubleshooting how to make the Wellness Wish List work better. Register HERE
Parent training from the Northwest SCC SELPA CAC:
Wednesday, December 10, 2025: 6-7:30 pm How to Manage Screen Time with your Children? Presenter: Kimberly Carvallison (PENT CADRE) Register HERE
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| Flyers |
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