May 6, 2021

May 6, 2021

Hello, Cheetah families!

I know I am a bit partial in saying this, but Theuerkauf has the BEST teachers and This is staff appreciation week, and our teachers and staff members are truly feeling the love! There is still time for your family to show your child's teacher or another staff member your appreciation. Feel free to have your child complete and send in this form, or just reply to this email with a message for your child's teacher or another staff member, and I will be sure to pass it along. :)

Did you know that May is Mental Health Awareness month? Our school district is prioritizing Mental Health by asking us to contribute a moment of our time to the StigmaFree Campaign put together by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). This campaign is NAMI’s effort to end negative stigmas and stereotypes and create hope for those affected by mental illness. Through powerful words and actions, we can shift  the social and systemic barriers for those living with mental health conditions. Please join me in taking the pledge so that we can be #bettertogether. Click here to take the pledge! 

 

As always, thank you for your partnership! 

Together, we make a difference. 

 

Yours in service, 

Michelle Williams, Principal

Wednesday, May 5 - Materials distribution for grades 1 and 5

Friday, May 9 - Reading Extravaganza contest ends

Monday, May 10-14 - iReady Growth contest

Tuesday, May 11 - ELA iReady Assessment

Tuesday, May 18 - Math iReady Assessment

Wednesday, May 19 - SSC Meeting 5:00-6:00 p.m (Zoom)

Thursday, May 20, 9-10am - Principal’s Coffee with Dr. Rudolph, Superintendent (Zoom)

Friday, May 28- End of 3rd Trimester- Minimum Day

Monday, May 31- Memorial Day- No School

Tuesday, June 1- SSC Meeting 5:00-6:00 p.m (Zoom)

Friday, June 4- Last Day of School- Minimum Day

Staying Hydrated

The weather is getting warmer every day, and many students are consuming more water than usual! If your child is a roomie, please remind them to please bring two filled water bottles daily. 

 

iReady Testing

All Theuerkauf students (K-5) will be taking their third round of i-Ready Reading assessments on Tuesday 5/11 and Thursday 5/13.  Students will then take the i-Ready Math assessment on Tuesday 5/18 and Thursday 5/20. The i-Ready data helps us monitor student progress throughout the year. It also helps us identify standards that students have already mastered, as well as areas of focus during first instruction. The i-Ready assessment is also one of the measures we use to determine the math placement for our middle school students. Please click here for additional details.

 

5th Grade Promotion

Our 5th graders will be promoted to middle school in just a few short weeks! We are so proud of and excited for these students! We plan to celebrate our 5th graders in this very important rite of passage, and we invite all of our 5th graders' families to participate at their comfort level! 

  1. Special promotion ceremony video: We will be putting together a special video for all 5th graders and their families to watch live on June 4th, our last day of school. The link to the video will be made available on PowerSchool, and additional details will be shared soon. To make this video special, we need your PHOTOS!!! 5th grade parents, please complete this form to send in the pictures you would like to have included in the video. 

  2. On-campus drive-through celebration: To celebrate our 5th graders in a socially distant way, we would also like to invite our 5th graders' families to join us for a drive-through graduation celebration from 12:30-1:30pm on the afternoon of 6/4/21. We will have staff members standing throughout the parking lot and on sidewalks to welcome each student and family with certificates, balloons, signs, and more. Parents, please look for additional details in a separate email this week about this event and more! 

Congratulations to Yumi Harris!

We are so proud of Yumi Harris, our Children's Nutrition professional. Ms. Harris was awarded for her excellence by our superintendent on May 5th, and we couldn't be more excited for her. Yumi works hard every day to ensure that each and every child at Theuerkauf is provided with delicious and nutritious meals. She goes above and beyond to show her care and support for each child. Thank you, Yumi, for your dedication and service and for making Theuerkauf a wonderful school for all!

 

Classroom Spotlight - Mrs. Justine Edwards

Is there a project, assignment, or moment that you are especially proud of that has taken place this year?

My students have made so much progress in all subjects this year, but especially in writing. Last trimester they wrote some amazing opinion pieces, and this trimester they are working hard on informational writing. I can't wait to see their animal research reports as we wrap up the year!

 

What advice do you like to give to your students about their education or about life in general?

 When it comes to education, I always tell my students that it is ok to make mistakes and that mistakes help us learn and grow. We also talk about “the power of yet” and how we can do anything if we put our mind to it. 

What makes your students special?

The thing I love most about my class is that they are SO enthusiastic about learning! They come to school each and every day with positive energy and have persevered in the face of all kinds of challenges this year. I am so proud of them!

 

Where did you attend college?

I went to Stanford for my bachelors degree and Santa Clara University for my masters and teaching credential.

 

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like to read, bake, travel, and spend time with my family. 

 

Can you share a fun fact about yourself that people may not know?

I play the piano, pipe organ, and was in marching band in high school. I also studied abroad in Madrid, Spain in college!

 

Is there anything else you'd like to share about your class, your students, or yourself?

I am so happy to be a part of the Theuerkauf community this year. Everyone has been so welcoming and supportive -- I truly feel so lucky!

 

Library Corner

Hello Cheetahs!  Our Reading Extravaganza and contest continues until Friday, May 7, so keep reading! Completed reading logs are due next Wednesday, May 12. We’ll soon know who the winners are and who has earned a popsicle party!

 

Do you still have library books from last school year lingering under the bed? Tucked in the trunk of the car? Please return all library books to Theuerkauf by May 20th to be counted in the end of year inventory. Your child will receive a reward for returning books. 

Highlighted Book: May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. What a great time to learn more about the cultural experiences of our friends and neighbors from all over Asia and the Pacific Islands. First, I’d like to share Drawn Together, by Minh Le. This book was inspired by the author’s relationship with his own grandfather. While the author was born in America, his family came from Vietnam, so Minh Le often experienced language barriers between himself and his grandparents. I don’t want to give away how this barrier is overcome in the book, so please enjoy this video of Minh Le reading Drawn Together. I love this because Mr. Le explains the context of the dialogue and illustrations. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

 

For more books about the AAPI experience, go to our library home page to find ebooks on the subject.  Happy reading!--Mrs. B. 

 

Parenting Pro Tip: Making Asynchronous Days Easier!

Positive Opposite is a technique that you can use to reduce unwanted behaviors (e.g., playing video games non-stop, bothering you during your work time). A positive opposite is the opposite of the unwanted behavior - one that you want to see. To use this technique:

 

Example:

  1. A behavior that you want to change may be your child playing games instead of completing their asynchronous work. 

  2. The positive opposite would be your child working on their asynchronous assignments.

  3. Praise your child whenever they work during the asynchronous days.

Make sure to pay close attention to these positive behaviors as it can be easy to spot the negative behavior and ignore the positive.

 

Here are some great tips to elicit desired behaviors at home:

These tips came directly from the free, online Everyday Parenting program created by parenting expert, Dr. Kazdin. To learn more parenting tips click here

 

Times are Tough, but support is Available! 

We know that times are tough for everyone during the pandemic, and many families who have not previously needed assistance could use a little support right now. If your family has a need for grocery or hygiene items, please let us know by emailing [email protected]. We will arrange a private pick-up or drop-off to fit your family's needs.

 

Parent Resource:

A dedicated team from Los Altos High School has been working on an informational blog called "Up to Date." Their mission is to make useful information accessible to all members of the Bay Area community. The students write stories centered around life skills, current events, and coronavirus updates. They hope to support students and their families as we all navigate the uncertain times of the pandemic and beyond. Please check out their website to enjoy this resource. 

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THANK YOU!!!

To everybody who participated in our Teacher Appreciation Week 2021 activities - whether it was donating food or drinks or having your child fill in the form and share their love for their teachers. There are smiles all around and they really appreciate the love and warm fuzzies they are getting! 

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Board meeting preview: May 6

The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, May 6 at 5:30 p.m. Some of the meeting topics include: Learning Recovery Plan, construction updates and staff appreciation. Agenda and login information are here. The meeting is also streamed on https://www.youtube.com/mvwsd.

 

Community Check-In with the Superintendent

Please join us for an informal, online conversation with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Friday, May 7, 3:30 p.m. Spanish interpretation is available. Click here to register
 

Better Together #MVWSD: Prioritizing Mental Health

This month's #BetterTogether infographic features tools and resources to help all those who work, learn, and partner with MVWSD to prioritize mental health and wellness. No one ever needs to be alone in their struggles. Together we can prioritize mental health and wellness. Click here to view this month’s calendar or visit https://www/mvwsd.org/bettertogetherMVWSD
 

Mental Health Month: Finding your Tools2Thrive
Last week we identified topics that can help you build your own set of #Tools2Thrive which include recognizing and owning your feelings; finding the positive after loss; connecting with others; eliminating toxic influences; creating healthy routines; and supporting others

When it comes to your feelings, it can be easy to get caught up in your emotions as you’re feeling them. Most people don’t think about what emotions they are dealing with but taking the time to really identify what you’re feeling can help you to better cope with challenging situations. It’s ok to give yourself permission to feel. By looking for opportunity in adversity or finding ways to remember the good things about who or what we’ve lost, we can help ourselves to recover mentally and emotionally. Access a Mental Health America Tips for Success to learn more.

For each of us, the tools we use to keep us mentally healthy will be unique. But Mountain View Whisman School District wants everyone to know that mental health challenges and conditions are real, and recovery is possible. Finding what works for you may not be easy but can be achieved by gradually making small changes and building on those successes. By developing your own #Tools2Thrive, it is possible to find balance between work and play, the ups and downs of life, and physical health and mental health – and set yourself on the path to recovery.

Discover your #Tools2Thrive by listening to Renee Jain and Dr. Shefali Tsabary discuss our superpowers we are born with and how to transform our biologically natural anxiety so that we are empowered by it. You can access this 18 minute conversation in English at NPR How To Help Your Kids Reframe Their Anxiety — And Reclaim Their Superpowers

 

For next year’s 6th, 7th, 8th grade students: Middle School electives selection is happening now 

It is the time of year when our incoming middle school students choose their electives for next year. Our middle schools are currently working to provide quality offerings that we hope will pique students’ interests and a great complement to our core academics. We are requesting each child's top 5 interests so that we can provide at least one of his/her top choices.

These electives are all subject to staffing, student interest and COVID safety guidance. Your child’s preference will help us plan and schedule courses for next year. 

Please visit https://www.mvwsd.org/MSelectives for course catalogs and selection directions. All 5th-7th graders will preference their course electives online through Powerschool through May 7, 2021.

MVEF is hiring: Content Writer

Mountain View Educational Foundation is Hiring a Content Writer to Help MVEF foster growth, optimize outreach, reach a wider audience, persuade the reader, and inspire action through the power of the written word. 

Can you get people excited about the work that MVEF is doing? Do you write compelling, engaging and meaningful content in a concise newsletter, post web page or direct mail? Are you a superb storyteller that can capture people’s hearts and communicate the data? Is your style personable, specific, and easy to read?

MVEF needs a writer with these skills to enhance communication, marketing, and fundraising letter solicitations. The ideal candidate will help MVEF communicate with donors and parents, meet current fundraising goals, find new funding, spread awareness, and help donors understand the full impact of their donation. 

This is a flexible, part time position.  We need you to write Bi-monthly (sometimes monthly) updates for newsletters, website, and/or social media to keep supporters, donors, and volunteers educated about the impact on the community.  We also need help with back to school marketing presentations and fundraising letters for all levels of donations.  

Please send questions, email and/or resume to [email protected]

 

District Chess Tournament Registration Open

Registration is now open for the 18th Annual MVWSD Interscholastic Chess Tournament, to be held online again due to COVID-19 on Sunday, May 16, from 12:00 to 5:00.  The registration form and complete instructions can be found at tinyurl.com/mvwsdchess, and the deadline is May 14.  Any questions can be sent to Mark Ruzon, tournament director, at [email protected].

 

Unlocking Our Inner Strengths with CHAC: Registration for free May events available

CHAC has opened registration for their free virtual workshops in May, which focus on unlocking our inner strengths and supporting mental wellness. You are welcome to join for any or all events. Events will be held from 6:30 to 7:30pm, with optional 30-minute Q&A from 7:30 to 8pm.

May 5: From Puppies to Paintings! Creative Ways to Build Lasting Connections

May 12: Self-Empowerment Through Expression: The Crucial Role of Mental Wellness in Motivating Tomorrow’s Leaders

May 19: Parenting Teens Doesn’t Have to be Painful!

May 26: Self-Care & Support Across Diverse Communities

For more information about each session and to register in advance, head to: https://funraise.org/give/Community-Health-Awareness-Council/a25a1482-56ef-448d-80f1-c36132be901c/.

 

El Camino Health Community COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic

El Camino Health is continuing to administer free COVID-19 vaccines – by appointment – for those aged 16 and up who live or work in Santa Clara County. Vaccines are administered at El Camino Health’s Sunnyvale Clinic Monday – Saturday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Visit elcaminohealth.org/schedulevax to make an appointment.

See attached flier for information and scheduling assistance available in Spanish and Mandarin. If you need assistance scheduling an appointment online, please call 408-871-7460, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The County of Santa Clara announced that most County Health System vaccination sites will accept drop-ins for COVID-19 vaccines. Same-day appointments and some drop-in locations across the county are available at sccfreevax.org

 

MVLA Speech & Debate Summer Camp 

The Mountain View - Los Altos High Schools Speech and Debate Team is holding our annual summer camp from June 14–18 and June 21–25! The camp will be completely virtual, and students will learn about fundamental concepts in speech and debate in order to help them become more persuasive speakers and stronger critical thinkers. Additionally, we’re offering three different courses to accommodate for different skill levels and allow students to build off of their existing knowledge. For more information about pricing and registration, visit our website at mvlasdcamp.org.

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El Camino COVID Vaccine 

MVLA Speech & Debate 

May Equity Calendar 

 
 
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