May 20, 2021


May 20, 2021

Hello Cheetah Families, 

With just about two weeks of school remaining, we are excited to finish the year strong! On Tuesday, students began their final Math i-Ready assessment of the year. Testing will continue on Thursday, and we know our students will give it their all! Thank you for helping students remember to get lots of sleep the night before each testing day and to be sure to eat a good breakfast. 

 

Chromebooks

Thank you for your support of our District’s Chromebook program and distance learning this year! Students who will return to MVWSD schools can keep their Chromebooks this summer! I look forward to sharing some excellent resources for continued summer learning soon. Please look for details in the next Cheetah Chatter.

If your student will not be returning to an MVWSD school next year, please return your student’s Chromebook to the Theuerkauf front office anytime between June 4th to June 11th. Parents may begin dropping off Chromebooks on June 4th, the last day of school to our front office until 4:00 pm. The week of June 7th to June 11th, our office will be open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm for drop-offs. When dropping off, please remember to wear a mask and practice social distancing. Chromebooks will not be usable by students who are not enrolled in MVWSD or MVLA next year. 

 

Update Regarding Face Coverings

The CDC recently announced recommendations to relax face covering guidelines for individuals fully vaccinated against COVID-19. While this news is encouraging, it’s important to remember that we are still required to comply with state and local health orders, which have not yet relaxed requirements on face covering guidance. Until that time, all of our schools and district sites must continue to practice the use of face coverings by all individuals while on school property.  We will update you regarding any changes that impact school operations. Thank you.

 

As always, thank you for your partnership. Together, we make a difference!

 

Yours in service,

Michelle Williams, Principal

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

Wednesday, May 26 - SSC Meeting 4-5:00 p.m (Zoom)

Wednesday, May 26 - Materials distribution - Grade 4 zoomies only

Friday, May 28- End of 3rd Trimester- Minimum Day (school ends at 11:55am)

Monday, May 31- Memorial Day- No School

Wednesday, June 2 , 1-3pm - Materials distribution -  All zoomies

Thursday, June 3 - Final Cool Cats assembly & end of year celebration

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

Friday, June 4 - 5th grade promotion activities: 

  • 11am: Live screening of promotion video 

  • 12:30pm: Drive-through celebration

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 regular filled water bottles daily (or one large filled water bottle). 

 

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 are still putting together a special video for all 5th graders and their families to watch live at 11am on June 4th, our last day of school. The link to the video will be made available on PowerSchool, and it will be live streamed through your student's teacher. To make this video special, we still need your PHOTOS!!! 5th grade parents, the deadline to add photos is Thursday at 11:59pm. Please completethis form to send in the pictures you would like to have included in the video. If you have already sent in your photos, please do not add these again.

  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 promotion 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. 

 

Classroom Spotlight - Mrs. Leslie McClellan

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

I am proud of how each child is growing and building confidence to try new things, especially in a distance learning environment.  We share our work each day and are learning to give compliments to each other.  I really love the kindness and encouragement that my students give each other every day!

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

I encourage all my students to be curious and to ask questions about everything!  Learning happens in all parts of our lives, not just in school, so always be on the lookout to learn new things both in class and out in the world.

 

What makes your students special?

 My students are special in many ways but I have been super impressed by their kindness and willingness to try things that seem really difficult and overwhelming.  They always try their best!

 

Where did you attend college?

 UCSC (BA American Studies), National University (MEd- Curriculum and Instruction), and Foothill College (Early Childhood Development) 

 

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like to play with my dog, work in the garden, go to the beach, and travel

 

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

Teaching is my second career. I started out as a Circulation Systems Manager for the Palo Alto Times Tribune for 10 years. Also, I was on the front Page of the San Jose Mercury News when I was 2 years old after being pounced on by an African Lion cub in my driveway in Los Altos where I grew up.

Library Corner

Hello Cheetahs! Winners of the Reading Extravaganza will be announced soon. Stay tuned!

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: This week for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month we travel to South Asia. Fauja Singh Keeps Going, by Simran Jeet Singh, is the true story of the oldest person to ever run a marathon. Fauja Singh was born in Punjab, a state in northern India. Many people in Punjab practice a religion called Sikh. Many Sikh men have beards, grow their hair long and wear turbans. As a child, Fauja Singh struggled to learn to walk. He eventually learned to walk and became strong enough to help his family around the farm. Fauja also taught his children how to farm, but they eventually moved abroad. At the age of 81, Fauja moved to England to be closer to his children. It was there that he began to run. Fauja Singh is now 110 years old and continues to run! Listen to his inspiring story here. This 6 minute video is of the author explaining why he wanted to write a children’s story about Fauja Singh. 

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

 

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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In just a few short weeks, the school year will be over. We are having our last PTA Association meeting of the school year on Tuesday May 25th at 7:30pm. You can join us on Google Meet here: https://meet.google.com/xai-harv-ost and share your ideas and thoughts!

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View and comment on MVWSD’s Local Control Accountability Plan draft

The District is finalizing its draft of the LCAP (Local Control Accountability Plan). This is the District’s three-year plan that will correspond with the first three years of the District’s new Strategic Plan 2027. These documents are the blueprints that guide all of the District’s work for the benefit of our students.

Stakeholders are welcome to comment on the draft LCAP plan.  Please read the presentation and supporting materials at mvwsd.org/lcap, and click on the form link there to submit any comments. The comments form closes on May 26. Stakeholders may also attend the public learning during the Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, June 3 at 6 p.m. on Zoom (the link is here: http://mvw.sd/fRqB5).

 

Board meeting preview: May 20

The Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, May 20 at 6:00 p.m. Some of the meeting topics include the Expanded Learning Opportunities grant and construction update. Agenda and login information are here: https://www.mvwsd.org/about/board_of_trustees/board_meetings. The meeting is also streamed on https://www.youtube.com/mvwsd.

 

Community Check-In with the Superintendent: May 21

Please join us for an informal, online conversation with Dr. Ayindé Rudolph on Friday, May 21, 3:30 p.m. Spanish interpretation is available. Click here to register: http://mvw.sd/AKE7h

Returning students can keep Chromebooks this summer. Non-returning students should bring them back 

Thank you for your support of the District’s Chromebook program and distance learning this year. If your student is not returning to a MVWSD school next year, please return your student’s Chromebook to your school office by June 11, 2021 (or sooner). Students who will return to MVWSD schools can keep Chromebooks this summer. Students who are moving on to MVLA and plan to use their Chromebooks in high school are welcome to keep them. We will send specific instructions on how 8th-graders can access the MVLA network on their current Chromebooks.

Chromebooks will not be usable by students who are not enrolled in MVWSD or MVLA next year.

School offices are open weekdays from 7:30 a.m.- 4 p.m. When dropping off, please wear a mask and practice social distancing. For questions, please contact Jon Aker at [email protected]. 

 

MV Parent University: Preparing for High School

Date: May 19, 2021, 5:30 p.m.  Registration Link: http://mvw.sd/osiVT

Is there a rising high school freshman in your home? Do you want to learn a bit more about the habits, traits, and skills students should develop to be ready for high school? Join us at our final Parent University session of the year as we meet members of staff and students at the Mountain View-Los Altos High School District to hear them talk about this ever-important topic! 

To submit questions prior to the event, please click here. We will do our best to address your question during the session.

And if you missed any of our content this year, have no fear: www.mvwsd.org/parentu has recordings of all of our Parent University sessions this year! 

 

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 Awareness: Sustaining your Tools2Thrive 

We highlight mental health awareness one time per year, but the work to maintain our mental wellness is an everyday endeavor. Building self-care habits into each day contributes to our own personal wellness and models these habits for those around us. As we close out Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s important to remember that mental health, like physical health, is important to care for.  Find the activity or practice that works for you and build time into your day to engage in it.  For some people this means some sort of physical activity like walking the dog or practicing yoga.  For others this might mean reading a book or listening to music.  And for some others this may mean spending time with friends and family.  As we choose healthy behavioral practices to enhance our mental health, we also model these for those around us.  We may not all have the same interests, but we can all practice good self-care.  

Discovering what works for us may mean trying a few different things.  Continue to try new things until you find the right fit for you.  If you would like to learn more about Living Mentally Healthy, Mental Health America provides a webpage with many resources.  If you would like some ideas or to learn more about self-care, you can read Sam Dekin’s article on “How Does Self-Care Affect Mental Health?” or access Mental Health America’s “Taking Good Care of Yourself”, NAMI’s “Taking Care of Yourself”, or ActiveMinds “Self Care”

As always, MVWSD stands with our students, staff, and families to be #StigmaFree and in support of Mental Health Awareness. We wish you wellness.

 

COVID Vaccine now available for students 12 years and older 

Families can schedule an appointment for their children 12 and older to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for this age group. Among other options around the county, Levi's stadium has evening appointments and the Mountain View Community Center is open during the day.  Vaccination appointments for these locations can be made here: https://vax.sccgov.org/

 

COVID testing available for students and families

Regular, asymptomatic COVID testing for students is not required at this time however, parents may want to have students tested, especially after travel, to ensure that they are not carrying the COVID-19 virus.

Free, asymptomatic testing is available for students and parents at:

* El Camino Hospital or MV Center for Performing Arts. Dates: Ongoing. Schedule through El Camino Health 

* Graham Middle School. Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at Graham MUR (Register here). You also may schedule an appointment by calling 650-940-7022 and use option 4. Please mention you are with the Mountain View Whisman School District when calling. 

If your child has symptoms of COVID or has had a known exposure to someone who may have COVID, please contact your child's pediatrician for testing information. If you do not have a health care provider, make a symptomatic testing appointment with a county provider here: https://scl.fulgentgenetics.com/appointment/screen/landing.
 

 

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 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/.

 

CalFresh Program for grocery assistance 

Need help buying groceries? You might qualify for CalFresh, a free EBT card you can use to buy food at most stores and select online retailers. If you receive CalFresh benefits, you may also be eligible for P-EBT, a grocery benefit that provides $375 per child 18 and under over the summer months. To find out if you qualify, call 1-800-984-3663, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or scan the QR code (flyer attached) to request a call. We speak English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin and Tagalog. Second Harvest can also connect you to other food programs in your community.

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COVID Vaccine 

CalFresh Program 

 

 

Theuerkauf Elementary, Mountain View Whisman School District,

1625 San Luis Ave., Mountain View, CA 94043   www.mvwsd.org    650-903-6925

 
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