9/23/20 Huff n Stuff

Quote of the week:

“The secret to change is to focus your energy, not on fighting the old but on building the new.”

-Socrates

Principal’s Message: 

Dear Huff families,


We have had our monthly assemblies with all grade levels and emphasized the importance of actively participating in all lessons, submitting work and asking questions. For the upper grades it is very important for students to learn to advocate for themselves and ask questions before they leave their zoom meeting or before the assignment is due. 

 

Planning for school reopening: Learning Options survey

Last week you received the reopening survey that will allow us to plan for students to come back on campus. We ask that you pick the choice that best fits your family situation. We can not plan without having the data so please submit as soon as you can. Once all surveys have been received, we will plan our next steps. We need to have accurate numbers to make the appropriate learning tracks that means that we might need to adjust to match the student numbers. I will do my best to keep continuity but my number one concern is creating safe, stable cohorts and matching those with the teachers. 


Renaming Huff

Based on Board consensus and community support, the renaming of Frank L. Huff Elementary school is moving forward. To reach all stakeholders, a community action committee will form to direct the process and oversee community feedback. The process is expected to reach its conclusion before the start of the 2021-22 school year. To learn more about the process and the formation of the community action committee, tune in to the Board of Trustees meeting on October 22, 2020 here. To submit a public comment for this item, send your comment to [email protected] by the Wednesday before the meeting.

2020 Solar and Perimeter Fence Projects (Funded by Measure T) 

Thanks to our community members for supporting and passing Measure T, the $259 million bond issue passed in 2020, we are able to continue to fund a variety of projects that will increase safety, efficiency and provide for short-term growth at our schools.  At Huff, we will see the following project areas:

  • Replacement and improvements of our HVAC equipment

  • Improved security with the improvement of our perimeter fencing to completely enclose our campus and fields

  • Construction of solar arrays

  • Public restroom

  • Replacement of older, single pane windows, where needed

  • Additional permanent portable

You can find more details on all the exciting upgrades and improvements here

Upcoming events

School Site Council Meeting

09/30 3:00-4:30PM (please email [email protected] if you are interested in joining)


English Language Advisory Committee 

 09/30 5:30--6:30PM (register here)


Principal’s Coffee

10/2/2020 5-6PM (register here)


Have a wonderful week! Stay safe and healthy.


Sincerely,


Arline Siam

Upcoming Events

September

-30: School Site Council (SSC)  3pm

-30: ELAC 5:30pm (register here)

October

-2: Principal’s Virtual Coffee 5pm (register here)

-12: Recess Day - No School

-28: School Site Council (SSC)  3pm

-28: ELAC 5:30pm

Reporting Absences

If you are reporting a student's absence, please email [email protected] or call the attendance line at (650)526-3490 ext 3080.

Reminder: Please include your student's name, your student's room or teacher, the reason for absence, the date of absence(s) and the relationship of the person leaving the message. Thank you from the office staff!


District News:

Strategic Plan Survey is open now

MVWSD is working on a new Strategic Plan. We want to ensure this new six-year Strategic Plan 2027  builds on the strengths and assets of our school system, while addressing the most promising opportunities to enhance our work. 


We need your help! Parents, students and staff members will be asked to engage in several steps during the strategic planning process in meetings, focus groups and surveys. 


Here is your first opportunity to give input.  Please take 10 minutes to respond to this survey by midnight on Sept. 24. https://www.research.net/r/MVWSDStratPlan


The survey is managed by a third-party consultant.  All responses will go directly to them and will be anonymous.  


Next steps: This information will be used to shape our future strategic direction. In October you will have the opportunity to see your efforts materialize in the resulting strategic plan framework and to provide feedback.  


Thank you for taking the time to inform our future. 

Planning for school reopening: Learning Options survey

Thank you for supporting your children in “Connected 100% Distance Learning” due to COVID-19. As you know, planning for potential school re-opening has been ongoing since March.


Our tentative plan: MVWSD is considering in-person learning beginning with the first group of our youngest, specific special education students and our at-risk students. However, we will not open schools if the process poses too great a risk to our students’ or employees’ health and safety. 100% Distance Learning will remain an option. Click here to read more about the two options:  www.mvwsd.org/academicsduringcovid.


In order to proceed, we want to hear from you. Many of the specifics of what school reopenings will look like in the future depend on our families’ responses. Please complete the updated Stage 3 Learning Options Registration survey (sent to you in email on Sept 18) before Sept. 25. Your survey link is unique to each of your students and can be completed only once. 


More information is in Dr. Rudolph’s update to the Board of Trustees on Sept. 17. (The video is posted here . Tune in at timestamp 2:33).


Parent University: Raising Digitally Resilient Children and Teens during Quarantine

Kids are online more than ever in this post-COVID world, with increased use of digital technology for academics, entertainment, and social connection.


Join My Digital TAT2 for a highly engaging and informative webinar at the MVWSD Parent University event on Wednesday, October 7th from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. Hear how young people are affected by the latest news, trends, and data from the world of technology. Get tips and strategies for how to teach responsibility and balanced and healthy use of the internet and social media.


Click here to register for this event on Zoom.

 

Recommended for all adults who support youth and want to learn thoughtful and supportive ways to navigate media with children. For more information about My Digital TAT2 and their mission, please visit: www.mydigitaltat2.org


Together We Are a Better MVWSD: Hispanic Heritage Month (Flyers attached)

We are excited to announce that this month marks the beginning of a monthly offering towards MVWSD’s equity goals titled Together We Are a Better MVWSD.  Each month you will receive an infographic in both English and Spanish that offers educational tools and community guidance inspired by a national diversity calendar. This month is National Hispanic Heritage Month.


You’ll see:


  • Lessons provided by grade level that are designed to be used by teachers to enhance work they are doing in the classroom. 

  • Activities provided to parents, which are meant to help bridge the gap between lessons at school and conversations at home. 

  • Organization spotlights to help us engage with our community and learn more about organizations doing equity work.

  • Children’s books by authors who have either the lived experience or scholarly background to contextualize this topic for children and adolescents.


Please see mvwsd.org/BetterTogetherMVWSD


Cafecito con el Superintendente on Sept. 23
Join us for an informal meeting for Spanish-speaking parents on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 5:30 p.m. Translation will be provided.

Please register in advance for this meeting here.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Distance Learning Tip: 

What’s the easiest way to help my child upload pictures of student work?

First, create a child’s folder in a parent’s Google Drive (only has to be done once. Requires parent to have a gmail account.)

-download google drive app on smartphone

-create a folder with child's name (ie "Emma’s Schoolwork”)

-share the folder with child’s school email address. (Note: Students in grades TK-5 will not get an email notification of this share. The child does not have to access his/her email account. The folder automatically will appear in student’s “shared with me” folder on their Drive after parent “shares” with the student’s email address.)

After that set up, its as easy as this:

-open google drive app

-open the shared folder

-push + button and select “use camera” to take picture (this uploads it automatically)

-child now has the pic on his/her school drive in the parent/child shared folder (under "shared with me" in child’s drive). They can also upload these images to other programs, such as SeeSaw.

Online Parenting Toolkit: Making Life with Kids Easier!*

It’s difficult to be a parent right now. Everyday Parenting is a free, online program that aims to make your typical day in the home easier. In this program, you will be given tools for improving your child’s behavior, increasing your child’s compliance with your requests, and strengthening your relationship with your child. 

 

Please click here to access the FREE program: https://www.coursera.org/learn/everyday-parenting?utm_source=YALE&utm_medium=institutions&utm_campaign=202004-Group-EP-Graham-Middle-School

 *While we believe it can be helpful to families, this resource is not directly affiliated with MVWSD.

 

Free Student Meals Available Again

The free meal program has been extended! During Distance Learning, free meals are again available to all children in the Mountain View Whisman School District age 18 and younger. No IDs required. Locations: All schools, except Stevenson (pickup for Stevenson is at Theuerkauf). Times: 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. at the elementary schools. 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the middle schools. Walk, drive or roll up to grab a free meal and go! Parents should continue to go here https://secure.ezmealapp.com/ to apply for free or reduced price meal benefits through the National Lunch Program, if needed.  

Please Support Our Students and Teachers!

MVEF raises money to provide all MVWSD students with an educational experience beyond what is possible with public funding. We hope you saw the MVEF brochure with your school supplies or watched the video during Back to School. Please see the website at https://www.mvef.org/ for more information and to donate online. Please consider joining our team of volunteers or emailing us with any questions at [email protected]. Thank you for your support!

Mountain View Public Library presents “Sea Otters” (Flyer attached)

Mountain View Public Library presents “Sea Otters: Author Talk for Kids” (ages 7-12) on Wednesday Oct 14 - 4-4:30 pm. See attached flyer. Free. Sign-up at https://mountainview.gov/librarycalendar

The MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series presents: Jeff Selingo on "Who Gets In and Why:  A Year Inside the College Admissions Process" on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2020 - 7:00 - 9:00pm | Live Online | Zoom

Join us for an insightful evening with journalist and higher education expert Jeff Selingo, as he dispels entrenched notions about the college admissions process. 

While many have long believed that college admissions decisions are driven largely by merit, Jeff presents a more complicated truth.   Embedded in three distinctly different admissions offices — a selective private university, a leading liberal arts college, and a flagship public campus — Jeff closely observed college admission officers as they made their often agonizing and sometimes life-changing decisions.

Based on a year of reading applications and sitting through committee meetings where up and down votes were taken, Jeff reveals what really matters to the gatekeepers and how their ultimate decisions are often based on a college’s priorities.  Following interviews with students, testing agencies, marketers, and ranking organizations, Jeff also shares practical advice and helpful strategies for navigating the confusing, chaotic, and often-times stressful college application process.  

Audience:  High school parents and students; teachers and counselors

Register: To register for this free event, go to https://mvla2020-21-jeffselingo.eventbrite.com

Book:  Jeff's new book, Who Gets In and Why, will be released Sept. 15th and is available with free shipping from Books, Inc.  Jeff is generously offering our community a 30% discount + free shipping for pre-orders made directly through him. If interested, use code MVLA30.

Event Login:  We will send the Zoom link via Eventbrite email, Thursday afternoon, October 1st. 

If you have not used Zoom before, please make sure to allow a few extra minutes before the event to download the free Zoom app.    

Sponsored by Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF), MVLA High School Foundation, Mountain View Educational Foundation (MVEF), and Los Altos-Mountain View PTA Council.

 

PTA News:

ONLINE BOOK FAIR COMING SOON: Parents, be on the lookout for our online Scholastic Book Fair coming October 12-25! We’ll miss the in-person fun that kids and parents usually enjoy, but you can still support their love for reading AND earn rewards for our school in the virtual book fair. You’ll have access to thousands of best-selling books, collections, educational toys, games and more, shipped directly to your home. Sales will go live from our bookfair webpage on October 12.

 

(Link to book fair is https://www.scholastic.com/bf/huffelementary)

 

10% off Yearbooks Until September 30th!

Go to www.TreeRing.com/validate

Enter our school’s passcode: 1015335719921389

Special offer price before tax: $13.95.

(Regular price: $15.50.)

TreeRing’s yearbooks are unique in that you get two FREE custom pages to fill with pictures and memories of your child. Plus TreeRing plants a tree for each yearbook sold.

 

Please remember a free yearbook is NOT included with PTA membership this year.

 

Contact Kathleen Mikulis or Dorothy Lin with any questions at [email protected]

 

YEARBOOK FAQ

But there’s no events. How will there be a yearbook?

This year’s yearbook will be about 50 pages (compared to last year’s 78) because there aren’t school-wide in-person events. Each class will still have a page with school photos of each child and a page of class candids. We plan to still have pages devoted to Halloween, School Spirit Dress Up Days, and 5th Grade Then and Now, among others. Also, we hope to have some fun additions like class surveys and paragraphs from graduating 5th graders on their interests and what’s important to them.

Plus there are two FREE customized pages that come with every yearbook purchase for you to add your own pictures of your child. (We’ll walk you through those steps on how to do that later in the year.)

 

How are you going to get photos?

We are definitely going to have to rely on teachers and YOU parents (taking photos at home) to send us pictures this year, and we have an online drop-off for photos on Google Drive. We will send reminder messages throughout the year about different events to be sure to photograph. If there are fun class- or grade-wide projects going on, send us photos. And finally, if you would like to see your child in the yearbook, PLEASE take photos!

 

There are no fall portraits this year so how will each class have a page of their formal portraits?

It’s true, there are no fall portraits this year, but spring portraits are still scheduled. We hope to use those, but if picture day gets cancelled or if anyone misses that day, we plan to reach out to teachers and parents for photos. 

 

How do I submit photos:

Please upload photos here: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1sHtAxYqeSUzQDhg2T4hWvOgS--31elW3

 

Amici’s Fundraiser

Don't cook on Tuesday 10/6, get lunch or dinner from Amici's Pizzeria instead!

 

From 11:30 am - 9:00 pm pick up pizzas (or salads or sandwiches) for the family. They also have an extensive menu of pastas and many are family-size.

 

Be sure to mention Huff Elementary, and Amici’s will generously donate 25% of your food and beverage purchases to the Huff PTA. 

 

Pick-up ONLY. (No deliveries.)

 


PTA Membership Drive Magic Show Contest


The virtual race is still on for the professional magic show party!  The classroom with the highest percentage of students with at least one PTA family member will win a virtual 30 minute professional magic show party, during the school day, coordinated with the classroom teacher.  The contest will run until Sept 30th, 2020. Ms Schaefer’s class (Room 16) is still in the lead while Ms Lopez’s class (Room 1) gained the most ground on the leaderboard jumping from 18th place to 6th in one week!  The top 5 classroom standings are as follows:


  • Room 16 - Ms Schaefer (50%)

  • Room 11 - Ms Hinson (48%)

  • Room 18 - Ms Libuit (41%)

  • Room 17 - Ms Martinka (38%)

  • Room 14 - Mr Mello (35%)


Membership costs just $12. Huff PTA strives to support and advocate for our children by partnering with staff, families, and the wider community to create a safe, healthy and inclusive learning environment where students can excel and feel confident in themselves.


Join now @ huffpta.org/join


Please email [email protected] with any questions.


Attachments:

Amici’s Flyer

Food Flyer

MVLA Speaker Series

September Equity graphic English

Otter author talk

LCC: Sensory Handout

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