The Weekly Olé FAMILY EDITION
Rancho Minerva Middle School - February 26, 2021
Our Rancho Minerva family is here and ready to help!
We know you have a lot of questions.
Don't be afraid to call us and ask!
To maintain physical distancing and safety for all, please make an appointment before coming to campus. The front office is open every school day from 8 am - 12 pm, by appointment only. We want to be sure that we have someone to assist you when you arrive.
FACE MASKS ARE REQUIRED BY EVERY PERSON WHO COMES ON CAMPUS.
Please call us at any time between 8am - 3:00pm for assistance.
FRONT OFFICE - (760) 631-4500
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT - KWN VIDEO PRODUCTION ELECTIVE
KWN (Kid Witness News) is one of Rancho Minerva's STEAM electives that focuses on video production and digital storytelling. In a traditional setting, these scholars work to film special projects, participate in competitive video competitions, and help Rancho Minerva "Tell Our Story". During a global pandemic, most of the special projects are filmed at home, with teams uploading film and editing over Zoom calls. This semester, the KWN team have been learning shot composition and interview techniques through their weekly video challenges. These skills will be implemented as they are working on 2 major projects: "The Pep Talk" for the Directing Change State Mental Health competition, and a documentary on skaters which will include a special interview and footage from a Pro Skateboarder (wait until you find out... he's AWESOME!).
This week, a small team of 3 KWN members filmed in Dr. Murray's Paxton Patterson Career Lab in order to update RMMS's elective video. You will be able to see this film, along with our 2 competitive films for 2021, on YouTube once they are completed. Go Bulls!!!
Weekly Update
“More smiling, less worrying. More compassion, less judgment.
More blessed, less stressed. More love, less hate.”
― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
CLASSIC RETURNS NEXT WEEK!
Classic scholars will return to campus beginning on Tuesday, March 2. All families have been notified by newsletter, direct email from Ms. DeSanto, and School Messenger. Scholars will come to school 1 day per week, either Tuesday or Wednesday. Group A will attend on Tuesday and Group B will attend on Wednesday. DUE TO SITE COVID SAFETY PROTOCOLS, PLEASE DO NOT DROP OFF YOUR SCHOLAR PRIOR TO 8 AM. We want to continue to offer in-person learning, so please help us by following our safety protocols.
COVID PROTOCOLS STILL IN PLACE
Just a reminder to our Classic scholars about the safety protocols that will be in place when you return to campus. If you choose to not follow these mandatory requirements, you may be moved to the Virtual model. It's everyone's job to keep everyone safe.
- Every scholar must get their temperature checked prior to coming on campus.
- Every scholar must have an approved mask that covers their mouth and nose on at all times while on campus, except when eating or drinking. No gators, bandanas, masks with vents. If you don't have a mask, we will give you one.
- Every scholar must maintain appropriate social distancing - which is 6 feet. This is a tough one for all of us! Everyone needs to keep their hands to themselves. Virtual hugs only.
- Hand washing will be encouraged.
- Please bring a re-fillable water bottle to school as all the water fountains are shut off.
- No sharing of food, drink, or other items. No sharing of anything :-(
- Scholars will have assigned seating in their classrooms AND at lunch.
ELPAC TESTING IN MARCH
We are taking the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) starting on Monday, 3/1. Your scholars will need to have their Chromebooks ready with a working camera and microphone. This is an important test that is used as part of the criteria for reclassification, so we want to try our best! Some tips for testing:
- Make sure you are feeding your brain -- eat and hydrate!
- Get lots of rest -- our brains need to reset and recharge to be at their best!
- Charge your device the night before
- Find a quiet space away from distractions to take the assessment
If you have any questions, please reach out to our ELD Site Coordinator, Gina Bottini, at ginabottini@vistausd.org or (760) 631-4500 x64331. Thank you for always supporting our scholars!
ALL SCHEDULES ARE BELOW IN NEWSLETTER
No matter your scholar's learning model - the times are the same. Everyone is on the same time schedule. Please check your learning model schedule below. Click on the Classic Schedule to go to a more specific (by group and grade level) schedule for your scholar.
SAVE THE DATE! MARCH 11
We are excited to celebrate our scholars who earned a 3.0 GPA or above for the Fall semester. We have 68 - 6th graders, 74 - 7th graders, and 58 - 8th graders to celebrate! We are planning a festive drive through event on Thursday, March 11, from 3 p - 6 p. Scholars will be invited by grade level and will have a specified time slot. Thank you for honoring our schedule. Safety first!
- 3 pm - 4 pm - reserved for our 8th grade scholars (and families with scholars in multiple grades)
- 4 pm - 5 pm - reserved for our 6th grade scholars
- 5 pm - 6 pm - reserved for our 7th grade scholars
FROM PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS:
ETS is offering POWER HOURS
“ETS Power Hour(s)” started on Tuesday, February 9th. Join the ETS team for drop-in questions/office hours, games (maybe lol), homework help, or just to hang out with your ETS staff members.
ETS Power Hour takes place on
Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Times
Lunch Time: 11:45am-1:00pm
After-School: 2:45pm-4:15pm
To access ETS Power Hour and for the weekly schedule, click here.
Hapara is Now Active
Our school takes your child’s online safety seriously. The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requires that K-12 schools and libraries use internet filters and implement other measures to protect children from harmful online content as a condition for the receipt of certain federal funding, especially E-rate funds.
Vista Unified has been using the Hāpara Instructional Suite to assist with this requirement, along with other important learning tasks. This was used on campus during the school day. With the pandemic and the creation of the Vista Virtual Learning Model, we will begin using the Hapara Instructional Suite to support our virtual learners beginning in January 2021. This is a great opportunity for your child/children because it will provide new ways to personalize learning to meet their individual needs, keep them safe during online lessons, and provide them with ongoing feedback on their work to encourage continuous learning and growth.
- Parent Letter - English about Hapara
- Parent Letter - Spanish about Hapara
ASES Program is Offering Tutoring - see flyer below in newsletter
ASES is now offering free tutoring for all scholars! If you have any questions, please reach out to maytelopez@vistausd.org
AM ASES - 7 - 8:30 AM
6th/7th/8th - Zoom Link
PM ASES - 3:45 - 5:45 PM
6th Grade - Zoom Link
7th Grade - Zoom Link
8th Grade - Zoom Link
School Accountability Report Card Available
RMMS's School Accountability Report Card (SARC) is now available on our school website and in the Main Office for your review.
Meal Distribution - Wednesday-only
Meal distribution will be provides 7-days’ worth of meals every Wednesday at all of our existing sites. Each week will feature a variety of fresh, seasonal produce based on seasonal availability. Keep an eye out for flyers and social media posts announcing each week’s produce. Service is available for all children 18 & under, with no forms or paperwork required.
Locations and times for meal distribution on WEDNESDAYS are as follows:
Foothill Oak Elementary now serves between 11AM - 1PM
8AM - 9AM: Roosevelt Middle School; Vista High School
11AM - 1PM: Foothill Oak Elementary School; Grapevine Elementary; Madison Middle; Maryland Elementary; Rancho Buena Vista High School; Roosevelt Middle School; VAPA; Vista High School
3PM - 4PM: Vista High School
BE TECH SMART - KEEP YOUR SCHOLAR SAFE
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF VIDEO GAMES - FROM SMART SOCIAL
Click the link above for the a video and the entire article.
A Canadian study from McGill University shows that human-computer interactions, such as playing video games, can have a negative impact on the brain.
Some negative effects of videos games are:
- Noticeable changes to behavior
- Ignoring or not prioritizing responsibilities or interests over game time
- Continuing to play games despite the negative impact it may have
- Difficulty sleeping or changes in sleep patterns
- Declining grades or difficulty in school
- Can lead to social isolation
- Poor time management skills
Why should parents care about kids playing video games?
- Some parents believe that their kids are safe online if they don’t have social media. However, if they play video games they are still at risk
- You may think you’re aware of your child’s gameplay, but if they’re wearing a headset and playing in multiplayer mode, they are a million miles away
- When your kid is playing video games in multiplayer mode, they are talking to people you don’t know. They’re talking to people who do not love your child as much as you do
- Too much game time can have a negative impact on your student’s health
WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOUR SCHOLAR!
Thank you to all the parents and guardians who attended our Coffee with the Counselors!
If you need to contact us, please see our information below or fill out the virtual counseling request form Virtual Counseling Request Form. Canvas tiles from your counselor with information and resources will be coming soon. Also, join our new Instagram account @rmmscounseling for updates and announcements!
Scholars with the last name A-L
Mrs. Ramirez
760-631-6400 ext. 64005
Scholars with the last name M-Z
Ms. Mayoral
760-631-6400 ext. 64003
CHECK YOUR PARENT PORTAL - KEEP YOUR EMERGENCY CONTACTS UPDATED!
With COVID-19 concerns, it is more important than ever that your emergency contacts are up-to-date. When we return to school, if a scholar shows any symptoms of COVID-19, we will be contacting you to pick them up immediately. This is for everyone's safety. If you are unsure about how to do update your Parent Portal in Aeries, please contact the front office for assistance. 760-631-4500
JOIN PTA AND SUPPORT OUR SCHOLARS AT RMMS!
Please use this link to get access to all the PTA flyers.
RMMS Facemasks are available for $12. Visit PTA page on RMMS website for more information.
20-21 PTA Board:
President - Ashley Tovar (click name for email)
Vice President - Ashley Doyea
Secretary - Lucia Rodriguez
Treasurer - Amanda Remmen
Looking for a job? VUSD is hiring!
You are a VIP!
The Vista Institute for Parents (VIP) is a collaborative effort to create a system of support to engage and empower families as partners in education.
- Facilitating access to academic supports
- Prioritizing care and connection
- Building technology literacy
- Helping families effectively navigate the education system
This website is designed to provide up-to-date resources and videos, a platform to communicate with our support team and get connected to others, to learn new skills and tips for your family, and have fun with us as we all continue to grow and learn together to support our amazing Vista Unified students. This is an ever-evolving program, so if you identify something you would like to share or learn, please reach out to us today! Here's to being partners in education!
COVID Information & Updates
Public Testing Sites:
https://211sandiego.org/resources/health-wellness/covid-19-testing/
About us
Email: luciarodriguez-v@vistausd.org
Website: https://rmms.vistausd.org/
Location: 2245 Foothill Drive, Vista, CA 92084, USA
Phone: (760) 631-4500
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RMMSBulls
Twitter: @RMMSBulls