MVLA Magazine
September 2022
Dear MVLA Community,
We hope this newsletter finds you enjoying the fall as you engage in family and school activities. It has been a busy time for MVLA as we participate in arts, athletics, and academics.
As the college application season is upon us, we want to emphasize the importance of considering various options as you and your student are making choices about post-secondary opportunities. Our fundamental commitment as an academic institution is to prepare students to have as many options as possible as they consider their lives beyond MVLA. Thank you to our counselors, teachers, and college and career advisors for all your efforts in support of this process.
With our graduates and their futures at the forefront of our work, the MVLA Family Partnership Council (FPC) kicked off its first meeting on September 27 at Alta Vista High School, continuing its focus on developing the MVLA Graduate Profile. The FPC brings together district and site staff and elected parent leaders from PTSA, the MVLA Foundation, Latinos Unidos (LAHS), Latino Parent Organization (MVHS), and other parent organizations on campus as members of the broader community to work together on district initiatives. Our focus for this school year is to develop the graduate profile and to continue advancing the district’s equity goals through broad community partnerships.
With the diversity of needs each student brings to our district in mind, we have been working on expanding our pathways toward colleges and universities via our Career, Technical, Education program (CTE). To support our CTE program, a new role was created to shepherd new pathways and amplify our current courses. Special thanks to the MVLA Foundation for their generous financial support in bringing this position to bear. Amber Woodward, CTE Program Specialist, will develop advisory boards and pathways in new career sectors and support our current courses. Last month, she presented to the Board Trustees. You can find the presentation here.
Finally, please enjoy this edition of MVLA Magazine. Your support of MVLA and our students is appreciated.
Sincerely,
Nellie Meyer
Superintendent MVLAHSD
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
Lauren Camarillo, Mountain View High School teacher, has been named one of the 2022 Santa Clara County Teachers of the Year, part of an exemplary group of educators who have made a great impact on their school communities.
A National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT), Lauren teaches Spanish and Ambassadors, and also serves as the advisor for Link Crew, the Spartan Dance Club, and the Ambassadors Club. Lauren and the Ambassadors have won multiple awards, including as a YMCA Project Cornerstone 2022 Asset Champions Award in the category of "Caring School Climate."
Lauren's fellow teachers say she works tirelessly to promote positive school culture for students and staff alike, and is highly regarded for her focus on inclusivity, community, and creating a safe and welcoming space for every student on campus. Congratulations to Lauren Camarillo!
Thirty-seven high school seniors from the Mountain View Los Altos High School District (MVLA) have advanced to semifinalist standing for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation's (NMSC) National Merit Scholarship 2023 competition. These MVLA students are part of a group of approximately 16,000 National Merit Scholarship student semifinalists named this month by the NMSC.
Advancing to the semifinalist stage is a significant accomplishment. Approximately 1.4 million juniors from 21,000 high schools across the country entered the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program when they took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) last fall. Read more here!
Alex is very involved with the school's robotics team, Eagle Strike. As the co-captain, he leads a team of more than 70 members, competing in tournaments and creating robots. Alex likes working on and leading the computer numerical control machine (CNC). He is passionate about languages and is a member of the French National Honor Society.
Alex has been on the Track and Field Team since his freshman year. Last year, he received the Eagle award for being a helpful and good teammate. Read more about Alex here. View his board recognition here, starting at 16:24.
Michael is passionate about technology and learning. This summer, he was a student worker for the district’s IT department. His efforts led him into the role of teacher’s assistant to an MVHS math teacher. His favorite classes this year are AP Spanish Literature and physics. Outside of school, he enjoys playing the piano and organ and likes to read mandated reports for MVLA.
Michael hopes to major in physics in college and work in a technology-related company before teaching high school math, preferably AP Calculus BC. He hopes to become an assistant principal. Read more about Michael here. View his board recognition here, starting at 21:25.
Each month, MVLA looks to the community to recognize someone who has contributed greatly and has been a great partner to the District. This month, the District is proud to recognize Renee Zimmerman, Executive Director of the El Camino YMCA, and the YMCA board.
Renee brings 32 years of non-profit experience to her position, and she has served as a great partner to the District for several years. Some of the MVLA/YMCA partnership programs include:
- A physical education program at Alta Vista High School
- Various youth engagement programs
- Focused support on family health and wellbeing
View the Board's recognition here, starting at 1:41.
FOUNDATION UPDATE
MVLA FOUNDATION PHONATHON
The MVLA Foundation Phonathon is coming up -- we need your support! For 40 years, the Foundation has been governed by parent volunteers who work hard to raise supplemental funding to ensure that our children have an exceptional learning environment. Please help us meet our goal of raising $2.236 million. Donations of any amount help us reach our goal, and everyone's participation is appreciated.
How can you help?
- Donate Now, Pledge to Donate Later, or let us know a donation is coming via your employer before October 3rd to save our volunteers a call.
- Volunteer to make calls on Wednesday, October 19, from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. at the Mountain View Community Center.
Questions? Email us info@mvlafoundation.org or visit our website MVLAfoundation.org.
BOARD UPDATE
At its regular meeting on September 12, the MVLA Board of Trustees took action on a number of items and included several presentations. Highlights include:
- A presentation on the Pathways, Exposure, Academic Connection, and Knowledge (PEAK) program, a component of the District's Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) core curriculum - Presentation | Video (starting at 49:29.
- Certification of the 2021-2022 unaudited actual financial report - Report
- Resolution adopting the Gann Appropriations Limit for the prior fiscal year - Report
The next regular meeting is Monday, October 3, starting at 7:00 p.m. Meeting materials will be posted here.
DISTRICT NEWS
PARENT EDUCATION SPEAKER SERIES WELCOMES ADAM "SMILEY" POSWOLSKY
Our next Parent Education Speaker Series event will be on October 6 at Mountain View High School. We are pleased to host Adam "Smiley" Poswolsky, an internationally renowned keynote speaker, workplace belonging expert, and bestselling author as he presents "Friendship in the Age of Loneliness: How to Make Friends as an Adult." The event is free but does require registration.
Smiley regularly speaks at Fortune 500 companies like Apple, Google, Deloitte, Unilever, and Verizon. We are excited to have him share a blueprint for building deeper personal connections and more meaningful friendships while juggling the pressures and distractions of parenthood.
For those who were unable to join us for Becky Munsterer Sabky's lecture on a saner perspective of the college admissions process on September 13, or would like to re-watch the presentation, the recording is now available on YouTube.
GALLERY
LAHS drama department’s fall production of “She Kills Monsters” opens November 3. The play, written by Qui Nguyen, features coming-of-age themes surrounding identity, loss, and community, while embracing changes that come with unexpected tragedy.
DATEBOOK
October 3, 2022
Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees
7:00 p.m.
October 6, 2022
Parent Education Speaker Series
Adam Poswolsky: Friendship in the Age of Loneliness: How to Make Friends as an Adult
Mountain View High School
7:00 p.m.
October 13 & 14, 2022
Recess Days - NO SCHOOL
October 19, 2022
District Wellness Advisory Committee Meeting
3:45 p.m.
October 19, 2022
MVLA Foundation Phonathon
ABOUT US
Email: communications@mvla.net
Website: https://www.mvla.net/
Location: 1299 Bryant Avenue, Mountain View, CA, USA
Phone: 650-940-4650
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mvlahsd
Twitter: @MVLAHSD