Monte Vista Blue Jay Community News
Monte Vista 2024: January 22-26
Weekly Recap
It was another special week in the books, with so many important experiences packed into the short four day week! We had a special Martin Luther King, Jr. inspirational message during each of our grade-level band morning community meetings in honor of the recent holiday. In classrooms, many grade levels kicked of their third quarter inquiry arcs with exciting exploration activities to "hook" students into the new inquiry topics of study. Our basketball teams hosted San Benancio and Palma with exciting games all around. Our School Site Vision Council met online for the month and dug deep into reviewing our school Safety Plan. Additionally, our Instructional Leadership Team engaged in important work around the California Dashboard data. Chronic absenteeism emerged as an area for growth for our school, and a goal we have for moving forward is to identify any barriers that might be inhibiting our Blue Jays from attending regularly and to provide any support needed to ensure our Monte Vista scholars are able to access the important learning that happens daily. Looking forward to a wonderful week ahead!
Announcements for the Week
1) Our next English Learner Advisory Council (for parents of multilingual students) will meet Monday, January 22nd at 5:30PM-6:15PM. Online and in-person options will be in place. Spanish translation will be available as well as dinner. An invite to parents of mulitlingual students will be sent via ParentSquare with an RSVP, so we can know how much food to buy for the dinner.
Zoom link for those that want to attend online.
https://mpusd-k12-ca-us.zoom.us/j/93351966528?pwd=VFhHanBCRENvOEtXQklsVXMvcERGZz09
2) The Young Americans international performance troupe (see link HERE) is coming to Monte Vista February 14th-16th! These 25 performers (ages 18-25) will be doing a three-day workshop for Grades 3-8 students on our campus that has them miraculously put together and perform a one-hour song and dance show! Important information including registration will be going out about this by Monday, January 15th. A link to that Parent Square is provided HERE to learn all the details as well as register your child for the at-school workshop.
3) Grades 7-8 Basketball Practice Schedule + Games for the Week Details
Tuesday, January 23rd-
Grade 7/8 Girls Team- 4:00PM@MLK vs. Seaside Middle
Grade 7 Boys Team - 5:00PM@MLK vs. Seaside Middle
Grade 8 Boys Team- 6:00PM@MLK vs. Seaside Middle
(Transportation provided to the game location)
Thursday, January 25th-
Grade 7/8 Girls Team- 4:00PM@LAMS
Grade 7 Boys Team - 5:00PM@LAMS
Grade 8 Boys Team- 6:00PM@LAMS
(Transportation provided to the game location)
Please see schedule below for further information.
4) Updated COVID-19 Isolation and Testing Recommendations
- A child or staff member with COVID-19 can now return to school or a childcare setting if their symptoms are mild and improving and they have had no fever for 24 hours instead of staying home for 5 days.
- Positive COVID cases who return to work must wear a face covering indoors for 10 days from the start of symptoms or if the person did not have COVID-19 symptoms, 10 days from the date of their first positive COVID-19 test.
- CDPH no longer recommends testing for all close contacts and instead recommends testing only for people with new COVID-19 symptoms and close contacts who are at higher risk of severe disease or who have contact with people who are at higher risk of severe disease.
5) This Monday, January 22nd, Grades 6-8 students interested in participating in the school Scripps Spelling Bee will receive a spelling list. A written spelling assessment on that list will be on Monday, January 29th. The top 20 finalists will then participate in the Grades 6-8 schoolwide bee on Wednesday, February 7th, 8:15AM-9:15AM in the multi-purpose room. (The Lyceum Spelling bee for grades 4-5 students will start its process in February, so stay tuned.)
Important January and February Dates to Come
January 22nd- ELAC Meeting @5:30PM (see announcements--in-person and online)
January 31st- Monte Vista Dining Out Night @ Rosine's on Alvarado St.
February 9th- Annual Family Fun Dance (grades TK-8 + older students still must come with an adult family member or adult family friend)
February 12th-16th- Book Drive (gently used books donated from home to prepare for Read Across America book giveaway in March)
February 14th-16th- Young Americans Performing Troupe Workshop Grades 3-8 (separate info. email to come around registration and times)--performance will be at Monte Vista at 6PM on Friday, Feb. 16th
February 28th- Monte Vista Dining Out Night @ Alvarado Street Brewery on Alvarado St.
**In February, we will have both our Lyceum Spelling Bee for Grades 4-5 and Scripps Spelling Bee for Grades 6-8. More news and details to come.
January Staff Birthdays
January 1st - Brandi Hobson (PE)
January 6th - Zoe Blevins (Makerspace & ASCA)
January 11th - Keri Cooper (3rd Grade)
January 16th - Minna Zalmanovitch (RSP)
January 18th - Crystal Nimmons (1st Grade)
January 27th - Anahi Gamboa (School Office Secretary)
January 29th - Lyndsay Piña (Kindergarten)
January 31st - Kathy Aiello (Nutrition)
January 31st - Petika Barber (Community Liaison)
PTO News
Spirit Wear:
https://monte-vista-blue-jays-pto.square.site/s/shop
Everything is in stock that is going forward and will be to your student’s classroom within 48 hours of purchasing.
Email us:
Monte Vista Dining Out
Rosine’s on Wednesday, January 31st from 8am-9pm, Dine in or Carry Out, Please show the flyer for credit.
February Family Fun Dance
Friday, February 9th from 6-8 in the Multipurpose Room
DJ Saul Hernandez will be there to play the tunes and Taco Bout’ It will be selling food and Nitrocycle will be there selling drinks.
This is not a drop off event, all children will need to be under responsible adult supervision.
Book Drive
The PTO will be handing out books to all students during Read Across America Week, in early March. We will be asking for your gently used books for donation in the main office between February 13-16th. If you have books your 6-8th graders have enjoyed, these will be the reading levels most needed.
Spring Book Fair
March 11-15th - The Mini Gym - hours will be from 11-4pm - Students will not visit with their classes, but can during lunch and all are welcome after school.
We will need volunteers, be on the look out for opportunities to help via Parent Square.
Monte Vista Carnival
Save the Date: Saturday, April 20th from 11-2pm - Monte Vista Campus - upper level
Adult Soiree benefiting the Monte Vista PTO
Save the Date: Saturday, April 27th - The Stanton Center - Monterey
January Staff Birthdays
January 11- Keri Cooper (3rd grade)
January 16- Minna Zalmanovitch (Resource Specialist)
January 18- Crystal Nimmons (1st grade)
January 31- Kathy Aiello (Nutrition Assistant)
Pics from the Week of January 15-19
ReGen Monterey/ Edible Food Recovery visit to student council
ReGen Monterey/ Edible Food Recovery visit to student council
ReGen Monterey/ Edible Food Recovery visit to student council
Chopyk & Simpson CS Grounding activity
Chopyk & Simpson CS Grounding activity
Instructional PD - Inquiry Expression chalk talk
Instructional PD - Inquiry Expression chalk talk
Instructional PD - Inquiry Expression chalk talk
Instructional PD - Inquiry Expression chalk talk
Instructional PD - Inquiry Expression chalk talk
Bingo Night Winner!
8th graders visit Monterey High to learn about elective options and pathways
8th graders visit Monterey High to learn about elective options and pathways
8th graders visit Monterey High to learn about elective options and pathways
8th graders visit Monterey High to learn about elective options and pathways
8th graders visit Monterey High to learn about elective options and pathways
Primary Art Club
Primary Art Club
Primary Art Club
Special Monday basketball practice for all three teams at Monterey High
Special Monday basketball practice for all three teams at Monterey High
Special Monday basketball practice for all three teams at Monterey High
Professional Development designing next steps for Youth Truth Survey and engaging in teacher gallery walk of expression stage of inquiry across grade levels
Professional Development designing next steps for Youth Truth Survey and engaging in teacher gallery walk of expression stage of inquiry across grade levels
Professional Development designing next steps for Youth Truth Survey and engaging in teacher gallery walk of expression stage of inquiry across grade levels
Professional Development designing next steps for Youth Truth Survey and engaging in teacher gallery walk of expression stage of inquiry across grade levels
Chili Cook-Off/PTO Meeting/Bingo Night
Chili Cook-Off/PTO Meeting/Bingo Night
Chili Cook-Off/PTO Meeting/Bingo Night
Chili Cook-Off/PTO Meeting/Bing Night
Small Group reading instruction 3rd grade
Kindergarten Library Time
4th grade inquiry arc native origins presentations/wrap-up
4th grade inquiry arc native origins presentations/wrap-up
Matilda rehearsal practicing opening number
Monte Vista Grades 7 & 8 boys teams play Palma at Monterey YMCA
Monte Vista Grades 7 & 8 boys teams play Palma at Monterey YMCA
Monte Vista leadership team presents problem of practice progress with Monterey High Leadership team and vice versa
6th graders prepare for Close Reading inquiry arc/Social Studies text with Mr. Chopyk
2nd grade teacher passes out Reading Minutes/Log buttons which given to all classrooms grades K-6 last week
Phonics 2 Reading whole group text preparation with 1st grade teacher
8th grade STEMScopes experiment with fossil impressions
5th grade word work (Latin roots)
5th grade Close Reading with Benchmark ELA text connected to new Technology inquiry
3rd grade Ready Math small group
2nd grade partner work on Ready Math independent practice problems
4th grade chalk talk with dots on new technology discoveries inquiry arc
4th grade picture sorting with dots on new technology discoveries inquiry arc
4th grade wonder wall for new technology inquiry arc
4th grade inquiry arc wall
4th grade writing process
4th grade inquiry arc on new technology picture sort and mind maps
4th grade inquiry arc on new technology picture sort and mind maps
4th grade inquiry arc on new technology picture sort and mind maps
4th grade inquiry arc on new technology picture sort and mind maps
Primary Art Club
5th grade and TK reading buddies
Primary Art Club
Primary Board Game Club
8th grade and Kinder reading buddies
School Site Vision Council monthly meeting, reviewing the Safety Plan
5th grade and TK reading buddies
Primary Board Game Club
Primary Board Game Club
5th grade and TK reading buddies
5th grade and TK reading buddies
5th grade and TK reading buddies