Monte Vista Blue Jay Community News
Monte Vista 2024: January 1-5
Weekly Recap
The week before Winter Break was a wintery blast! Amidst the vocal music and instrumental concerts, art exhibits, fieldtrips, 2023 year-end celebrations, community meetings, fall clubs wrapping up, Pajama Spirit Day, council meetings, teacher professional development, grade 7-8 basketball games, grade level Inquiry Arc exhibitions (or preparations for), mid-year iReady diagnostic assessments, instructional rounds, and more---regular classroom learning still took place day to day. Everyone ended strong! Most of all, so MANY families were on our campus for different daytime and evening events. The campus felt much love and support, and the blue jay nest was weaved stronger. Thank you everyone for an awesome ending to 2023, and here's to 2024! Please scroll down and enjoy ALL the photos from December 11th-15th!
Announcements for the Week
*Students will return to school on Thursday, January 4th. We hope all of our Monte Vista students, staff, and community have enjoyed their Winter Break!
1) Winter After-School Enrichment Clubs notifications/confirmations were sent December 20th via Parent Square. If you have any questions, please email Petika Barber at pbarber@mpusd.k12.ca.us and (copy) Joe Ashby at jashby@mpusd.k12.ca.us. Winter Clubs will begin Monday, January 8th, with the exception of Basketball (which starts back on Thursday, January 4th) and Matilda Musical (which starts on Friday, January 5th). Show Choir will resume Wednesday, January 10th (7:15AM and 2PM).
2) Wednesday, January 3rd at 5:30PM-6:00PM on Zoom, we will have an online meeting regarding 5th Grade Outdoor Science School preparation (which is the first week of March). Please see this link for past email in December about the meeting (as a preview).
https://www.parentsquare.com/feeds/26461800
Zoom Link for meeting: https://mpusd-k12-ca-us.zoom.us/j/92418204412?pwd=S2xPM2ptV21KeXVGMGhjajIwUmptQT09
3) Beginning Monday, January 8th, in the cafeteria, we will have our first Principals' monthly morning check-in where parents can have some coffee or hot chocolate and have some time to ask questions about any events of the month or any other questions about teaching, learning, assessments, and extra-curricular programs on our campus. This is also a great time to offer feedback, input, and any other ideas related to planning on our campus. We will also share information that has been discussed at our monthly School Site Vision Council meeting as well (academic goals, budget, safety, data, etc.). We will meet at 8:05AM, and it will go to about 8:30AM (can leave anytime before that). Either Mrs. Larson or Dr. Ashby will open the meeting and the other will join after morning community meeting is done with grades 1-5.
4) 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
5) This week and next, we will have a few lingering iReady diagnostic make-up assessments for grades 1-8 students, and Kindergarten students will take their first iReady diagnostic of the school year (reading and math). iReady diagnostic assessment results for will be sent via ParentSquare most likely by January 12th. For more information on iReady assessment results, see parent night slide deck link below (slides 12-21).
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1pc-pomfwJCSV67OBH74AlOy5FtwpWfe1oJ9P5AfnTxA/edit?usp=sharing
5) Grades 7-8 Basketball Practice Schedule + Games for the Week Details
Grade 7 Boys Team- Mondays and Thursdays 2:30PM-4PM (lower courts).
AND Wednesdays 12:50-2PM.
Grades 7-8 Girls Team- Mondays and Thursdays 2:30PM-3:30PM (lower courts).
Games for the Week:
Tuesday, January 9th-
Grade 7/8 Girls Team 4:30PM @ Pacific Grove Middle School- playing PG girls team
Grade 7 Boys Team - 4:30PM @Monterey YMCA near El Estero Lake- playing PG boys team
Grade 8 Boys Team 5:30PM @Monterey YMCA near El Estero Lake- playing PG boys team
(Transportation provided to the game locations.)
Thursday, January 11th-
Grade 7/8 Girls Team 4:30PM@Monterey YMCA near El Estero Lake- playing North Monterey County
Grade 7 Boys Team - 4:30PM@North Monterey County
Grade 8 Boys Team 5:30PM@North Monterey County
(Transportation provided to the game locations and transportation back from the North Monterey County games.)
Important January and February Dates to Come
January 4th- Students return to school
January 8th- Winter After-School Enrichment clubs commence
January 16th- Bingo Night and Chili Cookoff (Potluck)- 5:30-7:30PM (General PTO meeting during dinner portion)-Monte Vista cafeteria
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.
**Student Council is planning a grades 6-7 and grade 8 Dance Night in the month of January--more specific time and date to come
**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.
PTO News
Spirit Wear
https://monte-vista-blue-jays-pto.square.site/
Email us:
Winter Shop Thank Yous!
Thank you to all of the Winter Shop Volunteers who gave their time either helping the students choose gifts, wraped gifts, set up Winter Shop, made crafts and cleaned up and put everything away!
Michelle Findlay, Rachel Deis, Amanda DeSalvo, Chelsea Peterson Martin, Destenie Cruz, Marialise Lombardo, Alexander Friedman, Rebecca Fowler, Serena Rapp, Sierra Abukins. Saaya Harness, Christina Newton, Jennifer Kozdon, Allison Sinclair, Christine Beck, Harmony True, Amy Ow, Michelle Balco, Erin Lyman, Mrs. Feldman, Annie Coons (School Supervisor and parent), Brittney Hoskins, Mike Zabbo, Kevin Garvey, Natalia Garvey, Jenny List, Ashley Low, Amanda Ramon, Roselyn Ferrel, Petika Barber, Kylie Fujioka, and many other volunteers that helped wrap gifts. Thank you so much for the dedication and time you gave selflessly that week and weeks prior helping to plan and make it a success.
Cookie Exchange Thank Yous!
Thank you to the volunteers who made cookies and families who donated money to make the Teacher and Staff Cookie Exchange a huge success!
We also want to give a special thanks to Sweet Reba’s Bakery of Carmel Crossroads www.sweetrebas.com, who donated 180 cookies to the exchange as well. We will be using the money that would have gone towards those cookies for another teacher/staff appreciation event in the month of January.
Chili Cook Off/ Bingo Night and PTO Meeting - Tuesday, January 16th
We will be hosting our 3rd PTO General Meeting on January 16th at 6pm in the multipurpose room. The Chili Cookoff will start at 5:30 and Bingo will start about 6:30.
Looking forward to seeing many friendly faces there. Be on the lookout for a sign up in Parent Square for the Chili Cook off this week.
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 December 11th-15th
Grades 7-8 Basketball Team plays La Mesa at Monterey High gym
Grades 6-8 band and orchestra preparing for concert
Grades 6-8 band and orchestra preparing for concert
Band plays in a few classrooms for practice and concert previews
Band plays in a few classrooms for practice and concert previews
Grades 7-8 Orchestra performs
Grades 6 band performs
Grades 7-8 band performs
Grades 6 Orchestra performs
Grades 6-8 Show Choir performs
Grades 6-8 Show Choir performs
Grades 6-8 orchestra prepares for concert
Audiences gather and mingle outside Grades 2-5 vocal music concerts
Grade 2 Vocal Music Concert
Grade 3 Recorders Concert
Grade 3 Recorder Concert Group Picture
Grade 4 Vocal Music Concert
Grade 4 Vocal Music Concert
Grade 5 Vocal Music Concert
Packed houses for all performances!
Grade 2 Vocal Music Concert
Jaqui Hope helping backstage at vocal music concerts
Volunteers help with hot chocolate and ramen sales for our music program
Glow in the Dark TK-8 Art Exhibit
Glow in the Dark TK-8 Art Exhibit
Glow in the Dark TK-8 Art Exhibit
Glow in the Dark TK-8 Art Exhibit
Glow in the Dark TK-8 Art Exhibit
Glow in the Dark TK-8 Art Exhibit
Glow in the Dark TK-8 Art Exhibit
Glow in the Dark TK-8 Art Exhibit
Glow in the Dark TK-8 Art Exhibit
Grade 5 Band and Orchestra Concert
Grade 5 Band and Orchestra Concert
Grade 5 Band and Orchestra Concert
Grade 4 Band and Orchestra concert
Grade 4 Band and Orchestra concert
Grade 4 Band and Orchestra concert
Grade 4 Band and Orchestra concert
Grade 4 Band and Orchestra concert
Grade 2 Inquiry Arc Writing Piece work (literature connection)
PE circuit training rotations
PE circuit training rotations
PE circuit training rotations
1st grade Inquiry Arc--Celebrations Around the World
Grade 4 Inquiry Arc Native American Exhibition work time
Grade 7 end of 2023 dance party
Grade 7 end of 2023 dance party
Grade 7 end of 2023 dance party
Grade 7 end of 2023 dance party
Grade 7 end of 2023 dance party
Grade 7 end of 2023 dance party
6th grade mid-year iReady diagnostic time
Grade 8 inquiry arc exhibition work time in Science
Upper Grade STEAM Club Egg Drop Experiment (none cracked)
Art Class with 3rd grade (weaving)
Art Class Elective with 8th grade (3D Needle Felting)
Art Class Elective with 8th grade (3D Needle Felting)
Makerspace time with Kindergarten
Eco Ambassadors 5th grade fieldtrip to sand dunes preserve
Eco Ambassadors 5th grade fieldtrip to sand dunes preserve
3rd grade Literacy Articulation day
Instructional Leadership Team meeting (preparing the staff January professional development kickoff return)
4th grade Literacy Articulation day
Instructional Rounds (socratic seminar in 8th grade)
Creek restorative work done on campus during Winter Break
New garden club area fencing installed over winter break
Pajama Spirit Day
Pajama Spirit Day
Tree trimming across campus before rainy season
3rd inquiry arc work with habitats
3rd inquiry arc work with habitats
TK inquiry arc parent visits exhibition (families, bread making, etc.)
Kindergarten 2023 winter celebration with families
Kinder and 8th grade reading buddies visit
Kinder and 8th grade reading buddies visit
Kinder and 8th grade reading buddies visit
Kinder and 8th grade reading buddies visit
Kinder and 8th grade reading buddies visit
TK Inquiry Arc culminating event with bread making
Kinder Winter Wall
Primary Theatre Club Culminating Performance for families
Friday morning community meeting--blue jay buck drawing across Kinder-5th grade classrooms
Friday morning community meeting- Kinder-5th grade dance break to "Celebrate"
Kinder pick-up for after school care
End of November to December Positive Office referrals Principal's Party
End of November to December Positive Office referrals Principal's Party
End of November to December Positive Office referrals Principal's Party
End of November to December Positive Office referrals Principal's Party
End of November to December Positive Office referrals Principal's Party
End of November to December Positive Office referrals Principal's Party
End of November to December Positive Office referrals Principal's Party
End of November to December Positive Office referrals Principal's Party
End of November to December Positive Office referrals Principal's Party