In this edition ...

• From the desk of Dr. Skelly …
• Staffing changes to support schools and departments
• New Board officers, members
• Board meeting review: Finances, Outdoor learning, Superintendent Search
• The 2025-26 district calendar is available
• GreenPoint Rated Platinum Certification for MVWSD Staff Housing
• School Info nights on January 14/15: Open Enrollment for 2025-26 starts January 21
• High Fives
• Holiday break

Dear MVWSD Families:

When my own children were young we had a wall’s edge dedicated to measuring each family member’s height and how we grew (or shrank, in my case!) over the years. My children’s friends also got into the act and regularly contributed to the wall, rendering it a mess of lines, initials and dates. Sometimes there was amazement that so much sprouting had occurred since the last measurement, and other times it seemed the only difference from one horizontal line to another was hope and a sloped ruler.

The end of the year offers those of us who love young people a chance to bring out rulers and measure growth of a different sort. Sometimes it’s a stronger vocabulary, or mastery of a scientific concept, or artistic development, or increased participation in class. On other occasions the growth is less academic but no less important. It takes its form in having the confidence to join a team or try something new. Or a newfound sense of self and the willingness to state one’s beliefs and then defend them with passion and wisdom. It is during these moments, and more, that we can see so clearly the magical, wonderful people our students are becoming.

We in the school business, and others, really like test scores and grades. However, our greatest collective joy should really come from observing those changes that defy measurement -- more confidence, wisdom, a sense of self, and a growing personal voice.

Winter break offers us a chance to cherish the growth and see it as much more than a tick mark on a wall. This break offers us all a chance to mark the growth and progress we have experienced, however fleeting or ephemeral, and celebrate!

I wish you opportunities for reflections on your student’s authentic growth and as many other good things you can think of this holiday season.

Kevin Skelly, Ph.D.
Interim Superintendent
[email protected]

Staffing changes to support schools and departments

Two of our schools, Theuerkauf and Stevenson, will need interim principals in January. This led us to think about ways we could adjust District Office roles to provide support for schools and departments for the remainder of the 2024-25 school year.

Click here to learn about the new interim staffing appointments, which deploy some promising district leaders to school leadership positions while keeping our overall administrative staffing numbers the same. We are grateful to these skilled educators for stepping up to new challenges.

New Board members, new officers

During their annual organizational meeting last night, the Board elected new officers: William Lambert will serve as President; Charles DiFazio as Vice President; and Lisa Henry as Clerk.

We have more new board members starting this month than at any time in recent memory. New Trustees Charles DiFazio, Lisa Henry and Ana Reed are joining  current Trustees Devon Conley and William Lambert. We are grateful for their service.

(from left to right: Devon Conley, Ana Reed, Charles DiFazio, Lisa Henry and William Lambert)

Charles DiFazio is a tech industry professional and parent of three. His children attend Crittenden Middle, Vargas Elementary, and the youngest is not yet school-aged. Charles has served  on the school site council and is currently supporting Vargas and Crittenden as a PTA member.

Lisa Henry is a parent volunteer and attorney. Her daughter is a seventh-grader at Graham Middle School and her son is in high school. She has served in numerous volunteer roles, including six years on the Bubb Elementary PTA board — two as president — and is now in her second year with the Los Altos Mountain View PTA Council.

Ana Reed is a parent and teacher of middle school electives in the Cupertino Union School District. She also works part-time for the Santa Clara County Office of Education on curriculum design. She has a child at Graham Middle School and one in high school.

Have you wondered about our Board of Trustees; what they do and how you can share your ideas with them? You can learn more in this video (English).

Note: We sincerely apologize for the disruption caused by the unexpected Zoom bombing near the end of Trustees meeting that required us to stop the YouTube livestream and close Zoom. The meeting continued in person with the public in attendance. To view the remainder of the meeting, please click here. 

Trustees directed staff on Nov. 21 to begin a third party examination of its financial controls around contracts, credit cards, and travel. In the three weeks since that meeting, staff has been exploring ways to meet these expectations. There are steps that have been taken, are presently underway, and are planned to rebuild confidence in financial oversight of taxpayer money on the part of the district. For more information.

The Board also approved additional services from Carducci Associates to increase community engagement for the proposed Outdoor Learning Areas campus projects. Following the adoption of the "Climate Change and Green Schoolyards" resolution in 2023, the District began developing flexible outdoor learning spaces to support outdoor education. The Board allocated a total of $15 million in Measure T funds to the project in the spring. Since that time, the district has held a series of community meetings, but more feedback is needed.  For more information. 

The Board will request proposals from firms to conduct a superintendent search, in hopes of hiring a permanent superintendent by July 1 2025. For more information

2025-26 district calendar is available

The school-year calendar for next year is now available online here. 
 

The MVWSD Staff Housing project, Mountain View Whisman at The Sevens, recently completed and received GreenPoint Rated Platinum Certification. This certification signifies the highest level of recognition for a building's environmental performance, emphasizing energy efficiency, water conservation, healthy indoor air quality, sustainable materials, and smart community design. For more information about MVWSD staff housing, see mvwsd.org/housing.

In January, the Mountain View Whisman School District will be opening student enrollment for next fall.

For CURRENT students in transitional kindergarten-7th grade: Parents will be asked by email to confirm enrollment from January 21 to February 7.

For families enrolling NEW students: Please check www.mvwsd.org/register for details about virtual school information meetings held in January (mvw.sd/Meetings2526), how to locate your neighborhood school, how to explore school options and the four steps to register during the enrollment period held January 21 to February 7. 

Virtual school information nights will be held on Jan. 14 (neighborhood schools) and Jan. 15 (choice schools). The transitional kindergarten meeting is on Jan. 22. Click here for all of the meeting links: mvw.sd/Meetings2526

Click here to learn about which program is right for your young learner: mvwsd.org/kinderready

High Fives

Special Education Awareness at MVWSD

National Special Education Day is celebrated on December 2nd each year to commemorate the signing of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) into law. Several school sites held activities this month to raise awareness of the value of special education and to promote acceptance and support for those with disabilities.

Abilities Awareness Week at Vargas

Vargas Elementary celebrated Abilities Awareness Week, a program that fostered empathy, understanding, and respect for students of all abilities. Highlights included hands-on activities for students where they explored challenges related to learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, and more, as well as engaging book readings and discussions.

Assembly at Theuerkauf

During an assembly, Theuerkauf students had the opportunity to hear from Bill DeMaio, Principal Lyons’ father, who joined via Zoom to share his inspiring journey of living with blindness caused by Retinitis Pigmentosa. He demonstrated tools he uses, such as VoiceOver technology, Meta Glasses, and a guide dog, while emphasizing the importance of embracing differences and showing respect for others. Students were challenged to think creatively about ways to help others in the future.

Posters and Videos at Bubb

Students at Bubb Elementary learned about special education legislation and Cub Leaders created informational and inspiring posters for around school.

Castro Festival of Lights

Castro Elementary hosted a successful Festival of Lights, bringing the community together for an evening of music, food, games, art, and a special visit from Santa Claus. Many thanks to the Castro PTA for sponsoring the event and to the volunteers who made it possible. It was a joy to see students and families celebrating together.

Middle School Sports: Season Two Highlights

The Graham seventh-grade girls volleyball team, the lowest seed in the playoffs, upset the third and first seeds to reach the VAL Championship game, earning second place and bringing home a trophy!

The Bears Wrestling team had a strong showing in the VAL Varsity and JV tournaments, with seven Varsity wrestlers earning medals and seven JV wrestlers placing in the top four. Graham sent multiple wrestlers to Sectionals, where two advanced to the County Finals and both earned first place in their divisions, bringing home their third gold medals in two weeks!

Crittenden's Wrestling Team also excelled, with nine Varsity competitors leading to six Sectionals qualifiers and one student earning second place at the County Finals.

Graham PIQE Graduation

Graham Middle School celebrated the graduation of 51 Spanish-speaking and seven English-speaking parents from their first Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) workshops. PIQE empowers parents with tools to navigate the education system, support academic success, and prepare their children for higher education. Congratulations to the graduates for their commitment to building stronger partnerships and supporting student success!

District and schools’ holiday schedule

Schools and the District Office are closed Dec. 23 through Jan. 3 for the holiday break. Teachers and school staff return to work on Jan. 6, and students return to school on Jan. 7. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday season!