Family Partnership Council - November Meeting Recap

November 2024   The November Family Partnership Council was held in the beautiful Student Union at Los Altos High School with yummy eats provided by the  LAHS Culinary Arts II student s !  The focus for the evening included a deeper dive into two of the topics that the council suggested at the first meeting: budget transparency and alignment throughout the district.   (click slide above to see full presentation of slides)   The first part of the evening was a presentation from Associate Superintendent Mike Matheisen who shared the ways the MVLAHSD budget is developed, monitored, and shared with the public - specifically the ways in which the budget process has multiple opportunities for oversight through the board governance, county office of education, and the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP).  The latter half of the meeting included a lively discussion where members of the council were asked to elaborate on areas of growth around "alignment" in the district.   "Alignment" can have many definitions within the educational context but typically it means to ensure consistency and coherence across various elements of the educational experience.   Some of the areas for growth that were identified included:   While recognizing the style and culture of teachers' classrooms should have room for individuality, students taking like courses should have the same grading, curricular and homework expectations. Concerns were expressed specifically about balancing the use of individual projects/work and group projects in like courses as well as retake and testing policies that are different for the same courses . Proficiency levels for students should be measured against the course outcomes , especially for sequenced courses, so that all students leave a course having met standards for proficiency . Alignment of milestone experiences - i.e., Challenge Day. for entire classes - experiences that are shared across a school to unify and build empathy.  A culture of support for all students by all teachers - recognizing that students need supportive environments  for learning and accountability with a gradual release of responsibility.    Alignment to state standards for all students in Special Education , including students in the Adult Transition Program need access to these standards. Inclusion goals at 55% in the LCAP and the state goal is 68-70%.     2024-2025 MEETING INFORMATION December 11, 2024    Zoom February 12, 2025      Mountain View High School - Dining Commons March 12, 2025           Zoom April 16, 2025             Zoom May 14, 2025              Alta Vista High School 

Tuesday, Nov 19 2024

November 18, 2024 - BoardBrief

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ RECORDED SESSION ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ November 18, 2024 ROLL CALL ​ Trustees present for the closed session: Cornes, Dave, Fallaice, Ortiz, Vonnegut. Trustees present for the open session: Cornes, Dave, Fallaice, Ortiz, Vonnegut; Bouteille (Student), Naga (Student) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ RECOGNITIONS/RESOLUTIONS ​ Special Recognition for Retiring Trustees Mr. Sanjay Dave and Dr. Phil Faillace It was standing room only as MVLAHSD Board Trustees Mr. Sanjay Dave and Dr. Phil Faillace were recognized for their years of service. Mr. Dave has served on the MVLAHSD board for the past eight years and Dr. Faillace has served for twenty-eight years. Both trustees served on local school boards prior to being elected to the MVLAHSD board. Dignitaries along with other distinguished members of the board and community presented well-wishes and recognitions for Mr. Dave and Dr. Faillace, including: Isabel Agustin on behalf of Senator Josh Becker’s Office Elise Lester on behalf of Assemblymember Marc Berman’s office Nicolas Hargis on behalf of Congresswoman Anna Eshoo’s office Dr. Esmeralda Ortiz (MVLA Trustee) on behalf of County Supervisor Joe Simitian's office Alison Hicks, Council Member for the City of Mountain View Shali Sirkay, Vice President, Santa Clara County School Boards Association Catherine Vonnegut, MVLA Trustee Fiona Walter, Former MVLA Trustee Joe Mitchner, Former MVLA Trustee Eric Volta, MVLA Superintendent Both Trustee Dave and Faillace highlighted the gratitude and pride they have for their tenure with MVLAHSD and thanked their colleagues on the board, both past and present, as well as the MVLA staff, community and students for their collaboration over the years. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ REPORTS/INFORMATION ​ Presentation on the McKinney-Vento Education for Unhoused Children and Youth Program. l Presentation l Alba Garza, LCSW AVHS Community Resources Coordinator/Mckinney Vento District Liaison provided an overview of McKinney-Vento, how students become eligible, and the impact homelessness has on a student’s performance. She discussed how MVLA students receive support and resources through the McKinney-Vento program. Under the McKinney-Vento Education for Unhoused Children and Youth program, administered by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, State educational agencies (SEAs) must ensure that homeless children and youths have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as is provided to other children and youths. State Educational Agencies and Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) throughout the state must review and revise any laws, regulations, practices, or policies that may act as barriers to the identification, enrollment, attendance, or success in school of homeless children and youths. LEAs and schools may not separate homeless students from the mainstream school environment on the basis of their homelessness. Homeless students must also have access to the education and other services that they need to meet the same challenging State academic standards to which all students are held. (Section 721 of the McKinney-Vento Act, as amended by the ESSA). ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ BOARD MEMBER REPORTS ​ Trustee Ortiz attended the LAHS PTSA meeting and shared how much she values the ASB and SCL students who are part of the council and appreciated that she was able to hear from them directly. She shared that the students requested that all teachers honor the Homework Free Weekends. Trustee Vonnegut shared the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) visitations that are currently happening at MVHS and LAHS. The reports to the staff after their review will happen this week on Wednesday. The board will hear more about their results in January 2025. Trustee Cornes shared that she attended the MVHS PTSA, echoing the same appreciation for hearing from students at that meeting. She and Trustee Vonnegut also attended the MVLA Family Partnership Council (FPC) where they appreciated the discussion about the different concerns related to alignment throughout the district and the detailed presentation about the budget development process in MVLA provided by Associate Superintendent, Mike Matheisen. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT ​ l Presentation l Due to the length of the evening's retirement celebration, Superintendent Volta ceded the time for his report. He will share his updates at the next board meeting. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Principal Runeare shared highlights including Los Altos High School's Homecoming Royalty, the community turnout for the Homecoming parade, and the well-attended and spirited dance. She also shared that the upperclassmen in leadership and Jumpstart wrote supportive notes to all their ninth-grade mentees, Dia de los Muertos evening, and the excitement for the Boy's Water Polo being in the state championships. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Principal Glazer shared Mountain View High School's highlights including the Boy's and Girl's Cross Country teams who took first place in CSS and who will also be going to the state championships, Mrs. Marti McGuirk's facilitation of the last Parent Speaker Series presentation, the WASC visiting committee currently at MVHS. Ad well, she extended an invite to the upcoming Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot fundraiser. She recognized the community volunteers who organize the Turkey Trot and Christmas Tree lot fundraisers for their dedication. FInally she shared a photo from the architecture students who hosted the Home Show bringing community volunteers to the classroom to judge their 3-D Blueprinting projects. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Principal Suzanne Woolfolk highlighted Alta Vista High School's funding from the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors that is used to fund the Student Leadership Hip Hop Academy and the Aztec Boutique, a student-run resource closet for students who are in need of basic supplies. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Director Julie Vo shared highlights for the MVLA Adult School including the fall festivities and celebrations at Adult Ed - the childcare center's Halloween Trick or Treating, and their Dia de los Muertos celebrations. They held their annual WASC Advisory Committee, and she shared more about the Certified Nursing Assistant and the Home Health Aide Dual Certification programs. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ STUDENT BOARD MEMBER REPORTS ​ Los Altos High School Over the last few weeks, LAHS has been busy with students and staff getting ready for Thanksgiving break. November kicked off with our HOCO parade and dance on November 1st and 2nd. The HOCO dance was a resounding success, with an impressive turnout of 1237 students. After a week filled with fun, ASB launched the annual Second Harvest Food Drive, embracing the season of giving and gratitude. This week is the last week of the food drive, we are halfway through to our goal of $15,000 raised. To raise money, students and families are encouraged to donate during their second-period classes to win a prize for their class. One class has already raised more than $1,000 and will be given Crumbl Cookies at the end of the week. Fall sports have just ended, and our teams finished strong with Boy’s Cross Country, Water Polo and Girl’s Tennis winning CCS. Girl's Water Polo and Cross Country followed close behind, placing second at CCS. ASB is starting club chartering this week to get a head start for next semester. All clubs not already chartered are welcome to charter now. Starting today, WASC is visiting campus to review our school’s achievements.  All in all, LAHS is preparing for Thanksgiving break by getting into the spirit of gratitude. (Written by Arathi Naga, Student Board Rep, LAHS; edited.) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Mountain View High School MVHS has been alive with activity these past couple of weeks, as our students and staff push through our last week before a long-awaited one week break for Thanksgiving. It’s now the time of year to start our Annual MV Cares, which is put on by MVHS Ambassadors. Different clubs and organizations around our MVHS community will put together gift baskets for families in need. MVHS parents can make a tax deductible donation to MV Cares, bringing joy and the holiday spirit to everyone in our community. Just last week, the MVHS theater hosted their Fall Play titled “Our Town” on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The play was well attended by both students and parents alike and was a huge success. We also had a volleyball tournament last week, where the winning team of all freshmen played against a staff team on Friday, and the student team won. As we move toward the holiday season, there are more and more opportunities for students to get involved on campus. They can volunteer at both the Spartan Turkey Trot during Thanksgiving or volunteer at the Spartan Tree Lot as we get into December. This week, WASC, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges will be visiting our campus, coming to review our performance as a school. Overall, MVHS is ready to end the first semester, and are eagerly awaiting Thanksgiving break. (Written by Christophe Bouteille, Student Board Rep, MVHS; edited.) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ STUDENTS OF THE MONTH ​ Throughout each school year, the MVLA Board of Trustees recognizes the achievements and accomplishments of selected students: MVLA Students of the Month.   Students are selected for this honor based on a variety of factors. A prerequisite for selection as a Student of the Month is outstanding academic achievement, defined as a weighted current GPA of 3.5 or higher, although other factors may be considered in the selection process. These other factors may include but are not limited to extracurricular successes, community service, character values, involvement on campus, exemplary leadership skills and/or outstanding accomplishments outside of school. Students of the Month shall exemplify the core values, qualities, and vision of the MVLA District.   Some examples of past Student of the Month recipients include academic scholars, presidents of active clubs, multiple sport student-athletes, and students who are widely involved in organizations on campus. Broad school involvement is not a prerequisite for selection, but all Student of the Month recipients must demonstrate a positive work ethic, moral character, and an appreciation for our community’s diversity. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Milan Grbovic, LAHS Los Altos High School is proud to honor Milan Grbovic as our November Student of the Month. It is a privilege to recognize all of his accomplishments throughout his time at Los Altos High School. On behalf of all of LAHS, thank you for making the MVLA district proud of what you bring to every classroom and community you are a part of. (Full write-up linked with name above.) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Mary Kate Outten, MVHS Mountain View High School is proud to recognize Mary Kate Outten, as the November Student of the Month, honoring her outstanding leadership, commitment to academics, and deep involvement in both school and community activities. Her legacy as a compassionate leader and dedicated student will continue to inspire generations to come. (Full write-up linked with name above.) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ BUSINESS/ACTION ITEMS ​ The Santa Clara County Committee on School District Organization has open seats within District 2, 4, and an At-Large seat. The Board selected a candidate for District 4 (Jodi Muirhead), and an At-Large seat (Albert Gonzalez). Northwest Special Education Local Plan Area Community Advisory Committee (SELPA CAC) Nomination In accordance with Ed Code 56191 and the Northwest SELPA, the board approved the appointment of an additional parent representative to the Community Advisory Committee (CAC). The board appointed Dr. Jane Chen, who will serve as a liaison between parents and the SELPA, offering insights and advocating for the needs of students receiving special education services. Dr. Chen joins Ms.Christine Case-Lo in representing MVLAHSD. This appointment fulfills the requirement for two parent representatives. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ITEMS FROM CLOSED SESSION ​ President Sanjay Dave reported that the board voted 5-0 to approve a compromise agreement with the parent of a student in the amount of $200,000 through June 2028. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​

Tuesday, Nov 19 2024

October 15, 2024 - BoardBrief

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ RECORDED SESSION ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ October 15, 2024 ROLL CALL ​ Trustees present for the closed session: Cornes, Dave, Fallaice, Vonnegut. Absent: Ortiz Trustees present for the open session: Cornes, Dave, Fallaice, Ortiz, Vonnegut; Bouteille (Student), Naga (Student) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ RECOGNITIONS/RESOLUTIONS ​ MVLA Spotlight Award The Board and Superintendent recognized Mountain View Police Department School Resource Officers James Guevara and Thomas Low for their partnership with and support of the students, families, and school communities. Resolution No. 24/25-11 - Proposition 2: Kindergarten Through Grade 12 Schools and Local Community College Public Education Facilities Modernization, Repair, and Safety Bond Act of 2024 The MVLA District supports Proposition 2: the Kindergarten Through Grade 12 Schools and Local Community College Public Education Facilities Modernization, Repair, and Safety Bond Act of 2024. This provides for renovation of aging schools, upgrade of existing classrooms, construction of new classrooms to accommodate growth, Career Technical Education facilities to provide job training to meet the workforce needs of California employers, testing and remediation of lead levels in water at school sites, disaster assistance, replacement of 75-year-old buildings, adding essential facilities like libraries and multipurpose rooms, mitigating the effects of higher average temperatures, and assistance for small and low-wealth school districts. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ REPORTS/INFORMATION ​ MVLA Instructional Model: Constructing Meaning from EL Achieve Presentation The MVLA Instructional Support team (IST), Tim Farrell, Tiffany Karow and Kim Rogers, presented on the district-wide instructional approach. Constructing Meaning (CM) is an approach to explicit language instruction that supports grade-level content learning in English. Analysis of the language demands becomes part of lesson planning so that both language and content goals are considered. It occurs throughout the day, across all subject areas. Subject-specific language is differentiated by students’ English proficiency levels so each student is equipped to think, discuss, read, and write to the lesson goals. The board asked a variety of questions about implementation, measuring the success of the instructional support, how the approach meets the needs of a variety of learning styles, and how the structure of implementation has been focused on areas of greatest need.  l Presentation l ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ BOARD MEMBER REPORTS ​ Trustee Vonnegut shared that she and district administrators attended a Safety Seminar put on by the Santa Clara County Office of Education. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT ​ Superintendent Volta shared district updates that the district recently received news that we will be receiving close to $30m dollars for our completed Measure E Bond projects. It was reported last month that we were expecting to receive $23m. Projects currently in progress will receive additional funds. MVLAHSD will be honoring two teachers at the Santa Clara County Office of Education ceremony next Monday: MVHS' Esther Wu will be honored as the MVLAHSD Teacher of the Year. And MVHS' Steven Widmark will be receiving the Innovation in STEM award. Other highlights included the MVLA Foundation's Annual Phone-a-Thon which took place at the MV Community Center on October 8 and the next Parent Education Speaker Series presentation, 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at Covington Elementary. The presenter is Jennifer Wallace, who will present “Never Enough: Mattering as a Solution to Toxic Achievement Pressure”.This is an example of a sentence to begin a paragraph. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Principal Runeare shared highlights including Los Altos High School's hosting of the newest Constructing Meaning Cohort training last week, as well as pictures of a walk-through in the Bel Canto Choir class, activities for LGBTQ+ History Month celebrations and the CTE Culinary program which had a visit from site and district administration. She also shared activities celebrating Latino Heritage Month. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Principal Glazer shared Mountain View High School's highlights which included the good news that MVHS made the College Board's AP Honor Roll Gold Status for the second year in a row, activities from STEAM week, and the CTE Health Career Academy students helping with the Annual Blood Drive. Lastly, she shared that the English Language Development Program (ELD) students took a field trip to Filoli House and Gardens.  ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Principal Suzanne Woolfolk highlighted Alta Vista High School's wellness initiatives including a beautiful new Serenity Garden, built in collaboration with a number of community organizations with special thanks to Mentor Tutor Connection and Canopy as a part of Compassion Week as well as the amazing MVLA Grounds and Facilities crew who helps to maintain the garden. The Aztec Lounge is now open and students are engaged in a variety of mindfulness activities with support from an AVHS/Gardner partnership to share a therapist intern with thanks to William Blair for helping organize that.  ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Director Julie Vo shared highlights for the MVLA Adult School which organized the first Regional Consortium Workforce Networking event, hosted at the Google community center. Adult school students participated in a fireside chat about their experiences in the Integrated Education and Workforce Training program. l Presentation l ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ STUDENT BOARD MEMBER REPORTS ​ Los Altos High School Last week, our students received a much deserved long weekend. With the PSAT and SAT next week, sophomores and juniors had time to study and get ready for the second quarter. A few weeks ago, ASB announced the 2024 Homecoming theme: Disney! Our Homecoming starts on Monday, October 28 and ends Saturday, November 2nd. Monday starts off with an exciting rally, followed by a week full of Disney-themed spirit days and activities. Friday, November 1 is the parade in downtown Los Altos, featuring our Senior Homecoming court. That night we have our Homecoming football game and Senior night for Football and Cheer against San Mateo High School. And finally on that Saturday is the Homecoming dance at LAHS. Tickets are already on sale as well as pre-orders for our Homecoming shirts. Homecoming court nominations are in and voting for HOCO court ends tomorrow night. The finalized court will be announced this Friday. This year, each class has picked a Disney princess movie for their HOCO float decorations: Seniors: Tangled, Juniors: Beauty and the Beast, Sophomores: Cinderella, Freshman: The Little Mermaid. They’ve already started building, nevertheless we are more than excited! Moving onto sports, our Cross-country team recently visited the Clovis Invitational in Fresno. Tomorrow Girl's Varsity Flag Football has two games at home against Milpitas and Palo Alto. Thursday is our last home football game against Homestead before Homecoming. The theme is Pink Out for Breast Cancer Awareness. The Red Cross Club is hosting a blood drive and many students sixteen and older have signed up to donate already. Overall, LAHS is excited to jump into the 2nd quarter and HOCO week. (Written by Arathi Naga, Student Board Rep, LAHS; edited.) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Mountain View High School After the four-day weekend, all of our students and staff returned to campus after a much-needed recess. During the break, MVHS had a home football game against King’s Academy, which was well attended by both our students and MVHS parents. We recently celebrated our National Merit Scholarship Finalists last week on October 7th, which was a big success thanks to our dedicated staff and PTSA volunteers. Just at the start of this week, MVHS has been alive with festivities for our 2024 Disco-themed Homecoming. We have a spirit week going all week, with Monday being Beach, Today being Camo, tomorrow being Disco, followed by Twin Day, and finally, Pink Out. Yesterday we kicked off the week with our Annual Homecoming Rally, where ASB hosted games for the student body to play, performances by student groups, as well as introducing our 2024 Homecoming court. We have also had lunchtime activities throughout the week for students to get to know the Homecoming Court, and are looking forward to our minimum days Thursday and Friday. Thursday afternoon will be float building, where each class prepares a Float for the Homecoming Parade. On Friday, we have the homecoming picnic, where clubs can sell food, followed by our parade. Students are invited to come back onto campus that night for our Football game against Aragon. Finally, our Homecoming dance will be this Saturday, in the Aux Gym. The dance will start at 7 and tickets are on sale in the Spartan Webstore until Wednesday. Overall, MVHS homecoming has been off to a great start and we look forward to the rest of the week. (Written by Christophe Bouteille, Student Board Rep, MVHS; edited.) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ STUDENTS OF THE MONTH ​ Throughout each school year, the MVLA Board of Trustees recognizes the achievements and accomplishments of selected students: MVLA Students of the Month.   Students are selected for this honor based on a variety of factors. A prerequisite for selection as a Student of the Month is outstanding academic achievement, defined as a weighted current GPA of 3.5 or higher, although other factors may be considered in the selection process. These other factors may include but are not limited to extracurricular successes, community service, character values, involvement on campus, exemplary leadership skills and/or outstanding accomplishments outside of school. Students of the Month shall exemplify the core values, qualities, and vision of the MVLA District.   Some examples of past Student of the Month recipients include academic scholars, presidents of active clubs, multiple sport student-athletes, and students who are widely involved in organizations on campus. Broad school involvement is not a prerequisite for selection, but all Student of the Month recipients must demonstrate a positive work ethic, moral character, and an appreciation for our community’s diversity. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Cameron Draeger, LAHS Los Altos High School is proud to honor Cameron Draeger as our October Student of the Month. It is a privilege to recognize all of her accomplishments throughout her time at Los Altos High School.  Congratulations Cameron, and on behalf of all of LAHS, thank you for making the MVLA district proud of what you bring to every classroom and community you are a part of.  (Full write-up linked in name above.) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Rory Olsen, MVHS Mountain View High School is proud to recognize Rory Olsen, as the October Student of the Month, honoring his outstanding leadership, commitment to academics, and deep involvement in both school and community activities. His leadership, service, and passion for learning make him a deserving recipient of MVHS’s October Student of the Month recognition. (Full write-up linked with name above.) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Notice of Public Hearing: District Area Trustee Elections ​ This public hearing was part of the statutory process for establishing a “by-trustee area” elections system. In a by-trustee area elections system, the MVLA High School District would be divided into trustee areas and each Governing Board member would be elected by only the registered voters in the particular trustee area where the Governing Board member resides. The Governing Board is currently elected using an at-large elections system, in which all Governing Board members are elected by voters of the entire Mountain View Los Altos High School District. More information about MVLAHSD's process can be found here. Questions or comments should be directed to Amy Vargas, (650) 940-4650, ext. 7011.  ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ BUSINESS/ACTION ITEMS ​ Measure E Bond Citizens’ Oversight Committee Annual Report to the Board of Trustees As required by the statutes and bylaws of the Measure E Bond Election, the Citizen’s Oversight Committee, member Alan Cryon, provided the annual report to the Board of Trustees of the Mountain View – Los Altos Union High School District. Members of the Committee are Alan Cyron, (Senior Citizen Organization member), Cleave Frink, Jr. (Taxpayer member), Joe Mitchner (Community member), Fiona Walter (Business Organization member), Archana Upadhyay (Parent member).  More information about the district's bond measures can be found here. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ITEMS FROM CLOSED SESSION ​ President Sanjay Dave reported that two actions were taken in closed session. The board voted 4-0 to approve a Compromise Agreement to resolve disputes between students and MVLAHSD in exchange for a total not to exceed $250,000 for students' private services and attorney fees through the 2028-2029 school year. The board voted 4-0 to approve a Compromise Agreement with the parents of a student to resolve potential claims against the district. The potential costs to the district to pay for part-time, private school placement for the 2024-2025 school year not to exceed $40,000. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​

Wednesday, Oct 16 2024

Family Partnership Council October Meeting Recap

OCTOBER 2024 The Family Partnership Council (FPC) convened on October 9, 2024, for a productive and collaborative session involving parents, teachers, district and school administrators, and board members. This meeting focused on sharing updates, engaging in discussions on key priorities, and exploring growth areas to enhance student outcomes and family engagement across the district.     Superintendent Eric Volta opened the meeting by introducing himself and sharing his background and experiences. He emphasized his immediate goal of listening and observing to better understand the district. His early observations included the following positive reflections:             - The quality of instruction is exceptional, supported by dedicated teachers and staff.             - The district offers competitive resources for teacher compensation.             - The community provides robust support for both students and educators.     The meeting included table discussions where participants shared ideas and identified areas for improvement. Below are the key themes that emerged:   Sports/Extracurriculars and Academics:   There is a need for helping students to better balance their academic commitments with athletic and extracurricular involvement and for teachers and staff to understand the variety of commitments students have is part of the nature of the high school experience. AP Course Load: Student workload with multiple AP courses and finals is still a concern. Families suggested spreading out finals more evenly to reduce pressure.   Inclusion: Participants expressed a need for more rapid progress on inclusion initiatives and better pathways for students with disabilities.  There was interest in fostering more interaction between students of different socioeconomic backgrounds, especially during key transitions, such as from middle school to high school. Equity and Diversity: Councilmembers emphasized the importance of continuing efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) to meet the needs of all students.   Course Alignment: Participants encouraged greater consistency in teaching practices and assessments, particularly in courses using different instructional methods, such as flipped classrooms.  A desire was expressed to align workloads across different course pathways (College Prep v Honors) to ensure students have engaging but manageable coursework.   Parent Engagement : There was a request for more opportunities for parents, especially Latino families, to engage with the schools and learn about available resources.   Collaboration:   Suggestions included increased collaboration time across departments and between district and school site leadership.   Transparency and Budget: Some participants encouraged more transparency in district finances, possibly through the formation of a Citizens’ Advisory Council for budget and finances.   Food Services:   Parents highlighted the need for expanded food availability into the evenings to better support students who stay late for activities.   Social Media:   Social media was praised as a helpful tool in building a sense of community among students and families, and participants encouraged continued visibility and access to these platforms.     Data Review and Key Insights  The latter part of the meeting focused on reviewing key data points to ground discussions and guide future priorities. This included comparative graduation rates across high schools, performance on CAASPP assessments in English Language Arts and Math , and  disaggregated data on English Learners (ELs) and students with disabilities . Stakeholders were encouraged to reflect on the data and provide input on areas where outcomes could improve, especially regarding inclusion, academic performance, and ensuring equity in access to services.   The meeting concluded with a commitment to continue these conversations and prioritize collaboration among families, staff, and district leadership. Superintendent Volta expressed interest in holding more meetings with school site leaders and district staff to stay connected and ensure progress in key areas.   Thank you to all participants for your valuable input and continued dedication to the success of our students! Learn more about the Family Partnership Council  here .  

Monday, Oct 14 2024

Message from MVLA Regarding Measure E Citizens Overs...

​ ​ Seeking Volunteers for Measure E Citizens Oversight Committee October 3, 2024 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Dear MVLA Community, ​ ​ ​ ​ NOTICE OF MEASURE E – CITIZENS' OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE VACANCIES The Board of Education of the Mountain View Los Altos High School District is seeking four qualified, interested individuals to serve on a committee of community leaders, which serves as the Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee for implementing the District’s Measure E school facilities bond program. The applicants must be able to represent the following constituents: Business Organization Member (1 open seat) Senior Citizen Organization member (1 open seat) Taxpayer Organization Member (1 open seat) Parent or Guardian of Child Enrolled in District and Active in PTO/PTA (1 open seat) Interested individuals wishing to serve on the committee must complete the application below. Completed applications should be submitted to Associate Superintendent, Business Services, Mike Mathiesen by 5:00 PM on November 1, 2024. ​ ​ ​ ​ APPLY TODAY! ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​

Thursday, Oct 03 2024

Message from MVLA - Congratulations to the 2025 Nati...

​ ​ Mountain View Los Altos High School District students advance as semifinalists in National Merit Scholarships program September 2024 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 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 2025 competition.    Forty-three MVLA students are part of a group of approximately 16,000 National Merit Scholarship student semifinalists named this month by the NMSC.   "As always, MVLA is very proud of the accomplishments of its students,” said Eric Volta, MVLA Superintendent. “National Merit Scholar recognition is one of those accomplishments that recognizes the top 1% of students' scores on the PSAT. This is noteworthy, and we congratulate these students on their academic prowess."   Advancing to the semifinalist stage is a significant accomplishment. Approximately 1.3 million juniors from 21,000 high schools nationwide entered the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program when they took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) last fall.   Semifinalists are the highest-scoring program entrants in each state and represent fewer than one percent of the nation's seniors. They can compete for some 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million offered next spring. Starting in April, students will find out if they are among those receiving corporate-sponsored scholarships. Announcements regarding the $2,500 National Merit Scholarships and college-sponsored scholarships will be made in May and June, respectively. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ National Merit scholars are selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors who appraise a substantial amount of information submitted by the finalists and their high schools, including: ·      Academic record ·      The difficulty level of the subjects studied ·      Grades earned ·      Scores from the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test ·      Contributions and leadership in school and community activities ·      An essay written by the finalist ·      A recommendation written by a high school official ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ Congratulations to the MVLA students who achieved semifinalist standing: ​ Los Altos High School Agarwal, Devansh Aron, Dhruv Avrahami, Noam Chatwin, Piper Chung, Sarah Feldman, David Hui, Kaihon Jamieson, Audrey ·Johnson, Oscar Li, Sophie Lin, Timothy Ma, Kaden Peter, Theodore Samek, Benjamin Tang, Joshua Xu, Michael   Mountain View High School Chainani, Yash Cheong, Arthur Copeland, Asher Eisenberg, Maya Fisch, Maxwell Hofmeister, Kenzo Jain, Arihant John, Naisha Kao, Carolyn Kirmse, Adam Kumpf, Alison Lawrence, Clara Lee, Gisella Lee, Kate Lin, Marisa Mathew, Meera McCauley, Helen Nishi, Thomas Ravishankar, Mia Rutherford, Hannah Ta, Valerie Tang, Ryan Walker, Michelle Weise, Atulya Wing, Ethan Xu, Alexander Yin, Ryan ​ ​

Tuesday, Sep 24 2024

MVLA BOARDBrief - September 9, 2024

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ RECORDED SESSION ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ SEPTEMBER 9, 2024 ROLL CALL ​ Trustees present for the closed session: Cornes, Dave, Fallaice, Ortiz, Vonnegut  Trustees present for the open session: Cornes, Dave, Fallaice, Ortiz, Vonnegut; Bouteille (Student), Naga (Student) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ITEMS FROM CLOSED SESSION ​ No actions were taken. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ RECOGNITIONS/RESOLUTIONS ​ Calista Woo, National Speech and Debate Champion Principal Kip Glazer and MVLA Speech and Debate Coach Julie Herman shared the accomplishments of National Debate Champion, Calista Woo from Mountain View High School. The MVLA Speech and Debate Team is a unique team in that it brings together students from both campuses to engage in activities that build academic skills, leadership, and a sense of community across the district. President Dave shared that each year MVLA has top-ranking finalists but that this accomplishment is truly exceptional. Congratulations were abundant for Calista Woo and the team.  Resolution No. 24/25-5 - Initiating the process of Establishing Trustee Areas and Elections by Trustee Areas The District will initiate the process of establishing trustee areas and changing the method of electing members of the Governing Board, in order to ensure compliance with the CVRA. The District currently uses an at-large system of electing its board members. The District intends to make the transition to a by-trustee area method of election in time for the next governing board member election in November of 2026.  Proclamation No. 24/25-7: Declaring the Week of September 17-23 to be Constitution Week in the Mountain View Los Altos High School District. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ REPORTS/INFORMATION ​ Associate Superintendent Mike Matheisen gave a brief overview of the Measure E expenditures and the balance remaining for potential future projects. l Presentation l The board members also discussed the future board meeting schedule especially as it relates to the December holidays and the June budget adoption timeline.  ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ BOARD MEMBER REPORTS ​ President Sanjay Dave shared his appreciation for the work in hosting excellent Back to School Nights across the district. Trustee Catherine Vonnegut concurred and appreciated the New Families Coffee events that she attended. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT ​ Highlights of Superintendent Eric Volta’s report included his visit to MVHS’ English Department meeting and a shoutout to MVLA’s Teacher of the Year, Esther Wu, who was working with the entire English department to deconstruct the language demands of the non-fiction reading prompts in the SBAC testing, AVHS’ Honor Roll and Back to School, along with ATP’s and Freestyle’s Back to School Night events. LAHS’ and MVHS’ first football games, lunchtime and wellness activities with Spartans Pause and Eagle Escape, and the very well-attended New Families Coffee events. As well he shared his meeting with a newcomer student who received his high school diploma and who is working on his nursing certificate at the Adult School. He highlighted activites from Middle College’s Foothill Campus tour as well as Mentor Tutor Connection’s mentee’s work to support the unhoused during Compassion Week. Mentioned also is the MVHS Ambassador’s work on Suicide Prevention; they will be presenting at the SCC Behavioral Health Suicide Prevention Conference. l Presentation l ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ STUDENT BOARD MEMBER REPORTS ​ Los Altos High School LAHS held two class council meetings where students planned fundraisers, social media posts and class events! We now have five amazing freshmen who have taken leadership as Freshman class council leaders at the most recent class council meeting. Last Friday was Senior Sunrise and our monthly Blue Friday. The seniors met on the football field before sunrise to eat pastries, sit on blankets with their friends and watch the sunrise. Our Blue Friday activity this month was Blindfolded Musical Chairs and anyone who participated was given Otter pops and a blue bandana. Our first home football game was last Thursday with a win of 34-2. It had a great turnout and our school is more spirited this year! During Friday ACT, the Eagle Escape (our wellness center) held an activity to paint diamond bookmarks. Every ACT activity the Eagle Escape holds is always packed; our school loves them! September 12 and 13 are Club Days! We have a ton of clubs that have signed up to take a booth in the quad to give away free treats and advertise their club. We have a lot planned for next week: our Annual Spikeball Tournament is paired with our September Spirit Week. The Latino Student Union and ASB are working together to host the Hispanic Food Fair during lunch on Friday as well. Free food will be given out in support of Hispanic Heritage Month. (Written by Arathi Naga, Student Board Rep, LAHS; edited.) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Mountain View High School MVHS started the month of September feeling alive with activities, with different events going on seemingly every day. Two weeks ago, we hosted our annual Back-to-School Night, where parents were welcomed onto campus to experience a day in the life of their students. Before meeting teachers, parents could walk around at the clubs' picnic, where they could buy food from different student-run clubs at school. The picnic is a crucial part of fundraising for these clubs, who will use these funds to put on events for the rest of the year. Parents then visited their students' classes, ASB and Ambassadors were present to guide them to whichever classroom they needed to go to. The following day, Ambassadors hosted their monthly Spartan Pause in the main quad, which was a big hit with the students. MVHS also hosted the first home football game, and ASB put on the Back to School Blastoff right after school. Students were able to race through an 83-foot inflatable obstacle course, get shaved ice, and participate in numerous other activities such as volleyball and spikeball. After that, our students and staff showed up to the football game representing our school with Spartan Colors. Last week we had one important lunch activity, which was our clubs arena set up in our new main quad. Clubs all over campus are required to attend, and it serves as a great way to see what clubs are meeting during the year. Overall, MVHS start to September has been great, and we look forward to what the rest of the month has to offer. (Written by Christophe Bouteille, Student Board Rep, MVHS; edited.) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ STUDENTS OF THE MONTH ​ Throughout each school year, the MVLA Board of Trustees recognizes the achievements and accomplishments of selected students: MVLA Students of the Month.   Students are selected for this honor based on a variety of factors. A prerequisite for selection as a Student of the Month is outstanding academic achievement, defined as a weighted current GPA of 3.5 or higher, although other factors may be considered in the selection process. These other factors may include but are not limited to extracurricular successes, community service, character values, involvement on campus, exemplary leadership skills and/or outstanding accomplishments outside of school. Students of the Month shall exemplify the core values, qualities, and vision of the MVLA District.   Some examples of past Student of the Month recipients include academic scholars, presidents of active clubs, multiple sport student-athletes, and students who are widely involved in organizations on campus. Broad school involvement is not a prerequisite for selection, but all Student of the Month recipients must demonstrate a positive work ethic, moral character, and an appreciation for our community’s diversity. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Margaret Lint, MVHS Mountain View High School is proud to recognize Margaret Lint as our August 2024 Student of the Month, recognized for her exceptional dedication to leadership, community service, and school spirit. Maggie’s energy, passion, and positive impact make her a truly deserving recipient of the MVHS September Student of the Month award.  ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Anna (Ani) Yordanova, LAHS Los Altos High School is proud to honor Ani Yordanova as our September Student of the Month. It is a privilege to recognize all of her accomplishments throughout her time at Los Altos High School. Thank you for making the MVLA district proud of what you bring to every team, classroom, and community you are a part of. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​ ​ ​ BUSINESS/ACTION ITEMS ​ Business items included presentations by Associate Superintendent, Mike Matheisen and Director of Fiscal Services, Elvis Lopez, for certification of the 2023-2024 Unaudited Actuals Financial Report (Presentation l Handouts) and an update on and adoption of Resolution No. 24/25-6 Gann Appropriations. The board voted to table the final reading of the Amended Joint Powers Agreement of CHAC and Resolution 24/25-4 for a future meeting. ​ ​ ​ ​   ​ ​

Wednesday, Sep 11 2024

Parent Square Information for 2024-2025

​ ​ ParentSquare 2024-2025 ​ ​ ​ ​ MVLA Families! ​ Don't miss a beat this year! MVLAHSD uses ParentSquare and StudentSquare (a separate app for students only synced to all ParentSquare messages and alerts) as our primary school to home communication. TWO THINGS ensure you never miss our communications to you: Download the app for ease and timeliness. This also ensures that if you change your phone or email before you've had a chance to notify us, nothing will be missed. Ensure your notification preference is set to INSTANT or if you have selected DIGEST that you OPEN and READ the DAILY DIGEST notification sent at 6pm each day. More information about ParentSquare or StudentSquare is available on our website. Thank you for doing your part to ensure that this is a great school year! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ To pick up a draggable item, press the space bar. While dragging, use the arrow keys to move the item. Press space again to drop the item in its new position, or press escape to cancel. Draggable item 1713994036136 was dropped over droppable area 1713994063100

Monday, Jul 29 2024

MVLA Outreach & Engagement - Changes to ParentSquare...

MVLA Outreach & Engagement MVLA Outreach & Engagement JUNE 2024 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  Not displaying correctly? View in browser     Dear MVLA Families, The MVLAHSD Superintendent and Board of Education adopted the first ever Family Outreach and Engagement policy earlier this year. We are excited to continue supporting students through strong family partnership. In April 2024, we conducted the first Family Outreach, Engagement and Communications ThoughtExchange with the intention of providing an annual opportunity for families to provide feedback on our efforts to communicate and engage with the families we serve. We received both positive feedback as well as constructive criticism as to how we may improve. We thank you for your support of our schools and staff!   Communication tends to feel one-sided. There are not a lot of places where it feels easy to get questions answered or to hear from other voices. Parents often turn to other parents for answers. (i.e., What’s App) Communication by text message to be more aware of the activities since not all parents have access to their email frequently More specific communication (especially about athletics and schedule changes) The schools should provide multiple meeting times to meet the needs of the parents and thus achieve effective collaboration (translated from Spanish) Parent engagement should occur in a variety of modes depending on need (i.e., emails, in-person meetings, virtual meetings) More information from teachers would be helpful Streamline the school calendar and keep it up to date More in-person or virtual meetings in addition to emails to increase transparent communication   In addition to sharing the specific feedback results with site administration, the district will: Support the site administration to ensure that information on the website is organized, timely and kept up to date. Maximize Parent Square effectiveness by adjusting the settings for the 2024-2025 school year  to ensure that families receive notifications instantly (with the option for parents to adjust these settings on their own).You may also find this ParentSquare  Information page helpful. Ask that parents and students actively use ParentSquare. Please be sure to either download the ParentSquare/Student Square app and/or check that the schools have updated cell phone information . (Note: using the app makes it possible to avoid data usage and other privacy issues related to SMS text messaging.) Provide district-supported technology support opportunities  (in-person and virtual) for families to get questions answered about Parent Square and other technologies we use. Support teachers in their use of Parent Square as a communication tool with ongoing training and support opportunities.   More Information About ParentSquare Mountain View Los Altos High School District Mountain is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters Communications & Outreach for MVLAHSD  

Wednesday, Jun 12 2024

MVLA Magazine - May 2024 Edition

MVLA Magazine MVLA Magazine May 2024 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  Not displaying correctly? View in browser   Dear MVLA Community, Our students continue to impress us with their dedication to academic excellence and their commitment to making a positive impact. From participating in competitions to the arts to organizing community events, their enthusiasm and drive inspire us all. As we approach the end of the school year, I encourage everyone to celebrate the accomplishments of our students and staff, and to reflect on the journey we have shared. Our schools have much to celebrate as you will see in this newsletter. Thank you to our dedicated staff, supportive parents, and talented students for your commitment to excellence. Together, we will continue to make MVLA a place where every individual can thrive and succeed. With appreciation, Nellie Meyer Superintendent   FREESTYLE ACADEMY STUDENT OF THE YEAR - SOFIA DOMINGUEZ SALCEDO Sofia's hard work and positive energy helped the classes get a wider perspective and deeper peer collaboration through the lots of class projects. She is very self-directed, incredibly detail oriented and always trying to keep in mind the big picture in sharp focus. Recently, as a team leader, she worked very hard on the senior narrative project, From the very beginning to the end of this long, hard project, she put in huge effort with full of positive energy with other team members, finally delivered the very successful visual narrative project as a result.  Read more about Sofia  here ,  and view her Board recognition  here .   FREESTYLE ACADEMY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER - LUCIE RAYNAUD Lucie's teachers say that over the course of two years, Lucie has truly found their home among fellow Freestylers, growing into a confident and dedicated member of the school's creative community. They have shown strong passion in their work, and cultivated a strong sense of compassion. Lucie learned how to be comfortable challenging themselves with bigger and broader projects, reliably meeting deadlines, collaborating with classmates and peers, and expressing herself with confidence and conviction.  Read more about Lucie  here  and view their Board recognition  here .   LOS ALTOS HIGH SCHOOL APRIL 2024 STUDENT OF THE MONTH - OSCAR JOHNSON Oscar's journey at LAHS embodies a passion for knowledge and community impact. His role as news editor at Talon, LAHS's student paper, showcases his dedication to journalism and leadership skills. As President and Executive Producer of TEDxLAHS, he expands local voices on a global platform. Planning to major in Economics and Journalism, he aims to illuminate intersections between economics, business, and journalism.  Read more about Oscar  here  and view his Board recognition  here , starting at 32:03.   MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL APRIL 2024 STUDENT OF THE MONTH - ELLA PERSKY Ella epitomizes dedication, leadership, and passion at MVHS. She co-founded the Jewish Student Union, fostering cultural connection. Her roles in the school publication and mental health panels showcase her commitment to societal dialogue. Co-leading the Midpeninsula Post, she excels in organization and leadership. Ella's dance, advisory board service, and gap year plans demonstrate her diverse interests.  Read more about Ella  here ,  and view her Board recognition  here , starting at 22.43.   LAHS STUDENT AWARDED 3RD PRIZE IN NATIONAL CHINESE SPEECH CONTEST Congratulations to Linnea Forslin of Los Altos High School for her incredible achievements in recent statewide and nationwide Chinese speech contests! Linnea took home third prize in the 3rd National Chinese Speech Contest within the high school heritage group. You can check out the videos of all the winners here . Linnea, who speaks English and Swedish as her native languages, was placed in the heritage group because of her Chinese ancestry from her mom's side.  Linnea also won the first prize in the 48th CLTAC Mandarin Chinese Speech Contest in San Francisco recently.   MVLA STUDENTS WIN NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS Five MVLA seniors have been awarded National Merit Scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). Michael Cheilek-Klaiber was awarded a National Merit NVIDIA Corporation Scholarship. NVIDIA, based in Silicon Valley, is igniting the next era of computing with its invention, the GPU, acting as the artificial intelligence  brain of computers, robots, and self-driving cars.  Manonmani Raffill was awarded the National Merit Battelle Scholarship.  Battelle serves industry and government in the areas of technology development, laboratory management, and technology  commercialization. $2500 National Merit Scholarships were awarded to Preston Bhat, Isabelle Chen, Jennifer Cruden, and Alyssa Ong. Recipients can use their awards at any regionally accredited  U.S. college or university of their choice. Learn more here .   LAHS ADVANCED SCIENCE INVESTIGATION CLASS BRINGS HOME THE AWARDS Congrats to members of the LAHS Advanced Science Investigation (ASI) class and all LAHS students who competed in the 2024 Synopsys Championship, a local scence fair, and the subsequent California State Science Fair , held recently at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. (Read related story here ) In total, 28 students won a combined 34 awards at Synopsys, with six students receiving an invite to the California State Science Fair . Special recognition goes to Ariana Motaghiannezam who was a Grand Prize winner and Serena Cao who was named a Grand Prize Alternate winner. In addition, Los Altos High School won an outstanding school award, and teachers Tory Johnson and Darren Dressen both won awards for outstanding teachers.   MVLA ROBOTICS TEAMS ADVANCE TO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN HOUSTON Robotics teams from both MVHS and LAHS advanced to the FIRST 2024 World Championships in Houston recently. The LAHS Eagle Strike team ranked seventh out of 75 in their division. MVHS Spartan Robotics came in eighth. The tournament itself began with qualification rounds made up of matches of three versus three, with each team having contributed one of the three robots that would compete for their team. After this, in the playoffs, the top eight teams got to pick who they wished to alliance and play with, and the decision was made by a team’s Alliance Captain, who served a similar role to that of a Team Captain in another sport. These teams of three then faced off against other teams of three. The playoffs lasted for a total of 6 rounds, and featured a higher and lower bracket to give teams a second chance should they lose in the first two rounds.  Read a write-up on the full championships in the MVHS Oracle here ,and view  photos from the Championships  here , courtesy LAHS student Kevin Lee.   "SPRINGTERNSHIPS" PART OF NEW OPPORTUNITY THROUGH DUAL ENROLLMENT MVLA and Foothill College created an opportunity over spring break this year for students to intern and earn college UC/CSU transferable credit while doing so through MVLA's Dual Enrollment model. It's called "Springternship,' a collaboration between Dr. Miloni Gandhi of Foothill College, Dr. Lynette Gillson of MVLA, and Amber Woodward of MVLA. Students enrolled in college signed up to support one of the five community partners and worked to solve real-world business projects during the week of April 8th-12th. Learn more here !   MVLA's IT TEAM PARTICIPATES ON CYBERSECURITY SUMMIT The Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE), in collaboration with the Tech Interactive, recently convened the second annual Cybersecurity Summit.  Among esteemed speakers like SCCOE Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, Stephanie Gomez, and Scott Alford, Cybersecurity Advisor to the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), MVLA showcased its leadership in the field.  Bob Fishtrom, Director of MVLA's Information Technology Services, represented MVLA as an industry expert, highlighting the comprehensive efforts undertaken by the IT team to fortify our infrastructure systems. Their adherence to industry standards and best practices underscores MVLA's commitment to cybersecurity excellence, and its position as a regional leader in the field.   DISTRICT CONDUCTS FIRST FAMILY OUTREACH, ENGAGEMENT, AND COMMUNICATION THOUGHTEXCHANGE During the last two weeks in April, families were invited to participate in a district ThoughtExchange focused on gathering feedback about how well the district is meeting the goals of its newly adopted Family Engagement and Outreach Board Policy (adopted December 2023). This policy is a first for MVLA and represents our commitment to involving all education partners in our efforts to help students be successful in their academic and post-secondary goals. Learn more here .   FAMILY PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL HOSTS STUDENT ADVISORY MEMBERS The MVLA Family Partnership Council (FPC) held its final school year meeting, celebrating all the values that make MVLA great: excellence, equity, and engagement. The FPC hosted the MVLA Superintendent’s Advisory Council (MSAC) student members, which is completing its inaugural year. The students will present recommendations to the superintendent and MVLA Board of Trustees on Monday, May 20, 2024, during a special study session at 4:00 p.m. Student recommendations were focused on student wellness, alignment of assessment and homework policies, ensuring access to various post-secondary pathways, systemic feedback opportunities, and support for historically marginalized students. Learn more  here .   At its   Regular Meeting on May 6 , the Board of Trustees had the following presentations and informational items included on the   agenda .   The meeting recording is available   here . Presentation from Freestyle Academy -   Presentation   |   Video Presentation on School Site Access Control by Robert Fishtrom, IT Director -   Video Presentation from Robin Stears of   Pacific Resilience Group   about   SB553 Workplace Violence and Prevention Plan, policy and requirements . -   Video Resolutions recognizing   Classified School Employees' Week ,   Teacher Appreciation Day,   and   Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month . At its Regular Meeting on April 15, the Board had the following presentations and informational items included on the  agenda .  The meeting recording is available  here . Presentation on the District's Athletics Program - Presentation | Video Presentation on Focus Groups Report on Superintendent Desired Characteristics - Presentation | Video Second readings/approval of School Safety Plans - Presentations Update on student and staff parking options at LAHS - Presentation | Video Resolutions recognizing National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month and National Mental Health Month The next Regular Meeting is scheduled for May 20, 2024. All meeting materials will be available  here .   A happy gathering of MVHS' National Japanese Honor Society Club , an academic group sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Japanese. With the group, students made friends across Japanese classes, and shared interests in language and culture. The theme of this year's Dance Spectrum show was "The Digital Get Down," inspired by movies, TV shows, video games, and digital media. It was a colorful showcase of original study works that embody a dance community where "EveryBody Matters." View performance photos  here ! MVHS Madrigals recently sang their way through Bali and Jogja, Indonesia, celebrating the collaboration of beautiful voices and feelings with new friends for life. Take a look at this beautiful highlight video . It was a full house this week for summer school's dual-enrollment orientation with incoming 9th Grade Academy participants. They were able to learn about Foothill College and MVLA's awesome alternative program opportunities. MVHS recently wrapped up its annual Student Art Show. It included works from students in Drawing, Commercial Art, Photography, Publication Design, Ceramics, Painting, and Studio Art. Learn more here . Our Eagles soared in the cooking showdown against Leigh High School and Del Mar High School recently, making it the culinary event of the year! We're celebrating the arts at LAHS! Super proud of students who have gone on to exhibit (and win awards) at regional art exhibitions. Our students have shared their creativity via community murals, contests, publications, and more. Check out this compilation of student works! Last Thursday, the Challenge Team honored their  Champion for Youth, William Blair, MVLAHSD Wellness Coordinator, and  Youth Champion Sadie Gracon, LAHS Senior .  Rani Sindledecker, MVHS student and wellness advocate introduced t he k eynote speaker. LAHS Business, Entrepreneurship, and Mathematics (BEAM) Club had a great time visiting their peers in Heidelberg, Germany, as part of their exchange program. View highlights. Ten students were able to travel to Germany as part of the exchange program. Read more about BEAM here . The Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District is always looking for great, skilled people to join our team. Right now, we are recruiting for a number of coaching positions - Girls Varsity Flag Football, Competitive Cheer, Basketball, Wrestling, and Dance. We are also looking for applicants to serve as substitute teachers and subsitute Instructional Assistants. We have several openings for Adult School instructors, and are also recruiting for a Program Support Specialist position, and nightime Custodian. Ready for a career change? See what we have to offer at our   Current Openings page   or at   https://www.edjoin.org/MVLA .   IN THE NEWS " MVLA High School Foundation contributes to student success " - Los Altos Town Crier, May 14, 2024 " Community Briefs: Student art exhibition, teen week and upcoming awards ceremony " - Mountain View Voice, May 11, 2024 " 10 Local Students Awarded $2500 National Merit Scholarships " - Patch, May 8, 2024 " MVLA challenge team changes from breakfast to lunch of ‘champions ’" - Los Altos Town Crier, April 23, 2024 Check out the student-run Mountain View High School  Oracle  and the Los Altos High School  Talon  too!   May 20, 2024 Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees 7:00 p.m. All meeting materials will be available  here June 3, 2024 Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees 7:00 p.m. All meeting materials will be available   here June 5, 2024 Alta Vista High School Graduation 4:30 p.m. - AVHS Multi-Purpose Room June 5, 2024 MVLA Adult School Graduation 6:00 p.m. - MVHS Spartan Theater June 6, 2024 Los Altos High School Graduation 6:00 p.m. - Football Field (Check out list of Senior Activities here .) June 6, 2024 Mountain View High School Graduation 6:30 p.m. - Spartan Stadium (See graduation information and senior activities  here .) June 7, 2024 Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees 11:00 a.m. All meeting materials will be available  here 2024-2025 School Year Calendar Additional important dates are available on our campus calendars:  Los Altos HS  |  Mountain View HS  |  Alta Vista HS  |  Adult School     Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District Email:  mvlahsd@mvla.net Website:  www.mvla.net Location:  1299 Bryant Avenue, Mountain View, CA, USA Phone:  (650) 940-4650 Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/mvlahsd X:  @MVLAHSD Mountain View Los Altos High School District Mountain is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters Communications for the MVLA High School District  

Friday, May 17 2024