Monarch Memo

January 30 - February 3, 2017

All staff meeting at 8:00 a.m. in gym Monday morning

January 30 - last day of Pasta for Pennies

Thank you for your support of the Blood Drive last week.  The representatives who were working that day were very grateful that we had a full day of donors.  Thank you to our ASB for coordinating this and thank you to all who were able to support the drive.  

Thank you also to all the teachers who participated in the tech sessions last Monday.  Please keep in touch with our DLC Travis to let him know how he can support you and provide future PD that is beneficial.  

On Saturday, GUHSD hosted the District-wide Strategic Planning Meeting. The goal was for all stakeholders to review district-wide data, LCAP goals and State priorities.   Much like our WASC process the district is taking all the feedback and determining district-wide priorities and revising goals.  Thank you to our volunteer representatives from MVHS Nicole Thomas, Tracy Leota, Denise Broadfoot, Rad,  students Eva Salgado, Zyrille Sabio and parents Wendy Hutzler, Vicky Mendoza and Julisa Perez.  

MVHS WASC Journey and Next Steps

Your participation in our WASC process is very important and greatly appreciated.  It is great to see the commitment and passion our staff has for MVHS.  

Please remember that this is a process and journey. When you meet in home groups (departments) and Focus Groups, please reflect on all the programs, processes and systems that we utilize.

Important

On Monday, all staff members will be given time to meet in their departments to give input to all five of the WASC categories. Amanda has created a detailed document with specific questions for each category to help facilitate the process.  Departments do not have to provide feedback for every question but please start by answering the questions that your department feels they have the most knowledge/experience/insight.  Department chairs have this as a shared Google Doc. and can record all responses as well as share it with all members to record responses.  

Four week grades and upcoming Advisory schedule

The 4 week grades window opens on Tuesday, January 31st and closes on Monday, February 6th.

Because the window closes on a Monday we will have all school extended lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday(Feb. 7th and 8th) and the new Advisory cycle based on 4 week grades will begin on Thursday, February 9th.

ASSETs Meeting and Training - Monday, January 30

If you are working ASSETs, please attend any one of these three times:

7:00 - 7:45 a.m. (before the All Staff Meeting)

2:05 - 2:50 p.m. (after 6th)

3:00 - 3:45 p.m. (after 7th)

*you will be compensated for this training if attending the meeting outside of your regular scheduled hours.

Agenda link:

ASSETs Training/Meeting - February 1, 2017

Facilities:  Parking spots and solar

We are starting the groundwork for the solar project here at Monte Vista. You may see or hear workers drilling in our north parking lot in the upcoming weeks. They need to test the ground dirt for the stability of the units.  Some parking may be affected. Thank you for understanding and if any issues arise let Kristine know.

Monarchs in action

At the region six skills USA competition on January 28.  Ashley Martinez took first place gold winning the advanced division against top schools like Ontario and Ramona high school. In the basic division, MVHS took second and fourth place with two teams of four.  Schools from Riverside County, Ontario, San Bernardino county, Imperial County, Apple Valley and San Diego County participated in the event.  Congratulations Monarchs!

Students in Ms. Conner’s class working in lab rotations.  Sea World field trip with Ms Delgado.

The phone message sent home to parents on Sunday,  January 29, 2017

Good Evening Monte Vista Families, this is Principal Minjares with a weekly update.

Spring sports tryouts are coming soon in February.  Dates and times are listed on our website.  If your student is planning to try out, please make sure they get their paperwork in and cleared on time in the Student Support Center.  

Do you have neighbors or family members who will be a Freshmen at Monte Vista next year or interested in attending our wonderful school?  Please invite them to Showcase Night on Wednesday, February 15.  We will have a BBQ starting at 5:15 p.m., host a brief program at 6:00 p.m. and head off on campus tours by 6:30 p.m.  This is our chance to show off our great Monarch programs and school pride.  

Monarch families we are hosting free classes for parents hosted by PIQE, the Parent Institute for Quality Education, starting Wednesday, February 8th at 6:00 p.m.  PIQE mainly serves the Spanish speaking community and courses are taught in Spanish for 8 weeks.  If you are interested in participating in PIQE, please call the main office at 660-3000.  

Seniors and family members, please note that Senior Write ups for the yearbook will be available starting tomorrow, Monday, Jan. 30th. Copies will be available in the Student Support Center, Library, Finance office, room 311 and the Guidance office. They are $7.00 and must be submitted to and paid for in the Finance Office, by Friday, March 10th, 3:30 p.m.

Also, Senior pages for the yearbook will be on sale starting this week from Feb. 1st  through March 27th - 7pm.  A full page is $175.00 and a 1/2 page is $90.00.  The customer will pay for and design the page online by him or herself by clicking on the link for yearbookforever.com.  which can be found on the Monte Vista website. 

The Monte Vista website is the best source for all school information. Please check out our website regularly to stay up to date on school events.

Monarch Memo

January 23-27, 2017

WASC mtg. January 25, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. for all staff

The rainy weather has been more than we are typically used to. Many have opened their doors to students at break time so they may get out of the cold and wet weather.  Our facilities crew (Kristine, Manny and Steele) have strapped on their waterproof boots to clear out areas for potential flooding.  We appreciate all you do to keep students safe and a priority.   

The Freshmen Showcase is coming up on Wednesday, February 15, 2017 from 5:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  We would love as many departments, groups and clubs participating as possible.  Middle School students talk about these Showcase Nights with excitement and parents truly compare them. Potential students need to know we have so much to offer here at Monte Vista starting with a caring and supportive staff.    Please participate in this important evening. Please contact Rad to tell her that you are IN! We look forward to having you here.  

The WASC process officially begins this week. All staff members are expected to participate in ALL designated WASC meetings for the entire time.  Please plan accordingly and bring your laptop if you have one.  The majority of our documents are digital now which makes it easier for many to contribute to the collaboration and writing process.  Please remind your students that Wednesday is a minimum day.  

Everyone has been assigned to a WASC Focus group.  An email was sent last week to share everyone’s group assignment.  There is also a copy of the groups and assignments by the sign in sheet in the main office.  Please make sure you know what group you are in before attending the meeting on Wednesday afternoon in the gym. Thank you to our Focus Group Leaders and WASC Coordinator(s).

CHROMEBOOK INVENTORY message from Laura Preble

At the moment inventory is critically low. We have had a flood of new students, so our supply has not kept pace with the demand. Many are being repaired to be put back into service, but at the moment, I only have three working CBs to give out to students.

Please be aware of this, and understand that we will do our best to help students with damaged CBs, but I most likely will not be able to swap them out until we get more. (And FYI, we did know we started to run low two weeks ago, but were not able to procure any more CBs from the district at the moment.)

Classified Spring Workshop Menu  

Please review the options and sign up using the link:  bit.ly/guhsdpd  

Please call 644-8040 if you have any questions!  Thank you!

Please note the following:

1.  All workshops are voluntary and are offered during the work day

2.  Please check with your supervisor before attending

3.  At the end of the year, we will provide a summary of all workshops you attended.  

    This is a great resource to keep in case you want to apply for a different position in the future.

4.  For planning purposes, advance registration is required.  Registration link:   bit.ly/guhsdpd

Thank you to Laura Preble for inviting our student to listen to two lovely authors.  There was a nice turn out by our students.  

Pasta for Pennies is taking place now.  Thank you for reminding your student to give any amount they can to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Thanks ASB for coordinating.  

CHEER SHOWCASE

Photos courtesy of Brittany Wood. Way to go ladies.

The phone message sent home to parents on Sunday,  January 22, 2017

We have a few reminders for you this week.  Tomorrow (Monday, January 23)  between 8:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.  is the ASB sponsored Blood Drive. Students or family members can still make an appointment online at "sandiegobloodbank.org.  Remember permission slips are required for students 16 - 17 yrs old.  All donors will receive a coupon for a FREE Chipotle Burrito, Burrito Bowl, Salad or order of Tacos, courtesy of Chipotle.

Wednesday, January 25 is a minimum day due to accreditation meetings and there will not be the PRIDE after school program on that day.  Thank you for understanding.   

As part of of our accreditation process, we review feedback from our families.  The results from the California Healthy Kids survey is a great way to get your feedback so we can continue to make Monte Vista a safe and effective learning environment for your child.    The California Healthy Kids Survey is on the Monte Vista website in both Spanish and English only until February 17th.  Please complete this survey for us.  We appreciate your time and cooperation.  

Stay warm and dry and have a great week Monarchs.

Monarch Memo

January 16 - 20, 2017

It is wonderful to see our students recognized for their creativity. Congratulations to Carissa Zink, Jesus Zuniga, Rook Carey and Monica Sandoval for being accepted into the SDCAEA Youth Art juried art show.  Two Monarchs ladies, Marisol and Delany, entered the PTSA Art Reflections in November. Delany earned an honorable mention for her piece below.  Please congratulate all of these students when you see them.

Marisol Garibay  12th     Delany Fonseca 9th

Reminders and Update

1. Due to the push for the Family Surveys last week, we are holding off one more week before advertising the  California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) to parents.
2. No ASSET’s after school programs on January 25th due to the WASC meeting for ALL staff.  This was announced to parents and will be shared again during the next all call.
3. GUHSD Online Registration and Open Enrollment are available to families from January 23 to February 24, 2017.  Parents should be receiving letters this week about the process.

Thank you for your support - it takes a village.

As you are aware, there are days throughout the year that are more hectic than others.  Last Friday the 13th (with full moon and changing weather) was one of those days.  We had a few student confrontations at the break which kept the office busy through lunch.  Sometimes there is restlessness and we appreciate teachers and staff stepping outside of their classrooms or offices to be extra eyes for all of us.  Thanks for checking your Remind 101. We appreciate your support on Friday.

Just in case you missed it

Upcoming TECH PD opportunities here at MVHS for you - Travis Engstrand

We have another great tech PD opportunity for Monte Vista teachers! On Monday, January 23, our District DLCs will be conducting 3 separate Tech PD trainings during CPT time (8:15 am - 9:15 am). Additionally, I will be hosting my classroom as an "Open Lab" for anyone who would like to drop by and work, troubleshoot, ask questions or just chat about tech-related instruction.

Something to be proud of: our last on-site Tech PD in November garnered the highest staff participation of all the school's in the district for their similar Tech PD. This is another testament to Monte Vista teachers' dedication to professional growth, personal learning, and student achievement. Let's keep the momentum going!

Listed below are the sessions being offered. To Register, click the link after the session descriptions.

1. Say it Once...Screencasting & Video Tutorials: This session will explore the power of screencasts and simple teacher-made video to demonstrate steps in a process, describe or explain topics, or model how to do academic activities. These videos will entail minimal video editing skills - make it and have it ready to go with a passing period!
2. Google Forms (focus on creating quizzes): Learn how to create a Google Form as a formative/summative assessment, customize Form settings to maximize efficiency, grading, and student feedback, analyze student responses to inform instruction, and more!
3. Google MyMaps: Get ready to experience Google My Maps through playing with the most mind-blowing, but under-utilized tool your students have in their Google Apps accounts.  Create engaging, exploratory, multimedia lessons or have students create their own maps rich in content and critical thinking! This tool can be used in all subject areas.
4. Open Lab: No sign-up necessary. Need a space to work and/or collaborate? Have a question? Need to troubleshoot? Want to discuss tech integration ideas? Want to see examples? Come on by!

   REGISTER FOR A SESSION

Crocheted trees, using Geometry to solve crimes, sports and more sports.

Kudos in quotes  

“I don't believe that teachers get enough praise or compensation for the dedication and care they give to their students.  I for one have been very pleased with the caliber of teaching at Monte Vista and my child has been fortunate to have very good, dedicated teachers while she has been at Monte Vista.”   

- a MVHS parent of a senior

The phone message sent home to parents on Sunday,  January 15, 2017

Just a friendly reminder that there is no school tomorrow in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday.  We will see our Monarchs on Tuesday morning.  

There are a few events that are occurring next weekend and next week that I would like you to know in advance.  

Spring sports clearance opens on January 23rd.  Physicals will be held on campus Tuesday, Jan 24th beginning at 2:00 p.m. in the Student Support Center. The cost for the physical is $20.00 cash only.  Please remember that the online athletic clearance must be completed. If your student already played a sport they must update online to the new spring sport and bring in that paperwork. Tryout dates, times & locations for spring sports will be published on the website when they are established.

The ASB is hosting a Blood Drive on Monday January 23rd from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.  Students will be receiving information on the Wednesday newscast about the requirements and necessary permission slips to participate.

Wednesday, January 25th is the first of three WASC planning minimum days this spring and we will not be hosting our ASSET’s program after school for students.  All staff members are required to participate in the accreditation process and therefore can not staff the program after school.  Please remind your child that Wednesday, January 25th there is no after school program.  We apologize for the inconvenience.  

Parents of Seniors need to know that Cal-SOAP will be hosting a Cash for College event at the IDEA Center on Saturday, January 21st from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.  This event is open to all seniors in the Grossmont district.  Here is a link to register http://sandiegocalsoap.com/star/Events#513

We hope the first week of the second semester has been a great start for you Monarchs.  Keep on top of your assignments and check in with your teachers and Infinite Campus for your grades.

Have a great week.  

Monarch Memo

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

January 9 - 13, 2017

Welcome back to Semester 2.  Here’s hoping your holiday break was relaxing, memorable, eventful, exciting and everything you hoped it would be.  As we start the new year, there have been a few staff members who need your thoughts and prayers for family members who have life-threatening conditions. For those we may know about and those who have been keeping this to themselves, please know that we are here for support. Hugs and prayers to you.  

Welcome to our new SPED teacher, Rebecca Mayer.  She joins us from El Capitan High School.  The SPED department recognized that our numbers were high and needed to open additional classes.  We appreciate the support and look forward to working with Rebecca.  Welcome to the Monte Vista family.  

Important business items to start the year:

1. Urgent: Family Survey email was sent Friday (from Marietta)  with details about the distribution

    and collection beginning Monday, January 9th.  Please read the email.

Monday morning please visit your mailboxes after 7:45 a.m. to pick up rosters and surveys to

distribute to your period 3 students. ETS should deliver these by 7:30 a.m. Monday.

2. ​The grading window closes at 8:00 a.m. on MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2017. This includes

grades and conduct.  Students have 4 weeks into the second semester to make up the grade for

an INC or it will turn into a "F".  

3. New Advisory Cycle begins Thursday, January 12 based on Semester 1 grades.  January 10 and

11 are extended lunch days.

4. The California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) is an important source of data for us for our Site

Plan and WASC accreditation.  Due to the urgency for the Family Survey deadline, the district is

moving the window to collect survey data from parents on the CHKS.  The widow is now

January 16 to February 17.   

5. ASSETs Schedule for January will stay the same as first semester until further notice.  

6. Minimum Days for spring.  Mark your calendars for WASC meeting minimum days on

January 25, March 8 and May 17.  All staff participate.  Do not schedule meetings, practices or

personal appointments on these afternoons.

7. Nominations for the Special Education Golden Apple award are due on Tuesday, January 17th.

Thanks to staff members who are incredible role models and support their students with efforts to help others and make a difference in our community.    

Toys on Parade Dec 4, 2016 update from Angie Trujillo

We donated over 400 toys to Rady's Children's Hospital on Dec 20, 2016 . Belinda Lanois was waiting for our kind donation at Rady Children's Hospital. Diana her mom and Karen my Cosmetology students went to represent the students and to make it official on behalf of CTE Cosmetology Barbering Pathway programs and California Hair Design Academy students and staff. Our students making a difference in the community.

Dear Monte Vista High School,

A gift has been given to a family who doesn’t have enough to eat. That family will now have enough to eat so their children can grow up to be healthy and strong. You are making a difference for another child in the world.

A family in need will receive:  GIFT OF AN ALPACA

We are so happy we could help those in need this holiday season.

Sincerely, Monte Vista Calculus Students

Thank you to all the departments for donating baskets for our holiday luncheon.  Gracia did a great job assembling quite a few.   The holiday luncheon/potluck was cozy in the library.  Thank you for attending and thank you to Laura for hosting.  Some folks were crazy about the event.  

The phone message sent home to parents on Sun., January 8, 2017

We hope you had a wonderful holiday season.  School resumes tomorrow with our late start Monday schedule. Please remember that Semester 2 schedules are posted on Infinite Campus so please check right away to see if any of your student’s classes or location of their classes have changed.  

This month we have two important dates for you to keep in mind.  First, January 16 there is no school in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday.  Secondly, we will be having a minimum day on Wednesday, January 25th.  This is first of three minimum days that we will be having for our WASC accreditation preparation.  Please mark your calendars with minimum days on January 25, March 8 and May 17, 2017.  

A very important FAMILY SURVEY was mailed, emailed and a link provided to you over the holiday break. This survey is critical for us to ensure continued funding for programs that provide extra support and courses for our students. If you have not completed the survey yet, there is an on-line survey link on the Monte Vista website.

All families who did not complete the survey by January 6th will be receiving another hard copy that will be delivered to your student on Monday.  If you have already completed the survey, please disregard the hard copy.  Thank you in advance for your assistance with this very important survey.  

All parents are invited to our PTSA meetings, our next one is tomorrow night, January 9th at 6:00 p.m. in the our beautiful Monte Vista library.  We hope you can join us parents.  Have a great first week of second semester Monarchs.  

The phone message sent home by the Superintendent on December 23, 2016

Dear GUHSD Families,

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

The Grossmont Union High School District is committed to providing the best education and learning environment for our students.  To do so, we rely on funding based on your responses to a short survey called “The Family Survey.”  The results of this survey are confidential and very important because they directly affect the funding that your high school receives every year for students.  

To best help our students, please complete and return the Family Survey by January 12, 2017. You will receive a Family Survey in the mail. You will also receive an email version of the survey. You may respond to the Family Survey by filling out and returning the paper copy that is mailed or by replying to the online Survey that will be linked in the email. You may also deliver the completed Survey to your school’s Administration Office, when school resumes. All Surveys must be returned by January 12, 2017.  

Thank you for supporting your student and their school by completing and returning this important Family Survey. If you have any questions or need help, you may call the “Help Desk” at (619) 956-4357. Enjoy your vacation everyone, and remember school resumes on Monday January 9, 2017.

Sincerely,

Dr. Tim Glover

Superintendent