MVLA Magazine

MVLA Community,

The school year is coming to a rapid close - and after a year of navigating remote instruction and learning how to be a community from afar - we are filled with gratitude to have the year ending with something closer to the "normal" we knew pre-pandemic. Thanks to our ASB students for creating so many fun and spirited activities to welcome classmates back for the first time in over a year. Thanks also to the students, parents, and teachers who put in countless hours for the recent prom activities - you'll see some great photos below.

This week is Classified Employee Appreciation Week. Our classified staff - or non-teaching employees - are essential to the work we share. Their hard work impacts every area of operations, and, from the curb to the classroom, touches and improves students' lives every day. Please join me in thanking and celebrating them.

Below you'll also find some important awards and recognitions and an update on our campus construction projects. Santa Clara County's move into the Yellow Tier means the easing of many previous restrictions. However, the County Health Officer continues to urge all eligible residents to get vaccinated. Community vaccination clinic information is also below.

Sincerely,

Nellie Meyer

Superintendent

LOS ALTOS HIGH SCHOOL APRIL 2021 STUDENT OF THE MONTH - DIYA GUPTA

Diya is very involved in the Green Team on campus. She is currently the lead for the fire safety project, helping to assemble over 350 kits to distribute to lower-income families in our area to help them combat the effects of climate change. Diya is also involved in E3, a youth philanthropy program. Additionally, Diya is a member of the Indian Student Union and has played Field Hockey and Lacrosse since freshman year. She is also a teen tutor, where she read books to kids on the weekend at the Los Altos Library. Read more here. View the Board recognition of Diya here, starting at 26:34.

MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL APRIL 2021 STUDENT OF THE MONTH - CAROLINE CHANG

Caroline is a very multi-faceted student. She is treasurer of the Fashion Club, where she makes accessories and other small clothing items through crocheting, knitting, and other design methods. Outside of school, Caroline has participated in Technovation, a coding competition where she created an app, Picture It, a reminders app that utilizes photos. She volunteers at Second Harvest Food Bank and Bored of Boredom, where she currently tutors two elementary school-age students. In her free time, Caroline enjoys playing the piano. Read more here. View the Board recognition of Caroline here, starting at 34:50.

GRADUATION UPDATE

Graduation ceremonies for Los Altos and Mountain View will be Friday, June 4th, at PayPal Park (formerly Avaya Stadium), located at 1123 Coleman Avenue in San Jose. The Los Altos High School ceremony will begin at 4:00 p.m., followed by the Mountain View High School ceremony at 7:00 p.m. KMVT will be live-streaming both events and recording them for viewing at a later date.

Tickets will be limited to up to four spectators from the senior’s immediate household and will be required to enter into PayPal Park. Each family will receive one Paypal Park parking pass.

Students will be required to attend mandatory graduation rehearsals (via Zoom) and to adhere to the graduation dress standard. w For additional information, review the senior letters for each school (LAHS | MVHS) All students must wear a cap and gown to attend graduation. Details about purchasing or borrowing caps and gowns are available on the schools' webpages (LAHS | MVHS).

Alta Vista High School will hold its graduation ceremony on June 8, 2021, at 4:30 p.m. on the Alta Vista campus. Middle College will have an invitation-only graduation event on June 25.

Both Los Altos and Mountain View hosted proms on campus last Saturday, and it was wonderful having students all dressed up and enjoying an evening of fun, food, music, and friendship!

SUMMER SCHOOL

Applications are still being accepted for upcoming summer school sessions. Review the 2021 Summer School Course Catalog for information on all offerings.

In-seat summer school courses will be held at Mountain View High School this year and administered by the summer school office. Two sessions will be offered:

● In-seat session #1: Friday, June 11 - Thursday, June 24

● In-seat session #2: Friday, June 25 - Friday, July 9

Directions for applying for in-seat summer school are here. The summer school application is here.

MVLA Adult Education administers online courses through separate applications (English | Spanish). Three sessions will be offered, using Edgenuity and Zoom:

• Online session #1 - Monday, June 14 - Friday, June 25
• Online session #2 - Monday, June 28 - Monday, July 12 (no school on July 5)
• Online session #3 - Tuesday, July 13 - Monday, July 26

CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS

The end-of-year art exhibits, film showings, and music, dance, and drama productions are perhaps even more special this year, given the challenges brought on by the pandemic and distance-performing. Our student artists and performers and their teachers have worked tirelessly to provide our community some exceptional programs. These include:

Los Altos High School Spring Jazz Dance Show - "Reflections"

Please join us for a virtual concert featuring original student choreography beginning May 28 at 4:00 p.m. The show, hosted by the student-run newspaper, the Talon, will be presented here.

Los Altos High School Film Festival

On Friday, May 28th, at 7:00 p.m., the best of the best films from this year's film students will be showcased on the New Media Lit's website. Students will be honored for Best Film, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and more. The community will have a chance to vote on their favorites; the winner will be given a special Audience Favorite Award. Winners will be announced on May 29th!

Mountain View High School Virtual Art Show

This year's virtual art show features art from Ceramics, Drawing, Painting, Photography, Publication Design, Studio Art, and 3D Studio Art classes. A virtual 'gallery' allows visitors to move between rooms and click on individual artwork to learn more about the student and his/her piece. Start your tour here.

Mountain View High School Dance Spectrum's Virtual Spring Show

Dance Spectrum's Virtual Spring Show, Dancing Through the Ages, premiered May 7. This semester's show featured student choreography by Tenaya Austin, Cheska Balgaso, Zoe Brown, John Chow, Elisa Fong-Hirschfelder, Izzy Ge, Aoife Hernon, Gabby Jones, Clara Michaud, Erin Mullenex, Genie Penix, and Veena Sumedh. Get in the groove here!

Mountain View High School Choir Farewell Concert

Student singers have gone to great lengths to record on their own, work on choral techniques and create a blended sound in the Jack Trip Virtual Studio. Students from Chamber Choir, Concert Choir, A Cappella, and Madrigals - 120 singers altogether - performed. View the concert here!

ATHLETICS UPDATE

Congratulations to MVLA teams who have qualified for the Central Coast Section (CCS) Season 2 playoffs quarterfinals so far, with many sports still to be seeded:

• Los Altos Boys Tennis advances in CCS quarterfinals bracket vs. Menlo High School - May 21 at Menlo, 4:00 p.m.
• Los Altos Boys Soccer qualified for CCS quarterfinals bracket vs. Monte Vista High School - May 22 at Los Altos, 1:00 p.m.

The playoff schedule is here; events will continue through playoffs June 15 - 19. Go MVLA!

MVLA SCHOOLS RANKED AMONG TOP PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS

U.S. News & World Report has once again listed both Los Altos and Mountain View high schools among the nation's best in its annual ranking of public high schools. U.S. News has published detailed information on more than 24,000 public high schools, including school-specific data on enrollment, student ethnicity, location, school type, and results of state assessments, as well as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate participation.

Los Altos High is ranked 60th within California and 437th in the National Rankings. Mountain View High is ranked 66th within California and 483rd in the National Rankings. Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation, and how well they prepare students for college. Read more about how schools are ranked.

MVLA STUDENT ARTISTS WIN HONORS IN NEW MUSEUM EXHIBIT

Three student artists from MVLA who have had their works on exhibit at the New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU) as part of the highly selective ArtNow 2021 juried exhibit also won awards and scholarships!

This year’s theme was “Good Trouble,” in tribute to the late congressman, John Lewis, for his work on the Voting Rights Act. Students were asked to render and submit interpretations of Lewis’s call to “make some noise and get in good trouble.” Fourteen MVLA student-artists had works included in the virtual exhibit. Congratulations to the following students. View their winning pieces and read their artist's statements here.

• Jamie Shin - First Place in Mixed Media Category
• Bailey Fu - Second Place in Mixed Media Category
• Grace Kloecki - Judge's Recognition in Drawing Category

LOS ALTOS STUDENTS TAKE HOME JOURNALISM AWARDS

This week, the Journalism Education Association of Northern California (JEANC) announced its 2021 journalism awards. Students from the New Media Lit program at Los Altos High School took home five awards! The annual contest recognizes excellence in student journalism, with categories including Press Freedom, Digital Media, News Publications, Video & Broadcast, and Yearbook.

Congratulations to the following, and be sure to view their work at lahsnewmedialit.org.

• For the Best Feature Video category, Kaitlyn Huang and Juliette Sartori came in 2nd place, and Maddie Sayer and Shayla Gossain received honorable mention.
• For Best Opinion Video, Cathryn Krajewski took 1st place! And Audrey Boennighausen took 2nd place!
• For Best Sports Video Package, Charles Sirey and Zachary Fagin came in 3rd place.

LOS ALTOS STUDENTS REACH PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE FINALS

Recently, Los Altos High School sophomores Keira Chatwin and Maya Yung reached finalist status in parliamentary debate at the California High School Speech Association State Championships. Another sophomore team, Shaurya Kadiyala and Evan Lingo (also in parliamentary debate), made it to the top 16, placing Los Altos in 20th for state sweepstakes on the efforts of only two sophomore teams!

Speech and debate combine public speaking, acting, and arguing all in one competitive sport. More than 7,000 middle and high school students in the U.S. participate in speech and debate, considered a training ground for future leaders.

SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDS

Congratulations are in order for MVLA students who have been awarded several prestigious scholarships. They include:

• Arjun Patrawala, Mountain View High School - 2021 National Merit Scholarship ($2,500)
• Elana Eisenberg, Los Altos High School - Central Coast Section Scholar-Athlete ($500)
• Henry Shi, Los Altos High School - 2021 National Merit Scholarship ($2,500)
• Laila Al-Agbash, Los Altos High School - Dude Angius Memorial Scholarship ($5,00)
• Morgan Taylor-Cohen, Los Altos High School - 2021 National Merit Scholarship ($2,500)
• Samantha Waldbusser, Mountain View High School - 6th District PTA Barbara Emerich Scholarship ($750)

Click here for additional details on the scholarships and honorees.

SUPERINTENDENT MEYER HONORED AS OUTSTANDING LEADER BY MOUNTAIN VIEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The Mountain View Chamber of Commerce has named MVLA Superintendent Nellie Meyer one of its 2021 honorees for t its annual Celebration of Leaders event, recognizing exceptional contributions and service given to the Mountain View community by businesses, organizations, and individuals. Dr. Meyer, along with Mountain View Whisman Superintendent Ayinde Rudolph, is recognized for "Outstanding Contribution to Remote Learning."

The Celebration of Leaders awards event will be held virtually June 17, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Upon registration, attendees may order a special dinner to be delivered to their homes to simulate an in-person banquet experience.

MVLA SPOTLIGHT: MIDPENINSULA POST TEAM

At its May 10 meeting, the Board of Trustees honored the Midpeninsula Post in a District Spotlight. The Midpeninsula Post is an independent student newspaper founded by six MVLA students in November 2020 with the mission of engaging high schoolers in local news by providing fast and reliable coverage specifically geared toward teens.

Now, the Post is comprised of 20 staff members — spanning six local schools and grades 7–12 — continuing that original mission and adding new ventures such as a Spanish-language news section and educational programs for students interested in journalism. The Board's recognition of the Post is on this video, starting at 3:20.

ONSITE VACCINATIONS AT LOS ALTOS HIGH SCHOOL MAY 25

A special youth vaccination event will be held at Los Altos High School on Tuesday, May 25, from 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. No appointments are needed, and no health insurance is required. Anyone aged 12 and older can get vaccinated. Children ages 12 - 17 need permission from a parent or guardian; this could be a signed consent form (English | Spanish | Vietnamese | Chinese), a parent or guardian with them, or a telephone call to the parent or guardian.

A FREE boba tea and a reusable straw will be provided to all those getting vaccinated while supplies last. Several more of these youth events are coming up over the next week — view flyer.

FREE COVID-19 TESTING FOR MVLA STAFF AND STUDENTS

El Camino Health’s Mountain View Hospital continues to offer COVID-19 testing funded by the El Camino Healthcare District for those who live, work, or go to school within the District. Online appointment scheduling is available until the day before the test date. Read more.

FREE VACCINE CLINICS

El Camino Health offers no-cost vaccinations for those aged 16 and up who live or work in Santa Clara County. Vaccinations are required to be scheduled in advance. They are offered at the El Camino Health Sunnyvale Clinic from Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Here is a list of locations offering walk-in vaccine clinics. It will be updated as clinics are added. Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is offering free rides to vaccination sites. Learn more.

The Board of Trustees held a regular meeting this month on May 10. Agenda items and actions included the following:

• Approved a resolution recognizing May as National Mental Health month - Resolution | Video (starts at 10:15)
• Presentation by the Los Altos High School Green Team, which had been instrumental in the school being recognized as a Green Ribbon School - Presentation | Video (starts at 1:03:31)
• Accepted the Annual Report of the MVLA Measure E Citizens' Oversight Committee - Report | Video (starts at 1:21:04)

All meeting agendas, recordings, and minutes are available online. The next regular Board meeting is scheduled for June 1, with both in-person and virtual attendance options, starting at 7 p.m.

MVLA Teacher Tribute Gifts

We are proud of our resilient students who have spent most of the last year in distance learning mode and appreciative of the teachers who helped them along the way. Typically this time of year, the MVLA Foundation asks families if they would like to honor a special teacher or administrator who has made a difference during this school year. We want to continue this tradition. Name the person you would like to honor and make your $100 Tribute Gift, and you and the designated honoree will be listed in the MVLA High School Foundation's Annual Report. In addition, we will notify the honoree with a special note and certificate. Thank you for continuing this MVLA tradition. See last year's Tributes.

Video Now Available: Tina Payne Bryson – The Power of Showing Up: What Kids Really Need from Adults
Ms. Bryson has graciously allowed us to share The Power of Showing Up recording with parents, teachers, and others within our community. The recording will be available through June 9. We would like to thank our sponsors for their ongoing support to offer MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series events free to families in our community!

• MVLA High School Foundation
• Los Altos Educational Foundation
• Mountain View Educational Foundation
• Los Altos-Mountain View PTA Council

Foundation Donation

The MVLA High School Foundation recently presented a check for $2.091 million to Superintendent Dr. Nellie Meyer and Trustee Catherine Vonnegut to support programs and services during the 2020-21 school year. The check was presented by Kristine Bardman, Foundation co-director; Rebecca Lowell, Foundation board president; and Margaret Gong, Foundation co-director. Thanks to parents, alumni, and community members for your generous donations and continued support!

At this month's Board meeting, RGM Kramer provided an update on all MVLA construction projects to the community. View Presentation | Video (starts at 1:24:57) Bids were also approved for the Mountain View High School Auxiliary Gym project and Student Services Building project, and the Freestyle Academy project.

Construction of new classroom buildings at both Los Altos and Mountain View is ongoing. See photos below. The classroom buildings are scheduled to be completed later this summer and the auxiliary gym at Los Altos.

The Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District is always looking for great, skilled people to join our team! Currently, we have positions open for instructional assistants, food service workers, and coaches for Girls Junior Varsity Volleyball and Girls Varsity Water Polo. We are always recruiting for substitute teachers.

Ready for a career change or supplemental income opportunity? See what we have to offer on our Current Openings page or EdJoin.

May 31, 2021 - Memorial Day Holiday

NO SCHOOL

June 1, 2021

Regular Meeting - Board of Education

• View Agendas and Meeting Documents here

June 4, 2021

• Last Day of School
• Class of 2021 Graduations for Los Altos and Mountain View

June 8, 2021

Class of 2021 Graduation for Alta Vista High School

June 25, 2021

Class of 2021 Graduation for Foothill Middle College

August 11, 2021

First Day of School for the 2021-2022 School Year

Please also check our 2021-2022 School Year calendar!

Email: communications@mvla.net
Website: https://www.mvla.net/
Location: 1299 Bryant Avenue, Mountain View, CA, USA
Phone: 650-940-4650
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mvlahsd
Twitter: @MVLAHSD