Dear MVLA Community,
I hope this newsletter finds all of you well and ready for our February break. In my classroom visits, I have been fortunate to see how hard our students work to make the most of their four years with us. We should all celebrate their talent, creativity, and viewpoint. Our staff team has also been busy in the first two months of 2024, working to create strong practices that support all students.
As we started the year, our team prioritized increased student access to core content standards, ensuring high expectations for all students and fostering opportunities for success. Our recent data presentation and review showcased a notable increase in students meeting or exceeding proficiency levels across critical subjects.
This work only happens with ongoing support and time for educators to collaborate. Our Educational Services team provides ongoing pedagogy training to increase engagement in every classroom.
We are proud of how our team continues to work together as a learning organization. The district continues to empower every student to thrive academically and beyond through dedication to academic rigor and inclusivity.
With appreciation,
Nellie Meyer
Superintendent
LOS ALTOS HIGH SCHOOL FEBRUARY 2024 STUDENT OF THE MONTH - MELANIE MARIN MARTINEZ
Melanie is a dedicated advocate for community service and STEM representation. She volunteers at El Camino Hospital and the Community Services Agency, supports STEM initiatives as LAHS Latinos in STEM club secretary, and collaborates on diverse post-graduation pathways proposals.
Melanie's involvement extends to the Mentor Tutor Connection and her passion for AP Biology, AP Psychology, and Biotechnology. Read more about Melanie here, and view her Board recognition here, starting at 20:39.
MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL FEBRUARY 2024 STUDENT OF THE MONTH - MONSERRAT HERNANDEZ ESTEVEZ
"Monse," a standout leader in the Ambassadors program, demonstrates dedication in various roles. From leadership in the Multilingual Learners Committee to co-presidency of the MEChA club, Monse shines. She serves as a camera operator for Next Week Now and the school play. She is passionate about film, photography, literature, and volunteering at Mini Cat Town.
As she looks forward to a career in film, Monse remains committed to community service and artistic expression. Read more about Monserrat here, and view her Board recognition here, staring at 29:28.
MVLA STUDENTS CHOSEN TO EXHIBIT ART AT ANNUAL ARTNOW EXHIBIT AT THE NUMU
Twelve MVLA students have been selected to exhibit their works of art for the annual Santa Clara County juried high school exhibition, ArtNow, at the New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU). NUMU received more than 800 submissions from 45 schools across the county.
See the names of the exhibiting students here. The exhibit will open Friday, March 22, and run through June 30. Congratulations artists!
SALE OF FINAL MEASURE E BOND
MVLA has completed its final bond issuance under Measure E. The $27 million sale went smoothly with extensive participation due to our high credit rating. Taxpayers will have a lower-than-usual debt of $4 million related to the bond sale. The process will close and the funds released to MVLA February 22, 2024.
Just last month, Moody's reaffirmed its top rating, Aaa, to the District, citing prudent financial management and demonstrated community support. The District was first awarded the triple-A rating in 2015. S&P has also assigned MVLA its top rating of AAA.
DISTRICT ADOPTS WE-TIP ANONYMOUS REPORTING SYSTEM
To encourage students, families, and employees to report any information regarding crimes or injustice, MVLA is now using the WeTip anonymous reporting platform.
The WeTip button is on all MVLA websites, just above “Latest Announcements.” The reports are taken seriously and passed on to the correct authorities. We encourage our stakeholders to be proactive and if they see something or hear about something of concern to report it through WeTip.
MVLA''s Graduate Profile was created to prioritize key skills necessary for success and reflects the understanding that students need more than content knowledge to be successful in post-secondary pursuits. It presents what students, staff, and families have shared is critical to student success.
Graduate Profile posters have been distributed and are now displayed in every classroom, our College & Career Centers, and other facilities. We are also very pleased to have a Graduate Profile video, which details the process for creating the Profile, and how the goals were developed.
MVLA PARTNERS WITH STANFORD TO LAUNCH NEW HEALTHCARE CAREERS PATHWAY PROGRAM
MVLA and Stanford School of Medicine's Department of Surgery are unveiling a groundbreaking partnership – the Healthcare Careers Pathway Program! The program is designed to introduce underrepresented high school students to healthcare professions through hands-on learning.
Stanford's Office of Community Engagement will be generously funding this initiative, crucial for providing aspiring students with invaluable experiences and opportunities. We'll be working with our Career and Technical Education Patient Care Pathway and AVID program to create enriching experiences for students, guiding them towards successful careers in healthcare and beyond.
DEADLINE TO APPLY AT FREESTYLE ACADEMY IS THIS SATURDAY!
We're excited to start building our groups of juniors and seniors who will be attending Freestyle Academy next year! The deadline to complete the application is Saturday February 17, 2024 to secure your seat in all classes. You can still apply even if the deadline has passed but you will be placed on the bottom of the wait list.
Want to learn more? Visit the Freestyle Academy website, the FAQs section, tour through our student galleries, and check out our YouTube channel.
LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS ON MVLA CAMPUSES
This year is the Year of the Dragon, which is considered to be the most favorable of the 12 zodiac animals. Our Mandarin programs geared up for performances and activities embodying the spirit of the new year, including the Dragon Dance, Kung Fu, Chinese brush painting, making sweet rice balls, and doing the Chinese yo-yo.
See a gallery of photos/videos from LAHS here, and these, taken by student photographer Anthony Tam. MVHS photos are here, and a video of the Lion Dance is here!
COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTER
Spring semester is an important time for students and families to take advantage of all the opportunities the College and Career Center offers.
COUNTDOWN TO COLLEGE - Tuesday, March 26th, 6- 8:15 PM, online
This event is designed for students and families to get more information about the application process, majors, financial aid, etc. There is an extensive video library on the MVLA College and Career Center YouTube Channel that includes last year's webinars.
COLLEGE HANDBOOK - English and Spanish
The MVLA College Handbook is created by the College and Career Center and School Counselors specifically for the needs of MVLA students. At MVHS, a physical copy was distributed during history class on February 12th. At LAHS, students will receive a copy during their junior meeting with their School Counselor. A digital copy is available for everyone on the CCC website. (LAHS- MVHS)
SAVE THE DATE FOR NEXT SPEAKER SERIES EVENT: WHY COLLEGE ADMISSION IS RIGGED AND HOW TO BEAT THE SYSTEM
We know you're not going to want to miss this, so mark your calendars for Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at the Mountain View High School Spartan Theater.
We'll be hosting Susan Paterno, Director of the Journalism Program at Chapman University where she serves on the undergraduate admissions committee, and author of "Game On: Why College Admission is Rigged and How to Beat the System." Susan will help families navigate the two poles of the admissions process: the "big picture" and the nitty gritty of forms and scores and disclosures. Register here!
At its Regular Meeting on February 12, the Board of Trustees had the follow presentations and informational items included on the agenda:
- English Learner reclassification criteria
- Proposal to reduce the number of credits required to obtain the adult high school diploma
- Annual reviews for both Los Altos High School and Mountain View High School
The Board also held a study session on February 12, dedicated to a data review of 2022/2023 student goals. View the presentation materials here. If you missed the meeting, you can view the recording here.
The next Regular Meeting is scheduled for March 4. All meeting materials will be available here.
MVHS students participated in a restorative yoga class. Restorative yoga is a style of yoga that encourages physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. The mats/equipment were made possible by a MVLA Foundation Innovation Learning Grant.
There's a focus on health in our Adult School's Advanced ESL classes this month! Students have been working in groups to analyze and compare food values as part of a unit on nutrition.
So excited to have so many families interested in our Middle College program! More than 200 attendees came to our Middle College Open House at Foothill College on February 7. The deadline to apply for the 2024-2025 school year is February 26.
In a collaboration between Alta Vista High School and Adult Education, seven AVHS seniors and a Los Altos senior began professional training as Eye Care Technicians last week! Students who complete the 50-hour course are eligible for fully-paid apprentice opportunities.
LAHS's BEAM Club partners with high schools and companies around the globe that replicate real-life business environments for students. They recently hosted BEAM students from Heidelberg, and had fun watching the Super Bowl at gathering hosted by Sheryl and Eric Anderson.
Students in Mountain View's Commercial Art Pathway are so excited about the class, they developed a promo video to let incoming Spartans know about this exciting course. Check it out here!
Students in Steven Hine's Engineering Design course at Los Altos are getting robotics projects up and running. High school robotics are a great way to provide hands-on experience in engineering, programming, and problem-solving.
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
Twitter: @MVLAHSD
