Jaguar News

Hello Jaguar community!

It's Gold Week (start in period 7) and we are now officially halfway through Quarter 1. It’s hard to believe we’re already at the midpoint of the first quarter - progress reports are just around the corner. This is a great time to check in with your student about their grades, study habits, and goals for the rest of the quarter.

Throughout September and early October, we are also recognizing several important awareness months, including Suicide Prevention Awareness, Attendance Awareness, Deaf Awareness, and Hispanic Heritage. These recognitions remind us of the many ways we can build a safe, inclusive, and supportive school community.

One area we’d especially like to highlight is attendance. In middle school, every day matters —students who miss even a few days can quickly fall behind academically and socially. Consistent attendance sets strong habits that prepare students for success in high school and beyond. Thank you for working with us to ensure your child is present and ready to learn each day.

We also have some fun things to look forward to this week! On Monday, student representatives from the Sapphire and Topaz houses will have the chance to silly string the principal at lunch as part of our House competition. On Wednesday, we’ll kick off our Otis Spunkmeyer/Believe Kids Fundraiser to raise funds for our school through the PTSA. Thursday brings our Chipotle Fundraiser - skip the cooking and support VVMS Leadership - and on Friday, we have our much-anticipated Students vs. Staff Kickball Game at lunchtime. There’s something for everyone to enjoy as we celebrate our school spirit and community.

Finally, we are looking to fill one parent representative position on our School Site Council. This is a great way for families to have a voice in shaping our school’s programs and priorities. Please take a moment to cast your vote using the ballot linked in the School Site Council section of this newsletter.

Have a wonderful week!

Warmly,

Ms. Jamie Keith

Principal, Valley View Middle School

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out: keithj@mdusd.org.

Important Links

September 9th - Minimum Day - students dismissed at 12:30 pm; MDUSD Parent Event (1 of 3) at 5:15 pm for Farsi, Dari, Pashto, Urdu, and Arabic speaking families ( see flyer in the District Announcements at the end of this newsletter)
September 10th - CPHS Early Out Wednesday (2:11 release at CP, expect heavier traffic during our dismissal); Believe/Otis Spunkmeyer Fundraiser Kickoff; California Colleges.EDU parent info night at 5:30 pm, students will earn house points if their parent attends (see flyer in the District Announcements at the end of this newsletter)
September 11th - Chipotle Fundraiser (more info below); MDUSD AAPAC at 6:00 pm (see flyer in the District Announcements at the end of this newsletter)
September 15th - 19th - Start with Hello Week!
September 24th - Picture Day Retakes (for students who didn't take their picture or would like to retake it); PTSA Meeting - 6:30 pm in the library
September 29th - VVMS/CPHS AAPAC Meeting (CPHS Library, 6:00-7:00 pm)
October 3rd - End of Quarter 1; Minimum Day - students dismissed at 12:30 pm.
October 6th - 10th - Fall Break (no school)
October 13th - Indigenous People's Day (no school)
October 14th - School resumes, Start of Quarter 2

Valley View Leadership is hosting a Fundraiser with Chipotle! Chipotle is giving back 25% of profits. The fundraiser is on Thursday, September 11th, from 4 pm to 8 pm at Chipotle (552 Contra Costa Blvd, Ste 110, Pleasant Hill, CA). You can order online using the code: 9722QE4. You can also order in person with the same code or by showing them one of the flyers (below). If you deliver using a separate delivery app it won’t count for our fundraiser. If you want to get your food quick, you can order through their website or app using the code listed above.

Always email our office of your student's absences and keep us updated on their health status:

Contact our Attendance Office
- email: vvmsattend@mdusd.org
- call: 925-682-8000 x5090

Monday - Homework Club meets from 2:15-3:15 pm
Tuesday - Rainbow Club meets at lunch in room C8; Dungeons & Dragons club meets at lunch in room D6
Wednesday - SAVE Promise Club meets at lunch in room C8; Math Counts Team meets at lunch in room C3
Thursday - Green Team meets at lunch in room C8; Homework Club meets from 2:15-3:15 pm
Friday - No Club Meetings

We currently have one vacant Parent position on our School Site Council and are looking for a parent who would like to serve!

We have 7 candidates for our parent position. All candidates have submitted a candidate statement which you can see both on the ballot and by clicking here.

Please take a moment to VOTE for the candidate you would like to fill our vacant parent position on the School Site Council. CLICK HERE TO VOTE. Please note that you must be signed in to your Google account to vote - this will help ensure that only one vote per person is counted.

Voting will close at 11:59 pm on Thursday, September 11th.

At our August 27th meeting, the MDUSD Board proudly approved a series of resolutions that highlight the importance of awareness, inclusion, and support for our students, families, and staff for the month of September.

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month – a reminder of our shared responsibility to look out for one another and connect students and families with resources that promote mental health and wellbeing.
Attendance Awareness Month – emphasizing the importance of showing up, every day, ready to learn, and recognizing that consistent attendance is key to student success.
Deaf Awareness Month – alongside the International Week of Deaf People (September 22–28) and the International Day of Sign Languages (September 23), honoring the contributions, culture, and language of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.
September 15 – October 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month – celebrating the rich history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities.

These recognitions reflect our ongoing commitment to fostering a school environment that is safe, respectful, and welcoming to all. Thank you for helping us create a place where every student feels valued, supported, and able to thrive.

Our first Association Meeting of the year is scheduled for Wednesday, September 24 at 6:30 p.m. in the Library. Come meet our school counselors who will be giving a presentation on their services in support of our kids and families, learn about the new middle school sports league, get an update from Vice Principal Buhler, ratify our budget for the year, and enjoy refreshments and fellowship! The meeting will be optimized for in-person interaction with a Zoom attendance link to be provided closer to the meeting date.

If you have an interest in any Board position, please reach out! We would love to have you “shadow” us before taking on a role like President, Treasurer, Fundraising, Programs & Hospitality, or Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) next year or beyond.

2025-2026 PTSA Board Members ~ Lucy, Pavel, Sidney, Blanca, Sabrina, and Juaná

Stay connected: