Mesa Verde Weekly Newsletter

• September 2: Make Up Picture Day

• September 7: Labor Day (No School)

• September 11: Patriot Day

• September 15: Start of National Hispanic Heritage Month

• September 21-25: Conference Week

Well… it was HOT this week. Like, crazy hot.

I think many of us spend the other 11 months of the year conveniently forgetting what August in San Diego can bring. And the humidity? That was a bit much if you ask me.

Because of the extreme temperatures, we had to make some adjustments to our usual routines, including changes to PE and lunch plans, to help keep our students safe and comfortable. Through it all, our students did an outstanding job adapting to the changes, showing flexibility, patience, and some serious Eagle resilience.

The good news? Next week's weather is looking mighty inviting, and we are looking forward to cooler temperatures and getting back to our normal routines.

Thank you to our students, staff, and families for your flexibility and support as we navigated this very warm start to the school year. Here's hoping August has officially made its point and that September and October are tolerable.

In light of some of the events involving neighboring schools this past week, we wanted to share this important reminder: In the event that Mesa Verde Middle School is placed on a secure campus or lockdown, we understand that families may feel worried and want information as quickly as possible. Please know that the safety of our students and staff is always our highest priority.

During these situations, we respectfully ask families to please refrain from calling the school or coming to campus to retrieve students unless you have been specifically directed to do so.

An influx of phone calls and families arriving on campus can interrupt staff members who are actively working to support students and staff, respond to the situation, and follow directions from law enforcement and emergency personnel. Arriving at campus may also create additional traffic and safety concerns and can interfere with emergency operations.

Please allow law enforcement and school staff to do their jobs. We will communicate with families as soon as we are able to share accurate and appropriate information.

We know these situations can be stressful, and we deeply appreciate your patience, trust, and cooperation. By working together and allowing our staff and emergency personnel to focus on the immediate situation, you help us maintain a safe and orderly environment for everyone.

Thank you for your partnership and for helping us keep our Eagle community safe.

Our work as a school is, in large part, in service to our community. That is why the first letter in our PBIS Framework centers on just that: Form Community.

It is the essence of our work.

At MVMS, there are myriad ways to become part of our community. For families, that might mean joining Team MVMS or volunteering. For our students, it might mean getting involved in ASB, attending a Lunch Bunch, joining a club, or simply finding a space where they feel connected.

At the heart of all of this is belonging. We want every member of our learning community to know they are welcome, to recognize and respect the differences that make us stronger, and to know that their voice is valued and heard.

Most importantly, we want every student, family, and staff member to know: You belong here. You matter here.

Take a few minutes to talk with your student about what it means to form community—at school, at home, and wherever they go. Here are a few questions to get the conversation started:

• Where do you feel like you truly belong, and what makes you feel that way?
• How can we show others that their voice matters, even when their ideas or experiences are different from ours?
• What is one thing you could do this week to help someone at school feel more welcome, included, or connected?

Come be part of TEAM MVMS! Join the MVMS Foundation and PTSA to hear what’s happening around campus, learn how we’re supporting our students and staff, and share your voice. The Foundation meets first, followed by the PTSA Association Meeting.

📅 Wednesday, September 9 at 6 PM

📍 Room 403 or join virtually on Google Meet, Agenda

Back to School Night was a huge success, and that’s thanks in large part to **Team MVMS!**

A huge thank-you to our generous PTSA and Foundation for treating our staff to a wonderful dinner of pizza and salad. It was an awesome opportunity for us to slow down, break bread—or, errrr, break crust—together and enjoy some time as a team.

We are incredibly grateful for the support, generosity, and community that make MVMS such a special place.

As we approach the Labor Day weekend, we want to take a moment to highlight the importance of student attendance, particularly on the Friday before a three day weekend.

Last school year, the Friday before Labor Day weekend was one of our higher absence days of the year. As a result, Mesa Verde Middle School lost approximately $4,059 in Average Daily Attendance (ADA) apportionment funding on that single day.

While attendance certainly matters financially, it matters for so much more than ADA. When students are at school, they are learning, connecting with their teachers and peers, building relationships, and strengthening their sense of belonging. Missing even a single day can mean missing important instruction, classroom experiences, and opportunities to be part of our MVMS community.

This year, let’s challenge ourselves as a learning community to do better. We kindly ask that you plan your Labor Day weekend travel and activities in a way that prioritizes your student’s attendance on Friday. Every student present makes a difference. Their presence supports their learning, strengthens their sense of belonging, and helps ensure that our school has the resources needed to support all learners.

Thank you for your partnership and for helping us make every school day count!

A friendly reminder to our Mesa Verde families about morning arrival procedures:

The staff parking lot next to the front office is reserved for staff parking and is not a student drop-off or pick-up area.

Please also remember that accessible parking spaces are reserved for vehicles actively using them for the individual to whom the placard or plate applies. These spaces should not be used as a convenient drop-off location.

We know mornings can be busy, and we appreciate everyone's patience as we work together to keep arrival safe and efficient. Using designated drop-off areas helps prevent students from walking or running through the parking lot, keeps traffic moving smoothly, and ensures that staff members can safely access the campus.

Thank you for doing your part to help us keep every Eagle safe during arrival and dismissal. We truly appreciate your cooperation and partnership!

Last year, Mesa Verde was the #1 middle school in Poway Unified for PTSA membership, with an incredible 401 members!

Can we do it again? We think so — but we need YOU on Team MVMS!

When you join the Mesa Verde PTSA, you’re doing much more than becoming a member. The PTSA works side-by-side with the Mesa Verde Foundation as Team MVMS to make our school an even better place for students and staff.

Together, Team MVMS has recently helped:

● Transform the library with updated furniture

● Add new tables and seating to the Eagle Center

● Bring the huge new Nature Mural to the basketball courts

● Provide resources and training for our WEB Leaders

● Support our teachers and staff throughout the year

● Fund programs, activities, and improvements that directly benefit MVMS students

Every membership makes Team MVMS stronger. Parents, students, grandparents, staff, and community members can all join — and there is no volunteering requirement to become a member.

CLICK HERE to join the MVMS PTSA and see our membership options!

Membership enrollment is handled through Zeffy, the same easy free platform for non-profits we used last year.

A quick note about Zeffy: During checkout, Zeffy will ask if you would like to make an additional contribution to support its free platform. This contribution is completely optional — you may select $0.

We had 401 members last year. Let’s beat that number and show PUSD that Mesa Verde still has the strongest PTSA membership around!

GO EAGLES!

As we host events like Back to School Night, we know our neighborhood gets a little busier than usual. We kindly ask that everyone take a moment to be especially mindful of our neighbors and follow all parking and traffic laws.

Please avoid parking in red zones, crosswalks, or in ways that block or impede driveways. These areas need to remain clear so that pedestrians can safely use the crosswalks and our neighbors can get in and out of their homes.

We truly appreciate your help in being good neighbors and keeping everyone safe. Thank you for helping us make Mesa Verde events positive experiences for our entire community!

Thank you.

Our Outstanding Team

Mike Briney: All families A-G: mbriney@powayusd.com

Beth Huppert: All families H-O bhuppert@powayusd.com

Brooke Burton: All families P-Z bburton@powayusd.com

If your student has a fish or sesame allergy that needs to be noted on their school lunch account, we will need a completed Medical Statement Form signed by a doctor before the allergy can be added.

If this applies to your student, please complete the attached form and return it to the school as soon as possible.

Thank you for helping us keep our student information accurate and support the safety of all students.

Students should stay home when...

Temp is 100.4°F or higher or persistent vomiting/diarrhea. Students should be symptom-free for at least 24 hours without medication before returning to school.

Medication at School

Prescribed and/or over-the-counter medications require a physician & parent/guardian authorization before they can be kept/administered at school. Please do not send medication to school with your student unless the required paperwork has been completed.

Medical Conditions

If your student has a medical condition, allergy, asthma, diabetes, seizure disorder, or other health needs that require medication, monitoring, accommodation, or support during the school day, please make sure the appropriate paperwork is completed.

PE Medical Exemptions

A parent/guardian note may excuse a student from PE for up to 3 days. Longer than 3 days require physician documentation. Have your doctor complete Form H-64 – Physician Authorization for PE.

Immunizations Please make sure your copy of your student's most current immunizations are on file.

AVID Tip of the Week: Get Into the Habit of Focused Notes!

You’ve probably heard us talk about Focused Notes, but what exactly are they?

Focused Notes are more than just copying down what your teacher says. They are a way to capture, process, and think about information so that your notes actually help you learn.

A good set of Focused Notes should help you answer:

• What did I learn? — Capture the important information.
• What does it mean? — Put ideas into your own words, make connections, and add examples.
• What questions do I have? — Identify what you understand and what you still need to figure out.
• What should I remember? — Review your notes and pull out the most important ideas.

The goal isn't to have the prettiest notes or fill up the most pages. The goal is to create notes that help your brain make sense of what you're learning.

This week’s challenge: Make Focused Notes a habit. At the end of class, take 2–3 minutes to review your notes. Add a question, highlight an important idea, make a connection, or summarize what you learned.

Don’t just take notes. Make your notes work for you.

Check out these statistics from the first day that the library was open for student use all day!

The library is a vibrant place full of games, collaboration, and crafts. We need your help in providing materials for students to use when they are here! Please check out this wishlist to see how you can contribute to the growing list of activities students can do in the library.

As we are adjusting to the new year and the new campus rules, we have made some adjustments to best use the library space:

All chess will be played on the upper level at the back rectangular tables.

Chromebooks can only be used in the lab and at designated tables.

The back room behind the shelves is now a SILENT independent work and reading room.

The Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) began at Mesa Verde Middle School to strengthen the partnerships between families, teachers and staff, and students. The focus is on supporting students in their academic, social-emotional, and wellbeing needs. PTSA meets on a regular basis with the administration, ASB director, and Foundation to ensure we are all working together to serve MVMS.

Attendance and OCIS Contracts: If you have a student who will not be in class for 5-14 days, please notify the office so we can have the parents fill out an OCIS contract for their child. The forms will have to be completed and signed by parents 5-10 days in advance of the absence.If you and your child would like to contract the OCIS, please contact the attendance office.

Parents are required to give 5 days notice for absences up to 5 days, 10 days notice for absences more than 5 days.

Prepping work for students who are absent is an incredible amount of work for our teaching staff and we ask that you give your child’s teacher as much advance notice as possible beyond the above guidelines.

We do not write contracts beyond 14 days. If you plan to be away for 15 or more days please contact the Office for the necessary procedures.

Attendance: To report your child's absence or early checkout, please notify l the attendance office at before 10:00 am on the day of the absence. Please include your child's name, dates of absence, and reason for absence. We kindly ask that you avoid checking out your student during the lunch period from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. Please refer to the attendance section of our Mesa Verde website for protocols regarding reporting student absences and requesting early release for your student.'

California Education Code 48205 states that a student may be excused legally from school when the absence is due to:

• Personal illness or injury
• Quarantine under the direction of a county or city health office
• Medical, dental, or chiropractic services
• Attendance at funeral services for a member of the immediate family
• Justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, observance of a holiday or ceremony of his or her religion, attendance at religious retreats, attendance at an employment conference, when the pupil's absence has been requested in writing by the parent and approved by the principal or designated representative
  
• For the purpose of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election
• Exclusion for failure to present evidence of immunization
• Exclusion from school because student is either the carrier of a contagious disease or not immunized for a contagious disease

Communication with your Student If there is a need to communicate with your child during the school day, please send a message to the Office. Please refrain from communicating with them directly through text messages or phone calls as it disrupts their learning.

PUSD Substitutes Needed: With flu, cold, and COVID season upon us, we are once again in need of qualified substitutes to support PUSD and our campus in the event of an Teacher absence.

If you or someone you know are interested in applying to become a substitute teacher with Poway Unified School District, please click here.

Food and Nutrition Updates and Reminders: School breakfast and school lunch are FREE for all enrolled students, every school day. Meals must still be entered into the cafeteria computer by individual student account.

• Even though meals are free, families are still highly encouraged to complete the application for free and reduced-price meal eligibility. School site funding depends in part on the number of students eligible for free/reduced-price meals. Families that qualify for free/reduced-price meals may qualify for other benefits, as well. The meal application is available online at MySchoolApps.com.

• Printer-friendly PDF menus are available on the PUSD Food and Nutrition webpage. At the top of the page, click or hover over School Menus + and then Printable PDF Menus.

• Interactive, web-based menus containing nutrient and allergen details are available at MySchoolMenus.com, as well as via links from the F&N webpage.

The Poway Unified School District (PUSD) is an equal opportunity employer/program and is committed to an active Nondiscrimination Program. PUSD prohibits discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying based on actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, nationality, immigration status, ethnicity, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression or association with a person or a group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. For more information, please contact: Title IX/Equity Compliance Officer, Melissa Griffith, Associate Superintendent of Personnel support Services, Poway Unified School District, 15250 Avenue of Science, San Diego, CA 92128, 1-858-521-2800, extension 2121, mgriffith@powayusd.com. For students, you may contact Title IX Coordinator/504 Coordinator Jessica Pineda, Director of Attendance and Discipline, Poway Unified School District, 1-858-521-2843, jpineda@powayusd.com.