Monte Vista TK-8 Community News

ytsurvey.org/mpusdfamily26

With my birthday on Monday, October 26th, a birthday wish I have is for our school is to double the amount of survey responses. We are at 117 of 677 families, which is 17% response rate. To have the survey data as valid and reliable as possible, we need to surpass 30% (203 families, so 86 more families). Last year we hit 40%. Please click on the survey link above by October 30th. It is a 15-minute survey. Our students, staff, and parent leadership reviewed and made some real efforts to put into action last year's response feedback. Help us become aware of our current strengths and opportunities for growth.

Want to be part of a multiple gift card raffle (at least five $10-15 giftcards to Target)? Please screenshot your completed survey and text to 831-901-7109 to be entered into the raffle, which will take place on November 1st with notifications on November 2nd.

We appreciate you taking the time to complete this survey and sharing your voice! Jay jay, chirp chirp!

THE EXCEPTIONAL EIGHT OF THE WEEK

1) Trunk or Treat was a spooky and imaginative blast! We had sooooo many families come out (around 500 people). Our costume contest, trunk contest, and Monster Mash dances were a hit as was the games, food stands, picture booths, and most of all, all of you lovely and fun costumes! Thanks for coming! Also, our Grades 6-8 Halloween dance was very fun and dynamic. Students danced and moved to many songs, and they enjoyed the limbo, the cupid shuffle, the slow dance to Careless Whisper, the food, and more! We had closer to 200 students attend.

2) We had pumpkins from the Solis Family at Lazzerini Farms donated to our school for a grades TK-6 Pumpkin Patch. It was amazingly set up and a success! Thank you!

3) Second Grade had their Animal Adaptations and Habitats Expo while 5th grade had their Esperanza Rising Publishing and Potluck Expo. We have 8th grade Inquiry Expo coming up this week.

4) All of our 255 Read-A-Thon participants and tier level prizes were announced this week. Prize bags and passes go out this week!

5) Our soccer and volleyball teams continued to play strong this week, with our boys and girls soccer teams wrapping up their seasons. Our JV and Varsity girls volleyball teams wrap up this week...UNLESS with the recent winning streak of our Varsity team, they end up going to the playoffs. Last week, our Girls Varsity Volleyball team won against Buena Vista, Carmel, and North Monterey County!!

6) Our Soul Patrol had an important check-in and training with Dr. Ashby last week after having a month of patrol under their vests.

7) Our staff continued their weekly professional development around building in different levels and types of academic discourse in their lessons and units as well as planning out their second Plan-Do-Study-Act data cycle. Our classified and supervisory staff also met last week and dug deeper into their book studies on Choice Words and Love and Logic. Also, our First Grade Team won a district Reading is Key Award for their End of Year Phonics Assessment data last school year. Congrats!

8) Finally, our staff and students took the YouthTruth survey, with make-ups happening this upcoming week.

Looking forward to an amazing 26'-27' school week, which will be Days 53-57.

Jay jay, chirp chirp!

WOW, Monte Vista, What a Night!

We had an INCREDIBLE turnout on Friday! An estimated 500 people came out for Monte Vista's Trunk or Treat, and what a night it was!

17 AMAZING trunks!

We had a silly goose, a lemonade stand, the floor is lava, a tatoo bar, a whole solar system, pokemon and so many more! Every single trunk was so creative, and we are so grateful to the families who put so much time, effort, and candy into making this event special!

Trunk Contest Winners!

Our community voted for their favorite trunks, and the top three took home prizes! (Although seriously, HOW did anyone pick just one?! Every dang trunk was amazing!)

Best TK/Kinder Costume: Sally Mae Driver as Dolly Parton

Bonus Category: Victoria Guerrero as the Lorax

UP NEXT | Dining out at Pizza My Heart

Skip cooking on Wednesday, October 28, from 4–9 PM! Order from Pizza My Heart at the Del Monte Center, and 30% of your purchase will support Monte Vista!
Dine in, take out, or order delivery (no third-party apps).
Online code: MV1028

1) YouthTruth Survey is here and almost gone! Our staff and students are taking it, and we desire for our parents to take it as well. The link and information for it is at the top of the newsletter. The window closes October 30th. Text 831-901-7109 with a screenshot of your completion page, and you will be entered into a school site gift card drawing (multiple winners).

2) For volleyball and soccer games coming up the week of October 26th, see Sports Update and schedules further below.

3) Dining Out Night for Pizza My Heart is this Wednesday, October 28th.

4) November Parent-Student conferences are during the week of November 16-20. School all that week will be early dismissal at 12:50PM with no after school clubs, except Seussical Jr. Musical rehearsals the Monday-Wednesday till 3:30PM (4PM on the Wednesday). Teachers will be reaching out in a week or so with conference sign-ups in Parent Square. Stay tuned.

5) iReady Beginning of Year Diagnostic reports were sent home. I apologize. They should have been sent home in September after make-ups before Fall Break. Even though many parents were shared this information in different ways from the teachers, I am sending out the official reports for your reference before Fall Conferences approach in November.

6) Some important dates coming up in November:

Veterans Day holiday--no school on November 11th.

Drive-In Movie Night at Monte Vista on November 13th at 6PM.

Parent-Student-Teacher conferences the week of November 16th (see above).

Habit Burger Dining Out Night on November 18th.

And Seussical Jr. Grades 1-8 Musical on November 18, 19th, and 20th from 6PM-7PM.

MPUSD NEWS HOT OFF THE PRESS FROM MARCI MCFADDEN (see fliers further below):

Your Voice Matters: YouthTruth Survey Opens September 28 - Each fall, MPUSD participates in the YouthTruth Survey to hear directly from our students, families, teachers and staff about their experiences in our schools. The feedback we receive helps us understand what’s working well, where we can improve and how we can continue creating positive learning environments for every student. The 2026 YouthTruth Survey will be open September 28 through October 30. Students, teachers and staff will participate at their schools, and families will receive their own family survey beginning September 28 in ParentSquare (link will also be published on MPUSD's website). Listen. Learn. Improve. Your voice matters!

ytsurvey.org/mpusdfamily26

NEW | Pre-register Before Visiting Your School - MPUSD is making it easier and faster for visitors to check in at our schools! Families and other visitors can now pre-register before arriving on campus, helping save time during the check-in process. Pre-register in advance, receive a QR code, and simply scan it at our visitor kiosks when you arrive and print your visitor badge. All visitors are still required to touch base with the front desk upon arrival and wear a visitor badge while on campus. Learn more and find your school’s pre-registration link on our district or school websites.

Your Voice Matters: Join us for our District English Learner Advisory Council - MPUSD families are invited to participate in our District English Learner Advisory Council (DELAC) meetings during the 2026 - 2027 school year. DELAC provides parents, guardians, and caregivers with an opportunity to share their voices, learn more about district programs and services, and help shape how we support multilingual learners across MPUSD. All parents, guardians, and caregivers are welcome. Childcare and dinner are provided. Visit our website or see flyer below for dates, times, and location.

From the MPUSD Unplugged Archives - MPUSD launched its podcast, MPUSD Unplugged, last school year, and with the school year well underway and Fall Break approaching, this episode is worth another listen. Hear from one of our Attendance Intervention Specialists about the why behind consistent school attendance, why each day matters, and how MPUSD works alongside students and families to provide support when challenges arise. Take a listen and stay tuned. New MPUSD Unplugged episodes are coming soon!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsaVBP_LYFs&t=1s

Looking for a Job That Works for Your Family? - MPUSD is hiring! For parents and guardians, working in our schools can be a win-win, an opportunity to join the MPUSD team with a schedule that may better align with your child’s school day and calendar. Join our Classified (non-teaching positions) Job Fair on Saturday, October 17, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the District Services Center in Del Rey Oaks. We’re hiring for a variety of high-demand positions, with same-day interviews, provisional offers for highly qualified candidates and free fingerprinting available. Walk-ins welcome! Pre-register at the.mpusd.net/2026jobfair and bring your resume. Learn more on our website.

Learn the Basics of Google Docs at Monterey Adult School - Looking to build your digital skills? Monterey Adult School is offering a Google Docs Introduction Class beginning October 12. Learn how to create and format documents, edit files, download, save and print. Morning and evening sessions are available, and participants can also earn a Northstar Digital Literacy Certification. The class fee is $25. Call 831-392-3565 to register or scan the QR code on the flyer.

Most events are linked to MPUSD's website to receive more information. You may also access the district's school year calendar here. (Event dates subject to change. Check with your school site and this section regularly.)

10.27.26 Board of Education Meeting

From Coach Brandi Hobson (PE teacher and athletic director):

VOLLEYBALL

• We’re heading into our final game of the season tomorrow against La Mesa! Let’s finish strong, support one another, and represent Monte Vista with pride! 💪💙
  Game Day - Monday, October 26
  📍 Opponent: La Mesa
  🏟️ Location: MLK
  
  • 🏐 JV: 4:00 PM
  • 🏐 Varsity: 5:00 PM
  • 🚌 Bus Departure: No later than 3:00 PM
  Please make sure your athlete is ready to go and arrives on time so we can get to the game without any delays!
  
  As we close out the season, thank you to all our athletes and families for your commitment, support, and hard work throughout the year. Let’s bring that Blue Jay energy one last time and finish the season strong! 💙🤍🔥
  
  Go Blue Jays! 🐦🏐💙
• 
  

Post Season Updates
As soon as I receive postseason information from the league, I will share updates with everyone regarding the schedule and next steps (i.e. playoffs, etc.).

BOYS SOCCER

As we head into next week and wrap up our boys soccer season, Coach Gamino and our JV boys team will be hosting a JV vs. Varsity Scrimmage from 3:00–4:00 PM on Monday! ⚽

This will be a fun, lighthearted way for our JV and Varsity athletes to come together, compete, support one another, and finish the season on a high note! It's a great opportunity to celebrate all the hard work, growth, and memories our athletes have made throughout the season.

Please make sure your athletes come ready to go on Monday! We would also love to see our Blue Jay Families come out, cheer on both teams, and help us make this a fun end-of-season event! 💙🤍

GIRLS SOCCER

Since we aren’t able to reschedule yesterday’s game due to playoffs starting next week, the coaches would love to have one last hurrah with the girls on Monday after school! 💙 The coaches would like one final opportunity to say their goodbyes, thank the girls for their hard work and commitment this season, and celebrate the time they’ve shared together!

Our boys’ soccer teams will be hosting a fun JV vs. Varsity scrimmage from 3:00–4:00 PM, so the girls can hang out, cheer on the boys, and enjoy one last opportunity to spend time together as a team before we officially wrap up the season!
Thank you all for an amazing season and for supporting our girls along the way. We’re proud of the hard work, growth, and memories they’ve made this season!

⚽ Jersey Reminder: Please have your athlete turn in their jersey directly to me by the end of next week. Please make sure all jerseys are returned!

Let’s finish our season on a high note! 💙🤍⚽

Thank you for your continued support of our athletes and coaches! Let’s keep showing teamwork, respect, and Blue Jay pride as we finish the season strong! 💙🤍🐦🔥

October 5th-9th- FALL BREAK (no school)

October 12th- Return from Fall Break (turning in Read-A-Thon logs and donations during this week)

October 19th- School Picture Make-Up Day

October 21st- Pumpkin Patch for Grades TK through 6 students on campus

October 23rd- Trunk or Treat Halloween Family Event at Monte Vista from 5:30-7:30PM

+ Grades 6-8 Halloween Dance from 6PM-8PM.

October 28th- Pizza My Heart Dining Out (or Take Out) Night

OCTOBER 30th- END OF FIRST TRIMESTER

November 11th- Veterans Day - no school in observance of the holiday

November 13th- Monte Vista TK-8 Drive-In Movie Night

November 16th-20th- Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences, 12:50 dismissal all this week (Trimester 1 report cards are given out during conferences as well).

November 18th- Habit Burger Monte Vista TK-8 Dining Out

November 18th-20th- Seussical Jr. Musical performances from 6PM-7PM

November 23rd-27th- Thanksgiving Break, No School this week (return on Monday, November 30th)

October 20th- Pedro Guerra (Midday Custodian)

October 22nd- Celia Feldman (Fifth Grade Teacher)

October 24th- Jaimie Adamson (First Grade Teacher)--pictured right

October 26th- Joe Ashby (Principal)

October 29th- Rebecca Eskenasy (Grades TK-2 Music Teacher)

The eleventh week of school saw some major rebounds in Chronic Absenteeism with some slight dips in daily attendance (opposite of last week). We were ABOVE 96% on one of the five days and hit 95% two of the days with one day just under 95%. As a result, our average daily attendance rate stayed at 95.6%, which is just below 96%, and a little distance to our goal of 97% for this school year.

Our Chronic Absenteeism rate is now down to 10%, which is still above our goal of 7%, but definitely lower than previous weeks.

A gentle reminder, for those families who had students out, please turn in the independent study packets the day they return to school after the absence (a new state requirement). Otherwise you have to recover through Saturday Academy or a future after school tutoring attendance recovery program which will begin in November (but by invitation only). Also keep in mind Saturday Academy only helps daily attendance rate for a child but not their chronic absenteeism rate while Independent Study and After School Tutoring recovery helps both.

Our percentage bands for attendance went down this week. Satisfactory level was at 65.6% (down three percent--494 students-30 students less than last week--ouch). 184 students in the yellow at risk area (increase of 47 students from last week), 62 students in the orange moderate chronic (decrease of 19 students from last week--YAY YAY), 12 students in the light red (same as last week), severe chronic area, and 1student in extreme chronic.

Anyone who stays in moderate, light red, or dark red areas (moderate, severe, or extreme chronic) is considered to have chronic absenteeism. We will work with these families to make sure independent study packets are turned in the first day they return to school after the absence(s). Otherwise, they will have to do Saturday Academy or possible after school tutoring attendance recovery (latter program kicking off in November--by invitation only). We will also continue to reach out to families who are lingering in these more at-risk areas of attendance.

We will continue in the 26-27 school year to climb back up to 96% average attendance rate ( and even climb to 97%) and then upping our goal to get no more than 7% chronic absenteeism.