The Principal's Blog

The 2011-2012 school year has begun, and I am looking forward to exciting growth and changes, while preserving those features that have always made Mountain View a special place to learn and serve.

One of the most significant changes for this school year is the adoption of a new mission statement: “Equipping students for life-long achievement and Christian discipleship.” The staff and students are focused on accomplishing these goals and establishing a firm foundation for a lifetime spent drawing close to God and carrying out His will. Students will be taught to show their FACE (Faith, Ability, Courage, and Effort), attributes we have identified as being essential for developing Godly character. The staff models these attributes and teaches their importance to the students in class, on the playground, and at chapel. The students will develop a logo and commit the mission to their hearts and minds.

Walking around the school campus, the most visible change is the implementation of new technology in every classroom. Through the generosity of the school parents, we have been able to add eBeam interactive whiteboards to each elementary classroom. The teachers have been trained in using their new tools and enjoy discovering new applications to increase student achievement and engagement in the learning process. Over the next few years we look forward to increasing our educational technology through student response systems, document cameras, proscope technology, a mobile computer lab, and much more! If you are interested in making a donation to our technology fund, please see me to make arrangements. None of this would be possible without the generous donations that have been made over the past year.

While this school year brings many changes, one thing that will never change is our love. Mountain View Lutheran School can be defined by our love for God and each other. Each student is God’s unique creation, brought to be a part of the Mountain View family by God’s divine plan and purpose. Teaching is a blessed partnership between the school and the family, and we are continually honored that parents choose to enter into that partnership with us. The Bible teaches us that, “God is love,” (1 John 4:16). Because of God’s great love for us, we are able to love one another. Accordingly, Mountain View Lutheran School will remain a place where students are loved and treasured, where parents are welcome, where the relationship with each student and his or her family is honored, and where the staff is committed to developing a caring relationship with every member of the school community. We know that new programs and technology are meaningless if the children do not feel loved when they are at school, so demonstrating God’s love to children has always been, and will remain, a top priority at Mountain View.

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Dear Families,

Can you believe this rain?  I know that weather is small talk, reserved for occasions when people have nothing else to talk about, but in this case the weather becomes a topic of amazement and distraction!  Despite the inconvenience, I hope you are able to delight in the glory of God’s creation and His awesome power in providing for us!

February is a fun month.  We like to think about love and we are surrounded by images of hearts and cupids.  The students have a great time in class.  They enjoy making Valentine mail boxes and envelopes.  Children are eager to pick out Valentines and fill them out for their friends.  (We can learn a lot from the students about being joyful givers.) By now, winter feels to have dragged on, but Valentine’s day brings an extra measure of love and excitement to the season.

Love is important to God.  He mentions love in His Word nearly 700 times.  The 10 Commandments can be summarized in two categories: Love God and Love Others.  The Bible is God’s great love letter to us.  In fact, love is the true nature of God.  The Bible goes further than stating that God is loving in declaring that “God is Love” (1 John 4:8).  My prayer for you is that you know the great love of God and feel His presence in your life daily.  I pray that your family rejoices in the great declaration of God’s love for all of us that, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life,” (John 3:16).

With all the attention on Valentine’s Day, please do not forget the other upcoming events.  There will be no school on Friday, 2/12 or Monday, 2/15 due to staff development and Presidents Day.  On Wednesday, 2/17 we will begin the Lenten season with Ash Wednesday.  The students are singing in church that night.  Please join us beginning at 6:00 for soup supper preceding the worship service.  On Tuesday, 2/23 we will celebrate the winter sports season with a pep rally at 2:15.  Finally, watch for the events of National Lutheran Schools Week, celebrated in March.  We have many exciting events planned.  It is sure to be a great week!

Finally, I cannot close this entry without mentioning the devastation to our sanctuary due to the flooding.  Any loss is discouraging, but it is particularly disheartening to have damage to a structure that was built for and dedicated to the purpose of honoring God.  However, God has impressed upon my heart that church is about Him and the people.  We are blessed to have a wonderful community of believers in our church and school and blessed to have an awesome and powerful God who will provide for our every need!  “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1Corinthians 15:57).

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Dear Friends,

I pray that God blesses your new year and I hoped you enjoyed the Christmas season!  It was such a wonderful blessing to share Christmas with you and the children.  I so greatly enjoyed listening to them sing and share God’s Word at the Advent service, preschool service, elementary service, and Sunday school programs.  The school buzzes with excitement the whole time.

In January we have new reasons to be excited!  Registration for the upcoming school year begins this month.  We look forward to continuing our ministry to you and beginning a ministry with new families in the next school year as well.  If you have any friends or family who would be interested in Mountain View, please encourage them to call the office to schedule a visit or come to our Open House on Tuesday, January 12, at 6:30 P.M.

This year we will begin a new tradition of holding a Winter Open House.  This event is open to current students’ families as well as families who are interested in learning more about Mountain View.  I hope to see everyone there.  Our band will perform, and I will provide important information about the upcoming school year and registration process.  The students have already learned and grown a lot since September, and they are eager to share everything they are doing with their parents.  This is sure to be a delightful evening for everyone.  The whole family is invited.

One of the greatest things about Mountain View is the wonderful parent support.  It is such a blessing to walk through the hallways and see parents listening to students read, assisting the teachers with small groups, and otherwise sharing their time and talents with the Mountain View community.  We are so appreciative of your efforts and commitment.

Please remember that we are here to provide a safe and enriching learning experience where God’s love is abundant!  If you ever have any questions or concerns, feel free to talk to your child’s teacher or to me.

Blessings,

Mrs. Gomes

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Dear Friends,

What a blessing it is to be here at Mountain View!  I sincerely enjoy the time I get to spend with you and your children.  I thank you for trusting me with your children and I appreciate that you have partnered with MVLCS for your children’s education.  I appreciate the sacrifice and commitment required to provide a private Christian school education for children.  I also appreciate the wonderful volunteers who dedicate so much of their time, talents, and treasure to the needs of the school!  Harvest Festival was fantastic, and we couldn’t do it without all the parent help!

Thank you for making the time to meet with your child’s teacher for Parent/Teacher conferences.  Please remember to check your child’s work and gradelink, and communicate with the teacher if you are concerned.  If you need help using gradelink, please stop by the office for help.  It is a wonderful tool for monitoring your child’s progress.

November is the time of year we think about Thankfulness.  It is easy to be thankful when things are going well, but abundance can also make us complacent in our thanks, worship, and praise to God.  I know that many families are facing challenges and I pray that God will grant you the strength, peace,  and wisdom to endure.  God knows that “a thankful heart is a happy heart” (Veggie Tales), and commands us to, “be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus,” (1 Thessalonians 5:3).

November will be an exciting month.  We have many special events coming up, including:

11/11, Veterans Day

11/17, 6:30, PATHS Meeting

11/18, Make-Up Picture Day

11/20, 10:30, Thanksgiving Program and Friendship Soup Luncheon

11/23-11/27, No School due to Teachers’ Conference and Thanksgiving

I hope to see you throughout the month at these events!

Serving Him,

Robin Gomes

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Dear Families,

It is hard to believe that we are already eight weeks into the school year!  The time goes so quickly!

Thank you so much for your wonderful support for the new school year.  Mountain View is a wonderful place and I consider myself blessed and honored to be a part of the MVLCS ministry.  Thank you for entrusting your children to us each and every day.  It is wonderful to be your partner in the education and development of the children.

The Harvest Festival is quickly approaching.  I can’t wait!  It is always a fun event for the whole family and a great opportunity for us to reach out to the neighborhood and community around us.  Thank you for your generous donations toward the game booths and gift baskets.  Be sure to watch for the orange notes from your room mothers leading up to the event and check the bulletin board outside your child’s classroom for information.  We will still  need lots of help to make the day a success.

Standardized testing takes place the week of October 12, 2009.  Students in 1-5 grades take the ITBS test and students in grades 3 and 5 take the CogAT as well.  Please send children to school well-rested and well-nourished.  Please do your best to help students feel relaxed about the testing.  We want them to do their best, but it should not be a stressful week.  If you would like to donate healthy snacks to the class to help students get through the test sessions, it would be appreciated.  Fall testing is important as a tool to help guide instruction for the individual students and classrooms throughout the school year.

Friday, October 23 is the last day of the 1st quarter and Thursday, October 29 is set aside for Parent-Teacher conferences.  Both days are minimum days.  Dismissal is at 12:30, after care is not provided, and lunch is not served.  Please watch for information from your child’s teacher regarding conferences.  Most teacher will hold conferences throughout the week of October 26.

There will be not school on Friday, October 30, due to the observance of Nevada Day.  Have a blessed and restful long weekend!

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We’re looking forward to a great year of school!  Please joing us for Parent Orientation on Monday, August 17 at 6:30.  The first day of school is Wednesday, August 19.

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