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MVA Newsletter
MVA Newsletter
August 23, 2026
Greetings MVA Community!
This newsletter comes out every Sunday evening to keep you informed of upcoming events and to celebrate highlights of recent happenings and celebrations. We also have a live link on the MVA Website. This week's KEY HIGHLIGHTS include (click the title to jump to a section):
Schedules in the first few weeks
Schedules in the first few weeks
Middle and High School Classes start: Mon. 8/24
Middle and High School Classes start: Mon. 8/24
Grades 7-12 will begin the first week with the regular full schedule as written on the student's schedule in Powerschool.
There is a special orientation for 7th Grade, Monday August 24 @ 10:45 - 11:15. This orientation will discuss strategies to help 7th graders adjust to middle school. Please check into the office first, then you will be directed to Ms. Kakacek's room.
2026-2027 MVA Bell ScheduleGrades 2 - 6 The first few weeks will be somewhat different then in year's past:
Grades 2 - 6 The first few weeks will be somewhat different then in year's past:
WEEK ONE - August 24 - 28 is "mostly" total home for Grades K-6
Mon, Aug. 24 will be total home with the exception of an orientation by grade level according to the following schedule:
G K/1 - 8:30 - 9:00
G 2/3 - 9:15 - 9:45
G 4/5 - 10:00 - 10:30
G 6/7 - 10:45 - 11:15
Tue, Aug. 25 is total home
Wed, Aug. 26 on campus, all K-6 students come 8:30-11:30am
Thu, Aug. 27 is total home
Fri, Aug. 28 is total home
WEEK TWO - Aug. 31 - Sept 4 : Beginning of the Year Assessments
All students K-6 will attend on campus 8:30am - 11:30am on Tuesday (9/1), Wednesday (9/2), AND Thursday (9/3) for MAPs testing and other whole class beginning of the year assessments (all students, all three mornings). The afternoons will be reserved for individiual literacy assessments (DIBELS). Teachers will schdeule an appointment for this with each family.
MANDATORY CONFERENCES
MANDATORY CONFERENCES
Teachers will be contacting families to make appointments for our required independent study progress conferences. Conferences may be held virtually or in person – however you and your teacher are comfortable. We prefer that any in-person conferences be limited to the student and parent(s). If you are coming on campus with young children, please closely supervise them. Parents are required to check in at our office before going to a conference.
MVA Yearbook - on Sale Now
MVA Yearbook - on Sale Now
Ads due by Feb. 2, 2027
26-27 MVA Yearbook flyer.pdf
PTSA: Parent Teacher Student Association
PTSA: Parent Teacher Student Association
Our PTSA is already planning and preparing for lots of fun and opportunities to connect with each other through a slate of monthly events:
October 2: Fall Carnival,
November 13: Tie Dye Night,
December 4: Craft Night,
January 22: Family Game Night,
February 19: Family Movie Night,
March 19: Pasta Dinner Fundraiser
Events are open to all students and their families. Your membership helps underwrite these events, assemblies and other supports to our classrooms. Parent volunteers are needed to also make the events successful.
Interested in getting involved in PTSA?
Interested in getting involved in PTSA?
There are so many ways to get involved with our PTSA, and there’s a place for everyone! Whether you have a few minutes, a few hours, or can contribute in other ways, your support makes a difference. Help with an event, share your talents, volunteer occasionally, donate supplies, or simply lend a hand when you can. Every contribution—big or small—helps make our school community stronger. We’d love to have you join us!
Please provide some feedback to PTSA and indicate your interest by clicking here!
BREAKFAST AND LUNCH at School
BREAKFAST AND LUNCH at School
Food Services continues to provide FREE breakfast and lunches for ALL students. Breakfast is served from 7:25-7:45 am. Breakfast and lunch Menus are published monthly. They will be linked in this newsletter as soon as they become available.
If you plan to have your child eat breakfast, please arrive in time for the student to finish eating before the start of class.
Students are always welcome to bring lunch and snacks from home. We kindly ask families to consider avoiding peanut products when packing food for school. We have a few students with severe peanut allergies, and while we make every effort to prevent cross-contamination and keep these students safe, limiting peanut products on campus helps us create a safer environment for everyone.
August Cafeteria Menus
August Cafeteria Menus
RCC BKFST-August 2026.pdfRCC Lunch-August 2026.pdf
SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL – Parent representatives needed
SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL – Parent representatives needed
Our School Site Council (SSC) guides MVA’s goals and expenditures in line with our district goals and action plans of the RUSD Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). For this school year we have three parent representative positions open: two are formal voting positions and one is an alternate. Please know that our SSC typically makes decisions using consensus, and only rarely is a formal vote required. Our SSC meetings are open to anyone and we value all voices.
SSC will meet on Thursdays at 3:00pm throughout 2026-2027 on the following dates:
Sept. 24, Oct. 22, Jan. 14, Feb. 18, Mar. 18, Apr. 15, May 13
If you are interested in serving our MVA school community as an SSC parent representative, please email Mrs. Sawada (csawada@ramonausd.net) with a 1-2 sentence statement about why you would like to participate.
New Supporting Staff Members
New Supporting Staff Members
Rachel Chute - SWDSS Program Specialist
Stacey Nelson - Occupational Therapist
Renee Sales - School Psychologist
Vivian Meeks - Speech and Language Pathologist
Families Welcome Letter.pdf
PARENT VOLUNTEERS
PARENT VOLUNTEERS
We are very happy to welcome volunteers to our campus.
Level One volunteers must go through a clearance process which includes: photo identification, negative tuberculosis test, the clearance process takes a few days. Pick up a volunteer packet in our main office if you are interested.
Level Two volunteers also require a physical and fingerprint clearance. Not all classrooms use parent volunteers, and some teachers prefer to wait a few weeks before introducing another adult in the classroom.
Just ask your child’s teacher how you can help if you are interested in volunteering.
START STRONG!!! Academic Standing Policy for MVA 8-12 Grades
START STRONG!!! Academic Standing Policy for MVA 8-12 Grades
MVA is a rare and unique place for learning. Our alternative school incorporates a non-threatening, flexible environment that fosters self-motivation and responsibility for students' own learning. Parents are considered partners in their child’s education, working actively with teachers for the good of the student.
We want to make sure that all students complete each semester earning full credits and are on track for graduation and beyond. We are here to provide extra support to students needing to raise their grades.
To participate in privileges associated with the Independent Study program, students must remain in good academic standing, with no more than two Ds and/or no Fs. Students not in good academic standing, will not be permitted to leave campus early without a parent signing out the student, study hall and tutorials will be required during any free periods, cell phone use will not be permitted while on campus, and the student will not be able to participate in extracurricular activities or school-sponsored events.
Please communicate often with your teachers and advisor to ensure your student is on track.
High School ADD / DROP Policy
High School ADD / DROP Policy
Adding a course must occur within the first two weeks of each semester. After two weeks, you will not be allowed to add any courses.
Students in grades 9 and 10 must take a minimum of six (6) classes. Students in grades 9 and 10 may not drop a course if it will take them below the 6 class minimum.
Courses may be dropped through the fourth (4th) week of each semester. By tracking the student progress/grade earned in each course, families have the opportunity to evaluate whether or not the student desires to continue to be enrolled in a specific class. MVA high school students have until the end of the fourth week of each semester to drop classes without earning a failing grade. Students who drop a class after the fourth week will have a Withdrawal/Fail on their transcript for that course.
If you have any questions regarding your student’s schedule, please make an appointment to meet with your advising teacher immediately.
Still accepting applications for 2026-27!
Still accepting applications for 2026-27!
Please share the attached information with friends and family who may be interested in Mountain Valley Academy.
2026-2027 RCC Flyer.pdf
ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL - Efficiently & Safely
ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL - Efficiently & Safely
Please take a moment to review the protocols below to ensure that we keep all students safe and maintain maximum efficiency.
It is no secret that our parking lot can be a challenge during drop off and pick up times. As we share the campus with our sister school, Mountain Valley Academy, we have strategically timed our RCMS and MVA arrival and dismissal times in order to minimize the traffic as much as possible. Please show extra grace and courtesy during the busiest times in the parking lot and follow these protocols:
The middle row in the parking lot is one way (southbound) only. If you pass through the middle parking row, please exit at the south into the inside lane for flowing traffic.
The inside lane is for flowing traffic only - students may not enter or exit cars from the inside lane, only the outside lane (curbside).
If using the pick up lane, you may only pick up at the curb in one of the 4 marked spaces. There is no loading unless your are in one of these 4 spaces.
Handicapped spaces are for vehicles with handicapped placards only. Please do not idle or park in these spaces unless you have a valid handicapped placard on display.
The school-side curb is for IMMEDIATE loading and unloading ONLY.
Please remain inside your vehicle when picking up at the curb. If your child is not yet able to get in the car and/or buckled on their own, you need to park and then walk up to meet your child.
If your student is not in front of the school ready and waiting for pick up, please park in an available parking space to wait for their arrival.
Please abide by all traffic laws. Do not enter the parking lot using the exit lane, and do not turn left when exiting the parking lot.
Pedestrians, please use the blue crosswalk in the parking lot to enter and exit campus. Do not walk in-between cars in the pick up line. This is not only dangerous for you and drivers, this also slows down the flow of traffic.
If a friend or family member is picking up your student, please make sure they are aware of and follow the parking lot protocols.
Please review the complete Ramona Community Campus Parking Lot Protocols HERE
MVA Bullying Prevention and Reporting
MVA Bullying Prevention and Reporting
We encourage our students to be up-standers and if they "See Something, Say Something" to reduce bullying on our campus. We investigate all instances of bullying that are reported to our school site. If there are any concerns please email our counselor, Ms. Bishop or Principal, Mrs. Sawada, and/or complete the bullying reporting form: Online Bullying Reporting Form (If you are a parent assisting your child with completing the form, you must be signed in to their student email.)
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