• Spartan Free Website of the Day

      Time for typing! The Typing Club knows there is no time like the present, with the gift of time and the need to do everything online, we are at a peak moment to get started with the Typing Club. The first lesson is to just get your familiar with the keyboard and then from there multiple lessons on everything from learning the home keys to diagnostic exams to check your progress. The best part is that the lessons are individually paced, so you can go back and forth until you feel you have achieved mastery. There are lessons for the left and right hand, and if you want to improve your speed or accuracy, that's here for you too. We know that typing is something that usually improves with practice. There are pages and pages of practice for you too. Lessons incorporate games, multiple languages, the dreaded top line and more. We think even if you are an experienced typist, you'll find something aefkjlsgjh;fj which makes you better. We better go back for a refresher ourselves!

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    • Spartan Lesson of the Day: Group Discussion

      Some of the richest lessons during our time of distance and isolation work to bring students closer together. World History teacher, Mr. McConico gets it. His class engaged in a lively and respectful conversation. Here's a snippet: "Something I found interesting about the article is that it brought up Zoonoses. Zoonoses is a case of a disease spreading from animals to humans. Info form the article that is important right now is the section where they discussed how past pandemics were solved. Understanding history is important to understand the current situations because pandemics have all spread differently and by understanding how they spread will help solve the issue." Then over twenty five other students weighed in and responded. The teacher is there to monitor the conversation and make sure that community standards are maintained. For students this format gives them the opportunity to participate in a measured and meaningful way. One of the other awesome things about such conversations is that we can go back if we missed something or the entirety of the conversation. If you feeling a little shy, try it home with your family first. Or reach out to your teacher who like Mr. McConico can show you that he knows more than World History, looks like he's got this modern world thing going pretty well too. Here's a last student entry: "II also like how they mentioned zoonoses. Information that would be helpful for people right now is when the article says, " If there is a lesson from the recent past, be it SARS, MERS, or COVID-19, it is that these outbreaks need to be dealt with proactively, with a heavier emphasis on prevention." It's important because this isn't the first time something like this has happened, yet it seems people have not learned from the past."

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    • Quarter Three Ends Friday April 3

      The end of this most memorable quarter is coming. This Friday April 3rd is the day that teachers will wrap up this ten week grading period that began in late January. We will be collecting all old work, all late or missing work. Students can email or screenshot their work and send it in to school via email. If students and families want to check powerschool, they can get a sense of where they are. The work will be evaluated and recorded and then turned into a letter grade. For students, this is a great time to reach out to teachers and seek help, advice or strategies. We will take the week of April 6-10 to give everyone a week off and prepare for the start of Quarter 4, which will commence on Monday April 13. On that day we will roll out a more "regular" schedule where students can interact with their teachers on the daily. We will determine eligibility and honor rolls based on third quarter grades as per usual and we will use the marks earned in quarter 4 to combine and continue to make the all important semester grade in June, whether we are in school live or online. We urge you to reach out if you need help with our teaching crew who can help direct you and solve your knotty academic queries. Report cards for quarter three will be made available on powerschool during the first week of Quarter Four. Finish up strong, Spartans

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    • Free Website of the Day

      What's the story with the Periodic Table? Maybe you had a moment to look at it on the teacher's wall or in the back of your textbook, and maybe you got assigned one of the elements to do a report on. There are numbers, many numbers, and they don't stay in order. What about the symbols and their weight? Their names? The table grows, but what does those Roman numerals on the top tell us? H2O good right? What about H3O? Take the time to hear from the people who make it their lives' work to understand. Pinole Valley students have two physical science courses to select from: Chemistry and Physics. Both have resources online that will help unlock some of the secrets of the elements. This video series will enlighten and entertain. And while each element has its champions, it is easy to get caught up in the enthusiasm.. Given time enough to explore. Go to https://www.youtube.com/user/periodicvideos and begin the process of seeing scientists talk about EVERY element with video as well. Get the story from the start--where the Element was first discovered, how it got famous and what its uses and abilities are. The Periodic Videos give you an opportunity to now learn all of the ins and outs of the gases, the rare earths and the heavy metals. This would be a great time to get ahead and get started on the study of physical science and if there was ever a time to answer questions about the world around us, the time is now

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    • Spartan Lesson of the Day: Genetic Isolation

      What would happen if the same fish in the same sea got separated over time? Ms. Tabbutt's AP Biology class were asked that very question in a most creative way. Students were tasked to create a diary that had them go back in time and every fifty years see what had changed using the scientific vocabulary of the process. We love the imagination that resulted, as students took seriously and also hilariously what it means to do a super long term investigation--here's a bit from Andrea Perez who is just at the start of this story--"I traveled to Saginaw Bay and repeated the same measurements on the trouts and found that nothing had really changed about them. I noticed that the locals were taking some of the trouts to another Bay because there weren’t that many fishes to eat there. It was a fishnapping! This change in habitats reminded me of something called the Founder’s Effect. It is when a small percent of a population is taken away from its original habitat and it forms its own population elsewhere. But, the two groups of trouts were still the same species so this hadn’t happened." What happens next? Well, that is between Andrea, Ms. Tabbutt and her fish diary. Results may vary. But not if biology has anything to say about it

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    • Free Website of the Week: Nepris!

      Who better to teach our students what it is like to be in the "real world" than somebody already immersed in it. We have a unique opportunity this week to connect. The Nepris model is simple: Put a person working in a given profession on a video feed to schools and have them interact, engage and then do some follow up. Pinole Valley had the program and found the results to be very positive. Just check out the line up for this week: A guide through a wetlands with a naturalist, then there is a scientist speaking about the value of art and music on their career. There is a small business owner who wants to share her insight with students about how to get to where she got. Then we have an Olympic athlete explaining what it took to get him to that level, a professional musician talking about the life and then an epidemiologist who is on the front line vs. the Coronavirus. Later there is going to be a speaker on the subject of the "Dreaded College essay" with the following teaser text: Since we're all shut down in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, I figured now would be a great time to lend my expertise and help out anyone who needs to write a descriptive, memorable, and unique essay. During this session, I’ll give students a brief overview of myself and my work, show a quirky PowerPoint on writing college admissions essays, and then open it up to questions so that most of the time will be a Q&A. In short, students can join these lectures live or go to the archives and find some past talk that might speak to you.

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    • Spartan of the Day: Library Services

      Librarian Ms. Carlile knows that one way to turn a negative into a positive is to keep your mind and imagination active. Which is why she is launching stayhome&read as a way to expand your world during this time that you are closed in with four walls. She is asking any student or staff person to post online or send to her an image of you with what you are reading. It doesn't have to be War and Peace, it could be the newspaper, a recipe book or the textbook that you are digging into. We are hoping that this inspires others to share what they've got between the covers. We are thinking that classic that you never had the time or courage to try (and then once you do--guess what, it's pretty good!) the series that you are embarrassed to show in public (what public?) or something you never thought you had the patience for (now better than ever). Read on Spartans, we will share some of our favorites here throughout the Corona Break. It all starts with page one

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    • Senior Scholarships are a Thing

      The Retired Teachers scholarship has extended its deadline to April 15 and want you to get all of your information copied to both your school counselor and to pattyahalonen@comcast.net. The Pinole Valley PTSA is also accepting applications for its scholars, make sure that it get in to pinolevalleyptsa@gmail.com. We have the prompt for it linked on our next page if you click onto this page. Jerry Deuker scholarship for great senior citizens (you know what we mean) has an April 15 deadline as well and should be submitted to kkleiman@wccusd.net. The Richmond Promise is happening and Ms. Stephanie is here to reach out to at szambrano@berkeley.edu. And keep on checking on the scholarships.com page, this is the time, and for you, take the time to complete the application and get the letters you need. We are going to host a Senior Awards night later in the year and we still know there are many scholarships in the running that would fit our students perfectly. We will use this space to announce and create links, so keep posted or reach out. Teachers and counselors will be available for letters of support and we will be able to provide virtual transcripts. It's up to you, class of 2020 to make sure you get your applications complete and to ask for any help you may need. Going forward is what we do best, And we recommend you take the time to craft your best pitch to get the financial aid you need for your next academic steps. Time is money

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    • Spartans of the Day: Clubs!

      The best of times in high school is bonding with people and exploring shared and gaining new interests. Some of our clubs are going all out even during this shut down. 'We want to commend our Earth Team that hasn't missed a beat or a Thursday since we have been out. Looking toward raising awareness and celebrating the earth and nature, the crew is strategizing about what they do best--focusing on ways to improve the planet. And today is the Women's Empowerment Club meeting day (Friday) so it is no surprise that the club is meeting to continue their work. While this is going on, a number of student groups strategize about keeping their lives and interests going. We look forward to hearing about your club and your interest and how you keep that going forward even when we cannot be face to face. Culinary club, we turn to you for inspiration about the best way to make the at home kitchen work as well as you do our school cafeteria. We figure that nothings as fun as being in the same room with your friends, but if we can make something special of the time we are separated then maybe we can come back together even stronger

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    • Lesson of the Day: Accent-uate the Positive

      Ms. Elliot is the teacher who bridges the gap. Teaching both English to Spanish speakers and Spanish to English learner, we are blessed to have an instructor who knows how important it is to be able to communicate. And yes, the way that you speak influences those who hear it. And how they respond to you. One of the truisms of language acquisition is that while you can learn a new tongue through books and writing, the real test comes when out in the world (keeping six feet distance) and speaking to a person in your new language. The accent marks make certain that you have the emphasis and exact sound closer to right. The chant which Ms. Elliot has assigned works remotely, since you can make the sounds accurate as long as you know what each accent mark does. Which is not to say it would be better or more efficient to learn in a classroom with your teachers and your peers, but in the short term, you can say it aloud or to a fellow student online on a conference call. Love the interactive approach to learning. She posted a great lesson yesterday which we will replicate a tiny bit of here. (You should find the original source , Jazzchants for Interrogatives to get it right, because accents of course, matter. Here's a couplet: De donde eras tu? Soy de Malibu. Adonde va Pepito? Va a El Cerrito. Como se llame el? Se llama Rafael. For more check in to google classroom. We have now finished our second week of online school and glad to have you with us. If you have finished your work in one class or want to work on a curriculum outside your own, reach out and we can let you in. Gracias Ms. Elliot for the fun chants and learning

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    School On Line from now through the end of the Year. Spring Break from work will be April 6-10. 4th Quarter to begin on April 13. All campus events and activities cancelled during this time.

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      • Welcome to PVHS--HOME OF THE SPARTANS!
         Inside Pinole Valley-March 16-April 3, 2020
         
         

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         VISION

         Pinole Valley High School’s vision is to become recognized as a California distinguished school.  We will become a vital part of our community—a school that serves our city by sharing our work and talents while utilizing the city and its resources to best serve our students.

        MISSION

        Pinole Valley High School strives to prepare its graduates to succeed in both the academic and professional worlds.  Our high-quality, challenging academic programs enable students to develop the cognitive, emotional, social, and behavioral skills necessary to become both lifelong learners and engaged, responsible, respectful participants in our diverse local and global communities.

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