Principal's Post Final Edition
December 3, 2023: Vol. 15
IT'S NOT GOODBYE, BUT SEE YOU LATER!
A HUGE Thank You!
I want to take this final opportunity to thank everyone for the beautiful sentiments, cards, flowers, gifts, visits, etc. during my final week of being the principal at the most AMAZING school ever! You will never know the depth of appreciation that I have for each of you. A special thank you to PTO for hosting such an elegant celebration that I will forever cherish. My family, friends, colleagues, current and former staff were there to cheer me on, I was serenaded by PTO and my former students from my first years of teaching, and most notable, I was presented with a proclamation from the Mayor of Dunwoody, Lynn Deutsch, and City Councilman Rob Price, for my professional contributions to the VES community. It was a celebration to remember!
I will always hold Dear Old Vanderlyn near and dear to my heart! It is my sincere hope that our paths cross again. I wish the Vanderlyn School Community all the best because you are truly the BEST!
Yours Truly,
Tracey Crenshaw
Saying To My Students and Staff, "It's Not Goodbye, But See You Later"
Welcome Dr. Ann Culbreath: Interim Principal
I am pleased to welcome Dr. Ann Culbreath as the Interim Principal until a permanent replacement is selected. As a retired DCSD principal and former Principal at Austin Elementary, Dr. Culbreath brings a wealth of experience to Vanderlyn and will contribute positively to the school community. I have had the pleasure of working with Dr. Culbreath as a teacher, colleague, and friend. Indeed, Vanderlyn is in great and capable hands!
Superintendent Horton Visits Vanderlyn
Superintendent Dr. Devon Horton is committed to conducting school Roundtable Visits during the 2023-2024 school year. These visits are designed as an opportunity for open discussion with the Superintendent about what is happening in our school & community, and to hear our thoughts on how we can improve as a district. Vanderlyn was selected for a visit on November 9th. Roundtable visits include the school principal, teacher, student, a member of the PTO, and a community partner. It was a pleasure to discuss all the wonderful things that are happening at Vanderlyn from the various stakeholders!
5th Grader Issa G. Wows the Superintendent
VES Receives the H-Pride Award
Showing off Our Multi-sensory Outdoor Classroom, My Pride and Joy!!
STEM/PBL Showcase: A 3D APPROACH IN ACTION!
Our 3D instructional focus continues to be centered around Diverse Learners, Differentiated Instruction, and Deep Discovery. Through Project Based Learning, or PBL, we promote deep teaching and learning while creating a school culture where students love to learn. Research shows that through the PBL model, students gain valuable knowledge which gives them the opportunity to apply the skills they learn in school to personally relevant, real-world situations. Your child also learns valuable 21st century skills through PBL such as how to think critically, solve problems, work in teams, and make presentations. These skills will help students succeed in the future, both in school and in an ever-changing workforce. Check out our PBL Showcase that was held schoolwide on Nov. 17. Our students presented awe-inspiring presentations!
Check out the video below!
Border Police officer, Rose Lubin, was killed in a stabbing terror attack by Herod’s Gate in Jerusalem's Old City. Rose graduated from Dunwoody High School in 2021, and she was a student at Vanderlyn Elementary from kindergarten through 5th grade. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Lubin family during this difficult time. White ribbons have been placed on our campus, as well as Peachtree Middle and Dunwoody HS to honor Rose.
My most fond memory of Rose was when she wrote and sang a song at her 5th grade celebration in 2013 called Shooting for Stars, and Mr. Greene helped her while she performed piano and sang for everyone. Her beautiful performance will forever be in my heart.
Helping Hands is kicking off with our first initiative this year with a warm clothes drive! The Helping Hands Club aims to make the world a better place, starting with our own school and community. This winter, we will be partnering with a fellow Dekalb school to provide new warm items such as hats, gloves, and scarves to elementary students who may not have these essential items. Please consider donating! Thank you for supporting our Vanderlyn students and serving our great community.
Third Grade PBL in Action: Native Americans
Student Code of Conduct
SAFETY AND SECURITY
School Safety is our top priority. Our staff will review and refine our procedures to ensure we are ready if an emergency arises.
Every precaution will be taken to ensure the safety of our students and staff during school hours. One safety measure practiced are safety drills (fire, tornado, intruder), which are conducted throughout the school year. Fire drills are held once every month. Tornado drills are held twice a semester. Intruder (Lockdown) drills are held three times a semester. These important drills to keep our students and staff safe in the event of an emergency. The administrative team and all staff members will be in position to aid in a safe, quick evacuation. Routes for emergency exits are posted in each room of the building. Our number one priority continues to be the safety and security of our students and staff.
During the school day, we ensure the following safety measures are taken:
- All classroom doors remain closed and locked at all times.
- Exterior doors remain locked at all times and are not propped open for any reason.
- Exterior doors will not be opened for visitors.
- All visitors must come to the front of the school to receive assistance.
- All visitors must press the entry button outside the front door. The front office staff will assist all visitors from this point.
- If a visitor does not have an appointment with staff, is not checking out a student, or is not receiving assistance from the front office, they will not be allowed inside the school.
- Students are monitored by staff members in all areas of the building and on the playgrounds.
- Outside of traveling with their class to other parts of the building, students will travel in pairs when leaving their class independently to go to the restroom, clinic, or front office.
- Every classroom is equipped with a telephone, two-way radio, emergency call button, and emergency alert system. NEW THIS YEAR: Every staff member will have a crisis alert badge that they wear daily. In the event of an emergency, staff will press a button on this badge to alert administration and emergency personnel that they are in need of help.
- For afternoon dismissal, students are staggered by mode of transportation.
- Staff is strategically stationed all around our building and campus to ensure students arrive and depart safely from school.
- Our school resource officer makes periodic rounds throughout the school day and walks the campus to conduct safety checks.
In the event of an emergency, we will communicate with all parents via School Messenger. Please ensure you are connected and signed up for both on your mobile phone. It is important that parents read all text messages from the school thoroughly and follow next steps as outlined.
Safety will always remain our top priority. We appreciate your partnership and collaboration as we work together to maintain a safe learning environment for all students and staff.
STAY CONNECTED
Vanderlyn Viking Views: https://vanderlynpto.membershiptoolkit.com/newsletter/00190-20230714000617-093290000-2131713166
Vanderlyn Elementary Website: https://www.vanderlynes.dekalb.k12.ga.usvander
NOT RECEIVING MESSAGES?
OPT-IN TO SCHOOL MESSENGER
School-Home communication is very important. Please stay connected to the school by ensuring you have signed up for School Messenger. To receive timely emails and text messages from the school and district, please opt-in to school messenger!
SCHOOL MEALS
Breakfast and lunch are served each day of school. Please review the flyer below for more information.
Information about meal applications and meal payments can be found at the link below.
Breakfast and lunch menus can always be found on this website: https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/school-nutrition/menus/
2023-2024 Bus Routes
MEDICATION FORMS
If your child needs to have medication administered at school, please download the form below and have your physician to complete it. On the first day of school, please place the form and medication in a ziploc bag clearly labeled with your child's first/last name. Inform the teacher that these items are in your child's bookbag and we will be sure the nurse receives them. You may also drop them off in the front office.
If you have questions, please contact our clinic assistant: Sumati Jayaraman at:
If you have any questions or concerns before the first day of school and/or throughout the school year, please do not hesitate to contact the school. Please follow our protocol on who to contact and in what order. Skipping a step will actually slow down the process of getting help for your child, as the person you contact will have to back-track and gather additional information. By starting with the person who spends the most time with your child – the teacher – you are most likely to get the information you need and reach a solution more quickly.
To best help you & your child and get to a solution/answer promptly, please reach out to school personnel in this order:
1. Teacher
2. Assistant Principal Griffin Nichols
3. Principal - Mrs. Tracey Crenshaw
Please review and save the list below so you are aware who to contact when questions arise.
- PTO Membership Toolkit - PTO Co-Presidents: Marcy Ames or Whitney Gaines: vanderlynelemPTO@gmail.com
- Family ID Hang tags (carpool or walkers) - Andrea Gillett: andrea_gillett@dekalbschoolsga.org
- Reporting your child's absence from school - Email your child's homeroom teacher AND our school registrar, Ms. Andrea Gillett: andrea_gillett@dekalbschoolsga.org
- Student illness, medicine requests, medical forms: Ms. Sumi: sumati_jayaraman@dekalbschoolsga.org
- Changes in transportation/dismissal - email your child's homeroom teacher AND our front office secretary, Andrea Gillett:andrea_gillett@dekalbschoolsga.org. This must be done by 12pm!
- Bus Transportation Concerns: Vernell Jackson at vernell_jackson@dekalbschoolsga.org
- Questions about school breakfast/lunch: Cafeteria Manager, Catalina Moreno-Ortega at catalina_moreno-ortega@dekalbschoolsga.org
- School library resources, Chrome Book Questions: Gail Pansini: gail_pansini@dekalbschoolsga.org
- General questions pertaining to your child's class - email your child's homeroom teacher
- Questions regarding gifted eligibility - Gifted Liaison, Julia Weiss: julia_weiss@dekalbschoolsga.org
- Questions pertaining to ASEPD (After School Extended Day Program) - Co-directors Julia Weiss or Audrey Brunson: julia_weiss@dekalbschoolsga.org and audrey_brunson@dekalbschoolsga.org
- Questions pertaining to class schedules, progress reports, grades, and report cards - Assistant Principal, Griffin Nichols: griffin_nichols@dekalbschoolsga.org
- Questions pertaining to districtwide assessments (MAP, CogAT, GA Milestones, ACCESS) - School Test Coordinator/Assistant Principal, Griffin Nichols: griffin_nichols@dekalbschoolsga.org.
- Questions regarding counseling, social, emotional/behavioral concerns, bullying: Counselors: Grades 3rd-5th Jessica Lee: Jessica_j_lee@dekalbschoolsga.org or Grades Pre-K-2nd: Dr. Candice Norris-Brown: candice_norris-brown@dekalbschoolsga.org
- Questions pertaining to schoolwide operations - email Principal Tracey Crenshaw: tracey_crenshaw@dekalbschoolsga.org