VAMS Panther Press Newsletter
August 23, 2019
Calendar
- August 26- August 29 - UIL Signups
- Monday, August 26 - VAISD Board Meeting at 7:00 PM
- Tuesday, August 27 - 6th Grade Band Parent Meeting in the Band Hall at 6:00 PM
- Wednesday, August 28 - Fall Festival Planning Meeting in the High School Multipurpose Room @ 4:30 PM
- Monday, September 2 - Labor Day Holiday - No School
- Friday, September 6 - Back to School Dance - 6th grade dance 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM and 7th/8th grade dance 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
- Tuesday, September 10 - Fundraiser Kickoff
- Thursday, September 12 - Progress Reports Go Home
- Thursday, September 12 - First Pep Rally @ 3:00 PM - Parents and community members are welcome to attend!
- Tuesday, September 24 - Fundraisers Due
- Saturday, October 5 - VAISD Fall Festival
Other Important Dates:
- Pep Rally Dates - Sept. 12, Sept. 26, Oct. 10, Oct. 31 (Pep Rallies begin @ 3:00 PM)
- Student Dance Dates - Sept. 6, Dec. 6, Feb. 7, May 15 - (6th grade dance 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM and 7th/8th grade dance 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM)
- 8th Grade Dance - Friday, May 8 from 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
UIL Timeline
August 26-29 - UIL Signups
Week of September 3 & 9 - UIL Tryouts
Week of September 16 - UIL Teams Formed & Practices Begin (This gives us 10 weeks to practice for the competition.)
UIL Competition Hosted at VAMS - Day TBA
There are several opportunities for students to get involved in UIL. Below is a list of teams students can tryout for...
Art Smart
Calculator Applications
Chess Puzzle
Dictionary Skills
Editorial Writing
Impromptu Speaking
Listening Skills
Maps, Graphs, & Charts
Mathematics
Modern Oratory
Music Memory
Number Sense
Oral Reading
Ready Writing
Science: 7th - 8th grades
Social Studies
Spelling
VAMS PTA
Panther Spirit Wear
Cell Phone Policy
Students are allowed to bring cell phones to school. They are allowed to listen to music and play games on their cell phones before school, after school, and during lunch. Students must keep cell phones out of sight and turned off (not on silent) during the school day. Please reinforce this rule with your child so they are well aware.
Also, please do not allow your child to call or text you from school using their cell phone for any reason, including to come pick them up when they do not feel well. Proper procedure is to report to Nurse Wilson and allow her to use her training to make that determination. Misuse will result in confiscation of the cell phone and the parent will be required to come pick up the phone. If the student continues to misuse their cell phone, the student will be required to check their cell phone into the office each morning.
Food Regulations
As a parent, you have the right to bring food to your child. However, to be in compliance with federal law, you are not allowed to bring in food for a child other than your own (for example, bringing a pizza for your child and his/her friends). This also includes bringing cupcakes and snacks on your child's birthday. To be in compliance with law, we cannot offer them during the lunch period. Therefore, the only time we could legally do that is during class time; which is not something we are going to be able to do as the students are busy in their classes and we do not want to disrupt the learning environment.
Dress Code for Student Dances
The first student dance is Friday, September 6th! The 6th grade dance is 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. and the 7th & 8th grade dance is 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Students must follow the school dress code for the dance. The only exception is that girls may wear a dress that has a three finger width strap. If a dress has spaghetti straps or is strapless, a sweater or cover-up must be worn at all times. Only VAMS students are allowed to attend student dances.
Eligibility
For many of you, this is the first time you and your child will be exposed to the No Pass No Play eligibility rules governing participating in school-related extra-curricular activities. This pertains not only to middle school athletes, but to all school-related extra-curricular activities in which students compete, including but not limited to: athletics, cheerleading, showing animals, choir, and band competitions, etc. Here is a brief explanation...
The FIRST ELIGIBILITY CHECK will be on Friday, September 27th. Any student failing at that time will not be eligible to participate in any UIL club or team. After the September 28th eligibility check, all other eligibility checks will be made at the end of each 9 weeks. If a student is passing all subjects at the end of a nine weeks grading period, he/she will remain eligible to participate in extra-curricular activities until the end of the next nine weeks grading period. A student who fails any subject for the nine weeks becomes ineligible to participate in any extra-curricular activity at 3:00 the Friday following report cards.
Students can regain eligibility if they are passing all classes at the following times: at the end of the three weeks reporting period, at the end of the six weeks reporting period, and at the end of the nine weeks grading period. They will regain eligibility at 3:00 the Friday after progress reports or report cards come out.
Lunch Drop Off Changes
Community Service Hour Log
Promoting community service is a goal of VAMS! In order to promote and foster serving our community and others, students can earn a community service award at the end of the year awards assemblies to recognize students who give their time, talents, and hearts.
Find opportunities throughout the school year for your child to work on their community service hours. Make sure your child is documenting their community service time on their hour log.
VAMS Community Service Hour Logs are due on Friday, May 1st.
Click on the link below "VAMS Community Service FAQ Flyer" for more information.
Communication throughout the year
Middle School Website: Click HERE to access the VAMS webpage.
Social Media: Want to see what goes on at VAMS during the week? Want to see pictures of students doing awesome things? Want to see what learning looks like on our campus? Be sure to like us on Facebook, Van Alstyne Middle School, and follow us on Twitter at @vamiddleschool
Digital Newsletter: We email parents a digital campus newsletter every Friday. If you are not currently signed up to receive our weekly newsletter, click HERE.
Grade-level Remind Accounts: Please sign up for the appropriate Remind accounts below to help keep you informed. We also recommend having your child sign up as well. Teachers use Remind to communicate important dates and information.
Panther sports
Football - Thursday, September 12 @ 4:30 at home vs. Anna
Cross Country - Saturday, September 8 - McKinney Boyd Invitational @ Myers Park in McKinney
Go Panthers!
A Note From Our Nurse....
Our clinics must have a Medication Parent Consent Form on file for students requiring medication administered during school hours. This form must be signed by parent/legal guardian. Medication must be kept in the ORIGINAL bottle. (see links below)
Children who have the following symptoms should stay home and not come to school until these symptoms have been gone for at least 24 hours without the help of medication.
- Fever (100 degrees or higher)
- Sore Throat (with fever or swollen neck)
- Persistent Vomiting or Diarrhea
- Rash (with fever and itching)
- Conjunctivitis/Pink Eye (your child can attend school 24 hours after starting medical treatment)
A child with a typical cold, but no fever or green drainage, may come to school.
If a student becomes ill during the school day, he or she must receive permission from the teacher before reporting to the school nurse. If the nurse determines that the child should go home, the nurse will contact the parent.
Cafeteria Menus
Volunteer Approval Form
Click the button below to access the Volunteer Approval Form. We appreciate our volunteers!
Van Alstyne Middle School
Website: www.ms.vanalstyneisd.org
Location: 1314 N. Waco Van Alstyne, TX
Phone: 903-482-8804
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/VanAlstyneMiddleSchool
Twitter: @vamiddleschool