VO News You Can Use
Dr. O's Weekly Parent Newsletter
NCSD Mission Statement
Developing each student's potential with a world class education.
September 24, 2018
Dear Village Oaks Families,
As we near the flu season it is very important that we continue to remind students to wash their hands often and cover their mouths as they sneeze so germs do not spread. Per our student handbook, for students who are sent home due to vomiting or a fever please keep them home for 24 hours. Our policy states that students should be 24 hours vomit free or fever free before returning to school. In the near future additional information regarding this policy will be sent home from our district nurse.
As a staff we continue to have conversations about homework and the best ways to extend learning from school to home. Each grade level has created a grade level homework policy so parents are aware of expectations regarding homework. As a school we are committed to developing the whole child and we value the balance between homework and play. Below please see our homework policies from each grade level and enjoy the informative article I have attached by Melissa Healy, It’s come to this: A checkup with the pediatrician may soon include a prescription for play.
Sincerely,
Alex
2018-2019 Grade Level Homework Policies
New Staff Highlight--Lori Vogelgesang (English Second Language Teacher)
Hi VO Families! I received my undergraduate degree and ESL certification from Marian University in Indianapolis, Indiana and my masters degree in special education and an Autism certification from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. I love traveling, especially when I get the chance to hike or camp. One of my favorite memories was spending several days in a treehouse in Washington. This summer I also got engaged!
News You Can Use Information
If you have any information you would like included in our weekly VO News You Can Use newsletter please send it to Laurie Kravick, laurie.kravick@novik12.org, VO secretary by Thursday. Laurie will pass the information on to me for my review; depending on the content of the information it may be included in our e-blast.
Pick-up & Drop-off Reminders
It’s so nice to start and end the school day seeing so many friendly parents outside of our building with their children! During drop-off and pick-up please remember the following:
At our Kindergarten door there will always be staff members assigned to that area for supervision. Once the bell rings at 9:03 am our staff members will escort our students to their classrooms and parents can leave at that time. If a parent needs to enter the building after dropping their child off, please report to the main office to sign-in with one of our secretaries.
When dropping off your child in the morning please pull your car up in the loop as far as possible or to the cone where I’m positioned before allowing your child to exit the car. Failure to move your car up in the loop is causing a back-up on the adjacent neighborhood street.
Please do not park your car in the loop and enter our building. If you need to park your car, use the parking lot next to our building. Handicapped parking spaces are available in the parking lot as well.
We thank everyone for driving cautiously during these times of the day and we appreciate your support as we take these safety measures for our students!
2018-2019 Curriculum Nights
Please mark the following dates on your calendars:
1st grade -- September 27 at 6:30pm
3rd grade--September 26 at 6:30pm
Specials Curriculum Night--October 4 at 6:30pm
VO School Day Conversations
- What lesson did you learn from Mr. Peace?
- When was the last time someone was kind to you at VO and how did it make you feel?
- Where is the Buddy Bench located and how is it used at VO?
At VO, we have HEART!
In Novi Community School District we believe in promoting high expectations for academics, meeting the emotional well being of our students and celebrating positive behavior for all of our learners.
At Village Oaks Elementary, we are building a culture of collaboration, leadership, and citizenship. As a school community, we strive to:
- Have a growth mindset
- Empathize and show kindness
- Act responsibly
- Respect everyone
- Team up and collaborate with others
Last Leaderific Friday we had a special HEART assembly led by Mr. Peace who focused on Empathy and Kindness. Hear from Mr. Peace below in the short video and enjoy a few of the images from Friday!
(Next week for Leaderific Friday we will have our first Villa meeting! If you are curious which teacher will lead your child's villa, look on MiStar and see who has been assigned as his/her counselor.)
Plastic Tops and Marker Recycling at VO
NCSD Student Opt-out Information
Our students engage in many learning activities and opportunities throughout the school year. We capture this excitement and enthusiasm for learning through photos and videos that are shared on social media, the district website, and occasionally through press releases.
If, however, you would prefer not to have your child featured, please contact your child's school and they will be happy to give you an Opt-Out form. Please be aware that in filling out this form, your child will not be included in any photos, videos, articles, or student directories.
Steve M. Matthews, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Novi Community School District
2018-2019 VOICE Board Members
We are in need of new parents to join our VOICE Board this year! Attached is a flyer explaining all of the great things VOICE does for VO and the process to become a member. Thank you!
VOICE
Community Resources
Oakland University
Oakland University Center for Autism (OUCARES) offers recreational programs, camps, employable skills programs, and parent programs for supporting individuals and families living with Autism Spectrum Disorders. See the attached flyers for current offerings. Scholarships are available- apply early!
https://oakland.edu/oucares/programs/
Family/Parenting Programs in Oakland County
Oakland County Youth Assistance has prepared an overview of various family/parent resources that are located across Oakland County. Programming includes topics, such as Parenting Classes, Adoption Resources, Foster Care Resources, Pregnancy/Post-Partum Infant Care Supports, Various Support Groups, and World Language Parenting Classes. Check out the attachment for more information and contact information for offered programs.
https://www.oakgov.com/courts/ya/Documents/ya_parenting_calendar.pdf
Volunteer and Donation Opportunities
PTO is CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS!
Your support to our school in the volunteering of your time is extremely valuable to all of us! We cannot help our students and staff in the planned activities without YOU! Please consider signing up for one of our committees in the near future...updated link to sign-up coming soon!
Your time is so greatly valued and appreciated!
2018-2019 Picture Day Volunteers
VO Flags
One of the things that makes our building so special is our diverse student population--we have families in our community who come from all over the world! To celebrate our global diversity we have hung flags in our cafeteria that represent many of the countries of our VO families. As a gift from VO retirees we were given flags of the following countries: Israel, India, England, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Nigeria, South Korea, China, and USA. Thank you to our parents who have also donated the following flags: Poland, Singapore, Japan, Germany, Finland, Ireland, Nepal, Greece, Pakistan, Uruguay, Ecuador, Portugal, Spain, Central African Republic, South Africa, Wales, Iceland, Australia, and Armenia. If you would like to purchase a flag of your country of origin or to represent one of the many nationalities of our school please visit Amazon and search for an ANLEY 3x5 flag: VO Flags
Before purchasing and donating the flag to our school’s collection please contact me or one of our secretaries with the flag information so we can make sure that another family has not already ordered the same flag.
1st Grade Authors
Playworks
Village Oaks & Orchard Hills Elementary were the first two elementary schools in NCSD to become part of the Play movement and make play a priority with Playworks in the 2017-2018 school year! This year all NCSD elementary schools will partner with Playworks to enhance the learning experiences for students throughout the district. Playworks is the leading nonprofit in Michigan and nationally using play to transform schools. A Playworks recess creates a place for every kid on the playground to feel included, be active, and build valuable social and emotional skills. Please click on the link below and read the attached Playworks article to learn more about our partnership and Patrice our Playworks Coach!
Learn more at https://www.playworks.org/services/welcome/teamup/
Here are some additional Playworks videos:
Looking Ahead
9/24/18--Picture Day forms Going Home
9/26/18--Tornado Drill
9/26/18--3rd Grade Curriculum Night: 6:30pm-7:30pm
9/27/18--1st Grade Curriculum Night: 6:30pm-7:30pm
10/2/18--Fire Drill
10/3/18--Count Day & Picture Day
10/4/18--New Families VO Breakfast: 9:15am
Parent Pick-up/Parking & Bus Stop Expectations
As you pick-up and drop off your children please be mindful of the following:
- Do not park in front of our neighbors' driveways or mailboxes.
- Park in our parking lot and keep your pet in your car.
- For the safety of our students do not walk your children through our bus loop as students are loading/exiting our busses.
- Stay in your car as you drive through our car loop.
- Please do not drop off children before 8:55am. We do not have any supervision outside prior to this time.
- If you arrive late, please walk your child into the office and sign them in.
We ask that you remind your children that VO expectations/rules apply at our bus stops. We expect all of our students to be on their best behavior as they wait for their bus and we appreciate your help.
Thank you for your support!
CARE
Please remember if there is a change in your child's CARE schedule you need to notify Holly Bengle no later than 3:15. She will then contact the teachers. Holly Bengle can be reached at
holly.bengle@novik12.org or (248) 449-1307.
Keep Connected on Twitter
VILLAGE OAKS MISSION
The mission of Village Oaks Elementary is to create and maintain an educational environment that supports academic achievement, consistent with district, state and national standards to meet all students' learning needs.
Village Oaks Elementary
VO school hours: 9:08 am-4:00 pm
Office hours: 8:15 am-4:15 pm
Attendance line: 248.449.1301
Office phone number: 248.449.1300
Email: Alexander.ofili@novik12.org
Website: www.novi.k12.mi.us/vo/
Location: Village Oaks Elementary School, Willowbrook Drive, Novi, MI, United States
Phone: 248.449.1300
Twitter: @NoviVillageOaks