VO News You Can Use
Dr. O's Weekly Parent Newsletter
NCSD Mission Statement
Developing each student's potential with a world class education.
January 6, 2020
Dear Village Oaks Families,
Happy New Year! I hope you all enjoyed a peaceful break and are ready for a fantastic 2020 at VO! A few reminders as we return from break:
Please put your child's name on his or her belongings (lunch boxes, coats, gloves, etc.) in case they are misplaced.
We will have a VOICE meeting in our media center on Monday, Jan. 13th at 7:00pm.
As long as the wind chill factor is above zero degrees we will go outside for recess. To ensure students are comfortable outside during the winter season please send your child to school with a winter coat, boots, snow pants, a hat, and gloves. If you are having any difficulties getting these items please contact me for assistance.
Sincerely,
Alex
Finn Fridays!
I want to take this opportunity to introduce you to a new member of the Village Oaks staff. Finn is a 7 year old golden retriever whose handler is Colleen Ponte, our speech-language pathologist at VO. Finn spent his first 6 years as the ‘school dog’ at Novi Middle School and Parkview Elementary with Ms. Ponte. During his time there, Finn met and greeted students as they entered the school in the morning, he interacted with students during classroom visitations, patrolled the halls during passing time, and was available when someone just needed a hug. We would like to initiate “Finn Fridays” in the new year here at Village Oaks. The students will learn about Finn and how to enjoy his company. Any interaction with Finn is on a purely voluntary basis. That being said, one of the most powerful ways to reshape a fearful behavior response is by providing a positive peer behavioral model. In other words, watching other children enjoying and safely interacting with a dog may encourage a fearful child to give it a try. The National Institute on Health states, “The presence of a dog in an educational setting seems to support concentration, attention, motivation, and relaxation reflecting reduction of high stress levels which inhibit effective learning and performance.”
Food Drive Collection
Elementary schools in Novi are beginning our annual, winter drive to support the Novi Emergency Food Pantry. Village Oaks has been assigned to collect Macaroni & Cheese! Please send boxes of Macaroni & Cheese to school with your child in bags labeled Food Drive to help us support families in need in our community. The drive continues through January. Thank you!
Me and My Pal Dance 2/21/20
NCSD Lice Information
As school is now in session, it is important to remember the guidelines for avoiding head lice. It has been found in classrooms already this year so please be vigilant in looking for it and treating it effectively. The website below has very helpful information.
VO School Day Conversations
- In class, what is one thing your teacher says or does to get everyone’s attention?
Over the Winter Break what is one thing you did to grow as a learner at VO?
Over the Winter Break how did you show kindness to another person?
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
Congratulations to our December Shiny HEART award recipients. These student leaders have shown great character and continue to make us proud as they lead with HEART!
Novi Public Library MLK Unity Breakfast and Program
Novi Public Library would like to cordially invite you to the MLK Unity Breakfast and Program. This special event honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Enjoy a delicious free breakfast, music, special guest performances, and speakers. The program will take place at Novi Public Library on Monday, January 20, 2020 from 10:00am-12:00pm.
On January 22, from 6:00pm-8:30pm please join us for our next Bonaventure Night!
Volunteer and Donation Opportunities
VOICE 2019-2020
Hello Parents,
Our VOICE (PTO Organization) is seeking volunteers for chairpersons for several of our committees. If you have interest in volunteering with VOICE during this school year, please check out the Sign Up Genius link below. If you'd like more information, please contact Debbie Luke at debbielukehomes@gmail.com
Yearbook Committee Seeking Photos
Do you have some great photos you would love to see in the yearbook?
Please submit them to the Yearbook Committee e-mail: VOYearbookPTO@gmail.com
Be sure to include a description of the event/activity in the photo, as well as the class if appropriate.
Save the date for Spring Fling! April, 24, 2020
We need many volunteers for this event to be successful. If you have any questions about a committee position please email debbielukehomes@gmail.com
Please consider volunteering by using the link below to sign up.
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, United Kingdom, 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, Armenia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Russia, Scotland and Yemen. 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.
VO Robot Wreckers
The Robot Wreckers, first and second grade robotics team made up of Sam Hannah, Jakob Christopherson, Priyanka Heintz, Mason Machesney, Andrew Kalousek, and Logan Parks competed in the First Lego League Jr. (Jr. FLL) Robostang Showcase on Saturday, December 14th, in Northville at the Robostang Showcase.
The team started in September on the “BoomTown Build Challenge” and learned about the growing town of “BoomTown” and had to design and build a new building to serve the growing population of this developing city. The kids had a great season as they learned all about the challenges of being a real estate developer of the future. They focused on choosing the right piece of property, finding a use for the property, hiring an architect to design their building, having an engineer make sure the design is safe, getting approval from the government for zoning the building, getting an approved building permit to construct the building, and finally building the actual building. The kids focused on making the building accessible to all, making it environmentally friendly, and having it be durable so that it lasts for years to come.
The Robot Wreckers choose to remodel an old factory building into a modern use for BoomTown and developed a multiple use structure that provided a place to live, work and play by adding two glass towers to the old factory building for living and working citizens of BoomTown. They also incorporated three different robotic features into their model they constructed and they all worked on the necessary coding to make these features operate.
As part of the Robostang Showcase, the team prepared a Lego model of their building idea, a poster to capture all of their learning this season, and presented a prepared 10 minute presentation to the panel of judges. For their efforts, the Robot Wreckers received the “Explore and Discover Award”, which celebrates the team “that was able to effectively explore all aspects of designing and building for their BoomTown Build.”
The Robot Wreckers really appreciate the help provided by Dr. Ofili and their teachers as they prepared for the Robostang Competition and are already looking forward to next year’s challenge already.
Playworks
This year 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!
Looking Ahead
1/6/20--School Resumes
1/13/20--VOICE Mtg 7:00pm
1/20/20--MLK Day No School
1/22/20--Bonaventure Skate Night 6:00pm-8:30pm
1/30/20--Pizza Kit Pick-up 1:30pm-5:30pm
2/7/20--VOICE Family Fun Night
2/11/20--Second Grade Concert 6:30pm-7:30pm
2/17/20 & 2/18/20--Mid-Winter Break No School
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.
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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.
VO 2018 National Blue Ribbon Exemplary School
Village Oaks Elementary
VO school hours: 9:08 am-4:00 pm
Office hours: 8:30 am-4:30 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