• Friday, April 29 - Fine Arts Night at Van Alstyne High School 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM - This is an evening to celebrate all of our fine arts (art, choir, band, theatre, etc.)
  
• May 2-6 - Teacher Appreciation Week - We have amazing teachers! Show them some love this week.
• Monday, May 2 - Honors Applications due by 4:00 PM
• Tuesday, May 3 - Algebra STAAR Test
• Thursday, May 5 - 8th Grade Science STAAR Test - Closed Campus, No Visitors
• Friday, May 6 - 8th Grade Social Studies STAAR Test - Closed Campus, No Visitors
• Friday, May 6 - Star Card Treat Day
• Friday, May 6 - End of Year Dance - 6th Grade 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM and 7th & 8th Grade 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
• Saturday, May 7 - VAEF 5K/Fun Run (more information below)
• Monday, May 9 - Female Physicals at 5:00 PM in the VAHS Gymnasium - cost is $10 - open for female band members and athletes (more information below)
• Tuesday, May 10 - 6-8 Grade Math STAAR Test - Closed Campus, No Visitors
• Wednesday, May 11 - 6-8 Grade Reading STAAR Test - Closed Campus, No Visitors
• Thursday, May 12 - Community Service Hour Logs Due - (more information below)
• Friday, May 13 - House Games from 1:15-3:30 (Kona Ice will be sold. You can send $3.00-$5.00 with your child if you would like.)
• Friday, May 13 - Star Card Hat Day
• Friday, May 13 - 8th Grade Dance from 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
• Saturday, May 14 - 7th & 8th Grade Band Six Flags Field Trip
• Monday, May 16 - 5th Grade Parent Night & School Tour at 6:00 PM in the VAMS Cafeteria
• Tuesday, May 17 - Student Council Volunteering at Buckner Children & Family Services
• Tuesday, May 17 - Talent Show in the main gym at 9:00 AM & 1:30 PM - Parents and guests are welcome to attend!
• Tuesday, May 17 - Special Olympics in Gunter
• Tuesday, May 17 - Male Physicals at 5:00 PM in the VAHS Gymnasium - cost is $10 - open for male band members and athletes (more information below)
• Wednesday, May 18 - 7th Honors Math Readiness Exam (for current 6th graders wanting to take 7th honors math) from 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM and Algebra Readiness Exam (for current 7th graders who want to take algebra in 8th grade) from 11:15 AM - 1:15 PM
• Thursday, May 19 - Star Card Field Day
• Thursday, May 19 - Star Card Treat After School
• Thursday, May 19 - Theatre Arts Spring Performance at 6:00 PM in the VAMS Cafeteria
• Friday, May 20 - NO SCHOOL
• Monday, May 23 - 7th Grade Field Trip to Adventure Camp
• Monday, May 23 - 6th Grade Awards Ceremony at 9:00 AM
• Tuesday, May 24 - 7th Grade Awards Ceremony at 9:00 AM
• Tuesday, May 24 - 8th Grade Awards Practice Ceremony at 1:30 PM
• Tuesday, May 24 - 8th Grade Awards Ceremony at 6:30 PM
• Wednesday, May 25 - TLAP (Teach Like A Pirate Day) - Kona Ice will be sold this day.
• Thursday, May 26 - LAST DAY OF SCHOOL - Dismissal at 1:38 PM
• Friday, May 27 - VAISD Graduation at 8:00 PM

We will have a closed campus on May 5, May 6, May 10, and May 11 due to STAAR testing. Please make sure your child gets plenty of rest the night before STAAR testing. Below are lunchtimes on STAAR testing days...

May 5th & 6th

7th - 10:43-11:13

6th - 11:36-12:06

8th - 12:30-1:00

May 10th & 11th

7th - 11:30-12:00

6th - 12:00-12:30

8th - 12:30-1:00

We made a slight change for Star Card rewards...

Friday, May 6 - Star Card Treat After School

Friday, May 13 - Star Card Hat Day

We know several families are having difficulty with the online community service hour log. Please click the link below to access a paper version of the community service hour log to document community service hours. Copies will also be available in our front office. Due to the technical difficulties, we are extending the due date for the hour logs to Thursday, May 12. In addition, we are not requiring supervisor signatures on the hour log this year because of the technical issue. Please call our front office if you have additional questions. 903-482-8804

The links for the 2022-2023 Honors Course Applications for 7th & 8th grade classes are below. Applications are due Monday, May 2nd by 4:00 PM.

Current 6th graders - please complete the 7th grade honors application

Current 7th graders - please complete the 8th grade honors application

Yearbooks are $35 until March 5

$40 until March 26

$45 until April 26

You can send a check, in an envelope marked YEARBOOK AND your child's name to the office made payable to VAMS or you can ORDER ONLINE, starting next week.

Online orders: https://link.entourageyearbooks.com/my/VAMS2022

ALL students participating in athletics for the 2022-2023 school year MUST have a NEW physical on file. The physical can be completed through our school or through your family doctor. For students who will have their physical completed through our school, please see the dates below.

Monday, May 9th ALL Females: 5:00 PM in the VAHS Gymnasium - Cost is $10

Tuesday, May 17th ALL Males: 5:00 PM in the VAHS Gymnasium - Cost is $10

Forms can be found at: https://www.vanalstyneisd.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=435069&type=d&pREC_ID=945442

In 2009, the State of Texas began requiring specific immunizations for all 7th graders.

The immunizations that incoming 7th graders need are:

1. Tetanus, Diptheria and Pertussis-containing vaccine (Tdap): All students entering the seventh will be required to have a booster dose of Tdap only if it has been five years since their last dose of a tetanus-containing vaccine.

2. Varicella (Chicken Pox): All students entering the 7th grade will be required to have 2 doses of varicella vaccine. The 1st dose must be received on or after the 1st birthday.

3. Meningococcal Vaccine (Meningitis): All students entering 7th grade will be required to have one dose of meningococcal vaccine.

If your child has already had these immunizations, please send a copy of the immunization record from the health clinic or physician. It must include the month, day and year as well as validation by a physician or public health official.

*Immunization records must be received before schedules will be released for the 2022-2023 school year*

Immunizations are available from your family physician, the Grayson County Health Department 903.893.0131, 515 N. Walnut Sherman, Texas, Collin County Health Department 972.548.5000 N. McDonald St, Mckinney, Texas or local medical/rural health clinics. Please call the health department for hours and availability.

If you have a medical or religious reason that conflicts with these requirements, please contact the school nurse. Information on obtaining a conscious exemption can be found at the following website:

https://corequest.dshs.texas.gov/

Thank you,

Lorie Wilson, LVN

Van Alstyne Middle School

903.482.8878

All state requirements may be found at www.dshs.state.tx.us/immunize

• Water fountains — All water fountains will be turned on this year. We still encourage students to bring a water bottle from home if they are able to. There are three water bottle refill stations that are accessible to students. Please make sure your child's water bottle has their name on it.
• Masks are optional
  
• Sanitizing stations — Students will be encouraged to use hand sanitizer throughout the day. Desks will be sanitized between classes.
• Visitors will be allowed — We love our parent volunteers and visitors! Parents and guardians are welcome to come and eat lunch with their child. All visitors will need to check in with Mrs. Twila in our front office where their temperature will be taken.
  
• Restrooms — We have signs posted on all restrooms asking students to limit 4 people at a time. We will also encourage students to wash their hands for 20 seconds before they leave the restroom.
  
• Symptom and Temperature Monitoring — All students will be required to enter through our south entrance (8th grade hallway). This entrance has a camera that checks the temperature of each individual that enters the building. A staff member will be at this entrance monitoring the camera. If someone has a fever, they will be asked to go to the nurse for further evaluation. All faculty and students are required to monitor symptoms and no one is permitted to come to class if they are displaying symptoms.
• Building sanitized nightly
• Buses will be sanitized after each route

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.

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. Hours are documented digitally. Click the link below to access the digital hour log.

Click on the link below "VAMS Community Service FAQ Flyer" for more information.

All volunteers, including parents, have to fill out a Volunteer Approval Form to have a background check before volunteering (ex: attend field trips, volunteer on campus, help with testing, etc.). This form must be filled out EVERY school year. The entire process, from submitting the form to receiving approval, can take as long as two weeks. This process must be completed before being approved to volunteer. If you have students at multiple schools, only one application is required.

Click the button below to access the Volunteer Approval Form. We appreciate our volunteers!

It is important for us to provide avenues for parents to stay informed. Here are the communication tools we use at VAMS to ensure you know what is happening throughout the school 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.

Just a few reminders about attendance:

Please send a note giving a detailed description of the reason for the absence within 3 days of any absence. Notes received after 3 days will result in an unexcused absence. Please send a doctor's note anytime your child misses school for an appointment. If your child is absent longer than 3 consecutive days because of personal illness, you must bring a statement from a doctor or health clinic verifying the illness or condition that caused the student's extended absence. If you have any questions, please send an email to vamsoffice@vanalstyneisd.org.

As most of you are aware, school districts around the country have been plagued by students participating in TikTok challenges. These challenges ask students to destroy/vandalize school property, steal things, and do other things that can lead to legal consequences. Our youth are better than that! In an effort to combat the negative challenges on social media, VAISD challenges our youth to make a positive impact in our school and our community. Our youth can do great things! #takebacktiktok #supporteducation #VAISD #KindnessChallenge

Complete the Google Form below if you participated in the VAISD Kindness Challenge! We want to hear about the great things our youth are doing!