Vermillion Elementary School
January 2023
A Note from the Principal
Dear Chameleon Families,
It was great to see many of you at our annual VES BINGO Night. I appreciate your support of Vermillion by attending this event. We were able to give away some great prizes and enjoy a fun evening together. Thank you to the VES PTO for organizing this event again this year. Also, thank you to all of our staff and volunteers who helped make this evening a success.
Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, February 9th from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Students, parents, and guardians are invited to meet with teachers to discuss student progress. If you are unable to meet in person or prefer to have a virtual conference, please visit with you child's teacher about setting up a Zoom conference. Due to conferences, students will not have school on Thursday, February 9th or Friday, February 10th.
Our Valentine's Day Parties will take place on Tuesday, February 14. Please RSVP online here. You will need to select each child's teacher's name and complete the form as directed. Each attendee will need to be entered on the RSVP form. We will stop taking RSVP's on Sunday, February 12 in order to complete the pre-event security check. If you do not RSVP by this date, that is fine, but please know there may be additional wait time for check in on the day of the event.
Please remember that with the increase in safety and security in our schools, we are requiring that everyone entering the school go through the Raptor security check system. All visitors will have an ID printed sticker that they will be required to wear while in the school. If you are already in the Raptor system or you enter the necessary information in the RSVP, your sticker will be pre-printed and ready for pickup upon your arrival. If you are not already in the Raptor system, we highly recommend that you stop by the office during Parent/Teacher Conferences on February 9 to get your driver's license scanned into the system so your nametag will be ready on the day of the event.
Sincerely,
Jenny Nash
Principal
Visit our school website at www.usd266.com/ves
Connect with Mrs. Nash at jnash@usd266.com or 316-722-0266.
Vermillion Elementary School is located 501 James Ave. in Maize.
Important Upcoming Dates
- 1/13: PTO Family BINGO Night (6-8pm - Maize Middle School - pre-registration required)
- 1/16: NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- 1/17: PTO Chick-fil-A Spirit Night (4-10pm - 21st & Maize Rd)
- 1/27: PTO Hot Chocolate & Cider Bar for Staff
School Safety
With the increase in safety and security in our schools, we are requiring that everyone entering the school go through the security check system. All visitors will have an ID printed sticker that they will be required to wear while in the school during school hours. We will be glad to scan your driver's license at our Walk-A-Thon event on October 7 or if you are in the vicinity of Vermillion Elementary and wish to have the secretaries scan your driver's license ahead of time, this will minimize your wait time for entry.
Your profile remains stored in the system for the school year and the system automatically updates based on your license information. Therefore, if we have scanned your driver’s license before, you are already in the system and we will simply input your name to print a badge. Please have your driver's license in hand the day of an event.
We appreciate your understanding with helping us maintain the highest level of security for our staff and students.
End of Day Transportation
For after school transportation changes, please leave your message on the transportation line by 2:00pm M/T/Th/F and by 1:00pm on Wednesdays.
For those new to Vermillion please watch our student drop-off/pick-up process video. If you need a QR code please contact the school office.
Staff Wish List
Thank you to everyone that has made donations to our teachers! We greatly appreciate your support. Here is a link to all VES wish lists. Teachers will continue to update these throughout the year.
WatchDOG Program
Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads Of Great Students) is an innovative father involvement - educational initiative of the National Center for Fathering. WatchDOGS are fathers, step-fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and other father-figures who volunteer for at least one day each year at an official WATCH D.O.G.S. school. Click on the link below to view how the program works and how to schedule a date to be a WatchDOG. We are requesting only one WatchDOG per day.
Counselor's Corner
Thank you to all who donated food to our Caring Hearts Food drive. We were able to help many families in Maize with this food. Part of our focus in December is generosity. The best way to learn about generosity is to practice it. In addition to our food drive, you can also teach your child generosity by allowing him/her to draw a picture for someone, or write a nice affirmation (note) to someone. Look for ways your child can look beyond him/herself and give to others!
Many of you may have heard your child talking about Families at VES. Each child is paired up with 8 other students in the building and a caring adult. Our families meet once a month at 3:15pm (the first Friday of each month). If you need to pick up your child early on these days, please plan to pick up your child before 3:00pm. Having our VES Families is a great way to build a sense of community in our school!
Please check out the information below about our Caring Chameleons. This is a network of Chameleons helping Chameleons. Vermillion Elementary Counselors are often notified of families in need of basic necessities. There are many caring Chameleon families who want to help but do not know what the needs are. If you would like to help, please refer to the document below with more information about the program. We greatly appreciate your contributions!
To learn more about what the Counselors do and what guidance lessons are being taught in the classroom each month please visit the counselor's website below.
https://sites.google.com/usd266.com/vescounselors/home
Jolene Chapin - Counselor for Kindergarten, 1st & 3rd Grades
Email: jchapin@usd266.com
Counselor Andi Shipman - Counselor for Kindergarten, 2nd & 4th Grades
Email: ashipman@usd266.com
Music Matters
Mark your calendars for these upcoming music programs:
First & Second Grade Concerts: Thursday, March 9th, 2023
- 1st Grade Time: 6:30 p.m.
- 2nd Grade Time: 7:45 p.m.
Location: Maize Performing Arts & Aquatic Center (MPAAC) (1055 Academy Avenue)
Kindergarten Concert: Thursday, April 13th, 2023
- Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Maize Performing Arts & Aquatic Center (MPAAC) (1055 Academy Avenue)
New face in the music room: Please welcome Kinsey Emery who will be student teaching with Mrs. Merkel from January until spring break. Miss Emery is a Maize South grad and is currently finishing her music degree at Emporia State.
Quaver Reminder:
We LOVE our Quaver music curriculum! In addition to lessons we use in the classroom, it also has an at home feature so that students can explore music through games and activities using any computer or mobile device at home. It would be beneficial to spend some time helping your child to access this amazing resource at home! We are currently registering all of our students for the new school year. Your student will be bringing home a letter with more details soon (it will be a little longer for Kindergarten).
Quaver Login Instructions:
Go to www.quavered.com/log-in/
- User Name / Quaver Name: 9-digit Maize Student ID#
- Password: music123
If you have any trouble remembering the student ID# or if the login prompts you for a code, please e-mail your child’s music teacher at the address listed below.
Mrs. Merkel Music Star Prizes!
I'm looking for prizes for my music classroom. If you would like to donate some items, please sent them to school with your child or drop them off in the front office. Here are some ideas:
- Larger novelty candy; ring pops, full sized Skittles or other harder candy (no chocolate, please)
- Packs of gum
- Anything music themed except pencils (see note below)
- Colorful pens or markers
- Small games or puzzles
- ”Happy Meal” type toys or other smaller toys (clean out those toy boxes!)
Update from Coach
We have sent home your child's PE shoes as many of them were too small. We would encourage your child to wear tennis shoes on PE days, but if they don't we will work with what they have on. Listed below are the days that classes will have PE.
Monday/Wednesday PE Classes:
4th Grade - Stroh and Miles
3rd Grade - Bollenbach and Angelica
2nd Grade - Kraxberger, Zamora and Maddy
1st Grade - Doerflinger, Best and Lenk
KDG - Wood and Shurtleff
Tuesday/Thursday PE Classes:
4th Gade - Madrigal and Willard
3rd Grade - Slief and Chalashtari
2nd Grade: Fischer and Brownell
1st Grade - Stamper and Paul
KDG - Keller, Jakubov and Packer
If your child unable to participate in GYM activities due to illness or an injury, please let the coaches know.
Coach Trail
Coach Schuette
Library News
Our next Scholastic Book Fair will be February 2-9.
If you have any questions or need help with Library needs, please contact me at shills@usd266.com
From the Nurse
- Health Screenings
Dental screenings will take place Friday February 3. All students will be screened unless parents opt out. They can opt out by emailing the nurse or sending with their child a signed written note that says they opt out. Students will have hearing or vision screenings during the school year as required. Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade students will have vision screening. Kindergarten, 1st, and 4th grade will have hearing screening. Students new to the district will receive both hearing and vision screenings. Parents will need to write a note to the school nurse ONLY if they do NOT want their child screened. Results will ONLY be sent home if further testing is needed. Screenings are very basic and are not meant to take the place of professional evaluations.
- Immunizations
Please send the updated immunization records to the school nurse as soon as possible. Deadline to get immunizations to the school nurse is October 3rd.
PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF INFECTION AT SCHOOL
Wash your hands often!! Wash your hands after coughing, blowing your nose or sneezing, after using the toilet, before and after eating, after touching or caring for animals, and before and after caring for a sick or injured person.
Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth to avoid transferring germs from your hands to the inside of your body.
Keep cuts and skin sores covered with a bandage.
Cover your sneezes and coughs with a tissue. Cough into your sleeve when a tissue is not available.
Never share drinks, water bottles, or eating utensils with other people.
Stay home from work or school and contact a doctor for advice when you have the following symptoms of infection: Fever, cough, sore throat, headache, chills, muscle aches, stomach ache, persistent vomiting and/or diarrhea
“THE FLU” is an illness caused by one of a number of virus’ that causes fever, cough, sore throat, headache, chills, and muscle aches. A vaccine is available each year which may prevent or lessen the symptoms of the flu. The flu is spread when an infected person coughs sneezes or speaks and sends the flu virus into the air. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his eyes, nose or mouth. The best defense against the flu is washing your hands often!!
Children with symptoms of the flu should NEVER take aspirin. A rare but very serious and sometimes fatal illness called Reye’s syndrome can develop. Your physician can recommend safer ways to treat symptoms of the flu.
Select to access Health Forms for Maize students
Nurse Jaime Smith
Email: jsmith@usd266.com
Phone: 316-350-2810 / Fax: 316-722-5020
STEAM Lab News
Reminder:
Please consider us before tossing out your gently used and recyclable items. We can put those items to good use in the name of learning! Ex: small toys, games, building materials, bubble wrap, rocks, art supplies just to name a few. Students can bring in items and place in the donation tub outside the STEAM lab.
Check out our Amazon Wishlist!
PTO News
Become a PTO member/volunteer - it's FREE! If you are interested in supporting our students and staff, please complete the online PTO Volunteer Enrollment Form or you may email the Vermillion Elementary PTO at vermillionpto@hotmail.com.
PTO is looking for assistance for several of our annual fund raising committees. If you are interested please contact PTO at vermillionpto@hotmail.com.
Upcoming PTO Event Information
Please join us for our next PTO meeting on January 10, 6:30pm in the Vermillion Elementary STEAM room. We will have a drawing for a gift card for all in attendance! New members and guests are always welcome to join us!
Right before the Winter Break, the Vermillion PTO was able to distribute $9,000 worth of grant items to the teachers and staff of the school! This is about $4,000 more than the PTO has ever awarded, and we are thankful for your support for every Spirit Night, Spiritwear, School Supply, Spring Fundraiser and Walkathon that our parents and staff support, which made this amazing grant season possible! THANK YOU! The PTO also distributed t-shirts to all staff for their Christmas gift.
Walk-a-Thon cause items are coming in for the nurses, the playground and the counselors. Keep watching our Facebook page for more distributions!
Join us for our Chick-fil-a Spirit Night on Tuesday, January 17 from 3pm-10pm! Be sure to tell them you are with Vermillion Elementary!
We have a special hot beverages bar planned for the teachers and staff on Friday, January 27. If you would like to help support this TLC event, please check out this link.
PTO Newsletter
Check out the January PTO newsletter that is included here for additional information, including a fun, new Spirit Night at Pizza Ranch on Monday, February 6 and Carousel Skate Night on Wednesday, February 15!
PTO can be reached at:
- Email: vermillionpto@hotmail.com
- Facebook: Maize Vermillion Elementary School PTO
- Website: maizevermillionelementarypto.com
*Be sure to tag all the fun you are having at VES with #VES