We are seeing signs of spring all over the place and look forward to it actually being here. Time has gone by quickly, and we have been busy at VES. Since our last edition, we've celebrated Black History Month, Women's History Month, Read Across America. Author Suzy Kline visited we held Character and Caring parties and had a festive Kindness Week. As always, we have many exciting upcoming events. Our fourth graders will be touring LMS, and second graders will come take a tour of VES. Third graders will be celebrating Arbor Day and fourth graders will get to meet illustrator, E.B. Lewis. The Scholastic Book Fair will be coming to VES, as well. We'll have Spring Break, Parent/Teacher Conferences and Teacher Appreciation Week, to name a few. There is a lot to look forward to! Check us out on Twitter - @Monty_VES. If you're not on Twitter, you can view our posts on the VES website (scroll down the right hand side).

Students will be attending the PTA sponsored book fair March 29th-April 5th, during their regularly schedule Media Center time.

Please plan to attend the Book Fair Family Night Wednesday, April 3rd from 6-8. It's an open house, so come and browse with your child.

Preorder a VES yearbook, through the PTA, by clicking this link. It is $25 if preordered and will be $30 after May 15th.

The Montgomery Township Shade Tree Committee and community volunteers will be visiting third grade classes on Friday, April 5th to teach students about trees and our environment. Each third grader will be given a Tulip Poplar sapling to plant at home. Third graders are encouraged to take pictures with their trees in the coming year so we can feature them on the VES morning news next year.

If you are a current fourth grader, who planted your River Birch tree last year, take a picture and email it to Mr. Dolan at jdolan@mtsd.us. We would love to share it on the VES news so everyone can see how your tree is growing.

VES parent/teacher conferences will be held from April 9-April 12 at VES. Families can sign up through the parent Genesis account. If you haven't signed up, please do! Contact your child's teacher, if you have any difficulties.

To facilitate for conferences, VES will be on an early dismissal schedule. Parent pickup will begin at 1:15, followed by bus dismissal.

Parent Education Series: UnSelfie Book Study with VES Counselors, Lauren Fornal and Jolene Schantz

Village Elementary School Counselors invite 3rd and 4th grade parents to participate a book study opportunity to discuss chapters from the book Unselfie by Michelle Borba, Ed.D. Our discussions will be designed to help parents discuss how to apply the strategies in UnSelfie to enhance our ability to raise empathetic, courageous, caring children with skills to thrive in a 21st century, digitally driven world.

Quick Facts:
Who: 3rd and 4th grade parents

What: VES Book Club: Unselfie by Michelle Borba, Ed.D

Where: School Counseling Suite, Village Elementary School

When: April 11, May 3, June 7 (9:45-10:45). Attendance at all three sessions is recommended.

Prior to our first session on Thursday, April 11, please be sure to purchase your own copy of Unselfie from your local bookstore or online vendor and read Part 1 (Chapters 1-4).

Please sign up here.

Illnesses:

Thank you for helping us to curb illnesses at school. The Montgomery Township Health Department suggests that you do the following to fight the spread of the flu and other illnesses:

• Cover your cough with a tissue, or cough into your elbow
• Wash your hands frequently with soap
• Stay home when you’re sick. Do not send your child to school if s/he is sick!

Injury:

VES nurses need a doctor's note indicating the need for crutches, if they are to be used in school (note may indicate continual or partial use). This can be added onto any activity restriction note, written by the doctor. Likewise, if a brace or splint is to be used in school, this should also be indicated by the doctor.

In classrooms, and as a whole school, we have been having conversations about expectations for maintaining a safe comfortable environment for all students. We revisited expectations for all students when using school bathrooms. Please take an opportunity to reinforce our conversations at home.

When Using Village School Bathrooms, students should:

• Respect the privacy of others

• Use a small amount of toilet paper

• Flush the toilet

• Always wash your hands (Use soap and water)

• Use one paper towel

• Place all trash in the garbage can

• Keep feet on the floor at all times

• Report problems to an adult immediately
  

No academic preparation is necessary. If you would like to support your child prior to the assessment, click here to read an interesting article with suggestions on getting your child ready for NJSLA or similar assessments.

All VES students will be participating in the NJSLA assessment in reading in math (NJSLA replaces PARCC). These assessments will be administered between May 6-13th, with makeup assessments to follow.

Each student needs a set of 3.5 mm earbuds or headphones. If you have an old iPhone set, or something similar, and your child does not have headphones in school, please send them in. See picture below for reference. They should be sent in a zipper bag with your child's name written on it.

Dear Parents, Students and Staff of Village Elementary School:

I write to wish you a Happy New Year and to thank you for supporting our Holiday Gifts and Food giveaway in December. The Holiday Gifts and Food Giveaway was tremendously successful. Others learned about your effort and donated clothing after the event. The families appreciated the gift of food and presents, which made their holidays much brighter.

I am still touched by the sentiment. We are thankful for your kindness. Have a wonderful 2019.

Sincerely,

Jerri L. Morrison

Executive Director

Dear Village Elementary School,

On behalf of the Hillsborough Community Assistance Network and the families that we serve, we would like to thank you for the generous donation of food. The items which you donated will be used to support the programs which are administred through the Hillsborough Community Assistance Network.

Cathy Faerber

Assistant Director of Social Services