Vermillion Elementary School
December 2022
A Note from the Principal
Parents,
I hope that everyone had an enjoyable Fall Break. It is hard to believe that the first semester of this school year is almost over. We are looking forward to a great holiday season at VES. During this time, we are extremely thankful for our awesome students, parents, and staff.
Students will be taking Winter Benchmark tests in the upcoming weeks. Please visit with your child about doing their very best on these assessments. Data from each test assists our teachers with creating individualized plans of study to best meet student's learning needs. It is also good to ensure that students are getting plenty of rest and eating a healthy breakfast during this time.
Over the winter break, we encourage all students to spend at least 20 minutes a day reading. The experience of reading (whether you’re the reader or the one being read to) activates many parts of the brain. If a child reads for 20 minutes every day, they are exposed to about 1.8 million words of text every year! Over the break, grab a good book and a blanket and spend some quality time together exercising the brain!
As you reflect on your blessings and goals in the year to come, I wish you happy holidays and a restful and rewarding break. I look forward to the great things we'll accomplish together in 2023. The best is yet to come!
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
- 12/2: PTO Adult BUNCO Night (Pizza Hut/Maize Rd - doors open @6pm/game starts @6:30pm)
- 12/6: PTO Pizza Hut Day, All Day (Pizza Hut/Maize Rd)
- 12/9: PTO Raffle Basket Assembly for BINGO Night (8:45am at Vermillion Elementary)
- 12/21: PTO PJ Day (a recommended donation amount is $1 or more)
- 12/23: PTO Thunder Night with Santa ($10 tickets - game starts @7:05pm)
- 12/22-1/4: NO SCHOOL, Winter Break
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.
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 (the first Friday of each month) at 3:15. Please attempt to wait until 3:35 to pick up your child (if you have to pick up early) on these Family days. 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
The best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear! Christmas is a favorite time in the music classroom. We will be singing, moving and playing instruments as well as working on music concepts.
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 is Looking for Loot!
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 like ring pops or 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!)
Upcoming Music Concerts:
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)
Update from Coach
We have been working on cup stacking through the month of November. Students were working on using both hands at the same time. As a school we participated in the Guinness World Record of cup stackers around the world. They are trying to get 755,000 stackers worldwide over three days. The old record was 650,000 stackers.
We have been working on the Capturing Kids Heart of Sportsmanship and playing safe, fair and honest.
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
Get ready for the December Reading Challenge! Students are encouraged to read 5 books between November 28 - December 20. Students that complete the challenge will receive a coupon for a FREE Panda Express Kids Meal and will be entered in a drawing for a fun holiday prize pack. The drawing will be held on Wednesday, December 21 just before winter break.
Students can pick up a December Reading Bookmark from the library starting Monday, November 28. Below is an example bookmark.
If you have any questions or need help with Library needs, please contact me at shills@usd266.com
From the Nurse
- Health Screenings
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
We will be working on raffle basket assembly on December 9 at 8:45am at Vermillion Elementary for our BINGO Night on January 13. We need volunteers to come and help us assemble. We are still accepting prizes and raffle items. If you have donations, please drop them off at the school office, or email the PTO at vermillionpto@hotmail.com.
PTO Newsletter
Click on the link below to see the PTO newsletter and get more information about upcoming events!
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