October 2017
“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.”
~Babe Ruth
Welcome to October! Thank you for all of your cooperation in getting your children to school in a timely manner. Our new arrival “system,” which allows students to purchase breakfast and/or just gather in the cafeteria to catch up with friends, has been very successful. Many teachers have commented that the extra five minutes added to the start of the school day has provided the time needed for students to arrive in time for first period on time and ready to learn; that is exactly the desired result!
We thoroughly enjoyed seeing so many of you at the VTHS Back-to-School Night. The large number of parents and guardians who attended sent a clear message that you want to be involved in your child’s education. Thank you for being here!
To continue with that positive trend, we have reinstated Parent/Guardian-Teacher Conferences at the high school for the first time in many years. On Monday, October 16th, Tuesday, October 17th and Wednesday, October 18th, our students will be dismissed at 11:25 am, which will allow our teachers to be prepared to conduct conferences from 12 noon until 2:00 pm on each of the aforementioned days. Unfortunately, there will be no evening conferences at the high school this year, since this event was not scheduled when the 2017-2018 calendar was developed. On the positive side, this schedule will allow our teachers six hours to meet with you, the parents/guardians of our students. We hope you will be able to rearrange your schedules and join us. In an effort to assist our student-athletes, parents/guardians and coaches, athletes who do not have rides back to school following dismissal may remain at school if they have notified their respective coaches. Administrators will monitor the athletes until the conclusion of the conferences each day.
October 2nd through 6th is the WEEK of RESPECT and the VTHS SPIRIT WEEK. Please encourage your child to participate in each of these activities:
Monday – Go Blue to Help Raise Awareness and Change the Culture
Tuesday – Scholar Day (dress like a scholarly student!)
Wednesday– Hawaii/Tropical Day (get out those summer clothes again)
Thursday– wear red, white and blue!
Friday – uniform and/or Blue and Gold Day!
On Friday, October 6th the high school staff and students will enjoy the first Pep Rally of 2017-2018! We will follow a shortened schedule to accommodate the rally, but students will be dismissed at the regular time for a full day—2:00 pm.
On Friday evening, October 6th, our Varsity team will be playing their Homecoming Football game at Macerino Stadium, beginning at 7:00 pm. During the football game, the snack bar will be open, serving some delicious food for your dining pleasure! During this event, the Junior Class is asking for your assistance in stocking their shelves. Please follow this link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/508054ea8af29a4f49-junior and help them provide lots of goodies to our guests. Thank you in advance for your anticipated generosity.
There will be no school for students on Monday, October 9th, in order to provide time for a full day of professional development for the teachers of the district. Enjoy the extended weekend!
On Wednesday, October 11th, the sophomores and juniors will be taking the PSAT. Please ensure that your child attends school that day. Thank you.
Our Guidance Department is hard at work developing informative workshops for our students and their families. Please be sure to join us for a FAFSA Workshop on Tuesday, October 10th at 7:00 pm. Our College Fair will be held on Thursday, October 12th from 7:00-9:00 pm in the high school gym. On Friday, October 13th, students are encouraged to wear a college sweatshirt or t-shirt of their choice to promote and celebrate education beyond the high school!
The photographer will be here for re-takes on Thursday, October 19th for students in grades 9, 10 and 11. Please mark your calendars and remind your children to get their photo taken if they were absent on the original picture day or if their pictures are not to your liking.
If you are attending any sporting or musical events—or have some excellent photos that you have already taken—please share them with me at panderson@vtsd.com. I would welcome the opportunity to share our students’ accomplishments beyond the classroom on our website. Thank you!
Congratulations to all of our sports’ teams for a great fall season. The hours of practice and dedication of our coaches and athletes does not go unnoticed and/or unappreciated. I would also like to thank the parents/guardians who are our biggest fans!
Congratulations, too, to everyone who was involved in Music in the Mountains! It was a proud day for the Vernon Township School District and the high school to see the exemplary performances by our students and to witness the cooperation between our staff members and our parents/guardians to make it a memorable–and delicious–event for so many bands and their families. Thank you, one and all!
A look ahead:
PARCC testing at the high school are scheduled as follows:
ELA – Tuesday, April 17; Wednesday, April 18; Thursday, April 19, 2018
Math – Tuesday, April 24; Wednesday, April 25; Thursday, April 26, 2018
Make-up Testing – TBD
High School AP Tests – Monday, May 7 through Friday, May 18, 2018
Please be sure to check the VTHS website and calendar regularly for updates about our upcoming events.
Thank you for all of your cooperation in ensuring that your child’s educational experience is a quality one!