The Viking View

Monday, April 24th

8 Period Day

• Advisory Schedule
• Sign-Up for Viking Time
• 8th Period - Drop-Off Chromebooks in Testing Rooms (8th Grade ONLY)

Musical Rehearsal

• Stage
• 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Boys Soccer Fowler vs. VMS

• Liberty High School
• 5:30 p.m./7 p.m.

Tuesday, April 25th

STAAR Science (8th Grade)

8 Period Day

• Viking Time

Wednesday, April 26th

STAAR Social Studies (8th Grade)

8 Period Day

• Viking Time

Musical Rehearsal

• Cafe
• 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Thursday, April 27th

Make-Up STAAR

• Science/Social Studies (8th Grade)
• Reading (6th-8th Grade)

8 Period Day

• Viking Time

Pop-Up Art Show

• GT Hallway
• 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

PTA General Membership Meeting

• Library
• 6 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Beauty & The Beast Musical Performance

• Cafetorium
• 6:30 p.m.
  

Girls Soccer Fowler vs. VMS

• Liberty High School
• 5:30 p.m./7 p.m.

Friday, April 28th

Spirit Day - Wear VMS, Liberty, or Emerson spirit wear!

8 Period Day

• Viking Time

Musical Rehearsal

• Cafetorium
• 6:30 p.m.

The 17th Annual Red Rhythm Revue

• Liberty High School Auditorium
• 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 29th

The 17th Annual Red Rhythm Revue

• Liberty High School Auditorium
• 7 p.m.

May

1-5 Staff Appreciation Week

1 National Principals' Day

1 2nd 3 Week IPR

1 Band Solo Festival

1 BS VMS vs Pearson @ Reedy

2 STAAR Math (8th Grade)/Algebra EOC

3 STAAR Math (6th & 7th Grade)

3 Band Spring Concert @ Liberty

3 GT Rising Viking Night

4 STAAR Make-Up Day

4 Theatre Performance (Student Directed)

4 GS VMS vs. Pearson

5 STAAR Make-Up Day

5 Theatre Jr. ITS Induction Ceremony

6 Band Six Flags Trip

We will collect district-issued Chromebooks and chargers on Monday, May 15th through ILA classes.

If your student has lost or broken their Chromebook charger, per the Chromebook Take Home Handbook they will need to replace it before returning their Chromebook on May 15th. There are two options on replacing a Chromebook charger:

• Option 1 – A parent can purchase a charger through Online School Fees. Please let Administration know before the student returns their Chromebook.
• Option 2 – A parent can purchase an approved charger through Amazon and return the replacement charger with their Chromebook.
• Approved Charger

The 2023 STAAR administration will begin Tuesday, April 18th and extend through Wednesday, May 3rd. This year all STAAR assessments will be provided to students online, utilizing their district issued chromebook. During these three weeks of STAAR administration, all students will be attending 8 class period days. We will not be holding modified blocked days on Wednesdays or Thursdays, during these three weeks of STAAR administration.

There are several things you can do to help your child have a positive testing experience:

• Please do not schedule doctor or dentist appointments on testing days.
• Make certain your child gets plenty of rest, eats a good breakfast, and arrives at school on time.
• Students are required to be in their testing room promptly by 8:15 AM. We will begin releasing students from their designated morning location shortly after 8 a.m.
• Student will eat lunch in the cafeteria following their STAAR assessments. Lunch deliveries or other drop offs will NOT be permitted on STAAR testing days.
• Students will need to bring their FISD issued chromebook, fully charged and their charger the day before testing. Students will leave their chromebook and charger in their testing room each Monday of testing week to ensure technology is ready and available on testing day.
• Students who receive oral administration will need wired headphones. AirPods or other wireless headphones are not allowed during state testing.
• Students may bring pencils, a lunch, a clear water bottle and a book to read after testing. Students may also bring a dry snack in a sandwich-sized plastic bag (Individual items must be unwrapped and no messy foods like Cheetos).
• The campus will be closed to visitors on testing days.

The district policy regarding cell phones and electronic devices during STAAR testing states that cell phones, smart watches and all electronic devices are banned from classrooms, hallways and restrooms during STAAR testing administration. A student discovered to be in possession of a cell phone or electronic device, once testing has begun may be subject to disciplinary action and the test in progress will be marked “no score”.

The district has also provided campus’ information regarding STAAR Testing and HB 4545. HB 4545 requires Texas school districts to provide supplemental accelerated instruction for any student who did not perform satisfactorily on the STAAR grades 3-8 or STAAR EOC assessments. HB 4545 requires supplemental accelerated instruction for students who do not pass (i.e., does not have a passing score) STAAR. State law makes it clear that students may not opt out of tests, including standardized tests. More information is provided in this link STAAR Testing and HB 4545.

Please take note of all upcoming 2023 STAAR testing dates:

• April 18th: 8th Grade Reading STAAR
• April 19th: 6th & 7th Grade Reading STAAR
• April 25th: 8th Grade Science STAAR
• April 26th: 8th Grade Social Studies STAAR
• May 2nd: 8th Grade Math & Algebra 1 EOC (Including Geometry & Algebra 2 Students)
• May 3rd: 6th & 7th Grade Math

All students will take the Math assessment aligned with the course they are enrolled. All Geometry and Algebra 2 students will take the 8th grade Math STAAR on May 2nd.

Thank you for all you do for the students, faculty and staff at Vandeventer Middle School.

This past Saturday our VMS Academic Pentathlon team participated in our yearly competition. This competition pits us against all other schools in the district. WE WALKED AWAY WITH SOME AWESOME AWARDS!!! Ms. Buzan and Mrs. Roberts are extremely proud of their team! Additionally, pur Vandeventer Middle School 7th graders placed 4th and our 8th graders placed 13th in STATE! Congratulations to our Academic Pentathlon students!

Team Awards:

The 7th grade team placed 3rd place overall and 8th grade team placed 5th overall!

(What is truly amazing about this is that we did not participate with a “full” team. The teams that beat us had more scores count for them.)

Competition Top Scorer Individual Awards for 7th Grade

Rishav Mukerjee placed 1st overall as TOP DISTRICT SCORER for Scholastic 7th graders

Viraj Mallampalli placed 2nd overall as TOP DISTRICT SCORER for Scholastic 7th graders

Anu Punnam placed 2nd overall as TOP DISTRICT SCORER for Honors 7th graders

Subject Specific 7th grade individual scores

Anu Punnam received 1 4th place medal and 4 2nd place medals

VB Kabra received 1 4th place medal and 3 3rd place medals

Akshaj Raghuram received 2 5th place medals.

Rishav Mukherjee received 2 4th place medals, 1 3rd place medal, and 3 1st place medals

Viraj Mallampalli received 1 5th, 1 4th, 2 3rd, 1 2nd, and 1 1st place medal

Competition Top Scorer Individual Awards for 8th Grade

Sahana Narasimhan placed 2nd overall as TOP DISTRICT SCORER for Honors 8th graders

Subject Specific 8th grade individual scores

Sahana Narasimhan received 1 5th, 1 4th, 1 3rd, 2 2nd, and 1 1st place medal

Ranveer Awasthi received 1 5th place, 2 4th place, and 1 3rd place medal

Sonal Gupta received 1 5th and 1 3rd place medal

Please help me congratulate the Vandeventer Middle School Beginner Band for earning a superior rating from all three judges at the Pride of Texas Music Festival. Way to go, Vikings!

Come out and see Vandeventer Fine Art's collaborative musical, Beauty and the Beast Jr.! Performance dates are Thursday, April 27th and Friday, April 28th at 6:30 p.m. Doors will open at approximately 6 p.m. Tickets are cash only, sold at the door. $5 for students, $10 for adults. Under 5 get in free. We hope to see you there!

Registration for Strength and Conditioning Camp opened today! See below for details.

Dates:

June 5-8
June 12-15
June 19-22
June 26-29
July 17-20
Times: 7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Cost: $240

Location: VMS Gyms

Requirements: Complete the waiver linked here: http://bit.ly/3lSxPXY and email it to Coach Park (Girls Athletics) at parkd@friscoisd.org or Coach Casares (Boys Athletics) at casaresa@friscoisd.org.

More information can be found at https://friscoisd.store.rankone.com/Camp/List#

Registration and fittings

Who: All Emerson Band and Color Guard Members

What: You will register for band for 2023-2024, purchase needed items, and get fitted for all uniform items.

When: May 19th

Time: 2 p.m. - 8 p.m. (This will be a come-and-go event.)

May Music Camp

Who: All Emerson Band Brass and Woodwind Students

What: We will begin learning all our music for football games and our competitive marching show.

When: May 22nd - May 24th

Time: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Percussion May Camp

Who: All EHS Percussionists

What: We will begin learning all our music for football games and our competitive marching show.

When: May 22nd - May 24th

Times: 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Marching Percussion; 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Front Ensemble

Percussion Camp

Who: All EHS Percussionists

What: We will begin learning all our music for football games and our competitive marching show.

When: July 17th - July 19th

Time: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (with a lunch break)

Summer Band Camp

Who: All Emerson Band and Color Guard Members

What: We will learn the all-state music, all music for football games, marching and movement fundamentals, and our competitive marching show.

When : July 25th - August 8th

www.emersonband.com/calendar

The annual student registration process begins in April for current students, including current Pre-K students. Parents and guardians should watch their email April 4th-14th for an invitation to indicate enrollment intentions for the 2023-24 school year. Families cannot register until they receive the email with the unique snapcode. Learn more about the 2023-24 registration season. Questions? Contact the front office if you do not get an email by the 14th.

Frisco ISD will survey 4th-12th grade students, parents and staff between April 12-26, 2023.

The goal: Frisco ISD wants honest opinions, attitudes and perceptions about Frisco ISD and the campus to identify gaps and alignments of stakeholder perspectives to inform the improvement planning processes across the District.

How: Each campus will administer the student survey in a timeline and fashion that works best for their student community during school hours. (It will take no more than 10 minutes.) Parents can find the student questionnaire and an opt-out link on the District website. Parents will receive a direct email on the afternoon of April 12 with a link to the survey. The survey will close Wednesday, April 26 at 11:59 p.m.

The next Board of Trustee Election is on May 6th. Please register to vote by April 6th to make sure that you are set to vote in the next cycle. Here are some helpful links:

• Check your registration status

• Print a voter registration application

• Request an application from your county elections administrator

Submit or deliver the application to the county voter registrar!

Mark your calendar for the Vandeventer Middle School end-of-year activities and events:

Tuesday, May 9th - 8th Grade Field Trip (Zoo)

Wednesday, May 10th - Senior Breakfast; Vandeventer MS Library @ 7:45 a.m.

Friday, May 12th - Pep-Rally/Ninja Nation (All Grades/All Day Event Sponsored by PTA)

Tuesday, May 16th - 6th Grade Award Assembly; Vandeventer MS Gym @ 9 a.m.

Tuesday, May 16th - 7th Grade Field Trip (Rough Riders)

Tuesday, May 16th - 8th Grade Award Assembly; Liberty High School Auditorium @ 6 p.m.

Wednesday, May 17th - 7th Grade Award Assembly; VMS Gym @ 9 a.m.

Thursday, May 18th - 8th Grade Celebration Day

Friday, May 19th - 8th Grade Walk

The above referenced list is not all inclusive. Athletics, fine arts, and some clubs and organizations may also have end-of-year activities for student participants. All dates/times are tentative and will be confirmed in late-April or early-May.

All tickets to athletic events hosted at FISD venues (including Ford Center and Toyota Stadium) must be purchased online. No tickets are available at the front entrances, but tickets can be purchased up through game time using the ticketing website. Visit tickets.friscoisd.org to purchase season passes and individual tickets.

Ms. Taylor began her career in education in 1997 with Irving ISD after receiving her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Dallas. After several years as a teacher and coach, she obtained her master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University of North Texas and continued in Irving as a middle school assistant principal. In 2006, she transitioned to Dallas ISD where she worked in various leadership roles until moving to the Frisco area five years ago. This is Ms. Taylor's fourth year as the Viking principal, and she looks forward to another great school year!

Elizabeth Murray grew up in Port Arthur, Texas. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas A&M University and a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Lamar University. She started her teaching career in 2006 as a 6th grade math teacher at Clark Middle School and then spent the next 14 years teaching all grade levels of math at Fowler Middle School. During the 2021-2022 school year, she was selected as an Administrative Intern for Staley Middle School. Mrs. Murray will be join Vandeventer Middle School this year and she is so excited to be a Viking!

Marla Smith got her start in marketing and public relations, but found her true calling in education with the Dallas ISD in 2002. She taught RLA for 10 years and was a master teacher before transitioning to Central Office and School Leadership for another 7 years. Mrs. Smith earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from Howard Payne University and her Masters degree in Education Technology from Lamar University. She has a husband and two teenagers. Mrs. Smith is excited to begin her fourth year at Vandeventer Middle School.

Email: vandeventer@friscoisd.org
Website: https://schools.friscoisd.org/campus/middle-school/vandeventer/home
Location: 6075 Independence Parkway, Frisco, TX, USA
Phone: 469-633-4350
Facebook: facebook.com/VandeventerMiddleSchool
Twitter: @VandeventerMS