Viking View

Vandeventer Middle School's PTA is looking to fill the positions listed below on the Executive Board for the 2021-2022 school year. Please email the Nomination Committee at committee.vmspta@gmail.com with your contact information and position you are interested in.

• President
• 1st VP Membership
• 2nd VP Fundraising
• Treasurer

Women’s History Month (March) commemorates the contributions and achievements of women over the course of American history in a variety of fields. Teachers are encouraged to integrate the rich history of women into their instructional efforts this month. As always, our recognition and attention to women in history do not have to be relegated to a finite period.

Monday, March 15
Advisory Schedule
FC Dallas (Virtual Study Trip)

• 6th Grade
  

Tuesday, March 16
Viking Time Schedule: Week 1/1st Period
TELPAS Make-Up Testing

Wednesday, March 17
Viking Time Schedule: Week 1/2nd Period
Track Meet @ Frisco HS

• 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
  

Thursday, March 18
Viking Time Schedule: Week 1/3rd Period
TNS/C-Hall

• 3:45 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.
  

UIL Choir Practice (Cafe)

• 4:30 pm. - 5:30 p.m.

Friday, March 19
Viking Time Schedule: Week 1/4th Period
End of Q3

March

22 Q4 Begins

22 Virtual Workforce Fair

23 Virtual Workforce Fair

24 Track Meet @ Centennial HS

24 Virtual Workforce Fair

25 UIL Choir Practice

25 Virtual Workforce Fair

26 UIL Eligibility Date

This week, the Texas Education Agency recommended that schools continue to require masks despite the Governor’s removal of a statewide mask mandate. Frisco ISD will maintain the same face covering requirements that have been in place all school year. As a reminder, the guidelines state that staff, visitors and students will wear face coverings while at school and on buses, including in classrooms, except when campus protocols specifically permit their removal.

Please reference this letter sent earlier today by the District for additional information. Online Frequently Asked Questions have also been updated.

One goal of the District’s Guidance and Counseling Department is to ensure that all FISD graduates have a plan for after high school. Some of those plans include college directly after high school or later on. For many other students, alternate programs such as two-year certificate programs, the military or workforce training programs can provide opportunities directly after high school in high-demand careers. We encourage all students to reflect on their goals and to explore multiple post-secondary options for purpose and success.

The goal of the Frisco ISD Virtual Workforce Fair is to educate, prepare and connect students with post-secondary career options and pathways. Join us March 22-26 for an exciting week full of speakers ready to equip students and parents with knowledge and information regarding a wide range of career options! Register now for individual sessions!

Workforce Fair Flyer

Registration for individual sessions

Thanks to a grant from CoServ, FEF is offering a Mini-Grant cycle to FISD educators beginning March 15th. Grants must be STEM related and requests may not exceed $1,000. Grant application and information will be live on the FEF website beginning Monday, March 15th.

Let’s give a round of applause to the following students who placed at the Regional Science and Engineering Fair: Aashi Oswal for placing 2nd place in Behavioral & Social Sciences and Ryan Lee for placing 1st place in Chemistry! We are so proud of you both! Ryan Lee will be advancing to the Texas State Science and Engineering Fair March 26 and 27. Way to go! We are rooting for you, Ryan!

Please click this Frisco ISD: Frequently Asked Questions link for information related to STAAR.

On Thursday, March 4th, the district recognized the following students for outstanding tech design in the UIL Technical Design Contest. Congratulations to all of our Vandeventer students for their accomplishment! Amazing work!

Costume Design

1. Charlotte Dejecacion (Hunt MS)
2. Advait Singh (Vandeventer MS) (Click to View)
3. Addison Truman (Stafford MS)
4. Karina Ayala (Wester MS)
5. Loren Roche (Stafford MS)

Marketing Design

1. Charlotte Dejecacion (Hunt MS)
2. D. Rajan (Scoggins MS)
3. Mia Hubert (Clark/Trent MS)
4. Mukta Daripalli (Nelson MS)
5. Riya Sharma (Vandeventer MS) (Click to View)

Hair/Makeup Design

1. London Ayala (Wester MS)
2. Tatum Friend (Stafford MS)
3. Grace Fung (Vandeventer MS) (Click to View)
4. Sanyam Shekhar (Nelson MS)
5. Abigail Timmons (Stafford MS)

Please take a moment to make a video for our Multicultural Night. You will have 90 seconds (1.5 minutes) to share any of the information listed below.

Share information about your heritage and culture that makes it special.

1. name of your country

1. types of foods that are common

1. languages spoken

1. clothing worn for special ceremonies or everyday clothing unique to your culture

Share some of the artwork you have created this year that represents your culture.

Share a performing arts performance by dancing, singing, or playing a musical instrument.

We can't wait to view your submissions in preparation for our Multicultural Celebration! For more information, see Mrs. Shea.

In order to provide the safest and most orderly environment possible at VMS sporting events, please adhere to the following rules:

• Parents should only purchase their allotted number of tickets (up to 3). Attendance at games should be limited to families of participants only. Sharing codes or purchasing more than what is allowed may hinder other families from attending games and could result in a loss of privilege of attending games.

• Family groups should sit together, but 6 feet from other family groups.

• Masks are required at indoor events and encouraged at outdoor events, especially if unable to stay 6 feet apart.

• Families, including younger siblings, should not have the following items or similar items with them: football, soccer ball, tennis ball, volleyball, skateboard, scooter, etc. The items may be confiscated until the end of the event and individuals will be asked to return to their seats.

• Families, including younger siblings, should remain in the stands to watch the games.

• Family conduct should promote sportsmanship and reflect our team in a positive and respectful manner. Conversations should be appropriate and profanity is prohibited.

We ask for your continued support in creating a safe environment for our athletes during the pandemic. Potential risks for your family are also a risk for the VMS community. Please consider the following:

• Keep your student home if symptoms are noticed.

• Be forthcoming regarding exposure, potential exposure, or illness with your student and/or family member.

• Be wise with social activity and follow recommendations from the CDC and Health Department. Social activities away from school continue to impact the campus.

Thank you for your support of our FISD athletes, families and spectators – we’ll see you at the games!

Curricular Clubs: Reach out to the sponsors for virtual meeting dates/times.

National Junior Honor Society - Sponsor Kim Shea

Art Club - Sponsor Leanne Rainey

Academic Pentathlon - Sponsors Kristen Roberts & Jamie Buzan

STUCO - Allison Hillman

Vikings Read Book Club - Amy Hon

Non-Curricular Clubs: Students may provide information related to their non-curricular club to their peers via student created posters, word-of-mouth, and student announcements.

Students and parents will be able to access teacher lesson plans via our campus website by clicking this Vandeventer Website link. Once you have accessed the website, please follow these instructions:

• Find the news section on our campus website
• Click on the eLearning 2.0 button
• Find the teachers and click their name
• Follow the teacher's instructions for synchronous and asynchronous learning

Lesson plans will be posted on our campus website by 8:00 a.m. every Monday morning during 5-day work weeks. During holiday/professional development weeks availability to lesson plans dates/times may vary.

If you have trouble locating the teacher lesson plans, please reach out to your teacher. Teacher emails can be located on the Vandeventer Staff Page.

If your child is going to be absent from school for any part of or the entire day, please submit the attendance information before 8:30 a.m. via the REPORT AN ABSENCE form by clicking the REPORT AN ABSENCE tab on the top right corner of our campus homepage.

Phone calls are a courtesy, but this form (as outlined below) is the only means for official absence reporting. Parents will be expected to complete the following information by clicking the form from the REPORT AN ABSENCE tab on the top right corner of our campus homepage:

REPORT AN ABSENCE

STUDENT ID - OPTIONAL

STUDENT LEGAL NAME - REQUIRED

DATE OF ABSENCE - REQUIRED

(If absent more than one day, include all days of absence in the explanation on the next field.)

REASON FOR ABSENCE - REQUIRED

(Please include specific information or symptoms; "sick" is not sufficient for our records.)

COVID-19 - REQUIRED
Is this absence related to Covid-19? Yes No

Please provide an email (required) or phone number (optional) where you may be reached.

EMAIL - REQUIRED

PHONE - OPTIONAL

DOCTOR NOTE - OPTIONAL: Upload a doctor's note explaining the reason for your child's absence.

We would like to reiterate the importance and expectation of attendance for our virtual academy students. Please make sure your student is adhering to the following expectations:

• Follow the campus bell schedule
• Attend all classes virtually (i.e. Zoom or Google Meets)
• Participate in virtual classes by keeping the CAMERA ON (the teacher needs to see the student's face)
• Stay on the required virtual session until the teacher dismisses the class for asynchronous assignments
• Complete all assignments as directed by the teacher

Virtual students are expected to adhere to all compulsory attendance laws, district policy and campus expectations. Failure to follow these attendance guidelines will be considered a violation of law, and students will be subject to disciplinary action.

STUDENTS WHO DO NOT TURN THEIR CAMERA ON WILL BE MARKED ABSENT. If you are experiencing camera issues with your device, please reach out to our receptionist, Emily Waltz @ waltze@friscoisd.org, to schedule a time to pick-up a Chromebook from the school.

For more information related to attendance, please visit the district's webpage @ https://www.friscoisd.org/about/resources-and-information/school-attendance

As a reminder, Frisco ISD schools will notify parents and staff on a weekly, rather than daily, basis if a student or staff member who was on campus during the infectious period tests positive for COVID-19. Parents and community members can continue to track new daily case reports on the District’s COVID-19 dashboard once the dashboard returns Jan. 6. This change applies only to the general email notification of a COVID-19 case on campus; students and staff who were in close contact with the positive individual will continue to be notified as soon as possible regarding their potential exposure and need to quarantine. Learn more about the District's COVID-19 notification protocols.

Keep in mind these east tips on ways we can stop the spread as a community:

• Maintain 6 feet of distance when possible and wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth
• Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
• Screen your student daily prior to school for signs and symptoms of illness
• Keep your student home if an undiagnosed symptom or illness is noticed
• Be wise with social activity and follow recommendations from the CDC and local health service authorities

The Frisco ISD COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions is an excellent resource as you have questions about how this pandemic has impacted our District.

Please use this link to schedule your lunch visitation. Due to social distancing guidelines, there is a two family minimum for each lunch time.

• Parents will be allowed to eat lunch with their student(s) during the fall semester; however, we are asking parents to notify the administration as least 24 hours in advance.
  
• Parents/guardians are NOT allowed to bring food and/or eat lunch with students other than their own.
• Social-distancing guidelines will be strictly enforced in the cafeteria.
• There will be tables designated for parents eating lunch with their students(s).
• Parents/guardians MUST check-in at the front office to receive a visitor badge.
• Parents/guardians must comply with campus expectations regarding face coverings and social-distancing.
• Students may still receive lunch drop-offs via the grade level coolers/buckets placed outdoors in front of the cafeteria entrance.

Students may click the link below if experiencing technology issues (Canvas, FISD login, Student Portal, Zoom). From the main FISD homepage, students must click on the word Virtual under the Instruction button, then choose Technology Resources from the menu on the left side of the screen.

VMS PTA is looking to fill the following positions on the Executive Board for 2021-2022. Please email the Nomination Committee at committee.vmspta@gmail.com with your contact information and position you are interested in serving. Students of current executive board members are “graduating” to Liberty High School next year and will not able to stay on in their current positions.

President

1st VP Membership

2nd VP Fundraising

Treasurer

World Wear Project: Thank you for continuing to donate your unused and unwanted clothing, shoes, backpacks, and toys.

Join PTA: Parents, teachers, and students, if you have not had the chance to join VMS PTA this year, please join either through the PTA website http://vandevikings.my-pta.org/content.asp?PageID=8 or directly at https://www.joinpta.org/.

We have LOTS of spirit wear in stock! Visit http://vandevikings.my-pta.org/content.asp?PageID=6 to purchase Spirit Wear, Yard Signs, and/or Car Decals.

Like VMS PTA Facebook page to see the latest updates vis the following link: https://www.facebook.com/vandeventerpta/

For questions regarding VMA PTA , please contact president.vmspta@gmail.com

Melani Smith, MS, LPC, NCC

Virtual Counseling Office

Student Support Coordinator

smithmela@friscoisd.org

Virtual Counseling Office

Virtual Appointment Request Form

6075 Independence Parkway

Frisco, Texas 75035

Email: vandeventer@friscoisd.org
Website: http://schools.friscoisd.org/campus/middle-school/vandeventer/home
Phone: 469-633-4350
Facebook: facebook.com/VandeventerMiddleSchool
Twitter: @VandeventerMS