Viking View

Please come join us for the last PTA General Meeting of the 2020-2021 school year. We would also like to celebrate the support of our generous community with a Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast. Both events are scheduled for Wednesday, May 19, 2021 from 8:45-10:15 a.m. in VMS Library.

It's Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, and the VMS Library has so many wonderful books to celebrate and recognize these amazing voices! Come check one out!

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month - A celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. A rather broad term, Asian/Pacific encompasses all of the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia (New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands), Micronesia (Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia) and Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island).

Like most commemorative months, Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month originated with Congress. In 1977 Reps. Frank Horton of New York introduced House Joint Resolution 540 to proclaim the first ten days in May as Pacific/Asian American Heritage Week. In the same year, Senator Daniel Inouye introduced a similar resolution, Senate Joint Resolution 72. Neither of these resolutions passed, so in June 1978, Rep. Horton introduced House Joint Resolution 1007. This resolution proposed that the President should “proclaim a week, which is to include the seventh and tenth of the month, during the first ten days in May of 1979 as ‘Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week.’” This joint resolution was passed by the House and then the Senate and was signed by President Jimmy Carter on October 5, 1978 to become Public Law 95-419 (PDF, 158kb). This law amended the original language of the bill and directed the President to issue a proclamation for the “7 day period beginning on May 4, 1979 as ‘Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week.’” During the next decade, presidents passed annual proclamations for Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week until 1990 when Congress passed Public Law 101-283 (PDF, 166kb) which expanded the observance to a month for 1990. Then in 1992, Congress passed Public Law 102-450 (PDF, 285kb) which annually designated May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.

The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.

To find out more information about the contributions of Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders to the United States, visit https://asianpacificheritage.gov/about/..

On April 20, 2006, President George W. Bush proclaimed that May would be Jewish American Heritage Month. The announcement was the crowning achievement in an effort by the Jewish Museum of Florida and South Florida Jewish community leaders that resulted in resolutions introduced by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida and Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania urging the president to proclaim a month that would recognize the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions to American culture. The resolutions passed unanimously, first in the House of Representatives in December 2005 and later in the Senate in February 2006.

The month of May was chosen due to the highly successful celebration of the 350th Anniversary of American Jewish History in May 2004, which was organized by the Commission for Commemorating 350 Years of American Jewish History. This coalition was composed of the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, the American Jewish Historical Society, the Library of Congress and the National Archives and Records Administration.

Leading the way in implementation of the annual celebration is the Jewish American Heritage Month Coalition, formed in March 2007 and convened by United Jewish Communities, the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives and the American Jewish Historical Society.

To find out more information about Jewish American Heritage Month, visit https://www.jewishheritagemonth.gov/about/.

Monday, May 10

Dress Day - Superhero Day

Viking Time Week 1: Advisory

InfoSnap Codes Sent on 5-3

• Registration Opens
• POR Link Active

UIL Eligibility - Q4 3 Week IPR

TNR/TNS/C-Hall

• 3:45 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

8 B/G Soccer VMS vs. Maus

• Heritage HIgh School
• 5:30 p.m./7 p.m.

Tuesday, May 11

STAAR Math Testing Day (6th & 7th Grades)

Dress Day - Tie Dye Apparel

Viking Time Week 1: 1st Period

InfoSnap Codes Sent on 5-3

• Registration Opens
• POR Link Active

Cross Country Meet (Boys/Girls)

• Pearson Middle School
• 5 p.m.

• Virtual
• 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Wednesday, May 12

STAAR Reading (8th Grade)

Dress Day - Rock the Rainbow (Wear ROYGBIV!)

Viking Time Week 1: 2nd Period

InfoSnap Codes Sent on 5-3

• Registration Opens
• POR Link Active

7 G/B Soccer VMS vs. Maus

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

Thursday, May 13

STAAR Math (8th Grade)

• Non-Testing Grade Levels Follow 1-8 Period Schedule

Dress Day - Graphic T-Shirt

Viking Time Week 1: 3rd Period

Cross Country Meet (Girls/Boys)

• Pearson Middle School
• 5 p.m.

Friday, May 14

STAAR Reading (6th & 7th Grade)

Dress Day - Stripes

Viking Time Week 1: 4th Period

All Library Books Due

Q4 Assignment Cut Off Date

May

17 Yearbook Distribution

17-19 Device Collection (F2F)

17-19 Textbook Collection (Virtual)

18 8th Grade Celebration

18 Choir Concert (Courtyard)

19 PTA General Meeting & Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast

19 Senior Event

21 Q4 Grades Finalized

21 Device Collection (Virtual)

21 Textbook Collection

21 8th Grade Walk

21 Last Day of School

Monday, May 10 – Superhero

Tuesday, May 11 - Tie Dye

Wednesday, May 12 - Rock the Rainbow (Wear ROYGBIV!)

Thursday, May 13 - Graphic T

Friday, May 14 - Stripes

Monday, May 17 - Middle School Magic (Wear something/anything magical and mystical.)

Tuesday, May 18 - Hawaiian Day

Wednesday, May 19 - Lookalike Day (Dress like your bestie!)

Thursday, May 20 - Hats off to the End-of-Year (Wear your favorite hat.)

Friday, May 21 - Slide into Summer (Wear summer attire and your favorite slides or flip flops!)

Please see the breakdown of the upcoming STAAR/EOC assessments below:

• Tuesday, May 11th - Math STAAR (Grade 6/7) *All VA/F2F 8th graders stay home and participate in asynchronous instruction.

• Wednesday, May 12th - Reading STAAR (Grade 8) *All VA/F2F 8th graders report to campus.

• Thursday, May 13th - Math STAAR (Grade 8) *Students Enrolled in Math 8th Grade/Geometry/Algebra II

• Friday, May 14th - Reading STAAR (Grade 6/7) *All VA/F2F 8th graders stay home and participate in asynchronous instruction.

For a more detailed testing schedule with grade level expectations for attendance, including asynchronous learning dates, you may access this link: STAAR Testing Calendar and Asynchronous Learning

Reminder: Pick up all meds in the clinic

By 4:00 PM on FRIDAY, May 21st!

The last day of school this year is Friday, May 21st. We ask that only a parent or guardian please come to school to pick up all your child’s medication, including any prescription medication, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and Benadryl, on or before Friday, May 21st. Any medication left in the clinic after 4:00 PM on May 21st will be destroyed in accordance with FISD policy. If you’re not sure if you left medication in the clinic for your child this year, please feel free to contact me so I can check for you.

We hope you will understand that this is a safety measure to try and prevent the medication from getting into the wrong hands. This not only protects your child, but it protects other students as well.

For safety reasons, we ask that if your child’s medications include any kind of asthma medicine or an Epi Pen that you wait until the last day of school to take your child’s medications home with you.

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. Please call me at (469) 633-4358 if you have any questions. I wish you all a very happy, safe, and healthy summer!

Heidi Teeling, BSN, RN

Vandeventer Middle School Nurse

Clinic Phone: (469) 633-4358

Email: teelingh@friscoisd.org

Student Council wants to thank all of you who participated in the first ever VMS Virtual Talent Show! There were so many talented entries, but here are the results and winners from each category:

Singing: Misallay Tegene

Instrumental: Om Joshi

Dance: William Randolph

Artwork: Richa Kabnurkar

Misc: Card trick - Euchan Jeong

Also, a special thanks to Max Dowd, Thanisha Dhar and Om Joshi for putting the videos and google form together! Congratulations to all!

Click the VMS Virtual Talent Show 2020-2021 link to access the show! Enjoy!

The application to apply to the full-time Frisco ISD Virtual School is open now! Parents of students entering grades 3-12 who would like them to participate in virtual instruction for the entirety of the 2021-22 school year are asked to complete a form via the District’s secure parent portal, called The Gateway. To assist with planning and hiring for the new school, parents are encouraged to complete the form as soon as possible. The District will continue to communicate details about this new option as pending state legislation related to online learning is finalized. You can now find the planned list of course offerings within the FISD Virtual School on our District website.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Infosnap codes for students who are enrolled in Frisco ISD as of April 8th will go out to families the week of May 3rd. Registration questions can be directed to ISRegistration@friscoisd.org. At that time, the Laserfiche POR submission link will be active for parents to submit a proof of residence for 2021-2022.

Look for Invitation to Register Returning Students May 3-7

Parents listed as primary contacts for students who enrolled in Frisco ISD prior to April 9 will receive email invitations the week of May 3-7 to begin the online registration process for the 2021-22 school year. Parents of students who enrolled after April ​9 can expect to receive their invitation emails the week of June 7. Parents should complete the form regardless of their plans for next school year: returning to the same campus zone, moving to a different campus zone or out of Frisco ISD. In addition to the form, proof of residency and any updated immunization records are required to complete the process for returning students. Please note: there is no choice of in-person or virtual learning within the registration form. Parents who would like their students to participate in virtual instruction during the 2021-22 school year should complete a separate application for the FISD Virtual School in addition to the returning student registration.

FIND MORE INFO & SUPPORT REGARDING RETURNING REGISTRATION

Immunizations are an important part of public health and Texas Law requires students in Texas schools to be immunized against certain vaccine-preventable diseases. We would like to stress the importance of getting these required vaccines at the earliest possible time to avoid the back-to-school immunization rush that occurs every year during the month of August.

Below are vaccines that are required for all students entering the 7th Grade. Please be aware that students without the required immunizations or a valid exemption will not be allowed to attend school.

• Tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap): All students entering 7th grade will be required to have one dose of Tdap vaccine if it has been five years since their last dose of a tetanus containing vaccine. TD is acceptable in lieu of Tdap if contraindication to pertussis exists.
• Meningococcal Vaccine (MCV4): All students entering 7th grade will be required to have one dose of quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine at age 10 or after.

We urge you to contact your primary care physician as soon as possible to see if your child has already received these vaccines and if he/she has, request an updated shot record to provide to the school nurse.

Information regarding school vaccine requirements can be found at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/immunize/

Heidi Teeling, VMS School Nurse

teelingh@friscoisd.org

469-633-4358

After evaluating our athletics protocols and current COVID-19 trends, spectators attending outdoor athletic events will no longer be required to wear face coverings/masks when maintaining 6 feet distance for other people. The district continues to recommend spectators wear appropriate face coverings for the safety of the athletes and spectators. Coaches and athletes will be required to wear a mask during times when they are unable to maintain 6 feet distance from others, such as, when shoulder to shoulder in a dugout or soccer shelter. The district will continue to monitor COVID-19 activity and may reverse this decision if case trends warrant.

We will still ask parents to arrive a few minutes prior to their student's game/event and leave the stadium immediately after it's completed to allow for social distancing. We will be evaluating stadium capacities in the upcoming days/weeks and may adjust those as well depending on our circumstances.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

PTA General Meeting and Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast: Wednesday, May 19, 2021 from 8:45-10:15 a.m. in VMS Library.

School Supplies for 2021-2022 are now available through Sprout School Supplies: https://sproutsupplies.com/ enter VMS001 for school code. Online Ordering Only! All grade levels $50 if ordered by June 22; $60 if ordered after June 22; deadline July 13 (see the flyers above)

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