Today was our first Pep Assembly and the energy level was HIGH! The kids were excited and well behaved. The Cross Country and Volleyball teams were recognized and we competed in the paper airplane challenge. We danced and sang! It was a fun day! The pictures are down below.

Have a great weekend!

As part of continuing efforts to provide services that support student wellness, Valley Park School District is partnering with Hazel Health to offer free mental health teletherapy visits for all students.

With Hazel HEART, students can meet with a licensed therapist from school or at home, bridging the gap until local therapists become available or helping with less acute issues. The referrals can come from school personnel or directly from a parent or guardian. Like all Hazel telehealth services, parental consent is required.

This service is available to all Valley Park School District students and it is provided at no cost to VPSD families. Please note, Hazel works with insurance plans, and collects insurance information as part of the consent process. Hazel works with all students at no cost to families, regardless of insurance status, including families that do not have insurance. When insurance is billed, the district will cover any out-of-pocket costs. We encourage families to check with their insurance plans to determine if there are any annual caps on the number of allowed therapy sessions, as Hazel visits might count against any limits.

Hazel HEART mental health services include:

• Short-term therapy visits: Therapy sessions can help students cope with everyday issues such as anxiety, bullying, withdrawal, grief, peer and family relationships, depression, not enjoying things they used to enjoy or simply not feeling like themselves.

• Care coordination: Family resource managers from Hazel work closely with families to coordinate their child’s care. If your child needs additional services outside of what Hazel can offer, Hazel will help families connect with great local providers.

• Therapists who care: Hazel therapists know how to connect with children and teens. Their multilingual team practices culturally competent care for all students.

This expanded partnership is designed to increase access to quality health care for all students, working in partnership with community providers to quickly address the social-emotional needs of students who may be struggling.

Learn more here.

The St. Louis County Library will give away 1,000 Chromebooks in an effort to provide residents access to the internet who lack the equipment and service to do so.

Funding for the devices is coming from the Emergency Connectivity Fund. The Chromebooks will come with a free mobile internet connection through June 30, 2024.

Applications will be accepted for all ages. A parent or guardian must be listed on applications for people under 18. You don’t have to have a St. Louis County Library card to apply but have to be a resident of the St. Louis County Library District. Applications will be accepted from Tuesday, September 19 through October 1.

All applicants will be notified by October 6. People who are chosen to get a Chromebook will be able to pick it up at a St. Louis County Library location.

https://www.slcl.org/library-services/ecf-chromebooks

Registration for the Valley Park Future Hawks Basketball League is currently open for K-8th grade boys and girls through October 25, 2023. The online registration form can be found by clicking on this link. Cost of the league is $80 if you plan to reuse your jersey from last year, or $100 if you need a new jersey. Practices will begin in early November with games scheduled to begin in early December. The Future Hawks Basketball League is also looking for coaches at many levels. If you are interested in coaching a team, please reach out to Dean of Students Thomas Rauls, at trauls@vpschools.org