The Viking View

We are so excited to kick off the PTA Reflections program for 2022-23 school year. The theme for this academic year is SHOW YOUR VOICE. Please see the flier below for additional details. All entries need to be submitted to the front office by Tuesday, November 1st. The entry form and guidelines can also be found at https://www.txpta.org/reflections-participation. For additional questions, please reach out to arts@vmspta.org.

Thank you for supporting Vandeventer PTA!! Please join the PTA today!

We are stocking the fridge/teacher's lounge with snacks for our awesome Vandeventer teachers and staff! Drop-off is available Monday, October 17th through Friday, October 21st outside the main entrance. There will be carts available for easy drop off, so there is no need to check-in at the front office. Thank you in advance for your generosity! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Sign-up genius link is available here -> Stock the Fridge

Vandeventer PTA

Hospitality Chair

Taeko Nakashima

hospitality@vmspta.org

Monday, October 17th

College Day Every Monday - Wear your favorite college gear!

Stock the Fridge Event (See Information Above)

Q2 Begins

8 Period Day

• Advisory Lesson
• Sign Up for Viking Time

VMS Food Drive Begins

• See NJHS/StuCo for Details

Cross Country Season Begins

• Tryouts - Boys 7:20 a.m. - 8:10 a.m.
• Tryouts - Girls 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Fall Play Rehearsal

• 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

8 FB Zone Championship

• VMS B vs. Fowler 5:30 p.m. @ Liberty HS
• VMS A vs. Maus 7 p.m. @ Liberty HS

Tuesday, October 18th

Stock the Fridge Event (See Information Above)

8 Period Day

• Viking Time - Priority Day - ILA

Thespian Club

• 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

7 FB Zone Championship

• VMS B vs. Roach 5 p.m. @ Heritage HS
• Staley vs. VMS A 6:30 p.m. @ Frisco HS

Wednesday, October 19th

Stock the Fridge Event (See Information Above)

Block Schedule (Periods 1,3,5,7)

• Viking Time - Priority Day - Social Studies

Fall Play Rehearsal

• 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

8 VB VMS vs. Stafford @ Stafford

• 5:30 p.m./6:30 p.m./7:30 p.m.

Thursday, October 20th

Celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Wear Pink Every Thursday!

Stock the Fridge Event (See Information Above)

Block Schedule (Periods 2,4,6,8)

• Viking Time - Priority Day - Math

7 VB VMS vs. Stafford @ VMS

• 5:30 p.m./6:30 p.m./7:30 p.m.

Theatrical Performance

• 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Friday, October 21st

Stock the Fridge Event (See Information Above)

8 Period Day

• Viking Time - Priority Day - Science

VMS Food Drive Ends

• See NJHS/StuCo for Details

UIL Eligibility @ 4 p.m.

Theatrical Performance

• 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Saturday, October 22nd

Band Halloween @ Hunt MS

• See Mr. Guzman & Mrs. Jadvani for Details

October

24 Trunk or Treat @ Liberty HS

24-28 Red Ribbon Week

24-28 Book Fair

25 FISD Choir Tenor/Bass Fest @ Memorial HS

25 Cross Country Invitational @ EHS

26 Q1 Celebration @ Viking Time

26 Basketball Tryouts (8th Grade Boys @ 6:50 a.m.)

26 Basketball Tryouts (7th Grade Boys @ 6:50 a.m.)

27 District VB Tournament

27 Theatre Improv Show

28 Halloween Costume Day (Students)

28 Fall Dance (Neon Theme)

28 All Region Choir Auditions

28 District VB Tournament

Families in our community need our help before the holidays. NJHS and Student Council are sponsoring the Frisco Family Services Food Drive October 17th - October 21st. Each grade level has a goal of 350 items. The grade level who brings in the most items will win a prize. Please encourage students to donate! If every student made a donation, we could make a huge difference.

The following items are needed:

• Pasta Sauce (all varieties)
• Canned meats (tuna, chicken, Spam®)
• Almond, Rice, & Soy Milks
• Condiments (mayo, ketchup, salad dressing, relish)
• Flour, Sugar, Cooking Oil (24 or 48 oz.)
• Seasonings (all varieties)
• Sandwich Bread
• Boxed Snacks
• Juice Boxes (small)
• Bottled Water
• Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash/Bath Soap, Deodorant, Facial Cleanser (full size)
• Feminine Hygiene Products (tampons, pads)
• Laundry Detergent, Dishwashing Soap, Household Cleaners (Fabuloso®, surface cleaners, disinfectants

Attention all 7th and 8th Graders, it is time for Academic Pentathlon! Our topic this year is The American Revolution and The Founding of a Nation. Academic Pentathlon is only open to 7th and 8th graders and focuses on learning information relevant to the topic in 5 areas: Language Arts, Social Science, Science, Math, and Fine Arts. Students will compete in all 5 areas in the FISD Academic Pentathlon competition in April.

Encourage your student to get a Pentathlon study packet to prepare for the Qualifying Exam. Starting October 17th, students need to come by room B104 or B105 to pick up a study packet. The Pentathlon Qualifying Exam will be held on November 3rd in B105 after school. Students must attend the qualifier to be considered for the team. Please direct any questions to either Mrs. Roberts (robertsk@friscoisd.org) or Ms. Buzan (buzanj@friscoisd.org).

It’s already time to start thinking about your high school options! Students will begin the 4-year planning and course selection process for high school towards the end of this semester.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is an advanced high school option that is open to all FISD rising 9th grade students and located at Frisco HS.

If you are interested in learning more about our district’s IB Diploma Programme, please be sure you attend one of our upcoming informational meetings – a webinar version on Nov 1st (click here to register) or in-person on Nov 9th at the FHS auditorium. Both meetings will start at 6 pm and cover the same information.

Want to explore about the IB Diploma Programme prior to the meetings? Check out the FISD IBDP website!

Please contact the IBDP Coordinator if you have any questions – Jenna Gates at GatesJ@friscoisd.org

On Friday, November 11th we would like to honor our military Veterans with a luncheon and celebration during the three lunch periods. Please complete this form by Wednesday, November 2nd if you are a military veteran and family member of a currently enrolled Vandeventer student and would like to be included in our Veterans Day Celebration and/or attend the luncheon on Friday, November 11th. Lunch will be provided for all Veterans. Students may eat a school-issued lunch or bring their lunch on November 11th. We will designate a special area in the cafeteria for our Veterans and students to eat lunch together.

We look forward to honoring all military Veterans, and those attending the luncheon, with a special presentation during each lunch period on Friday, November 11th.

• A Lunch: 11:25 a.m. - 11:55 a.m.
• B Lunch: 12:11 p.m. - 12:41 p.m.
• C Lunch: 12:57 p.m. - 1:27 p.m.

All visitors attending the luncheon must have a completed and approved background check. Please allow 3-5 business days for this process. Click here to get started. When arriving on Friday, November 11th, please have identification ready for check in at the front office 5-10 minutes before the scheduled lunch period.

We look forward to the celebration honoring our military Veterans! Please reach out if you have any questions and/or have any issues completing the form linked above.

Parents/guardians are allowed to eat lunch with their student(s); however, we are asking parents/guardians to notify the administration as least 24 hours in advance by completing this form. There will be a 2 visitor/family maximum per lunch per day on a first come first serve basis. Campus office staff will provide an email confirmation to the requestor if the lunch reservation is approved. The requestor MUST receive this email confirmation to redeem the reservation on the date/time requested.

• All lunch visitors must have a completed and approved background check. Please allow 3-5 business days for this process. Click here for more information.
• Lunch visitors must check-in through the front office and receive a visitor badge. All visitors must receive a visitor’s badge upon arrival.
• Students and/or parents should only bring enough food for themselves (no large quantities to feed other students is allowed). The Texas Nutrition Policy does not allow sharing food.
• If the person visiting a student during lunch is not a parent/guardian, the identity of that person must be established, and he or she must be identified as either a visitor (with prior written, confirmed, parent/guardian permission) or emergency contact person on a student’s registration card/eSchool account.

Additional Cafe Information

• Microwaves will be available in the cafeteria for student use.
• Lunch drop offs will not be accepted at the front office. Students may receive parent/guardian lunch drop-offs via the grade level coolers outside the cafeteria entrance. Food drop off services are not allowed - NO EXCEPTIONS (i.e. DoorDash, Uber Eats, etc).

For more information about school meals, visit Frisco ISD Child Nutrition Link.

1. School dress code applies at all school events.
2. Students should remain in the stands to watch the games and limit their trips to the concession and restroom areas to halftime and between games. Students are not allowed to loiter/hang out around the concession and restroom area at any time.
3. Students and other spectators are not to bring food or drink into either of the gyms (volleyball/basketball). Bottles of water are allowed in the gym.
4. Once students leave the game, they are not allowed to return.
5. Students’ conduct should promote sportsmanship and reflect their team in a positive and respectful manner. Conversations should be appropriate, and profanity is prohibited.
6. Students should not have the following items or similar items with them: football, soccer ball, tennis ball, skateboard, scooter, etc. Please leave items such as these in the car or at home. These items will be confiscated if brought to the stadium/gym.
7. Students must be picked up no later than 15 minutes after the conclusion of the game to attend future extracurricular events. Students are encouraged to call their parent/guardian at the beginning of the last quarter/last set rather than waiting until the game is over. Administrators will wait with students until they are picked up to ensure student safety, so please ensure that your student has a ride immediately following the game.
8. Students not meeting these expectations may be asked to sit with their parents (if parents are present), or to call their parents to pick them up. Students may also not be allowed to return for future extracurricular events.

You’re invited to TREaT (Together Reading Eating and Talking) a district-wide event that aims to promote literacy while supporting local eateries and coffee shops on Oct. 1st & 2nd. Frisco ISD students, families, and employees are invited to eat at participating businesses while reading and talking about the material. Go to any of the participating businesses and use #treatfisd to receive a discount/deal. Learn more.

Recently, there have been threats made to campuses by students via social media. Every threat is taken seriously and Frisco ISD is thankful for its strong partnership with area police departments and emergency services. Watch Frisco Police discuss why words matter.

Please remind your children that while they may be “joking” about having a weapon or

threatening harm to a school campus, the punishment by law is at minimum a Class-A

misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $4,000 and up to a year in jail. The punishment can be as severe as a third-degree felony, punishable by up to $10,000 and two to 10 years in prison. Frisco ISD supports the Frisco Police Department's full prosecution of any individual that threatens harm to our students, staff and campuses.

• [TX Penal Code 22.07 Terroristic Threat]

• [TX Education Code 37.125 Exhibition, use, or threat of exhibition or use of firearms]

Notably, families have the means to report concerns anonymously to the campus 24 hours a

day. Frisco ISD uses the STOPit for students, parents and the community to report any

concerns anonymously via web-based reporting or through the app. Please take a moment to

learn about the STOPit resource.

The community folder area of the District website is full of advertisements and links to information about goods and services that may be of interest to the FISD community. You can find everything from discounts on kids’ camps to volunteer opportunities. The folder does not represent the viewpoint of the District and is not an endorsement of the advertiser, products, or services listed.

Frisco ISD parents have access to the curriculum outline and pacing guides used Districtwide for each core course. The curriculum outlines are created and revised each year by District educators and are rooted in the statewide curriculum standards provided by the Texas Education Agency, called the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS.) Access the curriculum and pacing page

Frisco ISD teachers offer weekly online tutorials in the evenings, saving parents time and money that might otherwise be spent on outside tutors. The tutorials are facilitated by District teachers who have worked with the Teaching and Learning Department to ensure alignment between what happens in the classroom and what is covered in online tutorials.

Find the full list of subjects and tutorial dates/times here.

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