I can't believe it's already October! Our days at VPMS are filled with learning, socializing, and character building, which makes the time fly! Conferences are coming up and information will be coming from our wonderful counselor, Mrs. Steinkamp. Be on the lookout for that.

Have a great weekend!

Lately, we have been seeing more students with their phones out or wearing ear buds throughout the day. As a friendly reminder, these items are to be off and stored in backpacks or lockers during the school day. Our cell phone contract states that if a phone is out during the day, it will be sent to the office. Students can pick the phone up at the end of the school day the first time. If it happens again, a parent or guardian will need to come to school to collect the phone.

Please remind your students of this expectation. We appreciate your support as we strive to keep learning without distractions our number one priority.

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.

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