Valerius Weekly

September 11th - 15th

Every Monday is a LATE START! School starts at 9:55am (Doors open at 9:40).

Click here to access the online breakfast and lunch mensu.

Morning Drop Off/ Walker Arrival

Students are not be dropped off or arrive before 8:35am (9:40am on Mondays). This time is when doors open for students to enter and staff supervision begins. Before this time there is no staff supervision for students.

Starting on Monday - A staff member will be reaching out to the parent/guardian if the student arrives unsupervised before 9:40am (8:35am T-F). Thank you for partnering with us to keep all students safe!

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Fall Picture Day is on TUESDAY (9/12)!

School Pictures will be held on Tuesday, September 12th. Go online and order TODAY at https://www.hrimaging.com/ . Paper order forms were sent home last week.

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Jhawk Joggers Starts September 18th

We are planning to start our JHawk Jogger (aka Running Club) running program on September 18 - October 27 (6 weeks). We will need four parent volunteers daily with two parents from 11:20-12:20 and two parents from 12:20-1:20 (unless you would like to cover both shifts). We will be using an electronic system, similar to what was done last year at Valerius. The students will be wearing a badge with a QR code and will scan their badge into an iPad after completing each lap. Parents would monitor the iPad, making sure that the students’ QR code is registered. Joel Goetsch is the lead with the technology and will be your “go to” for issues if they should arise.

If you are available and willing to volunteer, please email Sara Cullinan (cullinans@urbandaleschools.com ) your preference for day and time and I will respond back to you. Below are lunch recess times for each grade level.

11:20-11:40 ~ 1st Grade
11:45-12:05 ~ 2nd Grade
12:00-12:20 ~ Kindergarten
12:20-12:40 ~ 5th Grade
12:40-1:00 ~ 3rd Grade
1:00-1:20 ~ 4th Grade

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J-Hawk Mile Registration

The J-Hawk Mile is a Homecoming tradition unlike any other! Webster has dominated for the last decade, can Valerius bring home a WIN this year?

Join the homecoming festivities with this years J-Hawk Mile Run & Tot Trot! This is an awesome way to show your school pride for the J-Hawks. Each school competes against one another for the coveted traveling trophy. Last year it was Webster Elementary that took home both the boys and the girls trophy!

Get your student outdoors to enjoy this fun homecoming tradition and see how they compete against other elementary schools!

REGISTER HERE!

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Join Chorus (4th & 5th graders only)

Dear Valerius 4th and 5th grade families,

Valerius Elementary will soon be starting its 4th and 5th grade chorus! The purpose of this ensemble is to provide upper elementary students an opportunity to perform choral music outside the general music classroom and help prepare them for middle school ensembles. The Valerius Chorus is a fun extracurricular activity that is free for any student who chooses to join.

Rehearsals will be held from 8:00-8:40 AM in the music room beginning on Thursday, October 5. Rehearsals will continue to take place before school every Thursday morning until our final Valerius 5th Grade Band and 4/5 Chorus Concert on Tuesday, April 30th.

Please note, if we have a large number of students who are wanting to join chorus this year, I will need to split the chorus rehearsals by grade level with some combined rehearsals. IF this happens, rehearsals will be Wednesday or Thursday mornings and I will provide you with an updated rehearsal schedule before the first chorus rehearsal on October 5.

Save the Dates:

Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024–Valerius Band/Chorus Concert–7:00 PM Valerius Commons

Tuesday, April 30, 2024–Valerius Band/Chorus Concert–7:00 PM Valerius Commons

Because the chorus only meets once a week, regular attendance is expected. If your child is ill or will be absent, please notify me in advance by email (irvinj@urbandaleschools.com) or calling me at school (515) 457-6578.

Please complete THIS permission google form by Friday, September 22. If you are in need of a paper copy of the permission form please email Mrs. Irvin. I am looking forward to starting the chorus season!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Irvin, Valerius Music Teacher

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Urbandale Homecoming Week: September 18–23 Go J-Hawks!

Come support your J-Hawks and celebrate our Urbandale community spirit during Urbandale High School Homecoming 2023! We’ll be celebrating with a variety of activities the week of September 18th. We look forward to welcoming you!

Click HERE for full article and a listing of events.

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Open Interviews For Special Education Associates: September 23

On Saturday, September 23 from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. at Olmsted Elementary we will be hosting open interviews for candidates interested in applying for a Special Education Associate position. Applicants will have the opportunity to complete an application and background check on site and have an interview with a small team.

If you would enjoy making a positive difference in the lives of UCSD students, working within a school-day schedule, and being a member of IPERS (the state’s largest public retirement system), then we’d love to meet with you! No appointment needed; stop by Olmsted Elementary (7110 Prairie Avenue) between 9-11 a.m. on September 23 to visit with us. If you have questions, please reach out to HR Specialist Kate Johnson at johnsonk@urbandaleschools.com. We look forward to meeting you!

Spirit Wear

The PTO is offering 3 items for purchase. The deadline to order has been extended through this Sunday, September 10. Don't delay--get your order in now! Order here: https://valeriuspto.square.site/

Extra Valerius J-Hawks Shirts, youth through adult sizes–$15-$18.
Valerius Yard Signs–$25.
J-Hawk Colors PuraVida Bracelets–$8

Event Information

September PTO Dine to Donate

Everyone’s favorite way to raise funds for our school is back! Each month, we provide a Dine to Donate where you grab dinner for your family at a local restaurant and the restaurant will donate a portion of sales back to the Valerius PTO. Our September Dine to Donate kicks off the year at Papa Murphy’s, 4641 NW 86th St.on Wednesday, September 13. 10% of all purchases all day long are counted, so stock your freezer and tell your friends and family to add it to their calendars, too!

When?

Wednesday, Sep 13, 2023, 11:00 AM

Where?

4641 Northwest 86th Street, Urbandale, IA, USA

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Classroom Party Donations

Classroom parties are coordinated and funded through the Valerius PTO 3 times each year. The PTO provides games, activities, snacks, and supplies. A suggested donation of $10 per student per year is welcomed. Donations are not required, and any amount is welcome! Donate here: https://valeriuspto.square.site/

Uplifting Urbandale

Uplifting Urbandale - UCSD Newsletter 9.08.23 #upliftingU by Ali Determan

smore.com

Archived Information

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Stopping at Crosswalk

When stopping at the crosswalk intersection by the school, be sure to stop before the crosswalk vs. stopping on it. It needs to be clear so pedestrians can safely walk across the intersections. Example of where to stop in photo.

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Student ID for Breakfast & Lunch

Starting Tuesday, Sept. 5th, all 2nd - 5th graders will be using a keypad to enter their Student ID for Breakfast and Lunch. Students practiced keying in their student ID this past week. You can locate your student's Urbandale ID number in your Powerschool Parent Portal.

*If you haven't logged in to your Powerschool Parent Portal yet please reference the directions listed further down in this newsletter.

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End of Day Messages must be received before 3:00pm

Messages needing to be delivered students must be received by 3:00pm that day to ensure delivery before dismissal. This includes change to how your student would get home that day. Thank you for your understanding!

*Pikmykid - Guardians are able to update their child's Pikmykid until 2:00pm that day.

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Arrival and Dismissal Process

Linked HERE you will find a video explanation of our new arrival and dismissal processes. It's important that everyone follow the expectations for safety and efficiency, and we hope the video explanation will be an easy way to learn them.

Below you will find information about our new online program, "Pikmykid", that will support our dismissal process. Reminder that only families picking up in a vehicle will need to use the orange car tags. All families may make updates on the app if there are changes to a student's pick-up plan (i.e. bus student who needs to walk home, walker who needs to be picked up by car, etc.). The app will not allow changes to be made after 2:45 p.m. Please also call the office to make these daily changes.

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Pikmykid Dismissal App Registration Information

PIkmykid Parent App Registration Information

Pikmykid App Registration

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Menus/Payments

To access menus and make meal payments, you will need to visit LINQConnect.com and/or download the app in your app store.

Visit the UCSD Website for more information.

Free & Reduced Meal Application

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School Fees

Beginning in the 2023–24 school year, we will be collecting payment for books, materials, and bus transportation fees via PowerSchool. We have created the following step-by-step instructions for this new process.

Translated instructions: Bosanski , မြန်မာဘာသာ, Laiholh (ဟားခါး-ချင်း) , Español , Kiswahili

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Visitors - ID Required!

Visitors must report to the main office, sign-in upon arrival, provide a U.S. government-issued ID for scanning into the Raptor system , and then receive a visitor’s sticker which you will be required to wear during your stay.

Valerius Staff Directory

Get to know faces by visiting the Valerius Website Staff Directory!