![page background](https://cdn.smore.com/_fr/greenboard.bc49743a.jpg)
Phoenix Family News
January 12, 2024
Important Dates Ahead...
January 15: No School - MLK Jr. Day
January 22: PTA Meeting 4:30-5:30 pm
January 25: Choir Concert 6:00 pm
January 29: No School - Teacher Workshop
Calendar and Schedule Updates
The latest calendar updates are available at sowashco.org/calendar.
5th Grade Registration Email
Today, 5th grade families will receive an email regarding 6th grade registration. Families should complete the registration by using the link in the emailed letter by Friday, January 26th. Middle School Counseling staff will follow up with families who do not complete the registration by January 26th.
Please note that students will only be choosing their music course. There is a district process (and algorithm) for 6th grade math placements and families will be notified by the district of their child’s math placement at the end of the school year. The placement is not by teacher recommendation, rather it is based on the district’s current math placement process. More details will be sent on this later this year.
Middle school counselors will visit 5th graders at our elementary schools in the month of May to help share what a day-in-the-life of a middle schooler entails!
ACCESS for EL Testing
All students identified as English Learners (EL) will be taking the ACCESS assessment between January 30th and March 22nd, 2024. This assessment is a federal requirement to assess English proficiency for students learning English. There are four domains tested Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. The testing will occur on the following dates:
Jan 30-Feb 2: Kindergarten
Feb. 2-Feb 9: Listening Gr. 1-5
- Feb 9-15: Reading Gr. 1.-5
- Feb. 15-Feb 26: Writing Gr. 1-5
- Feb 26-March 1: Speaking Gr. 1-5
- Makeups: March 12-15
To learn more about the ACCESS test, please visit our District Website. If you have questions, please contact Katie Behrend (651) 425-7648. Thank you!
Cold Weather Dressing is a MUST
With the colder weather arriving, we wanted to remind everyone about the district policy for recess.
Students will play outdoors for recess when the weather permits. It is best to assume that students will participate in outdoor recess every day and to dress them accordingly. Students MUST wear appropriate clothing for the weather. During the winter months, this includes jackets, snow pants, boots, hats, and mittens. Indoor recess will only be held when the actual temperature is at zero degrees or below, or the wind chill is -10 degrees or below.
With the colder weather, chapped, dry lips become very common and chapstick/lip balm might be useful for your student to keep at school. Thank you for keeping these things in mind as you send your child off to school.
Water Bottles Encouraged
All students are encouraged to bring a water bottle to school each day. The water bottles should be clearly labeled with your child’s name and brought home frequently to be washed.
Please note that WATER is the only liquid that should be provided in the water bottles:
- Water gives students a healthy alternative to sugar-sweetened beverages.
- Water helps to increase students' overall waterconsumption.
- Water helps maintain hydration.
- Water is not sticky if the bottle spills.
- Water is not a caffeinated beverage.
Thank you for helping your child follow the water bottle expectations.
VCES MCA Testing Window: Grades 3-5
- April 15-19 – Reading
- April 22-26 -Math
- April 29-May 3 – Science (5th only)
VCES PTA News
Our next PTA meeting will take place on Monday, January 22 at 4:30 pm in the Valley Crossing Conference Room. Hope to see you there!
2023-24 Yearbooks
Order your yearbook today from Josten's! Prices right now begin at $21.00.
SoWashCo Community Education Classes
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Reporting Student Absences
Just a reminder if your student will be absent from school due to illness, appointments or vacations, PLEASE use the link below to report your students absence.
REPORTING AND ABSENCE USING PARENT PORTAL
If your student has been marked absent by their teacher, all numbers listed on their parent portal will receive a call, text and email, once in the morning and again in the evening. Please make sure all your contact information is up to date. If there is no response from a parent, your student will be marked as unexcused. This on line absence reporting is new this school year for all parents.
If you would still prefer to leave a voice mail, you can always call the Valley Crossing attendance line at 651-425-7506.
Thank you for your help!
Lunchroom Visitors
Valley Crossing welcomes lunch time visitors between October 2nd – May 24th this school year. Based on space and safety requirements, a family member listed in Parent Portal may sign up using our monthly Reservation Link to accompany their child at our guest lunch table. Here is the Dec/Jan/Feb VCES Lunch Link for lunch visitors. PLEASE only sign up for one spot a month to allow for other families to sign up as well.
We ask families to review the process below for visiting your child at lunch:
- Sign up for the visit no later than the day prior to your visit.
- Upon arrival for the visit, present identification and complete the Raptor screening.
- Wear the visitor badge so that it is visible during the entirety of the visit.
- Go directly to the lunchroom and eat in the guest space with your student.
- No friends or additional students will be permitted to join the guest space.
- Visitors may not visit recess time.
- The visit is limited to guest space during the student’s identified lunch period.
- Any outside food brought in can only be shared with your student.
- Do not take pictures, record, or film while at school. Use of cell phones is strongly discouraged for safety and privacy.
- PLEASE only sign up for one spot a month to allow for other families to sign up as well.
VCES Celebrations
Valley Crossing Elementary is committed to celebrating the following this coming school year:
Fun Run Week - October 9-13
Unity Day - October 17 - wear orange
Veteran’s Day - November 10
10 Days of Giving - December 1-14
Winter Sing-a-long - Dec 21
Half-Way Celebration and Student Council Spirit Week - January 22-26
Friendship Day - February 15 (note: no Valentines please. Students will be making cards at school. More information to come!)
100th Day - February 21
I Love to Read Month - Book Character Day on February 29
Earth Day - April 22
School Hours
8:00 am - School office opens
9:00 am - School opens to students
9:15 am - School day begins
3:45 pm - School day ends
4:00 pm - School office closes
NOTE: The earliest students can arrive at school in the morning is 9:00 am. All students must be picked up at 3:45 pm if not riding the bus home.
VCES Contact Information
Connha Classon, Principal: cclasson@sowashco.org / 651.425.7503
Joy Peterson, Assistant Principal: jpeters4@sowashco.org / 651.425.7523
Merita LaPlante, Office Coordinator: mlaplant@sowashco.org / 651.425.7501
Jen Gackstetter, Office Assistant: jgackste@sowashco.org / 651.425.7507
Faith Schulze, School Social Worker: fschulze@sowashco.org / 651.425.7699
Ashley Boatman, School Psychologist: aboatman1@sowashco.org / 651.425.7661
School Website: https://vces.sowashco.org/
District Website: www.sowashco.org
VCES Office: 651-425-7500
VCES Attendance Line: 651-425-7506
VCES Health Office: 651-425-7502
VCES Fax Number: 651-425-7515
District 833 Student Information: 651-425-6218
District 833 Transportation: 651-425-5303
Valley Crossing Elementary
Website: vces.sowashco.org
Location: 9900 Park Crossing, Woodbury, MN, USA
Phone: 651.425.7500