We're excited to invite you into the school on late start Monday, Oct. 9th, 8:15 - 9:30 a.m. for a fun family learning event! There will be muffins, juice and coffee offered as you rotate through three learning experiences with your student(s). Number quilts, math number talks and a visit to our school library will make up the rotations.

If you're ABLE to attend, complete the RSVP link here. Feel free to have another loved one from the family attend in your absence. Limit 2 grown-ups per family. No need to complete if you or another grown-up is unable to attend.

Students PreK-Algebra II this year are engaging in grade level math learning through learning experiences that support students in doing math. Your students' math instruction emphasizes visual representations, real-world contexts, and problem solving while continuing to focus on fluency and application. The benefits of this approach to math instruction is that it increases understanding, engagement, critical thinking skills, long-term retention, and preparation for the future.

As students experience their math instruction this year, there may be new challenges and opportunities as they work alongside their teacher to develop new understandings. Our teachers across the system are engaged and working to support your student as they “do” math and will continue to work to meet your students needs.

STEM

1. Coding Kiddos (VIDEO GAME DESIGN!) ($80 for 6 Weeks): Why wait for the next great game when you can make it using ScratchJr®? Using a tablet and a drag-and-drop programming app, students will learn the basics of game design, beginning code, and use those skills to create five game projects including a racing game, alien invasion game, and more!
2. Machine Robotics ($80 for 6 Weeks): Build a bumble bee, frog or design your own predator. Then program the bumble bee to fly and buzz, the frog to leap, and the predator to hunt. {YEL!}’s Teach It! Practice It! Play It!® classroom method emphasizes 21st Century Learning skills like STEM, teamwork, and problem solving.

ART

1. Monsters Art Class ($25 for 1 Week): Just in time for Halloween, students will paint a variety of fun and spooky monsters. Students will be shown how to draw monsters, but they are free to come up with their own ideas and use their own imagination!
2. Whimsical Holiday Art Class ($70 for 3 Weeks): In this three-week class, students will paint and decorate on large pieces of cardboard a special holiday themed art piece for each week. Students will use a variety of multi-media to decorate their projects once they are painted.

RECREATION

1. Chess Club ($116): The YEL Teach It! Practice It! Play It! method keeps students on track with new chess lessons and puzzles each week as well as guided games and in-class tournaments. Class fee includes ChessKid.com membership for the session.

The 6th Annual Fall Festival is right around the corner! The goal of the Fall Festival is to bring the community inside our school walls to enhance our ability to fund students' learning opportunities outside of the classroom.

Everyone is invited (open to the public too) to the 6th Annual Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 14th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. From vendors, crafters, free inflatables, a princess and superhero meet and greet, balloon animals, walking tacos, and of course raffle baskets, everyone is sure to have a wonderful time! The event is free to attend.

It is through the fundraising efforts of PTOs we can often support additional educational experiences outside of the classroom (field trips), playground equipment, P.E. equipment, and support running programs like J-Hawk Joggers. We can't do this alone! Whether you can donate food, time, or items for raffle baskets we appreciate everything!

Sign up below! It takes a village to invest in the lives of our students!

Volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0848AAAF23A2F8C25-44435259-fall

Food Donation:https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0848AAAF23A2F8C25-44233532-valerius

*Be on the lookout from your child's teacher for a sign up form to fill classroom raffle baskets! Your generosity makes the baskets a huge success! Funds raised will help send students on their classroom field trip.

**Own a business? Have an item or a service you can donate? Email valeriusfallfestival@gmail.com

Event Page: www.facebook.com/kafallfest

October 14th, is our 6th Annual Fall Festival from 10:00am - 2:00pm. We wanted to make you aware of a change in available parking for that event.

There is a wedding at the Giovanetti Center on the same day, which means that those guests have reserved parking at the lot just north of the tennis courts. This lot will NOT be available to anyone except wedding guests that day.

Visitors attending the Fall Festival will have the following parking options available:

1. Main school lot
2. PreK / Adventuretime lot
3. Lot at Walker Johnston Park just off Douglas Ave; sidewalk leads directly to Valerius Elementary (Map of areas for Parking at Walker Johnston Park.pdf )

There may be additional times throughout the year when the north tennis court lot might not be an option or have limited spots, such as when UHS hosts a tennis meet or immediately after a heavy snowfall prior to snow removal. We will communicate with you when these circumstances occur. Thanks for your patience and understanding as we share our spaces with the City of Urbandale.

We will once again have our fishing club this year at Valerius Elementary! All K-5 students are welcome to join the club and be a part of the fun! We actually partner with the high school in hosting this club so you will see kids of all ages at our events. We started this a few years ago with the high school, and last year was our first year of involving our Valerius students- and we had a great year!

Most of our events are on the weekend for about 2 hours at a time. We do ask that parents join for the entirety of the event to ensure transportation for students and to help supervise our kiddos. We will have equipment and bait, so if your student doesn’t have that- there is no need to worry!

The intent of this initial email is to gauge the amount of interest we have in the building so that I can prepare accordingly and set up the date for our first event. If you are interested in having your student join Fishing Club, please email me at wilkinsd@urbandaleschools.com

Tight lines! (That’s a fishing saying, meaning good luck!)

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!

PIkmykid Parent App Registration Information

Pikmykid App Registration

Parents and Guardians can now report their students absence using Powerschool Parent Portal. Click on the link below for step-by-step instructions.

English | Español | Bosanski | Kiswahili

Principal: Lara Justmann; justmannl@urbandaleschools.com

Dean: Derek Wilkins; wilkinsd@urbandaleschools.com

Principal Secretary: Angie Jones; jonesa1@urbandaleschools.com

Office Secretary: Caley Jo Schroeder; schroederc@urbandaleachools.com

Nurse: Katie Scandrett; scandrettk@urbandaleschools.com

Guidance Counselor: Liz Donner; donnere@urbandaleschools.com

FFO: Maddy Punsalan; punsalanm@urbandaleschools.com

Website: https://www.urbandaleschools.com/schools/valerius-elementary/
Location: 3305 92nd St, Urbandale, IA, USA
Phone: 515-457-6500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valeriuselementary