Greetings -

"Whoa, geez! Look at the time." It's unfathomable that we're in the middle of December with only five days of school until the start of winter break. Nonetheless, here we are. You'll see an image below with some dress-up days in an effort to have a little fun before we take a couple of weeks off.

My only other thing is a quick reminder for you about an ongoing opportunity to acknowledge a staff member that is deserving of special recognition. Simply click here to submit a simple form, and I'll do the rest of the work. Thanks for considering.

Have a great weekend; stay safe (and warm) with the weather that appears headed our way.

Thanks, and take care.

- Eric Ewald
Principal, Van Allen Elementary

• 12:55pm

• Monday, December 23rd - Friday, January 3rd
• School resumes on Monday, January 6th

We are seeking to hire a preschool teacher and a special education teacher for the 2024/2025 school year; we are also looking for a morning only paraeducator to work with students ranging from preschool through fifth grade. For more information and/or to apply, please visit the appropriate link that is inserted below.

Any questions can be sent via email to ewald.eric@iowacityschools.org.

Please share this information with others who you think might be interested in either of these opportunities. Thanks!

Stay up-to-date on all things PTO, and join our 'VA Rockets PTO 2024' Facebook group! There are screening questions to ensure the group is limited to VA Parents joining.

• Tuesday, January 7th, 6:30pm at Van Allen (in the library)

Van Allen Families,

Coming home to you soon will be your child's custom catalog for the Square 1 Art fundraiser. Get a head start, and start ordering keepsakes and gifts featuring your child's art online NOW, if you like!

Simply search for your child's art using Art Search, and enter state, school name, and your student's name. Your student's art and code will appear, and you may order!

Be sure to check out our Art teacher's artwork while you shop! (Search for last name "Wade.")

Order by: 1/15/2025

Upload additional art if you like, using Art Upload!

If you have questions, or need anything at all, contact customer care online.

Thank you for supporting our school!

-- Van Allen Elementary School PTO

Digtal!

Get the app and collect money for Van Allen! It’s easy.

1. Download the Free App: Box Tops for Education
2. Register and select James Van Allen as your school.
3. Scan or take pictures of your receipts within 14 days of purchase.

Use the referral code INLK3WN8 when you sign-up and you’ll get 25 Bonus Box Tops when you scan your first receipt now through 05/31/2025, while supplies last!

We would like to share information about the newly approved ICCSD Secondary School Personal Device Policy, which will go into effect across all middle and high schools starting January 21, 2025. The new guidelines are designed to reduce distractions, ensuring students stay engaged during instructional time while also helping students develop healthy digital habits.

Key Points of the Policy:
Instructional time is defined as the time between the tardy bell that starts each class period and the dismissal bell that ends the class period.

• During Instructional Time:
• Cell phones must not be seen, heard, or in use.
• Phones must be stored in backpacks, purses, hanging pouches, or lockers, with ringers silenced.
• Headphones and earbuds are also prohibited during instructional time and must be stored away.
• Smartwatches may be worn but cannot be used for communication during class.
• During Non-Instructional Time:
• Middle Schools: Students may use cell phones during passing periods and lunch but not during study hall.
• High Schools: Students may use cell phones during passing periods, lunch, study hall, and open hours, but they cannot use them in hallways during instructional time.

This policy aims to create a more productive and inclusive environment for all students while allowing reasonable device use opportunities during appropriate times.

Prior to implementation, we will be working with students and staff to educate them on the new policy and how it will look within their school. At the same time that we implement this new secondary policy, we will be simultaneously reinforcing our elementary cell phone policy. That policy can be found in the Elementary Handbook. Future communication will also detail our expectations for elementary-age students.

For more details, including information on implementation procedures, consequences, and exemptions, you can review the full policy here: ICCSD Personal Device Policy.

It’s that time of year again—winter weather is just around the corner! Snow, ice, and cold can sometimes mean schedule changes. We want to make sure you have the information you need to stay updated on our inclement weather announcements, including school cancellations, delays, and early releases.

Here’s how you can stay in the know:

• Inclement Weather Guidelines: Visit www.IowaCitySchools.org/WeatherGuidelines to review our detailed plan for cancellations, delays, and early releases.
• Late Starts on Thursdays: In the event of a late start on a regularly scheduled early dismissal day (Thursday), the early dismissal will be canceled, and school will follow regular dismissal times.
• Timely Notifications: You’ll receive email, phone, and text notifications with weather announcements.
• Follow Us Online: Stay informed by checking our website and following us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and Threads for updates.
• Check Out Our Mobile App: Download our official Iowa City Schools mobile app for a centralized hub of all school and district-related information, including weather notifications.

We’re here to help! If you have any questions about our weather procedures, feel free to contact our Educational Services Center at (319) 688-1000.

Our District is deeply committed to ensuring a safe and healthy learning environment for all our students. In response to the rising concerns about food allergies and childhood obesity, we've made adjustments to our District's Wellness Policy concerning classroom snacks, birthday treats, and classroom celebrations. Please be aware that some elementary schools have chosen to celebrate birthdays without food, so we recommend checking with your child's school to learn about their specific practice.

When food is served to students in the classroom for snacks, birthday celebrations, or classroom festivities, we follow these guidelines:

1. Only fresh fruits/vegetables or store-bought items with clear ingredient lists are permitted (homemade foods are not allowed).
2. Foods served must align with the Healthy Food Guidelines/Smart Snacks (with the only exception being food related to District-approved curriculum lessons).
3. Foods containing peanuts or peanut butter, or those produced in facilities with potential cross-contamination, are not allowed.
4. Any food items that do not meet these guidelines will be sent back home.
5. We will provide parents and teachers with a list of approved foods (Healthy Food Guidelines/Smart Snacks) at the beginning of the school year.

These measures are designed to promote the health and well-being of our students while maintaining a positive and inclusive learning environment. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in supporting our commitment to their safety and health.

• Find all the information here www.IowaCitySchools.org/Securly.

Our District cooperates with approved community partners by posting eflyers online and distributing them electronically through our service provider, Peachjar. As part of our efforts to be more environmentally friendly, embrace innovative technology, and maintain fiscal responsibility, we have transitioned from paper to electronic flyer delivery.

• Listing of Van Allen Elementary's Current Peachjar Flyers

We’re now taking nominations for the 2024-25 Shine Awards! This is your chance to recognize employees who go above and beyond for our students and schools. Shine Award honorees inspire, make a positive difference, and leave a lasting impact in our school community.

Please consider the teachers, paraeducators, secretaries, nutrition services workers, student & family advocates, counselors, librarians, nurses, custodians, tradespeople, support staff, administrators, and more throughout our District who have had an exceptionally positive impact on students. Nominations can be submitted by completing the form at the following link: Shine Award Nomination Form. If preferred, you can also copy and paste the following link into your web browser: https://bit.ly/3QeTeUP.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to recognize the outstanding contributions of our team, especially those who have made the biggest impact on your family.

Sincerely,

Kristin Pedersen
Director of Community Relations
Iowa City Community School District

Students, Families, and Employees - The Ombuds Office is here to help! Visit https://www.iowacityschools.org/services-supports/ombuds to learn more!

We are continuing to embrace the HRS framework at Van Allen and throughout the ICCSD. Please see this linked form (also inserted, below) that helps us achieve Leading Indicator 1.6, "Students, parents, and the community have formal ways to provide input regarding the optimal functioning in the school."

This will be a standing item in our newsletter. Please note that submitting an idea to this form does not ensure that it will be implemented. Once we have a collection of responses to share, we will plan to include a recurring section within our newsletter dedicated to providing feedback and/or any response in regards to the different ideas that we have received from this form.

We use these platforms (below) to highlight our accomplishments (including pictures) and share relevant announcements and reminders.

Email: ewald.eric@iowacityschools.org
Website: https://vanallen.iowacityschools.org/
Location: 170 Abigail Avenue, North Liberty, IA, United States
Phone: (319)688-1185
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JVANorthLiberty/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanallen_iccsd

X: @VanAllen_ICCSD

It is the policy of the Iowa City Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic status in its educational programs, activities, or employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy, please contact Eric Howard, Director of Equity and Employee Relations, 1725 N. Dodge St., Iowa City, IA 52245, 319-688-1000, howard.eric@iowacityschools.org.