Dabney Discussion V8I5 - December

We hope that everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving Holiday! Prior to going on break VPE had the opportunity for the entire school to attend a production of the Nutcracker where 30 of our own students (and two surprise teachers) performed. The cost of the trip was drastically reduced for all our VPE families thanks to Modern Kids Dentistry who sponsored the entire cost of the 12 buses it took to get VPE there! Thanks to Modern Kids Dentistry for their community partnership and helping to bring the arts to our students!

VPE celebrated our Multicultural/Unity Night last month and we had a HUGE turn out! Thank you to those families who were able to attend and to the following families/businesses who donated food or entertainment for the event:

• Bluegrass Youth Ballet
• Wah Mei Chinese Restaurant- Hartland Center
• Pretzel Time Fayette Mall
• Al Taj Bakery
• Tates Creek High School African Student Association
• Irina Lesiuk
• Tavifa Bordonaro
• Jennifer Kraschnewski

Please note that all FCPS schools and offices will be closed for the two weeks of winter break (December 23 - January 6). Students will report back to school on Tuesday, January 7.

No matter what you celebrate and/or observe Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa we hope that your family is blessed with health and happiness this holiday season!

December 2 - Return from Thanksgiving Break

December 6 - Spirit & Hat Day/Woot Woot Wagon

December 12 - PTA Meeting @ 7:45 AM (VPE Library or Zoom -See link below)

December 18 - Family Focus Night

December 19 - Festive Sweater Day

December 20 - Last Day Before Break

December 23 - January 6 - Winter Break -NO School

January 7 - School Resumes

Are you missing a coat or sweatshirt at home? It might be in our lost and found! Please make a point to stop by and check for missing items as our lost and found is growing. We try to put out items each Friday for students to reclaim. The lost and found is located by the water fountain next to the stage and gym door. ALL UNCLAIMED ITEMS ON DECEMBER 20th WILL BE DONATED OVER WINTER BREAK

During the month of December, VPE students will be taking the MAP Test in the areas of Reading & Math. This is the second time that students will be taking this assessment. MAP, or the Measure of Academic Progress, is a computerized adaptive test that helps teachers, parents, and administrators improve learning for all students and make informed decisions to promote a child's academic growth.

If you would like to read up on MAP Growth please visit the following link: https://www.nwea.org/map-growth/

MAP reports will be sent home with your child in January with the second nine-week report cards. Please get in touch with your child’s teacher if you have questions about their scores.

Friday, December 20th marks the end of the second nine-week grading period. Students will receive their progress report cards when we return from winter break on Friday, January 10th. Parents are asked to review progress reports and sign/return the envelope to school.

At Veterans Park Elementary we want to emphasize how important regular school attendance is for your child’s learning, development, and future success while also addressing the need to prioritize their health.

Every day of school is an opportunity for your child to grow academically, socially, and emotionally. Research shows that consistent attendance has a direct impact on a student’s achievement and ability to stay on track with their peers. However, we understand that there are times when it’s best for students to stay home—particularly when they are ill.

If your child has a fever, is vomiting, or is experiencing symptoms that could impact their health or the health of others, we encourage you to keep them home until they’re well enough to return. This helps keep our school community healthy and ensures your child can fully participate in their learning when they come back.

At the same time, it’s important to avoid unnecessary absences when possible. Frequent absences—even for minor reasons—can add up and affect your child’s learning and confidence in the classroom. We encourage you to prioritize attendance on days when your child is well enough to attend and to communicate with us if you’re facing challenges in getting them to school.

If you’re ever unsure about whether to send your child to school due to illness, or if you need support with attendance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. We’re here to support you and your child every step of the way.

Thank you for all you do to support your child’s education. Together, we can ensure every student has the opportunity to thrive.

On the last day before winter break students will get the treat of popcorn and a movie (Shrek). In order to get popcorn popped and bagged for over 700 students we are looking for some volunteers to help pop popcorn and bag on Thursday, December 19th from 8:30-11:30. If you are able to help please use the following link to sign up:https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0F4EAFAF28A1F58-53432425-movie

We also want to note that the movie is rated PG. If you have objections to your child watching this, please reach out to their teacher or Molly Dabney at molly.dabney@fayette.kyschools.us and we will make other arrangements.

Deliveries must be made before the instructional day begins at 7:45 am. Any holiday deliveries after 7:45 am will be delivered by the office staff. Deliveries for students will continue to be made by the office staff each morning. Thank you for helping us protect our instructional day.

On Thursday, December 19th the teachers and staff will be participating in an Ugly Sweater Contest. We would love to have our students join in the fun...therefore, students are welcome to wear their best holiday sweaters or holiday gear!

Dear VPE students and Families,

We are excited to begin our after school Dance/Winterguard this year at VPE available for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students.

What is the Winterguard/dance ensemble and what will the students be doing?

Students will learn a dance routine that will combine multiple types of dance (contemporary, lyrical, modern, etc.) and will incorporate color guard skills (spinning a flag) into their performance. Their performance will combine these elements to create a 3 minute winterguard show.

Who can join? When is the tryout Preparation clinic? What is the date for auditions for winterguard? What are the fees?

• The winterguard will consist of students selected from the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades

• Students must have a high interest in dance for success.

• Dance and Gymnastics skills are helpful,but are not a requirement.

• VPE will hold a Preparation Clinic on Sunday, Dec. 8th from 1-3.

• There will be a $10 tryout fee for the day at the door before entering the tryout clinic. (exact cash amount or checks can be made out to VPE) They will register at the front table before entering the gym.

• Students should eat lunch before the clinic. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

• Students need to wear tennis shoes and comfortable clothing for dancing and participating.

• Students will need to bring their own water bottle to the clinic and audition.

• Students may bring their own snacks. Mrs. Peters will have a light snack available.

• Students may be dropped off at the front door starting at 12:50 p.m.and we will be starting right at 1:00.

• Students will begin with get to know you activities, learn a dance routine, and learn how to spin a flag.

• Mandatory Parent/Student Meeting: 3: p.m. in the cafeteria (Doors will open at 2:45 p.m.for parents/guardians to enter the school). Following the brief meeting, students will be dismissed with their parent/guardian from the cafeteria.

Winterguard Auditions:

• The Winterguard Audition will take place on Thursday, December 12th from 4-6 p.m. in the gym. Students can't stay after school unless in Patriot's Place or if they are in Chorus. There is no adult supervision between the end of school and the beginning of Winterguard. Students may enter through the front doors and come straight to the gym to begin at 4:00 p.m.Student’s will be notified by email or text of acceptance.If the student is accepted, there will be a $25 participation fee for the season.

If accepted when will the Winterguard meet?

If accepted, The student must commit to every THURSDAY rehearsal from 4:00-6:00 p.m. starting in January and ends March 22nd at VPE. Students MUST be picked up on time. A 3 strike and you’re out system will be in effect for late pickups.Students can't stay after school unless they are in Patriot's Place or if they are in Chorus. Mrs. Peters will get the Patriot's Place participants at 4:00 and if a chorus student is participating, they will stay in the gym. All other students may enter through the front doors and come straight to the gym to begin at 4:00 p.m. ready and prepared for class.

Our winterguard will perform for our community and 2 competitions. (festival class for comments only) Students must commit to all the performance and competition dates.

Competitions/ Mini Camp Days: These dates are MANDATORY. Please do not sign up if you have a conflict with these dates.

Preparation Clinic on Sunday, Dec. 8th 1-3:00($10 fee) Mandatory Parent Meeting at 3:00 in the cafeteria

Winterguard Audition will take place on Thursday, Dec. 12th from 4:00-6:00p.m.

Mandatory Winterguard Dates if accepted:

• Sunday, January 5 Kickoff Camp (VPE Gym) 1-4 (eat lunch before on your own, bring a snack)

• Classes will begin following winter break on Thursday, January 9th will continue every Thursday rehearsals from 4:00-6:00 p.m.

• Community Show and Camp Day March 9th at VPE

• March 15 Tates Creek High School Competition (Times To Be Announced later)

• March 22 Semi Finals GRC

About the teachers:

Miss Sydney Peters is our talented and creative instructor. Miss Sydney has danced and performed with LDF, Bluegrass Youth Ballet, the Lafayette Marching Band Colorguard and Winterguard (featured soloists and captain), and is currently performing in the UK Wildcat Marching Band Colorguard and serves as a section leader. Miss Sydney is attending the UK in pursuit of an Elementary Education degree.

Mrs. Peters will serve as the Winterguard school sponsor and will assist our students and director in every way possible of success in starting our new program;

• Students may be dropped off at the front door and we will be starting right at 1:00. Don’t forget to send the student’s registration fee with them. They will register at the front table before entering the gym.

• Students will begin with get to know you activities, learn a dance routine, and learn how to spin a flag.

• Mandatory Parent/Student Meeting: 3: p.m. in the cafeteria (Doors will open at 2:45 p.m.for parents/guardians to enter the school). Following the brief meeting, students will be dismissed with their parent/guardian from the cafeteria.

As winter weather is upon us, we are reaching out to remind everyone about the district's severe weather procedures.

Announcements about school delays, closures, or NTI weather days are announced via email, phone call, and text message, as well as on social media, the district website, and local media outlets.

Please take a moment to update your contact information and communication preferences in Infinite Campus so that you receive notifications about winter weather. Visit www.fcps.net/IC for more information or contact our school registrar for assistance.

More details will be going home with all VPE students surrounding accessing assignments on Google classroom and VPE virtual office hours when we return on January 7, 2025.

Sale Dates: 11/4/2024 - 12/10/2024

25% off all merchandise

Free shipping on orders over $75

Guaranteed delivery by Dec. 23rd

https://1stplacespiritwear.com/schools/KY/Lexington/Veterans+Park

Fayette County Public Schools wants to help students explore their talents and refine their career interests before they graduate. That’s why we offer more than 30 magnet and school programs designed to foster skills in art, music, automotive maintenance, carpentry, emergency medical services, welding, engineering, and more.

If your student would benefit from these programs, we encourage you to attend our Innovation Showcase on Saturday, March 1, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Tates Creek High School. Showcase participants can browse resource tables and talk with teachers and staff from each of our available programs.

Applications for our magnet and school programs open on March 1, 2025 and must be completed by 11:59 p.m. on March 17, 2025. To learn more about our application process, visit our website. For general questions, please email Vee Pryor or call 859-422-0071.

Important Dates

• Oct. 21 - Nov. 29: Cognitive and achievement testing window
• Nov. 1 - Dec. 20: Visual and performing arts auditions window
• March 1 - Applications open
• March 17 - Application deadline
• March 31 (high) & April 1 (elementary and middle) -- notifications to families

We look forward to sharing more information with you about our Innovation Showcase and programs in the coming weeks.

Welcome Veterans Park Elementary! Kentucky Women's Basketball is excited to have you at Historic Memorial Coliseum to watch the Cats take on Queens on December 9! Make sure you're wearing BLUE when you come to cheer on the Cats. Our chorus will also be singing the National Anthem that evening!

Mobile tickets will be available to access through the UK Athletics app or by logging into My UK Account from a mobile device after purchase. For assistance with accessing mobile tickets, visit UKathletics.com/MobileTickets.

Additional information on season tickets and single games can be found online at UKathletics.com.

For the latest game day information, please visit UKathletics.com/gameday.

Offer valid online only in advance of events, while supplies last. All sales final.

We are thrilled to announce our new safety tracker — a website where you find up-to-date information on situations impacting the safety of the school community, emergency procedures, and more. Simply visit fcps.net/safety.

Providing a safe environment to work, learn, and grow is a priority for Fayette County Public Schools.

Since 2018, we have added 83 mental health specialists, doubled our number of police officers and school nurses, and secured every school entrance.

To learn more about safety improvements in our schools, watch this brief video.

We are grateful to everyone who makes the safety tracker possible and to those who help keep our schools safe.

Just a reminder that VPE & FCPS have a make-up work policy if your child should be absent, sick or misses school. Please reference the below VPE SBDM Policy with regard to make up work:

Absence due to illness: Fayette County Board policy reads that a student has the number of days absent plus one day to turn in missed work due to illness or any other excused absence.

Requests for missed work due to illness: Parents must call the school office before 8:00 a.m. in order for work to be prepared by the teacher on the day of the absence during their planning period. The teacher will, when requested, deliver the work to a sibling or neighbor; otherwise, it will be placed in the homework tub outside the office. Homework pick-up is available each day until 6:00 p.m. outside the office.

Make-up work from absences other than excused absences: Teachers are not required to prepare work before a known absence such as a family vacation or sports competition. Teachers may choose to send work only if convenient. Any work that is given in advance to the student must be turned in the day the student returns to school in order to receive credit. A student will receive make-up work when he/she returns to school. The student will have the number of days absent plus one day to turn in missed assignments.

Extenuating circumstances will be decided on a case-by-case basis by the teacher and/or principal.

Our goal each day is to ensure the safety of our students. Below are some reminders regarding building safety:

Visitors:

Must enter through the front of the building

MUST provide a valid picture ID - every time

State the purpose of the visit

Wear a visible visitor sticker while in the building

Sign out when leaving the building in the office

Arrival:

Please do NOT enter the bus loop until after the buses have dropped off around 7:20 am. Staff members will be assisting students in getting out of cars each morning to help the line move faster. Pull all the way forward to help get as many cars in the loop as possible. Only turn right into the bus loop and exit left along with only turning left into the parking lot and exiting right.

Car Tags:

Parents picking up in the car line must have a visible Veterans Park-issued tag. If you do not have a tag, you will be asked to go to the office to pick up a new tag before picking up your child.

Late Pick-Up:

If you are running late to pick your child up from school you will be asked to enter through the front office and sign your child out with a staff member.

Kindergarten Parents:

FCPS requires anyone picking up a Kindergarten student to present their ID. Thank you for helping with this safety procedure.

Transportation is one of the biggest worries for a teacher and making sure students arrive and get home safely. We are welcoming & dismissing close to 800 students on a daily basis and we need to ensure that every child gets to school and their home safely. Please help us by following these procedures:

• Do not make unnecessary afternoon transportation changes, and only make changes during the school day in the case of an emergency.

• All changes in transportation must be in writing and before 1:15 pm….please don’t email your child’s teacher with changes because they can’t be honored. You may send in a handwritten note, or email us at vpetransportation@fayette.kyschools.us

• Parents please stay in your cars during arrival/dismissal and allow for staff to help students in and out. It is for your safety too!

• Be a good role model and only cross at the crosswalk!

• Do not drop students on Clearwater Way and please wait until you reach the sidewalk to allow students to get out of the car on the sidewalk side only.

• We can not have cars in the bus loop until after all buses have arrived which is typically at 7:20ish therefore, if dropping students prior to 7:20 please use the parking lot side to drop off students.

A helpful hint….there isn’t a line in the car line at 7:20 but tends to be one at 7:40! Come early to keep from being tardy!

If your child needs to take medication at school, the following is required:

• Medication Authorization form signed by the parent. Stop by the office to fill one out!

• Medication must be in the original prescription container. The information listed on the container must include the student’s name and the prescribed medication.

Other medical issues include asthma and allergies…

If your child has an allergy, asthma, or other medical conditions that require special adult attention and/or medication while at school and you have not completed a medical information packet, please come by or call the office immediately.

Call our Nurse with questions.,

859-422-0025 ext 27202

Two Steps to an Excused Absence!

1. If your child is absent, please call the school at 422-0025 before 7:30 am. Please know that even if you call in, you will still receive an automated call about your child's absence.

2. For an absence to be excused, it must be followed up with a written excuse within 3 days. FCPS Board Policy does not allow us to accept notes after this time and absences will remain unexcused. Remember, when you take your child to a doctor or dentist, get a note.

See all the details in the FCPS Code of Conduct.

What is an Excused Absence/Tardy?

• Death of an immediate family member
• Illness of Student: Parents have a total of 10 notes to write for students' illnesses. After 10 cumulative absences due to illness students are required to present a written statement from a medical professional for each additional absence for the school year in order to be excused.
• Religious Holidays & Practices
• Medical & Dental Appointments: Be sure to grab note from the doctor's office!
• Family Emergencies: limited to three cumulative absent events per school year, as approved by the Principal.

**Family Vacations & Trips are NOT Excused Absences!

This year we will be offering PTA meetings on two platforms - in person and on Zoom. They are scheduled for the second Thursday of each month at 7:45 in the VPE Library or using the following Zoom link: link:https://fcps-net.zoom.us/j/99018941544

VPE loves to have volunteers helping throughout the school day, attending field trips, and helping out in the building. Any and all adults accompanying a school group while on a field trip must first undergo and pass the background checks required for all FCPS volunteers through the volunteer application system. This applies to listed chaperones, volunteers, and anyone who travels separately to join the group at the respective venue. If you plan on coming to help in the building or on a field trip at any point in the future when allowed you will need to complete the following background check: https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/MjAwOmVuLVVT

Parents don't need to be approved to eat lunch with their child, attend parent/teacher conferences or attend evening events. All other activities will require you to be an approved volunteer. These background checks are good for four years.

Newsflash - Weekly SMORE newsletter will be emailed to families on Friday afternoons via Infinite Campus.

Twitter - @vpepatriot

Instagram - vpeinaction

Infinite Campus - Attendance, weather calls & more! https://fayetteky.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/fayette.jsp

Email: molly.dabney@fayette.kyschools.us
Website: http://www.veterans.fcps.net/
Location: 4351 Clearwater Way, Lexington, KY, USA
Phone: 859-422-0025
Twitter: @vpepatriot