A Note from the Principal
Dear Chameleon Families,
The start of this semester has been interesting with all of the weather days we have had. I know the staff are ready to get back to normal five day school weeks! I am sure parents are too! Hang in there!
Parent-Teacher Conferences are quickly approaching. If they have not already done so, your child's teacher(s) should be sending a sign up home. Conferences will be held on February 12th from 4:00-8:00pm and February 13th from 8:00am-3:40pm. There will be no school on Friday, February 14th.
Please plan to join us on Wednesday, February 12th for our Valentine's Day parties! Party times are listed below. We will admit guests that have RSVP'd through the front doors 5 minutes prior to party start times. Please RSVP for safety and security purposes. This will make entry faster for each visitor.
- Kindergarten - 9:30-10:00am
- 1st Grade - 9:30-10:30am
- 2nd Grade - 11:00 - 11:30am
- 3rd Grade - 9:00-9:45am
- 4th Grade - 11:10-12:10
Please remember that if your child will be absent from school due to a vacation, there is an excusal process to go through. Please email Ms. Julie and she will get you an excusal form and process information.
Vermillion has a special Gold Card Club to recognize students that display Chameleon Character on a regular basis daily. Students represent and lead VES by acting out the 3 R's (Respect, Responsible, Ready to learn) behavior every day. Students are nominated by a VES teacher and are announced at our quarterly awards ceremonies! Requirements of being a Gold Card member are to have continued exemplary behavior after nomination.
Privileges of being a Gold Card Holder:
- A gold card to wear on your lanyard to display leadership.
- Special jobs/duties assigned by staff.
- Celebrations throughout the school year. This can include themed parties, fun activities, and even field trips!
We will be having a Chiefs spirit week this week and Kindness week following conferences. I have attached the information below.
We are looking forward to our PTO BINGO event tonight. A huge thank you to all of our PTO members for all the time and effort that goes into this event. The students, staff and families all have a wonderful time!
Thank you for your continued support of our staff!
Mrs. Nash
A Note from the Assistant Principal
Our PTO would like to get your feedback regarding their new website, which was established this school year. PTO plans to spend the last half of the school year and summer working with the website creator to make the site a better overall experience for our families. Please leave your feedback here and feel free to reach out to PTO at vermillionpto@hotmail.com with any specific questions or concerns that are not addressed on the form.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Megan Hemmerling
Assistant Principal
WatchDOG Volunteer
UPDATE! Unfortunately, we've had to re-work the sign up process to be a WatchDOG. Simply send an email to jdavis@usd266.com to request the available WatchD.O.G. volunteer dates and reply with the date of your choice to sign up. We can accommodate only one WatchD.O.G. per day. You MUST also complete a Volunteer Background Check PRIOR to your scheduled WatchD.O.G. date each school year. Learn more about our WatchDOGS Program.
Two different options to complete the Volunteer Background Check (complete only one):
- Self-Pay: Please click here to begin your Self-Pay background check process through the National Screening Bureau. After providing some information about yourself, you will be prompted to pay $24.50 by credit or debit card on a secure system, and you will receive a receipt via email. (The National Screening Bureau uses a secure server and cutting-edge screening technology in order to protect your privacy.)
- District-Paid: Maize Schools does not wish to discourage any potential volunteer from getting involved in our classrooms and with our students volunteers. Please click here to begin the same background process at no cost to yourself, and Maize USD 266 will pay for your background screening.
We ask that our WatchDOG volunteers wear a WatchDOG shirt on their scheduled day. You may purchase a shirt online at the WatchDOG store or we do have a few t-shirts available in various sizes to wear if you do not have one of your own.
From the School Office
End of Day Transportation Changes:
- Please use the car rider line to pick up your child at the end of the day. If it is necessary to pick up your child in the office, we ask that you do so by 3:15pm M/T/Th/F and 2:30pm on Wednesdays.
- For any after school transportation changes you MUST call the office (316-722-0266, press 2) and leave your message on the student pickup line by 2:00pm M/T/Th/F and by 1:00pm on Wednesdays.
Lost and Found Items:
Remember to write your child's name on all clothing, water bottles and lunch boxes so they are easily identifiable and can be returned to your child.
Counselor's Corner
February signals the beginning of the end of winter. As we approach March, we will begin the pre-enrollment for Kindergarten for next year. If you have a child who is at Vermillion Elementary right now and will have a Kindergarten sibling here next year, please email either Mrs. Shipman (ashipman@usd266.com) or Ms. Lies (galies@usd266.com) to let us know the name of our future Kindergarten student and their sibling's name(s).
During the week of February 17-21 we will have Kindness Week. Check out all the fun activities/dress up spirit days we will have during this week shown on the flyer above.
We are on our second year of the Gold Card Club, which is an exclusive club for students who are displaying the 3 R's (Respect, Responsible, Ready to learn) every day.
We continue to hold friendship and lunch groups. We are enjoying getting to know our students in a small group setting. If your child has not been in a small group, and they would like to be in one, please email Mrs. Shipman (ashipman@usd266.com) or Ms. Lies (galies@usd266.com).
Visit our Vermillion Elementary Counselor Website, which has more information and resources. Within this website you will find information regarding our Caring Chameleons. This is a network of Chameleons helping Chameleons within the Maize school district.
Andi Shipman - Counselor for Kindergarten, 2nd & 4th Grades
Email: ashipman@usd266.com
Greta Lies - Counselor for 1st & 3rd Grades
Email: galies@usd266.com
Music Matters
Please Mark Your Calendars for Our Upcoming Music Programs:
1st & 2nd Grade Music Programs - Thursday, March 13, 2025
- 6:00 pm All of 1st Grade
- 7:15 pm All of 2nd Grade
Kindergarten Music Program - Thursday, April 17, 2025
- 6:00 pm
These performances will be held at:
Maize Performing Arts & Aquatic Center (MPAAC), 1055 Academy Avenue, Maize 67101
Quaver:
We LOVE our Quaver music curriculum! In addition to lessons we use in the classroom, it also
has an at home feature so that students can explore music through games and activities using
any computer or mobile device at home. Currently our 1st – 4th grade students are all registered
for this year and should have brought home a parent letter with more information earlier in the
school year.
Access Quaver at www.quavered.com/log-in/ Log in with Username (a/k/a Quaver name) this is your child's nine digit student ID number. The Password is music123. If you have difficulty logging in, please e-mail Mrs. Merkel.
Doreen Merkel (1st-4th)
Ethan Jeffries (Kindergarten)
Update from Coach
We have been busy learning about the heart in PE. Our 3rd & 4th graders have been learning about Hands only CPR. Did you know the heart is the only muscle in your body that never takes a break? We will begin our bowling unit with the Govee lights and the projector screen. We will also be doing archery with our faux bows.
Please have your students wear tennis shoes on PE days. The weather is cold and boots are warm, but they are hard for students to run in and participate. If your child is sick or has been injured, please let me know and I will adjust for them accordingly.
Coach Trail
Coach Schuette
Library News
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming!
- February 12th - 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.
- February 13th - 8:00 a.m. - 3:40 p.m.
We will be SHARING THE FAIR with locally hospitalized kids. Students can bring coins to school starting February 3rd. All the money raised will be used to buy books for the hospital.
Don't forget to order your 2024-25 yearbook online by March 26, 2025. The cost per yearbook is $25. Visit inter-state.com/order and enter code: 90890V.
Steph Hills, Librarian
From the School Nurse
Dental Screenings:
We will be conducting dental screenings this month. This will be done by Dr. Jaclyn S. Blyholder, DMD of Blyholder Family Dentistry. Results will be sent home ONLY if further testing is needed. Screenings are very basic and are not meant to take the place of professional evaluations. Please email me if you would like to opt your student out of any screenings.
Medications and In-Office Stock Medications:
- Under certain conditions medication may be given at school. An Authorization for Medication Form must be completed EVERY school year BEFORE medication can be administered.
- We have over-the-counter stock medications in the nurses office. This includes acetaminophen (chewables & liquid), ibuprofen (chewables & liquid), cetirizine (liquid & dissolving tablets), benadryl (chewable & liquid), and tums (chewables).
- Complete the online 2025 Over the Counter Medication Consent Form. This form can be found in Skyward Family Access/Online Forms. You must complete this form prior to administering these medications.
Skyward Health History:
It is the parent’s responsibility to update health conditions in Skyward and notify the school nurse as needed for any health concerns. You may view our District Health Services for more information.
Nurse Jaime Smith
Email: jsmith@usd266.com
Phone: 316-350-2810 / Fax: 316-722-5020
STEAM Lab News
Students in grades 1st - 4th have continued with lessons in our We Will Build it Better curriculum. 1st grade used the mallet hammers and nails to make their own dice for a game we will be playing in class, along with hammering tees in color patterns on a foam board. 2nd grade reviewed what they have learned about fasteners and screwdrivers, along with using robots to code through the mazes of a warehouse. 3rd grade learned about what architects, engineers, and planners (building and event)do for a job; by creating their ideal park with grid paper. They also practiced area and perimeter by planning out where to put their playground equipment. They also planned a mock opening celebration for their park. 4th graders used pliers and wires to create an electromagnetic circuit with copper wire, a battery, and magnets. They had to make their copper wire spin, using electromagnetic force. This was definitely a challenge for the 4th graders, but they all showed a growth mindset. Kindergarten has been learning about weather, and how meteorologists look for patterns to predict the weather. They learned about different types of weather conditions too. 4th Grade also learned about snowflakes and learned how to use Tinkercad to design their own 3D printed snowflake. They will be bringing these home soon.
Upcoming in February: the students will finish the We Will Build it Better box, and continue to learn about Earth and Space Science.
I would love to get parents involved with my career bulletin board. I am creating a spotlight board of different careers and would love for anyone to fill out the form, so we can let students know about all the careers our parents/guardians/grandparents at Vermillion hold. My goal is to have a career fair in March or April.
Thank you to everyone that continues to contribute to the STEAM room. We are always looking for recyclable and consumable materials. Please take a moment to check out the STEAM Amazon Wishlist!
Items we are in need of:
- Empty water/soda/Gatorade bottles
- Paper towel/toilet paper rolls
- Empty yogurt, fruit, apple sauce cups
- Straws
- Cans (vegetable, fruit, etc.)
- Tape
Melissa Love
Twitter: @LoveSTEAMDream
