Dabney Discussion V8I8 - March

We are all thankful for the extended forecast of warmer weather, and I’m hopeful that our NTI (Non-Traditional Instruction) learning days are behind us for this school year. It’s been a unique winter, to say the least, and we are looking forward to a smoother and sunnier spring!

Chromebooks Update: Starting this week, Chromebooks will no longer be sent home nightly unless inclement weather is predicted. Thank you for your help in ensuring that chargers and Chromebooks are back at school.

Exciting Events in March:

• Read Across America Week: This week is Read Across America Week, where we will celebrate the joy of reading with daily themes and activities. We encourage everyone to get involved and share in the fun!

• Literacy Night: Join us on Thursday, March 6th, from 5:30–7:00 pm for our annual Literacy Night. There will be activities, resources, and plenty of ways to engage your child in the love of reading. We hope to see you there!

• Parent Conferences: Our Spring Parent Conference Night is scheduled for Thursday, March 13th from 3:00–7:00 pm. Please mark your calendars, and we encourage you to meet with your child’s teacher to discuss their progress. Your child's teacher(s) will communicate individual sign up times to conference.

• End of Third Nine Weeks: The end of the third nine weeks is on March 13th, and report cards will be sent home during conferences or on Friday, March 21st.

I want to take a moment to thank all of our families for your continued support and partnership through this winter season. It’s certainly been one for the record books, and we are excited to welcome the warmer weather that spring promises!

As always, if you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you again, and we look forward to a wonderful month ahead!

March 3-7 - Read Across America Week

March 6 - Literacy Night 5:30-7:00 pm Lower Primary Chorus Performance 6:00 pm

March 7 - Spirit & Hat Day / Woot Woot Wagon Celebration

March 10 - SBDM @ 3:00pm - VPE Conference Room

March 13 - PTA Meeting @ 7:45 am (VPE Library or Zoom...see link below)

March 14 - School in Session Weather Make-Up Day

March 19 - Wellness Wednesday/Family Focus Night

March 21 - Report Cards Go Home

Please mark your calendars for Friday, March 14, 2025 to be an in-session school day. This was earmarked for a possible weather make -up day and it was announced last week that FCPS will be in-session that day.

Our Spirit Project for the month of March will be in support of Kentucky communities impacted by the recent flooding. Donations can be dropped off in the front hallway by the counseling office. Some of the requested items include toiletry items, cleaning supplies, and non-perishable food items. No used items will be accepted. Thank you for joining us in supporting local communities!

We wanted to let the VPE parents and friends know our progress with our submission, to earn the certificate for School of Excellence for 24-25 school years. Reminding you about the survey that went out mid-November. The results came back that parents wanted Shared power and education on how to be involved with more decisions. The committee is dedicated to making this happen! The SOE committee is on Step #3 Building an Excellence Action Plan. What do these action plans look like? Great question! Below are bullet points of items we have completed and what is in progress. If you have any questions please let me know. Trisha Atcher trishaaatcher@gmail.com. Please put SOE in the subject line when you reach out. Thank you!

-More communication about what PTA is to our school. We post PTA PULSE in the newsletter that provides you a weekly tidbit about different benefits PTA offers for you and your student.

-Getting homeroom/parent open table feedback. We are trying to work on scheduling and evening/zoom meetings to give our school community another option to join.

-Scheduling more PTA table appearances at all school events. A great way to help and learn about your school through volunteering at the PTA table.

-Creating a pre-meeting PTA itinerary for the monthly morning meetings that are held every second Thursday at 7:45am in the school library. We believe by providing an itinerary will help our school community see what's being covered ahead of time allowing parents/community to be present if any of the topics covered are of interest.

Each year the VPE PTA sponsors two scholarships for graduating former VPE students who attended 5th grade at VPE. If you would like to apply for this scholarship, please fill out this application. Applicants must be in their senior year in a high school within Fayette County and have been promoted from the fifth grade at Veterans Park Elementary. Once the scholarship is awarded, it must be used the following fall term. Thank you to the PTA for continuing this tradition!

All About Educational Enhancement Opportunities

Did you know students can take up to 10 days of school to pursue an educational

enhancement opportunity (EHO)?

An EHO is an experience with significant educational value, such as:

● studying a different culture during an extended spring break

● international travel

● attending or presenting at a conference

● visiting historical sites or museums

● attending theatre performances

If your family is planning an educational experience for your student that may qualify for an

EHO excuse, please stop by our school or email katie.cotton@fayette.kyschools.us to request the

application form.

We’ll need at least five days to process your application, so please reach out as soon as you are able.

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.

Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten and New Student Registration is coming up this spring. FCPS registration window is now open. Hours of registration will be daily from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm. Families can start the process by completing the online registration starting mid January and finding the required documents below to be able to register.

To enroll a new, first-time student, families may begin the process online here. Items to bring with you are:

• Deed and/or Current Lease

• Utility Bill

• Birth Certificate (Official Copy)

• Current Immunization Certificate

• Proof of child’s recent preventative health care exam

• Proof of an eye exam (due by Jan. 1, 2026)

• Proof of a dental exam (due by Jan. 1, 2026)

• Court documents pertaining to your child, if applicable

Please note that Patriot Place openings for incoming Kindergarteners is now on a lottery system. Please read below for more information on Patriots Place Registration.

Please note that Patriot Place openings for incoming Kindergarteners are now on a lottery system. Therefore, once a family officially registers they can be placed in the lottery system if they have a need for after school care. Families will be notified by the end of May 2025 if they have been randomly selected for a spot after both spring kindergarten registration windows have closed. Please note families with older siblings will be given priority to keep families together. As spots open for the older grades we will contact families from our waiting list. Therefore, if you put your name on the waitlist in the past it will remain there...you do not need to put your name on each year.

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.

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.

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