Cookie Dough Delivery
Cookie dough from our fundraiser will be ready for pickup on Wednesday, November 6. We will call students down during 8th period to pick up their cookie dough orders or parents are welcome to pick up their child's order in the cafeteria between 2:30 PM - 4:15 PM. We are very limited on storage, therefore, we need all cookie dough to be picked up on Friday, November 8. If you have any questions, please call our front office at 903-482-8803. Have a great day!
School Bus Safety
We continue to observe dangerous drivers disregarding stopped buses with their alternating flashing lights and STOP paddles engaged. When buses are stopped in this manner, they are either picking up or dropping off students. Going around these buses or driving past from the opposite direction, puts the lives of our students at risk. According to the Texas Transportation Code 544.066, drivers must stop when approaching a school bus from either direction if the bus is displaying alternating flashing red lights. The law applies to roadways with no physical barriers separating the lanes of traffic. Drivers should not proceed until:
1. The school bus resumes motion,
2. The bus driver signals for you to proceed, or
3. The flashing red lights are no longer activated.
Failure to comply with this law can result in significant fines and penalties. Our buses are equipped with cameras. If the camera is able to capture your license plate, our police department will investigate and the driver will receive a citation that is punishable by a fine of not less than $500 or more than $1,250.
Please be patient, drive safely, and help us protect our kids!
UIL Eligibility Check
UIL has a No Pass No Play eligibility rule that governs students participating in school-related extra-curricular activities. This pertains not only to junior high school athletes, but to all school-related extra-curricular activities in which students compete, including but not limited to: athletics, cheerleading, showing animals, choir, and band competitions, etc. Here is a brief explanation...
The next Grade Checks will be on Friday, November 1st & Friday, November 22nd. Any student failing at that time will not be eligible to participate in any UIL club or team. If a student is passing all subjects at the end of a nine weeks grading period, he/she will remain eligible to participate in extra-curricular activities until the end of the next nine weeks grading period. A student who fails any subject for the nine weeks becomes ineligible to participate in any extra-curricular activity at 3:00 the Friday following report cards.
Students can regain eligibility if they are passing all classes at the following times: at the end of the three weeks reporting period, at the end of the six weeks reporting period, and at the end of the nine weeks grading period. They will regain eligibility at 3:00 the Friday after progress reports or report cards come out.
FCA
What: Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA)
When: Friday mornings at 7:15
Where: Mr. Pierce's classroom (Room 312)
Who: Any 7th or 8th grade student. You do not have to be an athlete to attend.
Join Remind for announcements and updates: https://www.remind.com/join/fh86a2 or text the message @vajhfca24 to 81010.
Behavior Expectations
Our top priority at Van Alstyne Junior High is to provide all of our students with a safe learning environment. In order to do so, we need your help. Please take time to talk about the following things with your child.
- Everyone will be treated with kindness and respect. Name-calling and teasing are unkind. Racial slurs will not be tolerated.
- Students need to understand that saying anything about violence towards the school or others will be taken seriously.
- Students should always keep their hands and feet to themselves. Physical violence will not be tolerated.
- Please talk to your child about the responsibility that comes with social media. Students need to be careful about the things they say on social media, the posts they comment on, and the people they interact with.
- Please know that if a student’s behavior in or out of school disrupts the learning environment, that student could receive a consequence.
We appreciate your partnership at home to help educate your child about appropriate behaviors at school. We encourage students to be kind, respectful, and friendly to all students and staff at all times. You are always welcome to contact the school if you have any concerns.
Cell Phones
Students are allowed to bring cell phones to school. They are allowed to listen to music and play games on their cell phones before school, during lunch, and after school. Students must keep cell phones out of sight and turned off (not on silent) during the school day. Please reinforce this rule with your child so they are well aware.
Also, please do not allow your child to call or text you from school using their cell phone for any reason, including to come pick them up when they do not feel well. Proper procedure is to report to Nurse Wilson and allow her to use her training to make that determination. Misuse will result in confiscation of the cell phone and the parent will be required to come pick up the phone. If the student continues to misuse their cell phone, the student will be required to check their cell phone
Visitor Procedures
When visiting our campus this year, we will have safety procedures in place. After pushing the button at the front door, you will need to provide the following through the speaker.
Full Name
Valid Picture Identification
Student’s full name and reason for visiting the school
Once in the building, you must provide your picture identification to the receptionist at the front desk. It will be scanned, a badge will be made, and identification will be held in the office. When you leave, you will need to walk back through the office to pick up your identification. We appreciate your cooperation while we try to keep our students and staff safe.
Attendance
Emergency Concerns Outside of School
Parents and guardians, when you have emergency concerns about one of our students outside of school hours, please call the Van Alstyne Police Department. Oftentimes, our staff do not check email outside of school hours and the goal is to provide immediate assistance to the student or family. Some examples of emergency concerns would be: students claiming self-harm, students sharing suicidal thoughts or suicidal attempts, or any other situation where a student would be in danger and needs immediate help/assistance. Rather than emailing staff or submitting a StopIt App report, please call 911 or call The Van Alstyne Police Department at 903-482-5251.
Food Regulation
As a parent, you have the right to bring food to your child. However, to be in compliance with federal law, you are not allowed to bring in food for a child other than your own (for example, bringing a pizza for your child and his/her friends). This also includes bringing cupcakes and snacks on your child's birthday. To be in compliance with law, we cannot offer them during the lunch period. Therefore, the only time we could legally do that is during class time; which is not something we are going to be able to do as the students are busy in their classes and we do not want to disrupt the learning environment.
Lunch Drop Off
You are certainly welcome to bring your child a lunch. Since there are classes going on during each lunch period, we are not able to call students over the intercom to come and pick up their lunch from the front office. If you drop off a lunch for your child, there is a bookshelf in the front entryway for you to leave your child's lunch. There are sticky notes and markers to label their lunch. You will need to text your child to let him/her know they have a lunch in the front office. Your child will see the text when they are allowed to turn on their phone at lunch. We will not accept food deliveries.
A Note From Our Nurse....
Our clinics must have a Medication Parent Consent Form on file for students requiring medication administered during school hours. This form must be signed by parent/legal guardian. Medication must be kept in the ORIGINAL bottle. (see links below)
Children who have the following symptoms should stay home and not come to school until these symptoms have been gone for at least 24 hours without the help of medication.
- Fever (100 degrees or higher)
- Sore Throat (with fever or swollen neck)
- Persistent Vomiting or Diarrhea
- Rash (with fever and itching)
- Conjunctivitis/Pink Eye (your child can attend school 24 hours after starting medical treatment)
A child with a typical cold, but no fever or green drainage, may come to school.
If a student becomes ill during the school day, he or she must receive permission from the teacher before reporting to the school nurse. If the nurse determines that the child should go home, the nurse will contact the parent.
Van Alstyne Junior High
Website: https://jhs.vanalstyneisd.org/
Location: 1722 N. Waco Van Alstyne, TX
Phone: 903-482-8803
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560526280581