Dabney Discussion V8I7 - February

As we kick off February, we are filled with hope that winter weather is behind us. While I'm not one to be superstitious, I’m hoping the groundhog isn't correct and 6 more weeks of winter isn't in our future!

We greatly appreciate your efforts in ensuring Chromebooks are charged and brought to school daily. This month, we are excited to celebrate Black History Month with presentations from Tee Dee Young, a talented Singer/Songwriter; and Timothy Johnson, the President of United Way. We will continue to highlight other local and historical figures throughout the month.

Additionally, please look out for information from homeroom parents regarding our spring parties for kindergarten through 4th grade. As a reminder, if you plan to participate in classroom events, you must be an approved volunteer. Due to limited space, we cannot allow younger siblings to attend the parties, and we appreciate your understanding with this.

Thank you for your continued support.

February 3-14 - Kindergarten Registration 8:00 am - 12:00 pm (details below)

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

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

February 12 - FRC Virtual Parent Workshop

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

February 14 - Spring Classroom Parties (Kindergarten, First, Second, Third, & Fourth)

February 17 - Presidents Day - No School

February 19 - Wellness Wednesday & Family Focus Night

February 22 - Quiz Bowl Competition @ VPE

March 3-7 - Read Across America Week

March 6 - Literacy Night 5:30-7:00 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 - No School - Possible Weather Make-Up Day

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.

Dear VPE families,

Back in mid-November Mrs. Dabney explained that Veterans Park Elementary is participating in the National PTA School of Excellence program, which as she mentioned grows partnerships between PTAs and schools to enrich the educational experience and overall well-being of all students. To find out what our parents of this school community wanted we sent out a survey. Thank you to all who participated in the quick survey. After reviewing several different angles of the results, the School of Excellence committee selected focusing on strengthening Families' voice in shared decision making. The goal is to build a power of knowledge about PTA decisions that affect their child(ren). We plan on sending out more surveys to gather information on what the disconnect is between participating in PTA vs. not participating. We will be exploring solutions for parents/teachers to voice ideas. We will focus on uncovering how much being a part of PTA affects their child(ren) directly with evidence-based programs that fit our school. We can implement change and see how it works along the way. We hope by reviewing what we know now, offering more availability, and trying new efforts to explain unknowns, will give our school's community a better response to family voice and decision making. If you're interested in signing up for PTA or have questions. Feel free to contact myself, Trisha Atcher at trishaaatcher@gmail.com

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!

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. As we approach the winter months, I want to share important information regarding our NTI weather days, which allow us to maintain instruction during severe weather. FCPS has published their weather guidelines at the following link: https://www.fcps.net/nti

During the winter months, starting January 7th, 2025, Chromebooks will be sent home each day in your student’s backpack. Please know it will be the student's responsibility to ensure these get charged nightly for school use the next day. Each night, Chromebooks and chargers will be sent home in a ziplock bag in your child’s backpack. This will allow us to be ready if and when severe weather is forecasted to impact our area and cause disruptions to our school days. However, if you have a device and do not need the school Chromebook sent home nightly please complete this opt-out survey -https://bit.ly/NTIChromebook25. If an NTI day were to happen, please know that the district will notify all staff and families via email, phone call, text message, and social media when either an NTI weather day, school start delay, or school closure will be used.

Veterans Park Elementary students will utilize Google Classroom and some of our younger grades will have paper/pencil packets to complete as lessons on an NTI weather day. On the back of this letter, your student’s teacher has sent home a grade-level NTI flyer with details regarding grade-level Google Meet office hours which will take place from 8:30-10:30 am during an NTI Snow Day. Please note that there will not be live instruction during this time, but teachers will be available during these office hours to help support students if needed. All of their learning will be asynchronous. Information will also be posted on the VPE website and can be accessed at https://veterans.fcps.net/nti

Students who cannot complete their work on an NTI weather day because of power outages, internet connectivity, or other issues will have three school days after returning to school to complete and submit missed assignments.

The FCPS Technology Help Desk is open on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at (859) 422-5555 for assistance with Chromebooks and student email accounts.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

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.

At VPE we have a 20 minute recess/movement break each day and we will try to go out as the weather permits for students to get some fresh air.

Please note that if the temperature is above freezing and the ground is dry, we will go out. Please try to send your child in outerwear that will keep them warm during these colder days. We also encourage families to label coats with student names so if they go missing we can return them to the correct owners. Many times students will try to head out to recess without their coats, and if teachers see them in their cubby, they will encourage them to put them on.

Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten and New Student Registration is coming up this spring. FCPS registration window opens Monday, February 3rd and runs through Friday, February 14th. 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. 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