Late November 2024

Thank you for making November a fantastic time to be a Falcon! We enjoyed seeing many of you at our Veterans Day assembly last week. We would like to extend a special thanks to Major Morales for speaking and encouraging our students to dream big and never give up. This is a busy time in and outside of school and we want to make sure you and your family is set up for success, especially for Fall Family Conferences.

Fall Family Conferences will be held on November 20, 21 and 22. Fall conferences are the school equivalent of a well-child check-up. We call them Family Conferences because our students play a key role--we need them to attend. Students will be working alongside their teacher to present their progress and goals for the year. They will also share ways they need their family to support their growth.

If you have not scheduled your families conference yet, please make schedule it as soon as possible through Parent Square. If you need help scheduling the conference, please email your student's teacher.

Also, please remember that we will dismiss at 11:40 on November 20, 21, 22, and 26. The book fair will be open during conferences. We encourage you to stop by and grab a great book to read over the holiday.

We look forward to seeing your at conferences. Make it a great day to be a Falcon!

Adam Uhler, Principal & Angela Kelly, Assistant Principal

To help with the abundance of lost and found clothing and items, please label your student's clothing. We try our best to look through the lost and found and deliver them to students if they are labeled.

Lost & Found is open for parents to look through from 7:30am-4:30pm. Please avoid coming during arrival 8:10-8:25 & dismissal 3:10-3:30. Due to the amount of lost and Found items, all of the items will be donated over Thanksgiving Break (11/27-11/29).

Cold and flu season is upon us. If your child is feeling unwell, please use these suggested guidelines when deciding whether to send them to school. School attendance is a powerful predictor of school success and on-time graduation. Department of Education says children who miss less than 9 days generally perform better in school.

Use these tips to tell when your child is too sick for school.

As we prepare to take time off from school for the Thanksgiving break, we are grateful for everyone who has helped their child/children develop a routine for showing up to school.

Daily routines are essential for reducing stress and creating a sense of security for students.

Please take steps to keep your child healthy and send them to school unless they are truly sick. Every day of school is an important opportunity for students to learn as well as connect with their peers and teachers.

We thank...

• our students and their families who do their best to show up to class every day even when it isn’t easy.

• our teachers and staff who have gone above and beyond to help make school a welcoming learning environment where students can thrive.

• our administrators who help us work together to ensure we are healthy and safe, feel a sense of community and experience the excitement of an engaging learning environment.

• our many, many healers and helpers- the support staff and community volunteers who provide the extra hands and attention our children need.

May these days off be restful for your family. If your family or your child needs support, please contact our school office for help.

There is no school on Monday, December 2 because it's an elementary grading day. We look forward to seeing you again when school resumes on Tuesday, December 3. Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you, families for helping to get your students to school. We had an increase in our attendance. Our goal is to reach 90% of our students present in school.

We are so thankful for our volunteers, who help make so many things possible! If you would like to be added to our volunteer email list, use the link to sign up. We will use this to notify you of different opportunities throughout the year to be involved with PTO events. We are creating a new volunteer list for the 24/25 year, so please sign up even if you volunteered last year.

Please remember: You MUST be approved through the SBLSD to volunteer.

We look forward to serving the Falcon community with you!

SBLSD Volunteer link

VFE Volunteer Google Form

The book fair will be held during the parent/teacher Conferences on 11/20-22 in the Library.

Please note: There is an early release at 11:40 a.m. on those days.

The Book Fair hours are:

11/2011:40a-4pm

11/21 11:40a-7:30pm

11/22 11:40a-4pm

The PTO is looking for volunteers to help at the Book Fair. If you are interested, please use the Sign Up Genius.

Please enjoy a burger and help us raise money for our VFE PTO!

VFE PTO Fundraiser night is November 22nd and 20% of the purchases will go to the PTO.

We are excited to bless our staff on Thursday November 21th with a delicious Thanksgiving meal as our November Staff Appreciation event. This is much-loved VFE tradition! I know this time of year can be VERY busy for us all, so feel free to utilize store bought/already prepared, or whip up your family's favorite recipe to share. Any contributions are so appreciated!

We can also use help to set up the feast (see the volunteer slot). Please deliver Thanksgiving feast items to the front office on Thursday 11/21 8-9:30am.

Also, we are happy to be providing snacks for staff as it will be conference week. Slots asking for snacks are included. Please deliver snacks for conference week to the front office on Monday 11/18 10-3pm.

Thanks so much for your support! Please use this Sign Up Genius link to contribute items.

Mark your calendars! The PTO is planning a Holiday Family fun event called Make It & Take It.

There will be lots of arts & crafts, activities, and a performance from the VFE Choir.

The event will be at Victor Falls Elementary in the MPR

All families are invited! This is a FREE Event.

6:30-8:30 pm

The PTO is also collecting items for a Hygiene Drive to benefit the Sumner Bonney Lake Family Resource Center. Bring 3 items and receive a raffle ticket to be entered into the drawing for a prize.

Here are some suggested items for donation:

Shampoo and conditioner

Deodorant

Toothpaste and toothbrushes

hand/body soap

liquid laundry detergent

Liquid dish soap

baby wipe

Get ready for an unforgettable evening of music as our 5th graders take the stage for their Winter Concert!

📅 Date: Wednesday, December 11
🕒 Arrival Time: 6:40 PM
🎤 Concert Start: 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Bonney Lake High School Performing Arts Center

A Friendly Reminder for Families:
To help make this a successful performance, we kindly ask families to remind their children about the importance of good stage behavior. Please encourage your child to remain focused, stand tall, avoid talking while on stage, and show support for their classmates.

Thank you for your support—we’re looking forward to a wonderful evening of music and celebration!

Calling all artists! The time has come for our annual STEM Fair and Art Show poster contest. Students of all grades are invited to submit an original piece of artwork to be considered for this year's promotional materials. The winning artwork will be featured on posters and flyers for the event, and the artist will be recognized on district social media and at the STEM Fair itself.

Check out last year’s winning art here: Click here

This year’s STEM Fair and Art Show will be held at Bonney Lake High School on Saturday, February 22nd, 2025.

Guidelines:

• Submissions must be STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) related.

• Submissions must include the phrase: STEM Fair and Art Show 2025.

• Submissions can be hand drawn or electronic and should fit within the box on the poster contest template.

• Submissions must be completed by the student without aid from others.

• Submissions do not need to state the date, time, or location of the event - this information will be available elsewhere on the poster.

• Submissions must include the student name, school, grade, and teacher name.

• Submissions must be received by Jeremy Martin at Central Office by the end of day on the due date, November 29th, 2024.

To submit an entry:

• Students should submit their artwork to their art teacher, or to the main office of their school

Judging:

• As in past years, submissions will be judged by Central Office staff on the following bases:

• Visual Impact – use of color and design to capture the viewer’s attention.

• Originality and Creativity—the design is unique and shows creative interpretation of the STEM concept.

• Theme – uses the phrase “STEM Fair and Art Show 2025” and contains a visual representation of STEM

• Craftsmanship – chosen medium is used to create a finished product that is neat, free from errors and/or stray marks.

• In the event of a tie, the first place winner will be chosen by Superintendent Dent.

• First, second, and third place winners will be notified, and will be included in a celebratory post on district social media and in our district newsletter.

Falcon Families,

With chillier weather around the corner, members from the East Pierce Firefighters IAFF Local 3520 are partnering with Victor Falls to ensure that students who need warm coats have them free of charge. If your student could benefit from a new winter coat, please contact our school counselor at kaitlyn_johnson@sumnersd.org with the following information:

-Students first and last name

-Teacher

-Size of coat needed

*Please make sure to have this information to Mrs. Johnson by 11/7/24

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me at any time.

Kaitlyn_johnson@sumnersd.org

Families,

The holidays are approaching and we want to offer support during these times. One community support available to 1500 families is the Community Big Give. If you would benefit from receiving a free Thanksgiving meal please use the link below to apply. If you are wondering what is included, the link also contains more information addressing this and delivery times. A friendly reminder that the meals are limited and the request needs to be submitted no later than November 15th. Please reach out to your school counselor if you have any questions or could use other support.

https://communitybiggive.com/meal/

The East Pierce site of Toys for Kids hopes to make Christmas a little brighter by providing a toy and stocking stuffers to children with a need, ages birth to 17 years, within the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District area.

Please provide the information from this FORM and return the form to your school by November 25, 2024. Gifts will be distributed on December 14th at Daffodil Valley Elementary School (1509 Valley Ave E, Sumner) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. while supplies last.

Please contact Marilee Hill-Anderson if you have any questions.

marilee_hill-anderson@sumnersd.org

(253) 891-6032

It’s that time of year again! Our annual class toy drive has officially begun, and we are excited to work together to make it a huge success. Each year, our class collects over 100 toys for local children, and we’re looking forward to continuing this wonderful tradition with your support.

The toy drive not only brings joy to others, but it also provides meaningful lessons for our students. Through this experience, they learn about compassion and generosity, recognizing the importance of thinking about others’ needs and giving back to the community. The toy drive also helps them build responsibility and teamwork as they participate in the collection and organization process.

We welcome donations of new, unwrapped toys. You can drop them off in our classroom or in the office. We would also love for you to share this toy drive with friends and family who may want to contribute as well. Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference and adds to the holiday cheer. We are collecting gifts for ages 0-18 until December 19th.

Thank you for your support and for helping our students learn the joy of giving!

Thank you for your efforts getting your students to school on time. If you arrive past 10:00 am on Mondays & 8:25 am Tuesday - Friday we kindly ask that you park your vehicle & walk your student into the office to be signed in. Please contact the front office with any questions you may have. 253-891-4700.

Hi parents! We are running low on our supply of spare clothing in the health room, and would be so grateful for any donations of gently used clothing or shoes. Our biggest need is pants for boys and girls, sizes 6-14. Donations of NEW packages of underwear or socks are greatly appreciated as well! Thank you for helping keep our Falcons clean and dry!

Here is the November Lunch Menu.

Free and reduced-price meals are available to students that qualify. Benefits must be renewed each year. All families who wish to apply for free or reduced-price meals with the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District are encouraged to fill out an application any time during the school year. A new application must be completed at the beginning of each school year. Applications are available at all school locations or you may complete one online. Once an application is completed properly it will not be necessary to complete a new application during the school year.

Students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals or College Bound may be eligible for waived or reduced fees to participate in extracurricular school programs. Find the form necessary for eligibility at sumnersd.org/waived fees.

If you have information about a threat to student or school safety, please report it. Vector Alert is our district’s tip reporting service. Your report will remain anonymous unless you choose to include your name. All tips submitted are taken seriously and will be acted upon.

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Easy ways to report (District code: 1251):

• Website: https://1251.alert1.us

• Email: 1251@alert1.us

• Call: 253-693-3729

• Text: 253-693-3729

Report tips on:

• Bullying

• Intimidation

• Harassment

• Weapons

• Drugs

• Other

Note: For easy access to the safety tip line, you can always find it at the top of our district’s homepage.

Please check our website for updates.

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Email: VFE@sumnersd.org
Website: sumnersd.org/vfe
Location: 11401 188th Ave Ct E, Bonney Lake, WA, USA
Phone: (253) 891-4700
Twitter: @VictorFallsEle1

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