Family Hawk Talk

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope your day has been full of love and laughter!

Our Spring Conferences will be here before you know it! Mark your calendars now for Wednesday, March 12. We will be available from 3-8pm in person and from 8-9pm virtually. To schedule a conference with your child's teachers, please use the links below.

Recent federal rulings regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have raised some questions and concerns. We want to assure you that our schools remain a safe and welcoming place for all students. Despite federal restrictions being lifted that previously ensured schools were protected areas from immigration enforcement, it remains unlikely that a school would encounter Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In the rare event that this occurs, please know that we have been counseled on our legal responsibilities and handling of such an event to protect our students. ICE officials will not have access to students on school grounds without all necessary legal requirements, including a judicial warrant. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Megan Brown, Assistant Superintendent at 636-923-3626. Thank you for your trust and partnership in your child’s education.

For the safety of our students, please only drop off and pick up your child on the west side of campus, off of Main Street. This keeps the center parking lot clear for busses and students walking to classes.

Our students did an amazing job collecting food items for Circle of Concern food pantry! Stay tuned for the final count and the grade level winner to be announced next week!

Mark your calendars! We are thrilled to announce our upcoming Valley Park Youth Sports Summer Camps! This is a fantastic opportunity for your children to stay active, learn new skills, and make lasting friendships while enjoying their favorite sports. Visit vpschools.org/athletics or follow this link to sign up!

Take a minute to read through Mrs. Steinkamp's newsletter! She has lots to share!

The 2024-2025 yearbook is on sale now! Click the button below to place your order.

VPMS will host our student Trivia Night again on March 13. More information will come soon to sign up to play! If you would like to donate attendance and raffle prizes, please use the sign-up button below. Thanks!

We are right in the midst of cold and flu season! If your student is not feeling well with the following symptoms, please do not hesitate to keep them home from school:

• Fever over 100.4 (24hrs without medicine: Tylenol/ibuprofen)

• Cold symptoms (coughing, sneezing, runny nose, congestion)

• Stomachache and/or vomiting, Diarrhea (vomiting/diarrhea to stay home 24 hours after vomiting is done)

• Sore Throat

• Unexplained Cough/ Shortness of Breath

• Signs of Conjunctivitis (pinkeye)

• Signs of Head lice (persistent itching scalp, nits in hair, or lice present)

• Rash (if present need to be evaluated by physician)

• Covid precautions as well, follow the Healthy Hawk Way.

Any questions or concerns please contact the nurse office:

Nurse Candice Herb

Email: cherb@vpschools.org

Phone: 636.923.3634

As part of continuing efforts to provide services that support student wellness, Valley Park School District is partnering with Hazel Health to offer free mental health teletherapy visits for all students.

Appointments are available WITHOUT going through our school counselors. To contact Hazel Health click here.

With Hazel HEART, students can meet with a licensed therapist from school or at home, bridging the gap until local therapists become available or helping with less acute issues. The referrals can come from school personnel or directly from a parent or guardian. Like all Hazel telehealth services, parental consent is required.

This service is available to all Valley Park School District students and it is provided at no cost to VPSD families. Please note, Hazel works with insurance plans, and collects insurance information as part of the consent process. Hazel works with all students at no cost to families, regardless of insurance status, including families that do not have insurance. When insurance is billed, the district will cover any out-of-pocket costs. We encourage families to check with their insurance plans to determine if there are any annual caps on the number of allowed therapy sessions, as Hazel visits might count against any limits.

Hazel HEART mental health services include:

• Short-term therapy visits: Therapy sessions can help students cope with everyday issues such as anxiety, bullying, withdrawal, grief, peer and family relationships, depression, not enjoying things they used to enjoy or simply not feeling like themselves.

• Care coordination: Family resource managers from Hazel work closely with families to coordinate their child's care. If your child needs additional services outside of what Hazel can offer, Hazel will help families connect with great local providers.

• Therapists who care: Hazel therapists know how to connect with children and teens. Their multilingual team practices culturally competent care for all students.
  
  

This expanded partnership is designed to increase access to quality health care for all students, working in partnership with community providers to quickly address the social-emotional needs of students who may be struggling.

Learn more here.

Through a grant with DESE, all Missouri School Districts have a partnership with Varsity Tutors, an on-demand, online tutoring and learning support services program, free of charge. We are now set up to begin using this program with our students so I wanted to provide you with some information as well as some things you could send out to your parents.

Varsity Tutors is accessible to all students, K-12, via Classlink. Students access it by logging into Classlink (which they can log in at home or at school-does not need to be on a school device) and choosing the Varsity Tutors icon.

Feb. 17: No School, President's Day

Feb. 18: No School, Professional Learning day for teachers

Mar. 12: Conferences

Mar. 14-23: Spring Break, no classes

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Facebook: @ValleyParkMiddleSchool

X (Twitter): @MrsSyron