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Principal Zeman's Notes
January 26th, 2024
Beginning of Quarter 3
We have crossed the halfway point of the school year. A couple of reminders to help your student get off to a strong start to the third quarter.
Go through your student’s binder with them and get rid of papers they will not need anymore. They may have a new elective course this quarter or they may have finished a unit. Help them be as organized as they can be.
It is a great opportunity to go through school supplies to see if they need any additional supplies.
Help your student set realistic goals for the new quarter. Maybe it is as simple as improving grades from quarter to quarter, but it is always a great idea to get students thinking about goals and how to meet them. Teenagers have a tendency to have short term thinking, often not seeing anything beyond a day or two. Assisting them to develop this skill is important for all students.
Continue to support your students. We are always thankful for the support we have from all of our parents for their students. If Mrs. Ohlgren or I can ever be of assistance, please let us know.
Kate Gladdin
We had Kate Gladdin visit us this week from Australia this week. She shared her message of how to overcome difficult times through changing your mindset with the three R’s: Recognize, Reflect, and Redirect. It was a powerful message and important to all people as our thoughts are so impactful. She also spoke about the importance of the word “yet.” By inserting yet at the end of the sentence, it can change a person’s entire outlook. I continuously use it in my daily life. I encourage you to have conversations with your students about the power of yet and ask them if they can remember the three R’s from her presentation. We are grateful for Thumbs Up for their sponsorship to bring her in to speak to our students.
Students of the Week
VMS Office Update
PARENT QUESTION:
Do I need to supply a doctor’s note every time my student has an appointment or has been ill and gone to the doctor?
ANSWER:
Yes, it is highly recommended. Absences can quickly add up and will count towards truancy. When a doctor’s note is turned in at the office, it is recorded and will exempt that time period from counting towards truancy. If a student has weekly appointments with the same doctor, one note stating the dates the student will be seen routinely will suffice. A doctor’s note is required for absences that extend beyond three consecutive days or ten total absences due to medical reasons. The doctor’s note must be provided to the attendance office within three days. If this does not occur, the absence will be unexcused per the student handbook.
We ask that all parents/guardians notify VandenBerge Middle School prior to the start of the school
day at 8:15 am. This helps to ensure the safety of our students.
Please use one of the following methods for reporting future absences:
Visit Campus Portal, then click More and go to Absence Requests
Select the student(s) you are reporting absent.
1. Use the Excuse dropdown list to choose the reason the student(s) will be absent.
2. Choose an Absence Type for a full day, arrive late, or leave early.
3. Enter the absence Day and Time. If a full day, enter the first and last day the student will not be at school (can be the same day).
4. Enter Comments about the reason for absence.
5. Choose the Submit button at the bottom when finished.
OR
Attendance Line: 763-241-3555
Please include the following information in the message
Student first/last name (and spelling if calling)
Student grade
Reason for the absence
Name of the person reporting absence (must be a parent/guardian)
PLEASE NOTE: All students need to check in/out with the Attendance Administrative Assistant in the main office. Parents/guardians must come into the main office when picking up their student and sign them out.
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Important Dates
February 2- Staff Development Day
February 19 - No School, President’s Day
March 14 - Conferences (4-7)
March 19 - Conferences (4-7)
March 25-29 - No School, Spring Break