Congratulations to this week’s Cougar Captains!!!

Cougar Captains: Larkin, Levi, Spence, Ireland, Ava, Lily, Brynlee, Micalyn, Gage, Emmie, Lucas, Abe, Noah, Wyatt, Celia, Lucy, Jonah, Dash, Stephanie and Cooper

Super Cougar - Jonah

Super Duper Cougar - Mrs. Holste

5th and 6th grade students met with a timber frame engineer and two designers for the new school building. Aaron Hayes of Fire Tower Engineered Timber and Steven Davis and Joel Thompson of Harmony Timberworks talked to students about the 90 ft glulams being installed in the new gymnasium. 6th graders were able to “talk shop” with the Mr. Hayes about the scale model playground they are designing.

Please be sure to send a note in after your child misses school. You have 3 days to do this once they return. We recently ran attendance letters and had many students that are over 5 unexcused absences. Once your student reaches this amount you must come to the school for a meeting. Thank you!

It’s time for the Shooting Stars Visual Art Show sponsored by Watauga Education Foundation!

Valle Crucis will have 10 pieces of artwork chosen from the entries. Only one entry per student or group of students.

All work must be original artwork done by a student or group of students without adult assistance. Your student can choose to enter artwork completed in Art class, this is the only exception. No purchased art, prints, or copies will be permitted.

Have your child pick up the entry forms from Mrs. Postlethwait and turn in the art and the entry form by Tuesday, Mar 26, 2024

All accepted entries will be displayed at The Jones House during the month of April. There will be an Artists Reception at the Jones House on Friday, April 26, 2024.

If your child is participating in our school-wide production of “The Lion King, Jr.”, we are asking all students to wear jungle animal clothing for their part in the show. Our art teacher, Mrs. Lindsey Postlethwait, has graciously consented to do jungle animal face painting for us. It will be minimal but fun. A black shirt with dark pants and simply a jungle print scarf will work as a costume. Some children may choose to order or create a more elaborate costume for their part but it is not required. For the "Grassland Chant" dancers will hold greenery and represent their animal in the grass. We have a box of green shirts and flower leis for that number and for “Hakuna Matata”. Lionesses will need a plain tan shirt for their numbers. Wildebeests will wear brown, black, or dark blue shirts and will hold masks in their hands. For Hyenas, a black hoodie with a stripe of fur mohawk pinned down the back looks to be our best option. We really want to keep the show affordable for all the students who want to participate and we want children to have a choice and feel comfortable with what they wear in the show. Hope that answers any questions about costumes. These costuming suggestions are conforming to the expectations from MTI (Music Theatre International) and provided by the "Disney Showcase Kit", which was included in our official showkit materials.

We are having rehearsals in the classroom for all production numbers and are having extra after school rehearsals for leads on Tuesdays at Bethel Gymnasium and the Valle Crucis Elementary School Music room on Thursdays until 4pm. Pick up at both schools are at the side entrance in the staff parking areas.

There will be a required dress rehearsal/cast pizza party on the Bethel stage on March 19th for all participating students.

We will perform the show on Thursday, March 21st showcasing Bethel leads and we will perform the show again on Tuesday, March 26th showcasing Valle Crucis students in the lead roles. All students are expected to attend and support one another in all production numbers at both performances.

Please feel free to email Terry Lyon with any questions.

We are looking for clothing donations with jungle or hawaiian prints, black hoodies, plain tan and dark blue, black and brown shirts.

We are looking to borrow or rent a “follow spotlight” for the show.

⚽️ Women’s Soccer February 19th-20th 3:30-5:00

*Must be registered in Family ID and have a current physical.

See Coach B for specifics on locations, attire and equipment needed.

• AppHealthCare’s spring dental clinic will be at VC on Thursday, March 14th. If your child doesn’t not have a dentist and you would like for them to be seen, please complete the consent. Paper copies are also available.

https://wcscte.formstack.com/forms/apphealthcare_dental_form_2022_copy_1 - English

https://wcscte.formstack.com/forms/apphealthcare_dental_form_2022_copy_copy - Spanish

• We no longer are doing covid testing in the schools. However, I do have tests that can be sent home with your child. If you are in need, please let me know.

Reach out to Nurse Hannah with any questions about Sugar Shakers.

Monday - Fish Stick

Tuesday - Shredded Chicken Nachos

Wednesday - NO SCHOOL

Thursday - Meatloaf

Friday - Cheese Pizza

(Grilled Cheese and PB &J Sandwiches are offered daily)

Link to menus - https://linqconnect.com/public/menu/7UHW5P?buildingId=a73785dc-dcb4-eb11-a2c3-ce80b7f12dad

School meals are no longer free for all students. See prices listed above in previous section, "Important Links".

If you feel that you would qualify for free or reduced meals or are unsure if you might qualify you should complete the free/reduced meal application.

Free and reduced meal applications must be completed each school year. Applications from previous years do not automatically roll over to the following year. You should only complete one application per family, listing all school-aged children on one application. There is not a need to complete an individual application for each child enrolled in Watauga County Schools. Additional questions concerning free and reduced meal eligibility can be found here.

To begin the application process, go to https://family.titank12.com and complete the required information. You do not need to set up an account to complete the application. Simply select your State and District, and click Next. This will take you to the Watauga County Schools Household Letter and begin the process of completing the application. Follow the prompts in the software and submit the application once it is complete. The application is sent from a secure server directly to the WCS School Nutrition office and all information is completely confidential. You do not need to worry about completing a paper application that could be lost or misplaced.

If you have problems with the meal application or need additional information please contact Titan School Solutions at 844-467-4700 ext. 2. If you do not have access to the internet, please ask the school office for a paper copy of this year’s application or call the School Nutrition office at (828)263-1718 and request a copy.

ALL visitors MUST sign in and sign out at the Front Office.

The front office opens at 7:30.

All visitors will be given a visitors badge or identification. This must be visible at all times while in the building. Visitors will sign in with their destination and should only be where there are signed in to be. Visitor badge or identification will be turned into the office as visitors sign out.

If you plan to walk your child in, you will need to park, and check in at the front office.

If your child is late to school or needs to leave early, parents/guardians will need to come to the office to sign your child in or out of school. Be sure to bring a drivers license for identification for early check outs.

For the safety and security of students, only those on the pick up list will be allowed to pick the student up from school. If changes need to be made, a note should be sent with a phone number for office staff to verify. Emails will not be accepted. If there is an emergency, contact the office.

It is important that students are at school on time and in their rooms ready to begin at 7:55 each day.

For morning arrival, car riders should be dropped off at the front of the school following the traffic pattern. Students will enter in the cafeteria door, like we have done in previous years. All students will have the opportunity to eat breakfast.

Please help us with keeping traffic flowing with drop off by having your students ready with their backpacks, lunches, water bottles, etc ready to unload out of the car. Staff will be on duty to help do this safely and staff will be inside as well to help students get to where they need to be.

For dismissal, the dismissal bell will ring at 2:30 and students will be dismissed at that time. Car riders names will be called and they will go out the front of the school and staff will be there to help them safely load. Don't forget to have your car tag with your child's name. We will be sure to get you a car tag if you don't have one.

Bus riders will dismiss at that time as well and load their bus at the bus lot.

7:15 Doors Open for Students

7:30-3:30 Office Hours

7:55 Instructional Day Begins

2:30 Dismissal

February 21 - Staff Professional Development No School for K-8 Students

April 1-5 - Spring Break

April 24 - Staff Professional Development No School for K-8 Students

May 27 - Memorial Day Holiday

We will continue our focus on our RISE expectations this year (character education and behavior framework).

RISE stands for:

Respect

Integrity

Self Disciplie

Empathy

This is a common language and expectations that students should be familiar with as we continue this year working diligenlty as a whole school to be specific in modeling, teaching, reteaching and helping students grow in these areas. This will align with the use of Class Dojo.

School wide, the VCS staff will be using Class Dojo again. Be sure you have the information from your child's homeroom teachers and are connected.

There will also be the addition of more character education added into the daily curriulum for students.

Our goal, as a school, is to utilize clear, common expectations for all in order to promote the Valle Crucis student body and its supporters with the safest, most positive learning environment.

For more information about the PTSO, the calendar of events, the ways to get involved, our overall mission, ways you can support the school, info about the board, and all of the things that we do, visit our BRAND NEW WEBSITE! We will update it throughout the year based on all of the amazing things going on and that get planned.

Our website address is: http://vallecrucisptso.com

Follow us on facebook here and on instagram @vallecrucisptso. Finally, if you have any questions, comments or concerns at all, you may always reach out to us at vallecrucisptso@gmail.com.

Email: smithb@watuagaschools.org
Website: https://www.wataugaschools.org/Domain/15
Location: 2998 Broadstone Road, Sugar Grove, NC, USA
Phone: (828) 963-4712
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValleCrucisSchoolNC
Twitter: @ValleCrucisSch