First Week of School Orientation Week 2018

Transcription

1 What to Expect Your First Week at Valley Catholic Middle School Starting at 7:25 a.m., staff members will meet the students in the middle school hallways to help direct students and answer questions. If you arrive before this time, please wait outside the front doors. First Week of School Orientation Week 2018 Tuesday, September 4 7:50 a.m. 12:15 p.m. This is the first official school day and all VCMS students begin their orientation program (not classes). Any missing students will be marked absent. Dress: Students need to come to school in their uniforms and with one bag full of supplies including their emergency kit (students will bring supplies in gradually over the next three No study hall or after school activities. Students must be picked up and off campus by 12:35 p.m. Wednesday, September 5 7:50 a.m. - 3:10 p.m. (Pick up at 3:25 encouraged) Dress: Students need to come to school in their uniforms Orientation program continues today. Eighth grade math and world language classes begin today. Elective packet outlining choices for performing and visual arts distributed today to sixth grade and transfer students. Starting today, Students need to bring morning and afternoon snack, lunch and/or lunch money. Thursday, September 6 PHOTO DAY! 7:50 a.m. - 3:10 p.m. (Pick up at 3:25 encouraged) Students should come to school in free dress clothing that follows the Free Dress Code. Orientation program continues today. Any missing students will be marked absent. Eighth grade will continue math and world language classes. Seventh grade will begin their elective and math classes. Sixth grade and transfer students may visit one arts elective class today. Friday, September 7 7:50 a.m. 3:10 p.m. (Pick up at 3:25 encouraged) Students may wear spirit dress that follows the Spirit Dress Code (Fridays are non-uniform Mass Day- All VCMS students attend the All-School Mass (PreK-12) at 9:25 a.m. Classes begin for all grades. Sixth grade and transfer students may visit one more arts elective class today. (Students will choose their elective over the weekend after visiting two different options on Thursday and Friday.)

2 First Month of School September 2018 Student Information Week Two: September Getting use to coursework After School study hall begins every day that school is in session a full day Fall STAR testing begins Friday, Sept. 14 Week Three: September Getting into a routine for school and fostering peer relationships After School Clubs and Activities Fair (not including CYO sports) on Thursday and Friday Wednesday, Sept. 19: Golf Tournament for Parents Thursday, Sept. 20: Special Dress Day Goodbye to Summer Dress (details TBA) Thursday, Sept. 20 and Friday, Sept. 21: Club Information at Lunch/Visit club options Friday, Sept. 21 Week Four: September Getting involved After School Clubs and Activities (not including CYO sports) begin Tuesday, Sept. 25: Early Dismissal (Last Tuesday of the month) Students dismiss at 2:20. Students must be picked up and off campus by 2:35 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26: Back to School Night for Seventh and Eighth Grade parents 6:45 9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28: Seventh grade speaker series and field trip (parent help needed). Friday, Sept. 28

3 Frequently Asked Questions I look forward to seeing each of you on Tuesday, September 4th and I hope the following information answers a few of your first-day questions. If you have any others, please do not hesitate to ask: JGfroerer@valleycatholic.org. May my parent escort me to class the first day? Do parents do this at middle school? The answer to this question varies depending on the individual parent and child. We recommend that if you are nervous (or maybe mom and dad are nervous), ask your parents to escort you to the lobby first thing in the morning. They may also help carry items to this point for you. However, parents are not allowed to accompany students to the locker areas. This will be strictly enforced for all middle school students except those with medical ILP (Individual Learning Plans) plans that specify that parents may escort the student to their locker. However, in order for this adjustment to be granted, the parent must have prearranged for this to occur with the VCMS Counselor, Sr. Colleen Schmidt For parents and students wanting to take first day of school photos, please take these after school or outside the main building before entering. There is simply not going to be the space to take these nor a good landmark to use as a backdrop. One suggestion to consider is taking a photo next to your locker on registration day. What time may I drop off my child? The school building opens at 7:25 a.m. What time does school start and end? School starts at 7:45 a.m. everyday, starting on the first day of school Tuesday, September 4 th. Most days, school dismisses at 3:10 but students dismiss at 12:15 p.m. on the first day, Tuesday, September 4 th. As the school-year progresses, please check the schedule/calendar on line or in the VC View for specific dismissal times. Where do I student go on the first day of school? Student may go to their locker or the office but once finished, the student should go to the elementary school cafeteria. The orientation schedule for the day will be provided to the students on Tuesday, September 4 th following the welcome assembly. What should I wear on the first day? Uniforms are required the first day of school. You may choose any combination of uniform items but all items, including uniform jackets (if you plan to wear your jacket during the school day including lunch), socks, shoes, hair, make-up, etc. must follow the uniform dress code.

4 What should I bring on the first day? In general, you should bring: Items from your supply list that need to be left at school Emergency packet Snacks or money to purchase a morning snack (lunch is not served the first day as students dismiss at 12:15 p.m.) All items should have your name written on them in permanent marker. Please label all uniform clothing as well, including shoes! o Class Schedules: So that the first week may be spent on enhancing skills and meeting classmates, the orientation class schedules will change each day. This means the mix of students in your classes will be different each day. Starting Monday, September 10 th, students will receive and begin their regular academic classes. Class schedules will not be distributed, nor set-up in PowerSchool, until this time. o Music, Visual Art and Electives: All students will receive their music class assignment, including instrument choice by September 12 th. If you are in band or orchestra, you will need your instrument by Monday, September 17 th. o PE Clothes: You will not need your PE clothes the first week (orientation week). However, you may choose to bring them and place them in your PE locker/basket. You will need your PE clothes by Monday, September 10 th. BE SURE TO MARK ALL ITEMS - SHOES INCLUDED!! Are snacks and lunch sold? The high school cafeteria staff prepares well balanced foods for both the morning break and for lunch. Vending machines in the middle school hallway, cafeteria and athletic center are also available at all times of the day. Many students use the vending machines, as they are a novelty to the new students. We do not supervise the students eating choices. I would encourage families to make a meal plan in which the student and parent discuss fun food vs. healthy food. Morning Break: Middle school has a 15-minute break period after their third class of the day (2 nd period /10:15 a.m. on regular schedule). This break time is shared by both the middle and high school students. During this time the cafeteria staff sells breakfast items such as bagels, muffins, juice, and fruit. Other items vary and a menu is available in the front office. Lunch: Middle school lunch is 30 minutes long and occurs after the fourth class (3 rd period) of the day (11:20 a.m. on a regular schedule). The cafeteria staff sells a main item, listed on the monthly menu, along with daily staples such as salad, white rice, soup and chili, fruit, dessert, juice, soda, and water. Other items vary and a menu is available in the front office. Afternoon break: Middle school has a five-minute break after the sixth class (5 th period) of the day (1:20 p.m. on a regular schedule). There is no cafeteria food available. How to buy lunch tickets: Lunch tickets are sold in the front office at both the Elementary and Middle School as well as the High school.

5 Drop-Off and Pick-Up Information The elementary and middle school building is open to middle school students and their families from 7:25 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. on a regularly scheduled school day. (As a general rule, the hallways open 15 minutes prior to the start of school and stay open 15 minutes after the dismissal bell rings. This includes but is not limited to - early dismissal, late start, final exam days and snow days.) The first 15 minutes after dismissal are office hours for all full-time staff that are not currently coaching high school athletic teams. It is strongly recommended that all parents wait until 3:25 to pickup middle school students on regular dismissal days. After 3:25 p.m. and before 7:25 a.m. - the middle school hallways are closed to both students and parents, unless the student is in a school-sponsored activity, event, or study hall. Prior to 7:25 a.m. or after 3:25 p.m., students will need to wait outside the school building. During this time no supervision is provided. Parents are STRONGLY encouraged to pick-up students AFTER 3;25 p.m. so that students may use the skills the teachers are trying to give the students. During this time, students are able to check in the classrooms, meet with teachers, organize their locker, or socialize in the hallway. After 3:25, students will be asked to wait outside for their rides or to move into stud hall or their after school activity location. At 4:20, the building is closed unless there is a pre-scheduled supervised event. Students and parents may not access the lockers after 3:25 p.m. without permission of a Valley Catholic Middle School staff member. This includes during both evening and weekend events. The best three locations for dropping off and picking up students are: 1. In the gravel parking lot by the athletic fields. 2. In front of the school 3. In the old elementary school parking area 4. In the Athletic Center parking lot IF YOU ARE PARKING. This is not an area to drop and go There is no supervision for students before or after school except those attending the middle school study halls or school sponsored activities. The middle school study hall provides a supervised study area every day Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday that school is in session for a full day between 3:25 p.m. and 4:20 p.m. for students. There is no study hall on Tuesdays or any day that dismisses before 3:10 p.m. Reminder: VCMS hallways, including lockers, open at 7:45 a.m. and close at 3:25 p.m.