Back to School 2023 Education Matters

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Lisa Finder, President

Kim Bellchamber, Vice President Phyllis Geary, Secretary Richard Schmitt, Treasurer Rebecca Menley, Director

Faye

Peats, Director

Adam Watson, Director

Dr. Tim Dilg Superintendent of Schools

Jaime Gast, Editor Director of Communications

In case of emergency. . . Occasionally, severe weather conditions or other emergencies make it necessary to close school

The Superintendent tries to make the decision to close school by 5:30 a m , or earlier if possible When classes are postponed or canceled, a phone & text message will be sent out to all students, parents and legal guardians through our messaging system

School closings are also broadcast on KMOX (AM 1120) and TV stations

KSDK Channel 5, KMOV Channel 4 and FOX Channel 2 & Channel 11; and are posted on the District’s website, Facebook and Twitter

NOTE: If school is closed, all other school-related activities are canceled for that day

From our Finance Department Fund Balance Growth over the last 5 years.

SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT COMPLIANCE PLAN

The Valley Park School District (VPSD), along with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education provides free appropriate educational programs for various disabling conditions through special education programs.

The VPSD, through the Special School District, is responsible for providing appropriate services to children birth to 21 years of age who have a diagnosed disability.

The VPSD Local Compliance Plan is available for public inspection in the Assistant Superintendent's office from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., by appointment only

If you know of any student in the VPSD who falls into the areas listed and is not receiving assistance, please contact SSD Director of Special Education , Julie Schroeder, (636) 923-3621

WHAT IS DYSLEXIA? FREE AND REDUCED MEALS

Dyslexia is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition, spelling, and decoding abilities. Dyslexia is a neurological condition caused by a different wiring of the brain, and its inherent characteristics exist on a spectrum - with all students having unique abilities Research states that one in ten people may have dyslexia

At Valley Park, our goal is to identify any and all students with reading difficulties and provide research-based strategies to help them grow and learn. Our identification meets and exceeds state mandates as we do our best for students

REPORTING ABSENCES

If a student is absent from school, parents or guardians are required to call the District’s main phone number, (636) 923-3500 If no report is made, as a safety measure, the school may telephone the parents at home or at their place of employment to verify the absence

Valley Park participates in the free and reduced-price meal program for children unable to pay full price for meals serviced in schools. Eligibility is determined based on income and the number of people living in a household. You can determine eligibility and apply by visiting www.vpschools/foodservices or by visiting your child’s school office Contact our Business Office at (636) 9233618 with any questions.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 or (202) 7206382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider

ADDITIONAL PUBLIC NOTICES CAN BE FOUND AT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE. WWW.VPSCHOOLS.ORG/BACKTOSCHOOL

LEGAL NOTICE: STUDENTS' RECORDS

HEALTH SERVICES: ALL SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN MUST BE IMMUNIZED FERPA NOTICE: YOUR RIGHTS

PUBLIC NOTICE: STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES COMPLIANCE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AT VALLEY PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOL SUPPLY LISTS AND MORE...

Why is a healthy Fund Balance so important? A district’s financial cash reserves must be adequate to protect the short-term and longterm educational opportunities for that community’s children against some type of financial disruption and provides a way to set money aside for major expenses either scheduled or unscheduled. The establishment of sufficient and stable district cash reserves is considered a prudent business practice and demonstrates solid financial planning, sound fiscal management, a strong district fiscal position and shows the district are good stewards of the community assets.

All students must present documentation of up-to-date immunization status, including month, day, and year of each immunization before attending school.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) allows a 4-day grace period. Students in all grade levels may receive immunizations up to four days before the due date.

Missouri-required immunizations should be administered according to the current ACIP schedule, including all spacing, (CDC.Gov/vaccines/schedules).

To remain in school, students “in progress” must have an Immunizations In Progress form (Imm P 14) on file In progress means that a child has begun the vaccine series and has an appointment for the next dose This appointment must be kept and an updated record provided to the school If the appointment is not kept, the child is no longer in progress and is noncompliant. (i.e., Hep B vaccine series was started but the child is not yet eligible to receive the next dose in the series.)

Religious (Imm.P.11A) and Medical (Imm.P.12) exemptions are allowed. The appropriate exemption form must be on file. Unimmunized children are subject to exclusion from school when outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases occur.

1.Lastdoseonorafterthefourthbirthdayandthelastdoseofpediatricpertussisbeforetheseventhbirthday.Maximumneeded:sixdoses.

2.8-12Grades:Tdap,whichcontainspertussisvaccine,isrequired.

3.Grade8-11:OnedoseofMCVisrequired.Dosemustbegivenafter10yearsofage.Grade12:TwodosesofMCVarerequiredunlessthefirstdosewas administeredtoastudentwhowas16yearsofageorolder,inwhichcaseonlyonedoseisrequiredAtleastonedosemustbegivenafter16yearsof age 4Kindergarten-12Grade:LastdosemustbeadministeredonorafterthefourthbirthdayTheintervalbetweenthenext-to-lastandlastdoseshouldbe atleastsixmonths

5FirstdosemustbegivenonoraftertwelvemonthsofageIfMMRandVaricellaarenotadministeredonthesameday,theymustbeatleast28days apartThe4-daygraceperioddoesnotapplytolivevaccines

6Theremustbeatleastfourweeksbetweendoseoneandtwo;atleast8weeksbetweendosetwoandthree;atleast16weeksbetweendosesoneand threeandfinaldosemustbegivennoearlierthan24weeksofage.

7.Firstdosemustbegivenonoraftertwelvemonthsofage.IfVaricellaandMMRarenotadministeredonthesameday,theymustbeatleast28days apart.The4-daygraceperioddoesnotapplytolivevaccines.

Kindergarten-12Grade:Assatisfactoryevidenceofdisease,alicensedhealthcareprovidermaysignandplaceonfilewiththeschoolawrittenstatement documentingthemonthandyearofpreviousvaricella(chickenpox)disease.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

LIMITLESS

As part of our Strategic Plan Pillar 1: Our Students and Pillar 2: Our Team, the Valley Park School District has committed to developing student-centered classrooms and personalized learning experiences for all students

As outlined in our plan, we are committed to providing high-quality, sustainable professional learning that positively impacts student learning. Included in Pillar 1

isacommitmenttoprovideproject-basedlearning(PBL)opportunitiestoallstudentsinValleyPark Weare thrilledtocontinueour3-yearjourneywithPBL!

Thisisthesecondofthreedifferentcohortsthatwillbeprovidedwithsummertraining,additionalPDdays duringtheschoolyearandongoingcoachingandsupportstraightfromNewTechHigh,TheCenterfor Excellence.NewTechHighprovidescuttingedgeprofessionaldevelopment,training,andsupportfor educators,schools,anddistrictslookingtotransformtheirpractices.

Cohort#2hasbeenchosenandincludes30teachers.Congratulationstothisgroupwhichincludes,Megan Basler,HannahByers,BeckyCustard,NinaDiGregario,MichaelDothage,JillElder,AbigailEspenschied,Jinnie Fitzgerald,BrandiGreenhaw,AubreaGrundstad,CaitlinHouston,AllisonHungate-Wood,KellyKaiser,Jill Karagiannis,RobertKeough,RuthKoehr,WilliamLancaster,KristenLight,AlexisMathews,GloriaMcDonnell, SarahNewton,JamiePapan,JuliePaulsen,JocelynPuett,StephenSchwartz,MichelleSencibaugh,TimSiebe, MarianneWecker,TristanWood,andJaclynZieger.Wecan'twaittoseewhatlimitlesslearningopportunities thissecondcohortwillbringtothestudentsatValleyParkSchoolDistrict!

2022 ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT CELEBRATIONS FOR VALLEY PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP) is the statewide system that outlines expectations for school practices and student outcomes. MSIP supports the statewide goal that each student graduates ready for success in college, career and life MSIP measures are combined to create an Annual Performance Report (APR) for each local education agency (LEA) and building. APR is the primary factor in classification of school districts.

VPSD scored in the top 25% of districts in the State of Missouri.

Earned 100% of points possible for our Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) work with 8th graders.

Earned 100% of points possible for our Kindergarten Entry Assessment.

Above average growth in both ELA & Math as a District

Tax Free Weekend is August 4 - 6

SUMMER SAFETY AND SECURITY UPGRADES

Research shows that when students feel safe, they're more attentive and efficient in the classroom and have fewer symptoms of depression Students who are engaged and attentive more often experience long-term academic and life success. Below are some of the safety upgrades the Valley Park School District has completed this summer for a safe and successful 2023-2024 school year:

Securityfilmonallinteriorclassroomdoorswith windowsthatwouldallowreachtoadoorhandle inthecaseofanemergency

Mirrorfilmonallexteriorwindowsinthemiddle school.Thiscutsdownvisibilityfromperspective intruders.

WindscreenforfencealongVanceRoadwillbe installed.Thiswillhindervisibilityofourstudents ontheplaygroundaswellaskeeproaddebris fromflyingontotheplaygroundarea.

Updatedandenhancedsafetydrillschedule(fire, tornadoandintruderdrills)andemergency evacuationmapshavebeenupdatedthroughout theentiredistrict.Theseupdatesandwell-crafted emergencyevacuationplanisjustanotherstepin keepingourstudentsandstaffsafeandwill ensureaquickandsecureexitduringemergency situations.

Thank you Fenton Masonic Lodge #281!

The members made a generous donation to Valley Park Elementary School! Monies will go towards supplies, food, hygiene items, and clothing for our students! We are beyond grateful for your continued community partnership .

Kindergarten Jump Start begins August 10. The Jump Start Program will allow our youngest students to transition to school prior to our firstfifth grade students arriving in the building. We cannot wait for the graduating class of 2036 to join us!

Important Dates and Details:

• Kindergarten Meet your Teacher on Wednesday, August 9, 3:30-5:00PM

• Jump Start Program half-day Thursday and Friday, August 10 & 11, 8:00-11:30AM

• Early Childhood Meet your Teacher on Thursday, August 17, 2:30-3:30PM

• 1st-5th Grade Meet your Teacher on Thursday, August 17, 3:30-5:30PM

Questions? Please contact our elementary office at (636) 923-3632.

PARENTS AS TEACHERS

PAT is offered at no cost to in-district parents. PAT features education about

developmental expectations and observations, parent meetings and group connections/family events, health and developmental screenings, and community service referrals. Please call (636) 923-3531 to set up an appointment.

Valley Park School District has a new Website and app!

Check out our new and improved Valley Park School District Website and App at www.vpschools.org! Click the QR code below to download the app on your cell phone VPSD district email addresses will also be changing to our new URL To email, use the staff member's first initial and their last name@vpschools.org example: John Doe - jdoe@vpschools.org

SUMMER FACILITY UPGRADES

To ensure student success and foster operational excellence while remaining good stewards of District spending, the Valley Park School District has completed the following upgrades this summer in addition to the enhancements of the Wellness Room and Collaboration Space we shared in the last issue. Thank you to the Valley Park School District Board of Education for supporting our decisions for these updates and their continued support of Valley Park Schools

High School Commons

The Valley Park School District has repainted the entire commons, installed a fully functional AV system and added all glass white boards for use during class meetings or lessons.

Field House Floor

The Field House floor has been resurfaced, painted and sealed. It looks beautiful! This work will allow 8-10 more years of use of our current floor before the need for replacement.

Fifth Grade Pods

This year we have re-imagined what the fifth grade pods could look like and have re-opened them to increase student engagement and endless possibilities for limitless learning.

ATHLETICS

Fall practice begins Monday, August 7th

Who: Boys Soccer - Volleyball - Cross Country - Softball

When/Where: Individual coaches will be in contact Please bring your Physical Form and Preparticipation Form. Athletes must have these items prior to practicing.

Questions? Call the Athletic Office: (636) 923-3614 Visit www.vpschools.org/athletics for forms and the most up to date information.

DO YOU NEED A PHYSICAL?

Yes. Every student athlete needs an up to date physical. Physicals are up to date for two years from the date of the physical and must be valid throughout the entire sports season. Visit www.vpschools.org/physicalform for the physical form to be filled out by your physician.

AUGUST 18 - OCTOBER 25 ATHLETICS SCHEDULE

8/18/23 4:15PM V SOFTBALL @ PARKWAY SOUTH JAMBOREE

8/25/23 TBD V SOFTBALL @ RITENOUR TOURNEY

8/26/23 TBD V SOFTBALL @ RITENOUR TOURNEY

8/26/23 TBD V SOCCER @ BISHOP DUBOURG TOURNEY

8/28/23 4PM V SOFTBALL VS. ROSATI KAIN

8/28/23 TBD V SOCCER @ BISHOP DUBOURG TOURNEY

8/29/23 V VOLLEYBALL POOL PLAY HANCOCK TOURNEY

8/29/23 4PM V SOFTBALL @ HERCULANEUM

8/30/23 V VOLLEYBALL @ HANCOCK TOURNEY

8/31/23 V VOLLEYBALL @ HANCOCK TOURNEY

TBD V SOCCER @ BISHOP DUBOURG TOURNEY

VS. JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL

V VOLLEYBALL @ PRINCIPIA

5PM JV SOCCER VS. DESOTO HIGH SCHOOL

6:30PM V SOCCER VS. DESOTO HIGH SCHOOL

JV SOCCER @ MRH

V SOCCER @ MRH

V VOLLEYBALL @ BRENTWOOD

TBD V SOFTBALL @ ST PIUS X TOURNAMENT

TBD V SOFTBALL @ ST. PIUS X TOURNAMENT

JV SOCCER VS. WINDSOR

V VOLLEYBALL VS. HANCOCK HIGH SCHOOL

V

Dates and times will be updated and can change, please visit www.vpschools.org/athleticscalendar for the most up to date information.

ACTIVITY BUS: Resident middle and high school students staying after school for school-sponsored activities can be transported home on the activity bus Monday through Thursday. Daily route is determined by student drop off. The bus leaves at 4PM from the bus circle To ride the bus, students must sign up with the supervising teacher There is NO activity bus on Fridays or the day before a holiday

NOTE: DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE: Please check the district web site, www.vpschools.org, for the latest information on school activities or follow us on social media.

VALLEY PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE MAIN STREET VALLEY PARK, MO 63088