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MAIZE unified school district 266
CONNECTING.
LEARNING.
LEADING.

December 2018
VERMILLION ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

501 South James
Maize, KS 67101
(316) 722-0266


Principal

Assistant Principal
MAIZE WAY CHARACTER TRAIT
December is GENEROSITY
Giving to others who are in need....sharing what you have with others....being kind and unselfish....thinking of others before yourself.
NOTE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear VES Families,
It is hard to believe that the first semester of this school year is almost over. We are looking forward to a great holiday season at VES. During this time, we are extremely thankful for our awesome students, parents, and staff.
Our mascot selection process is over, and I am excited to announce we are now the Vermillion Chameleons! Congratulations to the Paredas family and Yocam family with the winning submissions. The next stage of the process is selecting our school colors and developing our logo.
Vermillion will be growing! We will be adding a first, third, fourth, and fifth grade classroom for the 2019-20 school year. We will also be gaining another counselor. I am looking forward to welcoming new staff and students to our school.
We are continuing to implement a Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum at VES this year called Second Step. One of the most widely disseminated SEL curricula in schools is the Second Step program, which was developed by the Committee for Children. Second Step is a skills-focused SEL curriculum that emphasizes directly teaching students' skills that strengthen their ability to learn, have empathy, manage emotions, and solve problems. Please ask you student(s) what they are learning in the Second Step program. You can find more information about Second Step by going to their website: http://www.secondsteplorg/
Wishing you and your family a terrific end to 2018 and a happy 2019!

Sincerely,
Michael Dome
VES Principal
December
  • 24-31: NO SCHOOL - Winter Break
January
  • 1-3: NO SCHOOL - Winter Break
  • 4: NO SCHOOL - Teacher Work Day
  • 7: School Back In Session
  • 10: Breakfast with Dad (7:45-8:35am)
  • 11: Breakfast with Dad (7:45-8:35am)
  • 15: PTO Meeting (6:30-7:30pm @VES Library)
  • 18: BINGO Night (6:00-7:30pm @MMS)
  • 21: NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
February
  • 5: Casual/Group Spring Pictures
  • 7: VES Family Night (6:00-7:00pm @VES)
  • 12: Chipotle Spirit Night (5:00-9:00pm - 21st & Maize)
  • 14: Valentine's Day Parties (K-5th - 2:50-3:50pm)
  • 26: 1st & 2nd Grade Music Program (6:30 & 7:45pm @MHS Aud.)
  • 28: PTO Chick-fil-A Spirit Night (5:00-8:00pm)

QUICK LINKS
Don't forget to check Lost & Found
COUNSELOR's CORNER
Group sign ups for grades Kindergarten - 2nd are occurring right now! Students in these grades have brought home sign up sheets for a variety of groups. 
Group sign ups for grades Kindergarten - 2nd are occurring right now! Students in these grades have brought home sign up sheets for a variety of groups. 

If a Kindergartner signs up, they will be invited to each lunch with me and other Kindergarten students one time. If grades 1st - 2nd students sign up they will be in a group that will be once a week for three weeks. 

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. My email is [email protected] or feel free to call me direct at 350-2841.

Enjoy a great holiday break!
Andi Shipman
VES Counselor 
ARE YOU MOVING?
If you have moved or will be moving, but are still in district, please send a Proof of Residency to the school office as soon as possible. You can email it to [email protected] or fax it to the school office at 316-722-5020.
  • An Acceptable Proof of Residence includes a copy of your mortgage/lease agreement, including signature page, or a current copy of your gas, water or electric bill.
  • If you have any questions regarding Proof of Residence, please feel free to contact the school office.
If you are moving OUT of district, please contact Renee Frisk at [email protected] or by phone at 316-722-0266. Please include the new school, city and state you will be transferring to so we can prepare your students records for transfer.
WATCH D.O.G.S.
Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads Of Great Students) is an innovative father involvement, educational initiative of the National Center for Fathering. WatchDOGS are fathers, step-fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and other father-figures who volunteer for at least one day each year at an official WATCH D.O.G.S. school. Select to View How The WatchDOGS Program Works .
We still have WatchDOG volunteer openings available for the remainder of the school year.

Signing up to be a WatchDOG is easy! 
  • Simply view the WatchDOG monthly calendars located on the VES website at https://www.usd266.com/VES under ‘Programs’ then select ‘WatchDOGS’ to see what dates are available and email [email protected] - include your name, phone number, student(s) and their teacher's name. (only two WatchDOGS per day please.)

  • You MUST complete a volunteer background check PRIOR to your first scheduled WatchDOG date. The background check can be completed online thru the VES website at https://www.usd266.com/VES under ‘Programs’ then select ‘Volunteer Background Check’. (a volunteer background check will need to be completed each year)
UPDATE FROM COACH
Please check with your child over winter break and make sure their PE shoes still fit. I have had several students tell me their shoes are getting too small. They have all really grown!
If you child is ill or injured, please let us know and we will accommodate accordingly. We already have many students with a cough and not feeling their best.
Enjoy the time off and we look forward to seeing you in 2019!
Coach Trail
Ph: 722-0266 x2844
Coach Peck

LIBRARY NEWS
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season with family and friends. Enjoy your time off!

Steph Hills
Media Specialist
MUSIC MATTERS
All State Elementary Honor Choir Results
Four of our Vermillion students have been selected to participate in the Kansas Music Educators' Association All State Elementary Choir . They were selected from over 700 auditions statewide. They will be rehearsing and performing on Thursday, February 21st during the KMEA In-Service Workshop. You can find more information about tickets for this event at http://ksmea.org/elemchoir/.
Please join me in congratulating the following students:
  • Katareena B. -- Mrs. Bender's 5th grade class
  • Allison O. -- Mrs. Burkholder's 4th grade class
  • Hadlee M. -- Mrs. Angelica's 3rd grade class
  • Maggie J. -- Mrs. Bollenbach's 3rd grade class
I am so proud of all 22 students from VES who submitted auditions!
First & Second Grade Concerts: ( Watch for a detailed parent letter to go out after our break )
Date:  Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Time:  6:30pm  - Newland, Ozier, Christensen & Longbine (Mrs. Merkel's students)
Time:  7:45pm  - Brownell, Fischer, Allen & Morgan (Mrs. Bean's students)
Location: Maize High School Auditorium (11600 W 45th St N)
Kindergarten Concert:
Date:  Thursday, May 2, 2019
Time:  6:30pm
Location: Maize Middle School Commons Area (4600 N Maize Rd)
Nutcracker and Young People's Concert :
I wanted to give a quick shout out to the board of Chamber Music at the Barn who underwrite the cost of the transportation for the 4th grade Nutcracker field trip and the 5th grade Young People's concerts. We are so thankful for their generosity! The 5th grader's January concert will be Thursday, January 17th at 9:45am.
QUAVER MUSIC :
I hope you all are using the free, at home portion of our music curriculum, Quaver Music. The code below will give your student 100 Quaver credits that can be used to purchase items for their Quaver Avatar. The Avatar feature only works with 'Flash' enabled at this time. You can also stay up-to-date with Quaver by going to their blog at http://www.quavermusicblog.com .

The Quaver Code for December is : deckthehalls
Login information :
Computers & Mobile devices : Go to  www.quavermusic.com  and login using a Username & Password. 
  • Username (a/k/a Quaver name): is the same as your child's Maize Student ID #
  • Passwordmusic1
You will have the option to choose "with Flash" or "without Flash". "With Flash" will have the most content.

Doreen Merkel
NURSE KELLI's COLUMN
If your child will need to have medication at school this year, please complete the medication administration form, which can be found on our website  www.usd266/VES  under Families/Nurse's Corner/Medications. You or your doctor's office can fax the completed form to the the school nurse.

PLEASE NOTE:
  • Students are NOT allowed to transport medication.
  • Over the counter medications will be given with the signed form.
  • Prescriptions MUST have a doctor's signature.
Dental screenings will be completed on Friday, January 25th . If your child does NOT need dental screening you can OPT OUT by emailing me at [email protected] .
Just a few reminders:
  1. If your child has a fever the night before school they should NOT come to school the next day.
  2. If your child has a fever of 100.0F temperature or greater they will be sent home.
  3. If your child has head lice we MUST check their heads before they return to the classroom after treatment.
  4. If your child has strep throat they must be on antibiotics for 24 hours before returning to school.
If you have any concerns, please let me know.
Nurse Kelli Omo
 Direct Phone: 350-2810 / School Office Phone: 722-0266 / School Fax: 722-5020
PTO NEWS


There is still time to become a PTO volunteer. If you are interested in supporting our students and staff, please complete the PTO Volunteer Registration Form and return it to school. Please note there are three (3) different membership options, and membership is FREE!
January
  • 15: PTO Meeting - 6:30-7:30pm (VES Library)
  • 18: Family BINGO Night - 6:00-7:30pm (MMS Commons)
February
  • 12: Chipotle Spirit Night - 5:00-9:00pm (21st & Maize)
  • 21: Urban Air Night - 4:00-8:00pm
  • 22: Popcorn Day (.25¢ per bag - one bag per student)
  • 28: Chick-fil-A Spirit Night - 5:00-8:00pm (21st & Maize)
In honor of Veterans Day, we had a hat day fundraiser and thanks to generous student donations we raised  $420  that was donated to Kansas Honor Flight. 
This organization raises funds to send Kansas Veterans to Washington DC to see their War Memorials. It costs $800 to send one Veteran on this trip - there is no cost to the Veteran as the trip is fully funded by Kansas Honor Flight.
To learn more about Kansas Honor Flight go to their website  www.kansashonorflight.org
Don't forget! Our Family Bingo Night is  Friday, January 18th   from 6:00-7:30pm at Maize Middle School. Order forms will be sent home after the winter break. This is a FREE event for your family, with optional items for purchase.

Raffle baskets and silent auction items will be available to preview during Breakfast with Dad on January 10-11 and $1 raffle tickets will be available for purchase during this time as well. In addition to the raffle basket items we will have two silent auction items; an autographed Bill Snyder K-State football and a KU basketball autographed by the men's basketball team. Watch the VES PTO Facebook page 'Maize Vermillion Elementary School PTO' for updates and details on our raffle baskets!

Sponsors for Bingo Night are invited to get in touch with Merinda Heard [email protected] . We especially are looking for raffle basket donations.

If you are willing to volunteer to make our Bingo Night a success, please contact Kim Dickerson-Oard at [email protected] or 316-253-5718.

With the money raised from our Walk-A-Thon this year PTO has purchased new Library books and flexible seating for the Library.
Don't forget to collect BoxTops! We collect BoxTops throughout the year.

You can view the participating products that contain BoxTops by selecting www.usd266.com/VES
PTO can be reached at:
Facebook: Vermillion Elementary PTO

Be sure to tag all the fun you are having at VES this year with #VES Spirit.
BUS DRIVERS NEEDED


We are hiring school bus drivers!
(Apply at    www.usd266.com )


Three reasons to take the wheel with Maize USD 266:
1.  BONUSES :
In addition to competitive pay, our drivers receive a  monthly $50 bonus  for perfect attendance.
2.  FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE :
Our typical bus driver schedule is 6:00am to 9:00am and 2:00pm to 5:00pm on school days. Convenient for small business owners, college students, and those who want to be off when Maize USD 266 are off. No evenings, weekends, or holidays. Fall, Winter & Spring breaks off.
3.  BENEFITS :
Retirement earnings through KPERS (Kansas Public Employees Retirement System). Nine paid sick days a year, and  $250 each month  paid toward your health insurance.
ONEMA1ZE  #OneMa1ze