A New Parent's Guide to Vestavia Hills Elementary East
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A New Parent’s Guide to Vestavia Hills
Elementary East
The mission of Vestavia Hills City Schools is to ensure each student learns without limits by
pursuing knowledge and igniting curiosity about the world through a system distinguished by:
· A safe and nurturing environment
· The courage to be creative
· Unparalleled community support
· Appreciation of diversity
· Multiple paths to a bold future
2021-2022
Contents:
Letter from Principal
Important Things to Know
What Happens During the First Weeks of School?
VHEE PTO
Notes from School Nurse
Curricular Notes from Assistant Principal
Kindergarten Readiness
Extended Day Program Information
2021-2022 School Calendar
Carpool Map
Non-Discrimination Policy
Last Updated July 30, 2021Letter from Our Principal Dear Parents and Students, Welcome to East! The partnership among students, parents, community members, and our school staff is the major reason that the schools in our community are among the best anywhere. This is evident in so many ways! This 2019-2020 school year was particularly exciting as East returned to its roots, as it became a K-5 school again. We recognize that one of the great benefits of this model is that children can call our school their home for two more years. To make a great home away from home, we always envision a school where children are safe, learning, and happy. We constantly work on ensuring school safety and improving our teaching. In an effort to help children feel happy and contented at school, we continued our “Friendship Initiative” for its second year, which is an effort to employ intentional strategies to increase positive relationships among students in each classroom. We have seen excellent results! During the 2020-2021 school year, all schools faced the difficult challenge of conducing school during a global pandemic. I am happy to report that, because of the positive attitudes and hard work of our students, teachers, and families, we had a very successful school year. We were especially pleased to develop our new EAGLE core values during the year. Those values are Empathy, Acceptance, Grit, Love, and Excellence. Please plan to become involved at East next year to help us serve our children. The best way to do that is to become a member of our PTO. Through this membership, you will find so many ways to support and volunteer here at school. Also, please feel free to contact me if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions this year. Looking forward to another wonderful year! Mark Richardson Email: richardsonml@vestavia.k12.al.us
Important Things to Know Registration- Online registration for the 2021-22 school year opened for all K-12 students in April 2021. Vestavia Hills City Schools has partnered with PowerSchool as the provider of the online registration system. You will receive an email from PowerSchool prior to registration with your unique login credentials and snapcodes. In-person registration assistance may be available by appointment only. School fees payment for all students will be available online, starting on July 27, 2021. Stay tuned for more details on this. Enrollment– It’s easy to confuse registration with enrollment, but they are not the same thing. Enrollment is a one-time process either online or in person with our registrar to provide required documents. A list of what is required for enrollment is available in our front office, or you can find it on our school district website (www.vestavia.k12.al.us) by clicking “New Student Enrollment” under the “Quick Links” section of the page. Parent Handbook– The district parent/student handbook and our VHEE handbook can both be found online at East Website. Both links are located in the “Quick Links” section of that webpage. School Supplies– Each year during registration, payments are collected to purchase school supplies. At the beginning of the year each child will receive the school supplies they will need. This allows all the students to have the same materials and eliminates a trip to a school supply store for you! Class T-Shirt– Each class at VHEE will have a color coded t-shirt that will be worn during field trips and other organized school activities. Class T-shirt information will be collected during the registration process. Kindergarten Rest Mats– Each Kindergarten student will need a rest mat for nap time. In order to enable teachers to easily clean rest mats, lower your cost, and prevent the spread of illness, our teachers ask that parents purchase vinyl, plastic one-inch thick tri-fold mats this year. These are available at Walmart, Target, and Amazon. That size makes them ideal for storage. Here is a sample from Walmart: Walmart Rest Mat From Target: Target Rest Mat From Amazon: Amazon Rest Mat Backpacks—Our kindergarten teachers request that parents not purchase the extra small preschool backpacks, but choose the normal over the shoulder elementary-sized backpack for each child. Please avoid backpacks with wheels. Also, it is helpful for these backpacks to have side pockets for water bottle storage.
Snacks- Children should bring a nutritious snack and a water bottle to school each day. Do not send a beverage, other than a water bottle, for snack time. School Lunches - All students receive a lunch account to be used in the lunchroom. The account will have an individual I.D. Number. The good news is that the federal government is providing free meals (breakfast and lunch) for all our students during the 2021-2022 school year, so this account would be primarily used for extra snacks that are sold in the lunchroom. We encourage our parents to manage their child’s lunch account using the PayPAMS online portal (https://www.paypams.com/). At Meet the Teacher Day, though, parents can pay with a check or cash to fill the account. While a basic breakfast or lunch will be free this year for all students, a student may use this account to purchase snacks and/or drinks from the cafeteria by entering the number into a computer pad at the cash register. As the account is used, the student will be given, on a regular basis, a computer-generated print-out of the amount left. Breakfast is offered each morning between 7:15 and 7:45. Since class begins at 7:45, we ask that all students eating breakfast arrive no later than 7:30. Parents may visit during lunch hours to eat with their children. You simply need to check in at the office prior to lunch, and then meet your child’s class at the cafeteria. We also ask that snacks and any lunches that you send be items that can be opened by your children. This may be something that you can also practice at home prior to school starting. Carpool Numbers - Carpool information will be collected during the enrollment process. You will be asked to choose which carpool line you would like your child picked up in, and a number will be assigned accordingly. The carpool numbers will be handed out at Meet the Teacher Day. (See carpool map at end of this document.) Clothing- We ask that parents do as much as they can to help their children be independent regarding clothing. It is helpful if children can button their clothes after bathroom visits and wear shoes that are manageable for them. School Hours - Students should not arrive prior to 7:15 a.m. The first bell rings at 7:45 a.m., and classes begin at that time. Anyone arriving after 7:45 a.m. is considered tardy and must be signed in by his/her parent or guardian. The 2:25 p.m. bell is for walkers and childcare van/bus pickup students only. All other students are dismissed at 2:35 p.m. Extended daycare is available until 6:00 p.m. for students whose parents need to pick them up later than 3:00 p.m.
What Happens During the First Weeks of School? Kindergarten Parent Orientation- Monday, August 9, 2021 at 5:30 This will be an opportunity for parents of kindergartners to come to the school to meet their children’s teachers, and to learn various classroom procedures from them. This event is for parents only. The children will get to meet their teacher on the following morning. Teachers will send an email of introduction to their parents prior to this event. Meet the Teacher for K-5th Graders- Tuesday, August 10, 2021 Tuesday, August 10th will be the day that parents will come with your child to meet the teacher. We ask that families arrive at their designated time and stay no longer than 30 minutes. All parents of children in grades 1-5 will receive an email of introduction from your teacher on the morning of this event. The schedule for the day is below: Time Last Name Beginning With… 9:00-9:30 A-C 9:40-10:10 D-G 10:20-10:50 H-K 11:00 Teacher Planning/ Lunch Break 12:30-1:00 L-O 1:10-1:40 P-S 1:50-2:20 T-Z After meeting their teachers, families are invited to take a self-guided tour to see the areas of the school, including the lunchroom, art room, music room, and gym. We will have some staff members in the hallways to help direct parents. Again, we ask that everyone depart by the end of their 30 minute scheduled time. Wednesday, August 11th will be the first day of school for ALL grades at East We ask that parents only walk children to the front door, where we will have staff members available to assist children to their classrooms as needed. Grades 1-5 Parent Orientation- Thursday, August 19th at 5:30 This will be an opportunity for parents of students in grades 1-5 to come to the school to meet their children’s teachers, and to learn various classroom procedures from them. This event is for parents only.
Letter from our PTO President
Welcome from VHEE - PTO! VHEE truly is a special school and community, and we are so
excited to welcome your family!
The goal of the VHEE Parent Teacher Organization is to connect you with opportunities to
participate in the amazing work VHEE teachers, staff, and administrators are doing by providing
ways for you to use your time, talents, and resources to better East! We look forward to serving
our awesome school with you!
Communications with Families- Our main tool to communicate with families is
Membership Tool Kit (MTK). It is important to maintain current/correct email addresses and
phone numbers on the MTK app.
Membership Tool Kit (MTK) - The PTO’s primary communication tool.
PTO will send emails about VHEE activities such as Carnival, Book Fair, May Day Play
Day, as well as the monthly newsletter, The East Express, and other school happenings.
MTK allows you to access the online school directory for those families opting to
participate.
The email address provided during online registration this summer, will also be the
address used for all PTO emails.
Notify PTO VP of Communications, Jennifer Mummert, jmummert814@gmail.com, with
email changes.
Download the Membership Toolkit mobile app in the App Store or Google Play:
Social Media Platforms - Here at VHEE we also use social media to communicate
reminders and upcoming events.
Please ensure you are following on Instagram and Facebook and using the hashtag
#VHEE throughout the year.
@VHEEPTO @Vestavia Hills Elementary East PTO
Volunteering- Volunteering- There are many ways to participate in the events your child will
experience at VHEE! Opportunities range from in the classroom to large events at East. Below
are two ways to indicate where you would like to volunteer.
Online Registration- During the online registration process this summer, you will be able to
select where you would like to serve from a list of school events, there is not a limit to the
number of events to sign up for, so go for it! Serving in school wide events will connect you withthe VHEE community beyond your child’s classroom!
Classroom Volunteer Link- During the first week of school, you will receive an email with
volunteer opportunities for inside your child’s classroom. You will easily be able to choose
which opportunities best work for you. Insider tip: sign up for your availability throughout the
whole year, and you will receive reminders a few days before your chosen volunteer
responsibilities
PTO Membership- Formally JOIN the VHEE PTO during the online registration process!
PTO Membership Dues- Membership is $20/per family paid during online registration.
PTO Meetings- The first Tuesday of each month at 9:15 a.m. in the lunchroom. All
parents are welcome to attend. If you cannot make meetings due to your work schedule
-NO WORRIES – many volunteer jobs involve using organization and computer skills that
can be done outside of school hours!
Fundraising- The PTO sponsors five fundraisers that fund technology, professional
development, media, playground equipment, and MORE, which all work together to benefit
East. It’s amazing what the PTO provides for VHEE!
Gift Wrap Sales- August 16th-31st, 2021 (100% online sales this year)
East Spirit Shop-The June Shop is up and live on the Bandwagon website! Please find
the email with all spirit shop information, including how to begin purchasing your
Vestavia and East clothes! Each season we will have new and different merchandise to
purchase.
All in for East - October 25th - 29th, 2021 - Our biggest fundraiser of the year!!
Carnival-October 29th, 2021 during school hours
Labels for East- All Year- This includes BoxTops, Publix, & Planet Fundraiser
The above fundraisers as well as gifts from families and local businesses, provide an operating
budget of approximately $160,000 plus extra funds to purchase special requests from our
faculty.
All funds are carefully and thoughtfully dispersed with the input of teachers, staff,
administrators, and parents to ensure we are following the VHEE way of providing excellent
learning tools and experiences for our students and teachers!
I hope you will get involved with our PTO this coming year at VHEE – it truly is an amazing
school and community! I look forward to serving alongside you and getting to know you!
Go Vestavia East Eagles,
Katie Howellkatie.howell10@gmail.com
Notes from Nurse Monica:
Welcome to East!
I am so excited to be your school nurse this upcoming year. There are just a few things I want to
inform you of before you bring your little ones to our school. Your handbook contains most
everything you will need to know about illnesses, medication, and when your children need to
come to school or stay home. Please be familiar with it.
Here are some important highlights:
At the time of this writing, our district is in the process of developing protocols related
to COVID-19 for the 2021-2022 school year. Those protocols will be posted on the
district site prior to the start of the school year (www.vestavia.k12.al.us).
If your child has a temperature over 100 degrees, please make sure they are fever-free
for 24 hours before returning to school. (Please do not give temperature reducing
medication and send them to school.) This will help stop the spread of infections.
If your child has had a GI upset (vomiting or diarrhea) please make sure that he has
tolerated eating normal meals the evening before returning to school.
All medication, whether prescription or over-the-counter, MUST have a signed
permission form entitled "School Medication Prescriber/Parent Authorization." The
forms can be found on the school website. You may also pick them up from the school
nurse. They have to be renewed each year that your child is enrolled in school.
For prescription medications, a physician signature and a parent signature is required.
NO PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES MAY BE GIVEN WITHOUT THIS FORM SIGNED BY BOTH
PARENT AND PHYSICIAN. Medication may not be left unless forms are completed.
All medications must be in original, unopened container. If this is a prescribed
medication, the label must be on the container.
If your Immunization form is going to expire this summer, you MUST bring the updated
one BEFORE school begins. The registrar will put the new one in your file here in our
office, so please be diligent in getting this done for us.
Head lice can continue to be a problem if not treated effectively. It can happen to any
child, so having head lice is nothing to be embarrassed about. The more you know about
head lice, the better prepared you'll be if you encounter them. Check your child
periodically through the school year. Notify me immediately if you find them, and I can
help you effectively treat this condition. Our policy is that a child found to have head lice
will not be allowed to attend school until all the lice are off the hair. Nits should be
removed from the hair as well. Following the instructions on doctor-recommended
products will ensure quick entry back to school.
My office number is 205-402-5217 and email is grahamms@vestavia.k12.al.us. Feel free to
contact me if you have any questions or need assistance.Monica Graham Curricular Information from Assistant Principal Cindy Echols At East, we are committed to engaging children in a collaborative learning process that meets individual needs and builds community within the classroom and school. Teachers use a variety of instructional strategies to ensure that all required standards adopted by the state of Alabama are taught in our classrooms. All classrooms have a Language Arts and Math block in their daily schedule. Teachers use programs adopted by VHCS along with a variety of other resources to teach the standards and meet the needs of all the learners in their classroom. We want school to be a safe and happy place where all of the children learn and make progress to meet their full potential. We look forward to getting to know your child and watching them learn and grow. If you are interested in viewing the teaching standards for the state of Alabama, you may find them here: https://www.vestavia.k12.al.us/domain/198 Kindergarten Readiness If you would like to learn more about kindergarten readiness, we encourage you to listen to an interview of East kindergarten teacher, Shae Harrell, in our district podcast, The Intentional Pursuit. You may find this podcast, as well as many other excellent episodes, at this link: https://www.vestavia.k12.al.us/domain/2681 In addition, here is a slideshow that gives more information related to readiness for kindergarten: https://www.vestavia.k12.al.us/domain/2549 Notes from our Extended Day Program Director, Andrea Mitchell At VHEE EDP, we work to nurture the whole child with fun education activities in a positive, secure environment. Each afternoon, we meet on VHEE campus where a light snack is provided to each child. The afternoon consists of homework support, planned age appropriate educational activities, supervised play and fun socialization that is designed to boost confidence, self-esteem and character. We meet when school is in session, Monday through Friday immediately after school until 6:00 PM. If you are interested in our program you can contact me, Andrea Mitchell at 402-5229 or email me at beckerah@vestavia.k12.al.us.
2021-2022 School Calendar at a Glance
2021
August 4-6, 9 Teacher Workdays/ Professional Development (no students)
August 9 5:30 pm- Parent Orientation for Kindergarten
August 10 8:00-12:00- Half-Hour Meet the Teacher
Sessions for All Students, Grades K-5
August 11 First full day for ALL East students (Grades K-5)
August 19 5:30 pm- Parent Orientation for Grades 1-5
September 6 Labor Day—schools closed
October 8 Parent/Teacher Conference Day
(no students)
October 11 Columbus Day—schools closed
October 12 Teacher PD (no students)
October 28 Fall Carnival (5:00-8:00)
November 11 Veterans’ Day—schools closed
November 22-26 Thanksgiving Holidays—schools closed
December 17 Last day of school before holidays
(Two-hour early dismissal)
End of semester
Dec 20– Jan 1 Christmas Holidays
2022
January 3 Teacher Workday (no students)
January 4 Teacher PD (no students)
January 5 Students return
January 17 M. L. King Holiday—schools closed
February 18 Professional Development—no students
February 21 President’s Day—school closed
March 3 5:30-7:00 Open House (Tentative)
March 28-April 1 Spring Holiday—schools closed
April 15 Inclement Weather Day—schools closed
May 23 May Day Play Day
May 26 Last day for students
(Two-hour early dismissal)Lunchroom
4th Grade
HallNotice of Non-Discrimination Vestavia Hills City Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Meredith Hanson, Director of Personnel Services / Section 504 / Title IX Coordinator, at 1204 Montgomery Highway, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216. For further information on notice of non-discrimination, visit the Office for Civil Rights website for the address and phone number of the office that serves your area, or call 1-800-421-3481.
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