Upcoming Events
Thursday, March 2nd, 5:30pm, Author's Night (Volunteers Needed!)
Friday, March 3rd, No School
Monday, March 6th, No School for K - 5 (Conferences), Regular Schedule 6 - 8
Thursday, March 9th, Diversity, Equity, Belonging Presentation by Dion C. Jordan
Administrator's Message
Greetings Village School Community!!
Brrrrrr! We have seen some chilly days, but the sun keeps breaking through! The skies have been extraordinarily entertaining, with Jupiter and Saturn conjunctively dancing about. Tonight colorful Mars will pass by the half moon and on Wednesday, Jupiter and Venus will share a celestial kiss as they pass through the night sky. Here’s to hoping it will be clear enough to see them all!
This has been another big week at the Village! The fourth grade play was amazing despite a two hour delay of school, PLUS we had a board meeting, a teacher Our Whole Lives training with Anil Oommen, an ADHD training, and the Middle School Dance on Friday night!! It’s great to see so many community members coming together to pull off these connecting and growth inspiring events.
We’d like to take a moment to thank you, as well, for adhering to the pick up and drop off expectations here. It’s been great to have parents showing up and sticking around to help their kids and has seriously lessened the load, both on teachers and students, of managing high energy. Pickups have been smooth and mostly trouble free! We also appreciate all efforts made to drop off students on time, for a solid start to the day. Thank you!!!
Sincerely,
Roz, Shannon, and Andy
Annual Giving Campaign
Improve Theater Facilities at The Village School We are approaching the end of February and are looking to raise funds for the new screen projector and sound board. We have purchased the new wireless stage microphones, installed the new stage lights, and in a few weeks, the new blinds. The most expensive items, the new screen and projector, are awaiting more donations. We hope you will join us in our efforts to Improve Theater Facilities at The Village School.
We have raised just over $4,000 towards our campaign of $20,000. We are already seeing some great improvements for your experience in our theater. Please help us take the final few steps to complete the campaign!
Donations may be made in the office or at ANNUALGIVING.US
Winter Weather
As the colder, winter weather continues, here is some information on how Village School will let families know about closures or delays.
When hazardous weather is a concern, decisions regarding schedule changes are made in the early morning, before school, when current weather conditions can be assessed. Village School follows the district (4J) when making decisions, although there may be instances where we will declare a closure, even if 4J does not.
How To Find Out: If there is a change in the school schedule, it will be announced through our school phone message system, normally before 6:30 a.m.
Delayed Starts and Early Dismissal: The district generally will avoid delayed starts and early dismissal due to weather. However, it is possible that unpredictable or sudden weather conditions will require such a decision to be made. Delayed start times will not alter school dismissal times.
Parent Choice: On any day when inclement weather is a concern and school is in session, families are encouraged to consider road conditions in their areas and make their own decisions based on safety. Please call your school if your child will be absent. Parents’ individual decisions about school attendance for this reason will be honored.
If you are concerned about the weather and have not received a phone call by 6:30 a.m., check the 4J website, radio or TV for information about closures, delays or snow routes.
Middle School Dance
Sixth, seventh, and eighth graders came together on Friday night for the first middle school dance in three years. With fourteen plus chaperones, this may have been the best attended middle school dance in VS history! Lots of fun was had by all!
Author's Night
On Thursday, March 2nd the Village School will be having Author's Night. This will be a Title sponsored, grades 1-5 event. We will have a pizza supper along with a 20 minute, all-ages presentation by Merrill Watrous, before dispersing to the classrooms to listen to the young authors read their masterpieces. We are in need of 2 more volunteers to help Toña serve pizza, and to assist with clean up. Please reach out to chrissy@eugenevillageschool.org if you are available and interested. Thank you!
Counselor's Corner
For the next few months the Counseling Corner will focus on the different strengths that students will explore in the Sources of Strength curriculum. Today’s focus is on Healthy Activities.
Healthy Activities, whether social, physical, or mental, help us regulate our emotions in healthy ways and create opportunities for connection and growth.
Healthy activities can be playing sports, playing an instrument, going for hikes, playing games, drawing or listening to music. At school all students participate in Movement class, have recess and have art integrated into their classes.
What are healthy activities that you like to do as a family?
Rebecca Macemon
School Counselor
rmacemon@eugenevillageschool.org
Volunteering!
Village School families are asked to contribute and record at least 40 hours of volunteer work at the school each year, and single parent households are asked to contribute 20 hours. It is this support that allows us to offer such strong programs with limited financial resources. We also welcome grandparents and other relatives to volunteer in your place!
More opportunities to volunteer are coming up! Be sure to watch your email, the Village Voice and the Village Vine for messages from Parent Council, your class coordinator, your child's teacher and the Village School Kitchen, to see the volunteer needs that are coming up for you to enjoy.
If you haven't filled out your volunteer paperwork yet, please stop by the office to pick up a packet.
Another way to contribute to our school community is by attending Parent Council Meetings! Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, March14th at 5:30 PM. We are still holding these meetings by Zoom so they are easy to attend (even while making dinner or folding laundry) and every parent and guardian's voice is valued in decisions about what Parent Council funds are used for, events that are held and collaborations with departments and teachers at the Village School!
We adore our volunteers! Village School would not be what it is without you. Thank you so much for making Village School the incredible community it is!
Don't forget to sign in to HelpCounter and report your hours so we can see the amazing contributions from our Village School Families. If you
Health Reminders
It has come to our attention that some children have been coming to school sick. Please take a look at the poster below to see what our current policies are. Thank you.
Village Kitchen
Our February spotlight for local foods is on hazelnuts from Meridian Orchards. This family owned organic hazelnut orchard is located in Aurora, Oregon. Hummingbird Wholesale lightly roasts these plump treasures in small batches to ensure freshness. Last week, many grades got a chance to learn about hazelnuts before sampling them. This week, the remaining students will have their chance too!
Yummy roasted hazelnuts! To learn more about Meridian Orchards check out this interesting, short video that Hummingbird Wholesale created to highlight the important work that Meridian Orchards is doing. Birds in the Field This past Thursday students got a chance to see how the kitchen can be flexible on delayed school days. When the weather pushes our start time back by two hours we have one hour of regular staffing and volunteers to put together lunch for over 200 instead of our usual 3 hours. This can create some logistical challenges as you can imagine. We were able to pull off stromboli for our entree thanks to staff that were able to walk to school early and with the parent volunteers that arrived at 10:30, we quickly washed and chopped carrots and apples so we were able to provide all five components required in a NSLP lunch - protein, grain, milk, fruit and vegetable. We appreciate everyone's support and understanding when we need to adjust our usual plans on short notice. This week's volunteer highlight is on Josh and Katie Chamberlain, parents of two students at our school. Josh and Katie have been longtime supporters of our food service program in numerous ways, even before their sons joined our school community! We are grateful for the time, energy and donations they have so generously given over the years.
Thank you Chamberlain Family! March is just around the corner which means SPRING BREAK!!!! Take a look at the March menus. We encourage families to print or pick up a paper copy so your child knows what to expect for lunch each day. Please note that next Monday, March 6th is a school day just for the upper grades. We will be fulfilling a special request that has come from many children over the years by serving up breakfast for lunch that day. This special lunch will include pancakes with various, optional toppings, home fries, scrambled eggs and orange juice. We are looking for a few special volunteers to help with this meal's prep that morning. Please email me at taguilar@eugenevillageschool.org or text me at 541-510-8604 if you want to join in the fun! Toña Aguilar
March Menus
4th Grade Play
The 4th graders had two stellar performances of their play, "The Treasure of the Gods" for the whole school, as well as for family and friends. There was live music played by the students, and student designed costumes. Bravo to the 4th Graders and Ms. Merrily! A special thank you to 8th graders Fisher, Noah, and Steven for working the sound system and the lighting!
Village School Lunch Diaries
Chickpea Tandoori is a meal that many look forward to. It is most definitely a treat, and one that warms you up on a cold day!
Parent Council
The next Parent Council Meeting will be on Tuesday, March 14th at 5:30pm!
Please join us and send questions and ideas to parentcouncil@eugenevillageschool.org.
The notes from past meetings can be found here.
Every Village School parent and guardian is a part of Parent Council - The Virtual Parent Council Meetings are open to all parents and guardians on the 2nd Wednesday of each month.
You can also engage with Village School families on the Parent Council Facebook page, The Village Vine!
Community Bulletin Board
See upcoming Workshops and Reading groups from WordCrafters.
Wordcrafters provides writers and readers opportunities to strengthen their craft, deepen their connection with literature, and share their knowledge with each other and with future generations.
