Week of December 16, 2024
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Principal's Message from Dr. Edwards
We just finished a week full of activity with NWEA testing, 4th Grade Music/Choir/Drama Club Showcase, Gingerbread Town of Fortville, and Kindergarten gingerbread house day. Phew! There are a few pictures below of the Showcase where our students performed very well under the direction of Mrs. Seghers (Music and choir), Mrs. Danforth (drama), and Mrs. Bell (drama). Great job! We also have a LINK HERE to an extremely cool video produced by Benny Signh of Fortville Aerials of the actual and gingerbread versions of the town of Fortville.
 
“It is a very funny thing that the sleepier you are, the longer you take about getting to bed.” -- C.S. Lewis |
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Reporting Absences
Please assist us by being sure to call our office at 317-485-3180 or email elizabeth.thomas@mvcsc.k12.in.us if your student is going to be absent. With state reporting, we have to assign specific codes for every absence, and it saves our office staff a lot of time each day if we don’t have to call to follow-up on students that are marked absent by their teachers. And please be sure to provide the documentation required for qualifying absences to be marked as excused in a timely manner.
MV Absence Policy Infographic
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Important Dates
Winter Break (No school)
December 23 - January 3
Beginning of 2nd Semester
Monday, January 6
Happy Friday!
Minute meetings continued this week and continue to go well! So far, I have met with 589 students.
Previously explained minute meetings: Starting the week after Thanksgiving break and running through the end of the semester, I will be conducting Minute Meetings with all of the students at FES. The purpose of Minute Meetings is to be able to connect 1-on-1 with all students. The check-in just covers a broad overview of how the student is doing and feeling. At the end of the minute, students are able to request to meet with me for a longer amount of time but are not required to. The goal of these is to make sure that every student knows they are supported by me, the school counselor. If you have any questions about Minute Meetings, please reach out.
Below are reminders from my office:
- Any student can request to talk/meet with me. All teachers have a "Let's Talk" form in their classrooms that students can fill out and put in the red mailbox outside my office. Once I get a paper, I meet with the student as soon as possible.
Upcoming events:
- 12/2-12/20: Minute Meetings
FES Staff Favorite Vacation:- Mrs. Hoeppner's (3rd-grade Teacher, Yellow House) favorite vacation is going to Florida with her four kids!
These students were called down to the cafeteria on Friday to be recognized for something from the week (being a great helper, working hard, demonstrating growth in a skill, etc.) Thanks for being valuable contributors to our Viking community!
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MV Reads: News from the Library
Mrs. Jennifer Leavell, FES Teacher Librarian
It’s one of my favorite times of the year! Sharing holiday books with students is always fun. Students in 4th and 5th grade have been comparing and contrasting scenes from the book The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg with the same scenes in the movie. The details they notice are impressive! Students in 2nd and 3rd grades have been doing something similar with comparing and contrasting scenes from the book How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss with the original animated version as well as the live action version of the movie from 2000 and the newest animated movie from 2018. Reading holiday books with your child is a wonderful way to celebrate the season. We hope you are preparing to have a relaxing holiday full of time to spend with your loved ones and of course, books!
SAVE THE DATE! Our FES Book Fair will be February 3-7, 2025.
"Be a Substitute Teacher" and MV Employment
Fortville Elementary is a great place to work, and we would love to have you join our team. You can apply on the MV Employment website. We are currently looking for a couple of Leave Teachers.
And we always need substitute teachers! Subs apply through Kelly Education Services (information below).
- To learn more or apply for substitute teacher positions at Mt. Vernon, please contact Kelly Education by completing this Inquiry Form and a recruiter will follow up with you. For questions, please call 800-991-5157, option 2.
- Kelly Services will guide the applicant how to obtain a substitute permit issued by the Indiana Department of Education (~$17) and a background check (~$28).
- Kelly Services will then share a short orientation video that will show you how to choose the jobs of your choice at Mt. Vernon and how to see the incentive offers.
Help Support FES Year-round
Help our school get a share of the money that many of America’s best companies are giving to K-12 education. SchoolStore.com is an online shopping mall where over 400 merchants have agreed to give a percentage of every sale to schools. This includes companies like Walmart, Best Buy, Old Navy, Kohl’s, etc. Just go to the website and then to the merchant websites you normally order from and help us earn rewards. The SchoolStore fundraiser is 100% online so there is NO face-to-face selling, handling money, or delivering products.
Go to https://www.schoolstore.net/sid.t?0000177219 to sign up. If you have questions about how to participate, reach out to our office. Once you are registered, invite family, friends and co-workers to support your child and our school.
Parent Resources
To be a chaperone on a field trip or to volunteer in the classroom regularly, you must have a clear background check from the current school year on file with the district. MVCSC Volunteer Background Check Form
Webinars on support and advocacy for parents of High ability students. https://nagc.org/page/webinarsParents want to help their children succeed and navigating the current educational landscape can be challenging when your child is a high achiever, creative thinker, or high ability/gifted learner. The Indiana Academy presents the Gifted Education Series for Parents; programs take place at 7:00 p.m. eastern.
Understanding My Gifted Child- watch archive Helping My Gifted Child Succeed-Wednesday, December 4-Register Now Perfectionism and My Gifted Child-Wednesday, January 22-Register Now Supporting My Highly Intelligent Child-Wednesday, March 5-Register Now Resources for Gifted Students: A Parent Guide-Wednesday, May 14-Register Now
From the Technology Department: We're excited to remind you about the valuable partnership between Mt. Vernon Schools and Qustodio! This collaboration provides you with insights into your child's online activities and allows you to manage certain aspects of their school-issued devices at home.
For more details, please check out this ParentSquare post from earlier this year.
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Please take a few moments to fill out the PTO Parent Survey (LINK HERE) between now and the end of the semester to help us better understand what events our families value and what you would like to see in the future.
The FES PTO spirit wear store is always open to help with your FES and MV apparel desires.
LINK for Fortville Elementary Designs LINK for MV Designs
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