Week of February 3, 2025
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Principal's Message from Dr. Edwards
This was a full week of activity that thankfully also brought us some days of outdoor recess opportunities. I'm sure winter is not done with us yet (regardless of what Phil the groundhog sees), but for now I am happy to be able to get our students outside for full recess times.
Our Book Fair is this coming week, and I know there is a lot of excitement for that. Not only is this a wonderful opportunity for students to build their home libraries, but it’s also the biggest fundraiser for the school library, helping us bring in new books and resources for all students to enjoy. If you’re planning to send money with your child, we encourage you to game plan with them ahead of time. While there will be plenty of fun extras available, our goal is to help students select books they’re excited to read—stories that will spark their imagination and fuel their love for reading. A quick conversation about what interests them most and how to make the best choices can go a long way in making this experience both fun and meaningful. I also want to thank all our parent volunteers for helping make this all run smoothly! We have so many supportive families, for which I am extremely grateful.
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less." -- Marie Curie |
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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
FES Book Fair
February 3-7
(see attached flyer)
First Grade Literacy Night
Thursday, February 6th 4:30-6:00p
PTO Suits and Sequins
Friday, February 7th
Presidents Day -- No School
Monday, February 17th
Teacher Professional Development Day -- No School for Students
Tuesday, February 18th
Spring Picture Day
Tuesday, February 25th
(see flyer below -- NOTE: only for new students or those who have paid in advance)
 
Happy Friday!
This week I went into 4th-grade classes for a classroom lesson. For the lesson, we are talking about boundaries within friendships. We discuss different kinds of boundaries and what it looks like to be on either side of the boundary line. At the end, we discussed how to handle a situation if a friend crosses a boundary. Mrs. Burkholder also pulled out specific chapter books and graphic novels that talk about friendship problems, which students are welcome to check out! Next week, I will be going into 3rd-grade classrooms to do a similar friendship boundaries lesson with them. Attached is a link to a slide deck that reviews the different kinds of friendship boundaries that I am teaching/reviewing with student. You can view it and use the same language at home for more of a home-to-school connection!
MVCSC is now partnering with Indy Hygiene Hub. This organization provides hygiene packs to schools to hand out to students/families. The packs include soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, and deodorant. If you are in need of the items in these packs please reach out to me, Mrs. Crecelius through email or ParentSquare and I can get you connected with a pack.
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.
- As we move into the new year, I wanted to share some news that FES families may or may not know about, as well as our plan for the second semester. Some of you may know through your students but my husband and I are expecting our first child over Spring Break. If all goes well, the plan is for me to be on maternity leave from March 31st through the end of the school year.
Upcoming events:
- Q3: Classroom Lesson - Friendships
- 3rd-Grade: 2/3-2/7
- 2nd-Grade: 2/10-2/14
- 1st-Grade: 2/20-2/26
- KG: 2/24-2/28
- Q4: Mrs. Crecelius on Maternity Leave
FES Staff Favorite Vacation:- Mrs. Hufford's (3rd-grade Teacher, Green House) favorite vacation is on the beach of Panama City Beach!
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
BOOK FAIR NEXT WEEK!
Our 2025 FES Scholastic Book Fair starts Monday, February 3rd during normal school hours. Students will be able to browse AND shop during their fixed library time. Don't forget that sales tax will be collected at our fair. Here are some quick links to help your family get prepared for the Book Fair:
CLICK HERE for our FES Book Fair Flyer CLICK HERE to volunteer at the Book Fair CLICK HERE to set up an eWallet for your student to shop at the Book Fair. An eWallet is the easiest way for a student to shop without bringing money to school. Once set up, share the link with friends and family members to contribute to your student’s eWallet. CLICK HERE to visit our Book Fair website
For more information or questions about the FES Book Fair, contact jennifer.leavell@mvcsc.k12.in.us.
"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 Leave IA.
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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