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Calendar of Events
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Labor Day - No School
September 5
Board Meeting
September 15
COSI Open House
September 30
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Race to the Top News
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The School Improvement Grant Building team has meet twice with Melvina Torbert, the Transformation Specialists from ODE, to discuss the structure of the SIG grant and to the review the School Improvement assurance documents. Ms. Torbert will be meeting with Dr. Teeters twice monthly, throughout the year to monitor the progress of VCS in meeting the goals of the SIG grant.
In addition, VCS has met with the regional Race to the Top representative Mark Yoho, to discuss the structure of the VCS transformation team and will be meeting with VCS monthly to monitor the progress of the VCS RTTT grant.
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Greetings! |
Welcome to a new school year at VCS! I hope you've had a good first week. By now, you should have started working in your classes and logging your hours. It is very important that you log hours for your time spent on schoolwork. If you have any questions about how to do that, contact the Help Desk at (866) 501-9473, extension 5124.
This summer, our programmers worked hard to upgrade the school web site (also known as the Learning Management System or LMS) to a newer version. If you are a new VCS student, you probably didn't realize that, but if you are a returning student, you may have noticed some differences. As with all big changes, there are usually some minor glitches that have to be resolved. If you've experienced any of these, I apologize for the inconvenience. Please know that we have a very competent team ready to handle any challenges that arise. If you experience any technical difficulties, don't hesitate to contact us.
School just started, and we already have a long weekend coming up! That's a nice way to ease into the school year, right? VCS will be closed on Monday, September 5 for Labor Day. Click here to view the 2011-12 school calendar and see other important dates for this school year.
Remember, to maximize your success at VCS, keep up with your work and communicate with your teachers regularly. They will help you succeed!
Go Wolves!
Jim McCord
Superintendent |
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Help Desk hours extended |
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the Help Desk has extended their hours and will be open from 9 am to 6:30 pm with phone lines open until 7 pm. Monday, Wednesday and Friday the Help Desk will remain open during their normal hours from 9 am to 5 pm. This is a trial run, so the hours are subject to change to meet the needs of our students. To contact the VCS Help Desk, call 866-501-9473 ext. 5124 or email vcshelpdesk@vcslearn.org.
You can also visit the new Help Desk web site at http://help.vcslearn.org/.
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Boonshoft Learning Center relocates |
This year, the 21st Century Learning Center in Dayton will relocate from the Boonshoft Museum to the Miami Valley Regional Center. The hours will remain the same. Grades 1-6 can attend Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesday from 9 am to 12 pm and grades 7-12 can attend from 1 pm to 4 pm. The center will open on Tuesday, September 6.
The Miami Valley Regional Center can be found at 4801 Springfield Street, Riverside, OH 45431. Contact Stacey Whittaker at stacey.whittaker@vcslearn.org for more information.
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VCS celebrates Opening Day!
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The VCS staff celebrated Opening Day on Monday, August 22. Teachers, directors, office staff and site tutors were all in attendance. The agenda included activities such as keynote address from Mr. McCord, strategic plan overview, new staff induction and an awards and recognition ceremony. It was a wonderful way to kickoff the school year. See the award recipients below. Congratulations to all the award winners!
Student Services Award - Linda Lineback and Sherry Kuehnle
Distinguished Educator Award- Gabriela Linik
Distinguished Classified Staff Member - Jill Workman
Innovation Award - Cheryl Akers
Inspiration Award - Mary Callicoat
Distinguished Leader Award - Rick Teeters
Technology Implementation Award - Denny Hammond
Best Practices Award - Heidi Varner and Shane Foglesong
Teacher of the Quarter - Laura Barlage
External Services Site of the Year - 21st Century sites at COSI and the Boonshoft
Once A Wolf, Always A Wolf Award - Barb Litzinger
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COSI Learning Center to host Open House
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 VCS students and their families are invited to visit the VCS 21st Century Learning Center at COSI in Columbus for an Open House on Friday, September 30 from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m.
- Learn about the services offered at the Learning Center
- Tour the COSI exhibits during the Family Fun Night
- Partake in craft making
- Take the messy desk challenge
- Listen to the guest speaker who will discuss study skills
Admission is free and COSI bucks for refreshments will be provided by the 21st Century Learning Center grant funds. Please register by Tuesday, September 27.
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New DEAR time program coming this fall for grades K-8
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If you were with us last year, you may have participated in Drop Everything And Read time, and the DEAR online discussions. We are going to continue with DEAR time this year but add something new! Starting in October, we will begin reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. Sound interesting? See all the new ways to participate below!
Read the book: It's only 17 chapters. Try to spend 20 minutes each day so you can be finished before October 25.
Come to the book party: On October 3 at 2 p.m., visit with your VCS friends in the Story Cove in the Main Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, eat cookies and milk, and if you're really brave, try Turkish Delight.
Columbus Metropolitan Library- Main Branch
96 S. Grant Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43215
October 3, 2011 at 2 p.m.
Listen to the story: At the book party, you can listen to Mrs. Coffey read the first three chapters of the book. On the Principal's Course and the DEAR web site, audio recordings of Mrs. Coffey reading the entire book are posted.
Watch the movie: Come to the Elluminate DEAR classroom at 9 a.m. each Tuesday from October 4 through October 25 to see the movie. On October 25 we will start the movie from the beginning at 7:25 a.m. Students who tune in at 9 a.m. will see the last section of the movie that they haven't yet seen.
Talk about it: On October 25, after the movie is finished, you can talk in Elluminate with your VCS friends about the book and the movie.
Remember, DEAR time is just for fun, not an assignment! Participate as often as you would like. To join in on the fun and to RSVP for the book party on October 3, please contact Miriam Green at 866-501-9473 ext. 2011 or miriam.green@vcslearn.org.
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K-8 students should take the i-Ready tests | |
 Students in K-8, f you haven't already done so, please take the i-Read and i-Math tests. These tests will not affect the student's grade, only help us assess the student's level in reading and math. Parents, in order for us to get accurate results, DO NOT help your child with any of the test questions. To access the i-Ready test, please see the instructions below.
Step 1. Log on to the school web site and click on External Links
Step 2. Click on the red link called i-Ready Tests & Instruction
Step 3. Type in your VCS Username, VCS password and select Ohio as your state
Step 4. Choose a subject
Step 5. Click Start Test
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Miriam Green at 866-501-9473 ext. 2011 or miriam.green@vcslearn.org.
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Online yearbooks now available!
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The 2010-2011 yearbooks are now available! If you ordered one, you should have received it by mail. For everyone else, please check out the online yearbooks below!
To view the K-8 yearbook, click here.
To view the high school yearbook, click here.
If you would like to order a hard copy of either yearbook, we have extras! Contact Jill Workman at 866-501-9473 ext. 2045 or jill.workman@vcslearn.org. The cost is $20 per book.
 
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Student Success Team here to help students in grades K-8
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The Student Success Team is comprised of the VCS academic coaches, the K-8 principal, the teachers, and the guidance counselor. Parents are also strongly encouraged to be part of this process. Students who are struggling to succeed at VCS are referred to the Student Success Team. This team works together to develop a success plan for all referred students.
The team meets on a weekly basis to collaborate on the academic needs of the referred students. During the meetings, an action plan is developed by the team to work toward the student's success. Students who are referred to this team will receive increased monitoring and communication from their VCS teachers and principal. Their families will be part of pilot programs designed to encourage parent involvement and responsibility. Students should contact their teachers with any questions.
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Mark your calendars for the fall picnic!
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 This year's fall picnic will take place on Saturday, October 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hoover Y Park, near Columbus. Come meet and socialize with your fellow classmates and teachers and enjoy the beautiful fall weather. Food and refreshments will be provided as well as activities for all members of the family! The picnic will take place rain or shine. If you have any questions, contact Jill Workman at jill.workman@vcslearn.org or 866-501-9473 ext. 2045. We hope to see you there!
Click here to RSVP!
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| STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Adrian Weist |
Name: Adrian Weist
From: Cuyahoga Falls
Grade: 5
Picture: Adrian with Mrs. Varner
What is your favorite thing about VCS? Learning!
What is your favorite subject? English
What do you want to be when you grow up? A builder for the Lego company
What do you like to do in your free time? Play Roblox, Lego Universe and Portal
What is your favorite movie? Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Do you have any siblings? I have a brother named Willy and a sister named Amanda
What is your favorite food? Pizza
What did you do over the summer? I went to the Toy and Plastic Brick Museum, went to Bible school and I played with my cousins and friends
What made you choose VCS versus a traditional school? I like being at home for school!
Any advice you would like to share with your fellow students? Read!!!
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| TEACHER SPOTLIGHT: Mrs. Barlage |
Mrs. Barlage teaches third grade
What is your favorite thing about VCS? My favorite thing about VCS is being able to work with students and parents all over the state that I would never have had the chance to know if I were teaching in a traditional environment. I love making relationships with families and helping them learn to be 21st century learners. Another thing I love about VCS is it allows me to work from home doing what I love- teaching!
What do you want students to accomplish while they attend VCS? I want my students to develop a love of learning, to develop confidence in themselves, and to become critical thinkers and problem solvers. I also want them to discover the joys of reading and realize the importance of how we encounter math in the real world.
What advice do you want to pass on to students? Stay current with your work and turn in assignments on time so I can know right away what skills you need extra help with. Always call me for help whenever you need it. There is no such thing as a "silly question!"
Favorites
Food: Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl and Graeter's Black Raspberry Chip ice cream
Book: Anything by Dean Koontz, Michael Connelly, or Jodi Picoult. If I have to pick just one, I would say that Jodi Picoult's book, My Sister's Keeper, is my all time favorite!
Movie: I love all the movies in the "Twilight Saga", "Bad Teacher" made me laugh, "Inception" made me think and question reality, and "Pretty in Pink" and "Dirty Dancing" are my favorite "80s flicks."
TV Show: The Bachelor/Bachelorette, Jersey Shore, Days of Our Lives
Hobby/Interest: Gardening, animals, reading, learning new technologies, and spending time with my family
Season: Spring- I love when the world comes back to life after the dreary winter and the weather is just perfect.
Vacation Destination: Cancun, Mexico
Childhood Memory: I have lots of great childhood memories. Every summer I would take a sheet outside and tie it between two maple trees and make my own hammock, where my dog Benji and I would lay for hours reading in the shade. (Benji enjoyed me reading out loud to her, and always appeared to be very interested!) Then, at night, I would run around catching fire flies in a jar. Also, on rainy weekend days, my dad would back his pickup truck up to the garage, and we would spread a blanket out it the truck bed and play board games all day. Of course, the truck had a cab, so we didn't get wet!
Quote: "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." AND "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Both quotes are by Dr. Seuss.
Anything else interesting that you want people to know? I am not only a teacher at VCS, but I am also a VCS parent. My son is in high school and is loving being a VCS student! I have a unique perspective of VCS, because I can see it from both the teacher and and parent view points.
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Watch for The VCS Voice to arrive in your e-mail the first Thursday of each month. If you have any content ideas, send them to Lori Berkheimer or Jill Workman.
Go Wolves!
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