Dear Vanderlyn Vikings,

The first nine weeks of school have been very busy! Teachers are busy teaching and students are enjoying learning. We have accomplished a great deal during these first critical weeks of the school year. Curriculum Night was a huge success as parents got a sneak peak into the exciting learning opportunities that are in store for our students. Our first Parent University, New Parent Orientation, was very well-attended by our new parents desiring to learn more about our great school. Our School Council has met twice and has put the final touches on our Consolidated School Improvement Plan. We celebrated Math-tastic and Fall Social with Yogli Mogli ice cream and fun math games. Although bad weather kept us inside, we rolled right ahead with a back-up plan that was just as fun! We topped the evening off with lots of dancing and laughter! I had so much fun dancing with students and watching them enjoy themselves after a long day of school.  But most importantly, the teachers are on the front lines everyday planning for student learning and exposing our students to a very rigorous curriculum. They have been very busy with assessments that will help them to better plan for learning that is designed to match your child's level of readiness and current skill-level. Thank you for all your support as we move into the testing phase of our school year. This is a very important time for our First, Third and Fifth grade students to show how they compare to other students in the nation.  Indeed, Vanderlyn is a very busy place! 

Staff Updates:

I am excited to announce that Vanderlyn is finally fully staffed! Please welcome Ms. Ethel Edwards, our new ESOL teacher and Ms. Bonnie Barnes, our new Pre-K Paraprofessional. We are fortunate to have two quality educators who are sure to be an asset to our students. Be sure to give them a warm welcome as you see them in the halls. 

Curriculum Updates:

If you have not had an opportunity to donate to the PTA Annual Fund, please make the decision to contribute financially to your child's education. So far, we have invested in IXL, a new math assessment program that is designed to increase students' level of achievement in Math. IXL is not just about helping your child learn math - it's also about helping your child learn to love the subject. Unlike traditional workbooks and drills, IXL's practice game boards engage students in their math lessons.Also, we have added a variety of curriculum resources that support the new Common Core Reading/Language Arts curriculum. In addition, several teachers have attended specialized training that will increase teacher effectiveness and promote student learning. Money generated through the PTA Annual Fund helped to make all these initiatives possible! 

Clair Wright Day - October 18

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. On behalf of Clair Wright, former Vanderlyn art teacher, we would like to honor her memory and 36 years of service to Vanderlyn by declaring Thursday, October 18 as Clair Wright Day. We are asking each teacher and student to wear pink on this day. In addition, Ms. Saltman and Ms. Wylie will be selling pink bracelets for students to purchase on October 18and 19 before and afterschool for $1.00. We hope that with our combined efforts, we can make a substantial donation on behalf of Vanderlyn Elementary in honor of one of our own. A special thank you to our wonderfulart teachers who will create a mural for our school that depicts Mrs. Wright's favorite artist, Cornbread. Thank you in advance for your support.  

In the best interest of children,

Mrs. Crenshaw

The Academic Competitions Committee is conducting the Math Tournament in 2012 - 2013 with considerable help from MOEMS (Math Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools).  MOEMS, a nonprofit corporation, provides opportunities for students to engage in creative problem solving activities while developing an ability to reason, to be logical, to be resourceful, and occasionally to be ingenious! Our goals for the Math Olympiad participants include:

• developing enthusiasm for problem solving and mathematics,
• deepening the understanding of mathematical concepts and strengthen ability to use these concepts,
• considering concepts that they might not otherwise encounter,
• enriching experiences in intellectually stimulating and significant mental activities, and
• building a stronger foundation for assessments and for future mathematics studies.

TEAM SELECTION

The Math Olympiad is open to fourth and fifth grade students.  Any fourth and fifth grade student at Vanderlyn Elementary is eligible to try out for this year's Math Olympiad team provided they submit the signed permission slip (enclosed in last Thursday's VIP) to their homeroom teacher by Friday October 19, 2012.  A team of 24 students, comprising of the top 12 fourth graders and top 12 fifth graders will be selected through a screening examination to be held on Tuesday, October 30, 2012 at 3:00 pm in Ms. Lamback's classroom.  Only parents of students who qualify in the screening exam will be notified by the Academic Competitions Committee Chair, Mitra Saha on or before November 6, 2012.

Please be on the lookout for more information on the Math Olympiad Practice and Contest Dates included in the VIPs. Additional information on the Math Olympiad and its history may also be found at http://www.moems.org.

If you have any questions, please contact Mitra Saha and the Academic Competitions Committee.