Season's Greetings!

As we prepare for the winter holiday break, I wanted to take this opportunity to extend to all of you a heartfelt "thank you" for all that you have done to support Vanderlyn's students, teachers and administration during the first semester of school. We had a very successful first semester of school packed with a lot of changes! Despite all the challenges that the district faced and continues to face, our staff made the conscious decision to put children first and make this another phenomenal year for our students by offering a high level of rigor through a challenging learning environment. Our teaching staff has been very busy with teaching, testing, implementing the new Common Core Curriculum and exposing our students to project-based, hands-on learning across the curriculum.

We celebrate the success of the first semester with the implementation of IXL Math for all grades, Common Core Curriculum, a new band and drama program and with the development of a science lab underway. We have enjoyed great performances such as Me and My Senses, by our kindergarteners and Sounds for the Seasons Winter Concert, by Vanderlyn Singers and Band Ensemble. Many students have enjoyed wonderful educational field trips, participated in Academic Bowl, Math Olympiad, Chess Club and Lego League just to name a few. This is indeed a great place for teaching and learning!

As we prepare to close the semester and dive into the holiday season, let us not forget the tragedy that occurred in Connecticut. Let us not forget the precious lives lost through such a senseless act. While we embrace our children a little bit closer, let us all pause to remember how precious life is and that we must all learn to live life to the fullest. And most of all, let us be thankful that we get to spend the holidays with those we love the most, our children, while mourning for those who will not have that opportunity.  

During the holidays, please take care of your physical, mental and spiritual health, spend quality time with family and friends, and enjoy the magic of the season. As we enjoy all the holiday pleasures, let us serve as role models for our children by giving back to those that are less fortunate than us. If we can get this attitude to permeate our world, and if schools can find positive ways to educate our young people about the world around them -whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Eid, Kwanzaa or other worldwide celebrations - then we will be that much closer to a better understanding of each other and peace on Earth.

I wish you all peace, love and joy!

Mrs. Crenshaw

The countdown is on for the last week of the school year! Last Friday, the PTA Teacher Appreciation Committee, chaired by Paige Ackaway and Melanie Gracey, hosted a Teacher Holiday Luncheon for our beloved teachers. School continues this week, and test and projects are still planned. But students, teachers and parents alike look forward to the year-end parties which will be held this Thursday, December 20!

You should be aware that every staffer in the Vanderlyn building will receive a holiday gift funded by the class dues collected at registration. If you wish to express your holiday spirit beyond the class gift and you are looking for inspiration, remember that your room parent has a copy of your teacher's "favorites" list. This list is also available for other members of the Vanderlyn faculty.

When you visit the school this week, please adhere to all of the rules that keep your child and his/her friends safe: be sure to sign in when you arrive at the building; adhere to classroom guidelines regarding food allergies; and respect all parking guidelines.

We wish you a joyful and rejuvenating break from school. Enjoy your child, and if you make New Year's Resolutions, be sure to work "volunteering at Vanderlyn" in there somewhere!

Have a terrific week!

Julia LeDoyen and Courtney Kuriger 

Calling all students! Vanderlyn's International Committee is sponsoring a school-wide Poster Competition!  

Students from Kindergarten through Fifth Grade can participate.

1. Select a country for your poster. It could be your country of origin, a country that you have visited, or a country that you would like to visit one day. 

2. Make your poster on a half-poster size sheet.

3. Be sure to include some of the following information:

The continent on which your country is located, its flag, its capital, people and population, language(s) spoken, food, traditions and culture, important physical features and natural resources and inventions that the country is famous for.

Your poster will be judged by a panel comprised of Vanderlyn teachers, parents and students. The judges will consider the content, creativity and originality of each poster. There will be a winner at every grade level! 

The deadline for poster submission is Friday, January 11, 2013 and winners will be announced at the International Potluck Night on Friday, January 25. Each winner will receive a special prize! 

Yearbook sales are ending 12/31/12!  

Please place your order online through the Lifetouch website.

The website is ybpay.lifetouch.com 

You will need a yearbook ID-3633313

• Once you login to the website, you will put in the yearbook ID, hit next.
• The next page will ask for student name and grade, hit next.
• The next page will ask number of copies for the yearbook input qty, hit next.
• The next page will ask for billing info and credit card info, hit submit.

If you have questions, please contact Amy Gaynor.  

We hope that your family will join us for our 7th Annual International Potluck and Performance Night. The event is scheduled for Friday, January 25, 2013 from 6 to 8 p.m. and promises to be an enriching and fun experience! We do need your help to make the evening a success!

Click here if you would like to bring a dish that represents your country or culture. 

Click here if you would like to help out with logistics on January 25. 

We really appreciate your support!

Sabrina Rahim and Sangeeta Nainwal 

Co-Chairs, Vanderlyn International Committee

The Dunwoody Chamblee Parents Council met last week to hear an update on school construction projects in our cluster. Click on the links below for a summary of the meeting, and to see all the progress on CCHS. There will be no meeting in January, but please mark your calendar for the next meeting on Feb. 6 at Peachtree Charter Middle School, which will feature John Barge, State School Superintendent.

Click here for meeting summary, including status of Austin construction.  

Click here for a CCHS Construction status report with video/photos of progress.

Chick-fil-A loves Vanderlyn Elementary School!

We realize that all of the classrooms will be having Holiday Parties. For the month of December, any CFA Nugget Tray ordered from CFA/Perimeter Pointe (any size) will receive 25 Icedream coupons for the classroom.

If a Vanderlyn family orders the tray for a personal party....they will also receive the 25 Icedream coupons to use as they please!

To order call 770.522.8755 then press 1 for Allison Loud (she will facilitate the special offer). Thanks for making the Vanderlyn ~ Chick-fil-A/Perimeter Pointe partnership so successful!!!

The last month of the year typically brings increased opportunities to volunteer at school. Please remember that Georgia code identifies school house volunteers as mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse. The Dekalb County School District is requiring all volunteers to view a BRIEF on-line presentation and then certify that the training is complete. Please click here to comply with the mandatory training requirement for school volunteers.