VAIS Family Newsletter
August, 2026
8/17/2026- Governance Council meeting in the Library 6-8pm
8/25/2026 - Family newsletter info due to Miss Amelia by 3pm
8/26/2026- 5:00pm-6:30pm Back to School Kickoff &
Popsicles on the Playground
9/1/2026 - First day of school
9/7/2026 - No School - Labor Day Holiday
School Supplies
Here is the 2026-27 school supplies list for VAIS. It will also go on social media, on our website, and printed before the last day of the year.
The most important items are across the top, and items for the classroom are below by grade level. Also note, donations of extra kleenex, paper towels, bleach wipes, baby wipes and hand sanitizer are always welcome... year round!
School Supply Support
We want every VASD scholar to have a great start to the school year! If you would love help in making supplies, backpacks, gym shoes and more happen, please email the names of each student needing support, to Miss Amelia at mcconnea@verona.k12.wi.us to let her know what you might need.
Students/families will receive their supplies at the Back to School Kickoff and supply drop off night on Wednesday, August 26th or in their child's classroom on the first day of school.
Mentor Families Needed
Welcome from Mrs. Parks!
Dear Verona Area International School Families,
I hope this newsletter finds you well. It’s hard to believe we are just a few short weeks away from the start of the 2026–27 school year! While summer offers our staff time to rest and recharge, it’s also a season of preparation and learning. Much of this work happens quietly—often on teachers’ own time—but it’s all done with the goal of creating the best possible experience for your children.
I want to take a moment to highlight and celebrate some of the work happening behind the scenes this summer:
Our custodial team— Ms. Mel, Mr. Fred, and Ms. Ming—has been hard at work deep-cleaning and maintaining our building to ensure a safe, welcoming environment for all.
Ms. Gustafson, our associate principal, and I attended the VASD Social Emotional Learning Symposium. We’re using this learning to plan how we will support students’ social-emotional growth in the year ahead.
Huang Laoshi, Wang Laoshi, Reiter Laoshi, and I have been learning working on the essential standards for Mandarin. This work is closely tied to our Standards Based Teaching and Learning.
Ms. Konop collaborated with instructional coaches from across VASD to support our ongoing professional learning in Standards Based Teaching and Learning.
In the front office, Ms. Amelia and Ms. Jenni have been hard at work with purchasing, school records, registration, and everything needed to wrap up last year and prepare for the new one.
During the week of August 3, Ms. Digmann, Reiter Laoshi, Ms. Krier, Ms. Konop, and I participated in the weeklong VASD Leadership Institute, where we will engaged in collaborative learning and planning focused on continuous improvement for the year ahead.
Beyond these specific projects, our dedicated team has also spent time this summer reflecting and preparing for the upcoming school year. We are truly fortunate to have such a deeply committed staff.
Personally, I’m looking forward to connecting with families and hearing about your summer adventures. My own family enjoyed many local summer favorites like farmers' markets, Concerts on the Square, and parks. It was a summer full of memorable small moments.
Ms. Amelia will be back in the school office on a regular schedule starting August 12. Please mark your calendars for our Back to School Night on Wednesday, August 26, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. You’ll have the chance to drop off school supplies, visit your child’s classroom, and hear from the teacher about the year ahead.
Enjoy the remaining days of summer, and we can’t wait to welcome you back soon!
Warmly,
Mrs. Parks
Principal, Verona Area International School
Welcome, new staff!
We'd like to welcome the following new staff, thank you for joining our team!
Students will be able to connect soon with these new faces:
Jennifer Ruef, School Counselor
Kelly Borelli, School Nurse
Sadie Kuehn, Special Education Teacher
Bonnie DeLong, Reading Resource
Online Registration is Open
All VASD families will need to go online to confirm registration information. You should have gotten an email from Online Student Registration or "reg" in July with a reminder to go in and submit your updates. You'll want to have things like allergy and medical information, updated phone and email contacts in front of you as you register for the fall.
Important note: If you will need bussing in September, please "opt in" and hit yes on the transportation page. That begins the process to add you to a route, and the exact address of your intended stop will be important.
Girls on the Run Registration is Open for 3rd 4th and 5th Grade Girls
Hello NCS and VAIS Families!
We're excited to have another season of Girls on the Run at NCS/VAIS this fall!
Girls on the Run is for any 3rd, 4th or 5th grade girls. We meet on Mondays and Wednesdays at 2:30-4pm at the school. We work on developing self confidence, social/emotional strategies, creating friendships, and lots of fun ways to move.
The season concludes with a celebratory 5K on Saturday, November 7 in Waunakee.
We would love for you to join us!
Please email Coach Lindsey at loeffler.lindsey@gmail.com if you have any questions!
Sincerely,
Coaches Dresen, Lindsey and Faith
'Tis the season to learn SPANISH!
Registration for the 2026–2027 school year is now open!
Celebrate Spanish in every season — join us for a brand-new theme!
Don’t miss this valuable opportunity for your student to build Spanish skills in a fun, interactive bilingual classroom.
Enroll today: https://futuraadventures.com/wisconsin-region/
Verona Area Kids Triathlon - August 30
Registration opens March 1st!
To register for the Verona Kids Triathlon please visit runsignup.com.
Price: $39 plus fees. Price will increase to $44 plus fees after July 15th.
What’s Included in Your Race Registration:
- Goody Bag – Packed with fun surprises!
- T-Shirt – Commemorate your achievement with an event shirt.
- Finisher Medal – Celebrate your success with a custom medal.
- Finish Line Food & Snacks – Refuel after your race with a selection of tasty snacks.
Popsicles on the Playground - August 26
Get ready for an amazing new school year at our upcoming Back to School Kickoff!
To make the night even sweeter, we are planning to hand out popsicles to students on the playground—but we can't do it without you! We are looking for a couple volunteers to hand out popsicles and spread some cheer. If you’re available to help cool down our eager learners and be a hero on the playground, please sign up at the link below.
Give the gift of GIFT CARDS!
Give the gift of GIFT CARDS!
Stock up on gift cards for gifts, groceries, gas, dining, summer fun, and MORE! When you purchase gift cards through our school, a percentage of every card comes back to fund our students' Chinese language immersion school at no additional cost to you.
HOW IT WORKS:
1. Choose from hundreds of retailers - groceries, restaurants, clothing, Amazon, gas, and more! See the full list at https://bit.ly/VAISGiftCards
2. Pay the face value of the gift card - no fees!
3. Orders are submitted the 15th of each month. The school receives a percentage back automatically!
4. Respond to the confirmation email to coordinate pickup from the VAIS office or pickup or delivery in Fitchburg or Verona.
HOW TO ORDER:
- Email your order to raiseforVAlS@gmail.com
- Payment can be made by cash, check payable to VAIS Foundation Inc., or Venmo @vais-treasurer (last four digits 8903).
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VAIS!
VAIS Governance Council Communication Sources
We have a Facebook page and web site that is administered by the VAIS Governance Council separate from the VASD Facebook page and web site. All Current families are welcome to join “VAIS Parents Group” on Facebook. We will be posting events and pop-up playdates in this group. This is also a great resource for new parents/guardians to ask any questions they may have. Use the QR code to join or take a look at our website here.
Volunteer at VAIS
Two Schools - One Community Sunshine Committee
The Sunshine Committee is made up of amazing NCS and VAIS families whose mission is to spread kindness and support for families and school staff. They do this by providing assistance in the form of cards, meals, gift cards, and other resources to families and staff in need of a little pick-me-up. Interested in signing up to help or nominating a family or individual? Please contact Mrs. Merryfield at merryfih@verona.k12.wi.us
Library News
Dear Readers,
I can't wait to hear about your summer reading adventures! What books have you been enjoying? Have you been reading in a creative location? If you'd like to be featured on school social media, please send fun bookworm photos to your librarian, Ms. Roltgen, at roltgent@verona.k12.wi.us Here is a picture from my summer backstage at Annie the Musical. When I wasn't on stage performing, this chair was the perfect place to catch up on a good book!
It's time to start locating any NCS/VAIS Library books and making plans to return them at our Back to School Kickoff on Wednesday, August 26. If you are unable to attend, you can send them on the first day of school with your learner. Reminder notices will be sent closer to the start of school to help you organize your book returns.
Happy Reading!
Ms. Roltgen
After School Programs from Verona Recreation Department
Verona Rec is offering a new afterschool program beginning in 2026!
This program is for kids in grades K-5th and will be held at the new Verona Community Center. We'll encourage health and wellness through play and physical activity both outside and inside with a variety of activities each day.
Find out more about Verona Rec Afterschool here
Attendance
If your student is ill, has an early morning appointment or early pick up, or will be late arriving to school for another reason, in addition to notifying their classroom teachers please make sure that you contact one of the following PRIOR TO THE START OF THE SCHOOL DAY:
1) EMAIL VAIS Attendance: vais-attendance@verona.k12.wi.us or
2) CALL the office at (608) 845-4500 (If you are making a change after 11:00 am the same day, then please call the office).
Please do not email the school secretaries directly, we appreciate it! The attendance line email is the best way to communicate with school.
Background Check Reminder
To ensure student safety, all chaperones for off-site events and trips must have an approved VASD Volunteer Background Check. It's never too early to complete one of these forms for trips next year, even if you might only be able to help out once or twice!
If you are considering chaperoning field trips or any off-site events, please ensure your background check is approved in advance. This process is completed online using this link, and approval typically takes 7–10 days. However, there have been instances where processing takes longer, so we encourage you to complete it as soon as possible if needed. Please reach out to reach out to Miss Jenni at: gumienyj@verona.k12.wi.us with questions.
Follow us on Facebook / X
Our social media is a great resource to find information in real time. We post upcoming events, special spirit days, Sign Up Genius links and more. We especially love to share happy faces and creativity happening here at school. Please help us increase our engagement with following our page, liking a post or two, and even leaving a comment. Each of those steps helps our school to pop to the top of your feed and help you reach the information you need.
And bookmark our school website, which tells you more about school closures, menus and more.
Need assistance with lunch costs?
Check out our online VAIS Public Google Calendar
Our school office maintains a school calendar for families and the public. Here is the link to a Google Public Calendar with this year’s updated events: VAIS Public Google Calendar
This calendar will be updated continually throughout the year with school events, such as swim, Picture Day, Back to School Night, field trips, parent/teacher conferences, days off of school, GC meetings, and so much more! We hope that this will make things easier for you!
Is your child well enough to be in school?
It is not always easy to decide if your child is sick enough to stay home or well enough to be in school. Children who come to school are expected to participate fully in school activities including recess and physical education. A note from a medical provider is required for activity restrictions.
Please use the following Verona Area School District guidelines to help in decision making (attached here).