VAIS Family Newsletter
April, 2026
3/30/2026 - Girls on the Run returns
4/2/2026 - Mattress sale parent meeting 6pm at Badger Ridge
4/18/2026 - Mattress fundraiser 9am-5pm in Badger Ridge cafeteria
4/20/2026 - Governance Council in library 6:30pm-8:30pm
4/24/2026 - Family newsletter info due to Miss Amelia by 3pm
4/24/2026 - Spring Dance 5:30pm-7:30pm
4/29/2026 - Therapy dog, Koda, visits library classes
5/1/2026 - Therapy dog, Jojo, visits library classes
VAEF Grant money in music
Battle of the Books
Third graders, get ready for next year’s competition. We need you!
Spring concerts were a success!
We are so grateful to have such a strong music program here at our school.
Mattress sale - April 2 and April 18
Parent meeting:
April 2nd 6 pm to 7 pm
Badger Ridge Cafeteria
Mattress sale:
April 18th 9-5 pm
Badger Ridge Cafeteria
The 2026 Mattress Sale kick- off meeting will be on April 2nd from 6-7pm in the Badger Ridge Cafeteria. The purpose of the meeting is to communicate with you the parents/caregivers about how you can participate in this important fundraiser. The meeting will only take about 45 minutes. During this meeting, CFS Beds will share vital information and hand out all marketing materials and yard signs.
DONATION REQUEST:
We’re getting excited for our upcoming Euchre Night & Silent Auction on Friday, May 15. We have been working on gathering items for our silent auction and we’d love your help!
If you’re able to contribute, there are a couple of ways to get involved:
• Reach out to local businesses you may have connections with to help secure donations (gift cards, services, products, etc.).
• Donate items personally—this could be something you purchase or even items you already have at home that would make a good auction item.
Every contribution, big or small, helps make this event a success for our students and school community!
If you’re interested in donating or helping coordinate with a business, please email raiseforVAIS@gmail.com. Donation request letters are in the VAIS office. Thank you so much for your support!
Recruitment Season is over!
If you know anyone who is still interested in VAIS, encourage them to contact Sally Parks to inquire about open spots for VASD residents and the process of Open Enrollment for out of district families.
Open Enrollment
If you are an out of district family, or know of families who are interested, please visit the district site: Open Enrollment - Verona Area School District (Make sure to list VAIS as your preferred school)
Sugar River Fundraiser - Tuesday, May 5
Just a reminder, Sugar River Pizza - Verona has your meal planning covered on Tuesday, May 5.
10% of all purchases, all day, will be donated back to VAIS! Reservations are highly recommended if you plan to dine in!
GIFT CARD FUNDRAISER
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. The school receives a percentage back automatically!
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).
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
Outreach Committee Meeting - April 7
Interested in helping recruit new families to VAIS? Have ideas to get the VAIS name out in the community? Join our Outreach committee meeting on Tuesday, April 7 @7:30pm at Verona Public Library.
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 Miss Amelia at mcconnea@verona.k12.wi.us
Calling All Bookworms!
Where have you been reading? In a treehouse? At the dentist? On vacation? Please share a photo by emailing our Library Director, Ms. Roltgen, at roltgent@verona.k12.wi.us You may be featured on social media, in the library, or in a future edition of the newsletter!
Here is our very own Ms. Digmann's 6-month-old nephew Diego enjoying a baby best seller about bugs.
We Were Wondering...by Ms. Roltgen, Librarian
In library classes, we spend time asking inquiry questions, finding answers to those questions, and fostering curiosity. In that spirit, we'll feature a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) each month.
April Library FAQ: How can I access 1000s of free e-books and audio books at home or on a road trip?
Your school library is happy to provide Sora, a reading app for students that offers age-appropriate e-books and audio books, for all NCS/VAIS students and staff! If your student brings home their school device, they can access Sora by going to Clever and looking under Library Resources.
If your student does not bring home their device, here are the instructions for downloading Sora to a home device such as a phone, iPad, or computer. Students will use their school email addresses and five-letter passwords (they should know these - if not, Ms. Roltgen can help) to log in.
In library classes, students have learned how to borrow e-books and audio books, place holds, browse the collections, search for titles of interest, check their bookshelf, and personalize their profile. K-1 learners have been enjoying the "Read Along" and "New Audiobooks" collections which allow them to see the pictures and hear the words as a narrator reads the book to them.
Going on a road trip? Sora titles can be checked out and downloaded ahead of time so no internet access is required while using the app. If you have any questions or trouble accessing Sora, please contact our Library Director, Ms. Roltgen, at roltgent@verona.k12.wi.us. Happy e-reading and listening!
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: https://www.veronawi.gov/943/Verona-Rec-Afterschool
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).