The Stingray

Our annual Fall Into Learning Festival is next Wednesday, October 7th, from 5:30 - 7:30 PM. Fall Into Learning is a fun family friendly event and we have various activities and performances planned through out the evening. Love Books? Our fall book fair will be open for the family book fair night. Finally, come hungry! PTA will be selling concessions (Hot Dogs and other snacks) for you to enjoy while perusing the event. We look forward to seeing everyone at the event!

Bus Safety Reminder

Please remember that whenever a school bus has its flashing red lights activated and its stop arm extended, all vehicles must come to a complete stop. This rule applies to everyone on campus, including drivers parked in spaces slightly ahead of or behind the bus—you may not pull out or pass while the lights are flashing. Please wait until the red lights are turned off and the stop arm is fully retracted before moving. Thank you for keeping our students safe!

In this edition of The Stingray:

• Fall Into Learning
• Beauty Club Spotlight
• Book Fair Going On Now!

Have a great week!

Brenda Rayburg

Robert L. Vale Principal

#RaysUp

Main Office 210-397-5700

Ms. Lurate and Ms. Sutton hosted the first Beauty Club meeting of the month. The club members learned about pink brightening powder and how to use it.

Academic Coaching is available daily from 7:55am - 8:33am. Students are encouraged to attend Academic Coaching for homework support, re-teach/re-test opportunities, or to receive additional tutoring for their coursework.

Parents are encouraged to check HAC for student progress including grades and attendance and to communicate with their students' teachers for questions or concerns.

Students enrolled in High School Credit courses must meet the attendance requirement in order to earn credit for the course. Students with excessive absences or failing grades may be denied credit. High School Credit Courses in middle school will impact a student's high school transcript including class rank and GPA.

Fall Semester Courses- No more than 9 absences.

Spring Semester Courses- No more than 9 absences.

Full Year Courses- No more than 17 absences.

Semester Courses

MAPS A (Fall)/MAPS B (Spring)

Innovative Thinkers A/B HS

AVID A/B HS

Full Year Courses

Algebra 1 HS

Art 1 HS

Studio Art HS

Spanish 1/2

Principles of Human Services

Principles of Applied Engineering

Students that have been denied credit due to attendance must attend Academic Coaching to make up seat time.

Parents and students are encouraged to monitor Home Access Center (HAC) for grades and attendance. Please contact your student's teacher for any questions regarding grades and attendance.

Visit Health Services for more information on immunizations, medications and other health related information.

Thank you to everyone who have already signed up and became PTA members. If you have not signed up, please sign up as membership helps us do more for our students. Sign up through Texas PTA and any student who signs up will receive a special treat each month for being a member.

What is the difference between a VATRE and a School Bond?

VATRE: Addresses funding for day-to-day district operations, including staff salaries, classroom supplies and utilities.

Bond: Provides funding for long-term capital projects, such as renovations, classroom technology and natatorium improvements. For Vale, this means tennis court upgrades, paving & drainage upgrades, PA system upgrades and a security lobby.

Each has a different purpose and different funding restrictions. Learn more at nisd.net/Bond26

***Price will increase on October 17th.

PE & Athletic Uniforms

PE and athletic uniforms are sold for $10 each or $20 for the set (shirt/shorts). All purchases must be made through My School Bucks as cash is not accepted.

Vale students follow the district dress code as outlined below for the 2024-25 school year:

1. Shorts (without holes) of mid-thigh length may be worn.

2. Mid-thigh length skirts, skorts, and dresses may be worn. There should not be a cut or slit in the clothing that extends above the mid-thigh.

3. Appropriate footwear must be worn; backless footwear, Crocs and slides/house shoes are not permitted.

4. Unconventional hair styles that distract from teaching and learning will be prohibited.

5. Any clothes that are suggestive or indecent or which cause a distraction will be prohibited. Specifically, oversized clothing, tank tops, muscle shirts, halter/crop tops, spaghetti straps, exposed backs or midriffs, and see-through garments are prohibited.

6. Indecent/inappropriate patches, writings, or drawings on clothing are prohibited. Undergarments must not be visible.

7. All pants are to be worn at the waist (no “sagging”). Tight fitting pants (e.g. tights, spandex, bicycle pants/shorts, etc.) are also prohibited. Frays or holes may not be higher than mid-thigh. Pajama pants are not permitted except on approved spirit days.

8. Body piercing jewelry is prohibited except for rings, studs or other traditional jewelry. Any piercing that distracts the teaching and learning environment will be prohibited. Facial piercings, such as nose rings and lip rings, are not permitted.

Please remember, final determination of acceptable dress and grooming rests with the principal or his/her designee. If you have any questions concerning the dress code, please call and speak with an administrator.

Our campus has implemented the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs for the 2024-2025 School Year. This means all of the Vale students will receive breakfast and lunch for FREE.

Away For The Day (Campus Cellphone/Electronic Device Policy): Students will be required to put away all phones, iPads, gaming units, smartwatches and headphones/ear buds in their backpack when they are released to first period at 8:30 AM. Students will not be allowed to wear any communication devices or access them from 8:30 am -3:55 pm while in the cafeteria, hallway, classrooms, locker rooms, restrooms, offices or any other locations on campus. Students will not be authorized to use these devices during the school day after 8:30 am. Communication and electronic devices are not allowed at any time in the following locations such as restrooms, locker rooms and school offices. We have found that the distraction they create interferes with the focus of learning. I know that many parents like to communicate with their child while they are on campus, every classroom has a phone, and messages can be sent from the front office. I know this will be a shift for new students, but the distractions of social media, texting, and playing games needs to be removed from campus. More information to come pending the new legislation.

Chromebooks are a classroom-set model and will remain on campus in each classroom rather than traveling home with students daily. Our goal is always to create the most supportive, highly engaged learning environment possible. While technology remains a vital tool for education, moving to classroom-based sets helps:

• Maximize Learning & Focus: Keeps students fully engaged with classroom lessons and minimizes digital distractions outside of school hours.

• Ensure Devices Are Ready Everyday: Eliminates issues with forgotten chargers, uncharged batteries, or misplaced devices so instruction can start smoothly.

• Support Technology Sustainability: Protects our equipment so all students continue to have access to reliable, high-functioning devices.

We appreciate your partnership in assisting us to foster an environment where every student can thrive!

To promote productive hallway transitions, hallway lockers will not be issued to students. Students are encouraged to bring only the necessary school materials, i.e., notebook, pens and pencils. Expensive items should be left at home. Textbooks are in the classrooms for students to use while at school. If your child needs a textbook for home use, contact the school and one can be issued. Students will be issued a P.E. locker for the purpose of storing P.E. uniforms and clothes while in P.E. Students may only access P.E. lockers during their scheduled P.E. time. We encourage students to not share their locker combinations with other students for the security of their items.

Our staff is committed to the safety and security of our students. To ensure the safety of our students, all visitors are required to sign in at the attendance window and will need to provide an ID. Our campus officer routinely conducts perimeter checks throughout the day to ensure our campus is secure. Our campus officer and administrators are visible in the hallways, cafeteria, front of the school and other various parts of the campus during the day. As always, if you see something, say something!

Fire drills are required to be conducted monthly and Active Threat Drills will be conducted two times each semester. If you would like more information on the district's Safety First 2025-2026 initiative, please click here . If you have any safety concerns and need to make a report, please utilize Northside ISD's Safe Line by calling 210-397-7233 or text: safe@nisd.net

Student ID's for 2026-2027 School Year

To continue and ensure safety for all of our students on campus, Vale students are required to wear their Student ID during the school day, at all campus events and to scan in to ride the bus. Incoming 6th graders and new students to Vale will be issued a new ID, while returning Stingrays may use their ID from the previous school year. All students will be issued a ID holder and a lanyard which will be color coded based on their grade level. Students will need to ensure that they have the ID and correct lanyard while they are students at Vale Middle School. Students will need ID cards to retrieve breakfast and lunch, purchase tickets to campus events, attend athletic games/events, ride the bus and any other campus functions. Students who need a replacement ID or lanyard, may retrieve a replacement for a fee (new ID $5 and/or a lanyard $2).