The Mako Messenger

We are excited to celebrate Halloween with our Makos! Students are welcome to wear costumes to school, and we look forward to seeing their creativity and school spirit. To ensure a fun, safe, and comfortable day for everyone, please review the following costume guidelines with your student.

• Costumes must allow students to sit, walk, breathe, see, hear, and participate safely in school activities.

• Costumes must be school-appropriate and follow the VDM dress code.

• Costumes may not include weapons or weapon-like props, inappropriate language or images, references to illegal substances, or offensive political or religious themes.

• Scary or gruesome costumes, inflatable costumes, and morph suits are not permitted.

• Costume masks may only be worn during judging and must otherwise remain in backpacks. Face paint is welcome but may not cover the entire face.

• Hats are permitted outdoors but must be removed indoors.

• Shoes must be safe for school activities, with heels or platforms no higher than two inches.

• Temporary hair color and makeup must be applied at home. Flashing lights, noise makers, and fishnet tights are not permitted.

• All costumes must meet regular dress code requirements, including appropriate coverage and straps.

Students wearing costumes that do not meet these guidelines may be asked to change. Any accessories that create a safety concern or disruption may be held by staff.

Thank you for helping us make Halloween a safe, fun, and memorable celebration for all our Makos! If you have questions about a costume, please contact the front office before Halloween.

VdM’s 5th Annual Trunk or Treat is THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30th, Sponsored by BRO Orthodontics in our school parking lot from 5:00 - 6:30PM. Come in costume and enjoy the decorated trunks, balloon artists, music, photo booth, costume contests and candy. Must be supervised by parent. All grades TK-8 welcome!

Join us after for a Dine Out at Game Time Pizza (831 Via Suerte, Suite 101, San Clemente), owned by our very own Mrs. LeFever! A percentage of purchases goes back to our school!

Class Candy Collection Contest ends Thursday, October 29th! We still need more candy to make this event a success! Please bring donated bag(s) of wrapped candy to your child’s classroom this week.

The top FOUR classes with the most pieces of candy collected by the end of day on Thursday, 10/29 will each win a PJ & Movie Day in the MPR next month! Winners announced at Friday Flag on October 30th!

All adults must bring a valid photo ID every time they come to campus.

Whether you are volunteering for an event, visiting a classroom, or checking out a student early, you must present your ID at the front office.

Why is this required?

To ensure the highest level of safety for our students and staff, all guests are securely vetted through our Centegix system. This system requires a physical ID scan before anyone is permitted on school grounds.

Please double-check that you have your ID with you before arriving. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school community safe!

With cooler weather and rainy days approaching, we encourage all families, especially those with younger students, to keep an extra change of clothes in their child's backpack. Accidents, spills, muddy playgrounds, and unexpected rain can happen throughout the school day!

Our Health Office has a limited supply of extra clothing and may not always have the appropriate sizes available. Having a spare set of clothes, including underwear and socks, helps ensure students can quickly change and return to learning comfortably.

We are also accepting donations! If your family has gently used clothing in good condition or new socks and underwear to donate, our Health Office would greatly appreciate your support. We welcome a variety of sizes to help meet the needs of our students.

Thank you for helping us keep our Makos dry, comfortable, and ready to learn!

New students in grades 1–5 are invited to a New Student Social on Wednesday, October 28, during lunch in the MPR! This is a great chance to meet new friends and connect with other students. Please bring your own lunch

October is (CCGI) College & Career Exploration lesson for each grade level.

Grade 8: Unblocking Your Intelligences (College & Career Exploration, CCGI)

Grade 7: Creating SMART Goals

Grade 6: Future Me: The Starting Line (Intro to CCGI)

Excelling in Middle School:(SMART Goals Introduction)

Students will explore pathways, build knowledge, skills, and a plan to achieve their dreams.

IMPORTANT/PARENTS:

In order for your student to participate in these lessons, you will need to go to your parent portal in Aeries:

"Allow release of Student information to CCGI and hit the pencil to edit to Granted."

Looking forward to meeting our Makos in person!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Avila

Middle School Counselor