Grizzly Family Newsletter

This week we have another special assembly as we celebrate and honor our veterans. Please join us on this special day in YOUR honor. Our assembly begins at 8:30 on Wednesday, November 11.

Join us Thursday, November 12 at 5:30 for Fall Family Bingo Night. Bring the whole family for a fun-filled night of BINGO, prizes, crafts, pizza, cupcakes, and FUN! Parents are encouraged to team up with their students for bingo, and pizza and cake will be provided for everyone!

Lots of great things happening at Vandergriff!

Have a wonderful week!

💙 Andrea

NOVEMBER

9 DAY 1

Mt. Kessler- Richards' class

True Lit with Dan Santat- 4th grade (leave 11:45, return 2:00)

10 DAY 2

11 DAY 3

Veterans Day! Red, White and Blue Day!

NO GROWL

Assembly 8:30

4th 9:35-10:25

3rd 10:30-11:20

2nd 11:25-12:15

Encore LUNCH 12:15-12:45

1st 12:45-1:35

K 1:40-2:30

Fire Drill- PM

12 DAY 4

Mt. Kessler- Campbell's class

Fall Family Bingo Night- 5:30-7:00

13 DAY 5

National Diabetes Day- WEAR BLUE!

NOVEMBER

16 Fall Book Fair 16-20

16-19 Fall Academies end this week

17 SLS Field trip to Walmart- leave 8:45, return 10:30

18 Thanksgiving lunch in cafeteria

19 Staff Grizzly Grub

19 Spotlight Night 3:30-5:30

23-27 Thanksgiving Break

JOIN US AS WE HONOR OUR HEROES!

Date: Wednesday, November 11

Time: 8:30 AM

Location: in the Vandergriff Cafeteria

We invite veterans and active-duty service member parents and grandparents to attend our annual Veterans Day Assembly.

Our Grizzlies are excited to celebrate and thank you for your service!

If you are a veteran planning to attend, please fill out the short form using this link. The form will also let us know which student you represent so we can recognize them during the event.

Bring the whole family for a fun-filled night of BINGO, prizes, crafts, pizza, cupcakes, and FUN! Parents are encouraged to team up with their students for bingo, and pizza and cake will be provided for everyone!

🎟️ Please RSVP at this link so we can plan for bingo cards and refreshments.

We can't wait to enjoy a wonderful evening with our amazing Vandergriff families! 🐻

Hello - The Fayetteville Public Library hosts the True Lit Festival November 9th-12th. This year, there are three authors with after school/evening events. These events are free, but tickets are required. You can click on the link to find more details and request tickets. These authors will also be autographing books after their event. Pearl's Books will have their books available for purchase at the events.

Our 4th graders will be attending a presentation with Dan Santat on November 9th. He will also be doing a presentation at 4:30 that afternoon.

This month we’re challenging students to work together toward a common goal and shared purpose. We are partnering with you to grow and develop teamwork in your child. We can do this by modeling gratefulness, acknowledging positive moments, and affirming each other. Use this month’s activities to practice working together and celebrate your family as a team.

EMPOWER: Walk in My Shoes Create a culture of appreciation and gratitude at home by celebrating the best in each family member. Have every family member trace one of their shoes, then trade drawings and write three words you admire about that family member on their “shoe.” Discuss how each family member brings something great to your family team.

Families are invited to bring old, expired, or unwanted car seats to participating elementary school collection sites to help keep them out of the landfill.

Last year, our school communities diverted more than 125 car seats from the landfill! Let’s build on that success and make an even bigger impact this year.

Together, we can reduce waste and make a difference in our community. Thank you for helping us recycle responsibly! Bins will be at the schools entrances.

#AmericaRecyclesWeek #FayettevillePublicSchools #Sustainability #WasteReduction

Get Your Paws on a Good Book at the Vandergriff Scholastic Book Fair! November 16th-20th

• We have volunteer opportunities available if you would like to help work at the Book Fair! No sign-up is required to shop with your student - this link is to sign up to volunteer to assist students with shopping and work the cash registers.
• Book Fair Schedule - see when your student(s) will visit the Book Fair with their class!
• We are a coin-free book fair again this year. Cash transactions will be rounded up to the nearest dollar. This supports Share the Fair (helping our library, classroom libraries, and student shopping needs). Students may pay with coins, but no coins will be given back as change.
• Students may pay with cash or check made payable to Vandergriff. Tax rate is 9.75%.
• We strongly encourage using the Book Fair eWallet. Setting up an account is free! No need to print anything - we can access it at our registers. If you have previously used eWallet, check for remaining funds in your Scholastic account.
• Join us for Spotlight Night on Thursday, November 19th from 3:30-5:30. Shop the Book Fair in the library, visit the Art Show in the cafeteria, and visit the Beaver Tails Food Truck parked out front!

PE/Health Newsletter

Who is on the leaderboard for attendance in each grade? Follow us on Instagram at @vandergriffelementary, our Vandergriff official account to find out. Winners will be posted each week. Showing up to school consistently sets our students up for success. We love seeing our hallways filled with bright smiles from our students.

Absences

Please let the office, along with your child's teacher know when your child is absent. This will help with communication. Thank you!

Attendance Matters!

As the holidays approach, it is especially important to make sure your student attends school every day and arrives on time. Regular attendance is vital to your child’s learning, academic success, and social development. Every day in the classroom is an opportunity to learn, grow, and build friendships!

Please help us keep the momentum going by making school attendance a priority, even as the holiday season gets busy. Thank you for your continued support and for helping your child make the most of every school day!

During school hours, please ring the bell on the west side. Our office staff will "buzz" you in. If you come on the east side, the office will ask you to go around. Thank you!

Every Day Counts, Every Student Matters!

If there is ever a change in how your child will be going home, please be sure to notify both the office and your child's teacher. Any changes must be communicated before 2:45 p.m. to ensure we have time to notify the appropriate staff. If we do not receive notification by 2:45 p.m., your child will be sent home using their usual transportation method.

Thank you for your help and cooperation in keeping dismissal safe and running smoothly for everyone!

Please label clothing, coats/jackets, water bottles and lunch boxes! If they are labeled we can get it back to the student. If your child does lose something, we do have a lost and found. We will also periodically post items on our PTO instagram, @vandypto

Bell Schedule: 8:10-3:10

Students need to be in their classrooms at 8:10.

Dismissal is at 3:10.

First bell rings at 7:55.

Tardy bell will ring at 8:10. Students arriving after 8:10 must report to the office with a parent to obtain a tardy slip before reporting to class.

1. No cell phones during drop off or pick up please.

2. Our doors open at 7:25. If you drop off your child before then, there will not be any supervision.

3. Have students get out of the car on the sidewalk side.

4. If you need to get out of your car to get your child out in the mornings or afternoons, please park in a parking spot to help traffic flow.

5. You must have a green tag in your window to pick up your child in the car rider line. Please keep it in the window UNTIL your student is loaded. This will help our duty teachers.

6. PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH MCNAIR's Parking lot!

7. If you are exiting at Mission in the morning, please turn right. This will help traffic flow and keep everyone safe.

8. Please reach out to your child's teacher if you need to speak to them instead of during dismissal while they are on duty. This helps the teacher continue to monitor the students for their safety.

Breakfast is FREE for all students this year due to ACT 123.

From the cafeteria to the classroom, pay anytime, anywhere from your mobile phone

or computer at My School Bucks.

November Lunch Calendar

District Handbook for Families- linked here

Andrea Sego, Principal- andrea.sego@fayar.net

Matt Pledger, Assistant Principal- matt.pledger@fayar.net

Shannon Neves, Administrative Assistant- shannon.neves@fayar.net

Doreen Trenholm, Office Aide- doreen.trenholm@fayar.net

Becca Vest, School Nurse- rebecca.vest@fayar.net

Beth Rogers, School Counselor- elizabeth.rogers@fayar.net

Britton Clark, Instructional Coach- britton.clark@fayar.net

Amanda Davis, Academic Specialist- amanda.davis@fayar.net

Jody Whittle, Technology Specialist- jody.whittle@fayar.net

@vandergriffelementary - Vandergriff official account

@vandypto - Vandergriff PTO News

@vandylib - Vandergriff Library

@vandergriff_art - Vandergriff Art

@dandyvandyhealth - Vandergriff Health

@vandergriff_PE- Vandergriff PE

@fayarpublicschools - Fayetteville Public Schools