Tiger Pride
2026/2027 Parent Newsletter
Valdese Elementary Contact Information
Hours of Operation:
7:30am: Doors Open
7:55am: Tardy Bell
2:35pm: Dismissal
Website: https://ves.burke.k12.nc.us/
Address: 298 Praley St. Valdese, NC, 28690
Phone: 828-874-0704
We are excited to celebrate Grandparents Week this week! The lunch schedule is attached below, and we look forward to welcoming grandparents and special guests to Valdese Elementary.
For the safety of our students and visitors, please park in the parking lot in front of the school. Please do not park in the loop, as this could prevent emergency vehicles from entering if needed, and several of our classes cross the street to access the playground.
Guests will enter through the front lobby, sign in, and receive a visitor sticker. Chairs will be available in the hallway while you wait for your student. Please wait to enter the cafeteria until your student arrives. Most grade levels will eat in their classrooms so that the cafeteria can be reserved for grandparents and special guests. Some tables will be reserved for Pre-K and Kindergarten and will be clearly labeled. Please sit only at tables marked “Visitor Seating.”
Visitor lunches will be $5, cash only, and can be paid at the register. For confidentiality and safety purposes, students will not be able to invite friends to eat with them. At the conclusion of lunch, please say your goodbyes in the cafeteria and allow your student to return to class with their class. We ask that visitors refrain from walking students back to their classrooms.
Our PTO will also have a table set up for anyone interested in purchasing Valdese merchandise. Thank you in advance for helping us keep Grandparents Week safe, organized, and enjoyable for everyone!
Learning is in Full Swing! 📚✨
Our students have been working incredibly hard in their classrooms as they settle into routines and expectations for the school year. Beginning-of-year assessments are now complete, and teachers have been reviewing that information to better understand each student’s strengths and areas for growth.
This week, many classrooms will begin guided groups and targeted small-group instruction. These groups allow teachers to provide more individualized support, practice, and enrichment based on student needs. We are excited to see our Tigers continue to grow, learn, and challenge themselves each day!
Have a great week!
Courtney Hull, Principal
Student safety is always our first priority on the bus. Students should remain in their assigned seat and use an inside-voice level on the bus in order to avoid distracting the bus driver. Students should avoid bringing drinks, food, or candy on the bus. Cell phones are also prohibited on the bus and in classrooms. Please be flexible and patient with bus times the first few weeks as we add students and drivers become accustomed to the routes.
All students can eat breakfast and lunch for free each day in the cafeteria. We have a grab-and-go breakfast program where students get their breakfast and take it to their classroom in the morning. The lunch schedule is posted below.
Please make sure you have completed your annual update in the parent portal!
Whether your child is brand-new to school or transferring from another school, we welcome you into Burke County Public Schools. As you get to know us, you will discover that we are passionate about making education better for the students we serve, and our staff brings that spirit into the classroom every day. Our personalized approach to educating students inspires them to discover their full potential in an environment that celebrates their individual strengths and promotes a community of learners.
Thank you for helping your child start each day successfully by arriving at school on time! This year, one of our schoolwide goals is to reduce the number of tardies at VES, and we would love to partner with our families to make that happen.
As an added incentive, students who have three or fewer unexcused tardies during each nine-week grading period will be eligible to participate in a raffle for grocery gift cards! 🎉
We appreciate your partnership in helping our Tigers arrive on time and ready to learn each day. More information about this exciting attendance incentive will be coming soon! 🐯💛
Consistent attendance is essential for academic success, personal growth, and future career readiness. Together, we recognize the importance of regular attendance in providing a well-rounded education.
We appreciate your continued communication regarding absences, excuses, and medical notes with both your child's teacher and Mrs. Stallings, our Data Manager. If your child is absent, please send a written note, doctor’s note, or a Dojo message to their teacher.
Our daily attendance goal is 95%, and we appreciate your support in helping us reach it!
🍁September
9/2- Fire Drill
9/7- No School- Labor Day
9/8- AFG Fundraiser Begins
9/9- BOG Test (3rd Grade)
9/10- 3rd Grade to NC Symphony @ COMMA
9/14-9/18- Grandparents' Week (during lunch)
9/14- PTO Meeting in the Media Center @ 6:00 p.m.
9/16- Girls Running Club 2:35-3:30
9/21- AFG Fundraiser Ends
9/21- Bookfair Begins
9/22- DHS HOCO Parade @ 6:30
- Interim Reports go home
9/23- Girls Running Club 2:35-3:30
9/25- Bookfair Ends
9/30- Girls Running Club 2:35-3:30
Courtney Hull, Principal
📩 courtneyhull@burke.k12.nc.us
📱 828-874-0704
📍 298 Praley St. Valdese, NC 28690
Savannah Cole, Assistant Principal
📱828-874-0704
📍298 Praley St. Valdese, NC 28690