SCHOOL ZONE 8-22-13

GRADE 8 ORIENTATION

Vermilion High School will host orientation for students entering 8^th grade tomorrow, Friday, August 23 from 9:00 AM to Noon.  Counselor Cara Habermehl selected and trained a group of 11^th and 12^th grade students to mentor and assist their younger peers.  The mentor group is known as “Link Crew”.  Each 8^th grader will be assigned to a mentor group led by two upperclassmen.  The purpose of the program is to welcome new students to VHS, and help them feel comfortable with their new school.  Following the introduction of mentors and an information session, students will be provided with lunch sponsored by Student Council and served by Vermilion police officers.  All students entering grade 8 are welcome to join the activities. 

STUDENTS ARE BACK TO SCHOOL NEXT WEEK

School begins on Tuesday, August 27.  Students will be traveling to and from school between the hours of 7:00 to 9:00 AM and 2:30 to 4:00 PM.  Please slow down and drive carefully in areas where students are traveling, and be cautious when approaching school buses.  Drop off and pickup areas for Vermilion Elementary and Sailorway Middle School will remain the same this year.  Parents who transport their children are reminded to remain in the designated pickup and drop off areas for the safety of their child.  Every effort is made to keep traffic flowing around the schools, but we do experience heavy traffic on some days, especially at the beginning of the year, or on bad weather days.  Please allow enough time in your schedule to safely navigate the traffic in school zones both before and after school. 

LAPTOP DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of student laptops began this week.  We are very appreciative of the cooperation and assistance of our parents and students as they picked up their equipment.  It is important to get laptops out to students early so that they are ready to begin classes on the first day of school.  Alternate pickup times are scheduled for those who were not able to attend the scheduled roll out date.  Please check the VHS and SMS web pages for details.

COUNSELORS HELP

Vermilion High School counselors are available to work with students on any schedule changes or concerns.  VHS counselors will be placing a greater emphasis on career and college readiness planning this year.  They will be working with students on an individual basis, and going into classrooms to speak about important career and college options. Some of the many topics that will be reviewed are scholarships, ACT prep, making school schedules compatible with career planning, weighted grades, PSEO and Vermilion Academy workforce development options.  Parents or students who wish to meet individually with a counselor should contact the VHS Student Services office to schedule a convenient appointment time.

CONSTRUCTION SITE

Preparation of the site for our new facility is well underway.  The area is fenced off for safety, but interested residents can view the progress from outside the fence.  Throughout the year we will be incorporating the construction project into classroom lesson plans and activities.  Projects will include science, engineering, architecture, use of folcrums and levers, equipment used in construction, water retention, where water will go, and how the site will be improved to avoid problems for neighbors.

TIME CAPSULE

Please begin thinking of ideas for items that should be included in the time capsule that will be placed in our new facility.  We would like your input on what to include in the capsule, and whether they should represent only school related items or all of Vermilion.  If you have ideas or items that you would like to include in the time capsule, please contact Cindy Akers at 440-204-1723.

MEMORABILIA COMMMITTEE

In response to requests from the community we are in the process of creating a memorabilia room at Vermilion High School.  The room is located at the gymnasium end of the building, and is connected to the Library.  Our plan is to house all of our memorabilia in this room, including class photos, trophies, awards and the like.  We will be honoring sports, music, academics, clubs, drama – any activity that has been a part of Vermilion Schools history.  Hall of Fame plaques and photos will be also be included in the collection.  Input from residents, former employees and alumni is needed to determine how the room should be organized and decorated.  We invite your participation on the committee that will oversee the completion of this project.  If you are interested in participating, please contact Denise Zielske at 440-204-1700, ext. 125.

BUSINESS ADVISORY MEETING

Each year we have hosted a meeting with our local businesses to share information and discuss ways we can help each other.  This year we hope to offer some new advertising opportunities within our stadium and gymnasium.  Business owners will receive a postcard invitation to the meeting soon after school begins. 

DRUG TESTING OPT-IN REMINDER

Students who participate in extra-curricular activities, purchase parking passes or qualify for special privileges are required to participate in the VHS student drug testing program.  Parents of students who do not qualify for drug testing can request that their child be added to the program.  Complete details on how to “opt-in” to the drug testing program is available on the Parent section of our website.  Visit www.vermilionschools.org and click on “Parents”.