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Important = Dates:

May 2   =20 Teacher Appreciation Week

May 10 = Board Work=20 Session

May 11 = Viking=20 University

May 13 = Snow=20 Make-Up Day

May 17 Board Meeting

From=20 Superintendent Andrew Melin, Ph.D.:

Board=20 =93Work Session=94 to focus on possible Full Day Kindergarten=20 implementation
     =20
      = Our VCS=20 Strategic Plan identified the need to implement full day = kindergarten=20 (FDK) as a means to enhance student achievement intervening as = early as=20 possible in a VCS student=92s experience. As a result of that = goal,=20 administrators and teachers have been discussing and evaluating = how and=20 when to best implement FDK in VCS. =20 In addition, our state=92s recent commitment to increase = FDK funding=20 by about $23 million has made the possibility of implementing FDK = sooner=20 than later more of a reality. =20
      = Therefore,=20 our school board will conduct a public work session on Tuesday, = May 10=20 from 5-7 p.m. in the TJMS cafeteria to hear administrative/teacher = recommendations for possible FDK implementation as early as next = school=20 year. The work = session will=20 not only allow the school board to hear implementation = recommendations,=20 but also will give the public an opportunity to hear the = recommendations,=20 ask questions, and make comment.
      = As a result=20 of the work session, the school board will be able to consider the = recommendations, consider public comment, and decide on the best = course of=20 action related to FDK. = There=20 are several important factors for the board to consider related to = FDK=20 including the level of increased state funding for FDK, the costs = involved=20 in implementing FDK, and facility availability.       =20

This is Teacher Appreciation Week, an = opportunity=20 to recognize the tremendous commitment our teachers make to help = our=20 students succeed.   = VCS=20 is one of the state=92s premiere school systems, a status earned = in large=20 part due to the talent and dedication of our teaching staff. We appreciate their=20 efforts.
      =

VCS=20 News

   Parkview = Elementary School=92s=20 Spring Plant sale will be this Friday and Saturday (May 6-7) at = Yeager=92s=20 Greenhouse. There will be hanging baskets, flats of flowers and=20 vegetables, and decorated planters for sale. A portion of the = proceeds will go=20 to the Parkview Elementary PTA, which supplements many of = Parkview=92s=20 academic endeavors.

VCS=20 Standouts

   The GREAT (Gang = Resistance=20 Education and Training) graduation celebration for TJMS and BFMS=20 7^th grade students last Friday at VHS was = outstanding. Thank you to Sgt. Steve = Jackson of=20 the Valparaiso Police Dept., his fellow officers, and staff = members from=20 TJMS and BFMS who coordinated and supervised the event.=20

   The VHS Academic = Excellence=20 Awards Banquet was held Sunday night. Forty-six students were = recognized=20 for exemplary academic achievement. =20 In addition, each student had an opportunity to recognize = the=20 influence of an educator to his/her success.

Valparaiso=20 Community Schools

News=20 for the Week of May 2, 2011

Expecting=20 100% effort from all to assure the achievement of every=20 student.

Our=20 Mission:=20 Valparaiso Community Schools provides a safe and supportive = educational=20

           &nbs= p;      =20 environment=20 maximizing the learning potential of each=20 student.

Our=20 Vision:   Valparaiso = Community Schools=20 will be at the forefront of education innovation=20

           &nbs= p;      =20 driving=20 from excellence to = preeminence.
\=20