Buddies team to catch Leprechauns
Video: How to Catch a Leprechaun
Every year Ms. Olson’s classroom falls victim to leprechaun-related mischief around St. Patrick’s Day. With only a week left until St. Patty’s Day, preschool students teamed up with their fourth grade buddies to build leprechaun traps. Students used recycled materials to construct leprechaun traps from a shoe box frame. Traps where rigged with gold and treasure – because everyone knows that no self-respecting leprechaun can resist the glitz and sparkle of gold!
Your Tween’s Safety
March 21 from 7:00 to 9:00 in the Parlor
Kim Estes of Savvy Parents, Safe Kids will be here for an empowering and non-fear based workshop full of practical safety tips and tools to become helpful and resourceful parents. You’ll learn how to confidently talk to kids about being more independent and keeping themselves safe without scaring them (or you!). We will cover readiness for staying home alone, cell phones, babysitting, going to mall/movies without you, body and personal safety, school and neighborhood safety, sleepovers and new friends. Solid safety steps during this exciting chapter of their lives will help reduce their risk of sexual abuse, bullying and abduction. No graphic conversations. No scare tactics.
This event is free, open to the public and for parents with children in 2nd through 8th Grades.
Childcare will not be provided.
What a Party, What a Success!
Saturday Night Fever
Not only was a groovy time had by all, but over $285,000 was raised for Villa Academy through this year’s auction! Thank you to everyone who played a part in this success – donors, volunteers, bidders, attendees, faculty and staff, and everyone who loves Villa. What a wonderful night!
2012 Fund-a-Need:
$70,450 and counting! It’s not too late to support this year’s fund-a-need project: reinvigorating our Extended Day Program space: Give online now.
Click photos to enlarge
Conference Sign Up Instructions
Villa Academy is pleased to be able to offer our parents online conference registration for Spring conferences. The following instructions should help get you through the online sign-up system.
Logging in
Conference sign-up will open just after Midnight tonight, Wednesday, March 7th at 12:01 AM and end on Wednesday, March 21st at 12:00 PM.
With the username and password sent to you in the fall, launch your web browser (ie: Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer) and go to the address:
Enter your username and password and click “Log me in”. If you have forgotten your password you can have it sent to the email address on record via the “forgot password” link on the login page. If your email address has changed, please contact the school with an updated address.
Selecting time slots
Once you are logged in, click “Villa Conferences” in the left hand navigation space to access the scheduling page.
The teachers listed depend upon which child is selected. If you have more than one student, change students with the drop down menu and that student’s teachers will appear. Click the name of a teacher to view his or her available time slots.
To schedule a time, click the word “Available” next to the desired time. To unschedule a time, click the Parent name next to the time and you will have the option to release the time slot. Changes to your schedule cannot be done online after the sign-up cutoff of Noon on March 21.
For a printer friendly version of your conference schedule, click on “View/Print your family Schedule” link at the top of the screen.
That’s it! You’re scheduled!
If you have any problems, please contact us.
Faculty and Staff Appreciation
Villa Academy Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day Thank You Notes
Due date for Notes: Wednesday, March 21, 2012
The Villa Faculty/Staff Appreciation Committee will be coordinating a heartfelt appreciation luncheon in celebration of Villa’s fabulous teachers and staff on Monday, March 26, during conferences. At the luncheon, each faculty and staff member is presented with a decorative bag containing appreciation notes written by Villa parents and students. Many have commented that the thank you notes are the best part of the day!
All forms of expression of “appreciation” are welcomed and encouraged!
- Children’s drawings
- Student or parent written thank you notes (they need not be lengthy)
- Other wonderful, original ideas (just need to fit in the bags)
- It is the thought that counts!
Quick check-list:
- Remember to write notes to members of the non-teaching staff who work hard behind the scenes helping the school to run smoothly.
- Click HERE for a list of our Faculty and Staff for a convenient reference.
- Put the recipient’s name on the outside of the envelope so we can sort the envelopes quickly and accurately.
- Drop your notes (which we will collect daily) in the decorated box in the Parent Lounge or send them via KidMail (Stephen M. 7A) so we have time to sort them and prepare the individual gift bags.
Thank you for taking the time to make the Villa Academy Faculty and Staff Appreciation Luncheon a huge success!
Also, if you are interested in contributing a dish or helping with the lunch, please contact Laurie Blattner at Lblattner@comcast.net or Gina Hampson at Ginahampson@hotmail.com.
Questions regarding the notes? Please contact:
Kathryn Evered or Suzanne Moreau
Kathrynevered@yahoo.com sl_moreau@msn.com
Fourth Grader wins Mid-Circuit Championship
Photo taken by Bob Fries 2012
Villa Fourth grader, Grace P. recently took part in a show jumping competition in Palm Springs, California. She competed in the HITS (Horses in the Sun) Thermal Mid-Circuit event, riding her pony Royal Tuscany. Grace has been riding for the past four years at Parkside Stables in Bridle Trails, and has had her own pony since last July.
The ‘short stirrup’ competition took place over three consecutive weekends from mid-January. Each day, the competitors jumped four different courses, and were judged on either their riding ability or their pony’s performance. A final round each day was judged ‘on the flat’ – where the judge asked the competitors to demonstrate their skills at the walk, trot and canter. Places were awarded from 1st to 8th for each jumping and flat round, with points awarded for each place.
Grace and Tuscany had some successful days, and some which were less so! At the end of the three weekends, all the points awarded from all the classes were added up. Grace was surprised, and thrilled, to be declared the Mid-Circuit Champion!
