The Bulldog Bark Newsletter Onward and Upward!

Issue #31: March 21 - March 25 Vessels Elementary School: A Great Place to Learn and Grow!

Spring Break is Here! Spring Break is all next week, Monday, March 21 through Friday, March 25. Have fun, be safe, and remember to read each night! We will see you back on Monday, March 28.

Traffic and Safety at Vessels We have had an uptick in traffic issues around the Vessels campus and I wanted to send a couple of reminders about traffic safety: 1. Slow down and watch for pedestrians. There are kids and families everywhere!  2. Do not make a u-turn anywhere on any street around the school. This can cause an accident and significantly slows the flow of traffic. 3. Do not leave your vehicle unattended in the loop. Please do not get out of the car for any reason. Once again, it significantly slows the flow of traffic. 4. Pull all the way forward if you are in the loop. If you stop by Carousel Daycare or by the upper-grade classrooms to load your child, it significantly slows the flow of traffic. Please be respectful and aware of the fact that there are many other families and students around you at all times! If you are in a rush, I would suggest leaving a tad bit earlier each day. We need to keep our kids safe and Vessels accidents free!

Culture Committee Vessels is looking for individuals interested to serve on our first-ever culture committee. We are looking for a collection of parents, teachers, and staff who would like to collaborate on a plan to strengthen and enhance what we do to celebrate diversity and culture at our site. Please click the link and take a brief survey if you are interested in helping to make Vessels a better place for our kids and community.

Happy Women's History Month! Join us to celebrate all the amazing women who have contributed and continue to contribute to our wonderful country. Please click the link to learn more about women's history.

Attendance at Vessels Children must be at school every day. School attendance can predict everything from high school graduation rates to whether a child attends college. Now that the Omicron COVID-19 surge is behind us, please have your child at Vessels every day. Your help makes a difference and ensures that students are learning and growing. Please click here to learn more about why attendance matters in elementary school.

Internet and Cell Phone Safety More kids are using cell phones than ever before and are often unequipped to handle the freedoms and/or dangers that cell phone use may cause. It is imperative that parents set guidelines for their usage to ensure kids are safe while protecting them from the harm that may come from unrestricted use of the internet. I have included some resources below for parents to provide an awareness of children and cell usage. Purchasing a cell phone for a child is a personal family decision, but adopting rules at home may help to protect your child and others from possible harmful effects. Scholastic Cell Phone Tips Safety Tips From Justice.Gov More Tips

Bulldogs in Action

Health Reminders We encourage families to follow health and safety practices in accordance with the California Department of Public Health and the Orange County Health Care Agency: If your child has symptoms related to COVID-19, please make sure they stay home and get tested if necessary.  Please keep them home from school if they exhibit the following symptoms: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea. If a member of your household tests positive for COVID-19 or is awaiting test results, please do not send your child to school and notify the Vessels front office.  Limit close contact with people who are sick, and avoid sharing food, drinks, or utensils. Thank you for helping us keep Vessels safe!

Vessels Core Values Every great organization has core values or beliefs that drive its successes and focus on excellence. At Vessels, we have developed core values that center the team on student success and remind us of what we hold dear. Below is a list of our core values: We value our students, encourage their academic and social development, and reward positive performance in and out of the classroom. We develop the strengths and talents of our students so that they will grow to be passionate about learning and life. We take risks and see mistakes as opportunities to grow! We find joy in our work and help others to do the same. We develop positive, meaningful relationships with our students, parents, and colleagues to best support the learning community's needs. We work together across grade levels and continuously adapt instruction to meet the needs of all learners in our classroom. We value diversity and inclusivity in all that we do!   At Vessels, we love what we do, and it shows!

Upcoming Dates  3/21 - 3/25 - Spring Recess 4/1 - SOTM Flag Ceremony 4/8 - Virtual Career Day 4/12 - School Site Council #4 4/13 - Virtual Open House (More TBA)

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“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”– Dr. Seuss