Thankfulness

The holiday season is upon us.  This season is a time of family, friends, and giving thanks.   It is in this vein that I want to give thanks to our community for their continued support as we have many things to be proud of and thankful for this year.  First, we are continuing to add features and updates to our security system. We are in the process of getting the full SmartBoot system with the Bluetooth notification program up and running. To see a quick demo please visit our Facebook page at Vestaburg Community School or our web-page at www.vcs-k12.net. We are extremely proud of our advancements, as we are one of only a few schools in the State of Michigan and even the nation with this system; this makes us a national example. While we can never 100% predict the future, please know that we are doing everything possible to keep our students and children safe! 

In addition, we have been able to expand our one to one technology initiative to include grades 3-12 with each student assigned a Chromebook for the year. We continue to expand our services to at-risk students, approximately 1800 students, are participating in our virtual program throughout the state of Michigan. Once again, we at Vestaburg are one of the few schools offering this type of program.  While this program is not for everyone and is designed as an alternative program, I am very proud to say that over 150 students that were behind and not going to be able to graduate on time had the opportunity to graduate in the spring of 2019. This program has increased the workload of many in our system, however, I am very proud and grateful of the staff that has taken on this work and make it successful.  This program changes the lives of the students we serve and also generates additional revenue for our school district.

I am also very thankful for the passing of the Bond last Spring.  As a result, we have been able to purchase four (4) new school buses.  We will also be having the new bleachers installed in the high school gym over our winter break.  We are currently in the process of accepting bids for our roofing renovation and installation and will be ready to break ground on the project this coming spring.  Finally, as we finalize the roofing bids we are going to be accepting bids for the additional renovation work in January. The scope of this work depends on the remaining funds after the first three projects are finalized.  This work could include some upgrades to bathrooms and classrooms in the middle school and elementary areas.

In addition, I am thankful for a great staff that works hard every day to take care of and educate the students of this community.  While things may not always work how we want them to, I witness each and every day the love and dedication our staff has for our students. Lastly, I and every other staff member at Vestaburg Community School is grateful for each and every student that we are blessed to work with each day.  Thank you for allowing us to share in the lives of your children.   

On behalf of Vestaburg Community Schools, I want to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

Welcome Back 2019-2020

August is a unique time of year.  On one hand, the "summer" is winding down and with that, there is always some sadness.  However, on the other hand, there are still some fun family time and vacations planned. Lastly, it is filled with the excitement of school clothes shopping, seeing friends and classmates, and of course all of the outstanding learning opportunities that come with a new school year.  For educators, it is the opportunity to get back to doing what we love and that is working with and educating our children. Although for many, students and staff alike, the alarm clock starts going off at what seems like an impossibly early time, this is one of the best times of the year.  As with any school year, we assuredly will experience many highs and lows, conflicts, and struggles.  However, as long as we face them with an open mind, respect for all involved, and as a team, there is nothing that we will not overcome.   WE ARE VESTABURG!

This past year the district was able to continue to improve our school safety. We are continuing to add features and security updates to our system. We are anticipating the full SmartBoot system with the Bluetooth notification program to be up and running. To see a quick demo please visit our Facebook page at Vestaburg Community School or our webpage at www.vcs-k12.net. We are extremely proud of our advancements. We are one of only a couple of schools in the State of Michigan with this system and we are a national example. While we can never 100% predict the future, please know that we are doing everything possible to keep our students and children safe!

Furthermore, we are working hard to continue to implement the objectives as set forth by the Strategic Plan that was created last spring.  We will be continuing to expand our one to one technology initiative that will include grades 3-12 with each student assigned a Chromebook for the year.  We are expanding our service to at-risk students, approximately 1500 students, in our virtual program throughout the state of Michigan. Another area of focus continues to be the area of student behavior and discipline processes, as we strive to provide all of our students the best learning environment possible.  As part of this focus, we have added an Elementary Dean of Students and are working to implement the Miblsi literacy and behavior initiative. In addition, we continue welcoming new staff, as well as, having current staff in new positions.  Please stay tuned for more information as the staffing changes and new hires are still taking place.

Lastly, it is a goal of all levels of our school district to invite and participate in meaningful two-way collaboration and communications with all of our stakeholders including, students, parents, staff, and community members and organizations.  Some of you may have heard me say our school is our community and our community is our school.  I truly believe that we need to be a strong team and to support each other in order for both the community and the school to grow and thrive.  Neither one can maximize its potential without the other.  Thus, we will continue to seek input from all and to look for ways to increase opportunities for input and

collaboration.

Here is to a great school year!  I look forward to working with everyone and watching our school continue to grow.  WE ARE VESTABURG!

State of Vestaburg Community School 2019

It is the time of year that our elected officials provide their constituents a State of the Union or State of the State Address, or at least most years anyway!  It is with this in mind that I thought I would try to provide a state of our school update.  However, please know that this is not all inclusive of everything that is taking place at Vestaburg Community School.

For starters, it has been a busy year with many staff changes.  These changes include the addition of Mrs. Jennifer Warner-Leja as the 7-12 Principal; Allyssa Wilson as the Business Manager; Samantha Cashen, Spanish, and Math Teacher; Kate Drury, Therese Hubble, and Tamara White, Second Grade Teachers;  Angela Davis, Preschool Teacher; and Jordan Hessbrook, HS Social Studies and English Teacher.  In addition, we have added several new paraprofessionals that are working hard with students to meet daily needs and provide academic interventions.  In many areas, there are shortages of qualified staff to fill these roles!  Thus, we are very excited to have each of these individuals join the Wolverine family. We are blessed with a very dedicated and caring staff and I am confident that our staff will continue to push our district forward!

This school year, 2018-2019, marks the third straight year that we have seen an increase in our student enrollment.  During this time, we have seen our enrollment increase by approximately 40 students.  We continue to see a positive net gain with school of choice numbers.  Currently, we are running two full preschool classrooms and a three-year-old program.  This has been a priority for our school board to provide our young children with a quality preschool program.  In addition, VCS has been at the forefront in the virtual/alternative education programming.  At this time, we are the authorizer for a charter school that serves approximately 1300 students through ten sites around the state of Michigan.  In addition, this year the district launched a new alternative education program that is serving 150 students through a blended virtual experience.  This has been a deliberate and powerful endeavor for the district and the Board of Education for the purpose of serving students in need and providing diversified programs and revenue for the district.  Through all of these commitments and programs, Vestaburg Community School is serving and changing the lives of over 2000 students in the state of Michigan.

This past fall, the district put a bond issue before the community.  While the issue failed by a close margin, the board did receive considerable positive feedback and has determined that it is important enough to try again with another election in May of 2019. The projects include roofing updates, purchase of school buses, replacement of the high school bleachers, and if funds permit some remodeling of older bathrooms and classrooms.  Each of these issues are considered capital improvements and very costly.  For example, one new school bus is $80,000 - $90,000 and a new roof is over $1,000,000.  While we understand that for many, additional taxes are not a positive thing and may be difficult, we feel our children and our school are worth it!   The decision to ask the community to approve an increase is not taken lightly and the needs are not luxuries, but rather necessities.   If approved it would cost the voters approximately $5.00-$13.00 dollars a month.  School funding can be complicated, and it does not provide for the capital cost and projects.  As you look at public schools across the state, capital projects such as this are funded with bonds and millages.  Furthermore, it is important to note that Vestaburg Schools receives one of the lowest amounts of tax dollars per student in our ISD and ranks in the bottom 5% in the state of Michigan. Lastly, we know that many people may not understand or agree with the decisions that have been made in the past. However, we cannot change the past, but we can ensure the current and future children of our community a great and safe school.  Our kids are worth the investment and we are committed to providing them with the best education possible!

The district is also in the process of finalizing the last stage of our security updates.  Over the next few months, we will be installing the latest Smart Boot technology that will make Vestaburg only the second school in Michigan with this technology.  As you may recall, we have been able to implement all of our security updates including the Boot, emergency placards, ballistic shields, and cameras through generous community donations and through lighting upgrades that provide savings to pay for all of these updates.  We remain committed to the security of our buildings and our students!

As previously mentioned, this is not an all-inclusive list, but rather an overview of some of the great things taking place.  While we may be small on the outside, we are making a huge difference for thousands of students and we are leading the way in many areas addressed above.  The Board and the staff are committed to continuing to put our students first, be fiscally responsible, and keep on the front edge of education.  We ARE Vestaburg and our Students are Worth It!

We ARE Vestaburg!!: 2019: Here we Come!

We ARE Vestaburg!!: 2019: Here we Come!: This is an interesting time of the year.  It is the start of a new calendar year, as well as, the start of the governmental year.  It is a t...

2019: Here we Come!

This is an interesting time of the year.  It is the start of a new calendar year, as well as, the start of the governmental year.  It is a time of reflection and a time of looking forward.  It is a time of promises and resolutions to do better.  However, for schools, it is the natural break or midway point in the school year.  While this can be challenging, it is also an opportunity to learn from the first half of the year and to make changes to improve the second half of the year.  So, as we look forward to 2019 it is important that we explore a couple of truths that are evident in order to be successful, morale and hard-work.

No matter how you consume the news,  a common theme is that we need to improve the morale of the people.  As new officials take office it is a common talking point and promise.  Whether in government, business, or life, in general, there is no doubting the impact positive morale can play.  Research in abundant and clear on the power of positive thinking and positive morale.  However, this leads to the question as to whose job is it create a positive moral.  Can any organization really control how an individual feels about something?  The answer to this is that while both parties play a role, it ultimately is up to an individual how they choose to see things, react to things, and whether they chose to be positive or negative.  A successful organization will put into place processes, policies, and strategies that provide a positive structure that will allow its people to be successful and feels appreciated.  A successful organization will even help individuals to focus on the positive aspects rather than dwell in the negative.  However, it is up to each of us as individuals to find the positives and to control our own happiness.  We cannot and should not wait for someone or something else to make us happy!  As has been said many times, we cannot always control what happens but we can control how we react.  In fact, it is often the only thing we can control.  As a staff, students, parents, and citizens we need to help each other see the positives and not get caught up dwelling on the things that we do not like, but rather, look for positive ways to make meaningful change within ourselves.

Furthermore, positive morale and attitude alone are not enough. There is no success without hard work. However, while working hard is a requirement, just working hard is not enough! Working hard provides opportunities, it is not a guarantee that you will be successful.  That is not life and it is not reality. However, you cannot be successful without hard work.  This true for us as adults and educators and it is true for students. It is imperative that we as a school, parents, and a community continue to improve each and every day. Furthermore, it is critical that push ourselves and those around us beyond their comfort zones, progress is not made without a struggle. We need to think and problem-solve, not complain. As parents, we cannot protect and prevent our children from this process and feeling some discomfort. This is what leads to growth and improvement. However, as important as this process is, equally important is how we support them and teach them to overcome the struggle. This is as true for adults as it is for our children. This is where as a community and as partners we need to work together. We do not have to have all the answers, but rather let our children and fellow citizens know you care and are there to help them find the answer. Let them know you are there to help and empower them to think, learn, and overcome.  

So as we move into the new year, let's make it the best year yet. Let's work together to ensure that we are growing as a community, a school, and as individuals. Through hard work and positive thinking we will make 2019 a year to remember and in doing so, help set up our future generations for success. We Are Vestaburg!