Senior/Junior Financial Aid Night Scheduled - Oct 24th

Seniors and Juniors!  Mark your calendars for Financial Aid Night with Stephanie Miller from Jacksonville State University!  She knows the ends and outs of financial aid and will help with any questions you may have.  We will have light snacks (sponsored by the Beta Club) as well as door prizes.  More information about this event will be posted soon.

Save the Date - Financial Aid Night
Date:  October 24, 2013
Verbena High School
Place:  TBD
Time:  6:00 PM

Online Saftey Tips

This information was recently shared from the ALSDE.

 Good things to remember...

ONLINE SAFETY TIPS FOR STUDENTS

HEADING BACK TO SCHOOL

School supply lists include plenty of items that will help set students up for success. Pencils, papers, notebooks, and calculators are important, but some of the most useful back to school supplies do not go in a backpack. Going back to school means many students will access the Internet both at school and at home. Teachers, parents, and other adults can provide students the following online safety tips, from Stop.Think.Connect.’s parent and teacher resources:

Do not share personal information. Keep personal information about yourself private. This includes information about your family members, your school, your telephone number, and your address.

Be careful what you write or upload. Think twice before you post or say anything online. Once it is out in cyberspace, it is there forever. Do not post anything that you would not want your family, other students, teachers, or current and future employers to see!

Connect with care. Do not click on links or open emails from people you do not know. Cyber criminals use emails and links that look okay to lure people into clicking. If you think an offer is too good to be true, it probably is.

Use strong passwords. Try not to use the same password for multiple sites. Make passwords strong and change them often.

Keep your belongings safe. Lock your computer and mobile phone.

Be a good online citizen. Understand that what you do online is the same as what you do in person. Be careful what you post or say about others.

Speak up! If you see something bad or inappropriate online, are contacted by someone you do not know or do not want to talk to, or see cyber-bullying take place, do not try to retaliate or get involved. Talk to a trusted adult and work together on how to solve the problem.

Many Stop.Think.Connect. National Network and Cyber Coalition Partners have additional online and computer safety resources for children and students, including Netsmartz Workshop, Connect Safely, iKeepSafe, and Savvy Cyber Kids.

Eating for your brain!

Check out this post from Free Spirit Publishing from Jonathan Chesner, author of ADHD in HD: Brains Gone Wild.  Besides being a great resource for ADHD materials, this post is great information for all of us!

http://freespiritpublishingblog.com/2013/09/09/guest-post-eating-better-feeling-better-even-at-school/

SAT Question of the Day!

The College Board offers an SAT Question of the Day.  Get that brain going with this awesome tool!

View the question here!


Did you get this one correct?

Chilton County Career Fair - Seniors

Seniors and their parents are invited to the Chilton County Career Fair on Thursday, September 11 at Jefferson State Community College in Clanton.  Students will be transported by bus at 7:45, so please be on time.  Parents please meet us at the career fair.  Our designated start time is 8:15.  We will have a brief meeting in the auditorium before we can begin to visit the booths.  After the career fair, we will stop by Peach Park for lunch (and ice cream)!  Students need to bring money for whatever they want to eat.  We will return in time for the trade school students to make the bus.
This year, each student will be assigned an ipad to use for our Career Fair Scavenger Hunt.  From all of the students who complete all of the items, one student's name will be drawn for free ice cream at Peach Park!

Information about UA Early College - Information Meeting September 9th

Verbena High School students can now earn dual credit from the University of
Alabama!  High school credit and UA college credit is as close as your computer
through UA Early College.<http://uaearlycollege.ua.edu/students.html>

You and your parents are invited...

UA Early College Information Reception
Monday, September 9
6:00 p.m.
Chilton County High School
1214 7th Street South
Clanton, AL 35045

We'll share how you can

*         Take freshman college courses online 24/7 around your schedule

*         Earn up to a full year of college credit, still enter UA as a freshman
           eligible for scholarships and Honors College

*         Transfer the credit to colleges and universities across the nation

*         Reduce your tuition cost with a partial tuition scholarship

*         Work with Peer Coaches who mentor and guide you

*         Have the option to live on campus during the summer and earn credit


Visit uaearlycollege.ua.edu<http://www.uaearlycollege.ua.edu/students.html> to see
if you are up to the challenge of a university in the top 6% in the nation. Watch
videos of students and Peer Coaches. Hear what parents and faculty are saying.

Please let us know if you can attend by September 9th, 2013.  Call (877)823-8759 or
send an email to earlycollege@ccs.ua.edu<mailto:earlycollege@ccs.ua.edu>.  Bring a
friend - sophomores, juniors, and seniors in high school with a 3.0 or higher
cumulative GPA.

Start of School Information!

Welcome back to a new year at Verbena High School!!!!

We will hold new student registration on Thursday, August 1^st and Friday, August 2^nd from 8-11 and 1-3 at the main office.

Verbena High School Open House Schedule:

Kindergarten:  August 8^th at 6:00 PM

1^st Grade:  August 13^th at 6:00 PM

2^nd Grade:  August 15^th at 6:00 PM

Grades 3-12:  August 16^th from 12:00-3:00 PM

Grades 7-12 Schedules will be available during the Open House

Homerooms for Grades K-6 will be posted at the Annex and High School on Monday, August 5^th at 3:00 PM

Please call the school at 280-2820 with any questions!

TESTING!

Testing this year will be May 7th-May 13th.  Don't forget these important dates!  
 
This month, Grades 4-6 have been reviewing testing strategies for the ARMT+.  The 6th Grade in particular made posters with different testing strategies for the 3rd Graders, who have not tested before.  These posters will be posted in the 6th Grade hall after their lesson!  They have done a great job!

Here are some important things to remember about testing:
Please have your child at school ON TIME.  If they are late, they are not allowed to enter the testing room and will have to wait.  This means that they will have to take a makeup exam in the afternoon.
With that being said...please have them at school!  :)  If your child has to be out, they will take a makeup exam when they return.

Have a healthy breakfast!  Testing can sometimes take a long time...a healthy breakfast helps you to think clearly and do your best.

SLEEP!  Please make sure your child goes to bed at a reasonable time.  Our brains work best when we have plenty of sleep to repair and replenish for the day. 

Encourage them to do their best...
Testing can be stressful.  If they learn now how to relax and do their best, it will help them keep calm in the future!

Verbena Kindergarten Registration 2013-2014

Verbena Kindergarten Registration

(for students who will be 5 years old on or before September 2, 2013)

April 22^nd -26^th

8:30-10:30 am and 12:00-2:00 pm

Verbena Annex Office

The following paperwork is required to enroll your child: 

Certified Birth Certificate

Original unexpired Alabama Certificate of Immunization

Social Security Card 

Proof of Residence

(Utility bill or lease agreement showing name and address) 

A parent or legal guardian with proper documentation

must enroll a student. 

The school will need a copy of custody or guardianship papers if applicable. 

.  Parents may bring their children with them, but it is not required. 

Kindergarten Meet and Greet at the Annex

(for students that have completed paperwork)

May 22^nd at 11:00 am

Meet the teachers, tour the school,

                                           and have a special snack!

Recycle Cards for St. Jude

Do you have any old Christmas cards laying around the house?  What about a random birthday or thank you card?  St. Jude will be glad to take those off your hands and put them to good use!
St. Jude will take any used cards, tear off the front and recycle it for new cards to sell, benefiting the hospital.  If you have any cards that you would like to donate, please bring them by the High School or Annex.  We will take the cards any time...and send them in for you!

Happy New Year Bucketfillers!

Happy New Year!  We ended our 2012 with a great holiday program from the annex students and staff.  If you missed out on all the fun...singing, dancing and silly songs...you also missed filling a bucket!  This year we have incorporated a wonderful book, "Have You Filled a Bucket Today" by Carol McCloud into our daily annex routine.  The students first learned about the book during our library/counseling time and worked on a surprise program for their teachers.  At the program, each staff member received a bucket and learned about how to be a Bucketfiller.  
Basically it boils down to 3 things:  
1.  Be a Bucketfiller.  (kind to others, follows directions)
2.  Don't Dip. (Don't mistreat/bully others)
3.  Protect your bucket, use a lid. (Don't let others hurt your feelings.  Protect yourself!)

We then introduced this to everyone at the holiday program.  Each adult had the opportunity to fill out a slip of paper for their child or someone at the annex.  The notes will be separated tomorrow and put in the buckets for each classroom.  We have a bucket FULL of notes to pass out!  If you didn't get the chance to fill out a note, come by the office and pick one up!  We will have them available by the sign out binder.  Just give them to a staff member and we will get it to the correct person.  If you would like to read more about bucket fillers check out www.bucketfillers101.com.  Feel free to talk to us about it at any time.  The kids love it and enjoy sending little surprises to their teachers too!  We even had one staff member give each teacher a fresh tomato in their bucket...yum!

I have to fill Mrs. Gilliland and all of the annex teachers bucket...they have taken this idea and run with it...THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!  :)

Happy New Year!  I hope that it is your best yet!  

Spelling Bee Winners

Congratulations to the Classroom Spelling Bee Winners!  These students will go on to compete at the School Bee on Wednesday, November 28^th. 

Caitlin Smith

Jasmyn White

Hunter Hayes

Dominica Alvarado

Xavier Dejarnett

Michelle Williams

Alana Delariva

Desha Sanders

Garrett Wells

Josie Adams

We Need YOU to Take Pictures! :)

Welcome back to another great year at VHS!  I am so glad to be here again as counselor and librarian for K-6.  I have an additional hat this year, as I am co-sponsoring the yearbook with Ms. L'Toya Jones.  One great tool that you can use is the new app and uploader for any photos that you take throughout the school year.  If you own an iphone or android, just search Herff Jones and download the app.  When the program asks for the school code, enter 7044723.  The program will also ask you for additional profile information so that we can contact you if needed.  You will not have to enter this code and information when you upload pictures after the first upload.  Once you have completed those steps, you can upload a picture already on your phone or take one at that time.  You will then be able to add names, grades of students and activity.  Please only upload school appropriate photos!  The yearbook sponsors do screen photos before they are uploaded for students to use.
If you do not have the app on your phone, you can use the same process with their website.  All you have to do is go to hjeshare.com and use the code listed above.
If you have any questions, please leave me a message at the main office (280-2820) and I will get back to you as soon a possible!

Great Article on teaching Gratitude...

While checking the weather today (under a tornado watch - again) I noticed this article on teaching Gratitude.  Take a minute to check it out!
http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/5-grateful-child_2010-11-02?page=1

RAK Winners!

Congratulations to the following winners of our Random Acts of Kindness Contest!
From the Annex:  2nd Grade teacher Dana Davis and Kindergarten Student Thomas Cabrera.  
Main building winners:  Pat Pike, Brandon Brown

Random Acts of Kindness Week!

This week we are celebrating Random Acts of Kindness Week.  This week was created to bring attention to the power of Kindness.  Grades 3-6 participated in a Guidance Lesson during the month of January in preparation for this week.  We watched a short video from "Life Vest Inside," a great example of how one small act of kindness can spread and help others! 

http://www.youtube.com/user/LifeVestInside?ob=0

Grades K-2 will cover Kindness this week during their library/guidance time.  We are reading a story and decorating pages to send to a local nursing home and hospital.

Throughout the week, teachers have been recognizing their colleagues and students if they notice them doing something nice for someone else.  When they notice the kind behavior, they fill out a ballot and put their name in the hat for a drawing during announcements Friday Morning!

Looking forward to seeing who wins...  :)
Happy Valentines Day Everyone!

Finding Balance (Part 1)

I recently read an article addressing balance for busy kids and families.  When kids are not balanced, we often see behavior problems and lower grades at school. 
One of the most important suggestions that they made was regarding sleep!  The article mentioned that the 2003 National Survey for Children's Health found that 15 million kids get inadequate sleep.  Even a single-hour deficit leaves sixth-graders performing like fourth-graders on cognitive tests!

Please make sure that your children are going to bed on time.  This one area can make a huge impact on your child's learning!

*Article information taken from the Publix Family Magazine, 2012.

Bully Prevention

This week the 3rd-6th grades are participating in class meetings about bullying.  Our students have been meeting with Dept. Hubbard to discuss bullying as well as viewing a prevention video in groups with Mrs. Cochran.  The groups have done a great job so far! 

Red Ribbon Week Activities

Red Ribbon Week

October 24-28, 2011

Theme - It's Up to Me to be Drug Free

Monday-Wear red socks to show you're socking it to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

Tuesday - Give drugs the Boot! Students will wear boots.

Wednesday - Put a Cap on Drugs - wear favorite hat.

Thursday - Turn you back on Drugs-wear clothes backward.

Friday - Team up Against Drugs, wear your favorite team colors.

Students will also attend a drug awarness presentation with Deputy Hubbard at the following times:

Monday, October 24, 11:30 AM – Annex Grades K-2

Wednesday, October 26, Flex Period – Grades 7-12

Wednesday, October 26, 2:00 – Grades 3-6

Respect for the Environment (K-2)

This week K-2 will learn about Respecting our Environment.  Students will talk about ways to "live green" like recycling and conserving energy and water!  We will also discuss about to show respect our environment here at school and at home. 
Please review different ways your child can show respect for their environment this week!