STRONG READERS - STRONG LEADERS

The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) has revamped its Strong Readers website, strongreadersms.com, to help families assist their children with building their reading skills.

The site is organized by grade level, from kindergarten through grade 5. It includes strategies for developing strong reader habits and a series of activities to practice the five components of reading. Those include working with sounds, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.  

Also included are tools for families to find books that match their child’s grade band and a free, online library.

Our Education Technology team gathered the following COVID-19 internet discount resources to support our Distance Learning initiative. All offers are subject to change. 

DISTANCE LEARNING FOR VWSD WILL BEGIN ON TUESDAY, MARCH 24

Students will begin distance learning on Tuesday, March 24. Paper packets will be mailed to students in grades PK - 2 and grades 3-12 will participate through GradeResults.com. If students need a device at home, they may pick them up at their school. Please visit your school's website (Click here to find your school ) for specific times and procedures at your school. Please see the flyer below for all details.

VICKSBURG WARREN SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BEGIN DELIVERING FREE SCHOOL MEALS TO CHILDREN AGES 18 AND UNDER IN WARREN COUNTY

The Vicksburg Warren School District (VWSD) will begin delivering FREE school meals to all children ages 18 and younger in Warren County beginning Wednesday, March 18, 2020. Meals will be delivered each day, Monday through Friday, until students return to school. 

Meals may be picked up at a child’s closest bus stop between 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM. A list of bus stops can be found at  www.vwsd.org/transportation.  A child must be present at the bus stop to receive meals. 

The District is committed to feeding every child who needs assistance during this time and this service is not restricted to VWSD students.  Parents/guardians are encouraged to complete this form if they have children in their household who normally do not ride a VWSD bus, and they wish to participate in this program.  CLICK HERE for form or visit  https://forms.gle/4bxQELhbxHz7L9RL8

Meals for adults are not available for purchase at this time. All meals should be consumed or refrigerated within 30 minutes of delivery.

Click here to view the meal delivery flyer. 

RIVER CITY EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL EARNS FIRST-EVER HIGH SCHOOL LIGHTHOUSE CERTIFICATION FROM FRANKLINCOVEY

The Vicksburg Warren School District is celebrating the announcement that  River City Early College High School (RCECHS) has been named a Certified Lighthouse School, a highly-regarded standard set by FranklinCovey for the school’s implementation of the Leader In Me (LiM) initiative.  Since its official launch nearly a decade ago, nearly 4,000 schools across 50 countries have adopted the LiM process. While more than 300 schools have achieved the prestigious Lighthouse certification, this is the first time high schools have earned this status.  RCECHS is one of only two high schools in the world that were honored to earn this designation this week. 

FranklinCovey leaders made the announcement via live video stream to an audience of River City Early College High School students, staff, parents and community leaders gathered in Vicksburg at Triumph Church to celebrate the designation. 

The Leader in Me was first sponsored in the schools by the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce in 2012. It has since expanded into all schools and touches every student in grades Pre-K through 12. Four other schools in the District have earned Lighthouse Certification, the Academy of Innovation STEM Middle School, and Bovina, Bowmar Avenue and Redwood Elementary Schools.

VWSD and its vendor partner, ABM, are taking ongoing precautionary steps to sanitize and disinfect facilities. ABM will be taking extra sanitizing measures in all facilities over spring break to decrease risks to students and staff. Parents are encouraged to wash all backpacks and jackets over spring break. 

MESSAGE FROM NURSE NASH REGARDING FLU: 

I just wanted to address several questions I've been asked regarding the Flu which includes the Coronavirus (2019-CoV). The most important point to understand is that researchers are still learning about the Coronavirus and ways that this new virus is transmitted. In the meantime, the best advice based on CDC recommendations is to:

1. Wash your hands thoroughly regularly throughout the day.
2. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
3. Avoid contact with people who are sick and
4. Instruct students to sneeze or cough into their elbow if a tissue and handwashing is not available.  

This advice will help protect you and the students from a whole host of infections, including 2019-CoV.

I also want to address face masks and facial respirators for the flu. If a child has the flu or a communicable infection then they shouldn't be in school. A person with an immunity deficiency that requires a mask,  probably needs to be isolated from other people and a doctor's order would be needed if a face mask is required. A face mask would cause a distraction to other students and is not a health necessity at this time.

CLICK HERE for the latest information on the 2018 Facilities Improvement Bond projects.