Dear VCS Community,
We are wrapping up family conference week at both VCES and VCMS, with very close to 100% of our families attending! We are thankful for such an involved community of families and know that our students will benefit as research shows that family participation in school is one of the most significant levers for school connection and student achievement.
Please read below for some of my thoughts about student cell phone use, and important information, highlights, and upcoming events at VCS.
Carolyn’s soapbox about student cell phone use
Last week, when I was spending time with a group of 7th graders during nutrition, I asked each student what their daily phone screen time report showed. Their answers were consistent and concerning: every student reported between five and seven hours per day. We talked through how they could possibly find time to use their phone that much, given how many hours they were in school, doing homework, spending time with their family and friends, and sleeping. And guess how they managed it? By not spending much time on homework, going to bed really late, and spending time alone with their phone, instead of with family or friends. The conversation left me deeply concerned about so many things: the lack of real, live connections students have with others, the lack of physical activity, the prioritization of social media over schoolwork, and sleep deprivation. According to Pew Research, 48% of teens acknowledge that social media is harming people their age. Yet, teens continue to be glued to their phones. Students’ lives are becoming fully consumed by their phones, and we know that this often starts in upper elementary school. As a parent of a tween and a teen myself, I know how hard it is, but I urge us all to set strict limits on our children’s phone use and monitor how they use the phone when they are using it. Our students’ brains, bodies, and emotional states will be healthier as a result.
VCES was named an Honor Roll school!
We are pleased to announce that VCES was named a 2025 Educational Results Partnership Honor Roll school, which recognizes high-performing, achievement gap-closing schools across the nation. The Educational Results Partnership Honor Roll, sponsored by the Campaign for Business and Education Excellence, is the only school award given in collaboration with state and local business leaders. The Honor Roll is a valuable resource for all schools to identify successful peers and learn about best practices that are improving student achievement. For more info on @edresults and the ERP Honor Roll program, visit: www.edresults.org. Here is the list where we are recognized and here is the methodology.
Information regarding CalFresh/EBT benefits
We have been monitoring the possible non-funding of CalFresh/EBT benefits starting as of November 1, 2025 due to the government’s shutdown. Unfortunately, based on recent reports, it looks like November EBT benefits may be affected by the federal government shutdown. See below for information about local food pantries or community food resources, just in case there’s a delay or interruption in benefits.
Everyday, breakfast, snack, and lunch are available at VCS free of charge for all students and we encourage all students to enjoy the school meals. Our meal program is NOT impacted by the government shutdown.
- Use the What I Need App to locate food banks near them or near our school site. This app can be found in your APP store online. Look up the “What I Need App” and set up the App to connect to your local area.
- Use the Findhelp.org search engine at findhelp.org by findhelp – Search and Connect to Social Care. You or the family only need a Zip Code to access resources near you. Make sure to look at the resources prior to providing information to ensure the resource is still open, what times they are open, and what their eligibility might be.
- Homeless Resources – Shelter App – ShelterApp.org is another phone app that can be used to access local food resources.
- Feed America also has a great map navigator to food resources here: Find Your Local Food Bank | Feeding America
What is VCS doing to advance our mission and goals this year?
Below are a few activities we have engaged in as an organization to advance our VCS organization-wide goals:
- iReady baseline assessments and analysis: In service of our VCS-wide goal regarding advancing student progress and achievement, students in grades K-8 have completed iReady baseline assessments in September and teachers have analyzed the data and used it to inform instruction and identify students of focus for progress monitoring. The baseline data was shared this fall in PFC meetings and we look forward to the winter benchmark data to see how much progress our students have made!
- Anti-bias collective (ABC) professional learning: The two primary goals for our anti-bias collective work are to foster a sense of belonging for all community members and to ensure equity of access and outcomes for our diverse student population. For the past several years, we have focused on practices to support a sense of belonging. This year, we are shifting our focus to curricular access, particularly for our multi-lingual learners. As an organization, we will be studying research and practices that support increased writing efficacy for our English learners. We launched this work on October 10th, 2025 and look forward to continuing to build our knowledge and implementation of strategies and practices to support this work throughout the school year.
- Launch of fall giving campaigns: In service of our VCS-wide goal of promoting fiscal sustainability, we have launched our fall giving campaigns to support enrichment opportunities for students as well as important classroom supports. To meet our goal, we ask all families to participate in fundraising at your “just right” level, so that we can continue to provide these essential resources for every student. Right now each school is 40% of the way to their financial goals, but not as close to meeting our 100% family participation goal. Gifts at all levels are appreciated, and we won’t reach our goals without each family’s support. Click here to give to the VCES Annual Giving Campaign, or to the VCMS Viper Fund.
- Student leadership opportunities: In service of our VCS-wide goal of increasing student leadership opportunities, VCES launched Leaders of the Pack and VCMS launched Advisory Leadership Council. We are excited to provide these formal leadership opportunities at each school to give students experience in advocating, organizing, and playing an active role in improving school culture and school life.
- Field trips and hands-on projects and activities: In service of our VCS-wide mission emphasizing experiential learning, students have already participated in a number of field trips- Pali outdoor camp 8th grade trip, the Moorpark Zoo, and Rosemont Preserve, to name just a few. VCS students have also already completed a number of exciting projects, including sharpening their history skills with 7th grade Julius Caesar trial, learning about Native American history and artifact curation with the 3rd grade Chumash Museum, and practicing narrative writing by rewriting the final chapter in “Crash” in 6th grade ELA.
A few (of many!) highlights from Quarter 1
- VCMS Act Like You Matter Presentation: On October 13th all VCMS students participated in the “Act Like You Matter: Anti-Bullying” special community meeting. The Theatre of Peace acted out different scenarios where students were confronted with various middle school issues, including bullying. Each scenario posed a problem and acted out a solution from the viewpoint of a teen and pre-teen with an emphasis to help support students in how to navigate bullying scenarios and how to become an upstander.
- VCMS Meet the High Schools Night: On October 16th, we had close to 75 community members join us at our Van Nuys Blvd campus to learn about high school options and the high school application process.
- VCMS Student Honoree Awards: On October 20th, we held our student honoree awards for the first quarter. This is where we gather as a community to recognize and honor students who are achieving at high levels, students who are working hard to make progress, and students who are embodying VCMS core values everyday at school.
- VCES Launched the Magic of Reading: On October 23, VCES staff surprised students during morning assembly with the kickoff of The Magic of Reading, a school-wide experience where teachers are transforming their classrooms into the Enchanted Forest of Reading. Through quests and engaging activities, students are discovering that reading isn’t just a requirement but a magical journey that comes to life when we immerse ourselves in text.
- VCES 5th Grade Kinder Buddies: Our kindergarten and 5th grade buddy program continues to build community and connection across grade levels. Older students serve as role models and mentors, supporting their kindergarten buddies through shared activities that foster friendship, empathy, and a sense of belonging at VCES!
- VCES Trunk or Treat: On October 25th, we had an amazing turnout for our annual Halloween event, including elaborately decorated cars for parking lot trick or treating, face painting, delicious treats, and great music! A huge thanks to the parent volunteers who made this event happen. As always, we have a strong presence of middle school volunteers to support these events; we also have lots of VCS alumni turnout to revisit their old stomping grounds!
Save the date!
- Veterans Day: There will be no school on Tuesday, November 11th.
- VCMS Math Night: Join us on Thursday, November 13th, from 5:00 to 6:30 PM at the Van Nuys Blvd campus for an exciting evening of math and art! This event is coordinated by Russel Escasenas, Damian Coleman, and Kimberly Armaz, our fabulous math team!
- VCES Talent Show: Join us on November 14th for the VCES Annual Giving Campaign Talent Show from 6-8pm. New this year: Some students will take the stage for live performances, while others will showcase their talents through video submissions. Families are invited to enjoy the show in person in the VCES Sanctuary or watch live via Zoom. The evening will be hosted by Mr. Valley Charter and our 5th-grade student MCs!
- Fall Break: This will take place from November 24th-28th. During the first three days of the week, each school will be offering childcare support through our expanded learning programs- look out for more information in your school’s weekly newsletter.
Previously shared information:
Please visit our website to view the “bell schedule” for each school.
Please visit our website to view the calendar for the 2025-2026 school year.
VCES and VCMS School Handbooks
COVID-19 case reporting links and general information
Looking forward to a wonderful fall and winter at VCS!
Carolyn & the VCS team
Valley Charter Schools 