It was an exciting day of building experiences and building connections as our elementary school held Knights Fest! 🏰
This tradition began in 2003 when our castle-themed elementary building first opened, and today our students and staff added another chapter to its history by dressing in medieval attire ranging from knights and princesses to jesters and dragons. 👑🐉
In the morning, students played medieval-themed games like Pin the Armor on the Knight and Castle Catapult and enjoyed stations including face painting and bracelet-making. Our high school seniors made those opportunities possible by running all of the games and stations, creating a meaningful opportunity to mentor the younger students while bringing back their own memories from participating in Knights Fest years ago.
In the afternoon, students watched the fifth graders perform in the auditorium before participating in the high-energy parade through the high school hallways and out to Main St., where the street was lined with families under bright blue skies.
When asked what they most enjoyed about the day, it was clear there was something for everyone. Chase Daniel, dressed as Robin Hood, and Jonah Burks agreed that the games were the best part of the day.
Violet Baney and Brielle Lugo both enjoyed making crafts and were especially excited about the rings they made to wear. Ellie Cunningham’s favorite craft was filling a bottle with various colors of sand.
Finally, Emily Orwick and Corbin Ferguson said the parade was their favorite part of the day because it was fun to walk past the cheering and smiling high school and middle school students who lined the halls and family members who lined the street.
A tradition like Knights Fest brings our school community together and highlights what makes our district special as we all work to support the growth of respectful, responsible, and resilient Black Knights. 🧡🖤
This tradition began in 2003 when our castle-themed elementary building first opened, and today our students and staff added another chapter to its history by dressing in medieval attire ranging from knights and princesses to jesters and dragons. 👑🐉
In the morning, students played medieval-themed games like Pin the Armor on the Knight and Castle Catapult and enjoyed stations including face painting and bracelet-making. Our high school seniors made those opportunities possible by running all of the games and stations, creating a meaningful opportunity to mentor the younger students while bringing back their own memories from participating in Knights Fest years ago.
In the afternoon, students watched the fifth graders perform in the auditorium before participating in the high-energy parade through the high school hallways and out to Main St., where the street was lined with families under bright blue skies.
When asked what they most enjoyed about the day, it was clear there was something for everyone. Chase Daniel, dressed as Robin Hood, and Jonah Burks agreed that the games were the best part of the day.
Violet Baney and Brielle Lugo both enjoyed making crafts and were especially excited about the rings they made to wear. Ellie Cunningham’s favorite craft was filling a bottle with various colors of sand.
Finally, Emily Orwick and Corbin Ferguson said the parade was their favorite part of the day because it was fun to walk past the cheering and smiling high school and middle school students who lined the halls and family members who lined the street.
A tradition like Knights Fest brings our school community together and highlights what makes our district special as we all work to support the growth of respectful, responsible, and resilient Black Knights. 🧡🖤
Knights Fest Friday! Hope to see everyone at the parade around 1:45!
#BeABlackKnight
"While the everyday rhythms of school have become familiar again to students by this point in October, our new classified and certified staff have been in rhythm since starting in August or even earlier."
To learn more about the classified and certified staff who have joined our school district, read the latest Knight Insight at https://www.vbschools.net/article/3217239.
To learn more about the classified and certified staff who have joined our school district, read the latest Knight Insight at https://www.vbschools.net/article/3217239.
🎉 Hands-on learning in action!
On Friday, October 23, Mrs. Leddy’s Spanish III students visited the Sofia Quintero Art & Cultural Center in Toledo. They explored the community garden, viewed ofrendas created by community members, decorated masks representing la Catrina, and prepared esquites (Mexican corn salsa) as a side for their lunch.
Through this experience, our students developed their knowledge of another culture, built connections with their peers, and had an all-around great time learning! 🖤🧡
On Friday, October 23, Mrs. Leddy’s Spanish III students visited the Sofia Quintero Art & Cultural Center in Toledo. They explored the community garden, viewed ofrendas created by community members, decorated masks representing la Catrina, and prepared esquites (Mexican corn salsa) as a side for their lunch.
Through this experience, our students developed their knowledge of another culture, built connections with their peers, and had an all-around great time learning! 🖤🧡
The Van Buren 8th grade class is gearing up for their annual Mr. Yunker Day of Service! This year, students will be raking yards throughout the Village on Friday, November 6th. If you would like to have your yard included, please contact Adam Greer at agreer@vbschools.net or call the school at 419-299-3384. Be sure to provide your name and address when you reach out.
The class is also accepting rake and tarp donations to help make the day a success. If you’d like to donate a rake or tarp to support the project, please contact Adam Greer or the school office. Thank you for supporting our students as they give back to the community!
The class is also accepting rake and tarp donations to help make the day a success. If you’d like to donate a rake or tarp to support the project, please contact Adam Greer or the school office. Thank you for supporting our students as they give back to the community!
Happy Friday! More Positive Behavior Referrals!
#BeABlackKnight
Building Thinkers and Connections Across Buildings🪐✨
On Monday, October 20, middle school students in Mr. Jeff Stanford's The Universe class teamed up with Mrs. Ellory Hohman's fifth-grade class for an interactive learning showcase.
After designing scale models of planets using creative mediums like paper, clay, and 3D printing, Mr. Stanford's students stepped into the teaching role to explain how they used the scale models to represent the sizes of the planets. They also took questions from their fifth-grade peers with one of the middle school students even stretching out across his representation of Jupiter to show its massive scale.
This cross-grade collaboration gave our middle schoolers a chance to act as respectful, responsible, and resilient leaders while inspiring our younger learners and gave our fifth graders a chance to see the learning opportunities awaiting them in the future. 🚀
Congrats to Lola for her Positive Behavior Referral!
#BeABlackKnight
More Positive Behavior Referrals and October Knights of the Round Table!
#BeABlackKnight
#BeABlackKnight
🔨 “Building” Experiences & Connections in the Trades! 🛠️
On Thursday, October 15, students in Mr. Evans’ DIY and Construction classes attended the Build My Future event, hosted by the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Greater Toledo, at the Wood County Fairgrounds.
Our students rolled up their sleeves and gained real-world, hands-on experience exploring high-demand careers such as roofing, HVAC, concrete, cabinetmaking, metalworking, and more across the construction industry! 🧱🔧
We appreciate the HBA for hosting such an impactful day of career exploration for our students!
On Thursday, October 15, students in Mr. Evans’ DIY and Construction classes attended the Build My Future event, hosted by the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Greater Toledo, at the Wood County Fairgrounds.
Our students rolled up their sleeves and gained real-world, hands-on experience exploring high-demand careers such as roofing, HVAC, concrete, cabinetmaking, metalworking, and more across the construction industry! 🧱🔧
We appreciate the HBA for hosting such an impactful day of career exploration for our students!
Join our team for the CURRENT 2026-27 school year as an elementary intervention specialist! Learn more and apply online: https://bit.ly/VBemployment
🛑🚍 Have you ever thought about driving a school bus? 🚍🛑
If you’ve got:
✅ A good driving record
✅ A few hours to spare in the morning & afternoon
✅ A heart for helping students
Then we need YOU!
Van Buren Local Schools is hiring a full-time and substitute bus driver! Not sure what driving a school bus entails? Don’t have a CDL? No worries! We’ll guide you through the entire process!
🔗 Apply today: https://bit.ly/VBemployment
If you’ve got:
✅ A good driving record
✅ A few hours to spare in the morning & afternoon
✅ A heart for helping students
Then we need YOU!
Van Buren Local Schools is hiring a full-time and substitute bus driver! Not sure what driving a school bus entails? Don’t have a CDL? No worries! We’ll guide you through the entire process!
🔗 Apply today: https://bit.ly/VBemployment
More Positive Behavior Referrals to start the week!
#BeABlackKnight
🍎 Stirring up tradition and hands-on learning! 🍂
Our agriculture education students recently gained valuable real-world experience making apple butter to support the Van Buren Lions Club ahead of this weekend’s Apple Butter Festival!
From picking fresh apples at Haslinger Orchards to slicing and cooking them to make applesauce before boiling the sauce down in copper kettles over an open flame, our students played a key role in every step of the process.
We appreciate our dedicated students and ag teachers, Mrs. Hailey Cunningham and Mrs. Kyla Miller, for putting learning into action and demonstrating what it means to be responsible, community-minded Black Knights. 🧡🖤
Our agriculture education students recently gained valuable real-world experience making apple butter to support the Van Buren Lions Club ahead of this weekend’s Apple Butter Festival!
From picking fresh apples at Haslinger Orchards to slicing and cooking them to make applesauce before boiling the sauce down in copper kettles over an open flame, our students played a key role in every step of the process.
We appreciate our dedicated students and ag teachers, Mrs. Hailey Cunningham and Mrs. Kyla Miller, for putting learning into action and demonstrating what it means to be responsible, community-minded Black Knights. 🧡🖤
🚌 Spotlighting Safety on the Bus! 🚌
All of our bus-riding students recently participated in morning fire and safety drills upon their arrival at school.
The goal of these drills was to help students identify and remember every exit route available on a bus so they are prepared to act in an emergency situation. Drivers also reviewed the rules for loading and unloading and the hand signals they use to help students stay safe.
Since riding the bus is a brand-new experience for our kindergarteners, they received extended instruction about the rules and hand signals.
We want to thank our incredible bus drivers for everything they do to keep our students safe every day! 🧡🖤
Our English 11 students spent the afternoon exploring local history at the Hancock Historical Museum as they gear up for the 2027 Ohio History Day competition in March. 🔎
Students have been brainstorming possible topics related to this year's OHD theme, "Innovation in History: Impact, Influence, Change," and today’s visit exposed them to potential topics tied to our local history.
Students’ next steps include crafting working thesis statements, using primary and secondary sources to find evidence to support their theses, analyzing evidence and integrating it into their projects, writing a process paper, completing an annotated bibliography, and creating a final project that will be a documentary, exhibit, paper, performance, or website.
Thank you to the Hancock Historical Museum for opening its doors, sharing our local history, and supporting our students' learning today! 🤝✨
Students have been brainstorming possible topics related to this year's OHD theme, "Innovation in History: Impact, Influence, Change," and today’s visit exposed them to potential topics tied to our local history.
Students’ next steps include crafting working thesis statements, using primary and secondary sources to find evidence to support their theses, analyzing evidence and integrating it into their projects, writing a process paper, completing an annotated bibliography, and creating a final project that will be a documentary, exhibit, paper, performance, or website.
Thank you to the Hancock Historical Museum for opening its doors, sharing our local history, and supporting our students' learning today! 🤝✨
🚀 Building Experiences & Connections for the Future! 🛠️✨
On Friday, October 2, our eighth graders took an exciting step toward exploring their future paths at Owens Community College for the Raise the Bar-Hancock County Career Connections event!
Before the event, our students reviewed their YouScience assessment results to pinpoint the specific career clusters aligned with their personal aptitudes and interests. This allowed them to purposefully connect with local businesses and organizations in fields they are naturally drawn to while still keeping an open mind to explore potential opportunities outside their results.🔍
Throughout the event, students jumped into interactive, hands-on activities that allowed them to test out real-world career tasks firsthand.
Thank you to Raise the Bar-Hancock County, Owens Community College, and all the participating organizations for partnering with us to help our students learn, connect, and grow into responsible, future-ready leaders! 🖤🧡
On Friday, October 2, our eighth graders took an exciting step toward exploring their future paths at Owens Community College for the Raise the Bar-Hancock County Career Connections event!
Before the event, our students reviewed their YouScience assessment results to pinpoint the specific career clusters aligned with their personal aptitudes and interests. This allowed them to purposefully connect with local businesses and organizations in fields they are naturally drawn to while still keeping an open mind to explore potential opportunities outside their results.🔍
Throughout the event, students jumped into interactive, hands-on activities that allowed them to test out real-world career tasks firsthand.
Thank you to Raise the Bar-Hancock County, Owens Community College, and all the participating organizations for partnering with us to help our students learn, connect, and grow into responsible, future-ready leaders! 🖤🧡
More Positive Behavior Referrals!
#BeABlackKnight
🎉 What an unforgettable homecoming week across our district! 🖤🧡
From start to finish, students in all three buildings brought incredible energy to the spirit days all week long!
On Tuesday, the seniors rolled to a win over the juniors in the annual powderpuff football game.
Friday’s homecoming pep rally took the excitement to the next level. The Rock, Paper, Scissors Showdown matched high school students and teachers throughout the day, culminating in an epic championship match between two seniors at the pep rally. Congratulations to Evan Hutton for winning the competition!
The homecoming court was also introduced at the pep rally, and they brought top-tier entertainment to the event as they made grand entrances dressed as characters from Rocky to Frozen to superheroes.
Thank you to our students, staff, and school community for helping us have a great homecoming week. Have a fantastic and safe homecoming weekend! 🖤🧡
From start to finish, students in all three buildings brought incredible energy to the spirit days all week long!
On Tuesday, the seniors rolled to a win over the juniors in the annual powderpuff football game.
Friday’s homecoming pep rally took the excitement to the next level. The Rock, Paper, Scissors Showdown matched high school students and teachers throughout the day, culminating in an epic championship match between two seniors at the pep rally. Congratulations to Evan Hutton for winning the competition!
The homecoming court was also introduced at the pep rally, and they brought top-tier entertainment to the event as they made grand entrances dressed as characters from Rocky to Frozen to superheroes.
Thank you to our students, staff, and school community for helping us have a great homecoming week. Have a fantastic and safe homecoming weekend! 🖤🧡
🚜 Hands-on learning at SheDig 🏗️
Five of our high school students participated in the SheDig Ohio event at the Ohio Operating Engineers Apprenticeship and Training Center in Cygnet on October 1.
During the event, students explored career pathways in the skilled trades, gained insight into apprenticeship opportunities, and experienced operating heavy equipment, including cranes, forklifts, backhoes, and more.
We appreciate our students taking advantage of opportunities to experience future career options so they can make informed decisions about their post-high school lives. We are committed to building experiences and building connections that help our students discover their passions and develop into respectful, responsible, and resilient future leaders. 🖤🧡
Five of our high school students participated in the SheDig Ohio event at the Ohio Operating Engineers Apprenticeship and Training Center in Cygnet on October 1.
During the event, students explored career pathways in the skilled trades, gained insight into apprenticeship opportunities, and experienced operating heavy equipment, including cranes, forklifts, backhoes, and more.
We appreciate our students taking advantage of opportunities to experience future career options so they can make informed decisions about their post-high school lives. We are committed to building experiences and building connections that help our students discover their passions and develop into respectful, responsible, and resilient future leaders. 🖤🧡
