Van Buren Local Schools are on a TWO HOUR DELAY (1/26/2021)
Good afternoon to all of you! Wanted to let all of you know we will be continuing with the Modified Hybrid Schedule for the last week of January. Pretty amazing it is already the last week in January. As soon as I hear updates about how the vaccine roll out will affect our schedule, you will be updated! Have a great week!
Welcome to new Van Buren School Board members Laura Ebright and Bradley (Andy) Fisher. They join Michael Leifheit (president), Melinda Williams (vice president), and Kimberly Thomas. Laura and Andy are are filling the positions created by recent resignations from Mr. Jeff Salisbury and Mr. Jim Griffith.
Van Buren students benefit every day from the leadership and vision of our school board. January is School Board Recognition Month, so take time to thank these dedicated community leaders.
Strong Schools = Strong Communities
#VB1team #SchoolBoardMonth
Families are reminded that school will not be in session on Friday, January 22, 2021 to allow for staff professional learning. #VB1team
In the ninth episode of the Interviewing People careercast, Mr. Bratt interviews Macy McCartney, a 2012 graduate and Operations Manager at the ProMedica Toledo and Russell J. Ebeid Children's Hospitals. In the episode, Macy talks about how she handles failure, how a biology degree led her to where she is today, the impact relationships have had on her career path, and the variety of positions in the healthcare field other than doctor and nurse. If there are any students out there interested in a career in healthcare, this would be a good episode for them to watch.
Check out Mr. Bratt's #careercast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA8KkpHIL1RI_n989pQoyHQ
We believe our children are the hope for our country and the world.
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Van Buren Schools are closed today. #VB1team
Hello Van Buren Families. I hope all of you are having a great weekend. A reminder that there is no school Monday, January 18, 2021. We will start up Tuesday with our current Modified Hybrid schedule.
I have been asked a lot of questions about the vaccine, will we go back to five days a week learning, etc. I have attached a video that explains where Van Buren is currently with the vaccine and a target date of five days a week instruction. So many factors to consider but at least there is discussion around getting students back to school five days a week. As always, things are changing everyday and I will do my best to keep you updated. Have a great week!
https://youtu.be/1o0MXODeeAs
FRIDAY FINANCE FACT: Bond Retirement
School Finance is complicated and not always popular. We’re starting our financial fact with some good news!
Recently the district paid off a long term debt incurred for the purpose of construction and renovation of buildings. This bond specifically funded work at the elementary school and the additional renovation attached to the high school.
Not only is this good news for tax payers of the district, as their annual tax bill will reduce, but it is great news for the district as well to retire long term debt of that size and scope. Stay tuned for more financial fun facts! #VB1team
FHCPL Bookmobile available to high school students: The Findlay-Hancock County Public Library Bookmobile will be at Van Buren in the front parking lot this Thursday, January 14, from 12:30-1:00 P.M. to serve students as they leave school. Students with FHCPL cards can either stop by the bookmobile to check out books on the bookmobile or place holds on books on the FHCPL website before Thursday and indicate they will pick the books up from the bookmobile.
If you would like more information about how you can help your student get a library card or place a hold on a book, please view the following videos:
Library/Digital Cards from FHCPL: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_ehIw2Vngw8LjGoGenT_RpoaX2TKlR5B/view?usp=sharing
Placing a Hold/Checking Out Books: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10juzoVz9A9d1lleJiNx06nvCCHe5DbKc/view?usp=sharing
In addition to January 14, the bookmobile will be at Van Buren February 11, March 11, April 15, and May 13.
SAFETY REMINDERS for student drivers, parents, and staff:
When leaving the school parking lot please make sure you are using the exit and not the entrance - using the incorrect driveway increases the likelihood of an accident. We understand traffic is congested before and after school, but please be patient so everyone can leave safely.
When entering the school parking lot off of South Main Street, please watch your speed. The posted speed limit on School grounds is 10 MPH.
Please continue to watch for students walking within the parking lot and students are reminded to use the designated crosswalks.
If you are picking up students, please find a designated parking space. Parking in a thru lane may cause traffic to build up.
Good evening everyone. My apologies for being later than usual on the notifications about instruction for this upcoming week. Van Buren will continue to be on a Modified Hybrid Schedule for the week of January 11, 2021. Please continue to be prepared to change on a daily basis depending upon the data that comes in regarding our Covid numbers. I hope all of you have a great week!
We're looking to provide real-world experiences to a VBHS junior interested in communications and marketing! Check out information on our social media internship, which starts next semester... http://bit.ly/VBSoMe
Good Afternoon! I hope all of you had a Safe and Merry Christmas and a Safe and Happy New Year! At this point and time, Van Buren Schools will open on January 4, 2021. Van Buren Schools will be on a Modified Hybrid Schedule. Students will be in school Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday will continue to be a remote learning day. As always, this is subject to change on a weekly, daily or hourly basis! Look forward to school starting back on Monday, January 4, 2021
It's not too late to help Mrs. Kanney's class collect donations for the City Mission! They will be accepting donations through Tuesday, Dec. 22! #VB1Team
Good Sunday afternoon to all of you! We will stay in the Modified Hybrid Schedule for this week. We only have school on Monday and Tuesday of this week. Students return from Christmas Break on Monday, January 4, 2021. I will be sending out an email or text to all of you on Saturday, January 2 updating you on what education model we will be using to start the new year. My hope is that we continue on the Modified Hybrid Schedule.
I wish all of you a safe, healthy and Merry Christmas and a safe, healthy and Happy New Year. Thank you for all you have done to keep our students in school!
We shared this opportunity with our junior and senior classes and wanted to share with the community as well.
Terra State Community College in Fremont (a 43-minute drive from VBHS), is offering the Job Corps Scholars Program starting in January 2021 (another cohort will begin in August 2021) for anyone aged 16-24 who would like to earn a certificate/credential in a variety of career technical training programs. The best news - students in this program will earn FREE tuition, lab fees, and books, in addition to receiving housing, food, transportation, and child care assistance. If you are interested, please watch this video for more information: https://youtu.be/r3_UFykqpW4
We are proud of our Van Buren graduates every year, but what happens to those graduates? Now you have an opportunity to hear from graduates like Thomas Piccirillo ('19), Brittany (Ramsey) Busse ('06), Tori Bookwalter ('17), McClain Brown ('17), Emilie Bandy ('00), and Dustin Drerup ('02) as they talk about their career experiences and the influence Van Buren had on them with VBHS English teacher, Mr. Brian Bratt.
In addition to Van Buren graduates, the YouTube channel https://bit.ly/InterviewingPeople provides interviews with other professionals speaking about their career experiences. The goal is to continue adding interviews on a regular basis to provide Van Buren students with information about careers and keep the community up to date regarding the achievements of our graduates. Enjoy!
It's not too late to share your ideas with us on what traits and skills are important for all Black Knights to develop. Help us create our Traits of a Black Knight by completing the survey by Monday, Dec. 21st at 8:00 am.
https://bit.ly/toabk20
#VB1Team
Be sure to check out the HCSO School Resource Officers page on Facebook for a fun holiday project they have been working on. Last night featured Deputy Crouch and VB Elementary! #VB1Team
Good Afternoon to everyone! This is Brian Blum at Van Buren. Wanted to give all of you the model we are starting out with for the week of December 14, 2020. We will continue to operate in the Modified Hybrid Model. As always, be prepared to change to traditional hybrid or remote model quickly.
If you have not had a chance to provide input on our Traits of a Black Knight survey, you still have time. An email was sent out to all parents and you can also access the survey on the website. For more information about what Traits of a Black Knight is, you can watch a video on our website.
Have a safe rest of your Sunday!
Class of 2009 and 2010 senior letters: Mr. Bratt is looking for current addresses for the following 2009 and 2010 graduates so he can send them the letters they wrote to themselves prior to graduating:
2009 - Nadine Akra, Nick Huber
2010 - Alex Anderbery, Justin Baker, Samantha Benson, David Lee, Silver Viera
If you know the addresses of any of these graduates, please e-mail them to bbratt@vbschools.net.
This year, the Van Buren Local School District is bringing together our students, families, staff, alumni, and community members and partners to create our Traits of a Black Knight.
The Traits of a Black Knight will be a collective vision articulating the hopes and dreams of our community for our Van Buren students, including the attributes and skills they will need to thrive as learners, workers, and leaders.
Help us to develop the Traits of a Black Knight by completing the survey: https://forms.gle/zuDd7fj67hm5C9kx6
https://youtu.be/Of-BNhx_4Og
#VB1Team
At this time, the service we use for texting school delays and cancellations will not deliver messages to AT&T subscribers due to AT&T blocking messages from Ohio Alerts. Messages will continue to be delivered to Verizon customers. Our provider is working with AT&T to resolve the issues. We recommend AT&T customers express their disapproval with AT&T.
We also post delays and cancellations to WFIN. You are able to sign-up for text or email alerts through their provider at this link:
https://my.textcaster.com/asa/default.aspx...
If you are not receiving the pre-recorded messages or text messages (typically providing COVID-19 updates) from Mr. Blum, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/7X539FU2Es6S6iwa7
Was great to get some fresh air with the staff on our afternoon walk! Thanks to our friends at Great Scot Community Markets for supporting our "Wellness Wednesday." #VB1Team
Some really cool dioramas students created while reading Lord of the Flies in our Literature Survey class. #VB1Team
Mr. Blum would like to share a message of thanks with the Van Buren community for your continued support of Van Buren Local Schools. #VB1Team
https://youtu.be/SLriQkK0xuQ
There was a black wallet/purse found near the VB football field. The purse has a Nike lanyard attached to it. If this belongs to you or you know of someone missing theirs, please contact Deputy Crouch (mcrouch@vbschools.net).
It's not too late to schedule your parent-teacher phone conference! Visit the link to sign-up: https://www.myconferencetime.com/vbs/
This year, parent-teacher conferences will occur via phone instead of in person. The teacher will call the parent at the scheduled conference time. When signing up, please provide your preferred phone number.
To continue to show VB support of Red Ribbon Week,
Deputy Crouch encourages all students, teachers, and staff to wear red on Tuesday, October 27! #VB1Team #RedRibbonWeek
We are participating in Red Ribbon Week at Van Buren Schools! Red Ribbon Week began in 1985 after the murder of DEA Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camerena. The ribbons are worn in memory of Agent Camerena & to raise awareness & educate the youth about the perils of drug use.
Deputy Crouch works hard each year to coordinate events for the week. Take a look back at the events that happened in 2018 and 2019 by watching a video created by 2020 graduates, Dalton Swope and Isaiah Wolford. #VB1Team
https://youtu.be/2whSqHnynJk
A Ken doll that was fashioned to bear a resemblance to Mr. Blum took the leap of faith with Mr. Bunn's math class in a bungee jump! By graphing their data & determining the best fit linear equation, students were able to determine the number of rubber bands required to give "Mr. Blum" the most thrilling bungee jump! #VBexperience
https://www.wevideo.com/view/1887468904
A big thank you to Deputy Crouch, Deputy Brunswick, & K9 Charlie for spending time with our 1st grade students today! As a reward for doing such a fantastic job learning about staying safe in school & returning their books, Deputy Crouch organized this awesome reward! #VB1Team
As a reminder, we are no longer using ProgressBook to report grades for students. All grades are now reported in Schoology. See the video for directions on viewing grades and missing/incomplete assignments: https://youtu.be/rHnuTZGpbmk
If you have not yet created your Schoology account and linked your student(s), you will need to do that first. Emails were sent to parents/guardians on September 11, 2020 with directions and access codes. If you did not receive an email or need assistance, please contact Cassie Schaffer at cschaffer@vbschools.net.
Best of luck to our girls golf team as they head down to Columbus for the OHSAA State Championships! Practice round set for today (10/15) and competition starts (10/16 & 10/17). #VB1Team
VBS nurse, Judy Prater, shares some important updates and reminders to help keep our Black Knights healthy and ready to learn in the October Black Knight Health Connection! http://bit.ly/Oct20HealthConnection #VB1Team
Middle School/High School Yearbooks will be available for pick up 9/15-9/18, before 1st period in the high school cafeteria. Students no longer enrolled at Van Buren or in VLA can pick their yearbooks up in the high school office starting 9/21.
Elementary Yearbooks will be available for pick in the elementary office starting 9/15. Starting 9/21, any elementary yearbook which has not been picked up, will be available for pick up in the high school office.
Please email Mr. Frey regarding any questions from last year's yearbook. dfrey@vbschools.net
Parents, please check your email for information regarding electronic payment of school fees and lunch accounts. Thank you!
Van Buren Local Schools Bus Routes 2020-2021
https://bit.ly/31ZGA5D
Van Buren Elementary School is currently seeking candidates for a Long Term Substitute 4th Grade Teaching position. If interested, please contact Michael Newcomer in writing.
Thanks to the Home Depot Distribution Center here in Van Buren for their generous donation of hand sanitizer for our students and staff to use as we begin the year. We appreciate their partnership in keeping everyone safe and healthy! #VB1team
If your child will require bus transportation for the 2020-2021 school year, please complete the Bus Transportation Form in OneView by Wednesday, August 26th.
The Van Buren Local School District is currently seeking applicants for the position of:
Registered Nurse
2020-2021 Full School Year
Hours TBD
Effective August 31, 2020
If you wish to be considered, please contact Van Buren Local Schools Superintendent, Brian Blum, in writing.
Please see the district website (www.vbschools.net) for updated information regarding the Committed Virtual Learning Option.
The Reopening Plan FAQ and recording of the Reopening Plan Community Q & A Virtual Meeting have been posted on the district website www.vbschools.net. #VB1Team
Van Buren families - please check your email or the News section of the district website for an update regarding the reopening plans for Van Buren Local Schools. #VB1Team
Guidelines from the State of Ohio regarding the return to school have been released. We will continue to work through our district plan and look forward to working with our stakeholders in the coming weeks to create the safest and best possible experience for our students and staff. Thank you for your continued support and flexibility during this time.
If your Van Buren student will need bus transportation for the 2020-2021 school year, please fill out a bus registration form on OneView (https://vanburen.esvportal.com) by Friday, June 19, 2020. Directions for completing the form can be found at the following website: http://bit.ly/VBBusRegistration. This will enable the VB Transportation Department to better prepare for the coming school year.
If you have any difficulties completing the form or need assistance with accessing your account, please contact Cassie Schaffer at cschaffer@vbschools.net.
Middle and High School families: If you weren't able to make it last week, we still have your belongings! Please stop in this week to return any school property and pick up your belongings. The MS/HS office is open daily 8am-2pm and closes for the summer on Friday at noon.
Van Buren Class of 2010 - Believe it or not, it has been ten years since you graduated, and that means Mr. Bratt needs to send you the letters you wrote to yourselves at the end of your senior year.
He needs addresses for the following people: Tyler Akers, Alex Anderbery, Samantha Benson, Jessica Blakely, Sarah Brink, Karleigh Carman, Tarah Clark, Alyson Combs, TJ Cunningham, Ashley Cytlak, Katelyn DeVore, Sara Doxsey, Chelsi Faine, Michael Flanagan, Shelby Flick, Dillon Flick, Joe Gallello, Tia Gilkerson, Katrina Glick, Madison Grant, Jordan Hammond, Dillon Jameson, Steven Jett, David Lee, Katie Mackedanz, Nichole May, Alex McGrain, Alan Molyet, Brandon Moran, Nathan Murphy, Nick Rafferty, Kayla Roberts, Alex Roszman, Erika Stacy, Morgan Tackett, Jason Tropf, Caitlin Tuohy, and Silver Viera.
Mr. Bratt also has one mystery letter. When students completed these letters in 2010, he had them address the envelopes to their parents' 2010 addresses. He didn't realize that he would be able to contact them all in 2020 through the wonders of Facebook, get their current addresses, and send the letters directly to them. One student addressed the letter to Jennifer Schoonover on Hancock St. in Findlay, and he can't identify the student to whom that letter belongs. If anyone knows, please pass that information on to Mr. Bratt.
If you are one of the people listed above or if you know the address of one or more of the people, please e-mail the name and address to bbratt@vbschools.net. As he receives addresses, he will send out the letters.
There are still a few alumni from 2008 and 2009 who have not had their graduation letters sent to them. If you know an address for Jason Thomas (Class of 2008), Nadine Akra (Class of 2009), or Nick Huber (Class of 2009), please email it to Brian Bratt (bbratt@vbschools.net) so he can get those letters sent to those students.
If you have not yet registered your child for kindergarten for the 2020-2021 school year, it's not too late! Follow the link for additional information: https://www.vbschools.net/article/249670?org=vbs
Join us in continuing the celebration of our graduating class of 2020. View the virtual award ceremony below: https://youtu.be/erjEQ46cSe8
Don't forget about the supply pick-up and return scheduled for this week! #VB1Team
It's not too late! Register for kindergarten by June 1
May 21, 2020 Board of Education Meeting Information
Thank you to all of our teachers for making a difference in the lives of our students each and every day!
Help us celebrate #TeacherAppreciationDay and #TeacherAppreciationWeek by sharing how a teacher has impacted you or share a message to say thank you to your teachers!
The Van Buren bus drivers miss starting their mornings and ending their days with the students! In order to show their support for all that you are doing from home, on Monday, May 4, they will be running their usual routes starting at 3:12 pm. The drivers will stop at each typical bus stop. Feel free to wave from your window or greet your bus driver at the door of the bus once they have stopped.
We are extremely thankful for our 3 principals that work so hard to create the absolute best possible experience for our Black Knights! (Note: They do such an awesome job that our students even want to spend the day as a principal as well!) #VB1Team #SchoolPrincipalDay
The Van Buren bus drivers miss starting their mornings and ending their days with the students! In order to show their support for all that you are doing from home, on Monday, May 4, they will be running their usual routes starting at 3:12 pm.
The drivers will stop at each typical bus stop. Feel free to wave from your window or greet your bus driver at the door of the bus once they have stopped.
On behalf of the students and staff of Van Buren Local Schools, we are thankful for the support of our community. According to UNOFFICIAL Board of Election results, the vote is 1,288 (52.57%) FOR the tax and 1,134 AGAINST the tax. The official results will be reported in May.
Thank you to all who worked to help educate the community and to all those that attended the district's series of levy information meetings. By working together, we are able to create the best possible Van Buren Experience for current and future students. #VB1Team
Please follow the link to view the letter that was emailed to parents on 4/24/2020 regarding updates to the continued remote learning. https://bit.ly/3cLIfhQ
We can't thank Mrs. Barker, Mrs. Gephart, Mrs. Keeran, and Mrs. Stumpp enough for all they do for our district! #VB1Team #administrativeprofessionalsday
This week's #VBChallenge is all about self-care!
Please follow the link to view the letter that was emailed to parents on 4/20/2020 regarding updates to the mandated school closure. https://bit.ly/3apeKAT
The West Ohio Food Bank and CHOPIN Hall are sponsoring a food distribution event on Wednesday, April 22. Please see the included flyer for additional information. https://bit.ly/2Vmp87U
The Van Buren Board of Education meeting scheduled for Thursday, April 16, 2020 at 7:00pm will be held virtually through a Zoom meeting.
The link to view the meeting will be posted
30 minutes prior to the start of the meeting in
the News section on the district website: https://www.vbschools.net/
Are you ready for this week's #VBchallenge?! We challenge you to complete a Minute to Win It game! Let us know what game (or games) you complete by using #VBchallenge with pictures or video of you completing the challenge (you can also email these to cschaffer@vbschools.net).
Thank you for another fantastic week Black Knights! Our Black Knights stayed busy throughout the week participating in Zoom meetings with a plant pathologist from Kentucky and a research animal veterinarian from Atlanta, helping others to smile with their artwork, and creating a highlights video of the high school morning greetings. We hope you enjoy the long weekend off and can’t wait to continue creating more learning experiences on Tuesday! #VB1Team #VBexperience
We have had a few Black Knights share their #VBchallenge results with us! Have you completed your challenge yet? Be sure to use the hashtag #VBchallenge or email cschaffer@vbschools.net! We will share all of the awesome ways our Black Knights are helping others smile on Sunday!
Join us for our first district-wide family fun challenge! This week’s challenge is Start A Smile! #VB1Team #VBexperience
Please follow the link to view the letter that was emailed to parents on Thursday 4/2/2020 regarding updates to the mandated school closure. https://bit.ly/2xKNZsI
Governor DeWine signed House Bill (HB) 197 at his daily briefing on Friday, March 27. We have provided an overview with additional information pertaining to House Bill 197 at the link below. One important update to note is that the bill eliminates state testing for the 2019-2020 school year. Governor DeWine did not address the state mandated closing of school facilities. We will provide updates as we get more information.
https://bit.ly/3bvTQ3S
ELECTION UPDATE! Per House Bill 197, the Primary Election has been extended until Tuesday, April 28, 2020. There will be NO in-person voting unless a physical disability or lack of mailing address warrants it.
If you can't print the application, please call the Hancock County Board of Elections at 419-422-3245 to request a ballot application.
Feedback from our students and parents is critical as our remote learning experience continues to evolve. Please share your feedback regarding the first week of remote learning at this link https://bit.ly/vbremotelearning
#VB1Team
As our first week of distance learning draws to a close, we simply wanted to say THANK YOU! We are beyond proud of our #VB1Team. We witnessed amazing things happening this week as we all adapted and faced this challenge together. We are proud of the work our students, families, teachers, support staff, and administrators are completing in order to support student learning. We are thankful for a dedicated maintenance, custodial, and transportation staff making sure that our buildings and buses are clean and sanitized. We are grateful for the food service staff, community members, and organizations for providing our students with food during this time. We are all in this together. We love our #VB1Team!
Free lunch packs are available in the MS/HS office for any children from 11am-2pm Tuesday 3/17! Thanks to the district food service program and Feed a Child for their help with keeping our community healthy and safe! #VB1Team
If you have been following the COVID-19 case at all, you know the information and the decisions from the state are ever-changing. With that being said, despite the judge's ruling to prohibit moving election day to June 2, Governor DeWine has ordered all physical polling locations to remain closed today. We will share information with you as it becomes available. But in the meantime, please stay healthy and stay safe! #VB1Team
As of now, Gov. DeWine’s request to postpone the election was denied. Polls will be open on 3/17. Find your polling location here: https://hancockcountyohioelections.gov/?page_id=145
Please follow the link to view the letter that was emailed to parents on Friday, March 13 regarding updates to the mandated school closure. http://bit.ly/3aUzaCs
The VB National Honor Society Blood Drive scheduled for Friday, March 13th has been canceled. #VB1Team
Update regarding the statement from Governor DeWine: School will be in session on Friday, March 13, 2020. The school will be closed starting Monday, March 16, 2020. Additional information will be released regarding educational plans and school activities for the 3 week closure.
Governor DeWine just announced schools will be closed for three weeks. Please stay tuned for additional information.
Van Buren High School invites all members of the community to experience Disney's The Little Mermaid at the Van Buren High School Auditorium on March 19, 20, and 21 at 7:30 pm. There are 100 students involved ranging from grades 1-12.
Tickets can be purchased online at https://vanburenauditorium.ludus.com/ or from the box office from March 17-21 from 7:30 am - 8:00 am or 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm and one hour before showtime.
There has been a change in the location for the levy informational meeting today (3/11/20) at 6:30 pm. The meeting will now be taking place in the high school cafeteria. #VB1Team
We understand that there is concern about illness in our schools especially with influenza and novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Please see the included letter for additional information: http://bit.ly/2TWIgHV Parents should have also received this letter by email.
#VB1Team
Hear from Van Buren alumna and current resident, Kelsey Heitkamp, on why she values Van Buren Schools and has chosen to raise her family here. #VB1Team #VBexperience
https://youtu.be/LgVkx6VLK4k
Join us for our last levy informational meeting on March 11th at 6:30 pm in the Van Buren MS/HS Choir Room (located next to the auditorium). #VB1Team
Join us for the Van Buren Black Knight Dodgeball Tournament on Friday, March 27th! Follow the link to register a team: http://bit.ly/2TD2ebQ #VB1Team
Another successful weekend for our student-athletes! Senior wrestlers, Cade Whitticar and Kaleb Snodgrass, advance to the State Tournament and Tyler Arbaugh is the D2/3 State Champion in the weight throw for indoor track. #VB1Team #VBexperience
It is with great pleasure that the Van Buren Board of Education is announcing that we have a verbal agreement with Brian Blum to be our next superintendent. Please see the linked document for additional information. #VB1Team http://bit.ly/32RoB07
Van Buren Schools are CLOSED today (3/3/20)... Today is an ONLINE/Blizzard Bag day - students check teacher Moodle or Google Classroom pages for details.
Van Buren Schools are on a 2 hour delay Tuesday 3/3/20 due to fog.
Please see the included letter for an update on the superintendent search process: http://bit.ly/2PEHzBG #VB1Team
Good luck to our Science Olympiad team as they compete tomorrow at BGSU!!! These student-engineers and scientists are impressive! #VB1team #VBexperience
Van Buren Schools will be on a 2 hour delay Friday 2/28/20.
All events and activities including high school parent teacher conferences and the levy informational meeting have been canceled for Thursday 2/27/20.
Van Buren Schools are closed Thursday 2/27/20.
Van Buren Schools will be on a 2 hour delay Thursday 2/27/20.
Van Buren Schools are on a 2 hour delay 2/25/20
It was a fantastic weekend to be a Black Knight! The boys basketball team had a solid win on Senior Night. The wrestling team was named BVC Champions for the 5th straight season. The competitive cheer squad took 1st place at their competition. Students participated in the All County Band and Choir. #VB1Team #VBexperience
"Athletics gives you the great opportunity to build relationships with your teammates and coaches." Hear from senior, Mady Parker, and other VBS student-athletes on how their involvement in athletics has impacted them. #VB1Team #VBexperience
https://youtu.be/iWB9T1B0zJI
Our next informational meeting about the levy is Thursday, Feb. 27th at 6:30 pm in the auditorium. Check out the updated FAQ: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vR4GBUFMg3qZXRdqeTnV01IRfQcBpfbPCVHFs17N8y3fchQgMsq3R44QOyRucUAYKh_UTjSx6bdesM8/pub
For the past three weeks, the Auditor of State has been conducting the annual financial audit for Van Buren Schools. The financial audit is performed on an annual basis and required for all districts. This is different from the performance audit that will be completed. #VB1Team
Happy Valentine's Day Black Knights! We love our #VB1Team! https://youtu.be/OJ-vZyX-lDA
Have you registered to vote yet? It's not too late!
https://hancockcountyohioelections.gov/?page_id=16
Van Buren Schools are closed Thursday 2/13/20
Van Buren Schools will be on a 2 hour delay Thursday 2/13/20
Our teachers across the district came together this afternoon to learn from one another about their professional learning experiences this year and to share some of the awesome things they are doing in their classroom! #VB1Team #VBexperience
Van Buren Schools conducted a scheduled "lockdown" DRILL this morning in all of our buildings. The drill was successfully implemented and has been lifted at this time. Again, this was only a DRILL.
If you have questions about the 1% income tax levy that will be on the March 2020 ballot, the first informational meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 5:45 pm in the high school auditorium.
Van Buren Schools are CLOSED today (2/7/20)
Van Buren Schools are on a 2 hour delay Friday 2/7/2020
All events scheduled for today (2/6/20) have been canceled.
Van Buren Schools are closed Thursday 2/6/20
Camp 911 is looking for student volunteers to help with their week long camp from June 1 - June 5. If you are a high school student between the ages of 15-18, this would be a fantastic opportunity to make a difference in your community! #VB1Team
Part of the Van Buren student experience is having the opportunity to explore interests through the elective courses offered at the high school level. Hear from some of our students about their #VBexperience in these courses: https://youtu.be/gkE7CZmx7C0
Thank you to #VBalum, Noah Schumacker, for guest speaking in Mr. Heitkamp's Business Foundations course this morning. Noah shared with our students his experience in sales and had them participate in a mock, mini-sales competition. Noah is currently enrolled at BGSU as a sales and services marketing student. #VB1Team #VBexperience
Congratulations to Mrs. Bridgett Bunn for being named OATE Cooperating Teacher of the Year! Mrs. Bunn has had quite the year as she was also a Golden Apple semi-finalist (for the second year in a row) and was asked by The University of Findlay College of Education to return as a guest speaker.
Be sure to check out the videos below to see Mrs. Bunn in action in her classroom and to hear about why she loves teaching. We are extremely thankful to have her as part of our #VB1Team!
https://youtu.be/WZLrB6Pm47E
https://youtu.be/iczbFl0yvg8
Mr. May stopped by yesterday on behalf of the Van Buren Lion’s Club to pay the outstanding student lunch account balance. Thank you Van Buren Lion’s Club for your generosity and support of our students! #VB1Team
We cannot thank our school resource officer, Deputy Crouch, enough for all that he does for our district. His presence on campus helps our students to build positive relationships with law enforcement and provides a safe environment for our students and staff. Thank you Deputy Crouch for all that you do! #SROappreciation #LawEnforcementAppreciationWeek #VB1Team
The Academic Boosters is hosting their 2nd Annual Trivia Knight on Sunday, Jan. 19th at 5:00 pm in the Elementary Cafeteria. Mr. Rick Eakin will be our master of ceremony for the evening. Food will be available through concessions and cash prizes awarded to winners. Team registrations are still being accepted through Jan. 13th. http://bit.ly/2020triviaknight #VB1Team
With funds we received from a Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation Hancock Education Makerspace Grant, we have been able to create additional flexible collaboration areas for our students in both the high school and elementary school. Thank you to all those involved in making these seating areas a reality! #VB1Team #VBexperience
The Board of Education would like to solicit the help of the community in the process of identifying the values, skills, and experience the Board will be looking for in our new superintendent. To provide your input, the Board is inviting you to meet with our search consultants on Jan. 8th at 7:00 pm in the Community Room. Please bring your completed Search Profile Questionnaire to the meeting (http://bit.ly/VBSearch). If you are unable to attend the meeting, please return your completed form by mail, fax or email to the address/fax number identified on the second page of the form by January 10, 2020. #VB1Team
The students of the Real World Reading class will be presenting their research findings to the public on Tuesday, Jan. 7th at 6:00 pm in the auditorium. The schedule of presentations can be found at http://bit.ly/rwrschedule. #VB1Team #VBexperience
Happy New Year Black Knights!!! #VB1Team #seizethedayVBMS #VBexperience
Following the Board of Education meeting on Thursday, Dec. 19th, the Board of Education would like to share the following update with the community. http://bit.ly/Dec19BOEUpdate
#VB1Team
Transportation department is excited for the Holidays. Thank you for all you do for our team! #VB1Team #VBexperience
If you are planning on attending tonight's basketball game between Van Buren and Liberty Benton, don't forget your canned goods! For each CAN donated, you will receive $1.00 off your ticket price. Together, Van Buren and Liberty Benton CAN help those in need in our community. #VB1Team
http://bit.ly/2019CannedFoodVBLB
In light of recent social media safety concerns shared in Hancock County, our SRO, Deputy Crouch, would like to review safe practices. While this incident was not reported at Van Buren Schools, Deputy Crouch did take the time to investigate the validity of the report shared earlier in the month on social media.
If you or anyone you know has Snapchat, please be cautious when accepting friends. There is someone friending teenagers. This person is offering a dollar amount gift card which is said to be valid, but is asking for pictures and information first. This person will continue to ask for additional pictures which includes nude photos. If you have received or have accepted friendship from someone like this, please block immediately.
Parents, please take this opportunity and have a discussion with your children about internet and social media safety. #VB1Team
The Real-World Reading class will be holding a presentation night January 7 to share their first semester projects. At the beginning of the year, students were tasked with identifying a problem, finding a solution for that problem, and sharing their results. Presentation night will give students the experience of speaking in front of an audience and hopefully allow them to share how they have impacted the world. Attendees are welcome to stay for all of the presentations or come and go as necessary. If you have questions about attending, please contact Brian Bratt at bbratt@vbschools.net. #VBexperience
The past two weeks have been filled with engaging learning opportunities involving tasty treats and active learning! http://bit.ly/WeeksInReview13-14 #VBexperience #VB1Team
Van Buren Schools are closed Tuesday, Dec. 17th.
Van Buren Schools are on a 2 hour delay.
Together we CAN help those in need by bringing in canned food items to the Liberty Benton vs. Van Buren Basketball Game on Dec. 20th. You CAN save $1 off each ticket for every CAN you donate. See the flyer for additional details. http://bit.ly/2019CannedFoodVBLB #VB1Team
Our Spanish 3 students recently finished making their handmade piñatas and need your help in deciding which one is the best. Place your vote for your favorite piñata at bit.ly/BestPinata by Wednesday, Dec. 18th at noon! #VBexperience #VB1team
It's that time of year for the Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest! Staff members have submitted their ugliest sweaters in hopes of raising the most money to help support Flag City Honor Flight.
When you come to an event at Van Buren Schools, please be sure to check out the photo display in either the high school or elementary school cafeteria. Choose your favorite ugly sweater and donate in the matching slot of the donation box. We encourage everyone to stuff the ballot box and help us reach our goal of raising the $400.00 to cover the cost of one volunteer. It would be fantastic to raise the additional $1000.00 to sponsor a veteran. Voting is open from December 12th-December 20th. May the ugliest sweater win! #VB1Team
Be sure to tune in on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to WTLW TV-44 to see our show choir, The Association, perform for the Holiday Music Festival! #VBexperience #VB1Team
As we continue to grow our career exploration program, we hope to increase the number of hands-on experiences we can offer our students through internships and shadowing experiences. If you are interested in serving as a mentor for our students for either a one-day shadowing experience or semester-long internship, please contact us! You can respond in the comment section, send us a message, email cschaffer@vbschools.net, or call Cassie Schaffer at 419-299-3384 ext 319. #VB1Team #VBexperience
Our goal is to fill the Van Buren Community Room with holiday cards from all of our #VB1team members! VB families, school employees, and community members that would like to participate can send your card to school with your student to turn in to Mrs. Keeran in the high school office, send a card to 217 S. Main Street, Van Buren, OH 45889, or email a copy to cschaffer@vbschools.net. Cards will be displayed throughout the month of January! #VB1team
The Real-World Reading class will be holding a presentation night January 7 to share their first semester projects. At the beginning of the year, students were tasked with identifying a problem, finding a solution for that problem, and sharing their results. Presentation night will give students the experience of speaking in front of an audience and hopefully allow them to share how they have impacted the world. Attendees are welcome to stay for all of the presentations or come and go as necessary. If you have questions about attending, please contact Brian Bratt at bbratt@vbschools.net. #VBexperience
This morning, Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 8:15 am, Van Buren High School and Middle School were visited by our local law enforcement K-9 unit for a search of our school and parking area. This is a procedure that has been approved by our Board of Education and occurs, at least annually.
REMINDER -- Students in grades 6-11 interested in taking college classes next year should attend the College Credit Plus meeting, as well as at least one parent. #VBexperience
Last week students participated in the NHS Blood Drive, Student Council Leadership Workshop, and the 8th Grade Mr. Yunker Day of Service. See highlights from these activities & more in our most recent Week in Review video! #VBexperience http://bit.ly/VBWeekinReview12
We are pleased to announce that Dawn Jacobs has been named as the new treasurer for Van Buren Schools. Her most recent K-12 treasurer position was at Huron City Schools. She began her career in educational finance as assistant treasurer for Anthony Wayne Local Schools in 1993 and has worked in finance for a variety of Ohio school districts since, including the Lucas County Educational Service Center, Bucyrus City School District, and Otsego Local School District. Dawn earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration degree from Heidelberg University. She also holds an Ohio School Treasurer’s License from the Ohio Department of Education and a School Finance and Operations Certification through the Association of School Business Officials International. Please help us welcome Dawn Jacobs to the #VB1Team!
Thank you to all of our substitute teachers! #VB1Team
Please see the included correspondence from the Board of Education. http://bit.ly/11-21VBBOE
#WeLoveOurESPs #VB1Team
Take a look back at some of the experiences our students had the past two weeks! http://bit.ly/VBWeekInReview11 #VBexperience #VB1Team
Our goal is to create a positive #VBexperience and empower not only our students, but our staff as well! This year, we created a program that provided teachers with an opportunity to individualize their professional learning. On Monday and Tuesday of this week, 17 staff members chose to participate in a workshop on Trauma Informed Classrooms. The training was even led by two VB staff members, Cheri May and Mariah Hohman, as well as Chelsea Bodnarik from the Hancock County ESC. #VB1Team
The Van Buren Education Association is sponsoring a Chili Cook-Off on Friday, December 6th! All proceeds go to the VBEA Scholarship Fund. #VB1Team
Students in grades 6-11 interested in taking college classes next year should attend the College Credit Plus meeting, as well as at least one parent. #VBexperience
The Algebra II class has recently finished their matrix project and would like your help on voting for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Please follow the link to vote: http://bit.ly/2019VBHSMatrixVoting. #VB1Team
Congratulations to our 2020 Signing Class. Tyler Arbaugh - University of Oregon - Track & Field Lindsey Shaw - Bluffton University - Volleyball Kaleb Snodgrass - Lock Haven University - Wrestling
Thanks to a Hancock County Community Foundation Grant, the 4th and 5th grade STEM class have new robots - Dash, Dot, and Cue! Robotics brings coding and STEM to life. Coding is a new type of literacy that prepares students for the careers of tomorrow. #VBexperience
Van Buren Schools will be operating on a 2 hour delay today, Tuesday, Nov. 12th
Van Buren Schools will be on a 2 hour delay on Tuesday, Nov. 12th
All events and activities for Van Buren High School and Middle School are CANCELLED for 11/11/2019.
The 8th Grade Mr. Yunker Day of Service is quickly approaching. If you are a Village of Van Buren resident and would like your leaves raked, please email Mr. Henry at chenry@vbschools.net.
The application deadline has been extended for the PowderBuff Volleyball Tournament! You have until Tuesday, Nov. 12th to submit your registration forms and fees. Registration forms can be found at http://bit.ly/VBPBReg #VB1Team
Teams are still needed for the Powder Buff Volleyball tournament! This tournament is hosted by the VBHS Junior Class to help raise money for Prom 2020.
Team registration forms (http://bit.ly/2019PowderBuffRegistration) and fees are due TOMORROW (Nov. 8th)! Teams can be made up of 6-8 players. Team members can be high school boys, alumni, faculty, and/or parents. Fees are $7.00 per participant.
The tournament is on Saturday, November 16th from 4:30 pm to 9:30 pm. There will be a concession stand, 50/50 drawing and several raffle baskets! Admission for all fans will be $3.00 with additional donations accepted. Please contact Mrs. Jolene Johnson (jjohnson@vbschools.net) with any questions.
There is still time to schedule a conference! Elementary parent-teacher & middle school student-led conferences will be held November 13, 14, & 18. High school parent-teacher conferences will be held November 7 & 14. Use the link to schedule: https://www.myconferenceti.me/vbs/
A message from Superintendent Tim Myers
http://bit.ly/2019VBLevyResults
Election Day is TODAY! You still have time to vote! You can find your polling location online at www.myohiovote.com.
Last week was filled with great experiences for our VB students! 7th grade camp, the high school choir concert, & the annual Senior Citizen Luncheon are just a few highlights. Watch our Week In Review video to see photos from those events & more! http://bit.ly/VBWeekInReview9
Election Day is tomorrow, Tuesday, Nov. 5th! Make sure you get out and vote! You can find your polling location online at www.myohiovote.com
Van Buren Schools are on a 2 hour delay due to fog.
Last week we celebrated Red Ribbon Week and it was Knights Fest Day in the elementary school on Friday. Check out our most recent Week in Review video to see highlights from these events & more! http://bit.ly/VBWeekInReview8 #VBexperience
Take a look back at all of the fun that was had during Homecoming Week last week! http://bit.ly/VBWeekInReview7
We invite you to take a moment to view our 2018-2019 District Quality Profile at http://bit.ly/18-19VBSQualityProfile. The purpose of the Quality Profile is to offer a comprehensive glimpse into the experiences we are creating for our students at Van Buren Schools.
Join us for our Annual Senior Citizen Luncheon!
The “Hidden in Plain Sight” traveling, interactive display will be at the Van Buren School Auditorium on October 15, 2019. Adults ONLY will tour the display and listen to a guest speaker Matt (recovering addict) and Kayla DeMuth (Hancock County Health Educator) from 7pm-8:30 pm
We are ready to start another fantastic week! Here is a look back at what happened last week at Van Buren Schools. http://bit.ly/VBWeekinReview #VBexperience
Everyone on our #VB1Team plays an essential role in helping to provide our students with the best learning environment possible. We are especially thankful for our custodial, maintenance, and grounds staff for all of their hard work and dedication. #NationalCustodianDay
Deputy Crouch would like to share a friendly reminder to please be mindful of the school zone areas. Thank you for helping to keep our students and community safe! #VB1Team
Thank you to our students in the Digital Photography and Yearbook class for providing us with fantastic photos of what happened this week! Click on the link to view our Week In Review video. http://bit.ly/VBWeekInReview4 #VB1Team #VBexperience
Any 2019 graduates who ordered a yearbook and have not yet picked it up can do so in the HS office during regular school hours.
Be sure you double-check your Ohio Alerts texting system subscriptions for 2019-2020! http://ohioalerts.org/VanBuren
Thank you to all of our #VB1Team members for working together yesterday to make it a fantastic #VBFirstDay!
http://bit.ly/VBFirstDay2019
Hear from members of the #VB1Team about their #VBexperience in our newest district video.
http://bit.ly/VBexperience
Welcome to our new website!
Van Buren Principals discuss the 2019-2020 school year.
https://youtu.be/lCaKgrdsHZE