Hello Viking Families!
I hope you are having a restful summer. We are looking forward to the 2023-24 school year and we are excited to welcome back our Vanden families, our incoming Class of 2027, and those new to TUSD. Welcome to the Vanden Community!
New Bell Schedule
- On regular school days, first period will start at 8:30am and sixth period will end at 3:20pm
- On Common Planning Days, first period will start at 9:10am and sixth period will end at 2:15pm
- Detailed bell schedule attached to this email
9th Grade Orientation9th grade orientation is Thursday, August 10th. Along with connecting with peers, staff and upperclassmen, 9th graders will tour the campus and receive a free Vanden student t-shirt. To accommodate students needing transportation to orientation, a limited bus service will make one pick up/drop off in Vacaville and one bus pickup/drop off in Fairfield.
- Cambridge and Foxboro elementary schools - 8am pick up
- Gold Ridge Hom / Walker and Ellis Godfrey - 8am pick up
Parents of 9th graders: By Friday, 8/4, please complete this survey using the link below to provide us with the best way to communicate with your student about orientation. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1L1B7AhhQbxT8VzDSTSd41wOFGi1JJaE9s6wMH-9gRzE/edit?usp=sharing All incoming 9th graders are expected to attend orientation.
More details about orientation can be found at the end of this letter. 10th-12th Grade New Student OrientationOrientation for all other students new to Vanden,
including 9th graders who missed the 9th grade orientation, is Wed., Aug. 16th, from 9-10 am, in the Little Theater (next to the front office). New students and families will be able to meet staff, ask questions and tour the campus with student guides. Parents are welcome to join their student for this orientation.
Class SchedulesClass schedules will be viewable in the Aeries portal on Thursday, August 10th. Parents needing to complete data confirmation or set up their parent portal can find instructions
here. Data Confirmation
must be complete to view schedules in the parent portal.
School PicturesSchool pictures for IDs and yearbook will be taken during the first two days of school following the schedule below. Students must follow our dress code policy or students will not receive their ID or have their photo in the yearbook. Dress code can be found in the Student Handbook here:
https://www.travisusd.org/Domain/1876.
Picture Days are as follows:
- Thursday, August 17th (9th and 10th)
- Friday, August 18th (11th and 12th)
Reminder for seniors: If you have not scheduled your
senior portrait for the yearbook, please call Images by Hughes, our school photographer at 707-426-6917
Other Important Information Textbooks will be distributed after school begins.
PE uniforms will be available for purchase with more information to follow at a later date. Students will begin dressing out for PE on Monday, August 28th.
Our library is looking for parent volunteers. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, here is the link to the Volunteer information page on the TUSD website:
Volunteers for TUSD.
Travis Unified offers bus transportation. The estimated pick-up time will be 7:55 a.m. Please be aware, students with a zero-period class will need to provide their own transportation to school; however, you may purchase a bus pass one way, to ride the bus home. The link for more information regarding transportation is:
https://www.travisusd.org/domain/33.
Vanden is launching a donation drive that will help us to reward, motivate, and incentivize Vanden Vikings. You can help by donating:
- Gift cards for popular local stores, restaurants & coffee shops, or entertainment venues such as the local theater.
- Gift cards for online shopping - such as amazon gift cards.
- Technology gadgets
- School/ Art supplies
- Refillable water bottles
- Books: Encourage a love for reading
- Sports equipment: Encourage physical activity with sports gear like basketballs, soccer balls, yoga mats, etc.
- Any other prize that is appropriate and will resonate with high school students.
Donation drop-off location:
- Vanden's main office is the primary location for accepting donations before school, after school, or during school.
We appreciate your help and support. Donations help Vanden in providing an array of incentives and rewards for our amazing students.
Other important links:
More back to school information will be communicated before the first day of school. Our offices will reopen tomorrow, 8/1. Hours are 8:30-11:30am on Tuesday 8/1 and 7:30-3:30pm starting Wednesday 8/2.
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you soon!
Kristin Shields, Principal
More Details about 9th Grade Orientation Hello 9th Grade Parent/Guardians! We are very excited that your child will be attending Vanden High School, and we look forward to seeing them at our 9th Grade Orientation Day on Thursday, August 10th, from 8:30 am -12:30 pm. We will begin in the Vanden High School gym. Meet in the front quad by 8:25 am. Our Link Crew Program will help get your 9th grader off to a great start! WHAT IS LINK CREW? Link Crew is a nationwide program designed to welcome and support 9th graders by connecting them with Link Leaders, who are positive, responsible, hand-selected 11th and 12th graders. Your student’s Link Leaders will help them feel more comfortable as well as help them achieve success in their first year of high school. Doesn’t that sound great? It is! WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? A day or two before orientation, Link Leaders will be contacting each student. Your child will receive a phone call or text from their Link Crew Leader personally inviting them to orientation day and giving the details of where to be and what time. The Leaders can also answer any questions they may have. Parents of graders: Please complete this survey using the link below to provide us with the best way to communicate with your student. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1L1B7AhhQbxT8VzDSTSd41wOFGi1JJaE9s6wMH-9gRzE/edit?usp=sharing IS THE BUS TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE? We have 3 bus pick-up/drop-off sites set up for orientation. Students should be at the bus stop by 8:00 am for pick up and will leave campus between 12:30-1:00. Vacaville stops: Foxboro Elementary School (Morning Glory near basketball courts) and Cambridge Elementary School. Fairfield stops in Gold Ridge: Hom / Walker and Ellis Godfrey WHERE SHOULD I DROP OFF MY STUDENT?Students may be dropped off by the library, or parking lot and head to the front of the school. Arrive by 8:25 a.m. WHAT DO THEY NEED TO BRING TO ORIENTATION? Travel lightly; wear comfortable clothing for the day, as it will be active. Bring water and a snack. WILL THEY BE CHECKING OUT TEXTBOOKS AT ORIENTATION? No. Textbook checkout will happen once school is in session. WILL THEY BE GETTING A CAMPUS TOUR? Yes! Link Leaders will be showing their groups around campus. WILL THEY BE RECEIVING THEIR CLASS SCHEDULES? Yes! Link Leaders will be showing students how to access Launchpad & Aeries to access their class schedules via the Aeries Portal.. CAN PARENTS ATTEND ORIENTATION? No. As much as you may want to join in, 9th-grade orientation is for students only!
WHAT IF WE ARE OUT OF TOWN AND MY STUDENT CAN'T ATTEND?Your student will be assigned to a Link Crew Leader and can set up a time to meet up on campus another day before school. They can also attend the new student orientation for 10-12th graders on Wednesday, August 16th, from 9-10am. Please email staff Link Crew coordinator Michael Lopez with any questions. mlopez@travisusd.org We look forward to an excellent orientation day! The Link Crew Coordinators[Monday, Jul 31 at 3:54 PM]
Update: please note the date to complete 9th grade orientation survey is 8/4/23. Thank you.
