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TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 4 5 8 10 11 12 13 14 15
2021-22 SCHOOL SCHEDULES—NEW DATES ADDED READ AND SIGN VES STUDENT & PARENT HANDBOOK CHECK OFF THESE ACTION ITEMS TO BE PREPARED FOR SCHOOL URGENT: COMMUNICATE STUDENT’S VACCINE STATUS TO VES NEW STUDENTS: TAKE THE “INTRO TO VES” COURSE TAKE THE DINING HALL SURVEY FALL SPORTS INFORMATION BOARDING PARENTS: CONNECT TO ORAH ARRIVING TO CAMPUS, REGISTRATION & ORIENTATION BECOME A VES GLOBAL FAMILY FRIEND CONNECT WITH VES
In case you missed it, please refer to the first iteration of the ebook for many other important details. You also can find all the information you need on ves.org/MyGuide.
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2021-22 SCHOOL SCHEDULES SCHOOL-YEAR CALENDAR Review the 2021-22 VES Calendar so that you can plan your year early and in line with important school dates. The calendar includes a detailed list of opening, closing, special events and vacation dates for semesters and holidays. Please take careful note of these key dates as you make your travel plans and reservations; we do not give exams before their scheduled time. ARRIVAL, REGISTRATION & ORIENTATION SCHEDULE August 18 - 28
Pre-Season Football Camp for All Football Players
August 18 Return to Campus for International Students Not Fully Vaccinated and Traveling Alone August 19 Return to Campus for International Students Not Fully Vaccinated and Traveling with a Family Member August 25
Return to Campus for: - New International Students Fully Vaccinated with an FDA Emergency-Approved Vaccine (Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson) - Returning International Students Elected to Student Leadership Positions
August 26 - 27 Student Leader Training New International Student Orientation August 28 All New Student Registration & Orientation Return to Campus for All Other Returning International Students Who Are Fully Vaccinated August 29 New Student Orientation Continues Returning Domestic Student Registration & Orientation August 30
First Day of Classes
See page 13 for links to Registration & Orientation schedules.
ARE YOU READY FOR VES FUN? ARRIVE PREPARED FOR THE OPENING SCHOOL DANCE THEME: “TROPICS LIKE IT’S HOT” Your Counselor Body is working hard to create an amazing evening to kick off the school year. Bringing the VES community together, the annual opening-of-school dinnerdance is always a blast! Pack your favorite “resort casual” outfit for the September 4 event!
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READ VES STUDENT & PARENT HANDBOOK, SIGN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM The VES Student & Parent Handbook for 2021-22 details what to expect and how to successfully engage as a member of the VES community. The handbook reflects the basic guidelines, policies, community standards and expectations for VES students and their parents/ guardians.
Virginia Episcopal School Student & Parent Handbook 2021-22
All of you—students and parents/guardians—need to read the handbook thoroughly, then you will go online to ves.org, login, click on the yellow bar “Checklist” and sign the form, acknowledging that you agree to live into these principles.
The handbook form must be completed before the first day you / your student will arrive on campus.
READ THE VES STUDENT & PARENT HANDBOOK
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COMPLETE YOUR CHECKLIST SUBMITTED ALL YOUR FORMS Log onto ves.org to see if you have completed your forms. If you see a yellow bar that notes Checklist(s) to Review, you still have forms that need to be signed. Please note that some forms require the signatures of both parents. To participate in preseason athletics, move into the dorm and begin attending classes, all forms must be completed and submitted on time. We are strict on this point for the protection of students and the wellbeing of the community. COMPLETE THESE FORMS ☐ Registration Forms (were due by July 15) ☐ Health Forms: Magnus Health (were due by August 1) Only parents have access to Magnus Health. Complete all requirements and receive notications from the school on the Magnus PHR mobile app or on the website. Direct all questions to Magnus Health at 877.461.6831 or click on the “Need Help” button on the website/app. If Magnus Health cannot answer your questions, contact VES Head Nurse Teresa Poe, RN: tpoe@ves.org. Go to page 8 for more information on how to upload your student’s vaccine information. NEW STUDENTS ONLY (were due by July 15) ☐ Afternoon Activity Form ☐ World Language Survey ☐ Roommate Compatability Survey
READ THE STUDENT & PARENT HANDBOOK AND SIGNED THE FORM See details on page 4.
PAID TUITION If you have not yet, use the button “Pay My Bill” on your Resources page to pay your 2021-22 tuition through Smart Tuition.
GOTTEN YOUR LAPTOP CONFIGURED For students to be ready to start school well, our IT team needs to pre-configure computers for new students and returning students who purchased a new laptop over the summer. International student computers will be configured upon arrival on campus. Review Tech Specs and How to Get Your Laptop Configured.
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DOWNLOADED THESE APPS & ACTIVATED YOUR ACCOUNTS STUDENTS ONLY Orah. This app helps you with sign-ins, roll calls, campus leaves, and helps us support your wellbeing. Returning students, please note: if you have already downloaded the Boardingware app, it will update automatically. Safe to Speak Up. Download this app prior to your arrival on campus in August. You will log in during Orientation in your first dorm meeting or day student meeting and will learn about the app, which is important for student safety and crisis communications across our campus. PARENTS ONLY Magnus Health. You will upload your student’s health records, proof of insurance, annual physical exam form, a list of prescription medicines, upto-date immunization and Covid-19 vaccination records via the app or the web portal. For more information on how to upload your student’s vaccine records, go to page 8. Orah. Boarding parents, please see page 10 for new information about setting up your Orah account. Smart Tuition. VES uses Smart Tuition as its platform for tuition payment. With this app, you can make secure online payments for tuition, activities, bookstore purchases, etc., review your payment history and see an itemized breakdown of tuition, fees and discounts billed to your account. Read all the benefits and details about Smart Tuition. You also can use their website.
REVIEWED COURSE ASSIGNMENTS FOR FALL TERM Course assignments for fall term are available on OnCampus. Students Login to www.ves.org. Click Progress (first tab). Your schedule will appear.
Parents Login to www.ves.org. Click your child’s picture/name in top left corner. You will land on his/her Progress tab and view schedule.
We have a new academic schedule for the 2021-22 school year, with an 8:45 a.m. start each day, time for community building with assemblies, chapel and seated lunches, plus time dedicated to collaboration and clubs.
TAKE THE DINING HALL SURVEY Go to page 11.
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STARTED YOUR SUMMER READING, ANY AP SUMMER CLASSWORK AND, FOR SENIORS, YOUR COLLEGE ESSAY SUMMER READING 1. A ll VES students must read “Franny and Zooey” by J.D. Salinger. The book will be the subject of the first unit of all English classes. 2. Each student also must choose one of the six books found here to read over the summer. Discussion groups based on your book choice will take place on the first day of school. REQUIRED COLLEGE COUNSELING ASSIGNMENT FOR RISING SENIORS All seniors must have a completed rough draft of an essay addressing one of the Common App essay prompts. You must share your essay with your senior English teacher and college counselor on the first day of classes. To prepare your rough draft, please read this assignment sheet. AP CLASSES: SUMMER REQUIREMENTS Courses with summer assignments are listed on ves.org/MyGuide. Please review this information carefully and plan ahead to meet deadlines.
REVIEWED THE DRESS CODE AND KNOW WHAT TO PACK Please review the universal expectations that apply to all VES students. Please see these descriptions to help guide your wardrobe decisions.
PLANNED FOR SCHOOL SUPPLIES, CHOSEN A CELL PHONE PROVIDER, AND REGISTERED YOUR VEHICLE Please review the list of materials and tools for the school day, have your cell phone squared away, and make sure your vehicle is registed on campus (day students and senior boarding students only). The details for these items can be found here.
NEW STUDENTS: COMPLETE THE ITEMS BELOW WHAT TO BRING: Check out our helpful guide. SET UP YOUR VES EMAIL: View how to set up your email. COMPLETE THE INTRO TO VES COURSE: Go to page 10 for this information.
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URGENT: COMMUNICATE STUDENT’S VACCINATION STATUS TO VES BY AUGUST 13 For VES to be able to return to normal and provide our students a safe, fun and highly engaging year at school, we must know your student’s vaccination status. Thank you to parents who responded swiftly, completing this important step to register for this school year. If you have not yet uploaded that information in the Magnus Health portal, it is imperative that you do so by August 13. Please review the following to answer questions you may have. Whether you have already uploaded the vaccincation card or as soon as you do upload the card, please email the status of your student’s vaccination to Nurse Poe at tpoe@ves.org.
Q&A My student is fully vaccinated, but I haven’t uploaded the card. What do I need to do? Vaccinated students may come to school under normal guidelines. If you have not uploaded the official Covid-19 Vaccination Record Card into the Magnus Health portal, you need to do so right away. What if my student has only one of the two shots? Please upload the image of the front and back of the partially completed card. How do I upload my student’s Covid Vaccination Record Card to Magnus Health? Follow these steps: 1. Take a photo of the front and back of the Covid Vaccination Record Card and create a pdf, jpg/jpeg or png. 2. Go to www.ves.org. 3. Login at the top right corner of the webpage. 4. On the Resource Board, click on the Magnus Health button.
5. Click the button to the right of your student’s name to enter the Health Tracker. 6. Open the Certificate of Immunization requirement, click on Edit, then follow the prompts until you complete the upload.
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I am unsure if I uploaded my student’s Covid Vaccination Record Card. How can I check? 1. Go through steps 2 - 5 above. 2. On the Certificate of Immunization Requirement line, click on “More Details” at the far right. 3. Under “More Details,” you will see the immunization status. Look at the bottom right. If you see “Incomplete” as in the example below, you need to upload.
What if I don’t complete this step in the registration process by the deadline? If you do not complete this step, we must assume your student is not vaccinated and require different guidelines for their entry to campus. What if we choose to not be vaccinated? Please let the nurses know by email at tpoe@ves.org. If you do not contact the nurses, you will not be able to return to campus. Information for unvaccinated students return to campus will be sent out in the coming days.
CREATE YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY KIT While the majority of our campus will be vaccinated by the fall, we remain committed to risk protocols that keep our VES community healthy. Please create and bring your own personal health and safety kit with the following items: • 2 large canisters of disinfecting wipes • 2 large bottles of hand sanitizer (60% alcohol content) • Washable face masks that fully cover the nose and mouth
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NEW STUDENTS: COMPLETE THE “INTRO TO VES” ONLINE COURSE Before arriving in the fall, all new students must complete the online Intro to VES curriculum, a series of mini-courses designed to help you successfully navigate your VES experience—in the classroom, on dorm, in student life, socially and personally. You can complete the modules all at once or work on them at your own pace before you arrive at school. You will learn about topics such as: How to Use OnCampus, our online learning system to manage your courses and activities, daily schedule, class assignments, grades and progress throughout the year. Building Strong Study Habits Goal-Setting Skills Communicating Effectively with Faculty
GET STARTED NOW
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TAKE THE DINING HALL SURVEY Our partner in food services—the team at Meriwether Godsey—provides exceptional food and service to our VES community. Menus are creative, nutritious, fresh and full of variety, offering something for everyone. The operation at VES is led by Mrs. Mary Margaret Little, and this year, we are thrilled to welcome Executive Chef Trey Ward to the team. VES and Meriwether’s decades-long partnership means that dining staff and students make meaningful connections over the course of their time at school. Each year, Meriwether Godsey invites students to share their likes, dislikes, preferences and any allergies or sensitivities so they can customize our dining experience. Please complete this very brief survey now.
FALL SPORTS PRE-SEASON FOOTBALL CAMP | AUGUST 18 - 28 All football players need to arrive after 3 p.m. on August 18 to check in for practice. Players will stay together as a team on dorm. Boarders will move into their permanent rooms when camp concludes. Please contact Coach Matt Porter with questions. FALL SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS This month, you should receive an email from the coach of your selected fall activity to introduce themselves, communicate equipment needs and share any essential details.
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BOARDING PARENTS: SET UP ORAH ACCOUNT Orah (previously Boardingware) is an online platform that allows VES to track the status of each student—in class or study hall, on dorm, in campus activities, and when off-site or on leave. This helps us ensure their safety at all times and connect with them as needed. Parents play an important role in this process. When you approve leaves for your student or when you agree to accept a student into your home as a host, you do that via Orah.
1. B oarding parents must create an account connected to your student. New families will receive an email from Orah—prior to the first weekend students are allowed to leave campus—that invites you to “Connect To My Child.” Click on this button.
3. F inally, review the summary of your data security and click Create Account. Your account creation is now complete.
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2. T he Create Account option prompts you to fill out a sign-up form. Ensure all your information is correct, agree to the terms and conditions, then click Next. Note: If you are having trouble adding your mobile number, try to add a + icon and your country code in front of your mobile number. For example: +64 0211111111111
ARRIVING TO CAMPUS, MOVE-IN & ORIENTATION We cannot wait to greet you on campus soon! TRAVEL TO VES & ACCOMMODATIONS We look forward to seeing you! Click here for driving instructions, options for hotel accommodations and other helpful information to plan your stay. MOVE-IN, REGISTRATION & ORIENTATION International Students Review the guide for International Familes: Travel, Vaccination and Opening of School. New Domestic Students & Parents You will arrive on campus Saturday, August 28. It is extremely important for new students’ families to participate in New Student Orientation. If you are unable to attend for any reason, please communicate what your on-campus arrival plan will be as soon as possible with Associate Head of School Chris Button: cbutton@ves.org. Click here to review the agenda for Registration & Orientation. Returning Domestic Students If not already on campus because of other commitments, boarders will return and move in on Sunday, August 29. Details for boarders and day students will follow by email in August. Click here to review the agenda for your Registration & Orientation.
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BECOME A VES GLOBAL FAMILY FRIEND VES is proud to welcome our international students to campus this fall. This year we will have 57 international students from Austria, the Bahamas, China, Mexico, Germany, Japan, Kenya, Rwanda, South Korea, Turkey and Vietnam. If you are interested in getting to know more about our VES students from other countries and their cultures, we invite you to become a Global Family Friend (GFF)! Who can be a GFF? Any domestic family that lives locally or within an reasonable drive to campus. What does this involve? We will match a new international student with your student and family. We ask for a oneyear commitment during which the family makes an intentional effort to get to know their international student well. Activities families and these new students enjoy and that help students get acclimated to life in the US include family visits to campus on a weekend, taking the student out for a meal or activity on occasion, exploring interesting sites around the region, celebrating their birthday or inviting them to your home. Does this include hosting the student at our home over breaks? While this is not a VES expectation, some families do establish close ties with their international student that often lead to hosting them over breaks. Who do I contact to become a GFF? Contact Elizabeth Walsh, the VES Parent Council GFF committee head, at elizwalsh@me.com or Esther Johnson, international student coordinator, at ejohnson@ves.org if you are interested in becoming a GFF!
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CONNECT WITH US VES Main Phone 434.385.3600 | Street Address 400 VES Road, Lynchburg, VA 24503
STAY CURRENT WITH ALL THAT IS HAPPENING AT VES Website: www.ves.org Weekly Email. Read Your VES Weekly News—our official school newsletter sent to you by email each Wednesday—which shares a recap of news highlights as well fun events and opportunities to be engaged at school. Social Media: Like/Follow us on social media. facebook.com/vesbishops instagram.com/ves_bishops youtube.com/bishoptv twitter.com/ves_bishops VES Photo Gallery
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