Victory Middle School

Valentine Grams!!! Students can purchase grams for $1.00(lollipop with custom VMS pencil) at lunch 2/6, 2/7, 2/9 to be delivered at lunch on Valentine's Day! You can also purchase them online through the PTSO's webstore. Click here for their page: https://victoryptsostore.ecwid.com/Valentine%E2%80%99s-Day-Grams-p503590980

8th Grade Boys Basketball This past week our basketball teams traveled to Lewis & Clark to take on the Explorers. The A-Team came out with a hard-fought victory and the B-Team lost a heart breaker at the buzzard. Our C-Teams competed well also, going 1-1 on the evening. It was a great test for our boys going on the road and having to compete hard to the final buzzard as all games were closely contested. Our boys will be in action next Monday, January 30th at home when we take on Heritage. Go Kodiaks! Raffle Get your raffle tickets for a great chance to win some amazing prizes and to help all our extracurricular activities and teams. Thank you for supporting the Kodiaks!

Next PTSO meeting is February 13th @ 7pm in the VMS Library Panda Express is now $7.00 - Order form and $ are due the Wednesday before the Lunch date. (This is to allow enough time to process each order.) The next Panda Lunch will be on Thursday, February 23rd!

February 2nd's Symphonic Band performance is coming up fast! Please donate to their trip to Pocatello if you can. THANK YOU!

"We had the CTE Presentations for 8th graders in the library yesterday and pulled students from their science classes each period. Oftentimes, when you combine two classes of the same grade for a presentation, things get a little chaotic and unruly, but Bailey set the expectations of the students from the beginning in her firm but fun way and it set the tone for the entire day. Lisa Currin and I both marveled at how well the presentations went as compared to years past- and that's truly saying something considering this year's 8th grade class! THANK YOU, Bailey, for being the amazing teacher (and person) that you are EVERY DAY- you are so appreciated!!"

Congratulations! Brinley Lathrop was nominated by Mrs. Callaway for student of the week! Here is what she had to say about Brinley - “Brinley has shown such a growth in confidence by often volunteering her ideas and answers in English class. Her ideas and comments extend our class discussion to a higher level, and she brings up perspectives that help all of us. She is the epitome of following the Kodiak Way. She's always respectful, responsible, safe, and kind. We're lucky to have her here at VMS!”

Our three VMS Future City teams took home four special awards from Saturday's Future City competition! It was a huge validation of all the hard work and long hours these kiddos put into learning about city infrastructure and climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies and into creating their models, essays, and presentations! Congratulations to the students, parent helpers, and their amazing advisor, Elyse Thorpe! Halloway: Best Futuristic City Award, Multidisciplinary Solutions Award Taupo Kikorangi: Best Electrical Power Delivery System Award Beaver Leaf: Most Innovative Water Treatment Award

EXCITING COURSE SELECTION BEGINS! The course selection process for the 2023-2024 school year begins next week. During advisory classes on Monday, January 30, current 6th and 7th grade students will access the Victory Middle School website to locate online videos highlighting elective options for the next school year. The students will also go through a quick PowerPoint with information for completing course selection forms. Course selection forms will be distributed to students on Monday or Tuesday as time allows through the advisory classes. Completed course selection forms will be returned to the students’ English class on Monday, February 6. Students will use the forms to select 7th or 8th courses online. Parents, please review your students’ choices and sign your students’ course selection forms. Course selection for students absent on February 6 will be entered by counseling office staff based on the student's completed course selection form. Current 8th grade students will receive their high school course selection forms in mid-February. Online course selection will take place at Victory Middle School at the end of February. Current 5th grade students will receive their course selection form at the elementary school at the end of February.

TWO FRIENDLY REMINDERS: 1) Sign up for our VMS Blood Drive coming up March 2nd from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.Link Directly to Your Scheduled Blood Drive: https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=VICTORYMIDDLE 2) From West Ada District Office: This is a friendly reminder that School of Choice applications are due Tuesday, January 31, 2023 and must be submitted electronically (see below) no later than 4:00pm. For general information about School of Choice, please visit https://www.westada.org/page/enrollment-schools-of-choice. You may access the 23-24 SOC and Renaissance application links on that page, but here they are for easy access: General SOC application: https://survey.k12insight.com/survey1.aspx?k=RQsVYRRsQXXUsPsPsP&lang=0 Renaissance High School application: https://survey.k12insight.com/survey1.aspx?k=RQsVYRRsQXXWsPsPsP&lang=0 For more information about Idaho Fine Arts Academy and their audition process, please visit the following link: https://www.westada.org/o/ifaa/page/arts-audition-info After learning about IFAA’s audition process, you may submit an application here: https://survey.k12insight.com/survey1.aspx?k=RQsVYRRsQXQUsPsPsP&lang=0 Please visit the following link to access the out-of-district transfer application: https://survey.k12insight.com/survey1.aspx?k=RQsVYRRsQYPQsPsPsP&lang=0 For specific inquiries, please contact your desired School of Choice.

Good afternoon, VMS Community! I would like to invite you all to our 8th grade band's All-State preview concert tonight at 7:00 PM in the VMS main gym. It will be a relatively brief concert as only 8th grade is performing and should be finished around 7:20-7:30 PM. The concert will allow our students a chance to perform for our local friends and families, since not everyone will be able to attend the performance next Thursday in Pocatello. The students are excited to show off what they have been learning and are beginning to recognize the honor and distinction of the event. The last time a middle school band from our district was selected to perform at All-State was in the mid-90's. Our students will represent our school and community well, thank you for all of the support throughout the process. Brendan Grzanic

Remember this Thursday is Panda Lunch deliveries! Also remember to send cash with your student if they would like to purchase donuts this Friday for the "Donut Days" fundraiser! Donuts are $1

Our 8th Grade Symphonic Band has been selected to perform at the 2023 Idaho Music Educators Association All-State Conference. VMS is sending the only middle school band out of the entire state to perform at this event, and we will be the first middle school band from West Ada to be chosen to participate since before the year 2000. As part of the selection process, we submitted recordings of the band performing last spring and this fall to be judged by a diverse panel of music experts from across the state. Submissions were anonymous, and the six groups that were selected to perform at the conference were selected purely on the quality of the content they submitted. Our students will be representing our school and our school district when they travel and perform at the conference this February in Pocatello. The performance is open to the public; our students are scheduled to perform at 1:30 PM on Thursday, February 2nd, in the Goranson Hall on ISU’s campus. This is a tremendous honor and one that may only happen once or twice in a school's existence. If you would like to support our band, please consider donating either through this link (https://form.jotform.com/62658466939172) or directly through our school bookkeeper. Thanks in advance for your donations!

Victory PTSO Online Silent Auction Victory PTSO is auctioning off 4 tickets for reserved seating at Step Afrika! at the Morrison Center February 21, 2023 valued at $192. The online silent auction will be open until Friday, February 3 at 5:00pm. The highest bid wins! Bidding starts at $40.00. Those who indicate they would like to raise their bid will be contacted via text message prior to the bid closing for an opportunity to raise their bid. The winning bid will be contacted via text message or phone call by 9:00pm Friday, February 3. Please fill out this form if interested: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCyNXmS6eJ73BErPQyZIEteeB2AHE_asuhnLB-Tct8tixRbg/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0

8th Grade Boys Basketball Congratulations to all our boys’ basketball teams for a great showing vs. Lake Hazel on Wednesday evening. Our A team won with a score of 57-38 and our B team won with a score of 33-20. To top off the evening both of our C-Teams also walked away with victories. It was a great night for Kodiak Boys’ Basketball. The boys will be back in action on Wednesday, January 25th when they travel to Lewis & Clark. We are looking forward to a great season. Go Kodiaks! Team Photos (Basketball/Cheer) Our boys’ basketball teams and cheer squad will be taking their team photos after school on Monday, January 23rd. Raffle Get your raffle tickets for a great chance to win some amazing prizes and to help all our extracurricular activities and teams. Thank you for supporting the Kodiaks! Go Kodiaks! JJ Riley, Athletic Director/PE

Kobe Fields is our STAFF MEMBER OF THE WEEK! Kobe Fields is a WELCOME addition to our school as a tech. He is personable and easy to talk to. He always responds promptly to any need or question I have and I REALLY appreciate it!

Zander Siddiqui is our STUDENT OF THE WEEK! Zander was nominated by Ms. Killpack, here is what she had to say: “Zander Siddiqui was a positive asset to the front office during the last semester. What impressed me most was his exceptional manners and ability to communicate with adults and other students. His upbeat attitude was much appreciated. He would intentionally hold the door open for others. His mother should be proud!”

A big “Thank You!” to our local golf pro, Pete Burton, for bringing golf to some PE classes here at Victory! Mr. Burton is located at Lakeview Golf Course in Meridian. There are great opportunities for our students there! Check with your PE teacher, Mrs. Stoor, if you're interested in learning more about student programs for learning golf.

Thank you to EVERYONE, especially our PTSO, for making DEFEND THE DEN Staff vs Students Basketball game last Friday such a successful FUN event!!! The profits are being still counted but are well over $4000 and go back to our school. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL!

Defend the Den is tonight!!! We can't wait to see you! Click on the link below to get your tickets online until 4pm. Doors open at 5:30 and tickets may be purchased at the door. Please bring a screenshot of your ticket receipt if purchased online or a blue ticket stub. Game starts @ 6pm! Come for the food trucks, silent auction, music and crazy basketball game between staff vs students! https://store11508454.ecwid.com/ We still need help with this event! Please click the link to sign up. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090C48A5AF28A4F85-defend

Defend the Den is ONLY two days away! Click on the link below to get your tickets for this fun family event January 20th! Doors open at 5:30. Game @ 6! Come for the food trucks, silent auction, music and crazy basketball game between staff vs students! Save a picture of your online receipt for entrance into the event, or buy tickets at lunch this Thurs 1/19 and Fri 1/20! https://store11508454.ecwid.com/ Click on this link below to please sign up to help us at this event. PTSO needs parent support to help make this school event a success! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090C48A5AF28A4F85-defend