Victory Middle School

CONGRATULATIONS to MR. BRENDAN GRZANIC to leading our 8th GRADE SYMPHONIC BAND TO THIS AMAZING HONOR.... 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/62658) or directly through our school bookkeeper. Thanks in advance for your donations!

District Art Show It is time for the annual District Art Show artwork projects to begin. The District Art Show is scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 20, 2023. Any VMS student is eligible and if they want to compete they will need to submit their artwork and signed paperwork to Mrs. King by Friday, March 3rd. Requirements, rules and documents necessary for submission are available for parents to access through our district website. Please see Mrs. King in the Art Room if you have questions. We look forward to another amazing year of artwork from our students!

8th Grade Boys Basketball Come on out this Wednesday, January 18th to cheer on our boys basketball teams when they take on Lake Hazel at home. The excitement in the gym and locker rooms are at an all time high as the boys are fired up to compete. Go Kodiaks!

ELI LYONS is our STUDENT OF THE WEEK! He was nominated by Ms. Livesey. Here is what she had to say... “Over the past few weeks, Eli has been showing so much responsibility and respect! He is mindful about completing work, he is dedicating to improving his skills, and he is participating positively in class discussions. He should be super proud of his hard work! Eli has been really working hard over the past several weeks and is coming to class with a positive mindset. As a result, he is excelling in many areas and showing growth overall. Keep up the great work, Eli! Thank you for all of your hard work!”

Defend the Den is ONLY three 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

Our STAFF MEMBER OF THE WEEK is Wendy Tucker! Wendy has done a great job this semester supporting VMS in many ways! Best of luck to Wendy as she moves to Owyhee High School for semester two!

March 2nd is VMS's next Blood Drive from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Please click this link to sign up: https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=VICTORYMIDDLE

While you're enjoying your long weekend, Students, don't forget to consider filling out your Panda Order form for a $7 awesome Panda Express lunch to be brought to you January 26th. JANUARY 18th is the deadline to get your Panda Order form in! Jan. 18th is also next Wednesday the first day of 2nd Semester AND only two days away from our DEFEND THE DEN Student vs Staff special event. Go to our PTSO webpage to learn more. Click here for your Panda Order form: https://mcusercontent.com/5c0ae230a5c9ee08ca868279d/files/c8fd9351-6d48-57d7-8479-1b160090bc96/panda_order_form_January_2023.docx.pdf

Congratulations to our STAFF MEMBER OF THE MONTH: JJ Riley, our VMS Athletics Director! Ever since the beginning of this school year, Mr. Riley has been working extra time to make sure our VMS Athletics program and his physical fitness classes run smoothly. He has taken every challenge with a smile and great enthusiasm. Thanks for adding your effective management skills to the positive culture of our school! We appreciate you.

Want to purchase DEFEND THE DEN tickets online? Use this QR CODE to buy tickets for you and your family. $2 gets you into the door to tons of fun! Or, use this link: https://store11508454.ecwid.com/DEFEND-THE-DEN-TICKET-SALES-January-20-event-c63664516

IMPORTANT DATES FOR JANUARY! Jan. 10 - Semester Finals: Music, PE and Health Jan. 11 - Semester Finals: Math & Social Studies Jan. 12 - Semester Finals: ELA & Science Jan. 13 _ Semester Finals: Electives - End of Quarter 2 / End of Semester 1 Jan. 16 - No School: Martin Luther King Jr. Day/Human Rights Day Jan. 17 - No School: All Grades

Congratulations to our MTSS Team who are this week's STAFF MEMBERS OF THE WEEK! Thank you, Jennifer Shalz, Rachel Vachon, Shawna Manhire, Lisa Currin, Kersten Thomas, Matt Moxham, Jennifer Johnson, Leslie Yingling, Trevor Morris, Erin Fuss, Wendy Tucker and Chris Cottle, for all you do in regard to our Multi-tiered System of Supports. Every week they use data in regard to academics and behaviors to determine appropriate interventions for students.

Congratulations to our STUDENT OF THE WEEK, Rylan Ray! Rylan was nominated for student of the week by Ms. Clarke. Here is what Ms. Clarke said about Rylan Ray. "Rylan is an excellent student that strives to always be the best version of himself. He helps others to understand what we are learning in class and shows patience when working with others."

Enjoy this VMS Student Council made "Defend the Den" Promo: https://youtu.be/9sBJaUmF0oU

TONIGHT our AMAZING VMS PTSO is meeting in the library at 7 p.m.! All parents, teachers and students are welcome to join this meeting to collaborate on ways to continue to support our school. THANK YOU in advance to helping our school be the best middle school in West Ada! ALSO, feel free to purchase "Defend the Den" tickets for $2 during any of the lunches this Monday through Wednesday! Tickets are also online via PTSO webstore. Thank you for your support!

TONIGHT is the last chance to catch "PERSEPHONE" this school year. Last night this FREE drama play production left audiences in awe of VMS drama students and their amazing drama teacher, Beth Summers! Come support them at 7:30 p.m. in the VMS cafeteria!

PERSEPHONE DRAMA PLAY THIS WEEK! The time has finally come for our theatre classes to perform their play "Persephone" this week! In case you missed the announcements, it will be this Thursday and Friday at 7:30PM in the VMS cafeteria and is free of charge. Come support your favorite "dramatic" kodiaks!

Happy New Year, Kodiaks! Get ready for exciting school days to come this year! First off, Boys Basketball tryouts Weds-Friday of this week! Our Late Work Deadline this Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, marks the end of this quarter for regular work, leading us into Finals Week Schedule: 01/10, Music, PE, and Health FINALS 01/11, Math and Social Studies FINALS 01/12, ELA & Science FINALS 01/13, Electives FINALS 01/16, NO SCHOOL, MLK Day 01/17, NO SCHOOL, Teacher Prep Day 01/18, First day of semester 2/Quarter 3 Yet, the real excitement comes with looking forward to DEFEND THE DEN January 20th! Get your tickets via VMS PTSO online!

Thank you for supporting our annual NJHS Toys for Tots drive! Elyse Thorpe and her NJHS team were busy all of the last two weeks picking up items to deliver to children in need.

Ugly Sweaters, Everywhere! Last Friday we had a ton going on at VMS with our pep assembly and dance. Just when you swung your head the other way, you'd see another ugly sweater. School spirit at its "ugliest" is still super cute at VMS!