Mission: Positively impact and advance each student every day.
Vision: Foster one's greatest potential.
January is School Board Appreciation Month
The Week-At-A-Glance
Monday, January 19
Martin L.King, Jr. Day
Student and Staff Holiday
Girls Athletics Open Gym @ 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Tuesday, January 20 (8 Period Day)
Staff may wear the dry fit black shirt with jeans every Tuesday!
Cheer Practice @ 7 am. - 7:45 a.m. (Café)
Rising 7th Grade Course Selections via 6th Grade Science
Emergency Management Training @ 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. (Smith Out)
Secure Drill @ 10:45 a.m.
Viking Time @ 1:31 p.m. - 2:13 p.m. (ILA Priority)
Sign Up for VT @ 1st Period
Theatre Art One Act Play Rehearsal @ 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. (Café)
Wednesday, January 21 (Block Day 1,3,5,7)
Spring Jingle Jeans - Free dress for staff with sticker!
Social Studies Cadre Cohort I Celebration @ 8 a.m. - 11:30 (TW)
Virtual Leaders' Meeting @ 9:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. (Taylor)
Viking Time @ 1:31 p.m. - 2:13 p.m. (Science Priority)
7 BBB Cobb MS vs. VMS @ VMS
5:30 p.m./6:30 p.m./7:30 p.m.
8 GBB VMS vs. Cobb MS @ CMS
5:30 p.m./6:30 p.m./7:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 22 (Block Day 2,4,6,8)
PTA Inclusion Shirt w/ Jeans
Secondary AP Meeting @ 8 a.m. -11 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Admin)
Viking Time @ 1:31 p.m. - 2:13 p.m. (Math Priority)
SpEd IC District Meeting @ 12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. (TW)
7 GBB VMS vs. Cobb MS @ CMS
5:30 p.m./6:30 p.m./7:30 p.m.
8 BBB Cobb MS vs. VMS @ VMS
5:30 p.m./6:30 p.m./7:30 p.m.
Friday, January 23 (8 Period Day)
Wear Liberty HS or VMS spirit wear w/ jeans!
IC Meeting @ 8:25 a.m. - 9:05 a.m. (E112)
CISF STAAR Training @ 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (CNC)
Administrative Meeting @ 9:15 a.m. - 11 a.m. (D101)
Athletic Coordinator Luncheon @ 11 a.m. (HoH)
Viking Time @ 1:31 p.m. - 2:13 p.m. (Social Studies Priority)
Band Winter Social Movie Night @ 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. (FNA)
Orchestra Instrument Selection @ 4:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. (Café)
Saturday, January 24
All City Choir Clinic and Concert
See Ms. Cotten for Details
Please complete the Staffing Survey by Friday, Jan. 30th.
January
26-30 Holocaust Remembrance Week
26 Access Frisco Transfer Window Opens
26 Cheer Practice
26 Teaming (2,3,5,7; MTSS 1,8)
26 Q3 IPR Assignment Cutoff
26 Map Testing Window Closes
27 Cheer Practice
27 Emergency Management Training
27 Middle School Master Schedule Kickoff
27 Beginner Band Concert
27 Theatre Art UIL Clinic @ LHS
28 Q3 Grades Due
28 GT Testing
28 BLT Meeting
28 7BBB VMS @ Fowler MS
28 8GBB Fowler MS vs. VMS (LHS)
29 GT Testing
29 SpEd District Support Meeting
29 Managing Director Campus Visit
29 TA OAP Rehearsal
29 7GBB Fowler MS @ VMS
29 8BBB VMS @ Fowler MS
30 IC Meeting
30 Administrative Meeting
30 Evacuation Drill @ 2:30 p.m.
30 Q3 IPR Posted in HAC
30 Staffing Survey Due
STAAR Field Test Administration
Who: 6th & 8th Grade Students
What: STAAR Stand-Alone Reading Field Test
Where: Vandeventer Middle School
When: February 3, 2026
Why: As required by House Bill 3906, 86th Texas Legislature, 2019, STAAR underwent a redesign to better align the assessments with classroom instruction. The redesign was implemented in the 2022–2023 school year and included the addition of writing to reading assessments and more non-multiple-choice questions such as open-ended or constructed-response items. Although the TEA has made a concerted effort to minimize the amount of instructional time used for state testing purposes, particularly stand-alone field testing, a Stand-Alone Field Test is necessary to properly integrate these new components into future state assessments. TEA has selected Vandeventer Middle School to participate.
Boys Athletics (Cross Country/Track)
Cross Country - Coach Sims
Track - Coach Howe | Coach Henderson | Coach Swanberg |Coach Williams
Boys Athletics (Basketball)
7th Grade A Team - Coach Henderson
7th Grade B/C Teams - Coach Henderson | Coach Howe
8th Grade A Team - Coach Williams
8th Grade B/C Team - Coach Williams | Coach Swanberg
Boys Athletics (Soccer)
7th Grade - Coach Swanberg | Coach Henderson
8th Grade - Coach Swanberg | Coach Henderson
Girls Athletics (Cross Country/Track)
Cross Country - Coach Gribble
Track - Coach Park | Coach Near | Coach Oberst | Coach Garcia
Girls Athletics (Basketball)
7th Grade A Team - Coach Near
7th Grade B/C Teams - Coach Gribble
8th Grade A Team - Coach Park
8th Grade B/C Team - Coach Oberst
Girls Athletics (Soccer)
7th Grade - Coach Garcia
8th Grade - Coach Near
8th Grade Athletics Teacher Appreciation Night
7th Grade Athletics Teacher Appreciation Night
THE FRISCO WAY
A character-building lesson designed to grow our athletes into leaders.
Motto: CHAMPS LEAD THE WAY
With respect for others, control of self, and the spirit of competition
Building character. Growing leaders. That’s the goal.
Our Focus:
Set clear expectations rooted in The Texas Way
Create consistency across all FISD campuses
Use a standardized form to simplify documentation
This week's focus for our athletes is grit: courage and resolve; strength of character. effective and efficient.
Our inspirational quote for the week: "There are no shortcuts to any place worth going."
Earl Nightingale
As part of our Campus Improvement Team and Professional Learning Committee efforts, each week we will shine a spotlight on the amazing instructional work happening across our campus. We will highlight the engaging learning experiences our teachers create and celebrate the accomplishments of our students and staff.
To ensure every content area has an opportunity to be showcased, each month will focus on a different department:
January – Math
February – ILA
March – Social Studies
April – Electives & Fine Arts
We look forward to sharing the incredible teaching and learning taking place at Vandeventer each and every day!
Our 8th grade students recently completed an engaging unit focused on the real-world costs of attending college and the steps they can begin taking now to prepare for their future. During this unit, students researched a variety of postsecondary options—including universities, trade schools, and community colleges—to better understand each pathway and the estimated cost of attending for one year.
After completing their research, students explored different ways to pay for that first year of education, including savings, scholarships, and loans. They then analyzed the financial impact of taking out a loan and wrote thoughtful explanations to their parents, defending whether taking out a loan would be a wise or unwise financial decision. This activity encouraged students to think critically about long-term financial responsibility and real-world decision-making.
In a more recent unit on Scatterplots and Data, students applied their learning to real-life scenarios to see how data analysis is used beyond the classroom. Students developed their own questions to investigate potential relationships, collected data by interviewing classmates, and created scatter plots to represent their findings. They then analyzed the scatter plots to determine trends and relationships within the data.
Next week, students will continue building their data analysis skills by incorporating Mean Absolute Deviation and further analyzing their data. This work helps students strengthen their understanding of statistics while connecting math concepts to practical, real-world applications.
Congratulations to the House of Honor!
4th Place - House of Strength 2040 pts.
5th Place - House of Bravery 2005 Pts.
6th Place - House of Imagination 1995 Pts.
7th Place - House of Adventure 1875 Pts.
8th Place - House of Generosity 1700 Pts.
January
1-4 Barb Gardner
1-13 Holly Cotten
1-27 Ping Trinh
Diana Park
December Teacher of the Month
December Staff Member of the Month
Emily Shelton
Staff Shout Outs (Administration)
This shout-out goes to Nancy, Emily, Kristy, Dennis, Lauren, Brad, Marla, Laura, Kelly, Stephanie, Amna, and all the teachers who came to the office/cafe to assist in the release of students during Monday’s unprecedented and unfortunate event: "All the staff did an amazing job following campus guidance and keeping kids safe and calm during the lengthy situation. Vikings ROCK!" Stephanie Taylor
This shout-out goes to Senora Matamoros: " Thank you for assisting the Spanish substitute. We appreciate you designing lessons and partnering with the sub to ensure students are successful." Marla Smith
This shout-out goes to Nancy and Emily: "Thank you for handling the front door during the reunification process on Monday." Dennis Thorpe
This shout-out goes to Paul Schmaus: "Thank you for your assertiveness in carpool. You help us to get students to their vehicles quickly and safely!" Lauren Wagner
This shout-out goes to Coach Sims: "Thank you for always stepping in to support students—both in Athletics and throughout the building. Your patience, flexibility, and willingness to help has made a real difference. It’s truly appreciated!" Brad Helenberger
Staff Shout Outs (Staff)
This shout-out goes to Padma Iyer: "Thank you for handling the day when I had to be out for the High school schedules." Piyal Bhadra
This shout-out goes to Holly Franks: "Thank you for the support when I had to be out." Piyal Bhadra
This shout-out goes to Ping Trinh: "Thanks for the listening ear & being such a great colleague & UIL Team Leader!" Leanne Rainey
This shout-out goes to Holly Cotten, Laura Llamas-Crouch, Lindsey Muse: "Thanks for being great hall mates & colleagues as all the info was coming our way this week!" Leanne Rainey
This shout-out goes to Johnathan Roane: "He is easy to work with, has a good sense of humor, and is knowledgeable in the subject." Paul Schmaus
This shout-out goes to the campus administration: "Shout out to our admin team (and Nancy, Kristy, Kelly, Heidi, Stephanie Crider, Laura, etc.) for handling the craziness of Monday like absolute pros!!! I feel very lucky to work at a school that prioritizes teamwork, communication, and safety." Taylor Colvin
This shout-out goes to Coach Near, Coach Oberst, Coach Gribble and Coach Garcia: "Thank you isn't enough, but thank you for ALL that you do. The late nights, early mornings, open gyms, laundry, inventory, gym set up and tear down, locker room cleaning , plans , workouts , scores, schedules - the list goes on and on. Mostly, thank you for putting up with me . You guys are the reason for our program success." Coach Park
This shout-out goes to Coach Park: "Thank you for finding my sweatshirt that was apparently hiding in plain sight. Turns out the problem wasn’t the sweatshirt—it was me." Coach Gribble
This shout-out goes to Jamie Buzan: "I will reiterate that Jamie Buzan is the best partner that ANYONE could have. Thank you for helping organize my students while I was out this week. I could not ask for anyone better to work with and trust my classroom with!!" Kristen Roberts
This shout-out goes to Emily Seidl: "My thought partner and fearless ILA leader. Thank you for supporting me in all the things, answering all of my questions (or helping me find answers), and crowd controlling Rising 6th grade night!" Kristen Roberts
This shout-out goes to the campus administration: "Every week is a crazy week in the world of Admin, but this week included it all as well as Rising 6th grade night. You all handle yourselves with composure and common sense. Our fearless leader, Mrs. Taylor, deserves all the credit in the world for how this campus handles everything from the fun to the extreme." Kristen Roberts
This shout-out goes to everyone involved in the student pick up endeavor on Monday: "I was impressed with the calm and positive way admin, and everyone else pulled to help with all-day pick up, was carrying themselves. By the time I got to the front to help in 6th period, you'd been at it for hours. You all made VMS look good on a trying day. Way to hang in there and pull as a team!" Jill Leal
This shout-out goes to Jessica Ranspot: "Thanks for switching duties with me this week! :)" Kayla Madler
This shout-out goes to Barb Gardner and Wendy Tamney : "Thank you Math Ladies for being flexible and helping out with the 8th Grade Field Trip information and parent communication!" Kayla Madler
This shout-out goes to Emily Seidl: "Thank you for the great video to set up the Winter MAP test! It was very helpful to the math department!" Julie Enderle
This shout-out goes to Officer Harris, Administrators, Counselors, Office Staff, Nurse, and all Staff: "Thank you for handling our campus professionally and smoothly when we were placed in Secure this week. I'm appreciative to be at a campus where our students and staff were kept calm and safe during such a stressful situation." Jamie Buzan
This shout-out goes to Zach Howe; Umama Suriya; Jonathan Roane; Paul Schmaus; Kristy Garcia; Stephanie Crider; Lauren Wagner; Dennis Thorpe; Stephanie Taylor and EVERYONE: "These were just some of the people I saw. I know a lot more were involved. Everyone's proficiency and professionalism made the process of picking up and escorting students run smoothly!!!" Julie Enderle
This shout-out goes to Ping Trinh: "Thank you for helping get set up for my sub. Your support made this easier and faster!!!" Julie Enderle
This shout-out goes to Emily Shelton: "Thank you so much for all your hard work and extra time and effort!!! Especially on Monday, with answering the front door with me!! Thank you for all your encouragement and kindness!! Thank you for helping so many people every day!! You keep our school running smoothly!" Nancy Pontius
This shout-out goes to Kelly Bailey and Laura Llamas-Crouch: "Thank you so much on Monday helping me in the front office to locate all the 600 students who were checking out!! And for being so positive and cheerful! I really appreciate your help!" Nancy Pontius
This shout-out goes to Kristy Garcia: "Thank you Kristy for all the problems you solve every day! Thank you for all your hard work on Monday helping as we dismissed 600 students!...getting all the dismissal cards and pens to the parents was such a big help!! And thank you for humming and flying like a beautiful butterfly every time you stop by the front office!" Nancy Pontius
This shout-out goes to campus administrative team: "THANK YOU for all the problems you solve and the burdens you carry EVERY SINGLE DAY for all of us!!! Thank you for how hard you work to protect us and the students, preventing problems from starting, and putting out fires!! Thank you for staying calm, and laughing when you can, and taking the hilarious awkward family photos!! :)" Nancy Pontius
This shout-out goes to sooooo many staff members: "THANK YOU to so many of you who had a free period and could help on Monday with dismissing 600 students!! We did it! We were a great team working hard together with a great attitude! I love working with you! You're the best!" nancy Pontius
Celebrating Black History Month (February)
The Dallas Mavericks celebrate the legacy of Black artists whose work has shaped culture, shed light on social issues and inspired change.
As we continue to champion equity, creativity, and collective progress, we recognize the power of art to bring people together across lines that often divide.
North Texas students, grades 8–12, are encouraged to create and digitally submit their original artwork for a chance to be featured in the African American Museum of Dallas and win an unforgettable experience to New Orleans!
Contest closes February 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM CT. C
Click this link for details: Dallas Mavericks 2026 Black History Month Art Contest
Ms. Taylor began her career in education in 1997 with Irving ISD after receiving her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Dallas. After several years as a teacher and coach, she obtained her master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University of North Texas and continued in Irving as a middle school assistant principal. In 2006, she transitioned to Dallas ISD where she worked in various leadership roles until moving to the Frisco area. The 2024-2025 school-year marks Ms. Taylor's sixth year as the Vandeventer Middle School principal.
taylorste@friscoisd.org
469-633-4350
Marla Smith, Assistant Principal
smithmarl@friscoisd.org
469-633-4354
6th Grade | 8th Grade (Alpha M-Z)
Dennis Thorpe, Counselor
thorped@friscoisd.org
469-633-4350
6th Grade | 8th Grade (Alpha M-Z)
Brad Helenberger, Assistant Principal
helenbeB@friscoisd.org
469-633-4354
7th Grade | 8th Grade (Alpha A-L)
Lauren Wagner, Counselor
wagnerl@friscoisd.org
469-633-4350
7th Grade | 8th Grade (Alpha A-L)
Emily Shelton, School Secretary
sheltone@friscoisd.org
469-633-4356
Kristi Garcia, AP Secretary garciak@friscoisd.org
469-633-4354
Cynthia Hildinger, Data Clerk hildingerc@friscoisd.org
469-633-4357
Nancy Ponius, Receptionist pontiusn@friscoisd.org
469-633-4350