MVES Weekly News

Ms. Westbrook's Weekly Newsletter

April 16, 2026

To keep up with the latest news and photos of your favorite Jr. Trojans, follow us on Twitter!

mves.hallco.org

SUBMIT A SAFETY TIP

To send an anonymous tip of a text or photo please send text to 678-865-6282.

To submit an anonymous tip over a phone line call 770-503-3232, or call your school principal.

For immediate threats please call 911 or complete the form below.

https://schoolsafety.hallco.org/submit-a-tip/

TO VIEW THE DISTRICT'S SAFETY WEBSITE: https://schoolsafety.hallco.org/

Dear Parents,

I hope you all enjoyed Spring Break with your families and loved ones. We are having a great week back at MVES! On Tuesday, our students enjoyed learning about a variety of careers through our "Careers on Wheels" event. Thanks to Mrs. Nix for organizing this event and to our parents and community members for volunteering to share with our students about their careers.

Our PTO is excited to complete our school's security shade project installation this week thanks to your generous support of our One and Done Fundraiser!

We are looking forward to hosting our upcoming kindergarten students and their parents for Future Explorers next week on Tuesday, April 21 at 1:15.

Field Day is scheduled for Thursday, April 23 (K-2nd grade) and Friday, April 24 (3rd-5th grade). Thanks to Coach House, our connections team, PTO and all of our planning team members for helping these special days come together for our boys and girls. Please review the parent Field Day section below for more information and to see how you can participate. The deadline for Field Day RSVPs is Tuesday, April 21. Our PTO would like to thank Causey Orthodontics for sponsoring our 2026 Field Day t-shirts for all Jr. Trojans. Due to staff scheduling, safety and supervision concerns, student checkouts following special event days will not be available unless prior approved by administration. We want all of our students to enjoy these special days at school. Thank you for your support of MVES!

MAP Growth Family Reports will go home with all students next Friday, April 24.

End of Grade GA Milestones testing will begin on Thursday, April 30 for 5th grade and Monday, May 4 for 3rd and 4th grade. Please review the important information linked below about Milestones testing.

Go Trojans!

Jennifer Westbrook

Principal

Click here to view the 25-26 HCSD Calendar

Click here to view the 25-26 MVES Handbook

Wear School Spirit Colors on Fridays

MVES Parent Connection Calendar

Important Dates to Remember:

April 21 - Future Explorers at 1:15
April 23 - K-2nd grade Field Day
April 24 -
- 3rd-5th grade Field Day
- MAP Family Reports go home
- 3rd-5th grade Progress Reports
April 30-May 13 - Milestones EOG Testing (3rd-5th grade)
May 1
- Families
- Future Explorers at 9:45
May 4-8 - Staff Appreciation Week
May 11 - 5th grade Trojan Olympics at North Hall
May 13 - MVES Alumni Senior Walk and Reception (see info below)
May 14-15 - End of year class parties (see times below)
May 15 - Patrick/Pollock end of year party at 12:30
May 18 - 5th grade Walk and Awards at 8:30
May 20
- Last Day of School
- Report Cards

Due to staff scheduling, safety and supervision concerns, student checkouts following special event days will not be available unless prior approved by administration. We want all of our students to enjoy these special days at school!

Milestones EOG Testing Schedule for 3rd-5th Grade:

Click here for MVES Parent Info for GA Milestones:

April menu

Due to increased costs, purchasing milk for lunch from home will be $.75 (does not include lactose free milk). Students should have money available in their MyPaymentsPlus account to purchase. Students will need a parent note to purchase lactose free milk.

4/16/26 Notice from the PTO: The following individuals were elected to serve on the PTO Board for the 2026-2027 school year: President, Erin Webb; Past President, Elizabeth Withrow; Vice President, Jennifer Mullis; Secretary, Rachel Gibson; and Treasurer, Melanie Martin.

Field Day Parent Information

April 23rd - K-2nd

April 24th - 3rd-5th

Field Day Visitors and Volunteers:

Parents can sign up to volunteer for Field Day here:

K-2nd: https://forms.gle/Po1mLZ6W2uWKZZ3w8

3rd-5th: https://forms.gle/VzH5xsckEa7PFU257

We ask that all visitors and volunteers RSVP for Field Day by Tuesday 4/21/26. The 2025-26 volunteer application and modules must be completed in advance. Volunteers can join their child’s class during the stations they are not helping.

Visitors should RSVP with their child’s teacher by Tuesday 4/21/26. Visitors can join their child’s class during the stations before or after lunch.

Visitors and volunteers will not join the class during the lunch break.

Visitors and volunteers will check in and out through the front office and should have a visitor tag on while they are at field day.

Due to staff scheduling, safety and supervision concerns, student checkouts following special event days will not be available unless prior approval by administration. We want all our students to enjoy these special days at school.

Things to Bring for Field Day: Students will be playing games that will get them wet. So, they need to bring clothes that they do not mind getting wet. Weather looks good, but hot. Sunscreen, towel, hat, and water bottle will be good options for the day.

Congrats to our March Staff Member and Teacher of the Month,

Mrs. Jennifer Vandiver and Mrs. Heather Riley!

Thanks to our partners at Schlieman Wealth Management for sponsoring this monthly recognition for our team!

We are hiring!

MVES is looking for lunchroom monitors to support our Jr. Trojans in the cafeteria during lunch.

Interested candidates can apply online: https://www.applitrack.com/hallcounty/onlineapp/default.aspx?AppliTrackPostingSearch=location:%22Mount+Vernon+Elementary+School+-+0194%22

and contact jennifer.westbrook@hallco.org.

MVES Parent Surveys

Dear Parents,

As we continuously seek to improve the Hall County School District, we want to know how you, as a parent or guardian, feel the schools and the district are doing to meet the needs of students and all stakeholders. Please help us by completing the survey online.

The information that you provide will help us evaluate and improve how our schools, district, families, and parents work together to help all students achieve academic success.

Please click the link below to complete the survey online.

Your opinions and suggestions are valuable, and we thank you for your input.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdrXVQ3neFaNZvi-vfNsICFhPYuHPtJ8ez172E0P_zrT-OHQg/viewform

Queridos padres/tutores,

Debido a que buscamos continuamente mejorar el Distrito Escolar del Condado de Hall, queremos saber cómo usted, como padre o tutor, siente que las escuelas y el distrito están trabajando para satisfacer las necesidades de los estudiantes y todos los miembros de la comunidad. Ayúdenos con este proceso completando la encuesta en línea.

La información que nos proporcione nos ayudará a evaluar y mejorar la manera en que nuestras escuelas, distrito, familias y padres trabajan juntos para ayudar a todos los estudiantes a lograr el éxito académico.

Por favor presione en el enlace (link) de abajo para completar la encuesta en línea.

Sus opiniones y sugerencias son muy valiosas, y le agradecemos su aporte.

Medication Reminders from Nurse Devra Wood

Please contact Nurse Devra Wood regarding any student medical concerns or medications. Children should not deliver medications or have medications in their book bags.
Parent/Guardian must complete the HCSD medication permission form and deliver medication to the clinic in the original bottle.
For safety reasons, please do not send medications in with students.

Hall County Schools Bus App for Parents

Reminder from HCSD Transportation Dept: Nonresident students including HB251, Magnet and Tuition students, are not allowed to ride the bus to or from school unless it is a school day field trip experience. Nonresident families are required to provide transportation (car rider or MVES approved afternoon day care). Please contact the MVES front office with questions.

Car Rider Reminders

For morning drop-off, please have your student gather belongings, water bottle, etc. so he/she is prepared to exit the car quickly with all belongings READY when your car arrives at the sidewalk for drop-off.
Please remain in your car when unloading AND loading students. If you need to buckle students into car seats, please pull into the spaces next to the hill after you exit the loading area.
Please have students load/unload from the PASSENGER SIDE if possible. This saves time and is safer than having students cross between cars.
Please pull up as far as possible in the car rider line. The unloading/loading area is the entire length of the sidewalk.
A current car rider tag is required for pick up in the car rider line.
Our campus (including the car rider line) is a drug free/tobacco free campus.
It is unsafe for children to hang out of car windows or stand up through the sun roof while in line.

Frequently Asked Questions about Birthdays:

If you would like your child's class to celebrate his/her birthday at school, please communicate in advance with the teacher. Buying the class ice cream or sending in store-bought birthday treats (ex. cupcakes, donuts) can be planned ahead with the teacher. The teacher will distribute the treats at the appropriate time. We are unable to distribute invitations at school.

VISITORS & VOLUNTEERS:

Hall County Schools and MVES encourage family involvement in our schools. Parents will be invited to participate in special school and PTO events during and after school.
School visitors must have ID and be listed on the student's Infinite Campus approved contacts.
Visitors should not take/post pictures of other students.
A schedule for lunch visits will be available after Labor Day. Visitor seating will be scheduled on a limited basis due to space.
- no outside food will be permitted in the MVES cafeteria
- only 2 guests per student (unable to bring siblings from another grade)
- must have ID and be listed on IC approved contacts
- sit with their student at visitor tables
School and field trip volunteers must complete the HCSD application with volunteer modules through Checkmate (KEYWORD: HallVolunteers). https://campus.hallco.org/campus/checkMate/volunteerSignUp.jsp?appName=hall
The application will be available online and at the front office between 8:30-1:00 and 3:00-3:30. Due to district guidelines, volunteer applications and modules will be required each school year.
Following the first day of school, students arriving by car should come through the car rider line off Odum Smallwood Road. The front and front lower parking lots should only be used by buses and staff during arrival and dismissal times.
If you need to check out your child from school (we ask that you limit check-outs as much as possible), please notify the child's teacher and the front office staff in advance from a parent/guardian email address and call 770-983-1759 to confirm:
- missy.odom@hallco.org

AND

- marisa.chester@hallco.org

LUNCH VISITOR SCHEDULE (see *visitor guidelines above) - 4th Quarter

*Volunteer applications are not required for lunch visitors.

Please review the available slots below, and click on the button to sign up.

Here is the link to the lunch visitor schedule for 4th Quarter.

MVES is excited to welcome our parents/guardians for lunch with your students! ALL lunch visitors will be required to have a reservation due to very limited seating. Visitors are limited to signing up for only 1 time during the dates above.

For the safety of students, please note the following:

· For your child’s lunch visit, 1 or 2 adults (must have ID and be on student IC contact list) may join the same reservation (no school-age siblings; younger children should be in lap or stroller to help with limited seating).

· Siblings from other grade levels cannot be combined into the same reservation, but a parent can sign up 1 time during these dates for each child.

· Outside food will not be allowed to be brought into the MVES cafeteria (HCSD guideline).

· Lunch visitors will eat in the visitor seating area located outside the office, across from the learning commons.

· Lunch visitors will meet their child in the hall as his/her class goes to lunch and sign-out in the office after the lunch period ends (student will rejoin his/her class at the end of the lunch time).

· Visitors may purchase lunch in the cafeteria for $5.10 each (cash or check).

· Lunch visitors may have lunch with your child only. Other students cannot join your lunch visit.

Exact lunch times for each homeroom class may be viewed HERE.

Please contact our front office with questions. We look forward to seeing you at MVES!

TWO DIFFERENT COMPETITIONS AT THE QUINLAN | CASH PRIZES

ART COMPETITION FOR STUDENTS K-12
CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION GRADES 9-12

STUDENTS MUST BE PRESENT AT THE QUINLAN TO PARTICIPATE (details below).

REGISTRATION REQUIRED (see link below)

To REGISTER https://www.quinlanartscenter.org/connection-in-color-a-mental-health-art-contest.html

Mental Health Art Contest

Open to K-12 students in Hall County and the Gainesville City School System, Homeschool and Private Schools in Hall County ONLY

Contest Day: Sunday, April 19, 2026 | 1:00-5:00 PM | Quinlan Visual Arts Center (514 Green Street NE, Gainesville, GA 30501)

Art Competition Details (Grades K-12):

Students will create their artwork on-site with provided materials (electronic tools and pre-existing prompts are not permitted).
Students will have an opportunity to submit TWO works for jury consideration
Cash prize awards: K-2: $100 | Grades 3-5: $100 | Grades 6-8: $100 | Grades 9-10: $200 | Grade 11-12: $300
Corresponding schools of the winner will receive equal amount in cash prizes to be utilized by ART DEPARTMENT ONLY.
ONE Best in Show winner (K-12) will have winning piece photographed and blown-up to 8’ x 8’ and placed within the community as Public Art.

Creative Writing Details (Grades 9-12 ONLY):

Students will write their essays, poems, stories…on-site with provided materials (electronic tools and pre-existing prompts are not permitted). All works must be handwritten.
Students will have an opportunity to submit TWO works for jury consideration
Cash prize: $300 for best work
Winner’s work will be published in Quinlan newsletter and on website

Reception & Awards Ceremony for both contests:

Date: April 20
Time: Doors open 5:30 PM | Awards at 6:00 PM
Location: Quinlan Visual Arts Center

How to Participate:
Students are encouraged to pre-register by Friday, April 17, at 5:00 PM.
This event is an opportunity for our community to come together, recognize the talent of young creatives, and raise awareness about the powerful role genuine friendships play in uplifting, supporting, and strengthening emotional well-being. We look forward to seeing you there!

To REGISTER https://www.quinlanartscenter.org/connection-in-color-a-mental-health-art-contest.html

For questions call 770-536-2575 or email info@qvac.org

Stay well. Stay creative. Support the Arts.

We appreciate our 2025-26 MVES Partners in Education!

1st Response Roofing

American Family Homes

Anchor Real Estate Advisors

BCI

BGW Dental Group

Big Peach Running Co - Braselton

Causey Orthodontics

Chattahoochee Group, Inc.