We are excited to welcome students and families back to campus. We are all looking forward to our first true post-pandemic school year. I trust you have enjoyed the summer months with relaxation, travel and memorable time with family and friends.
Welcome back to school!
This year, we will continue to return to normal school operations. Classroom cohorting will be relaxed and volunteers will be welcomed back into the school. Also, elementary school lunches and after school activities will resume. We will continue our sanitizing procedures, and will remind students of safe practices. Face coverings are optional, and families who are concerned about COVID-19 are encouraged to have their children wear a mask at school. Most importantly, staff and students should stay home whenever they are showing symptoms of any illness. It will take everyone’s good-faith efforts to keep our community healthy.
We are pleased to welcome many new teachers and staff members to the Valley Catholic community. I have a special welcome for two new VCS administrators: Amber Ploussard and Sara Bruins.
Amber Ploussard started in June as the Principal of the Early Learning School. Mrs. Ploussard has 15 years of experience as a teacher and administrator in Catholic elementary schools, and most recently served as the Principal at St. John the Baptist School in Milwaukie. Welcome to Valley Catholic, Ms. Amber!
Sara Bruins is the new principal at Valley Catholic High School. Recently, she moved back to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic where she was the executive director of the Mariposa DR Foundation, an organization focused on empowering and educating young women. Before her time in the Dominican Republic, Dr. Bruins served as a high school administrator in Portland and Seattle Catholic schools, including six years as the Associate Principal of Academics at Central Catholic High School.
I am pleased - and proud - to welcome Amber and Sara onto our campus administrative team.
As you visit campus, you will also see a new security officer walking the campus grounds. The security officer is on duty during afternoon and evening hours and on Saturdays. He will provide quick response to safety-related issues that may arise on the entire SSMO campus.
Finally, we are excited to announce the VCS Gala, our school’s biggest community event and fundraiser, will be in-person this year on Saturday, Oct. 29. Mark your calendar for this fun and important event. You do not have to wait for Gala to give a family donation for this year’s event.
Family donations underwrite fantastic trip opportunities and help the VCS Gala raise critical funds for students, teachers and programs. Look for more information in the Gala newsletters soon. Invitations will be mailed in late September – please join us!
We welcome all of you back to school. We are looking forward to a very exciting year.
The first day of school is always special for students, faculty and staff here at Valley Catholic. We are delighted to welcome new and returning students to our campus community for an exciting school year. Relive all of the joy and excitement in this fun photo album on Flickr.
If you have any questions you can refer to the question and answer sheet available on the Oregon.gov website noted above or contact the school office.
Mark your calendars! The VCS Gala, our biggest fundraiser of the year, is Saturday, Oct. 29, and will be in person!
To help us get started, we are asking every VCS Family for a donation of $25 or more to the Gala effort. Your support underwrites the procurement of fantastic trips, wine packages, and other highly valued items. For more information, or to make your donation, check out the Gala website and watch for the weekly electronic issue of the Gala newsletter, arriving in your email inbox on Sundays, starting Sept. 11.