We are "off and running" for the 25-26 school year. We had a great morning with carpool line wrapping up around 7:50. Thanks for your continued efforts to get your children to school on time as this sets a positive tone for their day.

Please be sure to enter your child's class t-shirt size and info. before Monday morning. These need to go to the shirt printer the first of next week. This is very important so that shirts will be here in time for the first field trip. The link is below:

Please know that we have many staff members supervising and assisting children along the way during arrival and dismissal times. If your student is younger and new to East, practicing morning procedures on Meet the Teacher day is a great way to help them feel confident and more comfortable when they arrive to school on the first few days.

We open our school doors at 7:15 each morning. Please do not drop off children before 7:15 as there will not be supervision. We serve breakfast in the lunchroom from 7:15 - 7:45 for those families choosing to purchase breakfast for their children.

7:15 - 7:30 Children in kindergarten - 2nd grade report to the gym where the will be supervised until our 7:30 bell. At 7:30, they will walk to their classrooms and sit in the hallway until a 7:45 bell. (Kindergarten classes will walk together supervised by an adult ensuring they go straight to their classroom.)

Children in grades 3-5 will follow this same schedule but will report to the lunchroom from 7:15 - 7:30 where they will be supervised by East's staff members.

At 7:45 all children begin their day unpacking and preparing for the school day. Please make getting your children to school by 7:45 at the latest a priority. This will set them up for a successful day.

Please use our 2 carpool lines for morning drop off unless you are a true walker from surrounding neighborhoods. Parking at Byrd Park and walking your child into school via the crosswalk is not allowed unless you have a scheduled meeting or school business to take care of. Thank you for abiding by this procedural request for safety of walkers through the Byrd Park parking lot. Please encourage your child to start preparing to exit the car as you wait in line in our drive. The line does take longer at the beginning of the year as children get used to the process but it will improve quickly.

Our first bell rings at 2:25.

This bell dismisses:

Carpool riders stay in their classrooms where the teachers have the board displayed with our carpool live dismissal document on the screen. An East employee (usually Brittney Brantley) walks the carpool lines calling in numbers to someone in the school (usually Allison Charles). When children see their carpool number on the board they are to walk directly to the front and wait in either upper or lower depending on their number until their car gets up to the front. Please encourage your children to come immediately to the front and be on the lookout for their car. Just like morning carpool, it starts off slower as children, parents and staff get used to the process but it will speed up in no time. We start moving cars for pickup at 2:35 and usually will finish by 2:50. All children must be picked up by 3:00. Please call the school office (205-402-5200) if you see yourself running past 3:00 for pickup

We have a new process for parents to send in digital copies of absence excuses. These excuses should be emailed to vheeattendance@vhcs.us and office staff will receive these and code the absence correctly in PowerSchool. It is still fine to send a handwritten note to the office if you wish.

The parent/legal guardian must provide a written explanation (excuse) to the school for each student's absence within three (3) days of the student’s return to school, or the absence will be coded unexcused. This 3 day rule will be enforced otherwise absences remain unexcused in PowerSchool.

Absences will be permitted for the following reasons:

More detailed information regarding attendance and most anything you need to know as a VHCS parent, can be found in the VHCS Parent-Student Handbook 25-26. Feel free to call the school as well for information and questions.

Below is the VHCS Wireless Communication Device Policy for 2025-2026. East will enforce this policy with students powering off and placing all wireless communication devices in their backpacks from arrival bell and to dismissal bell.

A.   Possession of Wireless Communication Devices – Students are allowed to bring wireless communication devices into school buildings and onto school grounds. Wireless communication devices include:  

•   A cellular telephone;

•   A tablet computer;

•   A laptop computer;

•   Pager;

•   A gaming device;

•   A smart watch;

•   Airpods; and

•   Any other portable electronic device that has the capability of exchanging voice, messaging or other data communication with another electronic device.

The Board is not responsible for the theft, loss or damage to any wireless communication device brought onto campus by a student.

B.    Storage of Devices – Unless one of the exceptions listed below applies, wireless communication devices must be turned off and stored off the student’s person in a locker, car or similar storage location during the instructional day, which includes:

•   When school is open and in session;

•   During class time, lunch transitions between classes, and any non-instructional periods; and

•   Any other times students are required to do so by the Code of Conduct or other school rules or are instructed to do so by school staff.

The Superintendent or designee is authorized to determine appropriate storage locations for such devices at school.

C.  Prohibition on Use and Exceptions - Students cannot use, operate, or possess a wireless communication device during the instructional day except under the following limited circumstances:

Dear Parents,

As we begin a new school year, we want to share some important information about head lice.

Head lice are a common occurrence in schools, especially among young children, and are not a

sign of poor hygiene or cleanliness.

Head lice are small, wingless insects that live on the human scalp. They spread primarily

through direct head-to-head contact or by sharing personal items, such as hats, brushes, or

headphones.

Signs of head lice include:

● Persistent itching of the scalp

● A tickling sensation or feeling that something is moving in the hair

● Red bumps or sores from scratching

● Tiny white or yellowish eggs (nits) attached to hair shafts, especially behind the ears and

at the nape of the neck

Please check your child’s hair regularly for lice and nits, particularly after sleepovers or camps.

Teach your child not to share personal items, such as combs, hats, or headphones. If you find

lice, begin treatment immediately using a product designed to kill lice. Follow all instructions

carefully and notify your school nurse.

If we find live lice on a student at school, we will contact the parents to pick up their child. The

student may return to school after treatment has begun and no live lice are present. Our goal is

to minimize disruption to learning while keeping all students healthy and comfortable. If there is

a confirmed case of live lice in an elementary classroom, the school nurse will notify the

parents/guardians of all students in the affected classroom while making reasonable efforts to

protect the confidentiality of the student involved.

The school nurse is available to assist parents as needed with effective head lice management

strategies.

Thank you,

Melanie Anderson

Lead Nurse Administrator

Vestavia Hills City Schools

Having a great time getting ready for school!!!

Proud to be an East EAGLE!! Empathy, Acceptance, Grit, Love & Excellence -

Cindy Echols, Principal

(205) 402-5204

echolscn@vhcs.us