Dear Vineland Public Schools staff and families,
With winter now upon us, we want to remind staff and families about our procedures for school closings, delays, and early dismissals due to inclement weather or emergencies. Safety remains our top priority, and we carefully consider many factors before making adjustments to the school day.
How We Communicate Closings or Delays
Announcements will typically be made as early as possible but no later than 5:00 a.m. via the following:
- Radio stations: WVLT 92.1 FM, KYW Radio 1060 AM
- Television stations: Fox 29, 6ABC, NBC 10, CBS 3, Comcast Ch. 9/Verizon Fios 41
- Websites and social media: District website (www.vineland.org), district social media (Facebook, Instagram, X), VPS app.
Messages will also be shared through our outcall system via phone call, email, and text. Please ensure your most current contact information is on file with your child’s school to receive these updates.
Important: If the announcement is a delay, continue monitoring as it may change to a cancellation. Please do not call school offices for updates, as phone lines need to remain open for emergencies.
Closures and Delays
If school is closed, all classes and activities are canceled unless otherwise announced.
For a delayed start, school and bus pick-up times will begin either 90 minutes or two hours later than usual. The exact delay start time will be specified in the message.
Additional Information for Delays:
- Breakfast will not be provided on delayed openings. Lunch will be served as normal.
- On a delayed opening, the Before Care program will follow the district’s schedule. Before and After school providers will follow the same delays as students.
- Students attending schools outside Vineland Public Schools, including CCTEC, charter schools, and non-public schools, will follow their school’s schedule.
Early Dismissals
In rare cases, we may need to release students early due to worsening weather or other emergencies. Afternoon and evening activities will be canceled unless announced otherwise.
It is important to have an emergency plan in place:
Talk to your child about what to do if they arrive home early and you are not there.
Arrange with neighbors or provide your child with a reliable contact number to call and check in.
Winter Safety Tips for Students
Please remind children of the following:
- Dress for the weather. Buses may not heat as quickly as cars, and breakdowns could leave students without heat temporarily.
- Allow extra time for the bus to arrive. Snowy or icy roads may slow traffic.
- Stand back from the curb, as vehicles may slide on slick roads.
- Be cautious on sidewalks and crosswalks, which may be slippery.
Emergency Closures and the School Calendar
State law requires a minimum of 180 days of instruction. If days are lost because of inclement weather, extreme heat, or other reasons, additional days shall be added to the June calendar. A copy of the current school calendar is available on the district website.
We will continue to monitor conditions closely and communicate updates to ensure the safety of our students. As always, the decision to send your child to school during inclement weather ultimately rests with you, the parent or guardian, and we respect your judgment.
Thank you for your cooperation as we navigate the winter season together.
Happy Holidays to all of our staff, families, and students. We hope you have a wonderful break and can't wait to see everyone again on January 2!
On behalf of Vineland Public Schools, we want to wish you all happy holidays, a restful winter break, and a Happy New Year. Please enjoy this year's Holiday Greetings!
https://youtu.be/0ZV4O2vbVvc
Hannah and Amanda demonstrated exceptional leadership and advocacy for their peers by organizing a successful Pajama Day for Johnstone School. They initiated the process by meeting with the building principal, Mr. James Pierce, to present their ideas and vision.
Taking ownership of the initiative, Amanda and Hannah developed the dress code criteria, determined the cost for participation, and rallied staff support to assist with payment collection. They also showcased their leadership skills by announcing the event to the entire school.
Thanks to their efforts, Pajama Day was a resounding success, and two new leaders have emerged at Johnstone Middle School. Their story reminds us all of an important lesson: always have the courage to speak up and pursue your goals with confidence!
Let’s continue to foster this spirit of leadership and initiative in our school community.
Members of the Pilla NJHS partnered with the Animal Clinic of Millville to collect donations for the South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter as their December service project. The students presented the items to Melissa Doyle, Fundraising and Social Media Manager for SJRAS.
On Thursday, December 19th, Petway’s kindergarten classes held a “winter tree” decorating event with students’ parents/guardians/grandparents. Adults and students were able to decorate a sugar cone with green icing, marshmallows, sprinkles, and M&Ms to replicate a winter/holiday tree. It was a great way to demonstrate one of Petway’s character traits, teamwork, as well as spread some holiday cheer among the students and their guardians.
Rossi Elementary School's safety patrol member ran a successful month-long toy drive for children in need in cooperation with the Dream Foundation. Thanks to the generosity of Rossi parents, family members, and community partners, Rossi's safety patrol was able to fill three donation bins.
A special thank you goes out to safety patrol advisor-emeritus Mrs. Lacretia Carson for initiating and coordinating the event each year and current safety patrol advisor Mr. Jeff Martine for his help facilitating.
On Wednesday, December 18th, Mrs. Almanzar’s class at Sabater students enjoyed their gift-wrapping life skills lesson. They did a great job on their first try!
Mrs.Almanzar and Ms. Woodward’s students from Sabater Elementary School went to ShopRite for their community outing. Students had to find the items from their grocery list and write down the aisle or department they found it in and the price. They enjoyed it and were successful in completing their task. We are proud of our students. Community members mentioned how great it was that we do that with our class. We love our Vineland community.
Mrs. Buglio's 4th grade students at Sabater Elementary School celebrated Polar Express Pajama Day with fun Polar Express-themed activities. The students worked in teams to show off their problem-solving skills with only certain materials provided for each challenge. Each team built pipe cleaner Christmas trees, designed a set of pajamas, created a parachute for Santa's safety, and constructed a bridge for the Polar Express train.
Students at Little Lamb celebrated holiday spirit week with lots of fun activities, including family Painting sessions, hot chocolate, and fun songs and games to bring in some Holiday Cheer!
This holiday season, we are overwhelmed with gratitude for the generosity of the Gaetano family and the FIA Group. Mr. and Mrs. Gaetano created ten stunning food baskets packed with a variety of food and snacks for our Mennies students and their families. 🥖✨
Your kindness and thoughtfulness truly embody the spirit of the season and remind us all why this is the most wonderful time of the year.
Thank you for making a difference in our community!
Check out the room 8 scientists at Mennies School! These scientists closed out their Science unit on circuits and electricity by working together using circuits to make noises and make light bulbs light up!
The spirit of giving is alive and well at Mennies! We are incredibly grateful at Mennies for parent Omar Perez and Angie's Color Bar Hair Studio & Clients for his generous donation, which brought the magic of Christmas to life for our students. 🎅✨
Thanks to his kindness, a sleigh full of beautifully wrapped gifts was delivered, spreading joy and smiles throughout our school. 💝
Thank you for helping make this holiday season unforgettable for our Mennies family! We love making connections with our families and community! 💫
Mrs. Leone's class at Mennies Elementary School had a great time learning all about Christmas trees. They ended their lesson with a special treat- decorating their very own Christmas trees!
This week, students in room 3 at DiBiase Preschool made Christmas countdown chains at small group time. This helped them practice their fine motor skills by cutting the chain pieces; then, they were glued to form a chain. The children counted how many days until Christmas break so they knew just how long their chain needed to be. Every morning at greeting time, they remove a link from their chain and count how many days are left until Christmas break!
Twenty-nine Vineland High School Students from AP Politics & Government and the Model Congress Club participated in the NJ Model Congress 'Party Day' at the NJ State House in Trenton on Friday, December 13. Sitting in the same desks and committee rooms as the state legislature, students competed with peers from a dozen other high schools to form three political parties, debate and write party platforms, and elect their party leaders. Students will next learn parliamentary procedure and write bills they hope to pass into law in March at the 2025 NJ Model Congress at Rider University.
Happy Holidays from the Vineland High School Career and Technical Education Department!
Petway students from Ms. Dulap and Ms. McGrail's classes joined Mrs. Holt's class for some Holiday Science Experiments! The students placed candy canes on a plate of baking soda and then slowly added vinegar on top. Then, in a jar of vinegar, they added crushed candy canes and then slowly dropped baking soda into the mixture. The results were very different...
Try this to find your own results!
The Vineland High School Tanner Building admins and clerical staff want to wish everyone Happy Holidays!
