📅 March 1–7, 2026
This week, we proudly celebrate and recognize the incredible impact of our school social worker, Crystal Owens!
Crystal works tirelessly to support the academic success, emotional well-being, and social development of our students across Van Buren County Schools. From providing resources to families to offering encouragement and guidance to students, she makes a difference every single day.
Her compassion, dedication, and commitment help create stronger schools and brighter futures for our children. We are so grateful for the care and support she provides to our students, staff, and community.
💛 Please join us in saying THANK YOU to Crystal for the vital work she does!
#SchoolSocialWorkWeek #UniteToIgnite #ThankASocialWorker #VanBurenCountySchools
Van Buren County Schools is now accepting applications for Supervisor of Instructional Technology & Accountability/Data for the 2025–2026 school year.
If you have a passion for technology, data, and supporting student success, we would love to hear from you!
🗓 Applications accepted until March 13, 2026 at noon or until the position is filled.
📧 Submit applications to ksimmons2@vanburenschools.org
📞 Call (931) 946-2242 for more information.
For the full job posting and details, visit:
👉 www.vanburenschools.org
#NowHiring #VanBurenCountySchools
🦃🌲 Learning Beyond the Classroom! 🌲🦃
These are just a few snapshots from an unforgettable experience! Mr. Maynard's Natural Resource Management Class recently traveled to Nashville to attend the National Wild Turkey Federation Convention — and what an incredible opportunity it was!
From exploring the latest in wildlife conservation and habitat management to connecting with industry leaders and professionals from across the country, our students stepped into the real world of natural resource management in a BIG way. 🌎✨
They had the chance to:
🌿 Engage with experts in conservation and land stewardship
🦌 Learn about cutting-edge wildlife management practices
🤝 Network with professionals and organizations dedicated to preserving our natural resources
🎯 Experience firsthand the passion and purpose behind conservation work
Opportunities like this bring classroom lessons to life and show our students the powerful impact they can have on the future of our environment. The energy, innovation, and commitment to conservation at this convention were truly inspiring!
We are so proud of these students for representing our program and taking advantage of every moment to learn and grow. The future of conservation is bright — and it’s standing right here in these photos! 🌟
#NaturalResourceManagement #FutureConservationists #HandsOnLearning #NWTF #LearningInAction
Once upon a time… in a house not so far away… a child opened a book and discovered they could travel anywhere. 🚀✨
They sailed across stormy seas with pirates, solved mysteries with clever detectives, explored the jungle with wild animals, and even blasted off into outer space — all without leaving their favorite reading spot.
That’s the magic of reading. 💫
This Read Across America Day, we invite all of our amazing parents and families to be part of the adventure! Take a few extra minutes today to cozy up with your child and read together. Whether it’s a bedtime story, a favorite picture book, a comic, or even a recipe — every word shared builds imagination, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning. ❤️📖
Create a reading fort.
Use silly voices.
Act out the story.
Let your child turn the pages and tell you what they see.
Because when families read together, dreams grow bigger, vocabulary grows stronger, and memories grow sweeter. 🌈
Tonight, let’s fill our homes with stories.
Let’s turn pages into possibilities.
Let’s show our children that reading is an adventure worth taking every single day.
Happy Read Across America Day! 🎉📚
#ReadAcrossAmerica #FamilyReading #ReadersAreLeaders #LoveOfLearning
During National School Breakfast Week (March 2–6, 2026), we’re reminding all of our brave knights, scholars, and royalty-in-training that the most important quest of the day begins in the cafeteria!
🥞🍎 Did you know? Breakfast is FREE to ALL Van Buren County students — EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. 🥛🍳
That means every student can fuel up for learning at no cost to families. A healthy breakfast helps power strong minds, boost focus, and set the stage for better grades — because every great adventure starts with the right fuel!
Whether your child rides the bus, is dropped off, or arrives early, there’s always time to grab a nutritious breakfast and start the day ready to conquer new challenges.
👑 Join the Quest.
🛡️ Eat Breakfast.
🏆 Succeed All Day.
We can’t wait to see our students at the kingdom table each morning!
#NSBW2026 #TheQuestForSchoolBreakfast #VanBurenCountySchools #BreakfastIsFree #FuelForSuccess
Van Buren County Schools invites all students to join “The Quest for School Breakfast” during National School Breakfast Week, March 2–March 6, 2026!
Knights, dragons, and royalty alike know that every great adventure begins with a powerful start — and that means eating a healthy school breakfast! 🍎🥞🥛
During this magical week, our cafeterias will transform into kingdoms where students can fuel up like champions before heading off to conquer math problems, reading quests, science experiments, and more!
✨ Why join the quest?
🛡️ Build strength for learning
👑 Boost focus and energy
🔥 Power up for a successful school day
🏆 Enjoy delicious, nutritious breakfast options
Each morning is a new adventure — so grab your crown, raise your fork, and claim your breakfast treasure!
We can’t wait to see all of our Van Buren County students answering the call to the kingdom table.
⚔️ The quest begins March 2 — will you accept the challenge? 🥣👑
#NSBW2026 #TheQuestForSchoolBreakfast #VanBurenCountySchools #FuelForTheFuture
🍎 March Lunch Menus Are Here! 🍕
Spencer Elementary School and Van Buren County High School families — it’s time to check out what’s cooking for March!
We’re excited to share our March lunch menus so you and your students can plan ahead for all their favorite meals. From nutritious daily options to some student-loved favorites, our cafeteria teams are ready to serve up another great month.
📌 Be sure to check out the attached menus for all the details!
Thank you for supporting our school nutrition programs and the amazing staff who help keep our students fueled and ready to learn every day. 💙
“Small School, Big Opportunities”
March is packed with exciting events, celebrations, and important dates across our district!
✨ National Celebrations
🥪National Nutrition Month
🧑🎨Youth Art Month
🍳March 2-6: National School Breakfast Week
🩷March 2-6: National School Social Worker Week
📖 March 2- Read Across America Day
📌 Important Dates to Remember
📖 March 3 – SES Family Reading Night (4:00–6:00 PM)
🛠 March 6 – Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day
⏰ March 8 – Daylight Savings Time Begins
📝 March 10 – ACT & ASVAB Day
📚 March 13 – Report Cards Sent Home
📸 March 16 – SES Class Pictures
❤️ March 18 – VBHS Blood Drive
🏫 March 18 – School Board Meeting (5:30 PM)
🎓 March 24 – Junior Planning Night (5:30 PM)
🎬 March 26 – VBHS Family Movie Night (5:00–7:00 PM)
🚫 March 30-31 – No School (Spring Break Begins)
We look forward to a fantastic month of learning, service, and community involvement. Thank you for supporting our students and staff!
#VanBurenCountySchools #SmallSchoolBigOpportunities #March2026 #StudentSuccess
Our 7th Grade World History students recently took part in an engaging Gallery Walk centered on the Columbian Exchange. Students rotated through a variety of stations where they explored rich texts, graphs, maps, and historical images to deepen their understanding of this pivotal period in history.
Each station challenged students to think critically as they completed questions on a graphic organizer, analyzing the global impact of the exchange of goods, ideas, and people. Topics included the spread of diseases, changes in population, the introduction of new crops, domesticated animals, cuisine, and other key influences that reshaped societies across continents.
It was exciting to see students actively collaborating, asking thoughtful questions, and making connections between geography, economics, and culture. Learning came to life as they uncovered how the Columbian Exchange continues to influence our world today! 🌍📚
#WorldHistory #GalleryWalk #StudentEngagement #LearningInAction
Mrs. Shawna’s first graders dove into an exciting hands-on science experiment to learn all about blubber and why it’s so important for Arctic and Antarctic animals like the Polar Bear and the Emperor Penguin!
First, students carefully placed their unprotected hands into icy “Arctic” water and quickly discovered just how freezing and dangerous those temperatures can be. 🥶 Then came the big test! With their hands protected by gloves coated in a thick layer of “blubber” (lard), they tried again — and what a difference it made!
Through this engaging experiment, students learned that without blubber, surviving in snowy, icy environments would be nearly impossible. Many animals depend on this special layer to stay warm and alive in extreme cold.
What a fun and memorable way to explore science! We love seeing our students so excited about learning and discovering more about the amazing animals in our world! 🌎✨
👑 A Sweet Taste of Tradition: Spanish II Celebrates Carnaval with King Cake! 🎉
Ms. Aponte’s Spanish II class got a delicious taste of culture this week as they celebrated Carnaval with a traditional King Cake! 💜💛💚
Students explored the history and significance of Carnaval across Spanish-speaking cultures while enjoying this colorful and festive treat. The highlight of the celebration? Discovering the hidden baby Jesus inside the cake! Tradition says that whoever finds the baby will have good luck for the entire year. 🍰✨
What a fun (and tasty!) way to bring language and culture to life in the classroom. Great job, Ms. Aponte and Spanish II! 🇪🇸🎭
🏀📣 Wayback Wednesday – Circa 2015! 📣🏀
Throwing it back to our 2015 teams! What an incredible season filled with hard work, school spirit, unforgettable games, and memories that still make us smile.
From buzzer-beaters on the court to high-energy cheers on the sidelines, this group truly represented dedication, teamwork, and pride. 💙
If you were part of these teams — or cheered them on — drop a comment below and share your favorite memory!
#WaybackWednesday #Teamwork #SchoolSpirit #2015Throwback
Kindness doesn’t have to be big to make a big impact. A genuine compliment, a small act of patience, or sharing a tiny victory can brighten someone’s entire day.
We challenge our students, staff, families, and community to try one (or all!) of these 7 simple ways to help make kindness the norm. Let’s work together to create schools where compassion, encouragement, and respect are part of who we are every single day.
💛 Join us in spreading kindness — one small act at a time.
#VBCountySchools #MakeKindnessTheNorm #RandomActsOfKindness #KindnessMatters #RAKDay
Reminder: Van Buren County Schools – RAK Week Hygiene Supply Drive ✨
Helping Families Shine Inside & Out…
Because everyone deserves to feel clean and cared for. 💙
During Random Acts of Kindness Week (February 17–20), we’re collecting personal hygiene and household supplies for our Family Resource Center to support students and families in our community.
📍 Please drop off all donations at:
• SES
• VBHS
• Central Office
🧴 Items We Are Collecting:
Toothpaste (no toothbrushes, please)
Deodorant
Shampoo & Conditioner
Body Wash or Bar Soap
Toilet Paper
Paper Towels
Clorox Wipes
Every donation—big or small—makes a difference.
Let’s show kindness in action by helping others feel clean, confident, and cared for! 💫
#RAKWeek #VBStrong #KindnessInAction
