My Villa

As a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools, the Center for Student Success supports the Goals and Criteria of a Sacred Heart education of its students. Particularly, "Goal II: a deep respect for intellectual values" is the hallmark of the Center for Student Success. The Center offers support services for students with mild learning disabilities or for students who learn differently. Students experience academic success, self-advocacy, love of learning, and confidence when given the academic reinforcement. Our specialists work closely with teachers to develop new methods of learning within the dynamic expectations of a college-preparatory curriculum, while emphasizing skill building, use of assistive technology, and alternative approaches of learning. The Center recognizes and honors a student’s unique gifts, talents, learning challenges, and style. In the words of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, we are here for the “sake of one child.”

Tutorial Services JK3-6

Several academic assistance options are included as part of tuition. Tutoring and speech services are also available on a fee-for-service model for students with learning differences or who require additional support.

• Reading Instruction: Our Instructional Specialist is available during school hours by referral from your child’s teacher or the Student Success Specialist. There is no fee for this service.
• The Center for Student Success: Consultation, group sessions, and study skills techniques are available in the Center for Student Success by referral from your child’s teacher in collaboration with the CARE team. Members of the CARE team include the principal, counselor, learning specialists, and classroom teachers. There is no fee for this small group or individualized instruction.
• Private Tutoring: Learning/reading specialists and speech therapists are available during campus hours for an additional charge. Tutoring takes place on campus either before, during, or after school and is arranged in conjunction with the Center for Student Success, parents/student, and teachers. Appointments during school hours are coordinated to minimize classroom disruption. Payment and billing is coordinated with the specialist providing the services. 

Tutorial Servics 7-12

The Upper School offers several options for academic assistance. Teachers are available for consultation after school and during extended period and break. Tutoring is available on a fee-for-service model for students with learning differences or who require additional support.

• The Center for Student Success: Consultation, group sessions, and study skills techniques are available in the Center for Student Success by appointment. Teachers, students, or parents may request the service. There is no fee for this small group or individualized instruction.
• Reading Plus Program: Students who want to improve reading comprehension, vocabulary, or fluency may be directed to a computerized reading program for use at home or at school during a student’s free class period. There is no fee for this service.
• Private Tutoring: Experienced, subject-specific tutors and learning specialists are available during campus hours for an additional charge. Tutoring takes place on campus either before, during, or after school and is arranged in conjunction with the Center for Student Success, student/parent, and teachers. Payment and billing is coordinated with the specialist providing the services. 

Cancellation Policy: Parents or students must notify the specialist of a cancellation at least six hours prior to the session to avoid the session charge. Attempts will be made to reschedule.

Student Expectations: Students are asked to bring their materials to each session.

Contact: Christine Phillips, Student Success Specialist | cphillips@vdoh.org | 314.810.3517

There are twenty-two schools throughout the United States that belong to the Network of Sacred Heart Schools and more than 150 Sacred Heart schools around the world. Middle school students have the opportunity to participate in two-week domestic exchanges with other member schools in the Network of Sacred Heart Schools in the United States; while our high school students may spend either a quarter or semester at one of our domestic or international sister schools. Students from Sacred Heart schools around the world also attend Villa Duchesne and live with host families. Contact Dr. Melissa Allen at mallen@vdoh.org for more information!

Villa Duchesne partners with Magnus Health to enable parents to electronically complete, sign, and return their children’s health forms. Magnus Health is a web-based health records management system that securely integrates with our school database. You will not only use this system to update your student’s medical history but to also download all other medical forms that need to be completed by your physician, such as physical forms and action plans.

Forms for the 2022-2023 school year will be available in April 2022. Parents have until Friday, May 15, 2022, to enter or update each child’s medical information in Magnus. This includes emergency contacts, insurance information, physician information, health history, permission to give over-the-counter medications, allergy information, and permission to treat. Please note that your student’s enrollment at Villa Duchesne must be complete before you can access Magnus.

In addition, some families are required to submit the following:

• A current school physical completed within the last calendar year for all students new to Villa Duchesne as well as all students entering junior kindergarten 3, kindergarten, grade 4, or grade 7. Students in grades 9-12 should have a MSHSAA or Villa physical. For students participating in sports, all other physicals will be approved or rejected based on the MSHSAA requirements. Upper school physicals are valid for two years from the date of the exam unless the physician states that it is only valid for one year. Students not in compliance cannot try out for any sport. Physicals may be completed by your physician, an urgent care center, or a walk-in clinic, like those at Walgreens.
• A current list of immunizations for all students new to Villa Duchesne including all immunizations required by the State of Missouri. An updated list of immunizations for students entering kindergarten with two MMR and two Varicella, students entering grade 8 with Tdap and MCV, and students entering grade 12 with a second dose of MCV unless the first dose was administered after the age of 16. A signed medical or religious state exemption form is required for all exempt immunizations and must be renewed yearly.
• A current Action Plan signed by your physician and a Parent Request for Treatment for any student with an allergy requiring an EpiPen, asthma requiring an inhaler or nebulizer, diabetes, a seizure disorder, or chronic anxiety disorder.
• A Parent Request to Administer Medication at School form for all medications (including EpiPens and inhalers) not included in the over-the-counter medication permissions. Note: All medications are kept in the Nurse’s Office. Students may not carry medications while on campus unless it is an EpiPen or inhaler and your physician has given specific approval for the student to have it on her/his person.
• A physician's signed order is required for any over-the-counter medication to be dispensed above the recommended dosage as well as for all prescriptions to be given at school.

If your child has any special health care needs, please call the Nurse’s Office to discuss her/his needs and how we can best help her/him meet them.

HOW DO I COMPLETE THE ONLINE FORMS?

The 2022-2023 health care forms will be available April 2022 on Magnus Health. Log in at https://secure.magnushealthportal.com/ss/339115/login using your villa1929.org website username and password.

Student Health Tracker in Magnus: After logging in to Magnus, check “complete now” next to the name of the student whose records you want to access. The Student Health Tracker for that student will open and will clearly indicate all requirements as well as which are complete and which are still outstanding. From this page, you will be able to download any forms that need to be completed or signed.

The site will include directions on how paper forms may be uploaded to the Student Health Tracker. You will receive email notifications about incomplete enrollment until you complete all required items.

WHAT IF I NEED HELP WITH THE FORMS?

You can contact Magnus Health by phone, email, or live chat. Contact information is available upon login to Magnus at https://secure.magnushealthportal.com/ss/339115/login.

You may also call the Villa Duchesne Health Center or email Kristen Jasper at kjasper@vdoh.org during the school year. We are happy to help you.

Kristen Jasper, RN | kjasper@vdoh.org | 314.810.3499

Villa is adjusting the tuition payment plans for the 23-24 school year. When families receive and execute their enrollment or re-enrollment contract, parents will be prompted to create an account with VC Pay, pay their deposit, and select a payment plan. Villa requires a $1,000 non-refundable deposit to secure a seat. Families who applied for FIT have a deposit amount of $50. The deposit will be applied to tuition. All families must register with VC Pay and pay an associated fee.

Here are the five payment plans offered through VC Pay:

1. One Payment | One payment of the balance of tuition and fees to be paid on July 15, 2023
2. Two Payments | Two payments of the balance of tuition and fees to be paid on July 15, 2023, and January 14, 2024
3. Three Payments | Three payments of the balance of tuition and fees to be paid on July 15, 2023; October 15, 2023; and January 15, 2024. 
4. Ten Payments | Tuition is deducted on the 10th of each month, with the first payment due on July 10, 2023.
5. Ten Payments | Tuition is deducted on the 25th of each month, with the first payment due on July 25, 2023.

If you have questions, contact the Business Office at 314-810-3531. 

If your family situation has changed and you are concerned about affording tuition, please reach out to us! We want to help and there are programs in place to support our families. Learn more about Family Individualized Tuition and the Scholarships we offer. We value your commitment to Sacred Heart education!

Families seeking FIT must reapply each year. The deadline to apply for FIT for the 2023-2024 school year is January 15, 2023. We are switching our provider from SSS/Blackbaud to FACTS Grant & Aid. Please make time to complete a FACTS Grant & Aid application before January 15. 

Here are the instructions to apply for FIT for 2023-2024:

1. To prepare to apply, collect the required supporting documents: most recent pay stubs and W-2 forms for all jobs; most recently filed tax returns (1040, 1040A, 1040EZ with all schedules), most recently filed business tax return if applicable, and any supplemental income documentation (social security, welfare, food stamps, child support, 1099M forms, workers compensation, unemployment, veterans benefits, etc.). Please note, last year’s tax returns and W-2s or other forms are just fine to apply for FIT. 

2. Visit the FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment website, go to the “Family login” tab, select “Payment Plans/Financial Aid,” and create an account or log in if you already have an account. If you have applied via FACTS in the past at another school, you likely already have an account.

3. Complete the required information and submit the required documentation.

4. Once your information is processed, Villa will receive a recommendation from FACTS, and that recommendation will be reviewed by our FIT Committee. Using the recommendation and all other qualitative information provided by the family, the FIT Committee will determine a sustainable rate of tuition that prioritizes tuition as a top financial commitment but does not exceed your budget. Fairness and confidentiality are at the heart of this process.

5. If you have questions about FIT, email FIT@vdoh.org. If you have questions about the FACTS application, you can contact FACTS Family support at 1-866-315-9262.

6. Please note that the Board of Trustees approves a limited amount of FIT funds for each year, and our January 15, 2023 deadline is extremely important. Make a note and apply before the

Lower School | Class Dojo

• Using Class Dojo as A Parent
• Using Class Dojo as A Student2

If you have any questions about Class Dojo, please contact your child's homeroom teacher or Jaime Bergfeld, Assistant to the Lower School Principal, at jbergfeld@vdoh.org.

Upper School | Google Classroom 

Parents and Google Classroom

The Upper School uses Google Classroom as its learning management system. This is where your daughter will find assignments, materials, and announcements posted by her teachers. Students will also be able to turn in work, receive feedback from their teachers, and collaborate with their peers digitally. Many teachers and students have been using Google Classroom for the past few years with great success and have provided very positive feedback.

As a parent, you have the option to receive email summaries to help you follow your daughter's progress in her classes. You will still use this Portal to access grades and attendance information.

New families: You will receive an email invitation from Google Classroom to opt in to receive the emailed summaries. If you accept, you will receive emails listing by course your daughter’s assignments, any missing assignments, and class announcements. You have the option to receive daily or weekly summaries that will include information from all of her classes. 

Returning families: The Google Classroom Summary settings you selected last year will carry over to this year. If you opted not to receive summaries last year and would now like to receive them, please contact Dean of Academics Stacy Henning at shenning@vdoh.org. She will send you an invite to Google Classroom. If you opted to receive summaries last year and would now like to unsubscribe, click unsubscribe at the bottom of any email summary you receive.

Google offers an information page that provides more details and a view of what email summaries entail.

We have created a helpful guide with more information and troubleshooting if you are experiencing any issues receiving the parent summaries. 

If you have any questions about Google Classroom, please contact Stacy Henning, Dean of Academics, at 314-810-3569 or Aaron Kaiser, Director of Technology, at 314-810-3439. 

Stay Home When Sick

All school families should monitor their children for symptoms of infectious disease daily. If children are not feeling well or are exhibiting symptoms consistent with an infectious disease like COVID-19 or influenza, please keep them home and send an email to attendance-lower@vdoh.org or attendance-upper@vdoh.org. Faculty and staff should self-monitor and stay home if symptoms occur. Symptoms include fever greater than 100.4, sore throat, new cough, new onset runny nose or congestion, or loss of taste and smell.

Symptoms at School

If a child is exhibiting symptoms at school, the School Nurse will contact the parents to pick the child up. If a healthcare professional recommends testing for COVID-19 based on the symptoms or known exposure, the date for returning to school will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the School Nurse and communicated to parents and the classroom teacher.

COVID Diagnosis 

Positive COVID tests should be reported to the School Nurse right away. The School Nurse will gather information and make a determination as to the isolation period by following the Recommendations for K-12 School Settings from the St. Louis County Department of Public Health. Our goal will be to welcome our students back to school as soon as possible. In some cases, children, faculty, or staff returning to campus on day 6 will need to wear a well-fitting mask through day 10. 

COVID Exposure

If you learn that your child has been exposed to COVID outside of school, please notify the School Nurse and closely monitor them for symptoms. Children may come to school (we recommend they are masked for 10 days from direct exposure) as long as they remain symptom-free and have not been diagnosed with an illness.

Faculty and Staff who have been exposed to COVID (close contact) will be required to mask for 10 days from the date of exposure.

We expect members of our community to be exposed to COVID and other illnesses on campus this year. The CDC no longer recommends contact tracing or quarantine for exposure. All parents should closely monitor their children for symptoms regularly. If we become aware of a significant number of COVID cases resulting from exposure on campus, the school may take additional precautions to reduce the chance of illness, including notifying families, requiring masking for a brief period, or other measures.

Questions

Villa’s policy is informed by the CDC updated guidance and the St. Louis County Department of Public Health Recommendations for K-12 School Settings, including the Washington University Department of Pediatrics Symptom Decision Tree. The guidance may change based on the local and national infectious disease landscape, and the school may periodically update this policy. Every situation is unique. If you have specific questions or need guidance, stay home and contact our School Nurse. Thank you for your partnership!

School Nurse Contact Information:
Mrs. Kristen Jasper
314.810.3499
kjasper@vdoh.org

Talking to Your Child about Active Intruder Situations

by Tier One Tactical Solutions, LLC

What can I do as a parent in the event of this type of situation?

• Know that in a crisis, telephone lines may become overwhelmed. Access to the School may be restricted. The School will initiate communication as quickly as possible, providing instructions reuniting you with your child through our secure process.
• To ensure you receive timely updates, please UPDATE PROFILE in MyBackPack with your current address, telephone numbers and emergency contacts.
• Frequently ask your child about the drills and training that they have practiced in School.

What else can I do?

You can also emphasize with your child the importance of:

• Listening to all information that comes across the emergency system.
• Following the instructions of the teacher or any adult in charge.
• Taking all drills seriously so that they are prepared and know what to do in the event of an actual emergency.
• Making sure that they report to an adult when the outside doors are propped open or left open for others.
• Telling an adult when they know someone has plans to bring a weapon to School, whether they believe them or not.
• Telling if someone has brought a weapon to School whether they have seen it or not.

Also, you can:  

• Have frequent discussions with your child regarding their feelings about active intruder situations.
• Create safety plans for your child for your home, when they go outside to play or if they get lost. Practicing personal safety is an important task for all of us.

What is Options-Based Active Intruder Training?

The School has adopted options-based active intruder protocols based on the recommendation of the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. These agencies recommend that all Schools teach students and staff options that may be available to them in an intruder situation. The foundation of our options-based active intruder program is the 4E concept. The 4E’s represent Educate, Evade, Escape and Engage.

• The EDUCATE option is where students learn and practice the terminology and skills taught in the 4E program. They also learn to keep their School safe by observing and reporting when they see or hear something wrong.
• Students learn about the EVADE option by locking doors, turning off the lights, covering the window, and using items in the room to barricade the door.
• The ESCAPE option instructs students and staff to leave the building, when they believe it is safe to do so, by the quickest possible path.
• The ENGAGE option is not part of the elementary-grade training, but is taught at the middle and high school level. Students are instructed that when their lives are in imminent danger and no other option is viable, they can distract by throwing anything available and fight back to maximize their chances of survival. Engaging is only used as an option of last resort.   

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I say to my child if they have concerns about an intruder coming into their School?

While the subject of active intruders can be unsettling for students and staff, our ultimate goal is survival. If your child is concerned that something like this might happen at their School, remind them that it is necessary to be prepared and practice active intruder drills just as they do fire drills, tornado drills and earthquake drills. Principals, teachers and staff will help students learn how to think and react in an emergency situation.

Why did the School change to an options-based active intruder model instead of the “traditional” lockdown?

In the past, locking down a facility was the only response utilized regarding an active intruder. However, research has shown that allowing staff and students to employ options when dealing with active intruders increases the chances of surviving a critical incident.

What if my child or I have specific questions or concerns about active intruder information?

If you or your child have any questions or concerns about the topic, feel free to contact your child’s teacher, counselor or principal. Make sure your child knows that they should tell an adult right away if another person talks about hurting others, themselves or obtaining any type of weapon, even if they think the person is joking. Students should also report any potential safety issues to an adult such as a fire, a tripping hazard or an unidentified person(s) in any school building.

What type of emergency drills do students practice?

All students practice several drills annually.  They consist of fire drills, active intruder drills and tornado drills. Parents will be notified of any active intruder drills ahead of time.

Why should my child participate in active intruder drills?

Drills are a way for students and staff to practice and be prepared to act in a crisis. Active intruder drills are clearly identified as “Only a Drill”, and we have members of our staff who are trained to assist students. All students should be trained so that they are not only able to use these skills taught at the School, but also in any dangerous situation they may encounter outside of School, as well.

I have heard my child talk about the “Rally Point.” What is it?

Most schools practice escaping to an off-site location called a Rally Point. The Rally Point is a term used to describe a predetermined location that staff and students ESCAPE to when there is an emergency situation inside the School that requires them to go to a safe location off-site from the campus. The students are shown where the Rally Point is, and how to get there.

In the event of a crisis that requires the temporary evacuation of the building, the School has designated a ReUnification Point or R.U.P. Should a crisis event occur, the School will be inaccessible except to first responders (police, firefighters, EMS, etc.) To reunite you with your child as quickly as possible, a Reunification Point is established off site and away from the commotion to aid in reuniting students with their families.