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Shake, Rattle and RollThe sudden shaking of the ground that occurs when masses of rock change position below Earth’s surface is called an earthquake. The shifting masses send out shock waves that may be powerful enough to alter the surface. Ground shaking from earthquakes can cause buildings and bridges to collapse. Students in Mrs. McGuigan and Mrs. Corr"s sixth grade science classes explored this phenomenon during an exciting hands-on STEM activity. Working in groups, the novice structural engineers designed and built prototypes out of spaghetti and marshmallows. They tested their designs for strength and endurance with a shake table that simulated the force of an earthquake. | Healthy GranolaGranola is a breakfast and snack food consisting of rolled oats, nuts, honey or other sweeteners such as maple syrup, that is usually baked until crisp, toasted and golden brown. The mixture is stirred while baking to avoid burning and to maintain a loose breakfast cereal consistency. Students in Mrs. Soupik's eighth grade Family Consumer Science classes made granola this week to culminate a lesson on grains, fruits and vegetables. They enjoyed their healthy treat plain or in a yogurt-blueberry parfait! | THINKPosting online is instant, public and more often than not, permanent. Once you post, you lose control of what happens to it - it only takes one friend to share it on their own profiles for it to be completely out of your hands. Students in Mrs. Piccione's sixth grade Digital Literacy classes discussed online safety and etiquette using the T.H.I.N.K. acronym; T – Is what I'm saying True? H – Is it Helpful? I – Is it Inspiring? N – Is it Necessary? K – Is it Kind? To spread the information that they learned, the students created informative posters that will be displayed throughout the school building. |
Shake, Rattle and Roll
The sudden shaking of the ground that occurs when masses of rock change position below Earth’s surface is called an earthquake. The shifting masses send out shock waves that may be powerful enough to alter the surface. Ground shaking from earthquakes can cause buildings and bridges to collapse. Students in Mrs. McGuigan and Mrs. Corr"s sixth grade science classes explored this phenomenon during an exciting hands-on STEM activity. Working in groups, the novice structural engineers designed and built prototypes out of spaghetti and marshmallows. They tested their designs for strength and endurance with a shake table that simulated the force of an earthquake.
Healthy Granola
Granola is a breakfast and snack food consisting of rolled oats, nuts, honey or other sweeteners such as maple syrup, that is usually baked until crisp, toasted and golden brown. The mixture is stirred while baking to avoid burning and to maintain a loose breakfast cereal consistency. Students in Mrs. Soupik's eighth grade Family Consumer Science classes made granola this week to culminate a lesson on grains, fruits and vegetables. They enjoyed their healthy treat plain or in a yogurt-blueberry parfait!
THINK
Posting online is instant, public and more often than not, permanent. Once you post, you lose control of what happens to it - it only takes one friend to share it on their own profiles for it to be completely out of your hands. Students in Mrs. Piccione's sixth grade Digital Literacy classes discussed online safety and etiquette using the T.H.I.N.K. acronym; T – Is what I'm saying True? H – Is it Helpful? I – Is it Inspiring? N – Is it Necessary? K – Is it Kind? To spread the information that they learned, the students created informative posters that will be displayed throughout the school building.
2023 Artist in Residence Assembly for 7th Grade Students
STAR & LinkIt Assessments
The STAR Assessments by Renaissance, STAR Reading and STAR Math, are comprehensive literacy and math universal screeners that are computer adaptive. These assessments will provide teachers with current, reliable and valid data quickly so they can target instruction, monitor progress, provide students with instructional materials, and intervene and enrich where needed. Student reports will be provided to families after each assessment.
The LinkIt! Benchmark assessments help teachers determine student progress on specific topics in Language Arts and Math that are expected learning in a particular grade level/course. The LinkIt! assessments indicate progress on state standards, assisting teachers to target areas of instruction. LinkIt! Benchmarks will occur a minimum of two times during the school year.
The following provides parents with more information on the STAR Assessments and the LinkIt! Benchmarks and how they are used
Parents Guide to STAR Assessments
Maximizing instructional time for our students is paramount and performance data supports our teaching staff in designing more purposeful and targeted instruction. Our goal is to make sure that every child is on target for success, and we thank you for your continued efforts at home.
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Chess Club Chess, which requires wit and intellect, is played by millions of people across the globe. It is one of the finest indoor games. Chess is played on a 64 square board of black and white. The aim of the game is to conquer the opposite king. On both sides, there are pawns, knights, bishops, rooks, and the queen to formulate a strategy to attack the opposite army in a war. Once the opposition king is blocked and doesn't have any option to make a move, the game ends. West students from all three grades are welcome again this year to join eighth grade social studies teacher Sean Murphy for Chess Club! The novice Bobby Fischer's will meet every other Wednesday, after school for friendly competition where they will gain experience and skill. | Debate Club Join the PV West Debate Club. Learn the art of constructing, supporting, and discussing arguments. These skills are an integral part of life in a free society. In Debate club students will engage in a variety of discussions centered around group selected topics. They will learn to argue both their own perspective and the perspectives of others. Students will use evidence based practice to back up arguments as well as learning about logical fallacies and cognitive biases that may lead to poor argument construction. Debate club will take place on the second and last Tuesday of each month. Join us for our first organizational meeting on December 13th from 2:30 - 3:45. We hope to see you there. | C.A.U.S.E. ClubThe CAUSE stands for Connecting And Uniting Students to Empower. This is club that was started to try and help other students and get all students involved in our school community. Students in the CAUSE Club will have opportunities to make positive change in the school environment in various ways as well as support our local community. The club meets every Tuesday from 2:30 - 4:00 and we welcome all students that would like to join. |
Chess Club
Debate Club
C.A.U.S.E. Club
The CAUSE stands for Connecting And Uniting Students to Empower. This is club that was started to try and help other students and get all students involved in our school community. Students in the CAUSE Club will have opportunities to make positive change in the school environment in various ways as well as support our local community. The club meets every Tuesday from 2:30 - 4:00 and we welcome all students that would like to join.
MLK Day of Service at Perkiomen Valley
Hello Perkiomen Valley Families,
We are looking forward to having you join us for the 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Monday, January 16th, 2023. This year's event features both “In-Person” and “Take-Home” options. The Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service will take place in the Perkiomen Valley High School Cafeteria from 8:30 am – 12:00 pm. The day is broken into two sessions, 8:30 am & 10:30 am, where elementary and middle school students can take part in service activities to benefit both local and international organizations.
If you are unable to join us for the “In-Person” options, we are offering a limited number of “Take Home” service projects for both elementary and middle school students. To participate in the “take home” activities, select the “take home” option in the link below. Please note that the day’s events are either in person or take home, please register for only one option. See the link below.
This year we will again be hosting a “Drive-Thru Donation Station” at Middle School East. Goods can be dropped off from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. This year we will be collecting for the following organizations:
Perkiomen Valley Post Prom
- Formal Wear - Shoes, Purses, Accessories
- Any other clothing items bag separately from formal wear
Perkiomen Valley Spirit Wear (Non-personalized items)
- If your “Little Vikings” have become “Big Vikings” and you would like to donate their gently used PV Spirit Wear here is your chance.
- We will be collecting all sizes and all PV School Spirit Wear
Daily Bread Community Food Pantry
- Non-perishable goods
- personal care items
- supplies for babies and pets
Lions Club
- Used glasses (both prescription and any other types of glasses)
Please use this link to sign up for the sessions starting on January 4th, 2023.
Please Note: “Take-Home” options will close on January 9th, 2023 so that material can be distributed. “In-Person” will be open until January 16th, 2023. Spaces are limited and subject to availability.
Any questions please contact Steve Willis (swillis@pvsd.org)
East/West Ice Skating Night!
Join us for a fun night of ice skating, food, music and friends!
When: Friday, January 20, 2023 from 7:00 - 9:00pm
Where: Spring Mountain Adventures
Cost: $18 (includes skate rental)
Please note that parents are expected to ensure there is proper adult supervision for their child(ren). In addition to your ticket for entrance, all participants must bring a signed waiver, which can be accessed at https://bit.ly/springmtn-iceskatingwaiver.
Use the below link to purchase your tickets and for more information pertaining to the event. Space is limited to 300, so don't delay in purchasing your tickets.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/eastwest-ice-skating-night-tickets-500086340707
Homework Club
Homework Club takes place next Tuesday and Thursday afternoon from 2:30 - 3:45pm in the West library. Homework Club will provide a quiet, comfortable, and supportive setting for students to complete school work and become better organized. Students will receive assistance and support when needed. School resources will also be provided for all students in attendance. There is no sign-up required. If students are attending they can report directly to the Library after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
After School Activity Transportation
- 4:00pm Departure (outside main office) - Monday through Thursday
- 5:00pm Departure (outside gym entrance) - Monday through Thursday
For each day students intend to take either the 4:00pm or 5:30pm activity bus, they are asked to inform the school district and bus company for routing purposes using the electronic form provided. The form links are below and also available to students via the PV LaunchPad - Classlink. Students must submit their information each morning by 10:00 am if they intend to ride the afternoon activity bus that day.
Power Packs
PV Power Packs is a weekend food program for students experiencing food insecurity. Bags of food, including 2 breakfast items, 2 lunch items, 2 snacks, and 2 fruits, are sent home with students prior to every weekend. There is no financial information required to participate in this program and students pick up their bags from their counselor or designated person every week.
Sign up for your child(ren) to receive a Power Packs bag by filling out this form: 2022-23 Power Packs or by emailing PowerPacks@pvsd.org.
Learn more about Power Packs at https://www.pvsd.org/families/pv-power-packs/ and follow us on Facebook @PVPowerPacks.
PV West Athletic Update
Perkiomen Valley Sports Network
Welcome to the Perkiomen Valley Sports Network inaugural podcast featuring student-athletes and coaches from within the Perkiomen Valley School District. The production team is a collaboration of our Sports Marketing & Management classes, PVTV, and the Athletic Department here at PVHS. Our mission is to shine light and positive stories on impactful players, coaches, and teams within our school and discuss their experiences as student-athletes and coaches. This is the first of many podcasts that will be shared throughout the school year.
In this our first episode, our host Evan Kenny will be interviewing three PVHS Varsity golf team members: Ayush Patel, Abigail McCorkell, and Nadia Yackanicz. These golfers have all had very successful seasons and recently qualified for the PIAA District One Golf Championships. In the podcast they discuss their experiences and thoughts on being a part of the PV Golf Team this season.
We look forward to sharing more podcasts with you throughout the year.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C9DqaLOYJTMlKLvrtxTzafVvFeLd3QHK/view
Middle School West 8th Grade Girls' Basketball
Upcoming Events:
Friday January 13th - Away vs. Pottstown Middle School @ 3:30pm
Middle School West 7th Grade Girls' Basketball
Upcoming Events:
Friday January 13th - Away vs. Pottstown Middle School @ 4:30pm
Middle School West 8th Grade Boys' Basketball
Upcoming Events:
Wednesday January 11th - Away vs. Perkiomen Valley Middle School East @ 3:30pm
Friday January 13th - Home vs. Pottstown Middle School @ 3:30pm
Middle School West 7th Grade Boys' Basketball
Upcoming Events:
Wednesday January 11th - Away vs. Perkiomen Valley Middle School East @ 4:30pm
Friday January 13th - Home vs. Pottstown Middle School @ 4:30pm
Middle School Boys' Wrestling
Upcoming Events:
Wednesday January 11th - Away vs. Arcola Intermediate School @ 3:30pm
West Home & School Information
If you would like to volunteer at any events that Home and School may have in the Spring, please email pvmswesths@gmail.com
Nurse Notes
How Sick is Too Sick for School?
The student must be fever free for 24 hours without the use of medications (i.e. Tylenol or Advil), and 24 hours without vomiting or diarrhea before returning to school.
For specific identified infectious diseases, students will be excluded from school according to the Office of Public Health guidelines.
Students are not permitted to carry any medications in school. All medication, including over the counter medications, must have a physician order and be brought to the nurse’s office by a parent or guardian.
If your student becomes ill at school they must report to the nurse. Safety dictates that students not go to the bathroom to deal with an illness on their own.
A parent/guardian or emergency contact will be called by the nurse if the nurse determines the student is too ill to remain in school, has a temperature of 100.0 degrees or more, has vomited or has diarrhea.
It is recommended that a parent or designee pick up a sick or ill student within an hour of being notified by the nurse.
Covering coughs/sneezes and proper handwashing will help prevent the spread of illnesses.
Be Part of the Conversation - Upcoming Programs
Be a Part of the Conversation equips families and communities in Pennsylvania with skills and resources to understand substance use, addiction, and related health issues. We provide community programs, foster supportive connections, highlight lived experiences, and challenge stigma.
We are a collaboration of community leaders, clinicians, students, school district representatives, and families who believe that having meaningful, inclusive conversations about substance use and addiction will support individuals and their families in their efforts to develop healthy coping skills and access support whenever there is a need. Learn more about us. See the link below for a number of programs that Be a Part of the Conversation offers.
PV West Attendance Information
If your child will be absent or missing any class time, please send an email (from the email you have listed in our new SIS system) to:
This will count as your call-out AND parent excuse. Please indicate in your email the date of absence, student’s grade and the reason for the absence. An absence is considered unexcused when the child’s school has not received an email or written parent note providing an acceptable reason for the absence, within a 3-day period.
You may also call our attendance line at: 1 (484) 977-7210, option 1. If you do this, you would still need to submit an email with the above information in order for it to be excused.
Any medical notes or Dr.'s notes should be placed in the Attendance Box, right outside the Guidance Department.
If you have any questions at all, please contact Lori Tropea at ltropea@pvsd.org or you may call her at x3540.
PVSD Food Service Updates
Parents/Guardians put money in their student(s) accounts electronically in SchoolCafe or by sending cash or checks in with their students. For more information about SchoolCafe please go to https://www.pvsd.org/departments/food-service/school-cafe-information/. If you are sending funds in with your students, please note the students’ names and account number on the envelope and ask them to give the envelope to their cashier in the cafeteria.
Upon entering the serving area, students make their selections and enter their 6 digit Student ID number on the pin pad or scanner. Our staff will be happy to help them become more comfortable with the system.
Safe2Say
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (now known as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), and is now active across the United States.
When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors that are part of the existing Lifeline network. These trained counselors will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to resources if necessary. Please see below for more information.
The previous Lifeline phone number (1-800-273-8255) will always remain available to people in emotional distress or suicidal crisis.
Community Bulletin Board
Want to find out what’s going on in the PV Community? Visit here for flyers about upcoming events in and around our area!
To submit an event for posting, please send a PDF version of your flyer to webmaster@pvsd.org for review.
Please note that Community Bulletin Board items may contain links to websites of organizations outside Perkiomen Valley School District. Items are posted to this bulletin board as a free service to the community, and should not be interpreted as being sponsored or endorsed by the district.
West Weeks At A Glance
Tuesday January 10th - Homework Club @ 2:30pm in West Library; Artist in Residence Assembly for 7th grade students; PVSD School Board Business Meeting at 7pm in PVHS Library
Wednesday January 11th - Superintendent's Roundtable @ 6:30pm in PVHS Library
Thursday January 12th - Homework Club @ 2:30pm in West Library
Monday January 16th - MLK Day Day of Service at Perkiomen Valley High School Cafeteria
Tuesday January 17th - West Home & School Meeting @ 7pm in Library
Friday January 20th - West Spelling Bee; East/West Ice Skating Night @ 7pm at Spring Mountain
Tuesday January 24th - End of 2nd Marking Period
Wednesday January 25th - Half-Day for students (Teacher In-Service)
For more details on the 22/23 school year go to the 22/23 Instructional Calendar
Perkiomen Valley Middle School West