Perk E. Mail
Perkiomen Valley School District's Monthly E-Newsletter
May 2016
Greetings!
TOP STORIES
Students, Teachers & Staff Huddle Up for PV Olympics
Students from across the district participated in games such as a ball toss, obstacle courses, tug-of-war and other activities that reinforce teamwork and motor skills. The day-long event also featured music, food and lots of cheering and team huddles.
While PV students had participated in regional Special Olympics competitions in the past, the decision to create a PV version of the well-known event was made so that more PV students could participate and share larger roles in the games. Over the last five years, hundreds of student athletes have participated.
PV Art & Food Truck Festival Arrives on Campus Drive May 21
The event will include live music, local artist booths, food trucks, face-painting for the kids, a sidewalk chalk area, and much more. Click here for a promotional video about the event.
Pitch In for PV Post Prom This Weekend
The PV Post Prom Party is this coming Saturday night, May 14 at Perkiomen Valley High School. HELP IS STILL NEEDED! Please go to www.tinyurl.com/pvpostpromvolunteers and see which volunteer slots are still open. The event will not be cancelled at this point, however, many people will be working double and triple shifts to cover the remaining spots. Please consider helping out. Even if your child is not yet in high school, this is a great opportunity for you to see what the Post Prom event is all about!
EVERGREEN ELEMENTARY NEWS
Environmental "Three Rs" Reviewed in Earth Day Presentation
JP Mascaro representatives and Dumpo, the blue elephant, visited Evergreen first-graders as part of an Earth Day celebration. Students enjoyed a presentation called Respect the Earth, through which information about the "Three Rs" (reduce, reuse, and recycle) were shared. The program explained the best ways to recycle, and the students participated in a “Recycling Challenge."
Students Prepare for Boosterthon Fun
Starting with a pep rally on May 16, Evergreen Elementary School will be participating in an eight-day character-building/running/fundraising event called Boosterthon. Each day a character-building lesson is presented to the entire school. The character trait themes include teamwork, curiosity, practice, humility, confidence, and endurance. Additional spirit activities will also occur during this time.
Parents, friends, and families can pledge donations to students for the laps students run. The culminating run will take place on May 25, along with music and dancing. Each class will design a flag to be carried by their class. Please support Evergreen students during this exciting time!
Funds raised will support “Learning Spaces, Learning Tools” initiatives.
Fun with the Force
Evergreen Elementary School physical education teacher Chris Engler took advantage of “May the 4th Be With You” (Star Wars Day on May 4) to teach his classes balance, coordination and how to use both sides of the brain during an activity. The students had to use a “lightsaber” (pool noodle) to knock other students' “forces” out of balance.
SCHWENKSVILLE ELEMENTARY NEWS
Math Assembly Adds Up to Lots of Fun
Thanks to Schwenksville Elementary's Home and School Association, the students were enthralled and entertained by a great assembly, “Superhero Math,” presented by Joe Romano. Joe Romano “cut” his arm in 3 equal pieces to teach the concept of thirds. Students also had to guess how many prizes were in the magic gumball machine - a great lesson in estimation. Other segments included order of operation, measurement, probability and more!
Recycling for Earth Day at Schwenksville
Earth Day celebrations were held at Schwenksville Elementary School at the end of April. Students learned various ways to care for the planet. One example was in the cafeteria, where they learned how they can make a difference by recycling and composting. Pictured are students from Mrs. Ame Tanski’s kindergarten class wearing their Earth Day hats.
Students Connect with Seniors
First-grade students in Mrs. Maureen Eliasson’s class at Schwenksville Elementary School enjoyed a visit to their neighbors at Greenfield Senior Living. The students enjoyed showing off their reading skills. This was one of several visits by first-graders to Greenfield this year as part of a community service project.
SKIPPACK ELEMENTARY NEWS
Seeds Planted for Future Learning
The Skippack Home and School Association is excited to announce the revitalization of Skippack Elementary School's Garden. A SEED Committee of Home and School was created to work with students, parents, and faculty to create a Learning Garden with vegetables. The SEED Committee's goal is to create and maintain an educational outdoor classroom that all students will work in throughout the year to experience growing their own food from start to finish. Once the garden is fully developed, it will provide opportunities to physically engage students, promote STEM learning, and encourage healthy food choices, social studies and reading/writing skills, and environmental responsibility. The garden has been cleaned up and prepped for the season, and vegetables were planted by the 5th Grade Leadership Team. The school is looking forward to watching this program take off.
Skippack Celebrates National Nurses Day
Magician Entertains at Skippack
SOUTH ELEMENTARY NEWS
Breaking from Testing with Basketball
On April 22, South Elementary School's third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students celebrated the end of PSSA testing with a basketball tournament.
Field Trip To Crystal Cave
As part of their rocks and minerals science unit, second-grade students from South Elementary School traveled to Crystal Cave. They explored the inside of the cave, went on a nature walk, and panned for gemstones. Everyone had a rockin’ good time!
Fun with Mom and Dad at School
PVMS EAST NEWS
East Teams Bring Home Ribbons from Reading Olympics
The Reading Olympics teams from Perkiomen Valley Middle School East, coached by Gina Kratz and Hillary Murphy, participated in the annual county-wide competition held on May 3. East is very proud to announce that the Reading With the Stars team earned a red ribbon with 45 points, and The N.E.R.D.S. team earned a blue ribbon with 58 points. Congratulations on a job well done!
East Holds Mock Primary to Encourage Understanding of Political Process
Chris Phelan's classes helped organize and run the primary event. Students helped their fellow voters sign in to vote, guided them toward electronic and paper ballot systems, explained how delegates are awarded to candidates, made predictions about who would win, and helped oversee the administration of exit poll questions.
Overall, the experience was a unique, hands-on way for students to learn about the process by which the U.S. elects its leaders. Please click here for a video about the day.
Students Find Creative Ways to Display Poetry
Shannon Mullowney’s English classes at Perkiomen Valley Middle School East created a poetry exhibit to celebrate Poetry Awareness Month. Students in her classes wrote their own poems and displayed them in an artistic way.
PVMS WEST NEWS
Dancing With the Stars at PVMS West!
Physical education teachers Matt Weygand and Dotty Sabol put on their dancing shoes for the wildly popular ballroom dancing unit during the last half of April at Perkiomen Valley Middle School West.
During class sessions, the seventh- and eighth-grade students learned the basic steps of the foxtrot and swing dance. As the unit progressed, the students were introduced to more complicated maneuvers: the promenade, ladies’ spin, grapevine, the man turn, and the arm slide.
The ballroom dancing unit was introduced in 2009 by physical education teacher Lynn Krum (now retired). The lessons in dancing are very beneficial to the students’ social development and incorporate high levels of coordination and concentration on step sequencing. Furthermore, the unit of study offers the students an opportunity to learn about another possible and enjoyable way to be physically active while also reinforcing the benefits of politeness, manners, and acceptance of others.
Reading Olympics Team Earns Blue Ribbon
The Perkiomen Valley Middle School's West Community Readers earned a blue ribbon at the 17th Annual Montgomery County Intermediate Unit Reading Olympics competition held at Pottstown Middle School on May 3. The event included middle schools from all over Montgomery county. The teams of sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students read a combined total of 45 books throughout the school year and answered questions about them during the competition. This year’s participants included Ana Miller, William Yin, Evan Wilson, Joseph Ortiz, Kayla Morris, Sophia Anderson, Lauren Foley, Evan Bolton, Olivia Dupre, Samantha Klimek, Megan MacWade, and Isabella Tripodi. Congratulations to these Reading Olympics Community Readers! You make us PV Proud!
Scientific Studies in Beautiful Surroundings
Seventh-grade science students from Perkiomen Valley Middle School West traveled to the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) in early May for an overnight learning adventure.
With the assistance of teachers Danielle Emers and Damico Ponzio, students scooped up macro invertebrates to learn about pond ecology, built their confidence and team-work skills on a low ropes course, and went canoeing. In the evening, students tested their senses on a night hike and capped the day with s’mores and songs around the campfire! Their PEEC experience culminated with a strenuous and educational hike to the Tumbling Waters falls before the journey back to West. The trip was a wonderful, off-campus opportunity for the students to apply and explore what they’d learned during the seventh-grade life science curriculum.
PVHS NEWS
Budding Filmmakers Win Honors at Film Festival
Perkiomen Valley High School students studying film and broadcasting finished sixth overall and premiered in the top 30 films selected to be part of the Ten Day Film Festival held in March.
Students were given 10 days to complete a film in which they were required to include elements such as a character who had recently traveled abroad, a line of dialogue ("Why would you ever say such a thing?"), a timer as a prop, and an engaging and creative opening title sequence.
Two groups of Perkiomen Valley students participated. Their films, "Reflections of My Affection" and "Sixty", were selected from among 125 entries to premiere in the top 30. "Reflections of My Affection" also placed sixth overall in the festival and won for "Best Use of the Required Line of Dialogue."
You can see "Reflections" here: http://www.tendayfilm.org/2016-pa-films.html
“Reflections” participants included:
Shersten Stender, Adam Segal, Nick Zearfoss, Lizzie Rothenberger, Erin Donovan, Meghan Drakas, and Isabella Law
“Sixty" participants included:
Christa Walls, Alex Myers, John Tittle, Gillian Williams, and Marissa Deuber
Students' Book Trailer Video Picked Up By Author
Ms. Kim Paulus’ Honors English class completed book trailer videos in which they summarize the novel they have read through a video that is in the style of a movie trailer. One group, which created a trailer based on the novel, "Reconstructing Amelia," actually received an email from the author commending them for their work!
Writer Kimberly McCreight told the students: “I ADORE your trailer! Thank you so much for it and for your kind words about the book! There is seriously no greater honor than when people make something from what you made.”
The author has posted the video to a “fan art” page on her website. You can watch the video here (PV video is top of the list): http://www.kimberlymccreight.com/wp/index.php/fan-art
Key Club Members Plant Rain Garden
Perkiomen Valley High School Key Club members received a Schuylkill Scholastic Drinking Water Award for their work installing a rain garden to protect Perkiomen Creek.
The rain garden will be open for residents to tour on Tuesday, May 17, at 6 p.m. The rain garden is located along Route 29 in the open space next to the Perkiomen Township Fire Company.
Back in April, students worked in the misty weather along with Krista Scheirer from the Montgomery County Conservation District and Cecile Daniel from the township to construct the rain garden.
Financial and other support for the rain garden is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc., through a grant from the PA Department of Environmental Protection. The rain garden has also been awarded a grant through the PECO Green Region Open Space Program. Additional funding for the project is provided by the Schulykill River Restoration Fund.
PVSD Community Ed Summer Programs Still Open!
Orchestra Camp
Intro to Strings
Bricks 4 Kidz (Lego Camps)
Scratch (Computer Coding) Camps
Swimming Lessons
Tennis Lessons
Choir Camp
Jump Start Your Way into Middle School
Science Explorers
Summer Enrichment in STEM and Reading
Driver's Education (Classroom Theory)
Click here to view our brochure (see pages 10-12 for summer programs), or click here to visit our web store. Be sure to sign up soon so you can reserve a space!
PV Youth Football Night Planned for June 15
You may register online (payment must be sent in the mail), or you may download and print out a form to send in with payment. The cost to attend is $30 if received before June 13. The cost is $35 for walk-up registration.
PV Water Polo Boosters to Sponsor Water Polo Camp in June at PVHS
The PV Water Polo Booster Club is sponsoring a Nike 5-Meter Pennsylvania Water Polo Camp this June. Instruction will take place each day at Perkiomen Valley High School. Camp dates are June 20-21 for ages 14-18 and June 22 for ages 10-16. A portion of the camp fees will help support the PV Water Polo program. For more information, click here.
PV Cheer Camp Planned for Aug. 31
PVSD Special Topic School Board Meeting
Tuesday, May 17, 2016, 07:00 PM
Perkiomen Valley High School, Gravel Pike, Collegeville, PA, United States
PVSD Athletic Committee Meeting
Wednesday, May 18, 2016, 06:30 PM
Perkiomen Valley High School, Gravel Pike, Collegeville, PA, United States
PVSD Superintendent's Roundtable
Wednesday, May 18, 2016, 06:30 PM
Perkiomen Valley School District: District Office, Iron Bridge Drive, Collegeville, PA, United States
Home & School Coordinating Council Meeting
Thursday, May 19, 2016, 09:15 AM
3 Iron Bridge Drive, Collegeville, PA, United States
Student Learning Expo
Monday, May 23, 2016, 06:30 PM
509 Gravel Pike, Collegeville, PA, United States
PVSD Communications Advisory Committee Meeting
Tuesday, May 24, 2016, 03:45 PM
3 Iron Bridge Drive, Collegeville, PA, United States
PVSD Foundation Board Meeting
Wednesday, May 25, 2016, 06:30 PM
3 Iron Bridge Drive, Collegeville, PA, United States
Memorial Day
Monday, May 30
WHERE
All schools
PVSD Safety & Operations Committee Meeting
Monday, Jun 6, 2016, 06:00 PM
509 Gravel Pike, Collegeville, PA, United States
PVSD School Board Work Session/Finance Committee Meeting-of-the-Whole
Monday, Jun 6, 2016, 07:30 PM
509 Gravel Pike, Collegeville, PA, United States
Ramadan Begins
Tuesday, June 7
PVHS Graduation
Friday, Jun 10, 2016, 07:00 PM
509 Gravel Pike, Collegeville, PA, United States
PVSD School Board Business Meeting
Monday, Jun 13, 2016, 07:30 PM
509 Gravel Pike, Collegeville, PA, United States
Flag Day
Tuesday, June 14
PVSD Half-Day In-Service (Early Dismissal)
Tuesday, June 14
WHERE
All schools
11:30 am dismissal for HS & MS
12:15 pm dismissal for ELEM
PVSD Half-Day In-Service (Early Dismissal)
Wednesday, June 15
WHERE
All schools
11:30 am dismissal for HS & MS
12:15 pm dismissal for ELEM
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL/PVSD Half-Day In-Service (Early Dismissal)
Thursday, June 16
WHERE
All schools
11:30 am dismissal for HS & MS
12:15 pm dismissal for ELEM
PVSD In-Service Day (No School for Students)
Friday, June 17
WHERE
All schools
Father's Day
Sunday, June 19th
About Us
Email: jlester@pvsd.org
Website: www.pvsd.org
Location: 3 Iron Bridge Drive, Collegeville, PA, United States
Phone: 610-489-8506
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pvschool
Twitter: @PV_Schools