GVES Weekly Announcements
February 7, 2020
Principals' Message
Happy Friday GVES families!
We are so proud of our students, teachers, and staff for the way they calmly and quickly responded to our unexpected weather event today. Kudos to a true team effort! In other news this week, our students participated in the Kids Heart Challenge during Physical Education class. There was jumping, flying, scootering, and laughing all to support the American Heart Association’s fight against heart disease. Thank you for the community support! We also recognized our extraordinary guidance counselors Carla D’Olio and Bridget McNulty during National School Counselor Week. We are grateful for all they give to our Garnet Valley community. Next week we look forward to an assembly titled, Cinderella Eats Rice & Beans presented by the Walnut Street Theatre. It celebrates being part of a group while still being yourself. We wish you a restful weekend!
Warmly,
Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Conley
Upcoming Events
2/12: School Store
2/13: Valentine's Day Parties & Sneaker Thursday
2/14: Inservice Day--No School for Students
Changes of Dismissal Reminders
When it is necessary to make a change midday--you MUST call the main office. Teachers do not always check email during the day, and substitutes do not have access to teacher email. Thank you for helping to keep our dismissal running safely and smoothly!
February Cafeteria Change
Nurses Office Notes
In an effort to keep our students and staff members as healthy as possible—please encourage frequent hand washing and practice these district guidelines:
1. Your child should be fever-free for 24 hours without medication before returning to school.
2. Children experiencing vomiting and diarrhea must be kept home for 24 hours after the last episode.
3. Children with possible infectious diseases (i.e. Flu, pink eye and any unknown rashes) should be kept home until your health care provider affirms they are no longer contagious and/or they are no longer symptomatic.
4. Some OTC medications may be given at school by the school nurse, provided the parent/guardian has given their approval via the SNAP Health Portal. Prescription medication that your child may need during the school day must be brought to the nurse’s office by a parent/guardian in the original, labeled pharmacy container. A parent must complete the ‘Medication Consent’ form when dropping off this medication. Students are not permitted to carry medication.
5. If your child is sick, please keep them home regardless of parties, field trips or other special events.
Your assistance with these health concerns is much appreciated. If you should have any questions regarding these guidelines or other health issues please contact me at #610 579-4146. Thank You!!
GVE HSA Weekly Announcements – 2/7/2020
Reminder: Family Bingo Night - Friday Feb, 7th
If you registered for Bingo…tonight is the night! Any questions, please contact Pat Farley: pfarleyrn@comcast.net
School Store – Wednesday, February 12th - SALE AND ERASER WITH ANY PURCHASE!!!!
Just a reminder that School Store Wednesday February 12!! Children have the opportunity to use their math skills while shopping for fun items such as orbeez, pens, pencil toppers, slime, scrunchies, stress balls, key chains, memo pads and other fun supplies! The children will shop between their lunch and recess. Prices range between 25¢ and $3.50.
Sign up here to come see all of the excitement the students have as they make their selections.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0c4ba4a82da3fe3-gves
Class Valentine’s Day Parties - Thursday, February 13th
Each class will have their own Valentine’s Day party on Thursday, February 13th due to the school holiday on the 14th. Homeroom parents will be sending out sign-ups soon for items needed for the parties.
Dining Out for GVE at Anthony’s Coal Fire Pizza – Thursday, Feb 13th
Grab a pie and give back to GVE at Anthony’s Coal Fire Pizza (Brandywine Town Center – North Wilmington…right by Trader Joes!) 20%of all dine in and take out orders all day will be donated to GVE HSA. No flyer needed, just mention Garnet Valley HSA!
Lunch Buddies – Friday, February 21st
If you have signed up to be a Lunch Buddy for February, your time is coming! Friday, February 21st is our next Lunch Buddy opportunity. There is one day identified for Lunch Buddies every month between October and March and spots are available on a first come, first served basis. There are still spots available, so check it out and join your student for lunch!
This SignUp Genius is broken out into tabs across the top for different lunch periods, listed out by grade and classroom. Find your child’s grade/class on the appropriate tab…. select from the available dates…and MARK YOUR CALENDAR to enjoy lunch with your student!
PLEASE NOTE: Only one guest per student per school year can sign up.
Scholastic Book Fair – February 26th – 28th (Family Night – 2/27, 5-7pm)
Save the date for the book fair coming February 26-28! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to grow your at-home library while supporting the school with books from Scholastic. Students will have the chance to shop during school, and all are invited to shop on family night or online here: www.scholastic.com/bf/gves.
Beginning Feb 10th, parents can set up eWallet, a new feature that eliminates the need to send in cash in an envelop! Parents can set up a limited amount for their child to spend. There is no fee for this payment option. Learn more at: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bookfairs/misc/howitworks.html
Any questions, please contact Jennifer Swetland: Jennifer.swetland@gmail.com
Jag Jog – Sunday, April 26th
Lace up your running and walking shoes and save the date for the Sixth Annual Jag Jog 5K and 1 mile fun run on Sunday April 26!!!!!
Donations Donations!
https://www.cradlestocrayons.org/philadelphia/take-action/donate-goods/items-we-accept/
https://rmhde.org/wp-content/uploads/New-Pop-Tab-Flyer-1.pdf
School News Winter Episode 4
Good Morning!
You can view this week's episode of School News here.
Thanks!
Your School News Crew
Have a great weekend!
Parent Workshop
2020 Make a Difference Awards
Garnet Valley CTC Quick Tip #21- Vaping Marijuana
Did you know? “Young people start using marijuana for many reasons. Curiosity, peer pressure, and the desire to fit in with friends are common ones. And people who have untreated mental health disorders (such as depression, anxiety, conduct disorder, or ADHD) or who have experienced trauma are at increased risk of using marijuana and other drugs at an early age (NIMH)”. To add to those concerns, vaping has created a new way to use marijuana that is much less detectable. A majority of Garnet Valley students who have used marijuana have switched to vaping marijuana. In 2015, the number of students vaping marijuana over other means of use doubled. The number tripled in 2017. Marijuana that has been vaped has been in the news as a primary cause of lung injury and severe illness.
Call to action…Learn more about the mental health and marijuana connection and how as a parent/care giver, you can influence your child to make healthy decisions.
Elementary Handbook & GVSD Procedural Manual
Communication Procedures
Early Dismissals - Early dismissals due to weather or unforeseen circumstances will be announced through the phone number you provide in Alma, email, district-level social media, and websites. Please keep your Alma contact information current. You can update this information in your account.
Absence Reporting - Launched at the end of the last school year, the new School Messenger (Safe Arrival) Absence Reporting System makes it easy for parents/guardians to report their child's absence, reduces the time it takes to verify student attendance and will allow our staff to respond to unexplained student absences more efficiently. Please click here for directions on how to use your phone, app, or computer to report an absence.
Social Media - GVES is on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram! Our handle is @GarnetValleyES on all three platforms. We also podcast on iTunes. Just search iTunes for "Jaguarmax."
GVES Calendar
The view the full calendar on our website, click here or go to https://gves.garnetvalleyschools.com/calendar.
Attendance Information
State law establishes conditions under which any child may be excused from attendance at school. In keeping with these statues and recommendations of the State Department of Education, pupils in the Garnet Valley Schools may be excused temporarily from school attendance for the following reasons:
Sickness
Quarantine
Death in the immediate family
Weather so inclement so as to endanger the health of the child or make roads impassable
For observance of a major religious holiday
College visits, pre-approved educational trips
In order for an absence to be excused, a parent/guardian must respond to the Safe Arrival phone call, use the Safe Arrival app to report the absence ahead of time, or submit a written note to the office within three days after return from an absence. The absence of any student failing to comply with this time period will automatically become unexcused and illegal, and the school laws of Pennsylvania shall be applied accordingly.
Raptor Information
The Raptor system is used to enhance our ability to monitor who enters our buildings by screening visitors, contractors, and volunteers. Upon entering a district building, visitors will be asked to present an ID such as a Driver’s License, which can either be scanned or manually entered into the system. If a parent or guardian for any reason does not have a US government-issued ID, the school staff member can use any form of identification and manually enter the person’s name into the Raptor system. The Raptor system will check to ensure that registered sexual offenders are not entering our school campuses without our knowledge. The Raptor system checks the visitor's name and date of birth for comparison with a national database of registered sex offenders. The registered sex offender database is the only official database checked by the Raptor system. No other data from the ID is gathered or recorded and the information is not shared with any outside agency. Once entry is approved, Raptor will issue a badge that identifies the visitor, the date, and the purpose of his/her visit.
Please adhere to the following regulations:
1. Enter the building at the main office door.
2. Go directly to the office, sign in through Raptor and inform the school secretary of your
destination.
3. PLEASE DO NOT GO to any area of the building without receiving permission from the office.
4. Do not attempt to go to a classroom to pick up a child. Students who are being dismissed early
will be sent to the office.
5. Return the visitor badge at the conclusion of your visit to sign out.
Volunteer Clearance Information
Legislation in Pennsylvania requires community members and parents to obtain clearances in order to volunteer in our schools. If you have previously submitted your clearances to the Human Resources office, they are good for five (5) years from the date of the clearance.
Governor Wolf has waived the fees associated with the Pennsylvania State Police—Criminal Background Check and the Child Abuse History Clearance. Since the FBI clearance is a federal program, those costs still remain; however, the district has decided to permit individuals who have resided in Pennsylvania continuously for ten years or more to sign a certification form that saves the volunteer the expense of the fee, ensures compliance with the law, and allows the district to maximize student safety.
Jaguarmax Radio Podcast
Jaguarmax Radio is changing formats! We will be a student-run podcast created through the after school club program starting in the fall. Check us out on iTunes!
Jaguarmax Radio Podcast on iTunes
Important Links
After School Activity Dismissal Procedures - Dismissal Locations
VEFLS - Foreign Language Contact Person, kgardler@yahoo.com or 610-717-2755
Cafeteria Information - Menus and Payments
GVES Yearly Calendar - Important Dates
Safe Arrival - Attendance Reporting App
GVSD App - Download app here
MySchoolBucks - Online Payments
District Text Messaging Opt-In - Registration Info
Handbooks & Manuals - GVSD Resources
Parent Right to Know Information
Connect with GVES!
Garnet Valley Elementary School
"A Caring Community of Learners"
Est. 1997
The mission of our learning community is to maximize the potential of all students by empowering them to do their personal best.
Website: gves.garnetvalleyschools.com
Location: 599 Smithbridge Rd
Phone: (610) 579-4150
Facebook: facebook.com/GarnetValleyES
Twitter: @GarnetValleyES