Wednesday Roundup | 8.23.23
Spotlight Image: Kenleigh is a proud member of CV's Class of 2036, and she was so excited to begin her journey today as an Eagle! Be sure to check out our Facebook page for many more back to school photos from around the district. Submitted photo.
Calendar Reminders
- August 31 - CV9 Back to School Night
- September 1 - KDG ONLY, No School
- September 4 - No School (K-12)
- September 5 - School Board Meeting
- September 6 - Elementary Back to School Night
- September 7 - EV Gr. 6 Back to School Night
- September 7 - MV - Gr. 7, 8 Back to School Night
- September 8 - CV Mini-THON Tailgate prior to home football game
- September 14 - EV Gr 7, 8 Back to School Night
* All events subject to change. Not an all-inclusive list.
News & Announcements
Welcome Back!
Today we welcomed back an estimated 10,300 students into our buildings. We are so excited to see their smiling faces and hear their joy and laughter. More pictures are available throughout today's e-Newsletter, in addition to many more on our official Facebook page.
You belong! You matter! You contribute! Make it a great year, CV!
Emergency Contact/Health Information, Signoffs in Skyward
As the start of each school year, we ask families to please update important student/emergency contact information and complete annual signoffs in Skyward. These forms are live and available for completion right now.
Signoffs include information regarding publicity/directory releases, handbooks, and more. It is important that you please take a moment to complete all of these sign-offs by logging into your Skyward Parent Family Access Center and clicking the “parent signoff” tile. The tile will be marked as completed once this information is submitted.
In addition, we ask that you ensure emergency contact and health information is accurate and up to date in Skyward. Please note that you may also update this information throughout the year should contact/health information change.
Please utilize the "Guardian Information Update" form should you need to change your email address and/or phone number throughout the school year.
Please note that you can only access and complete Skyward forms through a web browser (not the Skyward mobile app).
If you are having difficulty logging into Skyward, please use the “forgot username/password” link, which will send an automated email with your username and link to reset your password. When logging in to change your password, please be certain to use the username exactly as listed in the automated email. If that does not work, please submit a Technology HelpDesk ticket. Please reach out to your child's school should you have specific questions about the sign-offs.
Important Transportation Reminder
It is commonplace for transportation delays to occur at the beginning of each school year. These delays often work themselves out during the first few weeks as drivers better familiarize themselves with their routes, as students learn to navigate their new building and/or bus location, and as student enrollment stabilizes. This is especially true as our transportation contractors continue to face challenges associated with bus/van driver shortages. We appreciate your understanding, patience, and support as we work through these delays.
This is a bonus 'Welcome Back' edition of SPO Minutes packed full of important safety tips from our School Police Officers. We will resume our normal monthly SPO Minutes schedule in September.
Welcome back students and staff! We hope everyone had a great summer and is ready for a great 23-24 school year. We would like to take this opportunity to express some safety concerns and behaviors that always popup during the first couple months of school:
Student Driving – This is typically an issue on the main campus to include CV High School, Eagle View Middle School, and Silver Spring Elementary. This campus is very busy with sports, band rehearsal, and extra-curricular activities. The speed limit of 15mph and stop signs are sometimes ignored by many during and after school hours. Driving to school is a privilege and habitual violations can mean that you would be required to either ride the bus or get dropped off by parents.
Off Campus Driving - School buses are back on the road. Please be aware of school bus routes in your neighborhood and throughout your daily travel (make sure to allow plenty of time and leave space for buses). With school traffic, anticipate delays in your trip and leave early so you're not in a rush. As always, when approaching a school zone or school bus on the road, be prepared to stop for bus and pedestrian traffic.
Meeting or Overtaking a School Bus, commonly referred to as “Passing a School Bus” is one of the most serious traffic offenses in Pennsylvania with convictions resulting in a $250 fine plus court costs, 5 points and a mandatory 6 month license suspension. Passing a school bus requires a driver to stop at least ten feet prior to the school bus when the red signals are activated, and the side "stop" signal arm is extended. It applies to situations when the school bus is in the same lane as the driver and is overtaken or passed and also when the school bus is located on the opposite side of the roadway with its red lights on and is passed. It does not apply when the bus is located on the opposite side of the roadway where there is an island, grassy median, or some other “barrier” between the motorist and the bus.
“Meeting” a school bus also applies when a school bus is at an intersection and is “met” by traffic on a cross street. Even though the school bus is not directly in front of you and is located on a side street, the driver is still required to stop if the red signals are activated. This scenario commonly occurs at a stop sign where the school bus is picking up students on the side street. I have even had clients cited under the “Meeting a School Bus” language for proceeding through the stop sign and making a turn away from the bus. This scenario is best illustrated in the below diagram.
Every new school year brings a new group of students entering each school. Some students are excited to start in a new school, others not so much. Some students had a great time this past school year, others not so much. With all these new and prior students there are bound to be personality conflicts. How these students deal with these conflicts are very important, it can make or break their school year. Here are some things that have been proven to help:
- Parents – ask how their day was. Students – Be honest to you parents.
- Get the facts of what is happening and document them.
- Work through ways to handle what is happening and come up with plan A, B, C…
- If it becomes habitual, report it to the grade level principal.
- CV Police typically leave bullying and harassment to the school administrators until they request our assistance.
School Safety
Communication is an important aspect when it comes to school safety. Talk to your kids about what’s happening at school and remind them that there are trusted adults, like teachers, administrators, and SPOs, who can help them solve an issue.
If something doesn’t look right, it probably isn’t. So if you see something, say something.
Anonymous reporting can be made @ Safe to Say
Cumberland Valley Student and Public Safety – (717) 506-3349
(Please note: This is a non-emergency number that is not staffed 24 hours per day and is not a reporting hotline.)
School Board News
Upcoming School Board Meetings
Unless otherwise advertised, all meetings begin at 7 p.m. and will take place in the District Office Board Room (6746 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg)
- Tuesday, September 5, 2023
- Monday, September 18, 2023
- Monday, October 2, 2023
- Monday, October 16, 2023
A full list of School Board and committee meeting dates is available by clicking here.
Quick Access
Board Agendas - Posted a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the meeting.
Committee Assignments - 2023 Board committee/advisory group assignments.
Meeting Minutes - Posted once approved by the Board of School Directors.
Watch Live - School Board meetings are live streamed to our website.
Additional Reminders
REMINDER: 1:1 Device Insurance
Device Insurance: We would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the details of our 1:1 Device program and of the annual device insurance option that is available to you and your student.
It is the belief of the District that supplying a device for all students in grades K-12 is essential to their learning and development. Consistency in grade-level devices is essential to the implementation of our curriculum, instruction, and assessment, while also allowing for sufficient support operations. After reading this entire email, please review more specific information about the program on the Technology section of our website under the 1:1 Technology Program page and its subpages.
The District owns and values each device and requires students to follow usage guidelines and to use care and caution in handling the device. These guidelines are on the 1:1 Technology Program Device Care and Support webpage. The devices do have a manufacturer warranty to cover any manufacturer defects or malfunctions. Students and families will be responsible for the full cost of any loss or damage to their device unless you purchase insurance through the District at a cost of $25 per student/year. This optional insurance will help to decrease the out-of-pocket expenses families may have related to device damage.
Cost waivers are in place for families facing economic hardship and families with four or more students. If you are a family facing economic hardship and have been approved through the free/reduced lunch program, you must still add the optional insurance in Skyward. The discount will take place after the optional fee is added. If it does not, you should verify your free/reduced lunch application status through our Food Service Department. If you are a family of four or more students, you should add the optional insurance for all of your students, but only pay for three of them in Revtrak. After completing the payment, please email Kerry Johnson at kjohnson@cvschools.org with the name(s), grade(s), and building(s) of the additional student(s) so the fee can be waived in Skyward.
Reminder: Reaching CV by Telephone
As previously shared, our Technology Department completed an important and necessary upgrade to our districtwide telephone system over the summer. As part of this upgrade, some of the direct-dial telephone numbers for specific buildings/departments/staff may have changed. You may reach any of our buildings or departments by calling 717-697-8261 and following the prompts. You may also contact our schools directly at the following numbers:
CV High School: 717-506-3555
CV9: 717-506-3372
CVVA: 717-697-8261
Eagle View Middle School: 717-506-3955
Mountain View Middle School: 717-697-1960
Green Ridge Elementary School: 717-766-4911
Hampden Elementary School: 717-737-4513
Middlesex Elementary School: 717-249-5586
Monroe Elementary School: 717-697-0028
Shaull Elementary School: 717-506-3415
Silver Spring Elementary School: 717-506-3755
Sporting Hill Elementary School: 717-761-5052
Winding Creek Elementary School: 717-620-2525
Reminder: Emergency Notifications, Text Messaging, Official Channels
Emergency Notifications: In cases of an emergency in a specific building or across the district, CV will issue communication to the appropriate stakeholders through telephone, email, text message, and/or website alert. Parents/Guardians should ensure that their contact information is always up-to-date in Skyward, as this is where we will pull information for our notifications and alerts. Notification to schedule changes due to inclement weather will also be issued via the above mentioned methods.
Register to Receive Text Messages: Cumberland Valley School District uses text messaging (for parents/guardians and staff) as a mode of communication during inclement weather, emergencies, bus delays, and more. If you are a parent/guardian who is new to the District or if you have not previously signed up to receive text alerts, please sign into your Skyward Family Access account and complete the “Text (SMS) Notifications” form. For step-by-step directions, please click the "How do I register" link below.
Official Communication Channels: It is important to ensure that you look for communication via our official channels. Please click here to visit our website for a chart illustrating the various ways our stakeholders can connect through our official channels with individual staff, a specific school building, and the district.
FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CVschools | Twitter: www.twitter.com/CVSDnews
Additional Quick Access Links
Technology HelpDesk
- Staff and Students - Please go to https://helpdesk.cvschools.org to sign in and create a Technology helpdesk ticket.
- Parents/Guardians may click here to create a Technology helpdesk ticket, as needed.
OUR SHARED VISION:
All students will develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to enroll, enlist, or employ.
#CVPROUD