A message from the Superintendent

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Greetings PV Families,

Welcome FALL! Tomorrow (officially at 9:04pm with the fall equinox) kicks off the season of warmer clothing, football, and pumpkin-everything!

I have several topics to touch upon in this newsletter. First and foremost, THANK YOU to those that responded to the form in the last issue regarding Communications at PV. I was pleased to learn that the majority of respondents find our level of communications to be "just right". There were a few suggestions offered as well. We continue to work to provide information in a timely and appropriate manner. The link to offer feedback is always open! If you have ideas for ways to improve communication from the Office of the Superintendent, or the District at large, please share your thoughts using this form.

We are HIRING! On Thursday, October 6, we will be hosting a HIRING EVENT at the PV High School Cafeteria from 4:00pm-7:00pm. There are positions available within the Perkiomen Valley School District as well as with our transportation partner, STA (Student Transportation of America). We invite you to help us SPREAD THE WORD about this event! Here is a link to the HIRING EVENT flyer for ease of sharing.

Speaking of STA, I would like to recognize their team and the work they have been doing. With a limited staff, STA has worked tirelessly to provide transportation to our students with as little interruption as possible. We recognize the bussing schedules have been impacted and we remain hopeful that we can improve this situation. To that end, if you know of anyone that might be interested in driving a school bus send them our way! Members of the STA team will be on hand at the October Hiring Event to answer questions.

Finally, Governor Tom Wolf announced free school breakfast for all students across the commonwealth this school year. The Universal Free Breakfast Program will go into effect on October 3, 2022 and run through the end of the 2022-23 school year. Note: this applies to breakfast only. For lunch, families in need can apply for the free or reduced school lunch program. Visit our food service webpage for information. Below is additional information about the free/reduced lunch program as well as the option to “opt out” of free breakfast meals for your child.

Thank you, as always, for your partnership.

Sincerely,

Dr. Barbara A. Russell

Superintendent

• PV Hiring Event
• Free Breakfast Program Opt Out
• Free & Reduced Lunch Information

• Superintendent Roundtables

• Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)
  

• HEAL PA - Discussion Opportunities
  

• Community Bulletin Board

• Upcoming District Dates

The free breakfast program will be available at each school. Students interested in obtaining breakfast will be expected to report to the cafeteria upon arrival at school. They will need to input their 6-digit ID when picking up their meal. They will eat their breakfast in the cafeteria prior to reporting to class.

We are aware that some families may prefer that their students not participate in the free breakfast at school (in some instances last year, students were eating two breakfasts - one at home prior to school and one after arriving at school). Families may choose to “opt their child(ren) out” from obtaining breakfast using this form. If a family opts out, the student’s account will be flagged and breakfast will not be available to them. You may change this preference at any time by contacting our FS department.

The federal funding to provide free meals expires with the start of 2022-23 school year. This means families will need to apply for the free or reduced school meals program if needed. Visit our food service webpage for information and to access the application. In the event you need assistance, do not hesitate to reach out to a representative of the Food Services department, see email contact information above.

Do you have thoughts on a school-related topic or two? Would you like to engage with the superintendent about your child's school experience? If so, please feel free to attend any one or more of this year's Superintendent Roundtables. These meetings are open to the public and will focus on certain topics while also affording attendees open time to share their questions and comments about any topic.

Beverages and lite desserts will be provided.

Roundtable #1 - October 20 from 6:30-8:00pm - Cell Phones/Devices/Social Media

Roundtable #2 - January 11 from 6:30-8:00pm - Transitions: Elementary to Middle and Middle to High

Roundtable #3 - March 15 from 6:30-8:00pm - Transition Services for Special Education Students

Roundtable #4 - May 9 from 6:30-8:00pm - Open Topic

As a note, topics are tentative and may be adjusted.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has instituted a new government benefit, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). This benefit provides eligible households with a discount on internet services. For details, visit: www.GetMyInternet.org.

HEAL PA is delighted to host a yearlong program with the Office of Advocacy and Reform. The ensemble includes renowned thinkers, authors, and presenters who work in the field of trauma recovery. These ongoing conversations focus on issues that are deeply relevant to Pennsylvania residents and will give our community space to reflect on, identify, and address the trauma in their lives and communities.

Live conversations will be scheduled monthly around lunchtime each day. These events are FREE to attend for Pennsylvania residents. Learn more at: Resilient PA - The Lunch Hour.

Wondering about family and community events in the area? Curious to learn about local sports clubs and other opportunities? Visit our online Community Bulletin Board!

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.

• Thursday, September 22 - Elementary Meet the Teacher Night @ 7pm
  
• Monday, September 26 - Holiday: No School for Students
• Monday, October 3 - Board Work Session @ 7pm
• Wednesday, October 5 - Holiday: No School for Students
• Monday, October 10 - Inservice Day: No School for Students
• Tuesday, October 11 - Board Business Meeting @ 7pm

22-23 v2 9/21/2022