Weekly Message
an Update from Dr. Barbara A. Russell 3/4/22
Greetings PV Families,
Welcome March! A month to recognize and celebrate Music in Our Schools, National Nutrition, Women’s History, and dare I say, signs of spring!
Music in Our Schools month, designated by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), is a time to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children. The first musical of the season, Seussical, will be performed this evening at Middle School East. Middle School West performances of High School Musical Junior begin on March 18, and the High School's Spelling Bee on March 31. Our students, staff, and cast put a lot of time into preparing for these performances. I hope you are able to attend one or more, they serve as wonderful entertainment. See below for additional details about the scheduled performances.
National Nutrition Month, an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, invites everyone to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits. The 2022 theme, Celebrate a World of Flavors, encourages foods from many cultures.
And finally, Women’s History month, commemorating and encouraging the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of women in American history. With many other daily celebrations and activities scheduled, including the start of spring sports, March will prove to be a busy month!
Lastly, I'd like to recognize Employee Appreciation Day (Friday, March 4). Please join me in extending a warm and heartfelt THANK YOU to our AMAZING PV EMPLOYEES. We appreciate your hard work, perseverance and unwavering passion! Our community is PVStrong because of you!
Sincerely,
Dr. Barbara A. Russell
Superintendent
Masking Update
In a message this past Sunday, sent to all of our PV families, I shared information outlining CDC updates and explained that, in response to the updated CDC guidance, PVSD had filed an appeal of the preliminary injunction order requiring universal masking in our schools during the school day. We were informed that the judge denied the motion to appeal and therefore has not lifted the universal masking requirement for our students and staff during the school day.
Yesterday, our Federal Judge met with counsel and encouraged mediation and a settlement. She facilitated the scheduling of a mediation conference for this afternoon at 2:00 pm. The goal of the mediation is to negotiate a settlement of the case.
Simultaneous to the events happening in Federal Court, there has been an appeal of the preliminary injunction filed with the Third Circuit. This Court speaks to Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey. The Third Circuit has requested an expedited submission of briefs by attorneys, due Monday of next week, and may rule on the preliminary injunction as early as Tuesday. This is not definite, but appears to be a possibility based on other recent cases, specifically, Upper Saint Clair and North Allegheny (Pittsburgh area).
The District anticipates learning of a potential settlement or of a decision on the part of the Third Circuit, early next week. Either path in the legal process is predicted to bring us closer to a mask optional school setting, which the CDC currently supports as part of their updated guidance when counties are in their designated "community level" of low or medium. Montgomery County is currently at a low level. The updated guidance is here, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html. Please know that we continue to offer Kf94 or KN95 masks to any staff and students who prefer them.
As more information becomes available, I will share with our families.
PV Showcase - February
Visit the PV Showcase for February News & Happenings from the classroom. Learn about:
- 100th Day, 101 Days Celebration, and the 1000th Day for 5th grade
- Therapy Dog visits
- HS Art Show Submissions
- Baking with Yeast
- Makey Makey Inventors
- and more!
Will your child turn 5 years old before September 1, 2022? If so, he/she is eligible to attend school in the Perkiomen Valley School District next fall. Below are kindergarten registration dates for the 22-23 school year:
- Skippack Elementary – February 28, March 1, 2, 3, 2022
- Evergreen Elementary– March 7, 8, 10, 11, 2022
- Schwenksville Elementary– March 14, 15, 16, 17, 2022
- South Elementary– March 21, 22, 23, 24, 2022
Visit Registration for more information including the registration packet.
Viking Academy
Discussions about online learning options will continue at the Board level during this month's work session on March 7. Feel free to reach out to our Asst. Superintendent, Mrs. Laurie Smith, lsmith@pvsd.org with any questions.
Let Us Entertain You!
Middle School East presents Seussical! Friday, March 4 @ 7:30pm, Saturday, March 5 @ 6:00pm, and Sunday, March 6 @ 1:00pm Matinee in the Spahr Auditorium at Middle School East. Information & Tickets - Tickets on Sale NOW!
Middle School West presents High School Musical Jr. Friday, March 18 @ 7:00pm, Saturday, March 19 @ 6:00pm, and Sunday, March 20th @ 2:00pm in the Middle School West Auditorium. Information & Tickets - Tickets on Sale March 1st!
PV High School presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Thursday, March 31 @ 7:30pm, Friday, April 1 @ 7:30pm, and Saturday, April 2 @ 7:30pm in the Spahr Auditorium at Middle School East. Information & Tickets - Tickets on Sale NOW!
Upcoming District Dates
- Monday, March 7: Board Work Session @ 7:00pm
- Tuesday, March 8: PV Partners Meeting @ 7:00pm
Superintendent's Office
Email: brussell@pvsd.org
Website: https://www.pvsd.org/about/superintendent/
Location: 3 Iron Bridge Drive, Collegeville, PA, USA
Phone: (610)489-8506
Twitter: @BarbaraARussell
Having Tech Issues? See Below for Details
- Chromebook malfunctions/damages: Email the helpdesk@pvsd.org
- Forgotten student passwords: Go to https://accounts.pvsd.org
- FAQs about Chromebooks can be found on our website
Safe2Say
As a note, in addition to always encouraging our students to share questionable or concerning information with a trusted adult, they can submit an anonymous tip through the Safe2Say Program. Tips are typically related to a variety of challenges our students experience or witness, such as bullying, harassment, disrespectful language, safety concerns, etc. When a tip is received, the State (who runs Safe2Say) immediately follows up with the respective building administrator and the information is investigated.
21-22 v24 3/4/22