Perk E. Mail
Perkiomen Valley School District's Monthly E-Newsletter
December 2015
Welcome!
TOP STORIES
Hour of Code Brings Families Out for Night of Programming
The Hour of Code is celebrated worldwide. Keep up with coding skills by visiting https://sites.google.com/a/pvsd.org/hocode/home.
Community Ed Winter/Spring 2016 Class Registration is Now Open
The Winter/Spring 2016 Community Education brochure is being mailed to homes and is currently available online! Swim lessons, exercise and dance classes, after-school options for children, driver’s education, and many other classes and workshops are available. We hope you might take a look to see what we have to offer. Click here to view our brochure.
A few other important notes:
We are pleased to remind you that registration can now be done entirely online! Visit our new Web Store by clicking here.
- Please note that there will be a 2.49% processing fee applied to credit card registrations done online.
- You may also still submit payment (checks or cash) to the district office in person or by mail. Please see page 4 of our brochure for the registration form. Once we have received your registration, we will enter your information into our new online system and you will receive an auto-generated email when we have processed your registration. Please note that if you send a check, it will not be cashed until we know that the class has enough students to run.
- Registrations for Driver’s Ed (Behind the Wheel), tennis and swimming lessons cannot be made online at this time.
School Board Welcomes New Members
The Perkiomen Valley School Board welcomed two newly elected members on Dec. 7 at the reorganization meeting. Justine Myers and Beth Negro were sworn in and will assume the seats left open by former Board members Paul Smith and Diane Landes.
Board members Gerry Barnefiher and Ann Mantey were also sworn in, as both were re-elected in November. The reorganization meeting also included the election of Mr. Barnefiher as School Board President, and Mr. Rich Bouher as School Board Vice President.
Our district extends its thanks to these volunteers for their service to public education!
In Case You Missed It...Here is Our Holiday E-Card!
EVERGREEN ELEMENTARY NEWS
Evergreen Honors Our Military
In honor of Veteran’s Day, Evergreen Elementary School’s staff made a donation to Warrior Canine Connection (WCC). WCC enlists recovering Warriors in a therapeutic mission of learning to train service dogs for their fellow Veterans: http://warriorcanineconnection.org
Supporting our service men and women is an important part of fourth-grade teacher Jenny Cochran’s life. Ms. Cochran explains: “Being a Golden Retriever breeder has given me the opportunity to work with WCC. I donated a puppy to WCC. WCC’s Francie is currently in training at Walter Reed Hospital. She will graduate next October and be placed with a Veteran. Please check out her Facebook page. I have a goal of reaching 2000 likes for her page….so please like her page and share her story.”
https://www.facebook.com/WCCs-Francie-917201761628675/
In addition to the school donation, students designed cards which were sent to service men and women.
First-Graders Learn to Code
Mrs. Lynn Sabatino, Evergreen’s technology teacher, along with Ms. Alex Amoroso and her first-grade students, enjoyed a lesson on coding. Students were introduced to coding, where they learned how programming works. They used the code.org website to practice different levels of coding.
Evergreen Students Honored for Outstanding Behavior
Four fifth-grade students from Evergreen Elementary School recently received an award from the Collegeville Women’s Club. These students were selected by their teachers and have shown exceptional behavior throughout the first trimester of the year. Pictured from left to right are: Tyler Gwinn, Hannah Howshall, Mrs. Shirley Mason, Gabriel Sullens, and Scarlet Kashuba.
SCHWENKSVILLE ELEMENTARY NEWS
Experimenting with Rainbow Goop
Mrs. Jill Seitz worked with Mrs. Colleen O'Brien's first-grade class at Schwenksville Elementary School, experimenting with rainbow goop. The goop was made with water, corn starch and fluorescent paint. Students discovered that the goop can be both a liquid and a solid. The students also enjoyed seeing how mixing red and yellow made orange. The experiment was a great hands-on lesson to engage first-graders.
Students Recognize Red Ribbon Week
During the week of Oct. 26 - Oct. 30, Schwenksville Elementary School students and staff showed their personal commitment to a drug-free lifestyle by celebrating Red Ribbon Week!
Students and staff recognized Red Ribbon Week by participating in spirit days, and kicked the week off by wearing red and signing a pledge to be drug-free.
The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign is to present a unified and visible commitment toward the creation of a drug-free America. For more information about the
National Red Ribbon Campaign, visit www.nfp.org or www.redribbon.org.
Students Say "Thank You" to Veterans
Schwenksville Elementary School first-grade students had the opportunity to visit neighbors at Greenfield Senior Living Center as part of their observation of Veterans Day. Students brought joy to the residents by singing patriotic songs, and learned about community service in the process.
SKIPPACK ELEMENTARY NEWS
Straw Rocket Fun at Skippack
Positive Behaviors Rewarded
Skippack Elementary School’s mission of educating students includes a system that supports positive behavior. This system recognizes students for their good choices at the individual, class and grade level. Students are rewarded for being safe, responsible and respectful on a daily basis. On a monthly basis, classes that demonstrate exceptional behavior earn points for special class rewards. Students can enjoy special dining room experiences such as Trivia Time, Question of the Day, and Simon Says. Students in Mrs. Jennifer Cairns' fifth-grade class show their class wheel of positive behavior. From left to right are Kaylee Molitor, Gianna Scaliti, Lily Buckwalter, Emma Hadler, Abby Padden, and Daniella Press.
Students Cheer Teachers On in Foul Shot Competition
Basketball season is an exciting time at Skippack Elementary School. Each year, physical education teacher Suzanne Ciuba hosts a friendly foul shot competition among the faculty and staff. The students look forward to encouraging and supporting their teachers.
SOUTH ELEMENTARY NEWS
South Students Donate 1,495 Food Items
Fifth-grade students in Shavon Sarker's class organized the drive for the Daily Bread Food Pantry. They helped to advertise the initiative and collected the food. Their efforts led to an outstanding result, as this year's drive topped last year's collected amount by over 500 items!
Students Fill Up at Feast They Prepare
South Students Collect for Families in Need
Students at South Elementary School brought in coins, money, and gift cards to help families in the South community during the holidays. Pictured are students adding a feather to the turkey in the hallway after making a donation.
PVMS EAST NEWS
Students Show Solidarity with France
Perkiomen Valley Middle School East is showing its support for the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris, France. French teacher Anne Fleischer and social studies teacher Marley Craig’s students designed and created cards and tweets for the people of France following the Paris attacks in mid-November. The students were able to cross French and history classes to understand the context of the attacks, and were able to send their message out through their creativity and artistry.
Turkey Trot Raises Money for Food Pantry
Perkiomen Valley Middle School East students participated in the First Annual Turkey Trot in November. The students ran/walked one mile around the school building in a race. There were 226 students who participated as well as several faculty members. Students paid an entrance fee to participate and their contributions resulted in about $250 raised for the Daily Bread Food Pantry. Two race winners were selected from each grade and they received a t-shirt and a frozen turkey!
Builder's Club Goes to the Dogs
Perkiomen Valley Middle School East Builder’s Club members volunteered their time to work crew for a local theater group, helping the group prepare for its premier performance of the new children’s musical, "The Perfect Dog."
At the November show, East's Builder's Club managed a bake sale, held a raffle, and raised over $270 for the medical care of a dog named Otis, who currently is being cared for by the rescue group labs4rescue. Many of PV’s students and staff (past and present) were involved in the musical, including Builder’s Club Advisor and English teacher, Lisa Eskin, who directed the production.
The premier performance was done in conjunction with the National Dog Show. Ms. Eskin, the musical’s leads, and South Elementary School second-grader, Sam Eskin, were invited to participate at the National Dog Show’s Gala on Friday, Nov. 13. The leads from the musical performed an abridged version of "The Perfect Dog" with actor and dog show host, John O’Hurley. Ms. Eskin was asked to direct the performance and Sam had the opportunity to have fun with the actor and other celebrities.
The morning following the gala, several students and their parents were VIP guests at the National Dog Show. At the dog show, Mr. O’Hurley treated them to a private reading of his children’s book, "The Perfect Dog" and each student was given a signed copy. South first-grader, Evan Giorgio, said he “really enjoyed meeting the voice of Roger from 'Phineas and Ferb' and King Neptune from 'SpongeBob SquarePants.'” After the reading, it was all about the dogs, and the VIP guests were invited to stay and enjoy all the events throughout the day, including getting up close and personal with many of the competing canines.
PVMS WEST NEWS
Socrates on Trial
"Neither I nor any other man should, on trial or in war, contrive to avoid death at any cost." – Socrates.
On a day in B.C. 399, the philosopher Socrates stood before a jury of 500 of his fellow Athenians, accused of "refusing to recognize the gods recognized by the state," "undermining Athenian democracy," and "corrupting the Athenian youth." Mrs. Leah Lederman’s sixth-grade gifted students at Perkiomen Valley Middle School West performed two re-enactments of the Socrates trial in November for the Wilderness and Element teams. The archon (judge) and trial members were dressed in period attire and seated at long tables in the library/media center. The team jury was seated in front of them while faculty, staff, and parents observed from the periphery. Each team presented its testimonies, listened to arguments, then voted guilty or innocent at the conclusion of each respective trial. Thanks to Mrs. Lederman and to all who attended, and congratulations to the sixth-grade students for a wonderful performance!
Students Give Thanks at West
Perkiomen Valley Middle School West celebrated the holiday with its annual Thanksgiving luncheon on Nov. 19. The delicious meal was prepared and served by Mrs. Betty Fisicaro and her wonderful staff.
Administrators, faculty, and staff were invited to join the students for the festivities. Special thanks go to Mr. Stan Yoder and Mr. Matt Valent for entertaining and to the cafeteria staff for the splendid feast.
Knitting for a Cause
Over the last two months, students in Ms. Tracy Griffin’s eighth-grade Viking Block group crafted blankets, caps, or scarves to donate to the Knit for Kids Charity. Knit for Kids is a nationwide program that unites thousands of volunteer knitters to fight poverty with knitting needles and crochet hooks. The quote below is from the organization's website:
“With every stitch, together we give hope and warmth to vulnerable children living in poverty or other difficult situations around the globe. For millions of children, a hand-made item isn't just a sweater, cap or blanket. It's a chance at better health. It's protection and warmth from freezing temperatures. And it's a symbol of support for a better future.”
More information about the program can be found at http://knitforkids.org.
PVHS NEWS
Learning Perspective Through Art
The students in Mrs. Wendy Elser’s Foundations of Art classes are working on a hallway drawing of a section of the building. This assignment is the final project in the linear perspective unit, where students learn the concepts of and how to draw in one-point perspective, two-point perspective, and reversed two-point perspective.
After selecting an area of the building to draw, students must determine which of the perspective concepts their area follows. They then determine the location of the vanishing point(s) and begin drawing their view of the school in correct linear perspective. This unit is a real-life artistic application of math, architectural drawing, and interior design.
Career Fair Exposes Students to Post-High School Options
Perkiomen Valley High School students got a glimpse of what life after high school may hold for them when they attended the Career/Volunteer Fair in November.
Along with being able to visit with professionals from many different backgrounds, students had the opportunity to learn about the importance of resilience from Dr. Charles “Chuck” Williams III, a trained child and adolescent therapist and Drexel University professor. Dr. Williams told students about how he overcame the challenges of being a “foster care kid” in North Philadelphia, and how he has gone on to become an advocate for young people. Dr. Williams was appointed by Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter to the Community Oversight Board for the Department of Human Services and was recently named chair of the Board’s Committee on Older Youth. He is a Stoneleigh Fellow and his fellowship project is the Preventorship Mentoring Program, a mentoring model that blends traditional mentoring with social skills training.
In addition to hearing Dr. Williams speak, students learned from WPVI-Channel 6 anchor Matt O'Donnell about his career. Students also rotated through tables set up in the competition gym, where they spoke with representatives from the pharmaceutical industry, area hospitals and medical offices, insurance companies, and food service industries, to name a few.
The Volunteer Fair was held in the auxiliary gym, where students learned about the many non-profit organizations in the area that are looking for volunteers.
“The Career Fair represents an opportunity for career professionals to share what they know with students about their occupation, and to get a glimpse of our future workforce. Our students are eager to learn from people in their community,” said Mrs. Patti Colucci, Graduation Project and Career Elective Coordinator at Perkiomen Valley High School. “We look forward each year to giving students the chance to see what the future may hold for them.”
"Pride and Prejudice" Presented
On Nov. 20 and 21, the students of Perkiomen Valley High School presented their Fall Play, “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen. Mr. Kevin Binder is the director of the fall play. With a talented cast, period costumes and set, the presentation was delightful for all in attendance.
PVSD Foundation News
Thank you to all of the families that came out to see the Harlem Wizards. This event brought almost 1,700 community members out for a #slamtastic game. We appreciate the 11 teachers and administrators who showed their skills on the PV Vikings Dream Team. This event raised over $14,000!
Mark your calendars! DODGEBALL registration will open Jan. 8 and will close Feb. 5 (or earlier if we sell out). Check out www.pvsdfoundation.org in 2016 for more information. If you're a business owner, please keep in mind that we offer sponsorships - a great way to have your company name seen by our 700 participants and the spectators who come to see them play!
Do you want to be a part of the PVSD Foundation? We are looking for new members! Email pvsdfoundation@gmail.com if you are interested. #givebackgetback
PVHS Biology Club Hosts Fundraiser at Panera on Dec. 17
Save the Date for Golf Boosters Comedy Night
The PV Golf Boosters Club is planning a Comedy Night fundraiser in February. Please save the date:
Saturday, Feb. 27
Lower Frederick Fire Company
8:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Tickets: $20
Laughs, basket raffles, food and fun will be part of the festivities. The PV Golf Boosters support both the girls and boys golf teams with shirts, hats, a banquet and scholarships. Please plan to come out to support the Golf Boosters. Contact Mike at (610) 999-0411 for tickets or more information, or click here for more info.
PVSD Athletic Committee Meeting
Wednesday, Dec 16, 2015, 06:30 PM
Perkiomen Valley High School, Gravel Pike, Collegeville, PA, United States
First Day of Winter
Monday, Dec. 21st
PVSD Holiday - Schools/Offices Closed
Thursday, Dec. 24
Christmas Eve
Thursday, Dec. 24
PVSD Holiday - Schools/Offices Closed
Friday, Dec. 25
Christmas
Friday, Dec. 25
Kwanzaa Begins
Saturday, Dec. 26 (Continues through 1/1)
PVSD Winter Break
Monday, Dec. 28 through Friday, Jan. 1
WHERE
Schools closed all week; Offices open only on Monday, Dec. 28
New Year's Eve
Thursday, Dec. 31
New Year's Day
Friday, Jan. 1
PVSD Safety & Operations Committee Meeting
Monday, Jan 4, 2016, 06:00 PM
Perkiomen Valley High School, Gravel Pike, Collegeville, PA, United States
PVSD School Board Work Session/Finance Committee-of-the-Whole Meeting
Monday, Jan 4, 2016, 07:30 PM
Perkiomen Valley High School, Gravel Pike, Collegeville, PA, United States
PVSD School Board Business Meeting
Monday, Jan 11, 2016, 07:30 PM
Perkiomen Valley High School, Gravel Pike, Collegeville, PA, United States
PVSD Foundation Board Meeting
Tuesday, Jan 12, 2016, 06:30 PM
3 Iron Bridge Drive, Collegeville, PA, United States
PVSD 21st Century Teaching & Learning Committee Meeting
Wednesday, Jan 13, 2016, 07:00 PM
Perkiomen Valley High School, Gravel Pike, Collegeville, PA, United States
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