Wednesday Roundup | 9.27.23
Spotlight Image: First graders at Monroe Elementary School recently completed STEAM activities in conjunction with their CKLA unit on fables. They tapped into their STEAM skills to create a new nest for the Goose to lay its golden eggs (The Goose and the Golden Egg) and a sheep pen to keep the sheep safe from the wolf (The Boy Who Cried Wolf and The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing). Photo courtesy Mrs. Jenna Clites.
Calendar Reminders
- October 2 - School Board Meeting
- October 4 - Grade 4 Agventure Day
- October 6 - Homecoming game
- October 7 - Homecoming dance
- October 9 - NO SCHOOL for students (Staff Act 80 day)
- October 16 - School Board Meeting
- October 25 - End Marking Period 1 (secondary)
- October 27 - Elementary Fall Socials (Gr. K-5)
- November 1 - High School Band, Choir, Orchestra, PRISM Concert
- November 2 - CVHS Financial Aid Night
* All events subject to change. Not an all-inclusive list.
News & Announcements
CV Students Earn Perfect Score on AP Research Exam
Please help us congratulate Cumberland Valley High School’s Poorvi Parikh, a current senior, and Mina Ghani, Class of 2023, who both obtained a perfect score on the Advanced Placement Research exam in May.
They are two of only 357 students (or 1.26% of 2023 AP Research Exam takers) worldwide to have earned every point possible on this challenging, college-level exam.
Our AP Research course, led by Mr. David Emerick, is the second course in our AP Capstone program. The first course, AP Seminar, is taught by Mrs. Susan Emerick.
Mr. Emerick said of their accomplishments: “Mina and Poorvi accomplished something truly extraordinary. Their projects were exemplary explorations of their topics. Both studies were marked by top-tier research, critical thought, and polished writing. Their achievements are a credit to the work Susan Emerick is doing in AP Seminar, that Todd Harral did as Mina’s Expert Advisor, and to the work of our Math, Physics, and Computer Science programs, which were integral to Poorvi’s project.”
Congratulations, Mina and Poorvi!
From Our School Board President
On Friday, September 22, 2023, Dr. Christopher shared with our community that he will resign as Cumberland Valley's superintendent in December to take the helm at West Chester Area School District. You may click here to view his community message. Following his formal appointment by WCASD on September 26, 2023, Mrs. Heather Dunn, our School Board President, shared the email below with our community.
Dear Cumberland Valley Community,
On September 26, 2023, the School Board of Directors received the resignation of Dr. David Christopher as superintendent of schools at Cumberland Valley School District. His last day in CV will be December 1, 2023.
I can say with absolute confidence that Dr. Christopher has catapulted our school district forward at a rapid pace in the past four years. It is remarkable what he has been able to accomplish in aligning our systems, structures, protocols, and practices to both the board’s vision for the future and the tremendous growth of our community.
There is no doubt in my mind that Dr. Christopher’s absence will be noticeable. His calm resilience and focus on students, even in the face of immense scrutiny and skepticism about public education will be hard to match, and we are very saddened to see him leave. However, he has also been strategically developing and empowering a team of leaders at every level of our district. I am confident the work he has spearheaded can continue under their expert guidance.
This news also comes as several seats will be open on the School Board of Directors and decided by residents in the November 7 election. In light of the timing, an interim superintendent will be selected to serve upon Dr. Christopher’s departure in December. It’s important we allow time for the community to elect the next board and give those individuals the opportunity to weigh in on this process.
As many of you know, I have chosen not to run for reelection. In my experience, the vast majority of residents in our community are supportive of our school system, but many choose not to vote in these off-term elections. I urge all residents of Cumberland Valley School District to get involved by researching, meeting with, and choosing the board members you want to lead our school district forward.
CV will need a board of directors ready to put partisan politics and personal agendas aside to hire our next superintendent of schools. The board will also be tasked with pursuing progress on our mission and vision, continuing to put our students and growing community first in an oversight and policy role. It is critically important that the best-suited board members are at the table, and your voice and vote matter.
I wish Dr. Christopher nothing but the best as he begins his next chapter. He is a first-class educational leader but an even better person. He will be missed in CV; his legacy of impact will continue for years to come.
We have our work cut out for us. But as we have done in the past, I am confident that our communities will come together to support our schools, staff, and students during this transition and change.
Sincerely,
Heather Dunn
President, Cumberland Valley School Board of Directors
Spanish I students (7th-8th graders) at Eagle View and Mountain View Middle Schools decorated tissue boxes to deliver to classrooms throughout both buildings. The tissue boxes have been decorated for Hispanic Heritage Month, and feature a Hispanic person, facts about the person, their heritage country flag, and a map with facts about their country.
Photos courtesy Sra. Abbey Cardile, Mountain View Middle School Spanish teacher.
We Want YOUR Feedback!
As shared earlier this week, we are exploring a potential new website provider. Before we look at options, we would like to gather your feedback. As you have a moment, we would appreciate it if you would please click here to take a quick survey to let us know what features you value or would like to see on the district's website.
You are encouraged to share this survey with members of the CV community who may access our website but who do not have children currently in the district.
The survey will close on Sunday, October 8, 2023.
Thank you!
I am important! I am unique! I am helpful! I am beautiful! Our Eagles are confident!
Students in Mrs. Petroff's 4th grade class at Hampden Elementary School recently created personal "I am" affirmations. Each student picked a positive word about themselves and wrote it on a notecard that is now posted in their personal cubby. The affirmation serves as a daily reminder that they should believe in themselves and have confidence.
Photo courtesy Mrs. Jaclyn Petroff.
Reminder: CV You Day needs YOU!
On November 16, 2023 Cumberland Valley High School will hold its annual CV You Day event, and YOU are invited to make it great.
What is CV You Day?
CV You Day is a chance for students in grades 10-12 to discover careers, hobbies, and other interests outside of the regular school curriculum. It is a unique opportunity for our community members to come to Cumberland Valley High School and share a part of their life experience with our students. CV You Day is about our students and their continued growth toward becoming well rounded members of our community.
We need your help!
Each student will attend six, 30-minute workshops throughout the day. To make this possible we need community members to volunteer to be presenters at CV You Day.
- Have you ever wanted to talk to young people about your job or hobby that you think they would like?
- Have you ever wanted to leave an impact on high school age students?
Well, here is your chance. Please click on the link below for more information or to sign up for this great event. Thank you for your support and consideration.
Portrait of an Eagle: Student Spotlight
Shaull Elementary School recently awarded its first Portrait of an Eagle student certificates. Pictured below are a sampling of the students who were recognized for displaying POE competencies during the first month of school. Students were nominated by staff throughout the building. "This was so much fun and so rewarding," said Shaull's principal, Mr. Rich Tysarczyk. "Classes clapped for their peers after they got their awards. The support they have for each other knows no bounds."
They are a Portrait of an Eagle!
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)
- Monday, October 2, 2023
- Monday, October 16, 2023
- Monday, November 6, 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.
Job Opportunities
Cumberland Valley School District is recruiting candidates to join our (amazing!) team of Educational Assistants and Life Skills Paraprofessionals.
- Full time, Monday through Friday, daytime positions available.
- Excellent benefits package to include health insurance, retirement, and paid time off.
- Increased starting salary in 2023-24.
To learn more and apply at www.cvschools.org/jobs.
Additional Reminders
Reminder: School Safety Drills
The information below was shared via email with all families on September 7, 2023
As part of our school safety and security process, and as mandated by law, students and staff in each of our buildings will participate in a school security drill between now and the end of September. We recognize that it is critically important to prepare our school community for any potential real-life security incidents by providing our students and staff with these mandated training opportunities.
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s building principal should you have any questions.
Please note: Students and staff will continue to practice fire drills on a regular basis throughout the school year.
Reminder: Emergency Contact/Health Information, Signoffs in Skyward
At the start of each school year, we ask families to please update important student/emergency contact information and complete annual signoffs in Skyward.
If you have not already done so, we ask that you please take a few moments to complete this information for each of your students.
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.
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