A message from the Superintendent

April 13, 2023

Dear PV Families,

I hope you have found time to enjoy the warm spring weather! As we approach the final stretch of the academic year, we continue to prioritize the health and safety of our students and staff, while also focusing on academic excellence, social-emotional learning, and equity and inclusion.

First and foremost, I would like to reiterate that our district is dedicated to fostering an inclusive learning environment for all students. We are committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, and have taken steps to address issues of bias and discrimination in our schools. Most recently, reports of bullying and harassment among students have raised questions. I assure you, we take these issues very seriously. We have implemented a number of measures to address these concerns, including increased professional development for staff, positive school wide behavioral frameworks, and most recently, restorative practices. Consequences are assigned to students exhibiting disrespectful or bullying behaviors. Please reach out to your child's school counselor or principal with any concerns.

Further, we continue to explore ways to enhance the safe and supportive nature of our schools. At Tuesday night's School Board meeting (4/11), our Board approved the addition of seven school police officers (SPO) for the 2023–24 school year. These individuals will join our existing security team thus creating a hybrid team consisting of police and security personnel. I look forward to the team's positive contribution to the experiences of our students and staff.

As we prepare to introduce school police officers into our school settings, one per school building, we will continue to articulate policy language and administrative regulations as well as identify necessary professional development and accountability measures for the individuals in these roles. There will be ad hoc meetings of the Safety and Operations Committee scheduled in the next few weeks to continue the discussions. These meetings are open to the public and will be listed on the district calendar on the homepage of our website.

As always, I invite you to reach out with questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Dr. Barbara A. Russell
Superintendent

• Spanish Programming at the Elementary Level
• Save the Date! Parent/Guardian Info Session - Teen Social Media (4/17)
  
• Be A Part of the Conversation Online Presentation (4/20)
• Community Education - Registration for Spring/Summer Now OPEN
• LIFT Summer Programming
• PSSA State Testing
• Community Bulletin Board
• Important District Dates

Also as part of Tuesday's Board meeting (4/11), our Board approved the elimination of Spanish as a special at the elementary level. This action was based on the recommendation of administration and only occurred after thoughtful consideration on the part of our Board. Currently, our students in kindergarten through grade 5 receive 15 days per year of both Spanish and library instruction. Next year, all elementary students will participate in library, physical education, art, music, explorations and health and wellness for 30 days on a six-day rotating cycle.

A main purpose of Spanish programming at the elementary level was to expose our students to a different culture, not necessarily to develop fluent speakers. We will continue to expose our students to Spanish culture as well as a variety of other cultures as part of their ELA Into Reading anthology series. We will also facilitate cultural awareness through books as part of our library programming. We understand there may be an interest on the part of some of our elementary families to explore opportunities for world language development. Administration is actively considering club and/or community education programs for our elementary students. We welcome your ideas.

In addition to providing opportunities for students to explore a variety of cultures, the changes to the special area programming at the elementary level also afforded us an opportunity to enhance support for our English Language Developing (ELD) students. These are students who enroll in our schools with little to no English speaking ability. The addition of resources in this area will assist their language development as well as growth and achievement in academic subjects.

Be A Part of the Conversation is offering a virtual session on Thursday, April 20 at 6:30pm. The presentation, Cannabis (it’s complicated, especially for kids!), will address the effects of increased THC levels, social norms, availability, and the impact on a young, developing brain. Register to attend: https://convo/zone/ympp/

We are excited to announce the launch of our 2023 LIFT (Learning Is Fun Together) Summer Camps. We have MANY exciting offerings this summer (listed below). Visit our LIFT website for details and registration information. Registration closes June 30, 2023.

Students in grades three, four, and five in our elementary schools and six, seven, and eight in our middle schools will be participating in the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) beginning April 25 and extending into the month of May. The PSSA is made up of three separate tests which assess to what degree our students have become proficient in English Language Arts (reading and writing), Mathematics, and Science. Principals will provide further details as we approach the testing dates. For additional information regarding this year’s assessment, please review our previously emailed parent letter and frequently asked questions document and do not hesitate to reach out to your child's principal with questions.

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

Learn about:

• Mountain Biking
• Sports Summer Camps
• YMCA Summer Camps
• Empower-Palooza
• and more!

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, April 13: Educational Equity Task Force @ 7pm
  
• Monday, April 17: Parent Education Night - Teen Social Media Safety @6:30pm
• Tuesday, April 18: Policy Committee Meeting @ 7pm

22-23 v17 4/13/2023