PATRIOT PRESS
PLEASANT VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL * * * February 14, 2021
Welcome to another edition of our Patriot Press
Wow! It has almost been a year without students in our halls. We are very excited to begin getting students back in a Hybrid model. We have set up all safety protocols and trained staff members. Please remember to teach your students to wear a mask and keep distance from others. We have set up classrooms to accommodate for the distancing as we will only have half our school population here at a time. Thank you all for the support and we are thrilled to be with our students again! GO PATRIOTS!!!
On another note, we will be hosting a parent information night from 5-6 pm on Thursday, February 18th. Here is the link: Parent Night Zoom
Sincerely,
Mike Maloney, Principal
Dear Patriots,
I am looking forward to meeting more of our students in person. Please make sure to read all district and school emails and review the expectations with your students. It will be critically important that we all follow the safety rules so that everyone in our school community can stay safe! If your child has any symptoms of illness please keep them home and contact the school.
Please make sure your students have the following each day of in person learning:
2 masks: one on their face and one in their backpack
Backpack: students will carry their own supplies from class to class
Zippered pencil/supply pouch
Water bottle: please have your student wash their bottle each night
Teachers will communicate with students and parents any additional supply needs.
I know there are a lot of families with questions about bus routes for when we begin hybrid learning. Bus routes are now available on the Bus Routes webpage. Routes, including student pick up and drop off times, will be available soon on the Traversa Ride 360 online tool. Instructions and a link to the tool is on the Bus Routes webpage.
Schools will provide protocols for student drop off and pick up by parents/guardians. Students who are driven to school should be dropped off no earlier than 7:55 a.m. Students will be directed to the gym for attestation. Please note that for everyone's health and safety, parents will not be permitted to escort children to their classroom.
PVM is so excited to welcome back our students!
Mrs. Leeper
Assistant Principal
Inside Scoop
- NO SCHOOL MONDAY FEBRUARY 15TH President's Day
- School Tuesday, Feb. 16th, UPDATE, please read.
- Report Cards: mailed home week of February 16th
- A group 5th grade in-person orientation Tuesday 2/16 8-11am
- B group 5th grade in-person orientation Thursday 2/18 8-11am
- Parent Information Night, Thurs. Feb. 18th, 5-6PM Zoom
- Hybrid Learning begins the week of February 22nd
- Hybrid Learning Parent Information
- Picture Re-takes Day February 24th 4-6pm in PVM big gym
- BGPS letter regarding middle schools returning in hybrid learning
- High School Forecasting for 8th Graders
- PANDEMIC ELECTRONIC BENEFITS TRANSFER (EBT) CARDS
- Yearbook picture submissions
- Yearbooks On Sale Now!
- COVID 19 testing locations information
- Notes From The Nurse - videos
- Counselor's Corner - SOS training info for parents
- High School Credit via Challenge, and Washington State Seal of Biliteracy & World Language Competency Exams
- USDA Farmers to Families food boxes
- Inclement Weather Information
- Family & Community Resource Center
- Attendance - absence reporting
- 20-21 District Calendars
- 20-21 District and PVM Student/Family Handbooks
NO SCHOOL MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH - PRESIDENT'S DAY
School on Tuesday, February 16th
PVM Parent Learning Guide 2021
We have created the document linked below to provide parents a clear look at our procedures and expectations when returning to school with hybrid learning. Please take time to review this material with your student and watch the videos linked within the document. This can help answer many of the questions parents and students have about returning to school and what it will look like.
Middle School Picture Re-take Day Wednesday, February 24th
Hello PVM Families,
This is a reminder that school picture re-takes, and pictures for those who missed our last picture day, will be taken on Wednesday, February 24th, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the PVM big gym.
Ordering pictures online is preferred. You can pre-order pictures online at: Order Pictures Here. You can also use the packet that was sent to you by Bell Studios. Packet information is attached to this email. You will need to print and complete the form and include payment for pictures. Your student will need to bring the packet with them. Pictures will be mailed to the address you provide online or on the packet. Please come have a photo taken even if you do not plan to purchase photos, so your student's picture will appear in our school yearbook and on their school ID card.
If you are having re-takes, you MUST bring back the photos that were mailed to you and turn them in to Bell Studios when you check in.
If your student is ill or experiencing covid-like symptoms, or has been exposed to someone who has covid, please do not come to the school. Students must be able to successfully attest to enter the photography area. Download the attestation form below to see what students will attest to.
We will be following all safety guidelines:
Please pull up to the curb in front of the school. Parents/guardians should remain in their car at the curb, please don't go park.
Students need to wear a mask and will go to the big gym, southeast main door, and line up on a dot inside after attesting.
Students will need to either bring their completed picture packet and payment, or have ordered and paid online if purchasing photos.
Students having re-takes MUST return the photos that were mailed to them.
After having their picture taken, students will exit the big gym through the southwest door and walk around to their vehicle.
If you have any questions contact the school office at 360 885-5500.
Thank you and have a nice evening.
Download order envelope below
BGPS letter - What you need to do for middle school hybrid learning on Feb. 22
Dear middle school families,
Hybrid learning for middle students enrolled in Battle Ground Public Schools will begin the week of Feb. 22. This message contains information about what you need to do to prepare for the first day of in-person learning.
Next week
Feb. 17: Middle school teachers might not be available on Wednesday, Feb. 17 for learning activities and assistance. This day has been set aside for teachers to prepare their classrooms for hybrid learning.
Feb. 16 and 18: Fifth graders will attend a half-day orientation on Feb. 16 (Group A students) or Feb. 18 (Group B students) in the morning during their direct instruction time. Transportation will be provided. Bus routes are posted on the district website. Fifth graders not at orientation will work independently on these days. Watch for information from your school. If weather impacts orientation day, it could be rescheduled to Friday, Feb. 19.
Schedules
Students have been divided into two groups to accommodate physical distancing during in-person learning. All students will have two days each week of direct instruction. The remaining three days, students will continue independent learning at home. In general, the middle school learning schedule is
- Hybrid Group A will attend in person 8:10 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday.
- Hybrid Group B will attend in person 8:10 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.
- Remote learners will have direct instruction via Zoom video conferencing software two days per week with a remote-assigned teacher, 8:10 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. Monday and Tuesday OR 8:10 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Each remote student will also have three days of independent learning at home.
- For all students, specialist time will be provided remotely at a designated time on their independent learning days (For Group A: Thursday and Friday, For Group B: Monday and Tuesday).
During independent learning time, teachers will provide assignments for students to continue working on at home. Access to teachers may be limited when teachers are working with other students in the classroom or on Zoom.
Face Masks
Everyone must wear a face mask per Washington State Department of Health guidelines, except under special circumstances such as a developmental or health diagnosis. Students will be permitted to remove masks to eat meals and during physically-distanced outdoor activities.
Daily Attestation
It is important that parents use the Qualtrics app to attest to their child's health every day so that schools can get class started on time. Each day of in-person learning, middle school families will receive a 5 a.m. email from Battle Ground Public Schools (noreply@qemailserver.com) asking a parent/guardian to attest online to their middle school student's health. The first email will offer families the option to sign up for the daily message in a text format. Step-by-step instructions on how to do the attestation are online.
Once students arrive at school, staff will escort them to a designated area (usually a gym) where they will line up on physically distanced markers and confirm their attestation has been completed and get their temperature checked before entering the building. **Please note that if a student's attestation has not been completed, the school may need to call home for parent verification.
Illness
It is important now more than ever for families to keep sick children at home. Children who develop COVID-19 symptoms at school will be isolated until a parent or guardian can pick them up.
What do I do if my child has COVID-19 symptoms?
- Contact your healthcare provider.
- Report the symptom(s) to and follow up with your school nurse or principal.
- Refer to the COVID-19 Student Screening Flow Chart.
Transportation
Bus routes are now available on the Bus Routes webpage. Routes, including student pick up and drop off times, will be available soon on the Traversa Ride 360 online tool. Instructions and a link to the tool is on the Bus Routes webpage.
Schools will provide protocols for student drop off and pick up by parents/guardians. Students who are driven to school should be dropped off no earlier than 7:55 a.m. Students will be directed to the gym for attestation. Please note that for everyone's health and safety, parents will not be permitted to escort children to their classroom.
Meals
Middle school students will not eat lunch at school; however, they will have the opportunity to eat a nutritious grab and go breakfast, provided free through the USDA Meals Program, during a designated snack time. Students can choose to bring their own breakfast snack. Please check with your child's teacher for any food allergies. If parents choose, students can bring home lunch provided for free through the USDA Meals Program.
School Supplies and Chromebooks
Middle school students should come to school prepared to learn with their Chromebooks, writing instruments, paper and calculators. All students need a mask (apart from those with exceptions listed above) and are encouraged to bring a backpack, earbuds, and a reusable water bottle filled with water.
Health and safety
For the health and safety of all students and staff, everyone must wear a mask, observe physical distancing and wash their hands often. Parents must attest to their child's health daily before school begins, and temperatures will be taken daily. The district is following all COVID-19 cleaning guidelines set forth by the state Department of Health. In addition, the district has consulted with PBS, an industrial hygiene company, to align our practices with the best and most up-to-date information to ensure our schools are safe and clean. Finally, the district has allocated resources to place a nurse on special assignment who is dedicated to contact tracing for the district.
Expectations
Before the first day of hybrid school, please watch the videos shared by your school and review your school's expectations for a safe return to in-person learning with your child(ren). Videos show what it will be like to do attestation, ride the bus, and other school activities. Students will be taught the expectations, including how to follow physical distancing and other safety protocols, the first week of hybrid learning and as necessary.
Immunizations
Students must be up to date on their immunizations and have a current Emergency Action Plan for medical conditions. Students who do not have the required immunizations will not be able to attend in-person learning. Immunization information and requirements are on the district website.
Flexibility
The trade off of being in the classroom is that classes may need to temporarily flip back to remote learning when there is a COVID-19 exposure at school. Students will also be expected to comply with health and safety requirements. Please understand that the implementation of these health and safety protocols will help keep everyone safe and prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
We look forward to seeing you!
Battle Ground Public Schools
High School Forecasting for 8th Graders
We will be gathering information for 8th grade forecasting that includes which High School your student will be attending. Please fill out the following form:
From Prairie High School:
Future Falcons,
PHS wanted to send a reminder to 8th grade students and their families about some important dates this week!
February 12th: Forecasting is open for 8th grade on Skyward.
February 17th: Open Zoom for forecasting assistance
- 1:00-3:00pm Zoom Link to attend
- 6:00-8:00pm Zoom link to attend
February 26th: Forecasting for 8th grade is closed
If you have any additional questions about Prairie High School, please contact our counseling center at (360) 885-5002.
PANDEMIC ELECTRONIC BENEFITS TRANSFER (EBT) CARDS
Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT), or Pandemic EBT, is a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program provides food benefits to eligible families in order to replace meals that students would have received if not for disruptions to in-person instruction or school facility closures.
There is no need to apply for the P-EBT program. Eligible families (those that qualify for the free and reduced meal program) will receive their benefits cards in the mail this March. If you qualify, please be sure your mailing address is up-to-date in Skyward. Once logged in, you can submit a request to update your contact information. You can also contact the office staff at your child(ren)’s school for assistance.
Yearbook Photo Submissions
YEARBOOK ANNOUNCEMENTS
Documenting this unique year is more important than ever, and the Pleasant Valley Middle yearbook staff needs your help to do it...
Want your student’s picture in the yearbook? We have a solution! Since not all students were able to get student portraits this year, submit a portrait instead, following the specific guidelines that are posted below. Use our Replay It option, it’s easy to submit your own photos from home. (https://images.jostens.com/416103989) The deadline to submit a portrait for your student is March 19.
ADDITIONAL SPECIFICATIONS:
We will accept HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOTS ONLY (NO hands and or props permitted in the portrait)
Only COLOR portraits will be accepted
All portraits are to be VERTICAL in nature
Want to submit your own photos for the yearbook? Well now you can. We need your help gathering photos for the yearbook, and with our Replay It option, it’s easy to submit your own photos from home https://images.jostens.com/416103989. Got photos of PE, Band, STEM with the Genius Project, Art, students with their pets, PVM siblings and/or friends, Remote Learning setup and/or silly faces, and more? We would love for you to share them. Click on the link below to submit your photos. Be sure to include the student’s name, grade level and description of picture.
Want to buy a yearbook? Don’t miss out on getting a copy of the 2021 Pleasant Valley Middle Yearbook. Order one now for the presale price of $15. You can purchase your yearbook here. Click the link and then go to Pay Fees and Fines. Follow the directions from there. If you have issues please call the office at 360-885-5500. (https://pvm.battlegroundps.org/).Yearbooks On Sale Now
Yearbooks will cost $15 this year.
We order a limited number, so order early to be sure a copy is reserved for you while they are still available. Yearbooks are distributed in June to those who have purchased one. They will be available for sale until the number ordered have all been claimed.
COVID 19 testing locations
Notes from the Nurse
Hello PVM Families,
We are excited to have students returning to in person learning. Please view the attached videos with your student(s). It contains great reminders about the steps we need our students to take to remain safe and healthy.
Thank you,
Nancy Boldt, BSN, RN
School Nurse
Counselor's Corner
Hello Pleasant Valley Middle School Families,
Social-Emotional Supports
There are great resources available for social-emotional support via the Battle Ground Public Schools website. On the district page there are links that lead you to more information for different topics. Here is the link to our school district's page: Social Emotional Supports
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is also a great resource: NAMI
Mrs. McCann's Google Classroom.
I will be sharing topics weekly in my Google classroom. Please remind your students to join my Google classroom if they have not done so already. Links were emailed to them at the beginning of the school year to join.
High School Credit via Challenge, and Washington State Seal of Biliteracy & World Language Competency Exams
Applications linked below.
USDA Farmers to Families food boxes
Battle Ground Public Schools has partnered with the Battle Ground Education Foundation to distribute USDA Farmers to Families Food Boxes at the Lewisville campus on Saturdays through the end of April. Families can come by the Lewisville campus to pick up a food box. A typical kit contains fresh produce, dairy products, fluid milk and meat products. Distribution will start at 10 a.m. and last until the boxes are gone. Limit one food kit per car. Please enter Lewisville via NW 5th Ave. (between the Post Office and Dick's Point S) off of West Main Street.
Please be aware that because the truck is coming from Walla Walla, winter weather could impact distribution. Updates will be posted at http://bgef.org/ and the BGEF Facebook page.
Volunteers needed: If you can volunteer to help distribute boxes, please sign up online.
Inclement Weather Information
The Pleasant Valley campus is considered a south school.
Family and Community Resource Center
Battle Ground Public Schools’ Family and Community Resource Center (FCRC) helps meet the needs of families faced with housing instability and similar economic challenges.
While a main goal of the FCRC is to assist families experiencing housing instability, it can also help connect families with many other types of resources and is intended to respond to the changing needs of the community.
The FCRC is a continuation of the district’s joint efforts with the Battle Ground Education Foundation, an all-volunteer, nonprofit community organization whose purpose is to leverage community resources to help maintain quality education for all students in Battle Ground schools.
The Family Resource Guide is full of contacts to aid families in connecting with agencies who are able to help with a great variety of needs. Please click the link below to view this helpful guide.
(click below to be redirected to the FCRC page)
Family and Community Resource Center (FCRC)
Phone: (360) 885-5434
Email: fcrc@battlegroundps.org
Attendance - Absence Reporting
- State reporting codes require absences be excused by a parent or guardian within three days of the return of the student to school.
- We may not accept student excuses for their own absences.
- We understand that at times an absence may be unavoidable, such as for limited medical appointment times, illness, internet failures, or a family emergency. Consistent participation dramatically increases student success in school. We ask that if at all possible, appointments and vacation time be scheduled to avoid having students miss their direct instruction time in Zoom meetings.
- In addition to a parent/guardian reporting the absence to the office, if students are aware they will be missing several days of school (due to traveling etc) please have them email all of their teachers to arrange for make up work.
Absence reporting
Attendance line: 360-885-5512
PVM office: 360-885-5500
PVM email: info.pvm@battlegroundps.org
Thank you for helping us keep your child's attendance record current.
PLEASANT VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL MISSION
We believe ALL students can experience academic and personal growth.
PLEASANT VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL
Office: 360-885-5500
Fax: 360-885-5510
Student helpdesk: 360-885-5465
Student helpdesk email: studenthelp@battlegroundps.org
PVM Online: https://sites.google.com/battlegroundps.org/pvm-online/home
District office switchboard: 360-885-5300
Email: info.pvm@battlegroundps.org
Website: https://pvm.battlegroundps.org/
Location: 14320 NE 50th Avenue, Vancouver, WA 98686
Phone: 360-885-5500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PVMiddle/
Battle Ground Student and Family Handbook
PVM Student and Family Handbook
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February 14, 2021
Issue #10