Summer Message
an Update from Dr. Barbara A. Russell 8/4/2022
Welcome August! The beginning of August inevitably prompts a countdown to the first-day-of-school! We look forward to welcoming our students back on Monday, August 29...a little over three weeks from now!
Once again, I have a few new items to share as well as some reminders. See below for details about our updated Health & Safety Plan (v5.1), which appears on the School Board agenda for approval by the Board of School Directors this upcoming Monday, August 8.
A few months ago, I shared information about a lawsuit filed against the District on behalf of children under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The case focused on the circumstances for requiring mask wearing in school. The case was recently dismissed in federal court.
Finally, I'd like to remind you of the Online Verification process that will be released Tuesday, August 9. We encourage you to complete this process as OLV serves to assist us in ensuring that student demographic and family contact information are current in our system. It also provides us with an avenue to share Back-to-School information/flyers such as updated student handbooks and other pertinent information. See below for additional information as well as other reminders.
Stay safe and continue to enjoy summer!
Sincerely,
Dr. Barbara A. Russell
Superintendent
Learn About:
- Healthy & Safety Plan
- Back to School 2022-23
- 2022-23 Schedules and Class Assignments
- Online Verification (OLV) in ParentVUE
- Meal Pick Up
- Free & Reduced Meal Program
- Viking Academy, K-12
- Summer Reading & Library Hours
- Comprehensive Plan
- Upcoming District Dates
Health & Safety Plan
On the August 8 Board agenda, there is a proposed (updated) health and safety plan in item 4.11. The plan was explained as part of the Education Committee of the Whole (ECTW) meeting during this past Monday's Board meeting and essentially proposes that masks be optional in all settings unless the county moves into a high level of transmission (as designated by the CDC), and then masks would be recommended. The District will provide KF94 and KN95 masks to those students and staff who request them.
Other aspects of the plan indicate a continued focus on ventilation, cleaning protocols, and hand hygiene. Students and staff who test positive for COVID must isolate for 5 days and are asked to consider wearing a mask upon return for 5 days. However, while isolating for 5 days (remaining out of school) is required, the wearing of a mask for the second 5 days is not. The COVID dashboard will be discontinued and instead, the District will be prompted to communicate information about positive COVID cases in response to meeting a threshold number of cases as identified by the Montgomery County Office of Public Health (MCOPH). Currently, the MCOPH is in discussions about what the threshold will be, indicating that communication about COVID to parents will become similar to that of other contagious diseases, such as whooping cough. Stay tuned for additional information.
In the event you have any questions about COVID-19 health and safety in 2022-23, do not hesitate to reach out to Dr. Barbara Russell, Superintendent at brussell@pvsd.org, or Mrs. Meg Lewis, Pandemic Liaison at mlewis@pvsd.org.
Schedules & Class Assignments
Student schedules and class assignments for the 2022-2023 School Year will be available in ParentVUE beginning Wednesday, August 17 @ noon.
*NOTE: Student schedules and class assignments will only be accessible if online verification (OLV) has been completed for the student. Learn more about OLV below. If OLV is not complete, student schedules and/or class assignments will not be accessible in ParentVUE until OLV is completed.
**New kindergarten families will receive information regarding their ParentVUE login on August 9th via email.
Online Verification (OLV) in ParentVUE
This year, we will once again administer all typical beginning of year forms electronically as part of the online verification (OLV) process in ParentVUE. This PAPERLESS process alleviates the need for the paper forms that are typically distributed during the first days of school. Plus, online verification serves to assist us in ensuring that student demographic and family contact information are current in our system. It also provides us with an avenue to share Back-to-School information/flyers such as updated student handbooks and other pertinent information. We truly appreciate your participation in this process.
Online verification will be available in ParentVUE beginning Tuesday, August 9 @ noon. More information, including how to access online verification in ParentVUE, will be shared in the coming weeks.
Please note: Schedules and teacher Assignments will be viewable in ParentVUE on Wednesday, August 17 @ noon. However, the information will only be accessible if online verification (OLV) has been completed. OLV only needs to be completed by one parent/guardian (meaning, if both parents have an account, only one will need to complete the process for their student(s)).
Meal Pick Up
The District continues to provide 5 free breakfasts and 5 free lunches for children ages 18 and under. Meals will be distributed to interested families at the bus circle of the high school (adjacent to the stadium) on Campus Dr as per the dates/times below. (As a note, you do not need to enter the high school building to pick up your meals. Staff and/or volunteers will be present outside the main doors with ready-packed meals for pick up.)
- Thursday, August 4, 11:00am-1:00pm or 4:00pm-6:00pm
- Thursday, August 11, 11:00am-1:00pm or 4:00pm-6:00pm
- Thursday, August 18, 11:00am-1:00pm or 4:00pm-6:00pm
There is no sign up or means of qualifying. We hope this continues to support those who are in need. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our Food Service department with any questions, byaksich@pvsd.org or kbalestra@pvsd.org.
Free & Reduced Meal Program for the 2022-23 School Year
Another source of food is the community's Power Packs group. This group consists of community volunteers that collect food and organize weekend bags of supplemental foods for students of all ages. In addition to providing students with supplemental food, Power Packs also provides hygiene bags, clothing, toys, holiday gifts, etc.
If you would like to make a donation to Power Packs, please do so by sending a check to the District Office at 3 Iron Bridge Dr. Collegeville made out to PVSD and note Power Packs in the memo line or donate through PayPal. For PayPal the email to send a donation is donations@pvsd.org. Thank you for your support!
Viking Academy K-12
Viking Academy is a customizable online learning experience for resident K-12 students. We offers high-quality instruction with flexibility and all the added benefits of a traditional PVSD education. We have both asynchronous and partially synchronous programs available for K-8 students and a fully asynchronous learning environment for 9-12th grade students.
More information regarding program offerings and frequently asked questions can be found on the Viking Academy webpage. If you’d like to connect with a Viking Academy administrator to answer questions or enroll your child, please reach out to:
- Grades K-5: Mrs. Krista Venza, kvenza@pvsd.org
- Grades 6-8: Mrs. Christine Capriotti, ccapriotti@pvsd.org
- Grades 9-12: Mrs. Stef Baker, sbaker@pvsd.org
- Assistant Superintendent: Laurie Smith, lsmith@pvsd.org
Summer Reading
We believe it is critical for students to foster positive reading habits in order to develop as lifelong learners. The district's Summer Reading Program encourages students to read high-interest, self-selected texts. After all, summer reading is a great opportunity for each student to explore personal interests, various genres, topics he/she wants to know more about while discovering his/her own "just right" books. Visit our website to learn more: Summer Reading Program.
In addition, we are excited to share that our libraries will again be open to our families this summer! Students are welcome to visit and check out books. August dates are posted to the right.
Comprehensive Plan
Every three years, the District is obligated to develop a comprehensive plan that sets the direction for the district. It serves to offer opportunities to hear from various stakeholders about what's going well and what could be improved in terms of student experiences. The process affords us the opportunity to ask, "What do we need to consider for our students and staff that might be different from three years ago?"
At the June Board meeting, administration presented an overview of the proposed Comprehensive Plan, scheduled to be submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) by August 30, 2022. A draft including all three phases of the plan (Ready, Set, Go) is linked below. The final plan is quite extensive and includes strengths and challenges, priority areas, goals, action steps, and associated professional development and communications. As a note, an executive summary is included if you prefer a shorter version.
· Draft PVSD Comprehensive Plan
The District is also required to submit certain state reports at the same time as the comprehensive plan. Linked below is a compilation of these state reports which include, an Induction Plan, Professional Education Plan, Student Services Assurances, Gifted Education Plan Assurances, and Academic Standards and Assessments Requirements.
Upcoming District Dates
- Monday, August 8 - Board Business Meeting at 7:00pm - High School Library
- Tuesday, August 9 - Online Verification (OLV) opens in ParentVUE at noon
- Wednesday, August 17 - Schedules & Class Assignments available in ParentVUE at noon
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
Feedback Form
As a district, we are carefully considering the ways in which we communicate with our school community. We are curious to learn your thoughts regarding the Weekly Message, sent from the Office of the Superintendent, as well as District communications at large. Please use this form to share your thoughts: Communications Feedback.
Safe2Say
In addition to encouraging our students to share questionable or concerning information with a trusted adult, students 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.