Dear PVMS Families,
We are welcoming in March with much milder temperatures in the 50s and 60s and bright sunshine in the early hours of the morning. It looks like more rainfall as opposed to snowfall but we can never rule out the chance before we finally say goodbye to winter. Only time will tell if March will come in like a lion and provide more snow and wind or will we continue to experience a mild winter and see March go out like a lamb. With that being said, I hope you are looking forward to Spring as much as I am with warmer temperatures, sprouting vegetation and birds chirping.
This month we will have a visit from our International Baccalaureate consultant who will be with us for two days on March 21st and 22nd. She is scheduled to visit with our students and staff members and offer us feedback on our journey thus far. We have had tremendous progress this year with our IB Coordinators, MaryKay Cohen and Stephanie Trchala working with our teachers weekly on developing their IB units, integrating approaches to learning, and weaving in the IB learner profile attributes. Please take a look at our IB MYP Presentation with FAQs. If you have more questions, please contact us directly and we would be happy to look into your inquiries. One of the points that continues to be made and reinforced is that IB MYP is for all middle school students. It is about the process of learning and ensuring students master how to learn as opposed to memorization of facts and details and this is a journey for all.
Registration for Spring Modified Sports will open on March 8th and close on March 31st. Please ensure to respond to the emails from our athletic department if your child will be participating. Late registrations will not be accepted. As with any sports season, in order to be a scholar athlete, students should be in good academic standing. We will partner with families to refer our students to H.W. Booster Lab if they need additional time and support to complete their assignments.
Our Middle School Drama, Anastasia will take place Friday, March 15th and Saturday, March 16th at 7:00PM. Please come out in person and see our students on stage. We have tremendous talent and your continued support is greatly appreciated.
Please check your child’s cell phone! It would be appreciated if you could look through their text messages, group chats, and social media platforms. We continue to see a rise in social media usage amongst our student population. Students communicate in a variety of ways through gaming platforms, text messaging groups, Snapchat, etc. There will always be a way for our children to communicate but have we as adults addressed these platforms and the proper way to communicate in a positive and productive way? It has been a goal of ours at PVMS to bring attention to the concerns that we have observed around the hurtful texting that exists. Please partner with us in monitoring what your children are texting on their phones as well as other devices. Students should treat one another with respect and dignity. They should be reminded to treat everyone the way in which they would like to be treated. Some of our students act differently in the “virtual” world at times. Our role is to educate them to make positive choices and if anything, let it be something they learn from if they make a poor choice. Families should know that what students do outside of school can have a connection to what happens in school and we must investigate these situations when they are brought to our attention. It takes a village to raise a child and we appreciate your partnership.
Key Dates – Mark Your Calendar
Monday, March 4th is the beginning of Encore #4 for 5th & 6th grade students. Please review your child’s schedule and ensure that they know where they are going. They can always stop by the Main Office and we will let them know if they are unsure.
Friday, March 8th marks the midpoint of the 3rd quarter. Please look for updated comments on PowerSchool starting Thursday, March 14th. After reviewing your child’s progress, please contact their classroom teacher(s) with any questions or concerns.
Daylight Savings Time is Sunday, March 10th. Don’t forget to turn your clocks ahead one hour.
We have a Superintendent’s Conference Day on Wednesday, March 13th. There is no school for students on this day while our staff embarks on professional development.
We will announce our National Junior Honor Society recipients on Friday, March 15th. Congratulations to all who receive this recognition. Our induction ceremony will be at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, March 26th on our PVMS stage.
MS Drama – Anastasia – Friday, March 15th & Saturday, March 16th – 7:00PM – PVMS Stage
Happy St. Patrick’s Day – March 17th
Our first day of Spring and the March equinox happens on March 19th at 11:06 P.M.
We will welcome our IB Consultant who will visit on Thursday, March 21st and Friday, 22nd.
Our Student VS Staff Olympics will take place during 7th & 8th periods on Thursday, March 28th. We hope everyone enjoys their Spring Break beginning Friday, March 29th through Sunday, April 7th! Classes will resume Monday, April 8th.
Our school is a safe place where we focus on not only academics, but also the social and emotional wellbeing of all children. If you have any questions please remember to call the Middle School and we will get you the information you need.
Thank you for your continued support of our PVMS community.
Sincerely,
Travis W. McCarty
Principal