Dear PVMS Families,
We are off to a wonderful start! I don’t know about you but September flew by and it is hard to believe October is upon us. It’s the time of year for cooler temperatures, falling leaves, and pumpkins. When we look outside in the late afternoon, the sun is setting earlier and earlier and it is dark before we know it. Please remind your children to dress appropriately for these dropping temperatures as they wait for their buses in the morning.
Thank you to all that were able to come out to our Back to School Night(s) and partnering with us in your child’s educational journey. If you would like to schedule a meeting with your child’s teachers, please contact the teacher directly and/or the team leader on the grade level to set up a day that works for everyone. Topics of these meetings may range from academic, social and emotional, or just letting teachers know who your child is as a learner. Since we do not have scheduled parent teacher conferences like our elementary school, I highly encourage you to reach out and schedule these meetings at your convenience.
Some of our clubs have started and many more will start this month. We always encourage students to expand their horizons in trying new things and this is a wonderful opportunity to do so. Eighth grade students that may qualify for National Junior Honor Society can expand on their experiences and application requirements by joining modified sports and joining clubs. Many of our clubs run in the afternoon but some run in the morning so there is a need to be dropped off at 7:00AM. Please sign up prior to attending and remember students can sign up for as many as they would like to. Please note that students will take the loop bus that runs home or must be picked up by parents/guardians at 4:15PM.
Our Student Government speeches and elections were held on Friday, September 29th in our HS PAC. Congratulations to all of our students who campaigned and had the courage to give speeches in front of the entire student body. We are so proud of all!
Our teachers have been working hard at weaving our 10 IB MYP Learner Profile attributes into daily instruction. Student work and lessons have been focused on what it means to be:
- Inquirers
- Knowledgeable
- Thinkers
- Communicators
- Principled
- Open-minded
- Caring
- Risk-takers
- Balanced
- Reflective
Please note that our first Student of the Month recognition will be focused on what it means to be principled. Our breakfast will take place on Friday, October 27th and is through invitation only. A continued thank you to our PTA for sponsoring this throughout the year. We are always looking for volunteers to help set up and take pictures the morning of the event.
Our PVMS Building Steering committee is looking for parent volunteers to attend our meetings.
“The Putnam Valley Middle School building steering committee monitors the progress of the school, identifies opportunities to support it and troubleshoots challenges as they arise. When a challenge arises, the member identifying the issue will research and propose resolutions to be discussed by the committee. The committee will create a shared vision for the school and help to bring the vision to life by collaborating and building consensus. During the first meeting, the committee will develop/review the charter with goals, norms, and guiding principles aligned to the mission that will be negotiated, recorded, and updated yearly. The committee will also determine the responsibilities for: facilitating meetings, scheduling meetings, developing meeting agendas, disseminating information regarding meetings. The Committee meets five times per year after school for one hour. Members typically serve for two school years.” Parent members must have a child in the middle school.
The following will be our meeting dates for this year:
October 18, December 6, February 14, April 17, and June 5
Please contact our assistant principal, Mrs. Jaime Zecca (jzecca@pvcsd.org) if you are willing to attend. Our partnership is vital to the success of our community.
Some important dates to mark on your calendar this month:
October 3 Destination Imagination – Parent/Student Challenge – 6PM –
PVMS Dining Hall – Please complete the Registration Form here to let
us know if you will be attending.
October 6 Emergency Management Drill – Dismissal 15 minutes early – 2:21PM
October 6 Mid Point Quarter 1
October 9 Columbus Day – School Closed
October 13 PTA Sponsored Anti-Bullying Laser Show
October 13 Grades/Comments Posted for Mid-Point Quarter 1 –
Check Power School
October 17 – 19 Scholastic In Person Book Fair – Maker Space – Lunch Periods
October 18, 19 Grade 5 – TOEC Trip
October 20 PTA Sponsored – Nick Tokman – Inspirational Speaker
October 23 – 27 Red Ribbon Week
October 24, 25 Grade 6 – TOEC Trip
October 26 First Responders and Apparatus Event (during lunch periods)
October 27 MS Halloween Bash 5 – 7PM
October 27 End of Encore 1 for Grades 5 & 6
October 30 Start of Encore 2 for Grades 5 & 6
October 31 Halloween – Students may dress up (no full face masks, weapons, or
face paint)
The midpoint of quarter 1 will be Friday, October 6th. Please log-on to PowerSchool on October 13th for comments from your child’s teachers regarding the first 5 weeks of school. Please contact your child’s teacher with any questions or concerns.
This month we recognize “Red Ribbon Week” where we support healthy, drug free kids. Though we draw attention to this topic during the week of October 23rd, it is imperative that we open lines of communication with our children so that they are comfortable sharing anything with us throughout the entire year. Please continue to talk with your children to see how they are doing. The use of group text messages and use of social media platforms continues to grow. Please monitor the words and actions taking place on these platforms. If something is concerning then bring it to our attention as there is a nexus between what happens outside of school and its impact on those in school. Continue to help us in raising children who are upstanders in using positive language and actions as opposed to bystanders who join in and/or look the other way. It is through these relationships that we continue to inform and reflect. Please remember to contact the Middle School if you have any questions. We hope to continue to work hard in partnering with you in helping to develop life-long learners who make good choices.
Sincerely,
Travis W. McCarty