Wednesday Roundup 12.6.23
Spotlight Image: Students in Stephanie Sevcik's third-grade class at Middlesex Elementary School took a brief brain break to step outside this morning and enjoy the first snow flurries of the winter season. Based on the smiles, we think it's safe to say they enjoyed the moment.
Calendar Reminders
- December 7 - Early Dismissal (students) - Kdg NOT in session on this day**
- December 8 - NO SCHOOL
- December 18 - School Board Meeting
- December 22 - Gr. K-5 holiday socials
- December 25-January 1 - NO SCHOOL
* All events subject to change. Not an all-inclusive list.
** See "Early Dismissal Schedule" below for more details about kindergarten on these days.
News & Announcements
Early Dismissal Schedule
As outlined in the school calendar, students will be dismissed early on December 7, 2023, and May 31, 2024. (Note: Kindergarten will NOT be in session on these days*.) Dismissal times for these dates are as listed below.
CV9 – 10:35 a.m.
Eagle View – 10:50 a.m.
CV High School – 11 a.m.
Mountain View – 11:25 a.m.
Monroe, Silver Spring, Middlesex, and Green Ridge Elementary Schools – 11:50 a.m.
Hampden, Shaull, Sporting Hill, and Winding Creek Elementary Schools – 11:55 a.m.
Lunch will not be served on these days (breakfast WILL be served).
(*Full-day kindergarten at Middlesex will attend school as normal on these days.)
Congratulations to our grades 9-12 choir students who were selected to represent Cumberland Valley School District at the Cumberland County Music Educators County Chorus Festival.
Eagles Around the District
Top left: Students in Courtney Shaw's Conceptual Chemistry class at CV High School are learning about the impacts of natural fertilizers (like coffee grounds) on plant grown.
Top center: Explorations teacher Jeffrey Swisher recently helped guide some of our second graders through setting up and filming book commercials using a green screen and iMovie.
Top right: Eagle View Middle School students in Keirsten Davidson's seventh-grade English class recently participated in a hands-on learning opportunity that tested their communication schools.
Bottom left: Third-grade scientists in Dr. Tota Ram Gautam's class at Winding Creek Elementary School recently collaborated with The Pennsylvania Society for Biomedical Research (PSBR) to bring the SPARC Mobile Science Program to the school. As a researcher/scientist/educator, Mr. Hunter Angle from SPARC Mobile Science Program provided our scientists with a #CKLA “Animal Classification” unit aligned to hands-on science experience using microscopes. Students learned the difference between telescopes and microscopes, and then looked at live daphnia (a water flea) and C. elegans to identify their body parts and the absence of backbones.
Bottom center: Students in Miss Seifert's kindergarten class at Green Ridge Elementary School are exploring their digital pocket charts by creating words. One of our little Gators was so happy that she could use letter sounds she's learned so far this year to phonetically spell "friend" on her own.
Bottom right: First-grade chefs in Mrs. Innerst's class and Ms. Pickering's class at Hampden Elementary School recently came together to host a Friendsgiving feast. Together, they assisted in preparing the dinner and decorating the room before sitting down to enjoy a meal with their friends.
This edition of SPO Minutes is focused on Online Safety. The district's winter break is fast approaching and it is expected that students will spend more time online gaming with friends. Please take the time to talk with your child about online behaviors and practices.
Basic guidelines to share with your kids for safe online use:
- Never post or trade personal pictures.
- Never reveal personal information, such as address, phone number, or school name or location.
- Use only a screen name and don't share passwords (other than with parents).
- Never agree to get together in person with anyone met online without parent approval and/or supervision.
- Never respond to a threatening email, message, post, or text. Do not delete and notify a parent immediately.
- Always tell a parent or other trusted adult about any communication or conversation that was scary or hurtful.
- Basic guidelines for parental supervision:
- Spend time online together to teach your kids appropriate online behavior.
- Keep the computer in a common area where you can watch and monitor its use, not in individual bedrooms. Monitor any time spent on smartphones or tablets.
- Bookmark kids' favorite sites for easy access.
- Check your credit card and phone bills for unfamiliar account charges.
- Take your child seriously if he or she reports an uncomfortable online exchange.
Online access comes with risks, like inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and online predators. Using social media apps and websites where kids interact, predators may pose as a child or teen looking to make a new friend. They might prod the child to exchange personal information, such as address and phone number, or encourage kids to call them, seeing their phone number via caller ID. NetSmartz link below provides great information for parents and students.
Watch for warning signs of a child being targeted by an online predator. These can include:
- spending long hours online, especially at night
- phone calls from people you don't know
- unsolicited gifts arriving in the mail
- your child suddenly turning off the computer or other device when you walk into the room
- withdrawal from family life and reluctance to discuss online activities
The Internet can provide a safe "virtual" environment for exploring some newfound freedom if precautions are taken.
E-safety checklist to keep children safe online
Bark monitors texts, email, YouTube, and 30+ apps and social media platforms for signs of issues like cyberbullying, sexual content, online predators, depression, suicidal ideation, threats of violence, and more. With content monitoring, you can get email and text alerts when Bark detects potential issues so you can talk to your child and make sure everything is OK. Receive personalized reports on your child’s online activity and expert guidance with every alert, better equipping you to handle those challenging moments. https://www.bark.us/
Anonymous reporting can be made @ Safe to Say
Cumberland Valley Student and Public Safety – (717) 506-3349
(Please note: This is a non-emergency number that is not staffed 24 hours per day and is not a reporting hotline.)
Portrait of an Eagle: Student Spotlight
Silver Spring Elementary School fourth graders recently tested their architectural skills as they designed castles and later presented them to their peers. The project was a lesson in communication while demonstrating their knowledge of the Middle Ages.
They are a Portrait of an Eagle.
School Board News
Board Hosts Reorganization Meeting
Upcoming School Board Meetings
Unless otherwise advertised, all meetings begin at 7 p.m. and will take place in the District Office Board Room (6746 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg)
- Monday, December 18, 2023
A full list of School Board and committee meeting dates is available by clicking here.
Quick Access
Board Agendas - Posted a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the meeting.
Committee Assignments - 2023 Board committee/advisory group assignments.
Meeting Minutes - Posted once approved by the Board of School Directors.
Watch Live - School Board meetings are live streamed to our website.
Additional Reminders
If you haven't already, you are welcomed and encouraged to follow us on our official social media platforms - including our new Instagram page - for the latest celebrations, news, and updates.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CVschools
Instagram - NEW!: https://www.instagram.com/cumberlandvalleysd/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CVSDnews
Reminder: Reaching CV by Telephone
Main number: 717-697-8261 (follow prompts to reach buildings/departments)
CV High School: 717-506-3555
CV9: 717-506-3372
CVVA: 717-697-8261
Eagle View Middle School: 717-506-3955
Mountain View Middle School: 717-697-1960
Green Ridge Elementary School: 717-766-4911
Hampden Elementary School: 717-737-4513
Middlesex Elementary School: 717-249-5586
Monroe Elementary School: 717-697-0028
Shaull Elementary School: 717-506-3415
Silver Spring Elementary School: 717-506-3755
Sporting Hill Elementary School: 717-761-5052
Winding Creek Elementary School: 717-620-2525
Additional Quick Access Links
Technology HelpDesk
- Staff and Students - Please go to https://helpdesk.cvschools.org to sign in and create a Technology helpdesk ticket.
- Parents/Guardians may click here to create a Technology helpdesk ticket, as needed.