Welcome Back Valley View!

Dear Valley View Elementary Families,

Welcome back to another exciting school year at Valley View Elementary! We hope you and your children have enjoyed a restful and rejuvenating summer. As we gear up for the new school year, we are thrilled to reconnect with our returning families and extend a warm welcome to those who are joining us for the first time.

Our team is eager to embrace the opportunities and challenges that the upcoming year will bring. This year, we are committed to fostering a nurturing and dynamic learning environment that supports the academic, social, and emotional growth of every student. Our dedicated staff have been working hard to create amazing learning environments for your children. Classroom teachers are excited to showcase their classrooms and routines with you at Orientation Sessions. Building a strong relationship between school and home is proven to have the biggest impact on students achieving at school.

Here are a few important updates and reminders to help ensure a smooth transition back to school:

1. School Supplies: All school supplies have been purchased for students and families. We ask for a $25-dollar donation to help cover the cost. Because of the quantity of supplies we ordered we are able to purchase them at a substantial saving to families. Please bring cash or card to your child’s Orientation Session, or use the link in this newsletter to pay.

2. First Day of School: The first day of school is September 3rd. We ask that parents wanting to drop students off and walk them to the front door, park in the parking lot and not in the drop-off lanes. Our staff will be available to help student find their classrooms from the front doors. Parents are not allowed past our front doors.

3. School Hours: Our school hours are from 7:45 to 2:20. We kindly ask that students are punctual to maximize their learning time. Doors open for students at 7:20. Students must be picked up by 2:30. Students are only allowed to play on the playground after school if a parents or guardian is with them. Any student still here after 2:30 will wait outside by the main office doors until their ride arrives.

4. Important Dates: Please mark your calendars with the following important dates:

• September 3: First Day of School K-5, Orientation Sessions for PreK Students
• September 5: First Day of School PreK4
• September 19: Fall Picnic

5. Communication: Stay informed by regularly checking your child’s Seesaw account and reading our Valley View monthly newsletter. Strong communication between home and school is essential to your child’s growth and academic achievement. We encourage open communication and partnership between home and school. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to support your child's educational journey and ensure a successful and enjoyable school year.

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our school community. Together we will make this year a memorable and successful one for all our students.

With the greatest of anticipation for an amazing year,

Jason Kuhlman

Principal

Many families wish to have contact with their students before and after school via cellphone. If a student has a cell phone at school it must not become a distraction or disruption to the learning process; therefore, students’ cellphones must be powered off and kept in their backpacks during the entire school day. Phones will be confiscated by a staff member if a student has the phone (on their person, is used, or in the classroom) during the school day. Parents/guardians must come to school to receive the phone if it is confiscated. CHPS and Valley View Elementary will not be responsible for lost or stolen items.

Special Considerations:

We understand that some students may need specific devices as perscribed by their doctor for specific health reasons. In such cases, students must have medical documentation on file with the school health office, and the device should be used only for its intended purpose.

Thank you for choosing Valley View for your child’s education. We are dedicated to giving you and your child the best possible school experience we can. In order to do that we are going to host Orientation Sessions on Thursday, August 29 from 2:30 to 6:00 and August 30 from 8:30 to 12:00. These sessions are meant to build relationships between the teacher and your family. Students can come to see the room, meet their teacher, and complete some benchmark testing. Families will also have the opportunity to order uniforms, complete any required paperwork, and return any overdue library books from last year. We look forward to seeing you!!

Columbia Heights Public Schools asks that all families complete an online free and reduced application to provide additional school funding to support all students in the district.

Educational benefits include:

• School Meals: Meals are now available at no charge for all students, but schools get additional funding if you application is approved.
• High School Athletics: Eligible students qualify for fees to be reduced.
• Other High School Activities: Students may qualify for discounts on Speech, Debate, Theater, Band and others.
• Additional Benefits & Cost Savings: Comcast internet essentials discount, discounted bus fares with Metro Transit, Xcel Energy account assistance, discounts at many museums and theaters.

Please see the link below to fill out prior to Orientation Session. You can also fill them out during this time if you need assistance.

Educational Benefits Form

• Navy blue or gold polo, fleece, or ¼ zip sweatshirt with Valley View logo.

• Khaki or navy blue pants, skirts, or shorts. All skirts or shorts must touch the knee. No jeans, sweatpants, or leggings.

• All hijabs and abayas must be solid navy blue, gold or khaki. Valley View top must be worn over the abaya.

• Bandanas and hats may not be worn in the classroom.

• Tennis shoes are required for physical education class.
• Any solid navy or gold sweater, vest, or cardigan may be worn over the polo (no hoods).

• Solid navy blue, gold, black or white long sleeve shirts may be worn under the polo.

• Solid navy blue, gold, black, or white tights or leggings may be worn under shorts or skirts.

• If you need assistance or have questions, please contact our School Social Worker at 763-528-4246.

Valley View asks that each family make a contribution of $25 per student to cover the cost of supplies. Instead of spending time going to multiple stores in search of the items on the list, we will do the work for you! Since we will be able to purchase supplies in large quantities, the final cost to you will also be lower than if you were purchasing the items yourself. As you know, the costs can really add up! By ordering supplies, teachers will also be able to ensure that all students have the correct materials they will need to be successful in the fall. Students will need a backpack, headphones and tennis shoes for PE.

Supplies can be paid for during our Orientation sessions via cash or credit cards, or ahead of time using the link below.

Dear PreK through 5th Grade Valley View Families,

We will be starting our bicycle unit in our Physical Education class Friday, September 6 through Friday, September 20 (weather permitting). It will take place on our Valley View playground.

We received 50 bicycles and helmets through a SHIP Grant and Free Bikes 4 Kids organization a few years ago and recently we also received 22 Strider bikes donated from MedExpress. We have bicycles of all sizes, some with training wheels, and handful of scooters that the students can experience.

Our curriculum will cover pre-ride bike inspection, proper wearing of helmets, and stopping and starting safely.

I am encouraging students to bring in their own helmets to use at school. Students can leave their helmet at school in their school locker or backpack for the two weeks, or bring it every day they have PE. Please label your child’s helmet if they choose to bring one. If your child does not bring a helmet from home, they will wear a school helmet that we will provide. Under the school provided helmet, they will need to wear either a personal hat (Baseball hat, winter hat etc.) or students will wear a hair net the school provides.

Students will be allowed to bring their own bicycles and scooters from home for the Bike Unit. If your child chooses to bring their bike or scooter to school, an adult will inspect the bike or scooter for safety of the rider and others on school property. We recommend students bring a bike lock to attach to their bike or scooter at school. The bike racks are by the recess doors for personal bikes and scooters.

Students will not be able to participate in the Bike Unit if they wear sandals, Crocs or flip flops due to safety. Please help remind your child they need tennis shoes every PE class.

Valley View is not responsible for any damage or loss of bikes or helmets while on school property.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Thank you,

Mrs. Ostrander

Valley View PE Teacher

763-528-4224

As we begin the school year, I would like to take a moment to review our dismissal procedures. When coming into the parking lot, we are asking parents to form two lines. This will help reduce the congestion on 49th. Once you approach the playground area, we are asking parents to merge into one line to pick up their child. DO NOT form two lines in the student pick-up/drop-off area. This is a safety concern, as students are crossing a lane of traffic to enter into vehicles. When you are in the student pick-up lane, stay in your vehicle. This will help speed up the process.

****Update***** Over the summer a long sidewalk has been installed on the east side of Monroe St. Parents are welcome to park next to this sidewalk and meet their students in the playground area for dismissal. Students can also be dropped off on the sidewalk in the morning and walk up to the playground or school.

Please do not park in the no parking area with the yellow lines. This blocks the flow of traffic of parents who are exiting. Under no circumstances should you park in the pick-up/drop-off lane to go into school.

To help avoid this congestion, you can park along Monroe and walk up the playground steps to get your children. Another way is to stagger when you pick up your children. We begin our dismissal process at 2:10 with our PreK and Kindergarten students, and finish our dismissal with 5th grade at 2:20. We typically stay outside until 2:30. All students need to be picked up by then. Students waiting for their rides will be sitting at the picnic tables along the fence. Together we will make this process work, but we need everyone to cooperate and be patient.

Welcome to another great school year!

As the president of the Valley View Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO), I am excited to invite you to PTO, our vibrant group of teachers and families dedicated to supporting our students’ success through fundraising, advocacy, and events. Please join us in building a strong school community by attending our meetings and events, sharing feedback, or volunteering. We hold regular monthly meetings, starting with our first meeting on September 4th at 4:30 pm. This year we’re also introducing a new morning meeting called Family Engagement, following Parent Academy each month. All family members and guardians, including children, are welcome. I look forward to your involvement and the diverse perspectives you bring! Spanish translation services will be available at all meetings. For other languages, please email us at valleyviewmnpto@gmail.com so we can arrange for an interpreter. Please feel welcome to email me any time with questions, concerns, suggestions, or just to connect.

All my best,

Julie Granning

Valley View PTO President 2024-2025

Creating worlds of opportunity for each and every learning.

All Belong, All Succeed

Email: KuhlmanJ@colheights.k12.mn.us
Website: https://www.colheights.k12.mn.us/VVES
Location: 800 49th Avenue Northeast, Columbia Heights, MN, USA
Phone: 763-528-4200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VVisd13