West Word
An Update from Perkiomen Valley Middle School West
A Word From Mr. Creeden
This past week we enjoyed recognizing and celebrating Random Acts of Kindness Week. Sometimes it’s the smallest act of kindness that makes the biggest impact – something as simple as saying please or thank you can turn a day around, and make someone's day, month, or even year. The mission of Random Acts of Kindness Week, from February 11th to the 17th, is to encourage us to get out there and be the light we want to see in the world. West participated in this wonderful initiative with a spirit week, treats for our school bus drivers courtesy of Operation H.E.L.P., inspirational videos and opportunities to win prizes. The hope is to spread kindness here at West and beyond in order to create a welcoming school environment for all to enjoy. A huge thanks to West Home & School for organizing this special event. For more information about the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation please go to www.randomactsofkindness.org. Please see pictures below of some of the fun students had this week.
Quick Snapshot📸
- What's Up @ West
- General Federation of Women's Clubs of Pennsylvania Juried Art Show
- West January Students of the Month🏆
- Makerspace @ West
- PVHS Info For 8th Grade Students
- Readers Needed for Read Across America Week @ West
- Oliver Jr. Coming To West
- Spring Break Meal Boxes
- Calcusolve Competition @ West
- After School Clubs & Activities @ West
- After School Athletic/Activity Transportation
- West School Store
- Attendance Announcement📢
- Order Your 23/24 Yearbook Early and Save!
- 23/24 PV Middle School Handbook
- PV West Athletic Update
- The 7th Annual Perkiomen Valley Art and Food Truck Festival
- Tween Talk Group
- School Cafe
- Community Education Registration
- Virtual Parent Support Group
- Be Part of the Conversation - Upcoming Programs
- Safe2Say
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
- PV West on Social Media
- Community Bulletin Board
- West Weeks At A Glance
- HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND!
No School on Monday February 19th (President's Holiday)
What's Up @ West
Heat Transfer
What is the best insulating material for a coffee cup? Students in Mr. Patterson's eighth grade physical science classes were posed this question during a unit on thermal energy. To find out, students tested the heat retention of cups made of glass, metal, plastic and Styrofoam by filling each with hot water and monitoring the temperature for ten minutes. The students found that Styrofoam was the best at retaining the water's thermal energy because polystyrene and plastic foam have small air bubbles trapped inside them. This makes them very good insulators because heat energy can't flow through them. However, they also learned that Styrofoam is littered more than any other waste product and fills up 30 percent of landfills globally. Styrofoam is not only a dangerous air pollutant but also poses a great threat to humans, the environment, and animals. The worst part is that Styrofoam takes over 500 years to decompose and in the process, it leeches harmful chemicals into the environment. Hear that fast food restaurants?
DNA
The discovery of the structure of DNA in 1953 was made possible by Dr. Rosalind Franklin's X-ray diffraction work at King's College, London. Her creation of the famous Photo 51 demonstrated the double-helix structure of deoxyribonucleic acid: the molecule containing the genetic instructions for the development of all living organisms. Students in Ms. Emers' seventh grade life science classes created models of DNA based on Franklin's discovery using gummy bears, Twizzlers and toothpicks. They submitted photos of their renderings, adding labels of the components and striving for accuracy in the combination of bases they chose.
STEM Super Bowl
Are you ready for some football? Students in Wilderness and Element sixth grade science classes recognized the Super Bowl with a fun Football STEM Challenge! Students designed and created a field goal and paper football. More than just a simple football craftivity, the students developed critical thinking and engineering skills. They planned, designed, and executed their own ideas. After they had completed their activity and games, there was time for reflection on what worked and what didn't. During this activity, students explored the science behind projectile motion and experienced firsthand how gravity causes a thrown, kicked or flicked object to fall in what’s known as a parabolic arc.
General Federation of Women's Clubs of Pennsylvania Juried Art Show
General Federation of Women's Clubs Pennsylvania recently held their annual juried art show. The local competition is open to all Perkiomen Valley School District students. All three of the West art pieces that were entered, placed at the district level! Sixth grader Giulianna Palmer's Motif printmaking project placed 2nd, 7th Grader Kate Tell's Still Life oil pastel placed 3rd and 7th Grader Addison Audit's Two-Point Perspective watercolor placed 1st. Addison's art will now move onto the county level competition. Congratulations! We are PV Proud!
West January Students of the Month🏆
We recognized our WEST Strong January students of the month last week. Each of these students received an Amazon gift card and PV Strong Color Changing Cup. They were chosen by their teaching teams as students who have consistently modeled the WEST Strong characteristics throughout the past month and school year. Those characteristics are Respectful, Responsible, and Careful. Congratulations 6th grade students Mae Roesly and Ryder Schweitzer, 7th grade students Troy Hurt and Maddie Hawkins, and 8th grade students Maura Martinko and Anusha Verma. We are very proud of our students of the month and look forward to recognizing many more students in the coming months. See below for a pic of our January students of the month.
Makerspace @ West
Our library is excited to announce the opening of our school's own makerspace, Viking Visionspace! A makerspace is an area where students can design, create, and problem solve; it is a place where their imagination and creativity can take flight, launching from personal interests or academic pursuits. Some of our stations include a LEGO wall, dye cutters, a cardboard challenge center, and lots of opportunities for "free builds," with many ideas to keep expanding in the future!
If you would like to contribute to our makerspace, we would appreciate donations of supplies listed below. These can be dropped off to the main office or the library at any time. Thank you to those who have already contributed to stocking our makerspace!
PVHS Info For 8th Grade Students
Currently the teachers are making their recommendations for the students core classes next year, and meeting with their students from January 23rd until February 8th. On February 6th & 8th, Mr. Specht will be speaking to social studies classes to inform the students of the process, and their options in regards to program planning. The powerpoint that Mr. Specht will use during the presentation will be posted to their Class of 2028 Google Classroom to have as a source of information. It is also linked below as the "2024 West Electives Presentation." On February 15th there will be a Parent Presentation at the High School. On February 16th, students will be able to go on StudentVue to see their recommendations, as well as make selections for all of their courses/electives. Mr. Specht will be going back into classrooms on February 20th & 21st to ensure all students have accurately selected their courses/electives. The window to select courses for the 24-25 school year will be open until March 7th. March 31st is the deadline for any changes to the course recommendations. The student's ability to select courses in StudentVue ends on March 7th, but changes can be made until March 31st through the school counselor.
Lastly, please save the date as there will be a mixer for West & East students on May 17th. Please see a number of resources below to help your discussions with your children regarding PVHS Program Planning.
Readers Needed for Read Across America Week @ West
Middle School West would like to formally invite you to participate in our Community Readers' Day of Read Across America Week. This will be held on Monday, March 4, 2024.
We are looking for community members, like you, to read to our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in our English Language Arts classes. Are you fluent in French or Spanish? We have a spot for you too!
To meet the needs of our population here at the middle level, we would like to invite you to read the first chapter or so of a chapter book or complex picture book. More details can be found below.
Please consider participating to support our growing readers, and reach out with any questions you may have. Attached below you will find our advertisement poster information for this exciting day, as well as a link for you to sign up. Please feel free to share with any community members you know who may be interested.
Oliver Jr. Coming To West
Perkiomen Valley Middle School West proudly presents Oliver Jr. Get ready for an enchanting theatrical experience that will leave you spellbound. As we gear up for the upcoming show, the excitement is building! Join in on the anticipation and be a part of this extraordinary event.
See the performance dates below. See below for ordering information to secure your tickets and reserve your spot for a night filled with unforgettable performances.
Friday March 8th - 7:00pm
Saturday March 9th - 6:00pm
Sunday March 10th - 2:00pm
Tickets on Sale Now!
See below for ordering information.
Spring Break Meal Boxes
Perkiomen Valley alumni and community members are organizing family meal boxes for those in need to obtain during spring break. The box would include a complete meal box to feed a family of 6. Please use the form below to sign up to pick up or receive a meal box. Pick up will be on Wednesday, March 27th, between 11am and 1pm. Registration for this will close on Friday, March 22nd OR once we reach the 55 families signed up threshold.
Calcusolve Competition @ West
Calling all students in 7th grade and 8th grade who LOVE math! Math Club is pleased to announce West’s participation in CALCUSOLVE, a free math competition. During the competition, a team of up to 4 students will work both individually and as a team to solve problems that will put their mathematical skills to the test. The competition is scheduled for Friday, March 1st from 9 AM to 11:30 AM via Zoom. Questions? Contact Ms. Kashey at mkashey@pvsd.org. To participate, go to the Math Club Classroom page and complete the Google Form by February 21st.
After School Clubs & Activities @ West
Math Lab
Homework Club
Homework Club will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2:30pm in our Large Group Instruction room. Homework Club will provide a quiet, comfortable, and supportive setting for students to complete school work and become better organized. Students will receive assistance and support when needed. School resources will also be provided for all students in attendance. There is no sign-up required. If students are attending they can report directly to the Library after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Students attending Homework Club that need to take the 4:00 activity bus must sign up for the activity bus before 10:00am on the day of Homework Club. See below for more information about signing up for the activity bus.
The CAUSE Club
The CAUSE (Connecting And Uniting Students to Empower) is a student leadership group that works collaboratively to educate the larger school community on topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as to support the individual club members. Students joining The CAUSE Club will meet every other Tuesday to collaborate, plan, create, and help make positive change in our school community. If you are interested in joining The CAUSE Club please email Mrs. Moreno at tmoreno@pvsd.org.
After School Athletic/Activity Transportation
- 4:00pm Departure (outside main office) - Monday through Thursday.
- 5:00pm Departure (outside gym entrance) - Monday through Thursday. The 5:00 activity bus will begin running on Fridays starting after Thanksgiving break.
For each day students intend to take either the 4:00pm or 5:00pm activity bus, they are asked to inform the school district and bus company for routing purposes using the electronic form provided. The form links are below and also available to students via the PV LaunchPad - Classlink. Students must submit their information each morning by 10:00 am if they intend to ride the afternoon activity bus that day.
West School Store
The West School Store is open and ready for all of your school needs. It is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 - 7:40am in the Cafeteria. Students can purchase school supplies such as pencils (regular and mechanical), erasers, highlighters, and whiteboard markers. The store also has earbuds and PV West water bottles. Students can make their purchases in the cafeteria as they arrive in the morning and before they go to homeroom.
Attendance Announcement📢
Just a few reminders for Student Attendance
Written Excuses are always required (per the State of Pennsylvania) - email is a valid written excuse mswattendance@pvsd.org
Phone calls are helpful but not necessary
If your child is going out of town for any reason (other than family emergency or funeral), a trip form must be completed and submitted for the absence(s). We can allow up to five (5) excused trip/travel related absences per school year.
Please see the helpful links below for forms and more information.
Kacie Kaufmann, kkaufmann@pvsd.org
Middle School West Attendance/Counseling Secretary
Order Your 23/24 Yearbook Early and Save!
23/24 PV Middle School Handbook
- Attendance (pg. 8)
- Educational Trips (pg. 9)
- Dress Code (pg. 13)
- Parent Questions/Concerns (pg. 20)
- Personal Equipment (pg. 20)
- Procedure for Administration of Medications in School (pg. 32)
PV West Athletic Update
Middle School Boys Wrestling
As a team the boys reached a record breaking 287 individual wins this season with nineteen of the wrestlers, including many first-years, finishing with five or more wins showing the team’s depth. Jackson Hopkins, Jacob Anepete, K.J. Miller, Vincent Petaccio, Daniel Shuta, Gavin Rodriguez, and Alex Lieb each had ten or more wins and the five outstanding wrestlers with twenty or more wins included James Knox, Kody Miller, Taylor Grater, Wyatt Merschbach, and Landon Johns!
Unsung athlete of the week: At the SEPA tournament many wrestlers pulled off amazing feats, but maybe none so much as Zach King winning a tiebreaker in triple overtime. The only PV wrestler to go past sudden death overtime into the tie breaker rounds showed true grit proving the Vikings do not quit easy.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR SPRING SPORTS
Spring sports registration must occur by FEBRUARY 20.
First day of Varsity, JV, and Freshman Spring Sports Tryouts MARCH 4.
First day of Middle School Sports is MARCH 11.
If the spring sports season will be the first sport of participation at PV this school year: Registration for spring sports must occur by February 20. This can be done at http://www.planeths.com. In addition to registering, student-athletes must have a PIAA physical examination done by a doctor and the proper paperwork completed by the doctor. In order to count for the 2024 school year, the physical must occur June 1, 2023 or later. The form is found on www.planeths.com when you register.
If the spring sports season is your second or third sport season this school year: Complete section 7 Spring Recertification at http://www.planeths.com by February 20. If there has been a change to your health history or an injury since completing your last physical, an additional section 8 form is required as well. This does require a clearance from a doctor.
Tween Talk Group
Tweens, ages 11 to 13, are invited to chat in a fun, informal atmosphere with Erin McMonagle, a guidance counselor at Perkiomen Valley East Middle School - as part of our Julia’s Joy Youth Empowerment Program. We have created a safe group, where they can come relax, unload and learn they are not alone all while meeting new friends. We believe learning Stress Management tips will help youth deal with the pressures they are feeling at this age and into the future!
This group is free thanks to donations, if you would like to make a donation, it is always appreciated, but not necessary!
Learn more about our workshops and our mission at http://www.JuliasJoy.org
School Cafe
School Cafe is a secure, online system that can be used by parents to make payments to their child’s cafeteria meal accounts, to review student buying history, and to set low-balance alerts. If you already have an account, you may log in to School Cafe using the button below. For more information on how to set up an account, please review the documents below.
The 7th Annual Perkiomen Valley Art and Food Truck Festival
Good Afternoon West Families,
The Perkiomen Valley School District Art Department is proud to host its 7th annual Art & Food Truck Festival on Saturday, June 1st from 11 - 3 pm at PV High School. The festival was established to create awareness for our students and community members of the numerous careers in the art fields. Our mission is to encourage students to pursue their aspirations in the arts while also supporting local artists.
In addition to the Art and Food Trucks, we pride ourselves in promoting our local businesses, large and small. I am reaching out to see if anyone in the West Community has a local business or connection to a company that might be interested in donating items for our raffle. The donation could include a company themed basket, gift card, coupons or even an offered service. All proceeds of the event raffle will benefit our PV art students in grades K-12 through PVAB, the Perkiomen Valley Art Booster Club! Check out our booster club at www.pvab.org!
If you are interested in supporting our event, please contact Christina Bolc, AFTF Raffle Basket Coordinator at Raffles@pvartfest.com to coordinate your donation. All donations are due by Friday, May 17th, 2024.
Thank you in advance for supporting the Perkiomen Valley Art Department!
Sincerely,
Miss Marla DiCicco
Middle School West Art Teacher
Virtual Parent Support Group
Embark Behavioral Health continues to expand our services to meet the growing need to teen and young adult mental health needs throughout our country. With incidents of depression in adolescents up by 216% since 2006 and suicide as the 2nd leading cause of death for our preteen youth, it is our responsibility to act now and act quickly. In partnership with all of you, we can reverse this youth mental health crisis and change the trajectory of the next generation.
Continuing on our mission to be the leader in driving teen and young adult depression, anxiety, and suicide rates from all-time highs to all-time lows, Embark Behavioral Health is proud to offer our FREE Monthly Virtual Multi-family Support Group. This structured group, led by a licensed clinician is open to the public (ages 18+) and assists with the challenges that many loved ones and caregivers face while caring for someone with a behavioral health concern.
Please see the flyer below for more info about Embark Behavioral Health and the free monthly virtual multi-family support group.
Be Part of the Conversation - Upcoming Programs
Be a Part of the Conversation equips families and communities in Pennsylvania with skills and resources to understand substance use, addiction, and related health issues. We provide community programs, foster supportive connections, highlight lived experiences, and challenge stigma.
We are a collaboration of community leaders, clinicians, students, school district representatives, and families who believe that having meaningful, inclusive conversations about substance use and addiction will support individuals and their families in their efforts to develop healthy coping skills and access support whenever there is a need. Learn more about us. See the link below for a number of programs that Be a Part of the Conversation offers.
We love being with you in person, but we are also pleased to provide you with recorded programing that can be viewed at your convenience on our YouTube Channel! See the link below to view and subscribe.
Safe2Say
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Did you know that the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now known as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline?
When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors that are part of the existing Lifeline network. These trained counselors will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to resources if necessary.
https://988lifeline.org/current-events/the-lifeline-and-988/
The previous Lifeline phone number (1-800-273-8255) will always remain available to people in emotional distress or suicidal crisis.
PV West on Social Media
We would love to have you join our social media accounts to stay updated on the latest West news and happenings. Please see below on where to find each of our accounts.
Community Bulletin Board
Want to find out what’s going on in the PV Community? Visit here for flyers about upcoming events in and around our area!
To submit an event for posting, please send a PDF version of your flyer to webmaster@pvsd.org for review.
Please note that Community Bulletin Board items may contain links to websites of organizations outside Perkiomen Valley School District. Items are posted to this bulletin board as a free service to the community, and should not be interpreted as being sponsored or endorsed by the district.
West Weeks At A Glance
Monday February 19th - No School (President's Holiday)
Tuesday February 20th - PVSD Wellness Committee Meeting @ 3:45pm in PVHS Library; PVSD Policy Committee Meeting @ 6:00pm in PVHS Library
Friday March 1st - Calcusolve Competition @ 9:00am
Monday March 4th - Friday March 8th - Read Across America Week @ West
Friday March 8th - MS West Presents Oliver Jr. @ 7pm in Auditorium
Saturday March 9th - MS West Presents Oliver Jr. @ 6pm in Auditorium
Sunday March 10th - MS West Presents Oliver Jr. @ 2pm in Auditorium