GVMS Weekly Update

Garnet Valley Middle School Community,

Thank you to everyone who rocked their wonderfully mismatched socks this past Wednesday. We were impressed with all of the mismatched combinations our students and staff sported! We are proud to announce that we also sold over 170 pairs of socks leading up to this event and all of the proceeds will be donated to Down Syndrome Awareness.

On Wednesday evening we welcomed the community into our school to view the amazing collection of artwork our students have created throughout the year. The Art Show was a huge success and we appreciated everyone who was joined us for this great event. We also celebrated our 19th GVMS International Night! We hope everyone enjoyed the variety of authentic cuisine, cultural performances, and multicultural games. We included a short video highlighting some of our student musicians performing at the event and a quick tour of our artistic creations!

We hope you have a wonderful Spring Break!

Sincerely,

Dr. Lisa Stenz, Principal

Mr. Rick Martin, Assistant Principal

Dr. Gerry Weinhardt, Assistant Principal

March

• 3/22 - End of Quarter 3

• 3/25-4/1 - Spring Break

April

• 4/2- 4/5 Autism Awareness Spirit Week

• 4/3-4/9 - Incoming 7th Grade Course Selection *Completed in-school with counselor support

• 4/10-4/16 - Incoming 8th Grade Course Selection *Completed in-school with counselor support

• 4/11 - Spring PASS Survey

• 4/10 - Schools and Offices Closed - Eid al Fitr

• 4/22-4/26 - PSSA ELA testing grades 3-8

• 4/23 - No school for students (Teacher in-service day)

• 4/29-4/30 - PSSA Math Science testing grades 3-8

Looking Ahead!

• 6/7 - 8th Grade Spring Semi-Formal (Dress-up)

• 6/10 - GVHS Graduation

• 6/12 - 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony

• 6/13 - Last student day (early dismissal)

• 8/14 - 9th Grade Transition Event
• 8/14 - 6th Grade Transition Camp

The Social and Emotional well-being of our students is at the forefront of our decision making in Garnet Valley School District. In order to inform our decision making related to social and emotional supports at school, we plan to administer a brief 10-20 minute universal survey to all of our students. The survey, entitled Renaissance Fundamentals (formerly known as PASS: Pupil Attitudes to Self and School), provides schools with reliable and valid data about how students feel about themselves as a learner and how they feel about school. The research- based survey assists schools in detecting possible barriers to student learning, including issues around confidence, resilience, motivation, and concentration so that we can attempt to proactively intervene to provide supports for our students and school community. More information about Renaissance Fundamentals can be found by clicking HERE.

As with any survey, participation is voluntary, parents have the right to preview the questions prior to participation, and can opt their children out of the survey. If you would like to preview the survey or to opt your children out, please contact: Kim Doyle, Supervisor of Social and Emotional Wellness at: doylek@garnetvalley.org or 610-579-7381.

Specific information about how and when our building will be administering our survey will be shared in the upcoming weeks. Thank you in advance for your consideration of Renaissance Fundamentals.

Garnet Valley Kindergarten registration for the 2024-2025 school year will open on January 8th. There will be a Kindergarten informational night on April 18th at 6:00 PM. Parents with children attending Bethel Springs Elementary will attend the information night at Bethel. Parents with children attending Concord Elementary will attend the information night at Concord. To attend the informational session, your child must be registered by April 4th, 2024. Thank you and we look forward to meeting our new Kindergarteners!

Please click here to access the GVSD registration page.

Click the link below to learn more about the various after school clubs we offer. A few of the clubs are open to select middle school students!

Click the link below to learn more about the various camps we offer for our students! Please note that camps fill on a "first come, first serve basis" and enrollment is limited.

If you have any questions, reach out to teacher(s) of the camp listed in the brochure.

If you have general questions regarding scheduling, course selection, conferences, or questions about our counseling department, you can contact Ms. Rosalee Rosado at 610.579.5106 or rosador@garnetvally.org.

Click here to visit our GVMS School Counseling webpage, which has contains a variety of school and community resources.

We are excited to welcome our new students and welcome back our returning students for the 2023-2024 school year!

Mrs. Marisa Mahon: Students with the last names A-Em. mahonm@garnetvalley.org

Ms. Wendy Xanthopoulos: Students with the last names En-Ler. xanthow@garnetvalley.org

Mr. Matt Bradshaw: Students with the last names Les-Rom. bradshm@garnetvalley.org

Mrs. Christy Francart: Students with the last names Ros-Z. francac@garnetvalley.org

Caron's Prevention Connection: Your Resource for Building a Culture of Substance Free Youth

Cannabis Resources:

• Cannabis 101 Series for Parents and Caregivers – This video series offers tips and strategies for parents to have open and honest conversations with their child related to substance use, specifically marijuana.
  
  
• Cannabis Fact Sheet - This fact sheet provides research-based information to help lessen some confusion and help children make educated decisions about what they put into their bodies.
  
  
• Conversations that Matter Podcast– Cannabis – How it Affects the Behavioral Health of Our Youth Learn why our children and teens are more at risk and how cannabis impacts the developing brains and bodies of our youth.

Upcoming Events: For teens

Virtually CONNECTED - Free 5-session virtual (via Zoom) support group to help teens quit or reduce their vaping or other nicotine use. A new session begins March 27th.
Register HERE

Join us for "The Secret Lives of Teens & Tweens," a compelling workshop created by Minding Your Mind and facilitated by therapist and presenter Jon Mattleman. This workshop is aimed at equipping parents and guardians with insights and strategies for supporting young people.

When: Thursday, April 11th, 7PM

Where: Garnet Valley High School Library
Cost: Free!!!

To Register: Click here

This two-hour session, sponsored by Garnet Valley CTC and the Education Foundation, delves into the realities of adolescent behavior, covering topics like mental health, social media, and communication. Learn practical tools for engaging with your teen or tween, directly from Jon Mattleman, a seasoned mental health counselor.

For more details about Minding Your Mind–Click here

For information about therapist and presenter, Jon Mattleman–Click here

We hope to see you at what should be a great event!

Hello GVMS Families,

With Spring right around the corner, we wanted to share some important dates and information related to upcoming HSA events. The HSA will host a grade level event for each grade in the spring, which is held at the school from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. The cost for all events is $20 per student. Grade specific details are below.

6th Grade Spring Funtine

Date: 5/3/24

Event Details: At this funtime, students will be treated to inflatables, games, music and more. Chick-fil-a and other food will be served.

Attire: Dress for fun! Comfy shorts and sneakers to enjoy the games are recommended. Theme-related attire will be communicated closer to the event.

7th Grade Dance

Date: 5/17/24

Event Details: At this dance, students will be treated to a DJ for dancing, along with games and other activities. The old gym will be set up with basketball and volleyball. Chick-fil-a and other food will be served.

Attire: Dress to impress while having fun. Examples from past years include short dresses, dress pants, button-up shirts and ties. Many students opt for sneakers!

8th Grade Semi Formal

Date: 6/7/24

Event Details: At this semi formal, students will be treated to a themed experience that includes a DJ for dancing, raffles, prizes and more. Chick-fil-a and other food will be served.

Attire: Semi Formal Examples from the past years include dresses, suit coats, button-up shirts and ties. Most students wear dress shoes.

If you are interested in helping with any of these events, please take a moment to complete this survey. https://forms.gle/XhBixzYsGYUmsY1k9

If you have any questions, please email Jennifer at jennifertront@gmail.com

Thank you! ~ GVMS HSA Board

This year, the HSA will be offering spirit wear as a fundraiser. You can shop by clicking the image below.

• Membership Drive - Thank you to everyone that contributed to our membership drive! If you are interested in contributing, there’s still time!

• Venmo - @GVMSHSA

• Cash/Check - Drop at the school office, marked “GVMS HSA”

• Mark your Calendar - Mark your calendar for the individual grade-level events for this year!

• Winter

• 6th Grade Winter Fun Night - February 2nd @ 6:30

• 7th Grade Winter Fun Night - February 9th @ 6:30

• 8th Grade Winter Fun Night - February 23rd @ 6:30

• Spring

• 6th grade Spring Fun Night - May 3rd @ 6:30

• 7th grade Spring Dance/Fun Night - May 17th @ 6:30

• 8th grade Spring Semi-Formal Send-off Dance - June 7th @ 6:30

Click here to view the various student clubs we offer throughout the school year.

Click here to access a curated list of social emotional wellness parent resource list. This list includes books, websites, and parent trainings. Please check back throughout the year as we will be continously reviewing and updating the list of resources.

1. Physical Exam - Students entering 6th grade are required to have a Physical Exam completed within the last year according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health and submitted to the school nurse. Please click HERE for a physical form if needed. Your child’s physician may use their own form as well.

1. Dental Exam: Students entering 7th grade in September are also required to have a Dental Examination form submitted to school. Please click HERE for a Dental Examination form if needed.

Click here to access and learn more!

This eBook contains tips and tricks for navigating the transition to middle school as well as how to best support your learner in their quest for agency and growth toward independence. The contents express the ideas of teachers, caregivers, students, and administrators who understand what life is like "in the middle."

Remember to trust in your learner's resilience and embrace the opportunity for growth!

We know that there is so much information shared at the beginning of the school year. Please access Garnet Valley's parent portal, which keeps all of our information in one place. Click here to access the parent portal. To get direct access to some of our services please click the following links.

• Alma - Garnet Valley's Student Information System
• Schoology - Garnet Valley's Learning Management System
• My School Bucks - Register your child for our school lunch program
• Safe Arrival - Report an absence
• GVSD Parent Tech Support - Issues with district technology.
  

Garnet Valley will continue to partner with federal programs to allow Grades K-8 to serve free breakfast options for all of our students.

Lunch will continue to be available for purchase as well. My School Bucks is a secure online platform that allows parents to easily manage and monitor their child's school-related expenses. With My School Bucks, you can make online payments for school meals, view your child's account balance, and set up automatic payments for recurring expenses. Access or setup your MySchoolBucks account.

More information on our Food Services can be found here.

Our Technology Team is asking all end-users to submit any device issue and login question through our new Tech Support ticketing system called One to One Plus. This system allows our Technology Team to better track issues, create reports, and ultimately, better serve our end users.

Click here to access additional information.

Click the link below to access a video that overviews what to do to update your information in Alma.

Video - Alma Navigation for Parents

Click here to find information regarding our morning drop-off and afternoon dismissal procedures. Our dismissal procedures are the same as last year. We will have two bus locations at the end of the day and only one parent pick-up area.

IMPORTANT: Please add notifications@getalma.com to to your email contact list to avoid having future messages blocked by your email provider. Also, be sure to monitor your Spam folder for misrouted messages.

Achieving our best through creativity, compassion, and community.

Email: stenzl@garnetvalley.org
Website: https://www.garnetvalleyschools.com/gvms
Location: 601 Smithbridge Road
Phone: 610-579-5100
Twitter: @GarnetValleyMS