GVMS Weekly Update

Garnet Valley Middle School Community,

February is Black History Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the achievements, history, and contributions of Black individuals who have shaped our world. Let’s take this opportunity to learn, reflect, and appreciate the impact of Black history in our daily lives. "Never be limited by other people's limited imaginations." - Dr. Mae Jemison, first African American female astronaut. Together, we honor the past, celebrate the present, and inspire the future!

Last week, we had 6 students represent our school for the annual 7th & 8th Grade PMEA String Fest at Phoenixville Area Middle School. They are performing with students from 25 other schools in Delaware, Chester, and Philadelphia Counties. Congratulations to everyone who participated in the amazing event!

Whether you're cheering for your team or just enjoying the commercials and halftime show, we hope you have a fantastic weekend. And for all the Eagles fans out there—enjoy the game wherever you watch!

Sincerely,

Dr. Lisa Stenz, Principal

Mr. Rick Martin, Assistant Principal

Dr. Gerry Weinhardt, Assistant Principal

Congratulations to Joey and Samiron for their outstanding performances in our school’s Spelling Bee! Our School Champion claimed the title by correctly spelling the word "geobiont" (even Gmail doesn’t recognize that one!). Our Runner-up, impressed everyone by spelling "frangibility" with confidence.

Both students will proudly represent our school at the DCIU County Competition on February 22. Please join us in wishing them the best of luck as they take on this exciting challenge!

• 2/7 - 8th Grade Fun Night

• 2/13 - Winter Pep Rally

• 2/14 - Teacher Inservice (No School for Students)

• 2/17 - President's Day- Schools and Offices Closed

• 2/19 - 5th to 6th Grade Parent Presentation Night @ 6pm

Date: February 7: 6:00-8:00

Cost: $20 cash at the door

Activities: Bounce house obstacle courses, volleyball, basketball, crafts, and food

Where: Garnet Valley Middle School-front entrance drop off

**Must be in attendance at school to attend the fun night**

Registration Link: https://forms.gle/vTgQz66tBheAiX668

Volunteers sign up to help here:

Volunteer Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4EA8AC28A6FB6-54375451-8thgrade#/

Click the image below to learn more about the following summer courses.

ChemQuest: ChemQuest is a youth-led organization that provides free STEM activities and resources for children in the community.

We just launched our newsletter, designed to inform students and parents about upcoming STEM events, programs, and resources!

Check out the newsletter here: https://secure.smore.com/n/

Make sure to subscribe to stay connected: https://smore.com/n/#subscribe_user

Dear Garnet Valley School Community,

I’m excited to share information about the incredible work of the Garnet Valley Community That Cares (GV-CTC). This organization is dedicated to enhancing our school community through programs, resources, and support for families and students.

GV-CTC continues to empower and inspire our students and families through innovative programs and initiatives. The "New Realities of Parenting" series equips parents with essential tools and insights to navigate the evolving challenges of raising children in today's world.

In addition, GV-CTC's annual Senior Walkthrough provides a meaningful opportunity for reflection and celebration, while its scholarship program directly supports graduating seniors in pursuing their future goals. These efforts exemplify our shared commitment to fostering both community connection and individual growth.

At this time of year, GV-CTC also focuses on supporting Garnet Valley families in need, providing donations that make a meaningful impact during the holiday season. This effort embodies the spirit of compassion and community that makes Garnet Valley so special.

How You Can Help

Your support can make a real difference! GV-CTC gratefully welcomes donations of any amount to help sustain and expand these impactful initiatives. Contributions can be made easily via Venmo @GVCTC or by visiting the GV-CTC website and navigating to the donation section. Every gift, no matter the size, directly supports families in our community, empowering them with resources and opportunities.

Thank you for making a difference!

Dr. Marc Bertrando, Superintendent

The GVMS After School Activity Program offers a multitude of clubs that meet the varied interests of our students. If you have any questions regarding club details, please contact the sponsor at the email listed in this brochure. Thank you for showing an interest in in our clubs and after school activities!

Click the image above or here to access our online club brochure.

If your child's parent or guardian is an active duty member of the U.S. Armed Forces during the 2024-2025 school year, please fill out this form, even if you’ve done so in previous years. We are required to report this information annually to the Pennsylvania Department of Education to meet federal data reporting requirements under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Our counselors are grade-based. Below, you will find the counselor assigned to each class cohort:

• 6th Grade: Mr. Matt Bradshaw

• 7th Grade: Mrs. Marisa Mahon

• 8th Grade: Ms. Wendy Xanthopoulos

• School Counselor: Mrs. Christy Francart

Our commitment to your child’s well-being remains our top priority. Please do not hestiate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

• Doors will open at 7:40am.

• You will have TWO options for carline drop-off only in the morning. You may utilize the Poolside entrance drop-off location or the GVES parking lot drop-off location.

• Please do not let students out of the car until you’ve reached the GREEN drop-off area.

• School buses will drop off in front of GVMS.

• Carline students are not permitted to use the main entrance of the building.

Students should be seated in 1st period by 8:00am. Late students must be checked-in at the main office.

• We will begin dismissal at 2:54pm.

• Students will be dismissed into two bus locations.

• There will be one parent pick-up area and is located in the GVES parking lot. Please enter off of Station Road.

• Parents needing to also pick up a student from GVES should exit and join the GVES pick-up line.

• The GVES pick-up line forms off of Temple Road entrance at the star on the map.

• Students may not cut across the parking lot.

Health Information

Please update your child's SNAP Health Portal. This needs to be completed each year for your child's medical history as well as OTC medication administration permission.

SNAP Directions

6th Grade Requirements

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. Your child’s physician may use their own form or you can provide the form below for your physician to complete

PhysicalExam.pdf

7th Grade Requirements

Dental Exam: Students entering 7th grade are required to have a Dental Examination form submitted to school.

2024 dental form.pdf

For more health related information, please visit our website.

Breakfast will continue to be free for the the 24-25 school year. Students are able to pick up a breakfast prior to 8:00am. A paid lunch program also remains available.

Click here to learn more about our Young Adult literature section and our opt-out process.

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

Video - Alma Navigation for Parents

We look forward to welcoming caregivers into our building throughout the school year. In order to volunteer, community members must obtain clearances. If you have previously submitted clearances to our Human resources Department they are good for five years.

In order to obtain or re-obtain clearances, check out the info provided by the district: Volunteer Clearances document. If you have any questions please contact our office at 610.579.5102 or our district HR office at 610.579.7387.

Below are a few suggestions for helping your family navigate the ever-increasing presence of technology:

PA Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force - Safety Tips & Resources

https://onlinesafety.com/#

American Academy of Pediatrics Family Media Plan

https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/media-and-children/family-media-plan-promotional-materials/

Common Sense Media - age recommendations for games, apps, movies, books and more

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/

Shape the Sky Parent App guide

https://shapethesky.org/app-guide/

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.

The GVMS HSA would like to welcome you to the 2024-2025 school year! We are looking forward to a great year ahead as we plan a fun and engaging year for the students of GVMS. Here are some details about the HSA that we'd like to share.

1. GVMS HSA Events - Each year, the HSA hosts two events for each grade. In the winter, we host fun nights for each grade individually. In addition to being a fun event for students, these events serve as fundraisers for the HSA. In the spring, 6th grade has another fun night, 7th grade has a dance and 8th grade has a semi-formal Send Off.

Mark your calendars now...here are the event dates!

Winter Funtimes

6th Grade - January 10th

7th Grade - January 24th

8th Grade - February 7th

Spring Events

6th Grade - May 2nd

7th Grade - May 16th

8th Grade - June 6th

2. Want to help? - In order to organize these events, we need your help! Would you consider chairing an event and oversee the planning of it? How about volunteering at the event? We are also in need of new board members too. Most of the current board are parents of 8th graders. Please take a moment to complete this google survey and let us know how you'd like to help.

3. What do we do? - GVMS HSA supports a variety of activities that enhance our school and student experience. Some examples of activities that the HSA supports are: Red Ribbon Week, Grade-level Book Giveaways, End of year fun nights, dances and send off, In school celebrations, Staff Appreciation Week and so much more! Thanks to your generous support, we are able to provide these things!

Volunteer Survey - https://forms.gle/PGKzxmxwNrpSJY257

4. Membership Drive - At the start of each school year, we host a membership drive. These funds go to support the variety of activities described in #3.

To donate:

Venmo - @GVMSHSA

Cash/Check - Drop off in an envelope to the front desk, marked "GVMS HSA".

5. Questions - Email us! gvmshsa@gmail.com

Thank you! ~ GVMS HSA Board

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