CES Weekly Smore

Dear Concord Family,

This week, our students transitioned smoothly back from break and embraced the excitement of December with enthusiasm. Despite some indoor recess due to the weather, they enjoyed engaging in fun new activities that kept their spirits high. It's been a wonderful start to the month, filled with energy as we head into the winter season. If you are pressed for time, please click here for our 30 second Smore. For your convenience this Smore is organized with the following information.

• December Cheer Challenge
• Garnet Valley Community That Cares
• HSA Information
• Hiring Bus Drivers
• Library Guest Readers
• Concord Cooks New Recipe
• Schoology
• Drop Off and Pick Up
• Bus Expectations
• The Clothes Bin
• School Supplies
• Lunch Program
• School Time
• Pick up and Drop Off Procedures
• Bus Information
• Nursing Information

We know this is a lot of information. As always, please reach out to us if you have any questions at all.

Dr. Adam Penning (pennina@garnetvalley.org)

Mr. Talley (talleys@garnetvalley.org)

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

Attention Parents!

We’re excited to announce that the Holiday Shop will be taking place from Monday, December 9 through Friday, December 13! Be on the lookout for envelopes coming home in your child’s folder with all the details. Let’s make this holiday season special for our kids!

Happy Holidays!

Also, please click the signup genius link to volunteer!

Martin Luther King - Week of Service

The students will be participating in Concord Elementary School’s Martin Luther King Week of Service on January 13th! They will be creating kindness kits for the West Chester Food Cupboard.

Three options for families to voluntarily support this cause are listed below

1. Amazon purchase. An Amazon wishlist is set up with all of the food items needed and they are shipped directly to school. The link is here: https://amzn.to/4g4sItW

2. Cash donation. Label the envelope with "HSA - MLK Day of Service" & student’s name.

3. Venmo donation. Send donations through venmo to @CES-HSA. The comment should include "MLK Day of Service" & student’s name.

Bette's Family Fun Night - January 15th

Family Fun Night at Bette's Family Fun Center!

Wednesday, January 15th 5-8pm

Come enjoy a night of fun with your Concord friends!

$15 for 1 child, $28 for 2, $40 for 3 or more children in the same household.

This event includes UNLIMITED GAME CARDS!
Click here to register!

"Hey Garnet Valley Family! Are you ready for the holiday season? Do you still need your picture with Santa? Don't worry, the GVHS boys' soccer team and band have you covered! Saturday, December 7th, from 9 am - 12 pm, get your picture with Santa, make crafts, enjoy some holiday treats, and sip hot chocolate and coffee at Garnet Valley High School. For $5, each family can get their photo taken with Santa while supporting the Soccer team and the GVHS band!

Date: Sat. Dec. 7th

Time: 9am-12pm

Where: Cafeteria Entrance at Garnet Valley High School

What: Picture with Santa, kids crafts, holiday treats, coffee, hot chocolate

Cost: $5 for entrance & photo, crafts (food/drink available for purchase)

Questions: custerc@garnetvalley.org - Coach Custer

Library Readers

Sign up to be a library reader for your child’s class! You’ll join them during their library time and read two books selected from our collection. All readers must have district clearances completed before signing up. When signing up, please make sure to select the correct teacher at the top of the signup page. Due to our new letter schedule, library days will vary, so check back often. If a slot is available on the morning of your child’s class time, feel free to sign up and surprise your child!

For more details, visit the link below:

Library Reader Sign Up Information

Guest readers, please arrive 5-10 minutes early for check-in. We look forward to welcoming you to our library!

For questions, contact concordhsa@gmail.com

If you are anything like us, thinking of what to cook can be a grueling task. We hope to start a new feature called Concord Cooks where we will share weekly meal ideas submitted by our Concord Families! If you would like to share a meal idea and recipe please complete this form.

Drop Off/Pick Up

Hi Families,

Thank you for helping make the first week of school a wonderful experience for all of the children. The staff at Concord appreciates your patience and flexibility as we get into our routine for both arrival and dismissal in the car line. We recognize that this process has taken a little longer than we would hope, but we know that as we get further into the year this should speed up. The following are reminders to help make this process as smooth as possible:

• Car line side door will open at 8:40 each day, and close at 8:55

• Please pull forward to the first staff member before preparing to let your child out

• Please remain in your car, staff will assist your child out of the car

• If you arrive after 8:55, you will need to walk your child to the main entrance at the front of the building

Thank you for your cooperation. We look forward to a great year.

We are excited to introduce a new initiative at Concord Elementary School in partnership with Clothes Bin, a locally-owned company dedicated to promoting environmental sustainability while supporting our school. Clothes Bin provides a FREE, no-work, 24/7/365 recycling bin that will be conveniently located in Concord's parking lot.

This program offers multiple benefits to our community:

• Recycling Made Easy: The Clothes Bin allows you to recycle unwanted clothing, shoes, and textiles in any condition, keeping them out of landfills and contributing to a greener environment.

• Fundraising for Our School: Every item you recycle directly benefits our school. Concord

If you have items to recycle please consider using on Clothes Bin.

For the 2024-2025 school year, Concord Elementary School, will be able to serve students a school breakfast at no charge.

This change is only applicable to the School Breakfast Program in the 2024-2025 school year and does not affect a student’s eligibility status for lunch (free, reduced, and paid, respectively)

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.

For pick up and drop off we ask that you follow the procedures on the map below. Any student being dropped off should follow the red arrows. Our buses follow the yellow arrows.

Drop off time 8:40-8:55.

Pickup time 3:30-3:45.

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

SNAP Directions can be found here.

"Where caring and learning go hand in hand."

Website: garnetvalleyschools.com
Location: 114 Station Road, Glen Mills, PA, United States
Phone: 610-579-6100
Facebook: facebook.com/ConcordElementarySchool-GVSD
Twitter: @ConcordGV