eTV News
March 15 - March 31, 2017
NEW NEWS...
DR. BRADLEY'S CONNECT ED MESSAGE TO 5TH GRADE FAMILIES - CLICK HERE
March 23rd - TVES PTO Meeting (Rescheduled from 3/14) - 7pm - Library
March 23rd - QCSD School Board Meeting - 7pm
March 27th - Math 24 District-wide Competition - QCSHS -Auxiliary Gym
March 27th - 30th - Kindergarten Registration - See details below
March 30th - Reading Olympics Competition (Willow Dale Elementary School)
April 1st - All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast - QCHS
Report Cards will be distributed on Tuesday, March 21st in QCSD elementary schools - Due to the two snow days off of school, report card printing has been delayed. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Bullying Prevention Assembly on Friday, 3/17 - With spring just around the corner, it's a good time to remind students about bullying prevention. Students will experience a Walnut Street Theater performance on bullying and prevention this week. Please take a look at this Bullying Study Guide and be sure to discuss the assembly and its message with your child this weekend and throughout the year.
Cycle Day Calendar Updated - With the use of snow days, please note the change in cycle days HERE.
Box Top Celebrations - Did you know that the PTO has raised about $3000 from the Box Tops fundraiser? Thank you so much for your help in making this a reality. We must do a special shout out to Joey Bianco, grade 3, who helped us get to over 30,000 box top entries with his 10,000 bonus. Thus, grade 3 and Mrs. Godshall's Kindergarten were awesome winners for our contest. Check out these cool winning pics HERE!
Final Fundraiser and Survey: Message from the PTO Executive Board
We will be running our final fundraiser for the 2016-2017 school Year. It will be Yankee Candle Sale and will run from March 22nd to April 5th. Packets will be sent home tomorrow in Wednesday folders. To assist us in the coming school year please click on the survey link below to provide us feedback on next year’s fundraisers and PTO activities. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/598MYVV
Thank you
PTO Executive Board Members
QCSD Summer Camps - We have an exciting opportunity in the Quakertown Community School District this summer, Summer Camp! The camp experiences have been designed to expand students’ knowledge and skills over the summer. Students will participate in small classes where the emphasis is on exploring, thinking, and risk-taking. The summer camp sessions reinforce a culture for learning at the classroom, building, district and community levels for students at all grade levels. Does your child enjoy Coding? Cooking? Crafting? Reading? View the QCSD Summer Camp Catalog at www.qcsd.org/sccatalog to view these camp sessions and more! For all information, including registration fees, locations, times, and dates go to www.qcsd.org/sc.
Great Talent Show: Many thanks to our student performers, the PTO, and all the TV faculty that made our 33rd annual Talent Show a hit! We appreciate the support that parents and families provided to make it the wonderful show that it was.
All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast and Craft Show at QCHS - Quakertown Cares will be holding a combination all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast and craft show on Saturday, April 1st in the AM at the Senior High School cafeteria. Proceeds will benefit our families who are in need of assistance.
Cub Scouts are coming to TV - Spread the Word! Click HERE for details and come out to the PTO Meeting (7pm) on Thursday, March 23rd to learn more from a local Cub Scout representative.
PSSA Planning - PSSAs testing is fast approaching for students in grades 3,4,5. It important that parents of students being tested are aware of the policies and procedures for the state testing. During the last week of March, Dr. Bradley will meet with all students intermediate students to discuss the Code of Conduct for the state testing. The entire school will follow a revised schedule. Many thanks to the entire TV faculty and staff for their flexibility during PSSA. Please help provide the optimum experience for students by checking out this helpful resource for students and parents. Also, check out the Parent FAQs and Cell Phone Policy - HERE
Pre-K Counts - Pre-K Counts applications are now available for the 2017-2018 school year. Currently LifeSpan partners with QCSD and has Pre-K Counts programs in both Pfaff and Richland Elementary schools, as well as one in our child care center located at 2460 John Fries Highway. For the upcoming school year, a family of four can make up to $73,800 to qualify for high quality, full day preschool programs at no cost. Eligible children must be three or four years of age by September 1, 2017 to qualify. Families who reside in the Quakertown School District, qualify financially and also have secondary risk factors (ESL, Foster Care, Early Intervention, etc.) will be given priority consideration for the programs. Click HERE for the application and click HERE for the Federal Income Guidelines.
Another great time at Coffee and Conversations with Principal Event - This month's Coffee and Conversation event went well. Once again, the conversation was rich and engaging. We celebrated the Math 24 competition, Project Fair, and Talent Show. We talked about plans for the upcoming PSSA exams and discussed, changing the parking location for one of our daycare vans, discouraging students from bringing in toys from home for use during recess (to avoid conflicts and concerns), our final PTO fundraiser (Yankee Candle sale) and two vacancies in the PTO leadership board for 2017-18 (Treasurer and 2nd Vice President). Another highlight was a visit from Bill Gay, a local Boy Scouts Representative, who shared plans and ideas for getting a Cub Scout troop started at TV. It's was a great time of collaboration - and you can be a part of it, too!
The next Coffee and Conversations event is on Thursday, April 20th The flyer is available HERE. Hope to see you there! Please RSVP below and join us on April 20th!
Coffee and Conversation with Dr. Bradley
Partnering with families is an important goal at TV. This event is an informal time to find out the details of the latest news and upcoming events at TV. This is also a good opportunity to meet and chat with other TV parents and share ideas as we Work Together to Be Our Best to ensure Student Achievement for All—Whatever it Takes. Stop in for a cup of coffee or two and join in on the conversation. Bring your questions, comments, suggestions, and compliments. Feel free to contact Dr. Bradley (obradley@qcsd.org) directly to add to specific topics to the open agenda!
Hope you can join us!
RSVP today here or via Ms. Arriaga at marriaga@qcsd.org!
Thursday, Apr 20, 2017, 09:30 AM
Tohickon Valley Elementary (Library)
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
From the Desk of Principal Bradley:
Greetings,
The recent warm weather is a reminder that spring is on its way, and the hustle and bustle of March is upon us! If you didn't make it out to the Coffee and Conversations with the Principal event in February, you missed a great time! I really hope you'll consider coming to the April 20th! It's an informal opportunity to discuss things that are important to you and help work together to be our best. Join us!
As you know, springtime brings more than blooming flowers and chirping birds at Tohickon Valley! It’s a time when our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders will take the PSSA exams. This year, the PSSA assessments take place in April and early May, and preparations are well underway! The assessments measure our students’ proficiency with essential skills and content at specific grade levels. , your children work diligently towards reaching high expectations set by their teachers. The PSSA is an assessment that helps us determine students’ achievement and growth toward specific standards. As such, we hope that all of our students in grades 3-5 will take the PSSA. However, if a child needs to be excluded from taking the test for religious purposes, please review this important opt-out information.
The entire building will make adjustments to its daily schedule on PSSA testing days, so students in grades K-5 will need to be flexible to ensure optimal testing and learning environments for all. The PSSA Testing Dates are as follows:
Tuesday, 4/4 - Friday, 4/7 - English Language Arts (ELA) - (4 days)
Monday, 4/24 - Wednesday, 4/26 - Math - (3 days)
Tuesday, 5/2 & Wednesday, 5/3 - Science - (2 days - 4th grade only)
~Make-up tests will be scheduled immediately following an absence~
You can help prepare your child for testing and/or the alternative schedule by reminding them that they should try their best (not stress), get a good night's sleep, eat breakfast, expect a change to the normal routines and demonstrate flexibility.
I’ve attached this helpful guide regarding test preparation with advice that would benefit students in grades K-5 on the next page! Enjoy!
Please click on the link for the PSSA Frequently Asked Questions and Cell Phone Policy letter for parents in grades 3-5.
Let's make it a marvelous March! Thank you for partnering with us and Working Together to Be Our Best!
Your partner in education,
Dr. Orathia Bradley
Check out this helpful information about Recognizing Strengths in Children with Learning and Attention Challenges from Dr. Greenday - Special Education Teacher
Youth Mental Health First Aid - YMCA - Click HERE for details
Local Workshop on Protecting Children - YMCA - Click HERE for details
Reading Tips in 11 languages and more! - Click HERE to check it out
Supporting the Common Core from Mrs. Sugita - Reading Specialist - Click HERE to view the article
A Message from our School Counselor, Mrs. Lucchesi, to help us support Nicholas' Fight by collecting soda can tabs - Click HERE for more information
Here's What's New in Library with Mr. Nagle - Click HERE for details
Supporting Math Learning with Mrs. Armstrong - Click HERE for helpful resources
RECENT NEWS...
Support Nicholas' Fight (TV Student) - Check out this flyer and Click HERE to learn more and come out to the Beef and Beverage, Saturday, April 29th, 5PM at Benner Hall in Richlandtown!
Support Pride of Quakertown (POQ) - Click HERE for ways you can support!
Kindergarten Registration is March 27-30, 2017 at the District Services Center. Hours vary as follows:
Monday, March 27th, 2017 8:30a – 4:00p
Tuesday, March 28th, 2017 11:30p – 7:00p
Wednesday, March 29th, 2017 8:30a – 4:00p
Thursday, March 30th, 2017 11:30p – 7:00p
If your child will be five years of age before August 31, 2017, they are eligible to register for kindergarten. Kindergarten registration for the 2017-2018 school year will be held on Monday, March 27, 2017, Tuesday, March 28, 2017, Wednesday, March 29, 2017, and Thursday, March 30, 2017, at the District Services Center. The calendar to schedule a registration appointment for one of these dates will be available after February 1st, 2017. You can access the calendar by visiting the Quakertown Community School District web site, www.qcsd.org and clicking on the Kindergarten Registration link. Then follow the instructions to schedule your appointment. You must also complete the InfoSnap on line registration documents prior to your scheduled appointment. REGISTRATION IS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, so please schedule your appointment early to ensure your choice of day and time. There will be a brief assessment given to your child on the day of registration so please plan to bring them with you.
**NEW THIS YEAR**
· Due to the number of late registrations of kindergarten students in the 2016-2017 school year, there was a significant delay in finalizing our kindergarten classes and classroom placements; therefore, if you currently have a child enrolled in a Quakertown school, but have NOT registered their sibling for kindergarten by June 1st, 2017, the kindergarten student will not be guaranteed a spot in their neighborhood school for the 2017-2018 kindergarten year. Please register early to ensure that your child attends kindergarten in the same school as their siblings and neighborhood friends.
Full Day Kindergarten - The initial screening for the Full Day Kindergarten program will be held during the kindergarten registration appointment in March. Please plan to bring your child to that appointment with you. All registered Kindergarten students will be assigned to an AM or PM half day class in June, 2017. Any student that is being considered for the Full Day Kindergarten program will be asked to attend an additional assessment in early August, 2017 to determine kindergarten placement. Invitations to the Full Day Kindergarten Program will be made by mid-August, 2017.
LUNCH MENU - Click HERE for March
QCSD DISTRICT Calendar of Events - Click HERE
6-day Cycle # DAY CALENDAR - Click HERE
Click HERE to view previously shared important information
REMINDER:
PSSA Testing Window
English Language Arts - April 3 - 7, 2017 (Grades 3-5)
Math - April 24 - 28, 2017 (Grades 3-5)
Science - May 1- 5, 2017 (Grade 4)
Please keep in mind that the district will not approve any family trips for students in grades 3-5 during the assessment periods due to the nature of the tests. Please contact Dr. Bradley directly if you have questions or concerns.
ATTENDANCE REMINDER
Parents are reminded that they have three (3) school days to return a signed, written excuse verifying a child’s absence. As per PA State law, excuse blanks cannot be accepted more than three days after a student returns to school. Emails to the school office are appreciated, but do not replace the written excuse. Parents are welcome to call the office (215-529-2509) to verify that the written excuse has been submitted by the student. We would like to partner with you in any way necessary to facilitate compliance with Compulsory School Attendance Laws, including meeting to develop a School Attendance Improvement Plan (SAIP).
- If a written excuse is not submitted within the three day return window, the excuse is permanently considered illegal or “unexcused” by the state.
- If a student accumulates three (3) unexcused absences, parents will receive a written “First Legal Notice” from the school district with a warning that future unexcused absences may result in a citation from District Court.
- Once a student compiles ten (10) total absences (including trip requests, half day absences, etc.), parents will be required to submit a doctor’s excuse for an absence to be considered excused. Parents will be notified in writing if this occurs.
- If your family is planning for your child(ren) to be away for several school days, there is an “Educational Trip Request” form that needs to be filled out and submitted to the school office. Parents can download a form from the T.V. website or call the office for a hard copy. All trip requests must be pre-approved by the building Principal and should be submitted at least 10 days in advance.
- More information and the QCSD Elementary Attendance letter can be found on the TV website. All information written above reflects Pennsylvania State Compulsory Attendance laws.
Working Together to be Our Best...Student Achievement for All - Whatever it Takes!
PTO Executive Board Contact Information:
- Christine Weinschenk: Co-President- christine_romano@hotmail.com
- Melissa O’Rourke: Co-President- orourke5250@gmail.com
- Michelle Kuremsky- 1st Vice President- michellekuremsky@gmail.com
- Erica Miracle- Vice President- ericalmiracle@yahoo.com
- Chrissy Urenovich: Treasurer- urenovich.christine@gmail.com
- Dana James: Secretary- danajamestvpto@gmail.com
- Stephanie Ruane: Corresponding Secretary- sruane224@yahoo.com
SAVE THE DATE FOR UPCOMING PTO EVENTS:
- Spring Family Fun Night: April 28th
- Spring Fling: June 2nd
- Fifth Grade Picnic: June 5th (Rain Date June 6th)