GVMS Weekly Update

Achieving our best through creativity, compassion, and community.

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

Good evening! We know that our hybrid students are anxiously awaiting returning to our building and meeting their teachers in person. We encourage all students to pack their backpack with their Chromebook (charged), Chromebook charger, lunch (if not purchasing a boxed lunch), water bottle (no glass), pen/pencils, notebook, mask, hand sanitizer, and personal wipes/tissues. There are no microwaves available to heat up lunches at GVMS this year. On Sunday night set your alarm for our earlier start time and eat a good breakfast. First period in hybrid begins at 7:40am. During lunch you will be able to eat without your mask, but as soon as you stand up to move to use the bathroom or for any other reason your mask must be worn. Click here to view this month’s lunch menu.

Students riding the school bus to school will be dropped off at the pool entrance and walk to the commons area. Students dropping off at the front entrance will be allowed in at 7:25. Please park along the entire length of the sidewalk and safely pull out once your child is on the sidewalk.

There will be standup whiteboards and posters with room numbers and arrows guiding students to the appropriate hallways for 1st period. There will be plenty of staff to guide you to your 1st period class too! All you need to know is your 1st period teacher’s name and room number.

We want to thank all of our students that participated in our grade-level webinars today. The students asked great questions, many of which were addressed in the Q and A or the presentation itself. Click here to access one of the recorded grade-level presentations from earlier today. The access password for the webinar is 2XDL0wD^ . Click here to access our presentation to view all of the links

We hope you enjoy the short video above to get a glimpse of what a classroom looks like. Our students will be assigned seats for each period. Between each period, students will be assigned alternate desks so that the spray and clearing solution takes effect between each use. Classrooms with sinks will have available hand soap for hand washing.

We look forward to seeing our alphabet cohort students on Monday and Tuesday. For our fully virtual students, please access your asynchronous work posted in each of your teachers’ Schoology pages. Everyone will be back to fully live synchronous instruction on Wednesday and for the remainder of our hybrid model.

The Garnet Valley School District uses Infofinder i for student transportation schedules. Beginning September 24th, 2020 please access Infofinder i by clicking the link below.

Infofinder i GVSD Busing Schedules

*During the beginning weeks of school, pick-up/drop-off times may need to be adjusted. We ask parents/guardians to check Infofinder i periodically during the first weeks of school.

Our coaches will review the below information with the athletes.

• All students should to the greatest extent possible should be dressed for practice and carry their bags with them throughout the day.

• For students that need to store oversized equipment (field hockey), they may drop it off in the athletic storage room (New Gym) at the beginning of the day. The team rooms will then be locked for the remainder of the day.

• Students who are participating in sports other than field hockey will be expected to carry their sports supplies with them throughout the day.

• It is very important that you remind students that our locker rooms are for changing only and there should be no congregating.

For instrumental students, they will store their instrument in the auditorium in the assigned designated area. This area will be supervised throughout the day or locked.

• Bring your Chromebook, Charger, and Earbuds everyday

• Shut the Chromebook down each night and charge it, technology health care

• Engage with your teachers and interact with your peers by…

• Having your camera on when you can

• Unmute when appropriate

• Share your ideas and input as much as possible

• Add to the chat

• Ask questions in the chate

• Active participation allows teachers to effectively support your learning

We are excited to share our updated October daily letter schedule with everyone! Click here to access the October schedule. We will be discussing more details about this and our schedule in next week's webinars. We will also be sending out focused newsletters next week centered around the main information we would like to relay as we transition to hybrid.

We wanted to take a moment and update you about changes happening in the department. This past week, we welcomed Matt Bradshaw to our team. Beginning on Monday, October 19th, we will also welcome Mariah Powell. Mariah will be filling in for Marisa Mahon who will be out on leave until the end of December. Mariah will be working with students with last names that fall between A-Em.

As we transition to the Hybrid model, students can request to visit with their counselor by using the Google Form found here.


School Counselors

Mariah Powell - Last names beginning with A-Em
powellm@garnetvalley.org
Wendy Xanthopoulos - Last names beginning with Ep-Ler
xanthow@garnetvalley.org

Matt Bradshaw - Last names beginning with Les-Rombradshm@garnetvalley.org
Christy Francart - Last names beginning with Ros-Z
francac@garnetvalley.org

The Sixth Grade is proud to show our respect for our country and its military veterans during our annual Veterans Day Assembly, held this year, virtually on Wednesday, November 11. This long-standing tradition reflects on the history of America and highlights the sacrifices of the men and women who have served to protect and preserve the ideals of our country.

Sixth graders who have a veteran in their family are able to contribute by interviewing their veteran to be an honored guest as part of the virtual assembly. Each participating student will interview his/her veteran by asking him/her about his/her military service and then upload the video that will be used for our virtual grade wide assembly. This poignant show of patriotism and respect serves to strengthen the bond of our school and our community.

If you would like to be a part of the assembly, please fill out the form in the following link at your earliest convenience, but no later than October 15, 2020.

Veterans Day Assembly Participant Form

Your interview with your veteran should be approximately 2 minutes long.

Possible interview questions:

Where and when did you serve?

What awards/medals did you receive?

What was your most memorable or interesting experience?

Video example of Ms. Papa’s interview with her daughter

Please remind our students to bring their Chromebook fully charged each day to school. We are also asking students to bring their charger to each day. Students will be using their Chromebooks throughout the day once we transition to the hybrid model. Each classroom will have power strips available for students to charge their device. We appreciate your help and understanding!

Dear Students,

Chromebooks, just like humans, need rest in order to perform at their best! We strongly encourage shutting down or restarting your Chromebook at least once a day.

Thank you,

GVMS Chromebooks

All students and staff members will be in masks for the majority of the day. The only time masks will not be wear will be when individuals are eating, drinking, or during a designated mask break . During these times everyone will maintain 6 feet of social distancing.

In the classroom

Activities in the classroom that do not support social distancing will be limited. Students will carry their backpacks with them throughout the day. All school supplies and lunch should fit in their backpacks as there will be no lockers used this year.

During Lunch

Students will either pack their lunch or purchase a box lunch from the cafeteria. Students will be assigned seats and will be spaced 6 feet apart. We will be utilizing both the cafeteria as well as one of our gymnasiums during each grade level lunch.

• All drinking fountains have be converted to bottle fillers. The water fountain spouts have been locked. Please have your child bring their own reusable water bottle to school each day.

• Classrooms and hallways will be disinfected by a backpack sprayer nightly.

• Students will be encouraged to wash hands throughout the day.

• Each student is encouraged to bring their own hand sanitizer.

• Hand sanitizing stations are strategically placed throughout the building.

• School supplies and materials will not be shared to the greatest extent possible.

A GVSD nurse will be located outside of the middle school on October 14, 2020 from 12:00-1:00pm for parents to drop off medications that will need to be administered at school. If you are unable to make this time, please call or email the nurse to arrange a time to drop the medication off.

Please click here for the GVSD medication policy and medication consent form.

Thank You,

Karen Vandenbraak, CSN, RN

610-579-5105

vandenk@garnetvalley.org

All of our Smores can be found by going to the GVMS website and clicking on the "Announcements" option under the "Our School" dropdown menu.

• Nurse's Office: Electronic Documentation Information

• Alma Information

• GVMS Supply List

• Click here to access the Virtual and Hybrid schedules

• GV Student Procedural Discipline Manual

• Latest COVID GV Information

• GV Health and Safety Plan

• District School Calendar

• Please complete the Photo/Video Opt Form
  

• GVSD Parent Technology Resources

Reporting an Absence:

• Use the School Messenger App or call the 1- 877-638-1960 number by 9:30. A call will be made at 10:00 if you have not followed the proper procedures for reporting an absence.
• An absence will be considered “unexcused” if you do not use the app, call the number, or email a signed note to Val Intenzo within 3 days of the absence.
• If you are arriving to virtual school late, please email a signed note to Val Intenzo.
• Always provide a doctor’s note when at a health care provider.
• Email all notes to Val Intenzo (vintenzo@garnetvalley.org)

Educational Absence:

• Please submit before leaving.
• Form can be obtained online here.

The Garnet Valley Athletic Department has opened a spiritwear shop where a portion of the proceeds go back to the Garnet Valley Varsity Club. Click here to purchase great GV apparel!

Go Jags!

• Free and Reduced Meal Letter: 2020-2021

• Free and Reduced Meal ONLINE Application Information

• Free and Reduced Meal PAPER Application

Donations can be made by the following three ways…

1. Venmo - @GVMSHSA

2. MySchoolBucks – Visit www.myschoolbucks.com and contribute using the GVMS HSA membership item in the GVMS school store

3. Check – Checks made payable to GVMS HSA can be mailed to the middle school. Please mark it “Attn: GVMS HSA” (601 Smithbridge Road, Glen Mills Pa 19342)

Interested in learning more about the HSA…visit our website. (https://sites.google.com/garnetvalley.org/gvmshsa/home) .

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions by emailing GVMSHSA@gmail.com.

The results are back from the 2019 Pennsylvania Youth Survey for Garnet Valley’s 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th graders. We also have results from 2013, 2015 and 2017. The results of this anonymous survey are self-reported and represent 83.4% of our students.

Did you know? One of Garnet Valley’s great strengths is our families. A significant majority of our students reported strong bonds with their family. This bond can help prevent future destructive decisions including drug and alcohol problems. Our goal to enhance the success of every student is built on this strength. One of our GV CTC Prevention Partners is Child Guidance who provides the free and wonderful Strengthening Families Program for us. It is now virtual but the dinner provided each week is real, and the family fun games and activities are delivered to your home.

The program begins at 5 pm with activities for your children and dinner follows. The parenting part begins at 6 pm. Resilience and skills to deal with stress while following rules and setting up limits are provided for parent/caregivers and children. Designed for families with children between the ages of approximately 6 to 12, many of your district leaders including Dr. Bertrando have participated.

Call to action…Take a moment to see if your Thursday nights could be enriched by the Strengthening Families Program. Are you interested in building on the strength in your family which helps to protect your children? Call Lisa Schneller at 484-454-8700 x 1484 to register. The program will begin on November 5th, space is limited. Click on the link below to learn more.

https://cgrc.org/service/prevention/

Achieving our best through creativity, compassion, and community.

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