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Portland Public School

Community - Inquiry - Agency

Valley View Newsletter 6-5-2026

Posted Date: 06/05/26 (11:19 AM)


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Valley View Newsletter

The Future Starts Here!

June 5, 2026

Principal's Message

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Dear Valley View Families,

As we wrap up another wonderful week, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our first-grade teachers and families for making First Grade Fun Day such a special experience for our students. Your support and enthusiasm helped create a memorable day for everyone involved.

Looking ahead, our first graders will participate in Transition Day on Monday morning as they visit Gildersleeve and begin preparing for next year. We are also excited for Field Day on Thursday, June 11 (rain date: Friday, June 12) and the First Grade Talent Show on Friday, June 12, from 1:00–2:30 p.m.

Don't forget to join us for the First Grade Farewell Celebration on Monday, June 15, at 1:00 p.m. as we celebrate a wonderful year of growth and learning.

Take care,

Ryan Walstrom
Principal
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Attendance & Transportation Updates


Please make sure to email vvattendance@portlandct.us if your child will be absent or if there is a change of dismissal/transportation plans. Please do NOT send messages directly through ParentSquare to the office. The email should include your child’s first and last name, name of teacher, reason for absence, and the date or dates of absence. Please make sure the email is sent the night before or the morning of the absence to ensure the office staff, nurse and teacher are aware. Please make sure the office is aware of all transportation updates regarding your child.
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Important Dates to Remember...


  • June 8th: Grade 1 Step Up Day
  • June 11th: Field Day
  • June 12th: Grade 1 Talent Show
  • June 15th: Grade 1 Farewell
  • June 17th: Kindergarten Fun Day/Family Picnic
  • June 22nd: Last Day of School/Early Dismissal
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Field Day - June 11th

Valley View Field Day will be held on Thursday, June 11, 2026.
 
All parents are welcome to attend Field Day. However, we would love some volunteers! If you would like to volunteer to help, please email Mr. Vlahakis at pvlahakis@portlandct.us
 
Mr. Vlahakis will be communicating Monday, June 8th with report times, directions and information to parents who have volunteered. Field Day generally lasts about 2 hours and takes place In the morning between 9-11. Exact times and stations will be sent out. Thank you in advance for your help and support in providing a wonderful morning of activities for our students!
 
Thanks for volunteering!

Please let Mr. Vlahakis know if you have any questions, pvlahakis@portlandct.us.


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Alternate Bus Route Form 2026-2027 School Year

Dear Portland Parents/Guardians:

Each student in the Portland Public Schools is assigned a bus route based on the home address and school that the student is assigned. Parents and guardians are provided the option of selecting alternate pick-up and drop-off locations. If you do not need an alternate pick-up or drop-off location, you DO NOT need to complete the form. Due to the complex nature of creating bus routes, we ask that you complete this request for alternate bus routes by 5:00 pm on July 31st. This information will be shared with M&J Bus and used to create a.m. and p.m. bus routes for the 26-27 school year. Any requests for alternative bus routes after July 31 will not be honored until after the start of the school year. Once the school year gets underway, and we determine bus capacity, parents and guardians will have another opportunity to request alternative bus routes in mid-September.

*IMPORTANT - Please complete a separate form for each child.

Please direct questions about alternative bus route requests to your child's school:

Valley View (860) 342-3131
Gildersleeve (860) 342-0411
Brownstone (860) 342-6765
Portland Middle School (860) 342-1880
Portland High School (860) 342-1720

Here is the link to complete this form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSenKAz73XfRayyvBOhaFv_yW5zGWvAjQkT8mLLUeQWye6c5GQ/viewform
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Bus Information

Busing in the Portland Public Schools is provided by M&J Bus. Bus route lists are posted here: https://www.portlandctschools.org/transportation. The bus lists identify each stop's pick-up/drop-off time and location.
 
On a typical day, when all drivers are present and there are no abnormal road conditions, we expect that the routes will pick up and drop off students at times identified on the bus lists, give or take ten minutes.
 
If parents/guardians need real-time information about the whereabouts of a bus, please call M&J Bus at (860) 342-2217. The dispatcher at M&J Bus has real-time access via radio to all bus drivers.
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Community Health Center, Inc. School Based Health Center

Your child’s school works with Community Health Center, Inc. School Based Health Center program to provide health services (behavioral/mental health) services to your child during the school day. This means they won’t miss as much class and you don’t need to miss work to support their health care needs. 

Lean more about the services offered at your child’s school and enroll today at SBHC1.com! Interested families can also seek this service through the link or through our school website.
 
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Nurse's News

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Happy Friday!

As the school year begins to wind down, please be aware if your child has a medication in my office it will need to be picked up by noon on Monday June 22nd. Medications cannot be put into backpacks or sent home with students. All medications need a new order at the beginning of the school or yearly, depending on when you had your doctor visit. If you are unsure of when your child’s medication order will expire feel free to call me. 

Field day is next week. Please be sure to put sunblock on your student and send a water bottle.  It is always a fun morning and we want the students to enjoy it and staying hydrated and protected from the sun is a big help. The best way to stay hydrated is to keep ahead of it so have your child drink lots of water the day before, too!

There has not been much in the way of illness this week. Absences were low, a couple students with GI related illness and allergies/cold symptoms.  Please continue to monitor your child for illness and keep the school informed of any absences. We are in the home stretch!

Enjoy the warm weather this weekend!

Mrs. Karen Rettich
Valley View School Nurse
Phone 860 342 3226
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Library News

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We have been busy during library classes working on our final unit of the year- research projects! Students have been really enjoying the database Pebble Go. They can use it at home as well and they have been asking me to give them the password so here it is!  Go to www.pebblego.com and our username is ducks and password is read.  There are tons of interesting topics for students to explore!

Please return any Valley View Library books you have at home.  As of Thursday afternoon, first grade had 50 overdue books and kindergarten had 12.  Let’s see if we can get them all back to the library!  If your child has lost a library book, there are a few options to replace or pay for the book.  

Miss Jenn and Miss Patty from the Portland Library visited kindergarten classes to talk to them about summer reading at the Portland Library.  What great programs and prizes they have! First graders learned about summer reading during their field trip to the Portland Library. There will also be a summer reading form coming home that will have separate activities from the Portland Library if people can’t get their child to the library this summer.  Our goal is to have every child looking at, reading, or being read books this summer!  

Thank you for your support of the Valley View Library!  

Melissa Thorpe
Library Media Specialist
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Art Room News

This week, first-grade artists learned to weave with paper. It was a challenging project but very satisfying to complete! Kindergarten artists used what they know about different lines to create these magic carpets. One even features Aladdin and Jasmine! Take a look!

Mrs. Julie French
Visual Art Teacher
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PTO News, Meetings & Updates

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Valley View PTO 2025-2026 Officers
  • Erin Benson - President
  • Gen Veliu - Vice President
  • Nicole Wimmer - Treasurer
  • Erin Wells - Secretary
  • Caitlin Custy - Voting Member
  • Ashley Hetrick - Voting Member
  • Lauren Flood - Supporting Volunteer
  • Rochelle Cortezzo - Supporting Volunteer

Email: valleyviewptoct@gmail.com
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News from the Cafeteria

Snacks will be offered in the cafeteria on Thursdays. Snacks include things like cookies, rice crispy treats, chips and even ice cream. The cost for these items range from $1 to $1.50. Students will only be allowed to choose one item each week. In order to purchase a snack, children will need to bring in cash on Thursdays or have a positive balance established within their MySchoolBucks account. Please reach out if you need any further information.

Thank you for your help,

Ms. Denise 

Cafe Menus - June 2026

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District News

Building Committee - Call for Volunteers

Now that we have an approved bonding referendum, an important next step in the process is the selection of members for a building committee. The building committee will play an essential role in providing oversight for the renovation and expansion of Valley View Elementary School, renovation of Gildersleeve Elementary School, and improvement of the Secondary Complex.
 
The commitment for building committee members is significant and will involve regular meetings over the course of the next five years. While this is a substantial commitment of time, the reward is the opportunity to help create schools that will serve Portland students for generations to come.
 
Are you interested?
 
The Portland Board of Selectmen is looking to appoint 7 to 9 individuals to the building committee. The Selectmen are particularly interested in appointing individuals with the following skills and experience:
 
·         Experience in technical trades, such as HVAC, plumbing, general contracting, roofing, etc.
·         Experience in the construction industry
·         Experience with architecture and design
·         Experience with finance, accounting, contracts, or law
·         Experience with school or commercial construction projects
·         Elementary education experience, including general education and special education
·         Interior design experience
 
Interested parties must be Portland residents. If you are interested, please email your resume to First Selectman Mike Pelton at mpelton@portlandct.org before the end of the business day on Wednesday, June 10. A committee will review applications and make recommendations to the Board of Selectmen. The goal is for the Board of Selectmen to appoint the building committee at their meeting on Wednesday, June 17.
 
Thank you for your interest.

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