What a great week at Valley View!

This week was Fire Safety Week, and our Pre K and Kindergarten students had a great visit from our local firefighters. They did an amazing job listening and learning about fire safety and even had the chance to see the fire trucks up close. The kids were very excited!

As the weather continues to change, please remember to send your child dressed in layers. The mornings are getting cooler, but we are still seeing some warmer afternoons.

Also, be sure to check out all of the upcoming events our PTO has planned. There are lots of fun things coming up for our Valley View families!

Thank you for your continued support. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Ms. Mallory Emmons

Principal

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.

Busing in the Portland Public Schools is provided by M&J Bus. Bus route lists are posted here: https://www.portlandctschools.org/bus-routes 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.

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.

 

A flu vaccine reminder letter for pre-k students went home with students.  Thank you to those who have submitted proof of vaccination.  This is a state mandate and all pre-K students do need to be vaccinated between now and December 31st.  Please call me if you have any questions regarding this.

Vision screening and hearing screening are done in the fall.These are state mandated tests, meaning the school must provide them but if you would prefer your child not be screened for any reason, please send me an email letting me know.   When the vision screening is scheduled with the Lions Club, I will send home more information.  I start the hearing screening in November.   We do kindergarten and first grade per state mandate but we also try to screen our preschool students as well. If you any questions just give me a call. 

Have a wonderful long weekend!

 

Mrs. Karen Rettich

Valley View School Nurse

Phone 860 342 3226

During library classes, we have been learning about finding “just right” books using the parts of the book to help us find out if we are interested in the book or not.  We look at the cover, the title and pictures inside to help us choose the book we want to bring home each week.  Hopefully, parents or family members can help students read their choices at home!  

We are looking forward to our next birthday book club on October 28th for November and December birthdays.  Emails have been sent out.   If your child would like to participate in our next one and you didn’t get an email, please send me an email or message on Parent Square.  

Please see attached for the spooky story writing contest that the Portland Public Library is participating in.

Save the date! Our Scholastic Book Fair will be held November 16-24th in our Valley View Library.  We will need shopping helpers during the classes’ library times which are 8:45-10:15.  I will be sending home more information soon. 

I am going to share our library stats as often as possible. See the picture below.  We are up to 28 overdue books!  If you or your child is having trouble keeping track of the A-E special schedule, please have them keep their library bags and books in their backpacks daily - take them out to read them and then put them right back in.  That way, they will always have them ready to return.  Our 100% club on our board is classes who have ALL returned their books that week.  Congratulations to Mrs. Bertrand’s Class who has been in the 100% Club two weeks in a row!  Thanks for helping your child keep track of their library book(s)!  

Finally, we received a shipment of new library books!  We made an unboxing video to show everyone some of our newest library books so if your child is interested in checking them out, they can let me know on their library day! They should be ready for check out in a couple of weeks once they are put into the system.  

Thanks for all your support!  Happy Reading!

Melissa Thorpe

Library Media Specialist

This week, Kindergarten and First graders have been using what they've learned about different types of lines. Following the same basic directions, they incorporated their own artistic visions to create these one of a kind pieces of abstract art. Take a look, they are fabulous!

Mrs. Julie French

Visual Art Teacher

Breakfast is FREE for all students. If your child should be eating breakfast at school, let them know they need to come see me in the Cafeteria before they head to their classrooms. 

In order to purchase milk or snacks from the cafeteria, students must have a positive balance in their account or bring in cash. The easiest way to manage their meal account is by downloading the MySchoolBucks app.