Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
Penn Valley Elementary School
180 North Turn Lane
Levittown, PA 19054
Office: 215.949.6800
FAX: 215.269.4827
Nurse: 215.949.6805
PTO: [email protected]
Dear Penn Valley Families,
It is amazing that half of the school year has gone by. The students have a done a great job working on our
pillars of character and filling one another’s buckets. They have done a great deal of community service by
raising money or providing donations for people in need within our own community.
Please be advised that Kindergarten and First Grade registration is available on our website for the
2017-2018 school year. Below are the scheduled registration times.
KINDERGARTEN & FIRST GRADE REGISTRATION
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017
1:00 PM TO 3:00 PM…”A” THROUGH “M”
THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017
1:00 PM TO 3:00 PM…”N” THROUGH “Z”
THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017
5:30 PM TO 8:00 PM…”A” THROUGH “Z”
The student’s continue to work hard every day on the PA Common Core standards. The Pennsylvania
Department of Education also has a webpage where you can obtain additional information on the PA Common
Core http://www.pdesas.org/Standard/PACore for English Language Arts and Math. PSSA testing begins the
week of April 3rd. Students in grade 3, 4, 5, will be taking the state assessment in English Language Arts and
Math. Grade 4 will also take a Science assessment. There will be a break between testing this year due to
Spring Break and parent teacher conferences. National Association of Elementary School Principals has a link
for helping your child with test preparation. Follow this link to read this second resource
http://www.naesp.org/sites/default/files/RtP_TestPrep_0.pdf.
I want you to be aware that the Pennsbury School District, in conjunction with local police and emergency
responders, will hold an active shooter drill on Monday, April 17, 2017, 8:00AM - 3:00PM. The drill will be
conducted inside Charles Boehm Middle School and will include Pennsbury student actors, teachers, and
administrators. The purpose of the active shooter drill is to test and evaluate the response of each emergency
service, including the reunification of students with their parents. The drill will involve a simulated shooter in a
school setting. Students and teacher volunteers will be asked to role play in classrooms and hallways and will
simulate those individuals who may be injured and those who come in contact with an armed intruder. While
our local police will be using blank ammunition, various safety officers are assigned to this event to be sure it is
conducted safely. "This type of exercise, when conducted on such a large scale, helps to simulate real-life
events and proves invaluable to local agencies and to the public," said Sherwood Taylor, Pennsbury Director of
Administrative Services.
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
Upcoming Activities
March 14th – Author Night at Manor Elementary School at 7 PM
March 23rd – Science STEM Fair at 6:00 – 7:00 PM.
March 29th – Reading Olympics Competition at Neshaminy High School at 6:00 PM
PSSA Testing Schedule
April 3rd, 5th, 6th, & 7th – ELA
April 24th, 25th, & 26th – Math
May 1st and 2nd – Science (Grade 4 Only)
There are many more exciting events planned for the second half of the school year. To keep updated on the
great things happening at Penn Valley School, please review the school and PTO websites and our monthly
Student Council calendars. We are looking forward to your participation at these exciting events!
Sincerely,
Ms. Hidalgo
Working toward excellence in education, respecting yourself and others, pride in our
community and value the pillars of character.
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
March/April
March 23 – STEM/Science Fair
6:00 – 7:00 PM
March 29 – Reading Olympics
Neshaminy H.S.
April 3 – End of the 3rd Marking Period
April 4 – No School – Grading Day
April 13 & 14 – No School – Spring Break
April 17 – No School – Teacher Workshop
April 19, 20, & 21 – ½ Day – Conferences
Students Dismissed 11:50 AM
News from the Classrooms
Kindergarten
The Kindergarten classes had a wonderful time celebrating friendship and
love during the class Valentine card exchange! We were excited to learn facts
about President’s Day and find out if the Groundhog saw his shadow.
March and April will be busy months as we begin to read harder books and do
basic addition and subtraction.
We are excited to see if the Leprechaun comes this year and will write about
him and his gold.
We will observe the changes as spring arrives!
Ms. June, Mrs. Kline, & Mrs. Sheedy
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
1st Grade
First Graders are celebrating the first signs of spring, and all that brings: fewer winter coats,
and of course, a few more rainy days!
We are writing for a number of reasons as the year progresses:
informational pieces, narratives, as well as opinion writing. Topics range
from rainy days and family or friends to information about real world
themes. Students are in awe when they compare their September writing
to their current writing efforts! Be sure to look for our young authors
work in the upcoming Art and Literacy Fair!
Our field trip to Solly Farm is an event we are looking forward to.
We know it will help our students see where their food really comes from
and to appreciate all the work that goes into farm life!
In Science, students are exploring the properties of solids and
liquids. Everyone enjoys the hands-on experience that this learning time
offers.
Our Everyday Math program continues to challenge our students to think about the strategies
that help them add and subtract. They are also learning the importance of explaining their thinking!
Finally, our First Graders are very proud of their growth as readers and continue to read
more and more books. Many have achieved the 100 Step Challenge mark and are setting new
goals along the way!
Ms. DeMeglio, Mrs. Johnston, Mrs. Zuczek
2nd Grade
It’s been over 100 days and we are still going strong! We have less than 70 days of school left…and so
much to cover! We are just about finished Unit 3 in Reading. We are beginning to realize that many of the
reading strategies we have learned so far this year are spiraling, giving us the opportunity to revisit and master
them! We completed Unit 6 in Math and have learned so many new strategies to solve multi digit addition and
subtraction problems. Using base-10 blocks really helps us understand why we find the answers that we do.
During Writing, we completed our research lesson. We had a really good time
getting books from the library and using PebbleGo as a resource to find new facts
about our topic! This marking period we covered our unit of Maps and Geography
in Social Studies. During Science, we learned about the effects sugar has on our
body and our teeth, and read an article about some arctic birds! We are looking
forward to our field trip to Solly Farm in May, as well as our next Science unit on
the “Life Cycle of a Butterfly”.
Mrs. McCormac, Mrs. DiPentino, & Mrs. Rapciewicz
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
3rd Grade
Third Grade has been very busy in all academic areas. We just finished our opinion writing
pieces called Which is Better, A Cat or Dog? We sure had fun supporting our views with lots of
evidence! Next, we’re moving on to non-fiction where we might actually make a book!!
We just finished one of our stories about animals who help
people. Then, we had a special visitor come to our classroom!
Corporal Langen and his K9 dog, Tag, came to our Third Grade to
show us how police work with K9 dogs. Mr. Langen gave Tag
commands and showed us how well he obeyed. Thank goodness,
we have them in our community to keep us safe and help us when
we’re in need.
Congratulations to our Talent Show participants who put on quite a show with the Lion King
theme. Even the teachers participated. Check us out on the Pennsbury Channel!
Dr. Seuss week sure was fun. Each day we had a unique thing to do. Some of us got together
with our buddies in other grades. We read stories together and wrote letters. What fun!!!!
We are in full swing with our Native American studies. We’re learning how they
adapted to their geographical area, how they appreciated our Earth and always gave back
to nature. We have a much greater appreciation for our natural resources and physical
features. We are having so much fun learning and creating all the time.
Third Grade has also begun our PSSA preparation. We are learning fabulous strategies
and understanding the importance of showing evidence of our work. We’re becoming real pros.
We are continuing to work on our growth mindset as we know our brains are always growing. We
also continue to work on our 100-Step Challenge. Many Third Graders are on their 600th step!
We keep on reading because we know that every book is an adventure!
Mrs. Arose, Ms. Portland, & Mrs. Zubrzycki
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
4th Grade
The Fourth Grade team reflected on the third marking period as a marking period filled with improved
writing, math and reading! As writer’s, the team noted the importance of the writing process as we finished our
informational writing unit. Each student wrote about a different person from our history with notable
achievements, did their own research on Chromebooks and library books, and taught the class about a new topic.
It was also exciting to watch the Fourth Grade team use their knowledge of non-fiction text features, transition
words, and figurative language as they composed their final writing pieces.
Fourth Grade mathematicians are continuing to work towards mastering our math facts, especially
multiplication and division. Our focus for the third marking period was learning about multipliers and factors in
order to expand our fraction knowledge. The Fourth Grade team has learned to simplify fractions, find common
denominators, and add fractions with like denominators. We are becoming fraction experts!
This Fourth Grade team is climbing step-after-step towards the 100 step challenge! We
are reading fiction, non-fiction, plays, and even a little poetry! Students are proving what they
know after reading a book by taking a short quiz on the computer. At our all school meeting, we
had even more team mates earn the 100 Step Reading Challenge reward and we cheered our hearts
out for them. We are going to continue our reading during the fourth marking period and we hope
that all team members will meet the 100 step Reading Challenge. Maybe we can even get to 500 steps!
During the third marking period, we switched from science to social studies and
began our exploration of the Regions of our Country. Social Studies has certainly become
alive for the Fourth Graders! We started by exploring social scientists and learning what
different types of social scientists do. Next, we will move to exploring what life was like
for the first people in the United States and how geography helps to define certain regions
of our country. The Fourth Grade team is looking forward to being history detectives! The
Fourth Grade team has practiced and is ready to make a slam dunk on the PSSA’s. We are motivated, relaxed,
and ready to show what we know!
Keep up the great work fourth grade team!
Mrs. Kandravi, Mrs. Klacik, Miss Myers, Mr. O’Donnell
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
5th Grade
Fifth Grade is gearing up for spring. Information
was just sent home for our class trip to the
Adventure Aquarium on May 31st. Please check your
child’s folder for further information. All payments are
due by March 30th. We are more than half way
through the marking period, which means all students
must achieve their reading goals. Students should be
reading nightly. In addition to nightly homework,
students can also access Compass Learning for additional practice in math and
reading. PSSAs for ELA (English Language Arts) are the first week in April. Math
PSSAs are the last week in April. Be on the lookout for a letter from the school
nurse about our Human Growth and Development class. This will take place the
week of April 8th. As always, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher with
further questions or concerns.
Mrs. DeSpirito, Mrs. Gatt & Mrs. Harrington
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
From the Art Room
The Penn Valley students in Fifth Grade are beginning a research project in midMarch that celebrates famous artists throughout history. The project will involve research
completed during library, partnered with a visual art project completed in the art room. Students
will display their completed projects at the Penn Valley Art Show in an exhibit entitled, “Guess Who’s
Coming to Dinner.” A painted, artist-inspired dinner plate will accompany a tri-fold pamphlet that is adorned
with historical facts about the chosen artist. This event is NOT to be missed!
Also, remember to check your calendars for some important upcoming Art Events happening here at
Penn Valley and throughout the district:
Penn Valley’s annual Art Show will take place on Thursday, April 27th from
5:30-7:00 pm. If you are interested in helping to prepare for this event, please contact
our PTO or email Miss Mummey at [email protected] Volunteers are
needed during the school day to help set-up on Wednesday and Thursday as well as on
Friday for clean-up.
The Pennsbury District Art Show is scheduled for Tuesday, May 23rd,
Wednesday, May 24th, and Thursday, May 25th. The show will be open to the
public from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Pennsbury High School East gymnasium.
The exhibit celebrates the artistic accomplishments of students from grades K-12
throughout the district.
Ms. Mummey & Ms. Tusina
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
From the Music Room
Fill the World
with Song
Friday, May 12, 2017
Penn Valley's Spring Concert is fast approaching! All 4th and 5th Graders, including
the orchestra, band, and chorus will be performing for family and friends on Friday evening,
May 12th. Students need to arrive by 6:30 pm (earlier for instrumental students) and the concert
begins at 7:00 pm. Beginning in late April, tickets will be on sale for $2.00 each.
This year’s concert will feature songs from all over the world. Performances will be
given from the Fourth Grade chorus, Fifth Grade chorus, and combined chorus. Selections will
also be performed by small groups including the Pennsbury Honors Choral Festival members.
The Penn Valley Concert Band and String Orchestra will perform several pieces each.
We look forward to sharing with everyone on May 12th!
Please contact me if you have any questions: [email protected]
Congratulations to the following students for their recommendation and participation in
the Pennsbury Elementary Choral Festival on March 3, 2017: Gavin Ambrosino
(trombone), RJ Angove (trumpet), Jordan Czerniak (trumpet), Madison DeBolt (cello),
Amanday Dempsey (clarinet), Adam Dombrowski (violin), Camryn Holtzworth (bass),
Aiden Parker (French horn), Brandon Reiner (trombone).
Congratulations to the following students for their recommendation and participation in
the Pennsbury Elementary Choral Festival on March 18, 2017: Gwendolyn Boyd,
Amanda Dempsey, Alycia Fernandez, Owen Gunkel, Alexis Hryniszak, TJ Loteckie,
Jayden Michniewicz, and Chloe Rhein. Our guest conductor, Ms. Michele Alford, will lead
selected Fifth Grade students from the entire Pennsbury School District in a morning of choral
rehearsals with the culmination of an afternoon concert. Come support their hard work on
Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 2:30pm in the Pennsbury High School West Auditorium (Keller
Hall). Admission is free.
Ms. Kate Haas
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
From the Computer Lab
Our Penn Valley students continue to do great in the Computer Lab!
It’s always amazing to see children from Kindergarten through Fifth Grade
using all the technology we have to offer.
During the 1st week of March, to celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday, many classes had
the chance to explore the website “Seussville.” There are challenging and fun games
and activities that go along with all the familiar characters from the Dr. Seuss books.
Students had a wonderful time spelling in “Fishin’ for ABCs” and “Hop on Pop”, or
gathering Truffula seeds in “The Lorax Quest”, among others.
As the year progresses, students are becoming more and more comfortable with all
our technology. Activities provide opportunities to practice and reinforce Math and Literacy
skills they are learning in their classrooms. Ask your child(ren) what new websites they
have been visiting in school!
Second through Fifth Graders have continued to work extremely hard in the
Compass Learning, EM4, and Study Island programs. Many of these programs are
individually designed to reinforce Reading and Math skills for each student based on the
MAP Testing they took in the fall and winter. Students can also access these programs and
more at home by going to the Penn Valley Website and clicking on Student Resources, then
on Clever Login.
Students also enjoy using our iPads and android tablets in their classrooms for small
group activities and centers!
There’s much more to do in computers during the year ahead! Look for more
updates in the next issue of the Penn Valley Paw Prints!
Mrs. Christy
If you haven’t sent in headphones
for your child, please do so as soon
as possible. Inexpensive
headphones can be found at any
Dollar Store, Five & Below, or a
store such as Walmart and Target.
Please be sure the headphones are
in a zip-lock baggie with your
student’s name and homeroom.
Also, ear “buds” are difficult for
young children to use, headphones
are preferable.
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
Library Happenings
The Reading Olympics team has spent the last several months reading and preparing
for the competition at the end of this month. We have a great group of Fourth and Fifth
Grade students who will be traveling to Neshaminy High School on March 29 for the
competition.
Kindergarten continues to learn a new nursery rhyme each week.
First Grade continues to learn about Fairy Tales. We have added The
Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and Little Red
Riding Hood to the stories we have heard. Second Grade has been
listening to Trickster Tales from North America, South America, and
Africa. We will be focusing on Fables this spring. Third Grade has
begun to read Tall Tales, including Annie Oakley and John Henry.
Fourth Grade finished their biography research projects that was a
collaborative project done in the library and the classroom. The students did the research
in the library and completed the project in the classroom. Each Fifth Grade student has
selected an artist to research and will create a plate in the style of his or her chosen
artist in Art with Ms.Mummey.
Mrs. Stolber & Mr. Roberts
Librarians
Don’t forget to send in your Box Tops for Education!!
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
The Math Corner with Mrs. Pirkle
The new Math program is in full swing and it is a true joy to see
the students’ excitement and understanding of the Math concepts
being taught. Teachers here at Penn Valley have embraced the
program and thanks to their hard work along with the students’ hard work, and
parents as well, we are all creating better Math thinkers. I hope that parents, too,
are enjoying the plethora of resources that are offered online through EM4. With
that being said, I like to pass on additional information from McGraw Hill that I get
that I believe are relative to the time of year. Yes, you guessed it, PSSA testing
time:
Mrs. Pirkle
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
PANTHER PEN
PV PHYSICAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
Penn Valley Parents,
Welcome to March! As we near the final stretch of the
school year, I am proud to announce the excellent job Penn Valley
students have done to this point in Physical Education. Students in
all grade levels have improved upon their fitness and it’s amazing
to see what they can do now compared to what they could do in
September. Students are learning fitness/sport activities that they
can take with them for a lifetime. During this month, you will
receive a letter informing you which color team your child is on for
field day as well as a form that needs to be filled out for field day
shirt sizes. Intramurals will be held in May, and again next school year in the fall. Let’s continue to learn for
the health of it!
As a family, set some healthy goals for 2017 (ie. Participate in a fun run, cut back on TV time, chose 2-3
fruits/vegetables to eat each day). Ask your children what they are doing in class, and try it with them. There
are quite a few fun places for families to go in Bucks County that have to do with physical activity. I highly
recommend Sky Zone Trampoline Park and the Doylestown Rock Gym. As the weather gets warmer, playing
outside for 60 minutes is crucial, not just for the fitness aspect, but for the social aspect as well.
Have a fun day! Go PV!
-Mr. Davidson
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
From Mrs. Bauerle/Reading Specialist
The Read-Across-America/Celebrate Seuss Committee came up with a number of ideas
for a week-long Seuss-inspired celebration! Each day of the week had a theme:

Monday, February 27 – Oh, the Places You’ll Go Day - Dress up in college
apparel OR dress up as what you want to be when you grow up

Tuesday, February 28 – “Every Who Down in Whoville” Day - Wear a crazy hat
or hairstyle day

Wednesday, March 1 – Fox in Socks Day – Wear mismatched or crazy socks

Thursday, March 2 – Cat in the Hat Day – Wear red, black and white or stripes

Friday, March 3 – The Sleep Book – Pajama Day
There were daily Seuss "mystery reads" during the announcements. Students tried to
guess the name of the books from which the excerpts were read. Excerpts were geared
towards K-2 classes and 3-5 classes. Winners received Dr. Seuss themed journals to
begin their writing careers! Each child voted for his/her favorite Dr. Seuss book on a
physical graph using sticky dots. The most popular book was How the Grinch Stole
Christmas! There was a One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish estimation fishbowl in
the lobby and students tried to guess the number of goldfish crackers in the fishbowl in
order to win a copy of the book!
Additionally, we had a Drop Everything And LISTEN time during our All School
Meeting. Our whole-school book this year is Mia Hamm's Winners Never Quit. Fourth
grade teacher, Martin O'Donnell, rewrote the entire text in rhyme in honor of Dr.
Seuss! Special Educator Kate Buff invited the Fallsington & Levittown Librarians to come
and do a story and craft time with students in K-2 and forms for library card signups
were sent home.
Finally, each child received a Dr. Seuss Spirit Stick and a Dr. Seuss character highlighter
courtesy of Ms. Hidalgo. The PV PTO graciously agreed to
purchase the delicious Cat in the Hat cookies from the Tech
School again this year. Thank you to the Penn Valley community
- PTO, parents, teachers, students - for making it such a success!
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
Counselor's Corner – Mrs. Johnson
Pasta for Pennies
Penn Valley recently collected $3400.18 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society during their annual Pasta for
Pennies campaign. Mr. O’Donnell’s Fourth Grade class was the top fundraiser for this event. The class raised
$987.27. In appreciation for their efforts, the class will be treated to an Olive Garden lunch.
An additional fundraiser for the Pasta for Pennies collection was the Stuck for a Buck campaign. Students
donated extra money for the opportunity to duct-tape Ms. Hidalgo to the wall. This event took place at a recent
All-School Meeting.
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
From Mrs. Kurtz, RN-BC, CSN
Spring Edition
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
A Special Shout-Out…
A big “thank you” goes out to all Penn Valley families for making our
4th annual collection for project “Send a Smile to a Soldier” a huge success.
The collection of needed goods and Valentines was fabulous. It will be sure
to send many smiles along to the brave men and women who serve our
country.
Jen McCormac
OTHER NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS…..
Some reminders to parents and students to help things run smoothly at Penn Valley

You must sign in at the office when visiting. Please know that NO ONE is exempt from this district-wide
procedure.

We remind our bus riders that they should arrive at their bus stop at least 5 minutes prior to the bus arrival time.
Breakfast does not begin until 8:35 a.m.

We encourage parents to label their children’s jackets, eye glasses, book bags, lunch boxes, etc. This makes it easier
for us to return lost items to their owners.

A student wishing to accompany another student home after school must have a note from a parent. The student with
whom the child goes home must also have a note [use a “Note to School” for this purpose].

We request that drivers respect our school neighbors by NOT parking in or using driveways. We appreciate your
abiding by this request. Also, please follow all traffic laws around the school. It is important that you make a
complete stop at all stop signs.

We ask that when your child is absent you call the WATCHCARE line at 215-949-6800, press 1. Please state your
child’s name, teacher, and the length of the absence. Doing so will help us to account for all of our children.
Penn Valley Newsletter/E-Flyers
Our newsletter continues to be available on our school’s website,
www.pennsburysd.org. Click on “schools,” then “Penn Valley,” then “Newsletter.”
Remember to check the District’s E-Flyers tab on the Website. All District-wide
memos will be made available there rather than distributing via paper.
If you prefer a hard copy of the District flyers, please send in a written request.
Penn Valley Paw Prints 2016-2017
Spring Edition
Recess
Unless the temperature/wind chill is extremely low or the weather is inclement,
students do go outside for recess. Recess is a regular part of the school program
and children need to be prepared to take part. Please make sure your child comes
properly dressed (hat, gloves, coat) for outside recess. It is helpful if you put your
child’s name on all articles of clothing. Remind your child not to exchange hats or
coats with other students.
Target
If you shop at Target, consider applying for a Target Guest Card and designating
Penn Valley as your school. Every time you use your card, Penn Valley receives a
1% donation of those purchases.
Lost and Found
Our school maintains a “Lost and Found” box and clothesline in the cafeteria where
items that we have found are placed. If your child is missing an item of clothing or a
lunch box, please remind your child to check the box in the cafeteria. Please: Mark
your children’s coats and sweatshirts with their names.
Ongoing Fundraisers
Keep saving General Mills Box Tops for our library.