Dragonbites -- WV's Weekly Newsletter


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Sept 2, 2010 through Sept 9, 2010
WV Calendar Of Events
Note from the Principal
Meet the Guidance Counselors
Back to School: The First Week
Go Dragons! Welsh Valley Athletics
Introducing Next Year's WV HSA
Lower Merion School District Website
Inter School Council Sept 21st
Bethel Academy Free Tutoring
Running Rams Girls Basketball Clinic
"What is Adolescence?" Speaker at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church
C-Mites Begin Oct 30th
Deadline for Submission
Information and Numbers
WV Calendar - September

Friday, September 3
  • All Schools Closed
Monday, September 6
  •  Labor Day - All Schools and ADM. Closed
Tuesday, September 7
  • School Opens for Students
Wednesday, September 8
  • Athletic Fall Sports Fair Grades 7 & 8 (10th Period)
Thursday, September 9
  • All Schools & ADM. Closed
Friday, September 10
  • All Schools & ADM. Closed
Monday, September 13
  • Fall Sports begin - All PIPs Due
  • Education/Special Board Meeting - Penn Valley Elementary School Auditorium 8:00 pm
Friday, September 17
  • Fall Barbecue (During Lunches)
Tuesday, September 21
  • Inter School Council General Meeting 9:30 am (Academy Building)
  • Open House (7:00 p.m.)
Thursday, September 30
  • Picture Day
Welsh Valley Sign

Note from the Principal

Greetings Welsh Valley,


I hope that everyone had an enjoyable, healthy, and restful summer. On behalf of our staff, I'd like to welcome you to the 2010-11 school year. We look forward to welcoming a new 6th grade class and seeing the friendly faces of our returning 7th and 8th graders. We have been diligently preparing to have a successful school year. In addition to continuing to progress with our district-wide initiatives that are outlined in the Strategic Plan, our building-wide goals for the year include:

  • Ensuring that every member of our school community is valued and feels valued.
  • Strengthening our anti-bullying initiatives. Extending from our curriculum to our assemblies, advisories, and staff development, we will be focusing on establishing an increased sensitivity to respecting difference. 
  • Continuing growth in our School Counseling program.
  • Improving student writing.


We have a great group of new staff members joining us this year. Collectively, they are a student-centered, culturally responsive, and passionate group. Each of them embodies the Welsh Valley spirit and I am pleased to have them join us. All of our newly hired teachers are experienced and have demonstrated proven success in other schools. Please welcome our new staff...


Ms. Mariam Dubashi 
8th grade English teacher (8A team)
Mr. Ernie Feilke 
Math teacher (all three grades)
Ms. Lauren Fecht 
6th grade teacher (6B team)
Mr. Josh Gansky 
6th grade School Counselor
Mr. Dan Imaizumi 
8th grade Math teacher (8C team)
Ms. Melissa Lamberg 
6th grade Special Education teacher
Ms. Cassandra Prentiss 
6th grade Special Education teacher  
Mr. Mike Lista 
Instructional Aide
Ms. Dana Beifield 
Instructional Aide
Ms. Sarah DuFresne 
Instructional Aide
Mr. John Hall 
Instructional Aide
Ms. Heather Schoettle 
Reading Specialist
Ms. Kathy Bromley 
Part-time in the Nurse's office

A few WV facilities upgrades took place over the summer...

  • Exterior digital cameras have been installed for safety and security reasons.  The courtyard, entrances, fields, bus loop, basketball courts, and other exterior areas can be viewed. The hope is that outdoor vandalism or physical bullying may be seen if necessary.  
  • Additional window air-conditioning units have been installed so that every classroom on campus is now air-conditioned.
  • New eco-friendly and efficient lights have been installed in the gyms. The gym is not only brighter, but the energy cost savings will result in the lights paying for themselves in just a few short years.


I look forward to working with you this year. If I can be of assistance in any way, please contact me. Enjoy the Labor Day weekend and we'll see everyone on Tuesday!


Best regards,

Scott Eveslage
Greetings from Your School Counselors - With A Link for Additional Information and Pictures

Greetings from your School Counselors!

Greetings! We are available for students and families during school hours every school day.  While we will see students frequently throughout the day around campus, our offices are located in the D Building.  Please encourage your students to seek out their counselor if they have any questions or concerns.   It is important for us to have open lines of communication with our students' families.  We will be in touch with updates on your child, but please feel free to contact us via email or phone if we can be of assistance in any way. We truly look forward to working with all of our students and families this school year!
 
The Welsh Valley Middle School Counselors
Josh, Beth, and Boris

Use the link below to read more greetings from each of the WV Guidance Counselors:
Orchestra WV



Back to School:
First Week



* Drop-off on Tower Lane - do not pass cars in line and drive slowly

* Pick-up - Tower Lane parking lot is closed near front entrance - Park on
   Tower Lane and inform your child to be careful if crossing the street

* Homeroom Assignments will be posted in the Open Area of your building
   (6th Grade - D Building, 7th Grade - A Building, 8th Grade - B Building)

* Assignment Books can be purchased the first week of school (sign up to get
   one in homerooms, pay your homeroom teacher)

* Grade Level Assemblies will be held the first day with abbreviated
   class periods

* Lunches will be served, check this months menu WV School Menu

* Announcements are made every morning, they include information
   about activities, 6th grade intramurals and 7th & 8th grade sports

* No late bus runs the first week


STUDENTS ARE LEARNING ABOUT WV'S CLUBS & ACTIVITIES

Welsh Valley students and staff are gearing up for this year's before and after school programs.    Information about school clubs and activities, such as Science Olympiad, the school play (Wizard of Oz), Technology Students Association (TSA), Lab and Competition Jazz Bands, HAM Club (Homework help after school), Community Service Club, Math Counts, 6th Grade Intramurals Flag Football and more,  will be made available to students in the coming weeks. Activity schedules will be available on dragonbites and the WV website when the club/activity begins. Ask your student about recent assemblies that were held for information about the clubs and activities at Welsh Valley!  They haven't started yet, but students are learning about how they can be involved with extracurricular activities.



WV DAILY ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Welsh Valley page of the LMSD website also has daily announcements that include activities occurring each day.  Visit LMSD.org - under schools - Welsh Valley - Sidebar -Welsh Valley Middle School Today - Daily Announcements.   Or, use this link
Daily Announcements
(always in the green sidebar)



WV HOTLINE-FOR DAILY UPDATES OF SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES

To find out about activities for the day or whether an activity or sport has  been canceled or postponed call the WV hotline at 610-658-3901 (recordings are updated after school has begun) 


WV ATHLETIC WEB-SITE - NEW

Information about WV athletics for 7 & 8th grade students can be found on the new athletics site www.wvathletics.org.  The Fall interscholastic teams (football, soccer, tennis (girls) hockey and volleyball) will be holding an
Athletic Sports Fair on Wednesday Sept 8th (10th Period)
  Information will also be shared over announcements. 


LATE BUS RUNS LINK PROVIDED - Will be updated soon

A link has been provided under Quick Links IN THIS DRAGONBITES for WV late bus runs.  Late bus routes are run every day at 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., leaving from the front of WV .  Students should tell the bus driver as they board their bus which stop they need. Late bus routes are posted at the school and online - go to LMSD.org under schools--Welsh Valley--Student Life--to find the Late Bus Runs or check the link provided in this dragonbites.


WV Late Bus Runs (updated soon)

Warm Ups for Football WV


Go Dragons!
Welsh Valley Athletics -
7th & 8th Grade

Welsh Valley launches a new athletics web site, www.wvathletics.org.  The site will provide parents/guardians and student athletes with information regarding Welsh Valley Athletics.  Take advantage of the ability to receive "email blasts" regarding your students athletic teams and events.

Thank you,

Jacob Stankunas
Lower Merion School District
6th Grade Math Teacher
Welsh Valley MS Athletic Director
Phone:  610-658-3920
Introducing the Welsh Valley Home and School Association Executive Board for 2010-2011

 
CO-PRESIDENTS
Kassie Abrams       kassieabrams2@yahoo.com
Subha Robinson     subharobinson@verizon.net

CO-VICE PRESIDENTS
Jennifer Poluka         jlubic@jlsales.com
Tiziana Murray          tdestephanis@aol.com

SECRETARY
Amy Black                ablax45@aol.com

TREASURERS
Bill Cook                 bill@mainlineestates.com
Matt Lawrence         mlawrence@amper.com

LMSD Website: Picture of the Day, Individual School Information, District Wide Info

 
The Lower Merion Website not only has district wide information, but each school has their own site.  Use it to find information about student activities, the guidance counselors, daily announcements and sports, as well as, eboards and staff information. 

A PICTURES WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS:
Each school also has a picture of the day on their site.  Click on the picture and link to many more slide shows and pictures from your child's school.

Many of the links used in district newsletters connect to information in the Lower Merion School districts website.  If you need more information about activities, events or district wide policies, the website is one tool that can help you find out more about what is happening in your school district.

LMSD.org - WV Page
 


Events Around the District


Inter School Council First Meeting with Dr McGinley and Doug Young- Sept 21st

 
ISC (Inter School Council):  The first 2010-2011 ISC meeting will be on Tuesday, September 21st at 9:30 am.  The meeting will be at the Academy Building (adjacent to Bala Cynwyd Middle School).   Dr. McGinley and Doug Young will speak about general news in our district.  
 

Back to Top
Bethel Academy Free Tutoring to Begin
Bethel Academy, a partner organization of Lower Merion School District, is offering free tutoring in Ardmore for students in grades K-8 for the fifth consecutive year. For registration information, click here Bethal Academy Information
 
Girls Basketball Clinic
Fall Programs Grades 3-8
Sign up for the Running Rams Girls Basketball Clinics Fall Programs 2010. The Clinics are for Girls in Grades 3-8. More information and the Running Rams Application are available by using the following link, or going to the Community Page of the LMSD website.

Clinics begin Monday October 4 and run for 7 consecutive Monday's, ending on November 15

Running Rams Girls Basketball Clinic
Dr. Anthony Wolf at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church "What is Adolescence?"
 
The Middleton Center at the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church presents Dr. Anthony Wolf.  "What is Adolescence?  Why they act as they do and What you can do about it" On Sunday October 3rd from 6:30-8:30 p.m. 

More information is available by using the this link: LMSD Community Information
        
This is a powerful presentation for parents of youths and not to be missed!
Free and open to the community.
 
Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church
625 Montgomery Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA
Sunday, October 3
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
 

Back to Top
C-MITES Begins October 30th
 
C-MITES, a program based at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, provides Weekend Workshops for academically talented students in kindergarten through 9th grade.  The next session at Lower Merion High School is Saturday, October 30th. C-MITES will be offering 8 classes at this location. Classes include:

Funky Science (kindergarten - 1st grade)
The Human Body: What Makes Me? (1st - 2nd)
Textiles, Dyes and Weaving (1st - 2nd)
WeDo Robotics (2nd-3rd)
American Math Idol (3rd - 5th)
Money, Money, Money (4th - 6th)
Alternative Energy (5th - 6th)
FIRST LEGO League Robotics (7th - 9th)

The brochure listing the classes and descriptions is at  CMITES Brochure.  The online system is at http://www.cmu.edu/cmites/ww.html .  You may register online or fax or print and mail the registration form. Register soon because classes fill quickly!  Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.  Financial aid is available.
Listserv Information

Recess Picture

Please Note:
The weekly deadline for submissions to WV Dragonbites is by noon each Tuesday.
  Please email information to dragonbites@comcast.net




An Archive of past Dragonbites is available by using the link in this issue or go to the WV page of the LMSD website under Parents/HSA.

Publication is on Thursday of each week. This weekly e-newsletter is for school-related news and announcements. We regret that we are unable to include articles from organizations that are not directly related to Welsh Valley Middle School.

To unsubscribe to Dragonbites, click on the "SafeUnsubscribe" link below. To update your information and/or to sign up for other HSA listservs, click on the "Update Profile/Email Address" link below.

To forward this email to another WV parent who may not be receiving our weekly newsletter, please click on the "forward email" link below.
If you are having any difficulty viewing dragonbites please contact dragonbites@comcast.net. Thank you. 

If you have any questions about WV school activities please contact the individual listed or call the Welsh Valley office at 610.658.3920.
Welsh Valley
Middle School
Welsh Valley Quad


Principal
Mr. Scott Eveslage

Vice Principals

Ms. Beth Persofsky
Mr. Steven Van Mater


Main Office:
610.658.3920

Hotline Number:
check after school activities/sports
610.658.3901

LMSD Emergency Hotline:
610.645.0143

Attendance Number:
610.658.3946

6th Grade

Guidance Counselor
Mr. Josh Gansky
610.658.3941

Room D115

7th Grade

Guidance Counselor
Ms. Beth Jordan
610.658.3942
Room D117

8th Grade

Guidance Counselor
Mr. Boris Oden
610.658.3943
Room D116



WV OFFICE

Principals Secretary
Mrs. Mary Ann Fusaro
Attendance  
Mrs. Cheryl Campbell
Guidance  
Mrs. Sherri Pitts
Athletics    
Mrs. Kim Petty
Scheduling Secretary 
Mrs. Lori Davies
 
School Hours  
8:20 - 3:05
Early Dismissal 
8:20 - 11:55

Welsh Valley Office Link
absentee procedures, permission slips and current WV calendar

Daily Announcements
Link for daily schedule, daily before and after school programs and announcements.

Welsh Valley Athletics
Link for the new athletic website with information about the sports at WV

Quick Links
LMSD Website

Community Links
COMMUNITY INFORMATION

Archived Dragonbites
Archived Dragonbites

Past Dragonbites can be viewed by clicking on the link above.
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