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A Note from Sarah!
Dear VFMS parents, faculty and staff,
Welcome to the start of the 2014-15 new school year. I hope you had a great summer, filled to the brim with wonderful times spent with family and friends and plenty of heartwarming memories to sustain you through the next year. I love the summer and yet I also embrace its drawing to a close and the approach of autumn because I enjoy the seasons and the opportunity they represent for us to meet new people (and catch up with old friends too!) and to engage in new activities.
I wish to extend a particularly warm welcome to our incoming Fifth Graders and their families and to any other families new to the Valley Forge community this year. I know transitions can be tricky for all members of the family but please rest assured that everybody here at VFMS, Principal, Vice Principals, faculty, staff and the VFMS PTO, wishes to help you make that transition as smooth as possible. Please feel free to reach out at any time with questions, comments, suggestions and feedback, we really do want to hear from you.
The beginning of the school year is always frantic and I am sure this year will be no exception but we hope the events we have planned will enable you to find out the information you need and to ask any questions you may have. We start off with the two Curriculum Nights closely followed by the 5th, 6th and 7th grade Principal Meet and Greets. We have a Kiwi fundraising event planned for October 8th, a little light relief from the ERB testing that week, and the Adult Social on Saturday October 18th, so please put these in your diary.
Welcome once more. One last thing, don't forget to check out our new and improved VFMS PTO website, vfmspto.org, for all our latest information.
Many thanks,
Sarah Culbert
VFMS PTO President
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Revamped VFMS PTO website
Please come and check out our new website at www.vfmspto.org and see the changes we have made! Our intention is to make this site your one stop shop for all matters relating to VFMS PTO and many day to day essentials for Valley Forge Middle School.
Now, as well as learning about upcoming school and PTO events, you can:
- Identify volunteer opportunities and sign up to volunteer by using our embedded volunteer forms
- Buy Spiritwear online as well as directories and tickets to upcoming PTO events
- Access the Blast quickly and easily and submit an information item through the website for possible inclusion in the Blast
- Use the website to click through to the VFMS website, daily announcements, daily schedule, lunch menu, calendar and attendance contact page
- Discover the different functions of the PTO and the many programs it offers and how you can be a part of those, from making a Direct Donation to shopping on Amazon by accessing it through the PTO website to attending the adult social to volunteering at one of our events
- Check out the new Showcase section of the website which highlights the work of the PTO. We want the VFMS community to share our excitement about the difference we make in the lives of VFMS students!
Please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the website's new features. We are striving to ensure that the site is informative, interactive and up to date with the latest news and events, so that you can be too! As always, we very much welcome your comments and feedback at president@vfmspto.org
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VFMS Health Screening Volunteers Needed!
Please consider devoting a little time to assist with the health screenings on Tuesday September 9th. Here is the link to the sign up form on the PTO website. Thank you! Any questions, please contact Kristin Courtney. |
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Emergency Cards
The green Emergency Medical Information Card was sent home with your child in the first day packet. (or mailed home with your student's schedule or mailed home with etc.) It is most important for the school nurse to have a card on file for each student. If you have not already done so, p lease return the completed card to school as soon as possible. Remember to fill out both sides of the card. If there are any changes in emergency information during the school year, please call the nurse with an update.
Allergy Alert Please read this important information regarding allergies from the school nurse. Click Here |
Thank You To Our Wonderful Volunteers!
The VFMS PTO wants to send a special thanks to those parents who gave up a few precious hours of their remaining summer vacation to hand out schedules and welcome our incoming 5th graders. They did so with enthusiastic smiles and helped to answer many questions. Our fantastic volunteers were:
Michelle Rossi Natalie Sudall Janine Stern Kristin Courtney Kathy Wynn Jennifer Newhall Jane Kluge
Analisa Sondergaard
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School Directory Ads!
LAST CHANCE.....Support Programs at Valley Forge Middle School while Advertising YOUR Local Business! Advertise your business in the 2014-15 Student Directory. Don't miss your chance to make new contacts and develop new customer relationships in the community. A lso, let your friends with local businesses know that they can advertise too. Details are in the attached form. If you have any questions,
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Parenting Teens With a Positive Twist
Wednesday, September 24
Parents are invited to hear and discuss the often turbulent middle school years. Karen Moon (fellow parent and local psychotherapist) will be sharing tips and tricks for not only surviving these years - but helping you and your child to thrive. The Community Conversation is presented by ARCH.
All are welcome. Click here for more info. |
Shop Amazon / Support the PTO!
If you love to shop on Amazon, we have a fantastic way for you to help VFMS at the same time. On the VFMS PTO homepage, you will see an Amazon.com graphic. When you want to shop on Amazon, we are asking that you simply usethis link which will send you directly to the regular Amazon.com home-page. However, it will mark that your order is associated with our school and Amazon will donate a certain percent o  f your sale to VFMS! It is that simple and takes just one extra step! You do not need to sign up or register with the program and if you are already an Amazon Prime member, you will still receive all of your Prime benefits. VFMS has already earned roughly $650 with just a few parents participating and we bet there are more Amazon shoppers out there! Think how much more we can earn by just one extra click!
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FLITE Preschool Tuition Assistance Program
Preschool Tuition Assistance scholarships are available to help young students prepare for a classroom setting and
 learn basic skills. We believe preschool is an important firststep in a child's education, and we have worked with the local preschools to provide an affordable option. Contact Julie at 610-644-8461 for more information. |
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| This Week at VFMS |
Tuesday
First day of School!
Welcome Back!!!
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| Box Tops for Education! |
Box Tops for Education
are an easy way to help raise money for VFMS.
Just clip Box Tops
and drop them in the collection box located in the main office.
Help us reach
our goal this year!
If you have any questions, contact
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Valley Forge
Basketball League
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VFBL is open to boys in 8th, 9th and 10th grades. For more information, click here or contact Bruce Fadem. |
Falcon 5k/1mile Fun Run!
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Participate in the VFES Falcon 5K & 1 Mile Kids' Fun Run!
Sunday, September 28th, 2014 in Wilson Farm Park Enjoy a beautiful Sunday morning exercising with your family at the VFES Falcon 5k Run/Walk (9:00am) and 1 Mile Kids' Fun Run (9:45am) on September 28th! There will be music, prizes for the winners in each age category, a pre-run warm up and refreshments after the race. To register visit VFESfalcon5k.com. |
| Important Numbers | |
VFMS Main Office:
610-240-1300
Attendance Line:
610-240-1330
T/E Transportation:
610-240-1680
T/E District Office:
610-240-1900
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Blast Editor
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Thank you to Sydney Ruth who has been VFMS's Blast Editor for the past few years. She has done a tremendous amount of work to get the Blast information out to Valley Forge MS families as expeditiously and seamlessly as possible! I will be taking over this year, and look forward to carrying on the same dedicated work!
Looking forward to working with the VFMS community,
Lori Benedict
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Blast Submissions
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If you have school news you want to have published in the Blast, please write it up exactly how you want it to appear and send it in email to the editor, Lori Benedict, at
lori.mb@gmail.com by 4 PM the preceding Friday afternoon. Blast will go out each Sunday afternoon.
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