|
A Note from Sarah!
Dear VFMS families,
Once again the school year has got off to a happy and sunny start and I hope it has gone well for you. In my letter last week I alluded to the wonderful PTO board we have but I did not introduce them in detail, so below you will find their names and email addresses, should you wish to contact them.
There seems to be a bit of a myth that middle schools do not want parents to volunteer but nothing could be further from the truth. We do need you! We currently have several open committee positions, others will undoubtedly arise during the year and we are always open to new suggestions and ideas for fundraising opportunities as well as socials and other initiatives to benefit our students and the VFMS community.
Please take a look at the list below and contact me at president@vfmspto.org if you are interested in helping out or simply wish to put forward a suggestion. Thank you to all
those who have stepped up so far and especially to Nancy Coradi and Missy Freiling who will be hosting one of the 5th Grade Principal Meet and Greets and the 7th Grade event respectively.
We will continue to take orders for the VFMS Student Directory until October 3rd, but I urge you to get your orders in as soon as you can, so we can start planning the print run. To order online, please click here or you can print off the form and submit payment in the office. Please make checks payable to VFMS PTO and mark your envelope Directory Order.
We would also like to thank all those of you who have contributed to our Direct Donations initiative. It is never too late to contribute through our website link.
One last thing, we have our adult social coming up on Saturday October 18th from 7 until 11pm at Tivoli Farm, North Valley Road, Malvern. This promises to be a great evening with live music, dancing and yummy food and drink in an idyllic setting, one of the best ways to mingle with fellow VFMS parents. A portion of the ticket price and chili cook-off entry fee goes to VFMS PTO. We do hope you can come!
Best regards
Sarah Culbert
VFMS PTO President 2014-2015
|
VFMS Parent Social! 
Tailgate and Chili Cookoff
Join us for a night of friends, food and fun at the Historic Tivoli Farm on North Valley Road in Malvern, PA Ticket price of $50 includes a southwestern bar-b-que dinner, all your drinks and a dessert bar. Don't forget about the mechanical bull rides, live music & dancing by Common Bond and 50/50 Raffle!
Are you "hot" enough to take on the Chili Cookoff? Your entry fee of $25 and a pot of chili for all to taste enters you into the Cookoff with CASH prizes for the winners!
Please RSVP today via the attached link or submit payment via the PTO Website at www.vfmspto.org.
|
|
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,
|
Proof Readers for Student Directory Needed!
We are looking for conscientious and detail oriented individuals to help us with the proof reading of the 2014-15 Student Directory. This task involves comparing the information on file against Student Verification sheets for that family and demands a strict attention to detail to ensure all information published is correct. This is a vitally important step in producing an accurate and up-to-date Student Directory and all volunteer help is greatly appreciated. The proof reading is scheduled to take place between September 17th and September 22nd to adhere to a tight deadline. Packets are picked up and returned at Cathy Barrios' house, but all proofreading can be done at your home at times to suit you. Please contact Cathy Barrios if you are interested.
|
Directory Orders and Other Contributions to the PTO . We graciously accept direct donations any time throughout the year via a check or on-line PayPal payment. It is with your generous support that we are able to offer cultural arts programs, gifts to the school such as our recent purchase of iPads, and more. And, you don't have to deal with helping your child sell candles, wrapping paper, candy or the many other time consuming fundraisers that many schools participate in! We have eliminated these types of fundraisers and have selected just a few others to supplement our direct donation program. More information will be coming soon on the different ways you can help our PTO in whatever fashion you are comfortable with.
|
 Open PTO Positions
Please consider taking on one of these positions and becoming more involved in your children's school!
*Executive Vice President - Work alongside the President to oversee the workings of the PTO Board with a view to taking over the position of President the next school year. A great way to get your feet wet before full immersion!
*5th Grade Principal Meet and Greet - Thursday October 9th at 1pm and 6th Grade Principal Meet and Greet Tuesday October 14th at 9am.Host provides venue to meet with Principal, teachers and counselors and parent volunteers bring light refreshments and drinks. Homes should be within 2 to 3 miles of VFMS for easy access for the faculty.
*8th Grade Principal Meet and Greet (Winter 2015) - Provide the venue for the 8th Grade Principal Meet and Greet.
Attendees will bring food and drinks. The 8th Grade event is usually held in late January/early February.
*Grade Graduation Coordinator - Communicate with 8th
grade parents to produce a slideshow to show at the graduation as well as helping to organize the event itself in liaison with the Beautification Committee.
*Teacher Appreciation Luncheon - Enlist the help of VFMS parents to provide a luncheon at the end of the school year to show our gratitude for the hard work of the teaching staff.
*TEMPO Representative - Liaise with TEMPO and report back to the PTO on its work. (The primary mission of the Tredyffrin Easttown Music Parents Organization (TEMPO) is to support music programs throughout the TE School District. TEMPO plans and provides the means to fund programs, activities, and trips to CHS music students not paid for by the district. TEMPO's primary goals are to provide the resources and opportunities to encourage and challenge students musically and to add to the enjoyment of the music program through large group participation such as concerts and half-time performances during football games.)
*BUILD Coordinator - BUILD stands for Better Understanding of Individuals with Learning Differences and is a group of parents and professionals of TE School District who have formed a support group for parents of children with learning differences.
The coordinator helps spread the word about Build meetings, forwards meeting announcements to LD teachers/counselors at VFMS and puts announcements into the VFMS Blast.
*Audit Review Committee - Once a year review the expenditure of the PTO and verify expenses tally with receipts. This is not an official audit per se and does not require accounting experience.
Please contact Sarah Culbert at president@vfmspto.org if you are interested in any of the above positions. |
A Request from the PTO
Thank you for sending in your directory order forms and contributions to our direct donation program. The PTO truly appreciates your support! With over 900 students in the school we are seeing a lot of paperwork floating our way. To help make our job a little bit easier, we would like to ask for your help with the following when sending in order forms and payments to the PTO.
1. Please attach checks or cash directly to the order form (stapling is the best option). Paperclips will work but when there is a large stack of forms, sometimes checks can become dislodged by the time they make their way to us.
OR
2. Send in your form/payment in an envelope. Because we are often collecting paperwork for different PTO programs, please write on the front of the envelope what your form/paperwork is for (i.e. spirit wear, direct donation, directory order, etc.).
|
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. |
Last Year's Sixth Grade Leadership Seminar Service Project
The 2013-14 Sixth-grade Leadership Seminar sponsored a food drive in conjunction with Philabundance and the Philadelphia Food Bank at Valley Forge Middle School
at the end of last school year. We are happy to report that YOU all helped us collect 512 pounds of food
for Philabundance!! THANKS to the VFMS family and
the Pathmark store on Swedesford Rd. who allowed us to set up a collection site there!! Stay tuned for more ways to help in this school year!!
|
6th Grade Leadership Seminar
Service Project
Did you save your POP-TABS from soda, soup, etc. this summer? If not, you can start saving them NOW!! We, the 2014-15 Sixth-grade Leadership Seminar, will again be collecting POP-TABS in containers around VFMS!
Look in the MAIN OFFICE, CAFETERIA, and SCIENCE classrooms (in a week or so)!!
We will bring them all to the RONALD McDONALD HOUSE in Philadelphia. where they get turned in for money to help support this wonderful place where kids with health issues (and their families) can stay while they are having treatments.
THANK YOU!!!
|
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!
|
|
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. |
|
PTO Executive Board 2014-2015
President ...............................Sarah Culbert president@vfmspto.org
Executive Vice President ......................OPEN
VP Communications and Voluntee........Kathy Wynn vp_communications@vfmspto.org
VP Fundraising .................................... Julie Borrelli Vp_fundraising@vfmspto.org
VP Issues and Affairs .......................... Jennifer Newhall Vp_issues@vfmspto.org
VP Socials ........................................... Frani Aufiero Vp_socials@vfmspto.org
VP Cultural Arts .................................. Michelle Rossi Vp_culturalarts@vfmspto.org
AND
Kristin Courtney Vp_culturalarts@vfmspto.org
Treasurer ............................................ Natalie Sudall treasurer@vfmspto.org
Asst Treasurer ................................Analisa Sondergaard Asst_treasurer@vfmspto.org
Secretary ............................................. Silvia Manoukian secretary@vfmspto.org
|
|
| This Week at VFMS |
Tuesday
Health Screenings
Thursday
VFMS PTO Executive Board meeting will be held on Thursday September 11th at 12 noon in the conference room in the main office. Interested parents most welcome.
|
|
Valley Forge
Basketball League
|
|
Fall Indoor Tennis Classes
|
Fall Indoor Tennis Classes sponsored by Tredyffrin Township Recreation are available at Radnor Racquet Club - ages 4 thru adults. Click "Registration" and then Tredyffrin Township on www.davidbroidatennis.com
or check out schedule and registration information here. If interested, remember to fill out this waiver.
|
Falcon 5k/1mile Fun Run!
|
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. |
"Brews For Books"--Tredyffrin Libraries Fundraiser Event
| |
Please consider supporting the Tredyffrin Libraries by enjoying fine food & craft brews from McKenzie Brew House on
Sept 20th. The libraries are facing a $100K deficit this year and can genuinely use your help. Register here. 
|
| 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
|
| 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
|
Blast Editor
| |
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
|
|
Blast Submissions
|
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 4PM the preceding Friday afternoon. Blast will go out each Sunday afternoon.
|
|
