VFMS PTO Blast!

April 13th, 2015
Monday is Day 3

A heartfelt acknowledgement to
Ms. Hickey, who just became Dr. Hickey!
What an incredible achievement! VFMS congratulates you, Dr. Hickey! 

Grades 7 & 8 Spring Dance
 
The VFMS Student Council would like to invite all 7th and 8th grade students to the annual Spring Dance. 
TDancehe Dance will be held on Friday, April 17th, from 7:30-9:30.  Tickets cost $5.00, will be sold from April 13th-April 17th, and must be purchased in advance.  Tickets
will be sold  in the Student Council Corner.

Unlike the Winter Dance, casual attire is fine at the Spring Dance. 

PARENT CHAPERONES ARE NEEDED! If you would be able to attend the dance as a chaperone, please contact Frani Aufiero as soon as possible! Thank you in advance! 

  Hershey Park Tickets Extended!

 
 
 
You snooze you lose? Not this time! Due to many requests, the deadline for Hersheypark tickets has been extended to May 7th!  Discounted Hersheypark tickets can be ordered online or by order form/check by clicking here.  

Spring has finally sprung and summer will be here before we know it!  Why not include a sweet trip to Hersheypark this season for great fun and memories?  So many reasons why:

*More than 70 rides and attractions including 13 roller coasters. 
*Voted one of the cleanest and greenest theme parks in America.
*Plenty of good 'ol fashioned family-oriented fun.
*Admission included to Hershey's Chocolate World and the free Great American Chocolate Tour ride.
*Admission included to The Boardwalk water park featuring 14 water attractions including lazy river and wave pool.
*Admission included to ZooAmerica, their 11 acre walk through zoo.
*Can be used anytime during the 2015 season ending Septerber 27, 2015.
*Greatly discounted tickets with a portion of the sale coming back to VFMS!

Want even more fun?!  Organize a day for friends and family to join you and your kids!  There's no limit to the number of tickets you can purchase!  

Last year's Hersheypark ticket sale was a HUGE success! Please help us make this year's sale a success too!  
 
Any questions, please contact Trish McFillin. 
Thank you in advance for your support!
PSSA Snack Donations and Volunteers

We are looking for parent volunteers and snack donations to provide all of Valley Forge's students with a snack each morning of the school wide PSSA testing.  Feel free to sign up here for multiple slots.  Also, please make sure all snacks are NUT FREE!  Thanks in advance for your participation!  

 

   Upcoming Parent Social Info.

Just how much FUN did you have at the Fall Parent Social Tailgate?

 

VFMS Parents - We NEED you!  

 

Did you have fun at the Fall Parent Social?  Or wish that you had bought tickets before they were sold out?

 

Do you live on a large property and would like to host, or have an idea for a spectacular venue that you are willing to secure? 

 

* * Consider helping us to plan our Fall 2015 event! * *   

 

We will be holding a kick off committee meeting in early April, following spring break, and we'd love for you to join our team!   

 

Please check a box (or boxes) via the attached link to let us know how you would like to help, then fill in your contact information and click "submit." 

 

We look forward to hearing from you! 

Trish McFillin, Parent Social Chairperson
Volunteer Join Valley Forge Middle School's PTO Board!

We would love you to join us! The VFMS PTO is seeking enthusiastic and creative and individuals to join the
board.

We are in particular need of:
  • a VP of Communications and Volunteers who would be responsible for maintaining the website with our professional external provider
  • an Executive VP to shadow the President with a view to taking over the Presidency in 2016 
  • a Treasurer to shadow the current incumbents prior to resuming the roles during the 2016-2017 school year
  • VP Fundraising to shadow the current incumbents prior to resuming the roles during the 2016-2017 school year
  • VP Socials to shadow the current incumbents prior to resuming the roles during the 2016-2017 school year. 

A lot of the work involved in these positions can be done from  

home at times convenient for you.

We hold monthly PTO meetings which it is useful to attend and we try to schedule these to accommodate as many board members as possible. An added advantage is that the meetings are typically attended by the Principal, Matt Gibson, so it is a great opportunity to get a feel for what is going on at the school.

Joining the board is a fantastic way to get involved in the life of Valley Forge Middle School and to help shape PTO events and activities for our children. If you would like to find out more, please contact Sarah Culbert at 610-608-8501.

 

Save the Date--VFMS Book Fair!

Get ready for summer reading by visiting the VFMS Spring Book Fair at Barnes and Nobles. Mark your calendar now for May 16 and 17.  More details to follow in upcoming blasts.   

 

  Volunteer Clearances

By now many if not all of you will have heard about the new Pennsylvania state wide requirement to obtain background clearances in order to be able to volunteer in TESD schools.
volunteer
This is a process which has long been required in neighboring
school districts and undoubtedly many of you involved in scouts, coaching and other activities connected with children have already had experience of this.

The VFMS PTO Board wants to assure you that the procedure is not as onerous as it sounds!

At least two of the PTO Board members have submitted applications and received instant clearance via email. The third, who has lived overseas and needed to be fingerprinted, received two out of the three clearances within a week and is now awaiting the results of the third.

If you have any questions, please refer to the information on the TESD website or feel free to contact Sarah Culbert at 610-608-8501.
Gift Cards on Sale!
gift card

GIFT CARDS are back and better than ever!!  We have been able to add a number of new retailers to our list of available gift cards.  Aeropostale, American Eagle, Bertucci's, Chili's, Chipotle, Regal Cinemas, Zappo's .... Just to name a few.

 

We will be collecting orders from now through the first week in June, and sending them in to be filled every other week.   

 

Please check out the new order form to see all the options.

We are able to raise funds for the Senior Citizen's Prom in May from the rebates we receive from the Gift Cards you order.  So you pay $25 for a $25 card or $10 for a $10 card, no more, no less.  We receive from 7 to 10 %  of the price of each card in rebates to help fund this great event!!

  

Thanks for your support!!!

8th grade Leadership Seminar at VFMS

 

Register Your Tartet RedCard
 
Reminder - Register Your Target REDcard!
Making purchases at Target to spruce up your patio this Spring?  Maybe getting some Lilly Pulitzer for Target items?  Don't forget to register your Target REDcard (debit or credit card) to support VFMS!  This super simple program is an easy fundraiser for the school.  You still get your usual REDcard perks, and the school gets up to 1% of your purchases.  Register your card here. Happy Spring!
In This Issue
7/8 Spring Dance
Hershey Park Tickets
PSSA Snacks
Parent Social
PTO Open Board Positions
VFMS Book Fair
Volunteer Clearances
Gift Cards On Sale
Target REDCard
VFMS PTO Logo

This Week at VFMS
Mon Apr 13th:
Learning Support Transition Night 7-8pm

Tues Apr 14th-Fri Apr 17th: PSSA Testing

Fri Apr 17th:
Gr. 7/8 Spring Dance 7:30-9:30

Girl Talk Seminar
Seminar for girls ages 11-16 which will discuss building healthy relationships, managing anxiety and stress, and more. Mark your calendars for Sunday, April 19th from 1-3. Full information here.
Shop Amazon/Help PTO

Support the VFMS PTO every time you shop-at no cost to you - when you shop Amazon through AmazonSmiles. 

Choose "Valley Forge Middle School Parent Teacher Organization" as your charity, and Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to the VFMS PTO.

 You can also click this link:  http://smile.amazon.com/ch/23-2936863

Box Tops for Education!
Boxtops
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 

 

Way to Keep in Touch!
Puzzle

 
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 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 NOON the preceding Friday afternoon. Blast will go out each Sunday afternoon.