5th, 6th and 7th Grade Parent Coffees
The PTO is hosting grade level Parent Coffees in February to give parents an opportunity to chat with Principal Matt Gibson, teachers and counseling staff from their child's grade. Each Parent Coffee will feature a presentation followed by a question-and-answer session, including an update on the curriculum as we approach mid-year as well as specific events and activities coming up for each grade level.  - The 5th Grade Parent Coffee will be
hosted by Linda Schubert on Thursday, February 11th at 1:00pm (1579 Salomon Ln, Chesterbrook)
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Last call for RSVPs for the 6th grade parent coffee. We will decide on Monday if we will be able to move forward with the parent coffee based on attendance. The 6th Grade Parent Coffee will be held Wednesday, February 3rd at 9:00 a.m. at the home of Susan Moyer (688 Thomas Jefferson Rd, Wayne) (Attendance / sign ups to date is light - please let us know if you will be attending.)
- The 7th Grade Parent Coffee will be held on February 8th at 10:30 a.m. at VFMS and co-hosted by Karen Vadner and Nikki Serafim (Attendance / sign ups to date is light - please let us know if you will be attending.)
The Meet & Greets are hosted by PTO volunteers, and we are in need of volunteers to bring some light refreshments to each meet & greet. Please click the following links below to RSVP and/or sign up to help.
5th grade RSVP
6th grade RSVP
7th grade RSVP |
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Principal Meet & Greets!
Attention 8th Grade Parents
Eighth grade graduation will be here before you now it. Over the next few months, both parents and students will have the opportunity to learn about what to expect at Conestoga and the transition to high school. The first of these events for parents is the very important 8th Grade Principal Meet & Greet. Principal Matt Gibson, along with the 8th grade counselors and faculty, will discuss how the school is preparing your child for the transition to Conestoga. In addition, several of the Conestoga High School counselors will be there to answer any of your questions about the course selection process and what you can expect once your child is a student at Conestoga.
The 8th Grade Meet & Greet has been scheduled for Friday, February 5th, at 8:00 a.m. Thank you to the Castleman family for graciously hosting this event which will be held at 495 School House Lane.
Please RSVP in advance here to register to attend the 8th Grade Meet and Greet.
In addition, we need volunteers to bring some refreshments. If you can help, please click here, and let us know what you will bring.
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you on February 5th!
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CHS Course Selection
Dear Parents/Guardians of 8th Graders: Grade 8 students will soon begin the Conestoga Course Selection process for Grade 9. There are several activities planned for students and parents to introduce and explain the course selection process. Attached are the important dates and activities.
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Mathcounts
Valley Forge MS participates in the Chester County  MATHCOUNTS program and has seen much success with the program over the years. Donors to the county organization have decreased over the last few years and they are looking for more support from the community to maintain this program. If you are interested in helping financially, please visit the website. The VFMS team is going to the competition on February 6 - wish them luck! |
Happy 50th Anniversary Valley Forge Middle School In 2016, VFMS is celebrating its 50th Anniversary! Built in 1965, the school was known as "Valley Forge Junior High School" until 1987. Did you know that our principal, Mr. Gibson, graduated from VFMS? Stay tuned in upcoming PTO Blasts to read our "Memories from Mr. Gibson" as well as other faculty and staff who graduation from VFMS. Look for more 50th Anniversary news and notes on the PTO Website, including historic photos and new clippings from through recent decades, coming soon. We need your help:
- The PTO will also be working with our school to plan a 50th Anniversary Celebration in May, 2016. Please email VP_Socials@vfmspto.org if you would like chair or volunteer for our 50th Anniversary Celebration Planning Committee.
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Sleep and the Adolescent Brain
Sunday, February 21, 2016, 2-4pm
at the Radnor Middle School Auditorium
Chronic sleep loss in adolescents is one of t  he most concerning public health issues in the nation today. Nationally renowned pediatric sleep expert Dr. Judith Owens, CHOP psychologist Dr. Katherine Dahlsgaard, and West Chester Area School District Superintendent Dr. James Scanlon will address the causes and implications of sleep deprivation in adolescents, and what we can do to help them. Click here for further information and to RSVP now.
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Golden Apple Grants
 Do you know what a Golden Apple Grant is? Ever heard of them? Well, here is your chance to find out! The Valley Forge Middle School PTO has created a fund to support outstanding and innovative programs, ideas and/or purchases which will enrich the educational experience at VFMS. The standard Golden Apple Grant is $200 and typically up to 10 grants will be made available during each school year. For full guidelines, click here. Do you have an idea we can support? We are accepting grant applications now for the 2015-16 school year. Any member of the VFMS community is welcome to apply including teachers, staff, administrators, parents and of course students. The PTO Board will review submitted applications and grant recipients will be notified and receive funds on a 'first come, first served' basis until all budgeted funds have been allocated. Please send completed applications to Tarina Mahtab by email or by hardcopy to the PTO mailbox in the VFMS main office. Questions? Please contact Tarina with any questions. |
College T-Shirt Drive 
Conestoga Club is Collecting College T-Shirts in an effort to help
make the idea of going to college a real possibility for the students of Richard Wright Elementary (a K-5 school in the Strawberry Mansion section of Philadelphia) - the principal has initiated "College Day."
Once a month the RWE students and teachers are encouraged to wear a college t-shirt, any college t-shirt. The effort is intended to normalize the idea of college and encourage the knowledge that college is something that should be a possibility for all. The principal isn't looking for any particular college. She's not suggesting the schools have to be local or even in Pennsylvania. She encourages her students to wear ANY college t-shirt.
College T-Shirt Day is a great idea. The problem is that too often the students of Richard Wright Elementary don't have access to ANY college t-shirts.
A Conestoga High School Club (the Richard Wright Project) is working to change that by spearheading a COLLEGE T-SHIRT COLLECTION during the month of January.
Collection bins located outside the Main Office at CHS - all during the month of January. Full information here.
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| THIS WEEK AT VFMS |
Tues. Feb 2-Feb 5:
2.0 E.S.L. Proficiency Assessment
Fri. Feb 5:
HERO meeting, 8am
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| PTO Board Meetings |
Please be advised that we have changed our meetings to the third Tuesday of every month. Meetings are
held in the conference room in the main office at 12 noon and all are welcome to attend. Missed a meeting but still interested? Click here to be kept up to date on PTO Board Meeting Minutes.
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| Box Tops for Education! |
BOX TOPS for EDUCATION!!! Parent - keep those box-tops coming! For the last collection period that ended in Nov. 2015 we had collected over $200 for VFMS, and we already have about $70 more since then to send in. Thanks to everyone who keeps them coming. This is easy money for the school!
If you have any questions, contact
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Girls' Basketball Clinic
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Girls Basketball YOUTH CLINICNEW Blizzard DATE is Sunday, February 7, 2016
11am - 1pm at Valley Forge Middle School.
This clinic is for girls in grades 2-8. (Pre-registration is recommended.)Sign up now! More information, click here.
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Running Programs
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VFMS is interested in hosting both Girls on the Run (girls) and Stride (boys) clubs this coming spring, sponsored by the Upper Main Line YMCA. We are in need of volunteer coaches to make the programs 'run.' If any parent is interested in volunteering to help, please contact Laura Bender. Thank you! |
Spring Lacrosse Registration
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Spring Ahead to LAX Season!
Registration for the 2016 Spring Lacrosse Season is in full swing. Read full information here for Girls' and Boys' Lacrosse sign ups!
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Wayne Art Center Updates
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The Wayne Art Center has a variety of upcoming events and news!
Interested the Winter 2016 Children's/Teen's classes? Click hereInterested in entering artwork into an exhibition? Click hereYouth artists 2-12 click here to find information on submitting for the art exhibition. Interested in Birthday Parties? The Wayne Art Center does that too!
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FLITE AND WHOLE FOODS TEAMING UP
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FLITE is Whole Foods Nickels for Non-profit beneficiary from September 28th through January 17th. Whole Foods in Devon will donate a nickel for every reusable bag. This is a wonderful and easy fundraiser for FLITE. Click here for full details and how to help!
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Shop Amazon/Help PTO
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There is nothing you can't find on Amazon and we know many of you use this site frequently.
But, did you know that by making a slight adjustment to the way you access their website, you could be benefiting the VFMS PTO?
When you shop at AmazonSmile (www.smile.amazon.com), rather than the regular Amazon site, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to Valley Forge Middle School Parent Teacher Organization. Bookmark the link http://smile.amazon.com/ch/23-2936863 and support us every time you shop.
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| 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 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 NOON the preceding Friday afternoon. Blast will go out each Sunday afternoon.
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