VFMS Teachers and Staff Gift $5,000 to iPad Fundraising Campaign!
 Each school year, it has been a long standing tradition that the PTO give each teacher and staff a small financial gift as a thank you for their efforts serving our children. In honor of the school's 50th anniversary, the VFMS teachers and staff have asked that this year's gift, totaling $5,000, instead be given to the iPad Fundraising Campaign. We can't thank them enough for such a generous gift! We have now raised $18,600 which leaves $11,400 to reach our goal! If you have not yet donated to the iPad Fundraising Campaign please consider making a donation today. No amount is too little (or too great)! Have questions about the campaign? Read full information on Parents' Questions and Answers here. Thank you to all who have donated so far! |
Happy 50th Anniversary Valley Forge Middle School In 2016, VFMS is celebrating its 50th Anniversary!
"50th Anniversary Updates"
VFMS and the VFMS PTO will soon be announcing exciting details about our 50th Anniversary Celebration. Save the date for Friday, May 13th for a groovy family friendly festival to honor our school and Alumni.
We need your help: - Did you graduation from VFMS or do you know any local alumni? Please let us know at VFMS50th@gmail.com
- "50th Anniversary Planning Committee"
We need you! If you are able to help us to lead one of the following committees, please email VFMS50th@gmail.com : Sponsorships, Event Set up & Clean Up, Event Decorations, Food & Drinks, Entertainment. A general call for volunteers will be coming after spring break.
Stay tuned for more alumni memories in the next edition of the Blast! |
PSSA Informational Night
 Come out for an informational night on Monday, March 28th at the TE Library on PSSA details. A screening of the documentary "Defies Measurement" will be shown, followed by a Q & A from PSSA experts. Find full information here. |
Congratulations to VFMS Sports Teams
Congratulations to the 7th grade girls basketball team, who placed first in sportsmanship voting for the Central League, and to the wrestling team, who placed third. Thank you to the players, Coach Engels, Coach Ryan, and Coach Rigg for displaying good sportsmanship and for representing Valley Forge Middle School so well this past season. |
8th Grade Parent Updates
The payment for the annual 8th grade Sandy Hill field trip will be collected during the week of March 14th - 18th in your child's science class. Checks may be made payable to VFMS ($150). Informational paperwork was previously sent home through science classes, although downloads are available on the VFMS homepage. If a financial hardship presents itself, please contact Dr. Matt Sterenczak prior to March 18th.
Also, please mark your calendars for the evening of Monday, May 9th from 6:30 - 7:30 pm. This date will be for signing of District permission forms for the overnight trip as well as a presentation of the itinerary and list of items to pack. As a general reminder, the dates of the Sandy Hill trip are Thursday and Friday, June 9th-10th.
|
 Chaperones Wanted
Chaperone's Wanted! Spring Dance - Friday, April 29th
Please email VP_Socials@vfmspto.org if you would like to chaperone the final 7th/8th grade dance of the school year at VFMS. As always, we appreciate your help and Mr. Gibson will make every effort to ensure that you do NOT have to interact with your child during the dance! |
Our VFMS Community
Look at all of our Parents and Staff who graduated from Valley Forge Junior High!
VFMS Faculty in addition to Mr. Gibson - Mrs. Clemmer and Mr. Leviston!
VFMS community members and parents of current students -
THANK YOU to all of our parents and friends who have shared their alumni status with us! We have created a Facebook group page called "Valley Forge Middle School 50th Anniversary" in an effort to reach out to our community and identify Alumni from all of our graduating classes from 1965 through 2015. If you are an Alum, please join this page and share your graduation year, photos you may have and your memories!
We have a few new current VFMS parents to add to our Alumni listing -Claudia Cassidy Cammarata, Class of 1980. Her son, Ryan, is in the 6th grade.
And check out what we found on the VFMS 50th Anniversary Facebook Page!
Don't be shy - share your story and help our list grow! Email us at VFMS50th@gmail.com
|
|
8th Grade Slide Show Photos
 Attention 8th Grade Parents - Graduation Slide Show Photos Wanted!
8th grade parents will soon be receiving a request for photos spanning your 8th graders time at VFMS from 5th through 8th grade for the graduation slide show. Start gathering your photos from VFMS school events such as the drama or musical, "getting ready for the dance", trips, field days, sports and friends throughout your children's years at VFMS.
The slide show will feature all of our 8th grade graduates through their four year career at VFMS - more information about where and how to upload photos for consideration coming soon!
|
T/E's Got Talent
T/E's Got Talent
Thursday, March 31 (7pm)
CHS Auditorium
The evening will include comedy, music and dance from T/E teachers and staff (element ary, middle and high school). This variety show will be entertaining for the whole family. From Valley Forge MIddle School, you won't want to miss the Rock Band - featuring Mr Kilby, Mr Ruggeri, Mr Gonci and Ms Johnson.
Another special act will be the acapella group called "A Work in Progress" , which will feature the following: Ms. Brocklebank, Ms. Cannon, Ms. Evans, Ms. Hickey, Ms. Hill, Ms. Johnson, Ms. Long, Ms. Luccia, Ms. Perry, Ms. Settle and Ms. Steinberg.
And a special guest appearance by Mr. Lev.
Proceeds benefit ARCH and support future community programs.
Tickets are available online and at the door (until we sell out). www.archcares.org
|
 8th Grade Leadership Seminar Gift Card Sale
The 8th grade Leadership Seminar is continuing to place orders for GIFT CARDS in order to help raise the funds we need to put on the Senior Citizen's Prom in May. We have a variety of cards available to restaurants and stores. These could make great VALENTINE gifts!! You might want to have some on hand for last minute BIRTHDAY or other occasions as well. Click here to check out the variety on our order form. Mail the form and payment to IRENE CLEMMER at VFMS (or drop in the box in the main office). THANK YOU!!! |
T&E Care Grab Bag Event
T&E Care is looking for donations of new or gently used clothing for infants through teens for its upcoming Kids' Clothing Grab Bag. Items can be dropped off anytime between March 30-April 8 at any of the local TESD schools (including ours), the Tredyffrin Library (Wayne) or the
Easttown Library (Berwyn). Please only drop items off when the schools/libraries are open.
Clothing for all seasons, plus good quality shoes, boots, coats, belts or other accessories will be accepted. Again this year is a teen girls Pop-up Shop - so we'll need lots of teen girls clothes to help make this special! For a list of items not accepted, and for other information, please go to www.tecare.org. Be sure to also mark your calendars for the Grab Bag itself, April 15 (2-6) or April 16 (9-noon) at St. Matthew's United Methodist Church on Walker Rd. This fundraiser for T&E Care is a great chance for everyone to restock your kids' closets with great quality clothes. A suggested donation of $10/bag is appreciated. |
|
| THIS WEEK AT VFMS |
NO SCHOOL MONDAY MARCH 28TH
End of MP3 coming up on Friday, April 8th.
HAPPY SPRING BREAK
|
| 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 directed to February PTO Board Meeting Minutes.
|
Health Fair--CHS
|
Buy or sell crafts or household goods while supporting the student Health Fair at Conestoga! The CHS Peer Mediation Club will hold its annual Craft Fair & Flea Market on Saturday, April 9th from 8am to 12pm at Valley Forge Middle School. Admission is free to the public. Vendor spaces are $30 (17.5'x24'). For information, please email CHSpeermediation@tesd.net. Vendor registration deadline is April 4th. Full info here.
|
Yankee Candle Fundraiser for the Dental Clinic
|
The Dental Clinic is holding its annual Yankee Candle fundraiser now through June 30th. 90% of all monies raised go directly to patient care! To order, click here. To see full information, check out the flyer. Thank you in advance for your support!
|
Steps to Cure Sarcoma
|
"Steps to Cure Sarcoma"--Join Mark Herzlich, our VMS alum and NFL football Sup  er Bowl winner, along with the community on June 12, 2016. All welcome---even your dogs! Register here. Full info here .
|
Philadelphia Soul
|
Come out to see the Philadelphia Soul while also supporting VFMS! For each ticket, Philadelphia Soul will donate $10 back to VFMS. A family-friendly event downtown and support for our school! Full info here.
|
Showcase of Jazz
|
On Saturday, April 9th at 5pm, Conestoga High School and TEMPO (Tredyffrin Easttown Music Parents Organization) will sponsor the second annual Stoga Showcase of Jazz... a Cavalcade of Bands Jazz Festival, to be held at Conestoga High School. We are excited to bring together students and community in an effort to promote the Jazz genre of music -- which is in fact America's only true art form begun hundreds of years ago. Tickets will be available at the door... mark your calendars now for a great nite of jazz at CHS! Full info here .
|
| 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
|
Running Programs
|
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! |
Shop Amazon/Help PTO
|
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.
|
| 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.
|
|
