SHARE:  
MONDAY
MEMO
from the principal's desk
16 September 2019 | Chartiers Valley Primary School
Lunch for Life
K students only - September 17, 18 & 19 - Kindergarten students will receive a free lunch from The Nutrition Group!  

Bus Safety Presentations
Our SRO Officer Dan Elway will be teaching our students about being safe on the bus from September 17-19. Be sure to talk to your student about what they learned!
 
Changes to Lunch Menu
Changes have been made to the lunch menu for the month of September. Please view these updates on our online menu at https://cvsd.nutrislice.com/menu/

Lost & Found
Believe it or not, we already have items in our Lost & Found! If your child packs their lunch, please write their name somewhere in their lunch box so if they lose their lunch box we can get it back to them quickly. As the cool weather approaches, be sure to write their name in their sweatshirts & jackets, too.  

Peachjar
We have a new program that will have all of the flyers for the district including an upcoming Cheer Camp and Girls Lacrosse. Follow the link below to view flyers for the district: https://app.peachjar.com/flyers/all/districts/112/
 
Grade Level Presentations
The principals will be meeting with all students on Tuesday and Wednesday to talk about the Primary School. Feel free to ask your student about it!
 
Bus Safety Presentations
Our SRO Officer Dan Elway will be teaching our students about being safe on the bus from September 17-19. Be sure to talk to your student about what they learned!
Instagram
Chartiers Valley Primary School is now on Instagram! Find "all things primary" by following us @cvsdprimary. 
 
Scholastic Book Fair
Our Book Fair will be held on September 23-27 this year. More information will be sent home soon.
 
Open House
Mark your calendars to join us at your child’s Open House this fall:
October 3 at 6 pm - Grade 2 
October 10 at 6 pm - Grade 1
October 17 at 6 pm - Grade K
 
Early Dismissal Form
Please use the online early dismissal form. Click here to access the form. Please complete this form to ensure that the CVPS office receives documentation of a planned early dismissal for your child. All forms must be submitted prior to 3:00 pm on the day of dismissal. Thank you in advance for your cooperation! 
 
Morning Drop-Off
If you are driving your child to school, please remember to follow the car rider drop-off path each morning. After entering the CVPS campus, turn right and drive up to the top parking lot. Make a u-turn and drive next to the playground (it is on your right) and stay along the yellow curb. The teacher on duty may open your child's door but please encourage them to exit on their own if possible. You will then turn left to exit the campus.  

SMILE!
Mark your calendars! Picture Days are September 24 & 25. More information will be sent home soon.
Superintendent's Spotlight
A monthly message from Dr. Vanatta
Dear Friends,

Welcome to the first of a series of topics which I will share with our community. The purpose of these "spotlights" on various matters is to inspire dialogue within our community. I foresee the topics covering educational matters, concerns surrounding health and safety, student and community progress and inspiration, or even at times topics that are more lighthearted.  

Today, I would like to discuss a very serious and life-altering topic. The use of electronic cigarettes, or "vaping" as it is more commonly called, is having life-impacting effects on hundreds throughout the United States. As I am sure many of you saw on news outlets recently, hundreds are struggling with their lives and it is believed the common factor is the usage of e-cigarettes.  

U.S. health officials are urging people to stop vaping  until they figure out why some are coming down with serious breathing illnesses. Officials have identified about 450 possible cases, including at least five deaths, in 33+ states. The count includes newly reported deaths in  California Indiana  and  Minnesota ( Source ).

The New York Times wrote: “There is clearly an epidemic that begs for an urgent response,” Dr. David C. Christiani of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health wrote in an editorial published on Friday in The New England Journal of Medicine. The editorial called on doctors to discourage their patients from using e-cigarettes and for a broader effort to increase public awareness about “the harmful effects of vaping ( Source ).

I bring this information to you today because vaping is an epidemic that schools have been struggling with for the past few years. These devices have been marketed to our youth and regretfully, the marketing has been quite successful. Although the District provides health education on the harmful effects of vaping and imparts consequences when students are vaping on school grounds, these actions only assist partly in our charge to discourage students from this act. 

The district has seen students in all grade levels -- yes, even in elementary schools -- who have access to vaping devices. Many times these devices can look like a computer “flash-drive. I encourage those with children to have active conversations and be aware of devices and packaging which may be related to JUUL, or other electronic cigarettes.

Below is a short list of some key indicators to consider if you think your child may be vaping (source: Partnership for Drug-Free Kids): 

  • Presence of vaping equipment or related product packaging
  • Unusual online purchases or packages
  • Smelling faint odors of mint, fruit, bubble gum or chocolate cake
  • Increased thirst or nose bleeds
  • Decreased caffeine use
  • Use of vaping lingo in text messages or on social media
  • Appearance and/or behavior changes

I encourage you as parents, guardians and community members to speak with our youth about the harmful effects of vaping. Be familiar with what the devices look like, as there are many variations of electronic cigarettes, and vaping devices. If you have questions or concerns that your child may be vaping please notify your child's school and/or physician.   

Sincerely,

Johannah Vanatta, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Inspiring, achieving and celebrating excellence