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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

December 15, 2025

Important Dates

This Week

Dec 14 - 22 | Hanukkah

Dec 16 | Tuesday

6 - 7 PM 8th Grade Events Planning Meeting.

Dec 17 | Wednesday

6:30 PM EdFund Meeting

Dec 19 | Friday

Student of the Month & End of 1st Semester Celebration Day.

Weeks Ahead

Dec 22, 2025 - Jan 5, 2026

🚫 No School - Winter Break / Floating Work Day.

Dec 25, 2025 | Thursday

Holiday - Christmas Day

Dec 31 | Wednesday

Last Day : Dine with Pine at ROAM

Order Online | Visit ROAM

Code: PINEVALLEY25

2026

Jan 1, 2026 | Thursday

Holiday - New Year's Day

Jan 5 | Monday

🚫 No School - Floating Staff Work Day

Jan 6 | Tuesday

📅 School Resumes

Jan 12-16 | Mon - Fri

Dine with Pine & Inclusion Week

Jan 14| Wednesday

1.30 - 2.30 PM EEC Meeting

Jan 14| Wednesday

6.30 PM EdFund Meeting

Jan 16| Friday

Staff Appreciation Day

Jan 16| Friday

🔔 Yearbook Ads submission deadline (8th Grade)

Jan 19| Monday

🚫 No School - Martin Luther King JR. Holiday.

Jan 22| Thursday

6.30 PM - PTA Meeting

Jan 23| Friday

Students of the Month

From the PTA President

🎄✨ May your season be joyful and bright! ✨🎄

❤️ The Pine Valley PTA ❤️

🧍‍♀️Standing - left to right :

Mr. Elf, Simone Yamshon (Core & Leadership Teacher), Juliet Grossman (Communications | Digital Creator), Chaitali Saha (Financial Secretary), Reema Chazbek (EdFund President & Staff Appreciation) Priscilla Chan (Treasurer & Odyssey of the Mind), Marnie Noel (EVP & EdFund Corporate Matching), Sharvari Shimoga Nagaraja (Reflections), Olga Georgiev (Run for Education & Family Engagement), Valerie Powell (Recording Secretary), Girija Aul (Communications | Social Media).

🧎Kneeling - left to right:

Anne Sutantyo (Communications | Newsletter Editor), Anna Zakharyeva (PTA President), Sandy Kontilis (Pine Valley Principal), Liliana Avalos Salas (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion).

cdc917be-f3d0-4270-954c-62d55a383b88 image

Congratulations To Our Amazing Principal, Ms. Sandy Kontilis !

🏆 Winner of the San Ramon's 2025 Business & Community Awards : Educator of The Year

Ms. Kontilis was honored by SRVUSD on December 3, 2025, as Educator of the Year for her inspiring leadership, dedication to students, and for fostering a student-centered culture where every student can thrive. (Source: San Ramon Chamber of Commerce)

👏 Thank you, Ms. Kontilis, for your vision, compassion, and dedication to empowering learners, our school community is lucky to have you!

Grading & Assessment Reform Information

We Need Your Feedback!

Dear Families,

Here’s the link with all the information and presentation on the Grading and Assessment Reform. Please review it, as these changes will impact our students.

We need your feedback! Please complete this feedback form. Your input matters —the reform committee reads every response carefully.

Thank you for your time and support.

-Anna Zakharyeva

Pine Valley PTA President 2025-26

Events & Meetings

📣 Join our next PTA meeting!

Thursday, January 22, 2026

🕔 6:30 PM 📍 PVMS Library

Everyone is welcome

8th Grade Events Planning Meeting - Calling All Parents!

December 16

Attention 6th - 8th grade parents!

Come to our upcoming meeting to discuss the 8th Grade Promotion Events.

8th Grade Parents: Learn about event details and volunteer opportunities to get involved in your child's promotion celebrations.
6th & 7th Grade Parents: Get familiar with future milestone events and volunteer to support the tradition.
All Parents: Share your feedback and creative ideas to enhance the event planning.

Your participation is greatly appreciated!

📅 Tuesday, December 16, 2025

⏰ 6 - 7 PM

📍 PVMS Library

For questions, email 8thgradeevents@pinevalleypta.org

Fill out this this form to volunteer.

Support PV Education Fund

Upcoming meeting:

Wednesday, December 17, 2025

🕔 6:30 PM 📍 PVMS Library

_{Does Your Employer Have a Matching Gift Program?}

Many employers will match your donation to our school that means your contribution can go twice as far — helping funds programs that directly benefit our students. It’s a simple way to make a bigger difference without giving more.

Visit our website for more information. Check to see if your employer will match your donation!

Check for a Match

Questions?

Contact Marnie Noel pinevalley.edfundmatching@srvef.org

Pine Valley Education Fund Tax ID 20-0030511.

✈️ Spectacular Sardinia - Art Tour ✈️

April 4 - 13, 2026

Tricia Grame, art teacher at Pine Valley Middle School, is offering a creative, fun, safe and educational tour led by an authentic Italian artist, photographer, and educator from Sardinia.

Open to students and adults, this is Tricia's 9th Tour with Jet Vacations. Parents interested in joining or learning more can contact Tricia at: 📞 925-786-0631 | ✉️ tmontair@comcast.net.

📥 See Brochure for itinerary and reservation form.

Support Our School

_{Dine with Pine at ROAM - Get 5% Off}🍔

Now - December 31. 2025

Dine in, take out, or order online with code PINEVALLEY25 for 5% off, and Roam Burger donates 5% back to Pine Valley. NOT valid on delivery apps. 🍔 Offer valid through Dec. 31

📍Visit ROAM San Ramon or Order online today.

_{Support PV Teachers’ Projects / Classrooms}

Your support helps our teachers create engaging projects that directly benefit Pine Valley students. Consider donating today and help our classrooms thrive!

Select a project / classroom you want to support and donate through DonorsChoose platform.

Pick a Project & Donate

Shop Uniforms & Spirit Wear

Need More PE Uniforms?

Order now to stay ready for class all year long!

Buy Uniforms

Gear Up with Puma Pride!

Show your puma pride with fresh gear available to purchase online.

Buy Spirit Wear

Portraits, Yearbook & Dedication Ads

Order Your Yearbook Today!

When you order early, you help us plan for accurate printing numbers. Enter code "7897" to place an order

Order Now

8th Grade Ads

Yearbook ads are accepted on a space-available basis. Submit your Ads early to guarantee your space! Deadline: 1/16/2026. Enter code "7897" to place an order

Submit Ads

School Portraits

Love that adorable smile ?

Order your child's school portrait today.

Order Now

Resources

New SRVUSD volunteer requirements - Be a Mentor

🌟 Get Cleared to Volunteer! 🌟

New and returning volunteers: Fingerprinting and online certifications are quick, but approval can take up to 4 weeks. Get cleared early to join school events and field trips!

How to get cleared to volunteer:

1. Take the 15 minutes Livescan fingerprint background check.

👉 Visit your nearest Livescan location like Postal Annex to get started.

2. Take the Mandated Reporter & *Sexual Harassment Prevention Training.

👉 Watch the traiining videos.

* Already completed Sexual Harassment Prevention Training through your employer? You don't need to retake it! Just upload your completion certificate - see an example

Go to beamentor.org and login for more information

Get Cleared to Volunteer

Red Card for Immigrant Families

Everyone in the U.S. has constitutional rights, no matter your immigration status. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) created Red Cards to help families know and assert their rights if approached by ICE.

Download and print your own at home: 👉 www.ilrc.org/red-cards