The Falcon 
Valley Forge Elementary School's PTO Newsletter 
Issue 1
September 3 , 2017  
Message from the PTO President
Dear VFES Families,

As the old Staples commercial reminds us, it's the most wonderful time of the year! It's the start of a new school year, and with new school supplies come new faces, including many of us on the PTO board.

While we were all enjoying our summer vacations, the PTO was hard at work to make this year a great one! Thanks to your continued generosity throughout the 2016-2017 school year, we were able to purchase 43 iPads, 43 iPad cases, and 4 charging stations, in addition to 10 Osmo Kits and Coding Kits. We will also be purchasing water filtration fountains to replace the four main water fountains in the school, which will be installed in the Fall. In addition to these gifts to the school, the PTO purchases the planners that each third and fourth grader uses. It's the second year in our house for these planners for two of my children, and I had no idea they were a gift from the PTO until recently!

The PTO is trying something new this year and bringing the directory to the 21st century and going online with it! It will be done in conjunction with the MySchoolAnywhere App and we believe it will not only bring a level of convenience to our busy lives, but an added level of safety to our personal information and that of our kids. You will learn more about this at the Back to School nights.

Our first PTO meeting is this coming Friday, September 8, at 9am in the large group room. All are welcome (including young children). I encourage you to attend,  and to learn about all the ways you can become a part of the school community through the PTO.

Believe it or not, there are many opportunities to volunteer from home, you don't always need to be be at the school! In fact, we need two Falcon editors to take over my subpar newsletter creating capabilities, in addition to many other vacancies. Head over to www.vfespto.org for more information.

I am really looking forward to being a part of the PTO this year, and I look forward to working with all of you! Don't hesitate to email me with any suggestions, questions, etc. at [email protected].

Best wishes for the school year!
Heather



School News 
New - Automated Attendance Calls and Emails
Beginning this school year, the District will be sending an automated phone call and email when a student is absent from school so that parents may readily respond with a valid excuse. The email will provide parents with an easy option to reply and indicate the reason for the absence. Parents may disregard the call and email if they have already provided a valid excuse to the school's attendance office.

Back to School Social - Friday, September 15
6-8 pm
Join us in celebrating the start of a great school year! Enjoy ice cream and water ice, complete with a fixings bar from Scoops and Smiles in Malvern! It's a fun event that starts the year off on a sweet note!


Fall Clubs Coming Soon!
The PTO is in the process of finalizing plans for an exciting Fall Club program.   Fall Clubs will begin October 2 and run for 6 weeks.   Look for a Fall Club Flyer email in the next several weeks.  The PTO is always looking for new club ideas.  If you have an idea and would like to participate as a club instructor, please let us know via an email to   
Don't forget to join us on Facebook! Search for the Valley Forge Elementary PTO - it's a closed group, so you need to request to join.
Community News 
Join Cross Fit Kids fitness program with our own Mr. Johnson! Click here for more info!
 
Gratitude Corner
Thank you to Beth Stanfield for organizing the New Family Tours last week at VFES.  New families were welcomed by Beth and her 4th grade tour guides: Mahnaz Askari, Leila Chiazza, Peter Doran, Jack Fulton, David Ivory, Hadleigh McConnell, Maura McConnell, Aydan Meyer, Ian Palmer, Alexa Reid and Annabelle Stanfield.  Thank you to Beth and the 4th graders for helping these new students feel welcome and ready for a great school year!

Thank you to Heather McConnell for getting our lobby decorated for the start of school!  What a great welcome for all as they enter our school!

Thank you to Tracy Scully for organizing our Birthday Bulletin Board in the cafeteria.  The students love to find their names on the bulletin board when it's their  birthday month.  Come check it out!

Thank you to Lauren Doran for our Eyes of a Child photography program in the school lobby.  We love to see all these smiling faces greet everyone as they walk through the lobby!

Thank you to Mrs. Wills, Mrs. Brooke, the office staff, the custodial staff, the teachers and the building aides who helped get the school year off to a great start!  We know everyone worked very hard over the summer months to organize classrooms, organize classes and students, order supplies, clean and polish the floors, hallways, bathrooms, classrooms and more, stuff red folders and much, much more!  We thank you all for all of these efforts to make this year great at VFES!

Thank you to Amanda Ivory for coordinating the Back to School luncheon for the staff of VFES! Amanda always makes sure to have have a special treat for dessert, and once again, she did not disappoint!


In This Issue
Message from PTO President
School News
Community News
Gratitude Corner
Upcoming Events

 
9/4  No School

9/5 Kindergarten Starts!

9/8 - PTO General Meeting, 9am - Large Group Room

9/12 - BTS Night, 7PM, Grades 1 &2

9/15 BTS Social with Scoops and Smiles Ice Cream 6-8 PM
Useful Links
  
  
Falcon Publishing Dates

See schedule here



Questions or Comments?
  
 
Heather McConnell
Interim Newsletter Editor


Heather McConnell
PTO President  
   
Rebecca Wills ,
Principal


Quick Links

 

Valley Forge Elementary School                          

99 Walker Road, Wayne, PA 19087                       

(610) 240-1600                               

Fax (610) 240-1615                                

Absentee Calling # (610) 240-1600 ext 5