The Falcon 
Valley Forge Elementary School's PTO Newsletter 
Issue 5
October 30, 2015   
Message from the PTO President
Dear Valley Forge Elementary School Families:
 
Hope everyone is doing well! I am beginning to enjoy the cool weather.
I attended Scary Gym on Monday and boy, were the children excited?!!! I was helping out during my fourth grader's time frame and they had so much fun. We have the best team to help transform our gym into a spooky masterpiece. Many, many thanks to Bridgid Burkert for managing and handling Scary Gym and making our kids so very happy! We have some of the best startlers and monsters who help make it fun for the children. Thanks also to Angel McAveney for overseeing the event.
Our Book Fair was a huge success, thanks to all of you! Heather Bittenbender, Sarah Culbert, Jamee Rivers, and Karen Reaume chaired the Book Fair and were available during Scary Gym hours as well. Thank you so much!
This was an exciting week! I hope you can help us bring more fun-filled events for our children by volunteering. You can find volunteer positions at vfespto.org.
As always, I love to hear from you. Please feel free to email me at ptopres@vfespto.org.
Much love,
 
Rujuta Mandelia
VFES PTO, President
School News
Math in Focus Open House - Grades K-2
  
Please join the T/E Elementary Math Specialties for an open house designed to provide information about Math in Focus concepts and skills.
  
Wednesday, November 11th from 1:15 pm - 3:15 pm
Valley Forge Elementary Science Rooms
  
Learn about the visualization strategies for solving problems, how to promote flexible thinking with numbers, how to help with homework and how to access and use ThinkCentral.
  
Look for information on the open house for Grades 3-4 coming in the next edition.
  
yellow-flower-closeup.jpg Calling All Gardeners
 
The first graders at VFES planted some beautiful flowers all around the front of the school last spring.  In order to keep these gardens looking beautiful, we are in need of some gardeners who would be willing to help weed these gardens.
  
If you are interested, please email Amanda Ivory amandaivory@comcast.net for more information.  
  
Thank you for your help with this project!
Teacher Spotlight: Mr. Alex Johnson
 
You can always find him in the gym if you follow the sound of music in the halls.  He keeps the kids moving and shaking with loads of physical activity.  His epic "Sun Dance" at VFES outdoor activities is legendary.  Mr. Alex Johnson is a favorite among the students with his games at gym, after school sports clubs and Falcon Fun Camp in the summer and over breaks. He never stops moving!  He did stop moving long enough to answer some of our questions so parents and students could get to know the man that keeps our kids active.  This is what he had to say...

 

Mr. Johnson Teacher Spotlight  

Community News
Cello Fury School Assembly & Community Performance
       
Cello Fury will perform for the entire school on the morning of Monday, November 9th! 
 
A cello rock powerhouse featuring three cellists and a drummer, Cello Fury's original music combines the emotive and symphonic sounds of the cello with driving rock beats to create a cinematic, progressive rock sound.  This PTO funded cultural arts assembly will highlight to our children that traditional classical instruments can play many different styles of music!
 
Cello Fury will also perform live for the community at Valley Forge Middle School on Friday November 13th at 7:00 PM. 
 
Tickets for this DELTA sponsored performance are $10 and on sale at www.artsdelta.net or at the door. To inquire about reduced rates and reserved seating available to groups of 10 or more, e-mail artsdelta@hotmail.com.
 
For more information on DELTA, please visit www.artsdelta.net. For more information on Cello Fury, please visit www.cellofury.com.
'STOGA Showcase of Sound 
       
Music lovers of all ages take note... the 6th annual 'Stoga Showcase of Sound Cavalcade is Nov 7th at 5pm at Conestoga High School.  Bands from 16 area schools, including our own Marching Pioneers, will perform at Teamer Field.  Come join in the excitement!
 
Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online at www.stogamusic.com
 
T&E Care Fall Fest
       
Once again it's time for the T&E Care annual fundraiser.  This year's Fall Fest will be on Saturday, November 7, 2015, at St. Davids Golf Club.  
 
Everyone is invited to attend, and RSVPs can be made right on the website, www.tecare.org.  
 
T&E Care is a non-profit that lends assistance to families in the T/ESD who might be struggling due to any number of reasons.  Referrals come from the schools, local churches, or other sources.  All requests are confirmed and confidentiality is key, as these are our neighbors.  This all-volunteer organization is not supported with any government funds - only local donations and a few grants.  This fundraiser is key to helping it have the funds to cover requests as they come in during the balance of 2015 and all of 2016.  
 
Please check the website for more information, to buy raffle tickets (you do not need to be present to win the raffles), or to RSVP.
B.U.I.L.D Fall/Winter Events
  
B.U.I.L.D. is a group of parents and professionals of the T/E School District, who have formed a support group for parents of children with learning differences.

Meetings are held during the school year providing useful information and creating an opportunity for discussions on various topics. All meetings are held at 7:00 PM in the T/E School District Administration Building at 940 West Valley Road, Suite 1700, Wayne, unless otherwise indicated
  

BUILD Contact Information

BUILD Fall/Winter 2015 Events

Gratitude Corner     
Many thanks to Heather Bittenbender, Sarah Culbert, Jamee Rivers, and Karen Reaume for all of their time and energy for this year's fantastic Book Fair!  We also thank all of the parent volunteers who helped with set-up, breakdown and throughout the week with the class visits.  This is such a wonderful event that the children enjoy so much!
 
Thank you to Mr. Johnson for coordinating the Fall Recess Laps Program and all of the parent volunteers who helped keep track of all the laps our children ran/walked.  Our children were in great shape for the 5K as a result of all the practice they put in during recess laps!
  

Thank you to Mrs. Swetkowski for organizing Mix It Up Day on Tuesday during all of the lunches!  The children had fun sitting with new friends and even some teachers and VFES staff members during their lunches.  Thank you as well to Tarin Cataldo, Andrea Sau, Julie Soura, Mojdeh Pour, Shannon Korff, Heather McConnell, Amanda Ivory, and Allie Richardson who helped the lunches run smoothly!
 
Many, many thanks to the amazing chairpersons for this year's Scary Gym, Bridgid and Kevin Burkert, Steve Gilmartin, Tarin Cataldo and Angel McAveney!  This was an absolutely amazing event!  We appreciate the countless hours these people worked to get everything just right for Monday!  We also thank all of the parent volunteers who helped to build, set-up, guide children through the maze, donate snacks, work behind the scenes of Scary Gym to fix things and startle children, keep order in the cafeteria and all of the other jobs needed to have this special event run so smoothly.  We also thank Mr. Johnson for the use of the gym and for being so accommodating with his classes all day Monday in order for Scary Gym to take place. 
  
Thank you so much for the wonderful
support you gave to the 2015 book fair. The children were thrilled to see you helping out with their class visits and loved returning with their wish lists to purchase their books. Big shout out to Mrs Ferguson and her fourth graders who so ably assisted Mrs Riley's afternoon Kindergarten class. The generosity of the VFES parents means that the PTO will receive a healthy sum to put towards its fundraising goals. Thanks also go to our stalwart gang who assisted with set up, dismantle and Scary Gym. - Heather Bittenbender and Sarah Culbert


In This Issue
Math in Focus Open House
Calling All Gardners
TESD Teacher Spotlight
Cello Fury
'Stoga Showcase of Sound
T&E Care Fall Fest
B.U.I.L.D Fall/Winter Events
Upcoming Events 
  
11/3 - No School
  
11/6 - VFES Picture Retake Day
  
11/9 - Cello Fury Assembly
  
11/13 - Kindergarten Bear Hunt
  
11/13 - DELTA show at VFMS
  
11/23 & 11/24 - Parent Teacher Conferences
  
11/23 & 11/24 - Half Day Grades 1 thru 4, No Kindergarten
  
11/25 thru 11/30 - No School
Useful Links

Add/Change Email
  
  
2014-2015 Falcon Publication Dates 

 

 

Valley Forge Elementary School                          

99 Walker Road, Wayne, PA 19087                       

(610) 240-1600                               

Fax (610) 240-1615                                

Absentee Calling # (610) 240-1600 ext 5