MONDAY
MEMO
from the principal's desk
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16 September 2019 | Chartiers Valley Middle School
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Homework Club
The Homework Club will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 10 and take place every Tuesday and Thursday for the school year. Report promptly to room 3037 by 3:15 and come prepared to work. The activity bus will be available and leaves at 4:15. You must have a signed permission form to participate. Find the form at:
https://tinyurl.com/yykb8fdy
Global Minds Meeting
Are you interested in making new friends, making a difference, and learning about other cultures? Come to the next Global Minds meeting. Global Minds is a for-youth by-youth organization that inspires students to form social bonds, intercultural friendships, and to consider global issues through youth led extracurricular activities. There are currently 23 chapters throughout the Pittsburgh area. Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, September 17th, right after school in room 3042 in the Middle school. Questions? Contact jchan@cvsd.net
Student Council
Any middle school student who would like to join Student Council this year should plan on attending our first meeting after school on Thursday, September
19. We will meet from 3:10-4:10. There is a 4:15 activity bus to take you home. If you are unable to attend, stop into 3015 for an application.
Student Newspaper
Any student who wishes to be part of our Student Newspaper can find information on how to sign up for this club in the Student Life section of our website. All students are welcome. We are looking for a variety of contributions so that this year's newspaper can be as diverse and interesting as our school! Our first after school meeting will be held on September 9th in room 2062, the Spanish classroom.
Smile!
Picture day is scheduled for Sept. 27. More details to follow in the next few weeks.
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8th Grade Field Trip
Any 8th grade student who would like to attend the May 22, 2020 field trip to Washington, D.C. needs to bring in your permission slip and bus deposit by Monday, September 30.
Cross Country Shout-Out
Congratulations to the Middle School Cross Country team who had their first exhibition meet on Aug. 28 against West Allegheny and Freedom. For the boys team, Ryan Dumpman finished second overall with a time of 10:20 and Roman Cary finished third overall with a time of 11:26. On the girls team Eva Kulbago finished first overall with a time of 12:20. Great job runners!
Yearbook Photos Needed
Throughout the year if you have any photos please send them to
lmclean@cvsd.net
for consideration for the yearbook. Indicate what the photos include. For example, 6th grade —- team or girls grade 7 basketball blue team. Photos can be sent in by teachers, coaches, students and parents. Thank you! Leanne McLean, MS Yearbook Advisor
Box Tops for Education
Please help our PTSG by submitting Box Tops. See the following link for exciting contests, rules, and ways to submit:
https://tinyurl.com/yyqq64mg
School Newspaper Logo Competition- Calling all Artists!
Attention all middle school students: The school newspaper is looking for a professional looking logo for our website. The name of the paper is “A Dose of Colt Coffee” and we need an original logo that reflects our newspaper’s name. We are hosting a competition for anyone who is interested to participate. A digital logo should be submitted to
abautista@cvsd.net
no later than 11:59 pm on Wednesday, September 18th. The winner and the winner’s homeroom will receive a fantastic surprise on Friday the 27th of September. We wish all students the best of luck!
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Superintendent's Spotlight
A monthly message from Dr. Vanatta
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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.
- 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
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Inspiring, achieving and celebrating excellence!
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Chartiers Valley Middle School
50 Thoms Run Road Bridgeville, PA 15017 - 412-429-2220
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