News Archive: September, 2009

September 30, 2009 At the September 24 meeting of the Board of School Directors, Avon Grove School District officials gave a progress report on student achievement across all grade levels and highlighted successes, focus areas, and the path forward for meeting academic achievement goals outlined in the District’s 2008-2013 Strategic Plan. »Read More

September 24, 2009 Monday, September 28 is a teacher inservice day. There is no school for students. Enjoy your long weekend.

September 24, 2009 All students have been given many important forms to take home to be completed by their parents/guardians. They included new Internet and Media policy forms, Emergency Procedure Cards, and Free or Reduced Meal Program Applications. Also, the PTA packet included forms required for PTA Membership, Directory Opt Out, and Volunteer Sign Up. Please be sure to complete and return all the forms right away. Your prompt attention and cooperation in providing this necessary information is very much appreciated.

September 24, 2009 Applications for 2009-2010 free or reduced price meals are due no later than Wednesday, October 14. Students participating in this program must reapply each school year. The grace period will end on October 16. After this date, students without a current application on file will be charged full price for meals. Please return your applications as soon as possible. If your financial circumstances change, applications may be submitted at any time throughout the school year. Forms are available in the school office.

September 24, 2009 You may now request a bus pass when needed.
Bus 63 is at capacity so passes cannot be issued for Bus 63. Please be aware that others are near capacity and limited to 2-3 passes per bus; therefore we will NOT be able to issue passes for ANY groups of students (i.e. birthday parties, scout meetings, etc.)
Please send in a note with your child that includes all of the following: your student’s first & last name & teacher, the bus number & the first & last name of the student with whom your child is riding (or the location of the established bus stop,) the date, and your signature.

September 24, 2009 If you forgot to send in an order envelope last Friday on picture day, you may call Lifetouch at 610-684-4033 to order a packet. Retake day is scheduled for Wednesday, November 4.

September 24, 2009
• Students must be in their homerooms at 8:25. Students arriving after 8:25 must go to the office for a tardy slip.
• ALL absences for trips, educational field trips, family
days, travel days, etc. require PRIOR APPROVAL at least ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE in order to be considered an excused absence. This includes one day or multiple day absences. Excuse notes that come in after an absence for one of these reasons, when no prior approval has been requested, are unexcused absences.
• District policy states that excuse notes must be
received within 3 days after a student returns in order for the absence(s) to be excused. If a note is received later than 3 days after the absence, the absence remains unexcused. Warning letters are sent after 3 unexcused absences.
• IMPORTANT: The PA Compulsory Attendance Act states that a parent may write ten excuse notes during a school year. After ten parental excuse notes, a doctor’s note is required for each additional absence. You will receive notice once your child has had 10 absences excused by a parent note. You can access the entire Pennsylvania Compulsory Attendance Plan at www.pde.state.pa.us/k12

September 24, 2009 The AGIS PTA is proud to welcome 2 celebrated authors to our school. Ann Bausum, an award-winning author of U.S. History for young people will visit with our fifth grade classes on October 22-23, sharing the process of creating a non-fiction book from conception to publishing. She will also share and discuss a few of her recently released works.
The following week, October 29-30, Judy Freeman, writer, speaker, storyteller, and children’s book troubadour, will thrill and amuse us during Literacy Night on October 29. The next day she will entertain and educate our third grade classes on a wide range of storytelling styles and techniques.
We are pleased to offer such a wealth of knowledge and entertainment to our students.

September 24, 2009 AGI will participate again this year in the National PTA Reflections Program. This annual program is a popular opportunity for students to be recognized locally, regionally, and nationally for original works of literature, musical composition, visual arts, photography, dance choreography, and film/video production.

This year’s theme is “Beauty is..!” The theme must be reflected in the student’s work and students are required to include a title and artist statement on their official participation form. Students are encouraged to enter more than one submission, and to consider trying works in under-represented categories. Visual Arts and Photography receive the most submissions each year.

AGI students received guidelines and an official participation form in their Thursday folders encouraging them to participate in this year’s Reflections Program. All student entries must be received in the AGI main office by Friday, October 23. Submissions will be displayed in the hallway adjacent to the Audion from Friday, October 30 through Wednesday, November 11. All participating students will be recognized at a Reflections Reception on November 11.
Contact AGI Reflections Chair with additional questions, suggestions, or to volunteer to help coordinate the Reflections Art Show and Reception on Wednesday, November 11.

Traci Kveragas, AGI Reflections Chair - tracik94@hotmail.com

September 24, 2009

General Membership Meeting & Speaker: Please join us on October 20 at 7:00 p.m. in the audion for a general membership meeting. We are pleased to say that we will be having Michelle Neils as a guest speaker. Michelle will be presenting some terrific information about financial planning for college. Please join us for this very informative event.

Welcome New Families: Whether you are new to the area or new to our school, we would like to welcome you! The AGIS PTA will hold its first welcome event on Thursday, October 8 in the cafeteria from 9:00-10:00 a.m. Please join us for coffee, tea, and goodies and some insider information.

Membership : Just a reminder that all PTA forms need to be handed in by September 25. If you wish to join the PTA, opt out of the directory, or volunteer, please have those forms filled out and returned to school by that date. By joining the PTA you will be supporting our school and you will also receive a complimentary school directory. We look forward to working with you!

School Directory

Ads: We still have room for ads! Please contact Michelle Neils at mnmneils@aol.com for more information. Most of our ads are business card size, but a limited number of larger sizes are available.

Volunteers: If you would like to help by proofreading and/or distributing the directory, please contact Michelle Griffith at shellyg1207@verizon.net.

Unlisted Phone Numbers: If your phone number was NOT listed in last year’s directory and you would like it to be listed this year, please contact the school to ask that the unlisted tag be removed from your child’s record. If you have children at PLE and AGIS, you must contact BOTH schools.

Second Family Opt-In: This form applies to children whose parents do not live at the same address, and is a way for the non-custodial parent to have their address listed in the directory along with the child’s primary address. Forms are on the PTA website.

Opt Out Form: If you choose to NOT have all your family information published in the directory, you MUST return this form. Otherwise, all family information (parents’ names, home address, and phone number) will be published. The family information on file at the school will be used in the directory.

Deadline: All forms must be returned to school by Friday, September 25, and can be found on the PTA website. Please contact Michelle Griffith at shellyg1207@verizon.net with any questions.

Campbell’s Soup Labels: As a result of our Campbell’s Soup Label fundraiser last year we were able to provide playground equipment for the students at AGIS. All color pods received two bags full of playground equipment for the students to use during their recess times. Thank you to all of the parents who sent in labels and made this possible.

Visit the PTA Website for more information.

September 15, 2009 Read our Special Welcome Back Update for Back to School Nights,HERE!

September 10, 2009
THIS MONDAY & TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 & 15
Parents or Guardians, please plan to come “Back To School” to meet your child’s teacher and learn about his/her classroom procedures, plans, and expectations.

Purple & Blue Houses - Monday, SEP 14
Orange & Red Houses - Tuesday, SEP 15

All parents are to report directly to their child’s homeroom for one of two presentations at Either 6:30-7:15 PM or 7:20-8:00 PM.
Special area teachers will be available in the library also.
The presentations are prepared for the parents/guardians. Students are not expected to attend.

September 10, 2009 The PA Department of Education has set this year’s PSSA dates as follows:

•Apr 7-16 PSSA Reading & Math – Grades 3-8 & 11
•Apr 19-23 PSSA Writing - Grades 5, 8, & 11
•Apr 26-30 PSSA Science – Grades 4, 8, & 11
•May 3-7 PSSA Make Ups

These tests are very important and we ask parents to plan accordingly so that students are here on those days. We will be sharing more information about the PSSA throughout the year. Your support is appreciated.

September 10, 2009 We began our Fall MAP tests (Measures of Academic Progress) on Wednesday, September 9. All students will take the MAP on computers at various locations in the school. These tests take about 1 hour to administer. Each child will be assessed in Reading and Math. MAP is given 3 times a year and is a nationally normed test that gives our teachers excellent information about areas of strength and areas of need for their students. Following the fall administration, students will set goals for the year for growth based on the scores they receive over the next 2 weeks. The MAP schedule is as follows:
September 9 & 10 Orange
September 11 & 14 Purple
September 15 & 16 Red
September 17 & 18 Blue

September 10, 2009 During the day, your child may visit the nurses’ office and be seen by one of our two school nurses, Mrs. Dundon (purple/orange) and Mrs. Lee (red/blue), or by one of the district’s two floater nurses, Mrs. Rooney and Mrs. Dicce.
Children come to the nurses’ office with a variety of illness related symptoms, such as stomach aches, headaches, and sore throats. They are also seen for minor injuries such as scrapes, cuts, bumps, and bruises. In general, students are assessed and treated for these illnesses and injuries, and returned to class. Written notification is sent home with your child if medication is given for a headache. You may also receive a note from the nurse notifying you of your child’s visit if his/her symptom or injury has the potential to become more severe at home, and follow-up by a health care provider would be necessary. Parents are typically called only if illness-related symptoms are severe, such as high fever or vomiting, and the child cannot function in the classroom, or if an injury has occurred, such as a severe head bump or possible fracture, which warrants further medical attention. Please be sure that your child’s school nurse has your current home, work, and cell phone numbers so that we may reach you in the event of an emergency.

September 10, 2009

Lunch Info

• All students that have been on the free or reduced meal program must reapply each school year. Forms went home with all students.
• The cafeteria requires a note from a doctor if a student has any food allergies or is not able to drink milk with his/her purchased lunch. A new doctor’s note is required EACH year.

BUS & DISMISSAL INFO
• As in the past, requests for bus passes cannot be honored for at least the first two weeks of school. We will notify you in our newsletter when bus pass notes will be accepted.
• It is very important that you give your child a written note each day that s/he will not be riding a bus home. That note serves as his/her “ticket” to be picked up or to go to another area of the building at dismissal time.

MEDICATION
• Please note that ALL medication dispensed at school requires a note from the parent/guardian AND a note from the physician/health care provider.
• All medication must be in the original bottle/package and labeled with the correct student’s name, correct dosage, and correct instructions.
• Expired medication will not be administered.

September 1, 2009 The Avon Grove School District has begun testing its new Web-based parent communication system known as Edulink. »Link to full article.