High Lites December 17, 2021

On behalf of the administrators and staff at the high school we want to wish you a wonderful holiday season and hope that you and your family enjoy the upcoming break. We look forward to seeing everyone in the New Year.

Dr. Moss

Mrs. Baker

Mr. Berk

Mr. Marsh

We have a shortened week coming up. There is no school for students Thursday and Friday. NMTCC, however, is open to students on Thursday. Please see the information below on transportation. School resumes for all students on January 3rd.

Transportation is provided for both AM and PM technical students to attend their session at NMTCC. Since there is no school at PVHS a bus will pick up our NMTCC students at their respective bus stops. Please check with your tech bus driver to find out more information.

On Tuesday Dec 21st we will be following a PM Extended Homeroom schedule as we will share an important training regarding to Safe to Say as well as information on supports available for students in the High School. There will also be a fun challenge for each homeroom.

Changing Your Child’s Learning Mode - In the past we have aligned changes in instructional mode with changes to the trimester or semester. In light of the recent change to the strong recommendation for all to wear face coverings/masks, we will partner with parents to consider shifts outside of the pre-established timeframes. If you are interested in a shift between onsite learning and virtual learning, please complete this survey. We ask that you complete the survey by Monday, December 20 for consideration of a change on January 3. Please know that all change requests require consideration of various factors prior to an instructional mode change being implemented. Parents will be contacted by their building administrators to discuss potential implications to schedules and confirm any changes. All changes constitute a commitment for the following trimester/semester. In addition, information about Viking Academy, the district’s virtual school, can be found on the Perkiomen Valley website under the “schools” tab. To speak with someone about Viking Academy, please contact the following based upon the level.

• K-5 ~ Mrs. Krista Venza ~ Viking Academy Elementary Principal
• 6-8 ~ Mrs. Laurie Smith ~ Assistant Superintendent

Close Contacts are identified through contact tracing. The procedures and requirements for contact tracing, quarantine, and Test to Stay (TTS) are established by the MCOPH. Contact tracing procedures deem that …

• …if both the COVID19 positive student and an unvaccinated student who is exposed were both wearing masks and practicing physical distancing of at least 3 ft. or more, the exposed student WILL NOT be identified as a close contact and WILL NOT need to quarantine.
  
• …if both the COVID19 positive student and a masked or unmasked vaccinated student who is exposed were both wearing masks and practicing physical distancing of at least 3 ft. or more, the exposed student WILL NOT be identified as a close contact and WILL NOT need to quarantine.
  
• …in a case where either the COVID19 positive student and/or an unvaccinated exposed student were NOT both wearing masks and NOT practicing physical distancing of at least 6 ft. or more, the exposed student WILL be identified as a close contact and WILL need to quarantine.
  
• TTS is a COVID-19 strategy that allows individuals who are identified as a close contact to continue to attend school and participate in extracurricular activities for the duration of their quarantine period IF for 7 days after the last day of exposure, students (or staff)
  
• commit to assurance testing every other day, and
• produce only negative test results, and
• remain asymptomatic, and
• regularly wear a cloth face mask

TTS requires parental consent.

Our students can submit an anonymous tip through the Safe2Say Program. Tips are typically related to a variety of challenges our students experience or witness, such as bullying, harassment, disrespectful language, safety concerns, etc. When a tip is received, the State (who runs Safe2Say) immediately follows up with building administrators.

All students between the ages of 14 and 17 are required by Pennsylvania School Law to secure an Employment certificate, known as "Working Papers," before they may begin to work.

Working papers can be obtained in the high school main office. Please fill out the application and complete all of the information except for the parent / guardian signature. The form must be signed by the parent in person. Please also bring the proof of age for the student which can be a birth certificate, passport, baptism certificate, or driver’s license. The workers permit will be issued between the hours of 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Working Paper Application

There will now be after-school activity transportation every afternoon at 5:30 pm and is available to any student participating in an after school activity such as athletics, music practice, or student clubs. Also available on Tuesday and Thursdays will be a bus leaving at 4:00 pm. All busses leave from the main student parking lot. Each day that a student intends to take either the 4:00 pm or 5:30 bus home, they must use the electronic form to sign up so the bus company can work on the days’ bus routes.

This form must be completed every day by 10:00 am if they intend to ride the afternoon activity bus that day. Here is the link for the HS activity bus daily sign up: HS- https://forms.gle/fpYZuCSc7Yv6xfj89

Here are a few friendly reminders from the Technology Department about where to go if you are having issues with any of the following:

• Chromebook malfunctions/damages: Email the helpdesk@pvsd.org

• Forgotten student passwords: Go to https://accounts.pvsd.org

• FAQs about Chromebooks can be found on our website

Upon receipt of a written request from the parents of the students involved, students may be excused from school attendance to participate in an educational tour or a trip during the school term at the expense of the parents.

• An Educational Trip Form form must be submitted to the Principal five (5) days prior to the student’s departure.
• Approval for such trips is limited to five (5) school days per year. Additional days will be classified as unexcused and be subject to legal attendance regulations.
• A signature of the parent(s)/ guardian(s) must accompany the application.
• Every effort should be made to avoid proposing trips during final examinations and the State testing dates for students in participating grades and/or courses as such absences cannot be recorded as excused. Please see the testing schedules for PSSA and Keystone Exams included in this handbook.
• Non-school educational trips are not recommended for students in academic difficulty or with attendance problems and will not be approved.
• The five (5) days will be recorded absences and fall within the attendance policy. It is the responsibility of the student to contact his/her teacher to make arrangements to make up work missed during an educational trip.
• Students attending a college visit must complete an Educational Trip Form and return it to the attendance office with proof of the college visit.
• For additional information, contact your school principal.
  

Wondering when Career Study starts? When are APs? When is prom, graduation practice, the senior walk, and graduation? Senior Dates

This information is also posted on the class of 2022 webpage.

If your student might want to participate in athletics at the college level you need to start to plan now. From taking the correct courses, taking the ACTs or SATS and registering with the NCAA Eligibility Center. Click on the picture for a timeline of things to do.

PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency) is offering two webinars for parents:Covering the Gap and Understanding the Offer Letter . This is the time when families really need to understand the topics with College Award Letters and determining just what is the gap balance.

Covering the Gap: Pieces of the Puzzle to Help Pay Your Education Bill

Understanding education balances can be confusing. Whether you’re trying to address the costs or beginning to plan for higher education, this review is for you. Join PHEAA representatives Linda Pacewicz and Daniel Wray for a 1-hour webinar that will emphasize best practices (such as seeking grants and scholarships first), remind families about additional resources (such as payment plans), and review private/alternative loans as a last resort in the process of covering the gap and keeping balances affordable. The discussion will also include the basics of credit, what factors impact a credit score, how can a credit score be improved, and the effects on your borrowing capability.

December 14th, 6:30 pm

Understanding the Offer Letter and Balances

The “Offer Letter” or “Financing Plans” that you receive provide an idea of the costs associated with attending a postsecondary institution and can be confusing because each school formats their information differently. PHEAA, represented by Linda Pacewicz and Daniel Wray of PA Forward Student Loan Program, will assist you in this 1-hour webinar in understanding and navigating through the types of aid that are listed, what you are being offered, identifying the balances, and next steps needed so you can make knowledgeable and affordable decisions. Q&A interaction is encouraged.

December 16th Noon

REGISTER HERE

PV Power Packs is a weekend food program for students experiencing food insecurity. Bags of food, including 2 breakfast items, 2 lunch items, 2 snacks, and 2 fruits, are sent home with students prior to every weekend. There is no financial information required to participate in this program and students pick up their bags from their counselor or designated person every week.

We will begin distributing Power Packs on 9/10. You can sign up for your student to receive a Power Packs bag by filling out this form: Power Packs Sign Up

If you have any questions, email Sarah at powerpacks@pvsd.org.

Donations for Power Packs are always welcome!

The 2021-22 Health and Safety Plan includes the following updates:

• when in our schools, all staff and students are required to wear masks indoors; (We recommend students carry an extra mask in their bag in case it breaks.)

• students are required to wear masks while riding on buses (in accordance with the CDC order);

• physical/social distancing of 3’ is recommended;

• while eating lunch, students in grades 1-6 will be situated 6’ apart to the greatest extent possible;

• masks remain optional when students are outdoors (for example, during physical education classes, recess, learning activities, etc.)

To learn more about PVSD's updated Health & Safety plan, along with other COVID information, please go to https://www.pvsd.org/covid-information/.

Email: cmoss@pvsd.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/pvsd.org/perkiomen-valley-high-school/
Location: 509 Gravel Pike, Collegeville, PA, USA
Phone: (610) 489-1230
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PerkValleyHS/
Twitter: @PerkValleyHS