Valley View News- January 2026

We have had an excellent start back to school. Our students are working extremely hard everyday and we are super proud of them. Our big fundraiser kicked off today at our Magic Gives Back assembly. The students were so excited to have Mr. Rick Smith back in the building. We hope that you and your student(s) will be able to participate by helping us sell tickets to the show or encourage people to make donations to Valley View if they are unable to attend the show.

We also completed another one of our very important safety drills today. We practiced how we would move safely and quickly into safe and secure locations in case of an emergency. We are very thankful for the support of our school resource officers and other Wadsworth policemen for their assistance in our drill. It is so wonderful to have such a professional and caring police presence in our building.

Keep your eyes and ears open for our upcoming PTO events as we have Bingo, a dance, and a talent show all just around the corner. And if you haven't joined the PTO yet there is still time! Click here to visit the PTO site.

House Bill 114, which was signed into law in December of 2025, states the following:

"(2) Each school district board of education shall admit to kindergarten any student who is five or, for a student who has not completed first grade, six years of age by the first day of instruction of the school year of admittance."

Wadsworth has determined that as a result of this legislation to enroll in kindergarten for the 2026-2027 school year, a student must be five (5) years old by August 20, 2026.

This month, we spent time learning about PERSEVERANCE, and how important it is to have this skill in life. Perseverance means that we keep trying even when things are hard. Often when we talk about PERSEVERANCE, we talk about having grit and determination. This is a mindset called GROWTH MINDSET. Having a growth mindset means that we believe we can achieve things with hard work and effort and don't give up, regardless of our natural-born abilities.

A big shout out goes to our guest speaker, Lauren Regula (Olympic Softball Player), who came to speak with our students at the beginning of January about what it means to persevere!!!

The Fabulous Feather Duster awards are given out by our custodians to the classrooms who do the best job of keeping their classroom clean and tidy. This month's winning classrooms are:

Mrs. Dougherty - KG

Mrs. Stallings & Mrs. Gleason - 3rd

The Golden Spoon award is given out by our cafeteria staff to the classroom that does the best job of keeping their lunch tables clean and tidy. This month's winning classrooms is:

Mrs. Palcisco - 1st

The Recess Grizzlies of the Week awards are given out by our recess monitors to students who are doing an excellent job of being Safe, Kind and Responsible on the playground and during indoor recess. Recess Grizzlies of the Week are able to choose one to three friends to sit up on the stage during lunch for the week! If they choose a variety of friends each day, they can enjoy lunch with up to 15 different friends over the course of the week!

Congratulations to BRODY BOCIAN for being our Valley View School Board Student of the Month!

Please read this HELPING YOUR CHILD SLEEP newsletter. It provides information re: why sleep is so important for the developing brain, and what steps you can take to help your child develop good sleep habits.

Print out and Review these reading vocabulary FLASHCARDS to help your child prepare for the upcoming OST test. When students understand what the question is asking, it helps them to be able to narrow down options and make the best choice!

Here are practical, low-pressure strategies you can use at home to boost their understanding.

1. The "Pause and Predict" Technique

Third graders are often eager to finish a book, which can lead to skimming. Slow them down by turning the story into a game of "What Happens Next?"

• Before reading: Look at the cover and the blurb. Ask, "What do you think this book will be about based on the picture?"

• During reading: Stop at a cliffhanger or a major character decision. Ask, "Why do you think they did that?" or "What do you think they’ll do now?"

• After reading: Compare their predictions to what actually happened. This builds inference skills—the ability to read between the lines.

2. Create "Mind Movies" (Visualization)

Strong readers "see" the story like a movie in their heads. 3rd graders often need help developing this "mental imagery."

• Sketch it out: After a descriptive passage, ask them to draw a quick 2-minute sketch of the scene.

• Sensory questions: Ask questions that aren't about the plot, such as: "What do you think that forest smells like?" or "How cold do you think the water was?"

How to reduce anxiety related to taking the state test, and helping them focus on "Showing What You Know":

Box Breathing: Use the "4-4-4-4" method: Inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Practice this daily for two minutes before regular reading lessons so it becomes a reflex.

Encourage "Best Work": The Strategy Toolbox

Third graders often rush because they want the "threat" to be over. You can encourage stamina by giving them concrete "tools" rather than just telling them to "try harder."

1. Be a "Test Detective": Reframe the test as a mystery. "The test-makers tried to hide the answer in the text. Your job is to find the evidence and prove them wrong."

2. The "Cross-Out" Power: Teach them the "Rule of Two." In almost every multiple-choice reading question, two answers are obviously wrong. If they can find those, they have a 50% chance of success—this lowers the stakes of being "wrong."

3. Slash and Trash: Physically (or digitally) cross out the "trash" answers. It gives them a sense of control and action.

4. Parent "Pep Talk" Envelopes: Write your child a short, encouraging note and seal it in an envelope. Give these to your child to open right before the test begins. Knowing someone at home is rooting for their effort (not their score) changes their heart rate.

January 2026

• 1/15 Magic Gives Back Kickoff Assembly
• 1/16 More Alike Than Different Day - 4th Grade
• 1/19 NO SCHOOL Martin Luther King Jr Day
• 1/20 Bookmarkers Book Club - 3rd & 4th Grade
• 1/20 More Alike Than Different Day - 3rd Grade
• 1/21 More Alike Than Different Day - 2nd Grade
• 1/21 PTO Meeting 5:00 pm
• 1/22 More Alike Than Different Day - 1st Grade
• 1/23 More Alike Than Different Day - Kindergarten
• 1/23 PTO Bingo Night in Cafeteria 6:30 - 8:00 pm

• 2/16 NO SCHOOL - President's Day
• 2/17 Bookmarker's Club 3rd & 4th Grade 8:00 am
• 2/19 Parent Teacher Conferences 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm
• 2/19 PTO Conference Meal
• 2/20 PTO Dance 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
• 2/21 Magic Gives Back Fundraiser 7:00 pm at WIS Auditorium (Get your tickets now)
• 2/27 End of 2nd Trimester

• 3/2 Family First Night
• 3/2 - 3/6 Right to Read Week
• 3/5 Talent Show Rehearsal (Time & Location TBD) - PTO Event
• 3/6 Talent Show (Time & Location TBD) - PTO Event

Our secretary, Mrs. Musacchia, is the contact person for calling off your student and any change of dismissal plans throughout the day. Please call the attendance line at 330-335-1431 and leave a message with any changes BEFORE school starts. Any changes after 9:00 am, please call the main line at 330-335-1430. We recommend you let Mrs. Musacchia and your child's teacher know when your student will be absent, leaving early, or arriving late. We ask that all end-of-the-day dismissal plans be made by 2:45 p.m. Thank you for your efforts! **REMINDER- Mrs. Hamsher must approve all vacations AHEAD OF TIME. Please send her an email requesting excused absences. khamsher@wadsworthschools.org

Yearbook order forms will be coming this weekend. They can be ordered online or via check. Checks must be made payable to RIPCHO STUDIO. Cost is $22.00

Valley View Office Team

Valley View Elementary

Main Phone: (330) 335-1430

Attendance Line: (330) 335-1431

Fax number: (330) 335-1428

Principal: Keri Hamsher

khamsher@wadsworthschools.org

Secretary: Holly Musacchia

hmusacchia@wadsworthschools.org

School Counselor: Tallie Paz

tpaz@wadsworthschools.org

Clinic: Rose Jaeger