Sept. PMP: Here we go!

Dear Falcon Families,

Happy Labor Day! I hope you are enjoying a wonderful holiday weekend. As we prepare to welcome our students back tomorrow, I want to extend a huge thank you to our entire community for the collective effort it takes to get ready for a new school year. It was fantastic seeing so many of you at our recent welcome and supply drop-off events!

Because tomorrow is the big day, here are the essential reminders you need for a smooth start:

🗓️ First Day of School Schedule

• Kindergarten - Grade 5: The first full day of school is tomorrow, Tuesday, September 8th.
• PreK Students: Attendance is by appointment only on Tuesday, Sept. 8th and Wednesday, Sept. 9th. The first full day for all PreK students is Thursday, September 10th. (If you need your appointment time, contact Mrs. Nicole Penzetta or Mrs. Gwen O'Doherty).
• Reminder - Please complete this form to ensure we have accurate dismissal information: STUDENT PICK UP FORM
• Please note, if there are court orders or custody agreements, those are required to be provided directly to our registrar, Deirdre Bonanno, at 10 Education Drive.

✏️ School Supplies

• Drop-off: If you still need to bring supplies, please leave them at the designated table in the school lobby. Ensure all items are clearly labeled with your child's name, and we will deliver them to the classroom.
• Assistance: If your family needs assistance sourcing school supplies, please email me at sessomswiggins.c@beaconk12.org so I can connect you with our School Social Worker, Ms. Greenspan.

📣 Communication & Upcoming Events

• Principal’s Monthly Post (PMP): This is your monthly update for school news. Grade-level updates will be posted on our website and sent via robo-messages. Teachers will also reach out soon with their preferred communication tools (like Remind or email groups).
• Meet the Teacher Night: Join us on Thursday, October 1st from 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM. This is a parent/caregiver-only event, but volunteer-led childcare is available if needed.
• PTSO & Spiritwear: The first PTSO meeting is coming soon (connect at jvfptso@gmail.com or Instagram @jvforrestalptso). You can also follow school updates at @jvffalcons. Check out the flyer below to visit our open JVF Spiritwear Store!

Thank you for your partnership, and welcome to the 2026-2027 school year! If you have any questions please reach out at 845-838-6900 x5601 (Note - District offices are closed today 9/7 for Labor Day) or sessomswiggins.c@beaconk12.org.

September

• 8th - First Full Day for Students K-5 (Pre-K students attend by appointment only)
• 10th - First Full Day for Pre-K
• 21st - No School - Yom Kippur
• 27th - Spirit of Beacon Day
• 28th - October 2nd - PTSO Scholastic Book Fair Fundraiser

October

• 1st (6:00 - 7:30 PM) - Meet the Teacher Night
• 2nd - Last Day of the PTSO Scholastic Book Fair
• 8th - Fall Picture Day
• 12th - No School - Indigenous Peoples' Day / Italian American Heritage Day
• 17th - BCSD Girls in Sports Day (Registration Link)

Have a great day! See you soon!
Mrs. Wiggins

PTSO School Store!

The store will be closed for the second half of the month, while Joker Ink prints your Spiritwear and ships it to the school to be sent home with your student. The school store will remain open according to this schedule over the summer months!

There is an optional $5 donation you can add to your cart. This will help ensure that the PTSO can make sure every student has a tshirt that needs one.

Before Care + After Care with Healthy Kids

Please see the attached flyer - Healthy Kids is now enrolling for both Before Care & After Care at JVF.

Before Care begins at 7:30am and After Care goes from JVF dismissal through 6:30pm.

All questions and communications are handled directly through Healthy Kids staff - you can visit their site for additional info and FAQ.

Girls In Sports Day

We are excited to launch Moments Of Our Year, a community bulletin board located right in our school lobby! We invite you and your children to contribute memories to this board throughout the entire school year to help capture our community's journey. You are welcome to share family photos, sweet notes, or favorite student artwork and writing pieces. To participate, just stop by the lobby and leave your items in our designated drop-off area next to the board, where you will find pins to add them. We can't wait to see this grow into a beautiful, reflective snapshot of our year by June!

P.S. Thank you to Mr. Alfred, our Head Custodian, for helping us bring this vision to life!

Below are some helpful procedural reminders to help you plan for the upcoming school year. You can also visit our school website and review this information in our School Handbook.

Arrival & Dismissal Procedures

• Breakfast Doors Open: 8:30 a.m.

• Homeroom Begins: 8:40 a.m.

• Late Pass Required After: 8:50 a.m. (available from our Security Monitor)

• Dismissal: 3:10 p.m.

  • Pre-K dismissal begins at 3:00 p.m.

• • Bus Students will arrive/dismiss through the building at our Main Entrance

  • All students may be dropped off in the morning starting at 8:30am in our valet parking lot, where staff will greet them at your car.
    

    Alternatively, students may be dropped off between 8:40 AM – 8:50 AM at the designated locations listed below:

  • Pre-K – Grade 1: Lower Door near Playground 8:40 - 8:50am for arrival, 3:10 for dismissal

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    ** PreK is the only grade level that will dismiss at 3pm

    
    

  • Grades 2 & 4: Parking Lot / Upper Side Door 8:40 - 8:50am for arrival, 3:10 for dismissal

  • Grades 3 & 5: Parking Lot / Upper Side Door 8:40 - 8:50am for arrival & Lower Parking Lot Side Door (Blue Canopy/Stairs Area) 3:10 for dismissal

  
  

  Important Reminders:

• Do not drop off students before 8:30 a.m. unless enrolled in Healthy Kids Before Care (call 845-528-2342 or email lindsay@healthykidsprograms.com

• Students should not be left unattended after 3:10 p.m. if your student has permission to walk home, this needs to be communicated with the teacher and main office and noted on their pick up form (see link below if you haven't already completed one)

• Families picking up students in Grades 2 & 4: meet by the side door near the garden.

• Families picking up students in Grades 3 & 5: meet by the blue canopy/stairs area

Attendance

The Beacon City School District requires:

• Children must be 5 years old by December 1st to enroll in Kindergarten.

• All students aged 6–17 must attend school regularly, as required by New York State Education Law.

Reporting Absences:

• Call the Attendance Office at 845-838-6900 (Ext. 5602) on the morning of your child’s absence.

• A written note is required for each day your child is absent, including:

  • Student's name

  • Date(s) of absence

  • Reason for absence

• For extended absences, notify the school in advance or as soon as possible.

You will receive a call from the Attendance Office each day your child is absent, unless you have already reported the absence.

Excused Absences Include:

• Student illness

• Family emergency due to illness

• Religious observance

• Required court appearance

• Death in the family

• Severe weather or impassable roads

• Emergency medical or dental appointments

Note: If early pickup is needed, it should take place before 2:45 p.m.

NYS Cell Phone Update & BCSD Policy

While New York State has passed the Distraction-Free Schools Law, our elementary school cell phone policy remains unchanged:

• Phones must remain off and stored in backpacks from 8:50 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.

• No phone use is allowed during the school day.

Breakfast & Lunch: Free Meals for All Students

Our district is participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a federal program that provides free breakfast and lunch to all students — no forms or applications are required.

CEP helps:

• Increase participation in school meals

• Eliminate school meal debt

• Promote nutrition and well-being for all students

For more information, view the full update from our Director of Food Services by clicking HERE.

Photo Declination Form

If you DO NOT wish for your child’s photo to be used in school or district communications, please complete the Phone Declination Form.

Parking & Safety

• No parking in The Villas lot (private property).

• No double parking along Liberty Street.

• Bus loop is for buses only between 8:30–9:00 a.m. and 2:45–3:45 p.m. If picking up early, please park in the school lot and report to the main entrance. Early pick up must be before 2:45pm

• Speed limit: 15 mph on school days (7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.).

• Families should park on the Liberty Street side of the lot. The building side is reserved for staff - there is signage there as well

Throughout the year, this section will be updated with monthly curriculum updates and highlights of the work happening across JVF.

This month please review the Special Area Class reminders below - students follow a 4 day cycle and your child's teacher will provide which specific class is held during the cycle for their class!

Additionally, we are excited to welcome Ms. Maher as our incoming art teacher once she completes her transition from her previous district. While we finalize her start date, our students are in wonderful hands as beloved, retired Falcon Ms. Pezzo steps in to teach art in the interim. We look forward to a fantastic, creative start to the year and will keep you updated as Ms. Maher’s official arrival approaches!

This is especially helpful for our new families, but it's also a great reminder for returning families! Our schools follow a 4-day cycle for Special Area classes. Your child's teacher will share their specific day cycle schedule at the beginning of the school year. In the meantime, here are a few helpful reminders to help your family prepare for a successful start to the year!

**Please note this is a sample schedule and your student's actual schedule will be shared by their classroom teacher so you are aware which special they have throughout the 4 day cycle.

All of our elementary schools continue our shared commitment to Social Emotional Learning (SEL) through the Positivity Project (P2). Rooted in the belief that "Other People Matter," P2 helps students develop the 24 character strengths that foster positive relationships, resilience, and a strong sense of self.

After a successful first full year of implementation at JVF last year, we are excited to continue building on the positive culture we've created together. Students will continue to learn about our weekly Character Strength through classroom discussions, morning announcements, and activities that encourage them to recognize these strengths in themselves and others. Teachers also incorporate these strengths into Responsive Classroom Morning Meetings and other daily interactions, helping students make meaningful connections between character and everyday life.

This year, we are especially excited to continue growing opportunities for students to lead and connect through initiatives such as P2 Pals and other activities that reinforce our shared commitment to kindness, belonging, and positive relationships.

The Positivity Project continues to be an important part of strengthening the caring, connected culture we strive to create at JVF. We look forward to partnering with families as we continue this work and will share updates and celebrations throughout the year!

Tomorrow we kick off P2 for this year with an introduction to Other People Mindset - As we enter this week with introducing Other People Mindset I want to include the 5 elements we will focus on in addition to the P2 family letter to support carryover conversation at home with your family!

Here are the five Other People Mindset elements:

1. Identify and appreciate the good in other people

2. Understand that your words and actions affect other people

3. Cheer other people on when they succeed

4. Support other people when they struggle

5. Remain present and give other people your attention

2nd Grade + PreK P2 Pals

Last year we piloted a K-1 Skateboard program in partnership with Andrew Singh former JVF Falcon and Founder of Connect Skateboarding! Checkout their recap video below to learn more about the program offering at JVF and how Andrew is serving communities in and around Beacon, NY!

We look forward to offering this opportunity along with other clubs and activities during this school year!

Our Fall Club Parent Packet will be sent home at the end of this week!

The district is hiring for a variety of roles - You can view the full list of BCSD employment opportunities here:

BCSD Employment Opportunities

JV Forrestal Elementary School

125 Liberty Street Beacon, NY 12508

Crystal Sessoms Wiggins, Principal

Main Office: 845-838-6900 x 5601 or x5602 (Attendance)

Instagram: @jvffalcons

NYS Cell Phone Update & BCSD Policy

While New York State has passed the Distraction-Free Schools Law, our elementary school cell phone policy remains unchanged:

• Phones must remain off and stored in backpacks from 8:50 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.

• No phone use is allowed during the school day or on the school bus

Need to get a message to your student during the day? See the elementary contact sheet below