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Pleasant Valley School

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Family Newsletter 3/27

Posted Date: 03/27/26 (04:17 PM)
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Pleasant Valley Elementary School logo featuring a blue paw print and the word 'Panthers'.

Pleasant Valley Elementary School

Pleasant Valley Weekly newsletter header with decorative floral elements and the date March 27, 2026.
 
Dear PV Families,
We had a great week here at PV. A few highlights...
🎶 A Day at the Symphony
We want to extend a huge thank you to our PTO for once again sponsoring the 3rd Grade Hartford Symphony trip. Our students were ecstatic, arriving at school in their beautiful outfits for the trip. A special thank you to Ms. Thompson for organizing this annual tradition, and to our instrumental and 3rd-grade teachers who attended as chaperones. The students and adults alike had a fantastic time!
🎬 Movie Night & Community Safety
Thank you also to the PTO for a successful second Movie Night! It was wonderful to see such a great turnout. A special thanks to the Ruszczyk family for running the event along with Ms. Dehaas and Mr. Worth. Thank you so much. Many of you met our new Safety Officer, Mr. Alexander Gonzalez, during his first day at the event. We are thrilled to officially welcome him to the PV family! With Mr. Gonzalez joining us, we are back to having two officers (Ms. Stevenson and Mr. Gonzalez) supporting our campus to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and families.
🚗 Arrival Reminders
To keep our Panthers safe, please keep the following arrival procedures in mind:
  • Arrival Time: Drop-off begins at 8:55 AM.
  • Instruction Begins: School starts promptly at 9:15 AM.
  • Late Arrivals: If you arrive after the drop-off line has closed, please park your car and walk your student to the front door to sign them in.
Leaving students to walk in alone after drop-off has ended is unsafe. Thank you for partnering with us to ensure students have time to settle into class before their day begins!

📢 PTO Board Nominations for 2026-2027
The Pleasant Valley PTO is officially looking for enthusiastic parents and guardians to join our Executive Board for the upcoming school year! We are currently recruiting for the following vital roles:
  • President
  • Vice President
  • Secretary
Serving on the board is a rewarding way to support our students, collaborate with staff, and help shape the wonderful community events that make PV so special. No prior experience is necessary—just a passion for our school!
If you are interested or would like more information about what these roles entail, please reach out to us at PTO@PVPTO.org.

Thank you for your continued partnership. Have a great weekend.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” — Nelson Mandela

Graciously,
Esther & Jenna
Excellence & Belonging
Every student, Everyday
A close-up of delicate white wildflowers and green grass, with the word 'Photos' overlaid.

Respect Students of the Month

A diverse group of smiling children proudly hold up certificates in a classroom setting.
Students and teachers gather in a school cafeteria, with some receiving awards.
Students gather in a school cafeteria, some standing and presenting, others seated at tables.
Children receive certificates and prizes in a classroom setting with round tables.
 

Hartford Symphony Trip - Grade 3

A group of smiling children and an adult take selfies on a school bus.
Children and adults seated in a theater with red velvet chairs, anticipating a performance.
A diverse group of children and adults are seated in a theater with red velvet seats, anticipating a performance.
 

4th Grade March Madness Author Challenge

4th graders had the opportunity this month to participate in a “March Madness Author Challenge”. Students were challenged to read a minimum of one book from each of the following authors: Sarah Weeks, Katherine Applegate, Gordon Korman and Kate DiCamillo. Students utilized a March Madness Bracket to battle against various books with the goal of experiencing new authors they may not have tried before!  Students were celebrated in the cafeteria and had a ceremony to receive their certificate and medal!  The love of reading was in the air!
A group of smiling children proudly hold up 'Bookstar Reader' certificates and medals.
 

High School Environmental Science Presentation to the 5th Grade

Students in a classroom listen to a presentation on a large screen.
 

Movie Night

A Big Thank you to our PTO, the Ruszczyk Family, Ms. Dehaas, & Mr. Worth for a Fabulous Movie Night!
A large group of people are seated on the floor of a gymnasium, watching a movie on a large screen.
A large group of people are gathered on the floor of a gymnasium, many lying on blankets and sleeping bags.
 

Classroom Kindness in Action

A boy helps a girl with Down syndrome read a book at her desk in a classroom.
A soft focus background of green grass and small white flowers with the word 'Events' overlaid.
  • Wednesday, 4/1: Early Release - 1:15 dismissal, Mad Science Club
  • Thursday, 4/2: World Autism Awareness Day - wear Rainbow Colors, STEM After School Clubs Session 3, Newspaper Club (Group 1), PTO Meeting 7:00 PM
  • Friday, 4/3: Good Friday - No School
  • Monday, 4/6: Spring Picture Day (See Below)

Celebrating World Autism Acceptance Day on 4/2

World Autism Awareness Day poster with an infinity symbol made of puzzle pieces.

Spring Picture Day - Monday, April 6th

A smiling boy in a teal shirt is framed by colorful spring flowers, announcing Pleasant Valley School's Picture Day on 4/6/2026.
A soft focus background of green grass and small white flowers with the word 'Announcements' in white script.

Message from Dr. Carter

Tuesday night the Board of Education approved a revised school calendar for this current academic year. Please note the change in the last week. Three days have been added to the calendar. Wednesday, June17th and Thursday, June 18th are both full days ending with a half day on Friday, June 19th. Please click here to read Dr. Carter's letter to families regarding this change.

 

Message from Chartwells

Good afternoon,

You are invited to join us at the Food Advisory Board Meeting on Wednesday, April 8th, in the Philip R. Smith School Cafeteria from 2-3pm!

Please see the attached flyer for more details and share with students, parents/caregivers, faculty, and staff. 

Hope to see you there!
Julia 

 

Message for Grade 5 Families for TEMS Principal

From Mrs. Irwin.....


I am excited to share information about the Timothy Edwards Music Program with everyone in order to help students and families make an informed choice about music classes in middle school. Click here to read the letter from the TEMS Music Department. Elementary music teachers will be meeting with fifth graders to note their selection, so it is incredibly helpful for parents and guardians to discuss this in advance.

The slides from the Welcome Evening in February are attached to this post, and I included an image with information about other upcoming transition activities below. 
A graphic displays upcoming transition information for March through June, including music class selection, middle school transition, counselor visits, and a field trip.
 

Kindergarten Registration

Colorful hands raised with drawings of sun, hearts, and clouds, announcing Kindergarten 2026 registration.
Click on the following links for more information on registration.

The text 'PTO Happenings' is overlaid on a soft-focus background of green grass and small white flowers.

Yard Goats Game

Tickets are on sale for Pleasant Valley’s Yard Goat Night on Saturday, May 16th. This is a 6:10pm game (gates open at 4:30) with fireworks after the game! Tickets are $18 each.

Join 149 of your closest PV friends for an awesome night at the ball park. Use this Zeffy link to secure your tickets: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/pv-night-at-the-hartford-yard-goats

When checking out on Zeffy, feel free to set the "extra donation" field to $0. Tickets will be on sale until 4/24 or until we sell out of our allotment. Important: When ordering tickets, please use the email and phone number that you’d like your electronic tickets sent to. PV PTO will be distributing e-tickets a few days before the game using that info.

Questions? Email Lindsay Ruszczyk at PTO@PVPTO.ORG
Flyer for Pleasant Valley Elementary School PTO Family Night at the Yard Goats baseball game on Saturday, May 16, 2026.
Questions on any of these events can be sent to PTO@PVPTO.org.
 
Text overlay reads 'Activities & Sports' on a background of green grass and small white flowers.







Text overlay 'Important Links' on a background of green grass and small white flowers.
PV Procedures
Attendance Monitor Instructions
FAQ
Cell Phone/Watch Guidelines
PV School Website
SWPS Schedule
PTO Website
PTO Shout Outs
Newspaper Club Webzine
District Lice Protocol
 
Arrival & Dismissal
A soft focus image of green grass and small white flowers with the word 'Reminders' in elegant script.
Image promoting school attendance with colorful hands raised.

Attendance

If your child is going to be absent, please log in to your Parent Portal and fill out the Attendance Monitor prior to the start of the day. It is very important that the office be aware of your child's absence. Attendance Monitor instructions can be found under Helpful Links, below.

If you would like to pick your child up early, please email both Mrs. Brown & Mrs. Strom or call the office at 860-610-0291.
A cartoon green car with blue windows is driving.

End of Day Pick Up/Car Rider Tags

If you would like to pick your child up at dismissal time, please email Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Strom or call the office at 860-610-0291 NO LATER THAN 2:00 PM

Please Indicate:
Student Name
Teacher Name
Tag Number
A green backpack filled with school supplies, including pencils, a notebook, and an apple.

Dropping off Items for Your Student

If you need to drop off items for your child during the school day, you will be asked to leave them in the vestibule outside the main office. Please be sure to write your child's name and teacher's name on the items and notify your teach via parentsquare or email that they have been dropped off.

From the Health Office

Infographic advising parents on when to keep children home from school.