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Pleasant Valley School

Dream. Achieve. Inspire.

Family Newsletter 10/2

Posted Date: 10/02/26 (04:22 PM)


Pleasant Valley Elementary School logo featuring a blue paw print and the word 'Panthers'.

Pleasant Valley Elementary School

An autumn-themed header features the text 'Family NEWSLETTER' and the date 'October 2, 2026', surrounded by pumpkins, colorful leaves, and a steaming mug.
 

💙💛 PV Family Newsletter 💛💙

Dear PV Families,

Happy Friday! 💙💛
Great news—our Readathon 2026 Fall Fundraiser is officially underway, and the competition is on! 📚🏆

Mrs. Clauson’s 2nd grade class is currently in first place (96%); Ms. Torress K class is in second place (94%); with Mrs. Donovan (2nd grade) and Mrs. Cezus 4th grade class tied for 3rd place; I/POP Ms. Vitterito's class is leading with most registered! But it’s definitely not too late for other classes and students to jump in, start reading, and compete for some big wins! 
Throughout the Readathon, we’ll celebrate our students during morning announcements and recognize their reading and fundraising accomplishments. Prizes will include classroom rewards, recognition for the top three students with the most reading minutes, top student fundraisers, and top fundraising classrooms. Please see below for more information about all of our prizes and celebrations.
Thank you to everyone who has already registered and participated! Funds raised will help support field trips and other special opportunities that enrich our students’ experiences here at PV.

📚 Book Fair Is Coming!
We’ll wrap up our fundraiser with our Fall Book Fair, October 13–16, concluding with our Family Night on October 16. Please see the flyer below for additional details.

🌟 This Week at PV
Be sure to read through the entire newsletter for photos and videos from another great week at PV, along with an update on our current Portrait of a Graduate focus: Engaged. We love seeing our students demonstrate what it means to be engaged learners throughout the school day!

🤝 Join Us for Our Next PTO Meeting
Our next PTO meeting is Tuesday, October 6, at Revolutions, 60 Bidwell Road, South Windsor, CT 06074 from 5:30-6:30. We would love to see you there!

Please read entire newsletter for more upcoming events and announcements. 

Thank you for your continued partnership and support of our students and school community.
Have a great weekend! 💙💛


Graciously,
Esther & Jenna
Excellence & Belonging
Every Student. Every Staff Member. Every Family. Every Day.
An autumn-themed banner with the word 'PHOTOS' centered in bold orange letters against a light background.

Practicing the Important Music Skill of Audiation

4th graders in Mrs. León's class are practicing the important music skill of audiation.  That means they are thinking the poem "Akkad Bakkad" in their brains, but they are not allowed to say it out loud!

Poem from India:
Akkad bakkad Boombai bo bo,
Akkad bakkad Mumbai mo mo,
Akkad bakkad bo, akkad bakkad mo,
Akkad bakkad Boombai Mumbai bo!

International Dot Day Art Work

A classroom wall displays numerous children's drawings for International Dot Day, featuring colorful circles.
A wall covered in children's drawings celebrating International Dot Day, featuring various colorful circular artworks.
A classroom wall displaying many children's drawings for International Dot Day, each featuring a unique colored circle and student name.

Recess Art Work

A collage of five photos showing children playing outdoors on a paved playground and near a school.

POP

Two young children play at a table with soft toy sandwich ingredients and a recipe card in a classroom.
Three young children sit around a table covered in craft supplies, drawing and cutting paper in a bright classroom.
An overhead view of children and adults holding a large, colorful parachute on a grassy lawn.
A banner with the text 'EVENTS' in orange, decorated with autumn leaves and acorns.
A Pleasant Valley Events Calendar listing school activities from Monday, 10/5 to Tuesday, 10/13, featuring blue and gold school colors and paw print graphics.
A colorful flyer titled Read-A-Thon 2026 outlining event dates, spirit days, and student fundraising prizes.
A school flyer announces Early Release Wednesdays with important dates, a 1:15 PM dismissal time, a paw print logo, a calendar, and a clock icon.
 
A colorful flyer for the PV Book Fair, happening October 13-16, featuring stacked books and an ice cream cone.
Book Fair Home Page for PV
Sign Up Genius for Volunteers
An autumn-themed banner with fall leaves, acorns, and mushrooms framing the text "THE PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE AT PV".

September and October Focus Area: What does it look like to be an ENGAGED Panther?

This week, our Panthers learned about showing engagement by taking ownership of their learning. Setting goals—whether formally or informally—and tracking progress are great ways for students to take ownership of their learning and feel pride in their work and accomplishments!

Our younger students were challenged to share a goal they have for themselves with their teacher or a peer. Our older students were asked to check in on a personal learning goal, reflect on the progress they have made, and determine their next steps.

Families can continue the conversation at home by asking, “What is something you are working toward right now?” or “What progress have you made, and what is your next step?” Celebrating the goals your child sets—and the progress they make along the way—is a wonderful way to encourage engagement and ownership at home, too!

Check out the photos below highlighting engagement in action this week!

A woman and a child sit on the floor playing a game with blue and yellow pieces in a classroom.
Two young students collaborate on schoolwork at a desk in a brightly lit classroom.
An autumn-themed banner features the word ANNOUNCEMENTS in bold orange letters against a light background.
Chartwells October Newsletter
A banner with the text "ART NEWS" features an autumn-themed border of leaves, acorns, and mushrooms.

Panther Pigment

This week's Panther Pigment spotlights 5th grade!!!
A colorful, hand-drawn art poster titled 'Panther Pigment: 5th Grade Art Spotlight' with the theme 'Socially Conscious Artists'.
An autumn-themed banner features hanging fall leaves, acorns, and the text "FISH!" in the center.

Add some Magic to your Monday!

A promotional graphic for 'Magical Mondays' with colorful text, encouraging Disney-inspired attire and play.

FISH! at Home Challenge

Try out some of these challenges that will keep you and your student engaged and being present in the moment! 
A colorful, illustrated poster titled FISH! CHALLENGE outlines nine connection activities like phone-free time and asking and listening.
Try out the Challenge and tell PV all about it!   Click the image for a printable copy.
A colorful worksheet titled 'Share Your Fish Tale!' features a large fish outline with fillable writing lines.
A banner with the text 'PTO CORNER' surrounded by a border of autumn leaves, acorns, and small pumpkins on a cream background.

Bingo night is 11/13 at TEMS!

A black and white flyer for Pleasant Valley Elementary School's 53rd Annual Bingo Night, featuring colorful bingo balls and a card.
Bingo night is 11/13 at TEMS!  Ticket sales start next Friday on 10/9.
$8 per ticket, includes bingo card.
Concessions, raffles, and additional bingo cards for purchase.
CASH PREFERRED!

We are looking for parent/guardian volunteers for the event.  Volunteers get 1 free bingo admission.
We are also looking for businesses and families to donate concessions, raffle prizes, and bingo prizes.
A Signup Genius link will come out next week to collect interest in volunteering and donating.

Please click on the below picture to buy tickets for Bingo.
A colorful graphic with text reading 'TURKEY TOY BINGO' featuring bingo cards, colorful balls, autumn leaves, turkeys, and a teddy bear.
 
PV PTO Events calendar for 2026-2027, listing monthly activities from August to June.
PTO Facebook Page
Questions on any of these events can be sent to PTO@PVPTO.org.
 
A banner with the text "ACTIVITIES & SPORTS" featuring autumn leaves, acorns, and mushrooms along the border.
A banner with a cream background, framed by autumn leaves, acorns, and mushrooms, featuring the word 'LINKS' in orange.
PV Procedures
Attendance Monitor Instructions
FAQ
Cell Phone/Watch Guidelines
PV School Website
SWPS Schedule
PTO Facebook Page
Newspaper Club Webzine
District Lice Protocol
A digital card with the word 'REMINDERS' in bold orange text, decorated with fall leaves, acorns, and small pumpkins.
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.
 
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.
 

From The Health Office

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