ART GOES TO SCHOOL: This district-wide program is designed to enrich our children's education and expand their appreciation of fine art. Parent volunteers lead classroom discussions using reproductions of varied works of art.
ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM: The HSA sponsors a professional artist for a month's residency in the school. The committee works with faculty, students and the artist to enhance our children's imaginations and creative writing skills. Past artists have included a poet, storyteller and a playwright.
AUTHOR DAY: Penn Valley Students participate in a 1-day workshop by a noted author.
BAKE SALE: The 5th Grade Committee organizes our annual bake sale, which takes place on Election Day. Proceeds benefit the Lower Merion Township Scholarship Fund. Parents volunteer to provide baked goods and/or help sell them to PV students, parents, and members of the school community.
BINGO NIGHTS: A fun event for students and their parent(s) to get together and enjoy bingo, followed by an ice cream social.
BOOK FAIR: Be part of a thrilling time in our school year. place from November. A wonderful and plentiful display of books is in our lobby, giving students and their parents a chance to purchase books. Volunteers help the children select books and fill orders.
BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION: A simple way for the PV HSA to raise money.
Families are asked to send in the Box Tops for Education labels from General Mills products like cereals, Yoplait yogurt and a variety of GM snacks foods.
CAFETERIA COORDINATION COMMITTEE: Many of our first and second graders appreciate a little extra help when buying lunch for the first time. Parent volunteers, during the first 6 to 8 weeks of school, assist during lunch to familiarize the children with cafeteria procedures.
CHESS CLUB: PV students learn the various aspects of chess with an experienced instructor. Students are given ample time to develop their skills by playing against each other. Beginners to advanced players are welcome and will have different, specified sessions. Advanced registration and parental assistance (on specified weeks) is required for student participation.
CHILDREN'S GARDEN: This committee maintains a garden planted on the front lawn of Penn Valley to honor the memory of a former student. Parents can participate in planting activities with the children or simply volunteer for general gardening in the fall and spring. Help is always appreciated.
COMMUNITY SERVICE: This committee coordinates school and home participation in Aid for Friends, a non-profit agency that supplies food for the homebound. The committee helps teachers organize classroom preparation of soup and breakfast bags and Penn Valley families contribute frozen meals prepared at home. The committee also selects and coordinates other service projects for classroom and family participation, in addition to overseeing the Lower Merion Township Scholarship Fund Cards and Holiday Donation Cards.
CULTURAL ENRICHMENT: This committee selects and schedules interesting, informative and culturally diverse assemblies for our children. These programs are sponsored and funded by the HSA, with additional support from the school district. Contact the chairs with suggestions for assemblies or programs.
DIRECTORY: A very important book for all Penn Valley families! The Directory contains pertinent student information by class, lists staff members with their photos and provides information on the HSA Board, Committees and Chairpersons.
MORNING MUFFIN MINGLE: Children and their dads (or any other special adults in their lives) enjoy donuts, juice, milk and coffee in the school cafeteria before the start of the school day. Volunteers for this VERY popular event are welcome.
FAMILY FUN NIGHT: This is a great family event with music, food and games, a fun filled evening the entire family will enjoy. Volunteers help decorate, set up, greet, supervise and/or clean up.
FAMILY PICNIC: A great back to school tradition. Held in September, it's a chance for the whole family to renew old friendships and make new ones.
FIFTH GRADE ACTIVITIES: This committee, with lots of help from Fifth Grade parents, plans, organizes staffs and supervises the activities of the Fifth Grade including the yearbook, class trip, and fundraising. All fundraising sponsored by the Fifth grade benefits the Fifth Grade class activities.
GENUARDI REGISTER TAPES: A simple fundraiser for our school. Sign up by registering your Genuardi's Card # with the chairperson of this committee. Each time you shop at Genuardi's, Penn Valley will receive 1% of your purchased amount.
GIFT WRAP: This is the HSA's LARGEST fund-raiser. The funds raised support many of the events and activities sponsored by the HSA, especially our cultural enrichment assemblies. Items for sale include many beautiful selections of gift-wrap, ribbons, tissue, cards and delicious candy and gourmet food items.
HOMEROOM PARENTS: This dedicated group of parents assists the classroom teachers with projects, parties and obtaining chaperones for class field trips. In the event of bad weather or emergencies, it is the homeroom parents who make the calls notifying families that school will open late or be closed for the day.
HSA WEEKLY UPDATE: The HSA's primary means of communicating with Penn Valley families about its activities and upcoming events. The Update is sent home every week in your child's Thursday envelope. The HSA's Weekly Update Editor prepares it, so contact her if your committee has a message to convey.
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC: Our 4th and 5th graders show off their musical talents at their Band and Orchestra Recitals. Parents provide the baked goods and help organize and set up the post concert refreshments.
INTERSCHOOL COUNCIL: Our representative serves as the liaison between Penn Valley and the ISC by attending monthly general meetings and reporting back to the PV parents either through Windows, our newsletter, or at HSA meetings. In addition, the ISC rep promotes and advertises ISC events and activities within Penn Valley like the Mini-Grant Program and annual Art Show.
LIBRARY VOLUNTEERS: Parents work in the school library throughout the year shelving books and helping with other tasks.
LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP SCHOLARSHIP FUND: This organization provides scholarships for school district seniors to help pay for college. The proceeds from our November bake sale benefit the LMTSF. Tribute Cards, which make convenient gifts while supporting this worthy cause, are available through the Community Service Committee.
MEMBERSHIP: Collects annual dues, which support all HSA activities and help defray the cost of printing the PV Directory.
PLANT SALE: It's always one of the sure signs of spring when the school lobby is in full bloom for the annual Penn Valley Plant Sale. Parents help sell these beautiful annuals, perennials, herbs and hanging baskets to students, parents and teachers.
PLAYGROUND PARENTS: Parents of First and Second graders join their children on the playground during their recess. The parents organize games and activities for the kids, which can include jumping rope, hopscotch, basketball or hula-hoops.
PUBLICITY: Our chairperson prepares press releases with photos, when possible, for local newspapers highlighting interesting Penn Valley School activities. For other newsworthy stories, the chair works to obtain actual press coverage from print media, TV and radio stations.
PUBLISHING CENTER: All third graders write original stories and with the help of parent volunteers, each story is transformed into a bound "book" for the author. Other grades may also participate in this activity on a voluntary basis.
SCHOOL BOARD: Parent volunteers attend monthly education and business meetings of the Lower Merion School Board and report on the Board's activities at HSA meetings or in Windows, Penn Valley's newsletter.
SCHOOL FAIR: You won't want to miss this most exciting part of the school year when Penn Valley becomes a giant carnival with games of chance and skill, dinner options, and more. This event requires an enormous number of volunteers to prepare for the fair or to work a one-hour shift during the fair.
SCHOOL PICTURES: This day is always exciting at Penn Valley. Parent volunteers make sure all of our children look their best for the photographer with last minute hair combing, clothes tucking and words of encouragement.
SPECIAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE: Parent representatives attend the monthly meetings of the Committee for Special Education. They report on these meetings either through Windows, the PV newsletter, or at monthly HSA meetings.
STAFF APPRECIATION LUNCHEON: One of our best opportunities to show the Penn Valley staff how much we appreciate the hard work they do so well. Parents are asked to provide a salad, dessert or any dish they choose. The teachers enjoy it all. Volunteers can also help set up and clean up.
STAFF BREAKFAST: This breakfast is served to the staff as part of American Education Week activities. It's a smaller affair than the luncheon but still appreciated by the staff. Volunteers help prepare food, set up, serve and/or clean up.
TEES and SWEATSHIRTS: Penn Valley has a great selection of sweatshirts and tees printed with our logo. These attractive shirts are a great way for children to be identified on their various school outings. Parents help sell these items at several events throughout the school year.
WELCOME COMMITTEE: This committee welcomes new families to Penn Valley with a phone call and an informational packet regarding school and neighborhood activities. Tours of the school can also be given with advance notice.
WELCOME DESK: During American Education Week in November parents have a special invitation to visit their child's classroom. A welcome desk, staffed by parents, is conveniently located in the school lobby. It provides directions and name badges, and facilitates signing in and out in the visitors' log.
WINDOWS: This Penn Valley newsletter is a great source for information about events, programs and people. It's published 4 or 5 times per school year and anyone interested in lending a hand is encouraged to contact the editor. |
