Hello Boston Valley Learning Community! Whether you are returning this year, or you are just beginning your journey at BVS, I am so excited to welcome you to a year of learning and growing together!
I must begin by expressing gratitude to all the folks who have worked so hard over the summer to prepare our school for the return of students and staff. Many thanks to our maintenance staff, summer cleaners and office staff. BVS looks amazing and we are ready for you! You will have an opportunity to see this for yourself at our Meet-Your-Teacher Supply Drop-off event happening Tuesday, September 8. The details of that event can be found below.
At Boston Valley Elementary, our partnership with caregivers and families is important to us. Communication is a critical component of that partnership and as a means of honoring that, you can expect to receive the BVS Bulldog Buzz Newsletter at the end of each month. In each edition of the newsletter we will preview the coming month, celebrate the accomplishments of our learning community, and keep you up to date on information from the main office, school nurse, counselor, Boston Valley PTSA, and myself. I hope that you will take time each month to review the newsletter and take advantage of the many opportunities to join us at BVS in the spirit of fun and friendship.
Midway through this newsletter you will find information about our BVS PTSA and upcoming events they are sponsoring. I hope that you will consider lending your support and a helping hand to our Boston Valley PTSA. This hard-working group of volunteers does an amazing job of providing fun and engaging activities for students and families, but they truly need your help! Two things you can do today to support our PTSA are to click on the link for Back-to-School BBQ volunteers and add your name, and get your child signed up for the BVS PTSA Fun Run, our biggest and only PTSA FUNdraiser.
I also want to offer a kind reminder that we are here for you! As needs and questions arise, please call the BVS Main Office at 716-646-3240 or email our office staff at [email protected]. You are always welcome to call me as well or email me directly at [email protected] with any questions or concerns you might have.
Looking forward to a wonderful school year!
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These two statements capture our expectations of all members of our BVS Learning Community. We strive to help our students understand that their words and actions matter and have an impact on others. Students are often reminded that the things they say and do should make those around them feel good and want to come back to BVS again tomorrow.
As members of the BVS Learning Community, we embrace that we are all here to learn and grow together. It is why we walk through the doors of BVS each day! We strive to meet each student where they are, while building their capacity to be active, engaged and independent learners.
We hope that you will help us support your children by also talking about these expectations at home.
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As we get our year off to a strong start and focus on building our BVS Community, our students and staff will focus on Cooperation for the month of September. Mrs. Lauer will spend time in each classroom welcoming students and teaching about cooperation. Our BVS staff will also support students as they learn about and practice cooperation. Working together is an important skill at school and at home. How will you help your child practice cooperation at home?
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Handbook Highlights
Birthday Celebrations
While we enjoy celebrating the birthdays of our Boston Valley Elementary students, we are not able to welcome birthday treats, food or non/food items, as part of the celebration. Student birthdays are recognized in the front foyer and individual classroom teachers will share how birthdays will be celebrated in their classrooms. We are also not able to permit passing out birthday party invitations at school.
Internet Enabled Devices
What is an "Internet enabled device?"
- "Internet-enabled devices" means and includes any smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, or other device capable of connecting to the Internet and enabling the user to access content on the Internet, including social media applications.
What devices are prohibited?
- Internet enabled devices include but are not limited to Smartphones, laptops, tablets, Smartwatches, game consoles, etc.
When is the ban in affect?
- The ban is in affect from the arrival on campus through the end of the day. Also known as "Bell to Bell"
What should I do if I need to contact my child during the school day?
- You can call the main office at (716)-646-3240, or email the main office at [email protected], or email the classroom teacher.
Where will my child put their internet enabled device?
- All students will be asked to store their devices in their backpacks for the entire school day.
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Our office is staffed by Mrs. Malloy and Ms. Meldrum. Greeting you at the front door will be Mrs. Cartechine & Mrs. Sreniawski.
By emailing [email protected], you can share information with Mrs. Malloy and Ms. Meldrum in the main office, and Nurse Liberti in the Health Office. You are always welcome to speak to someone in person by calling Boston Valley Elementary at (716) 646-3240.
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Students are welcomed into the building when the bells rings at 8:50am. Dismissal for car pick-ups begins at 2:55pm. Dismissal for students riding the bus begins at 3:00pm.
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Student Transportation: Assigned Seating on School Buses
Assigned seating will be in place on all elementary school buses.
This expectation is being implemented to support a safe, consistent, and well-managed environment for all students. Assigned seating allows drivers to remain focused on the road while also helping to
maintain appropriate behavior and ensure students are always accounted for.
Students will be expected to sit in their assigned seat for the entire bus ride each day. We ask for your support in reinforcing this expectation at home, as consistent cooperation is essential to maintaining a safe transportation environment.
If a student does not follow assigned seating expectations, it may result in school bus conduct being addressed in accordance with district policy.
Scene Safety
If there is a school bus accident, we kindly ask that you do not come to the scene. For the safety of the students and to allow first responders to work efficiently, we must maintain a controlled environment. Students cannot be released to parents from the roadside. In the unlikely event of an accident, we will keep you updated through district texts, emails, and calls.
Fisher Bus and our district have collaborated on the implementation of My Ride K-12, which allows you to check on your child’s bus information in real time. The instructions for accessing My Ride K-12 can be found here. You’ll register from that site, and My Ride K-12 will become the exclusive way to get information regarding busing, aside from calling Fisher bus. Transportation information is no longer available on Parent Portal.
Alternate Site Requests
If changes to your pickup and/or drop-off location are needed (somewhere other than your home address) on a regular basis, an alternate-site bus form must be completed via Forms and Flows ten days prior to the effective date of change. Fisher Bus will notify parent/guardian of approved/disapproved requests.
As we make our way through the school year, if you have any concerns regarding your child's experience on the bus, please contact Mrs. Lauer directly at 716-646-3240 or [email protected].
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Parents and caregivers driving their children to and from school should enter the rear parking lot to join the car line. As you follow the arrows to make your way to the concrete pad, please move slowly and patiently. For the safety of our staff and your children, do not pass other cars in the car line. Before our staff assist your child with entering or exiting the vehicle, please be sure to put your car in park. You do not need to exit the vehicle.
Parents who indicate they will pick their children up from school on a regular basis will receive a personalized placard that must be displayed on your dash while in the car line. Please do not remove your placard until your child has been loaded into the vehicle. Dismissal for car pick-ups begins at 2:55pm.
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As you become aware of necessary dismissal changes, please send a note to school with your child to be turned in to his/her teacher. If circumstances arise during the day that require a change to your child's dismissal plans, please phone the main office as early in the day as possible so that we can communicate the change to your child and his/her teacher.
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Welcome back, students and families! I hope you had a wonderful summer filled with fun, rest, and special memories. I’m so excited to see everyone and begin a new school year together!
Remember, it’s okay to feel excited, nervous, or a little bit of both. We are here to support you, help you feel safe, and make sure you have a great year. Let’s fill this school year with kindness, friendship, learning, and lots of smiles!
Wishing you a fantastic year ahead!
Mrs. Ferry 🌟
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Welcome back to all our returning students and families, and a very special welcome to our new students and families! We hope you had a restful summer and are ready for a great year.
Below are Health Office reminders to start the year off.
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New York State requires school health examinations for students upon entrance to school and in grades K, 1, 3, 5.
Please ensure your child's physical examination is current and that an updated New York State Examination Form is provided to the Health Office when applicable.
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New York State requires students to be properly immunized in order to attend school, unless they have a valid medical exemption. Required immunizations vary by age and grade level. If your child receives any immunizations during the school year, please send an update immunization record to the Health Office.
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New York State requires a health-care provider order for both prescription and non prescription (over-the-counter) medications, along with the appropriate parent/guardian authorization. Medications must be administered in accordance with the health care provider's written order.
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Aa a reminder, the Health Office cannot apply sunscreen without a health care provider/doctor's order.
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If your child needs cough drops during the school day, cough drops must be supplied by the parent/guardian and kept in the Health Office. Please provide a written note from the parent/guardian giving permission for your child to have them.
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It is always a good idea to send your child to school with a water bottle. Staying hydrated helps everyone learn and play.
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For our little ones, please send an extra change of clothes in your child's backpack or classroom. Please also send sneakers or appropriate closed toe footwear for playground and physical activities. Comfortable, safe footwear helps keep our students ready to move and play safely!
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The Health Office is here to support your child and your family throughout the school year. Please don't hesitate to reach out with questions, concerns or anything you feel would help us better care for your child while they are at school. Here's to a happy, healthy and successful school year!
Health Office (716) 646-3242
Fax: (716) 646-3272
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To All Parents and Guardians:
The Vision and Mission of the Hamburg Central School District are reinforced through our core values. One of our core values includes ensuring that our schools are a safe, kind and welcoming environment for our students to grow and learn. The goals of our District’s Safety Team have long remained focused on maintaining the safest possible school campuses through training, technology and best practices. This school year our district will once again utilize safety drills to help train staff and students in emergency responses utilizing Lockdown, Secure Lockout, Evacuation, Shelter in Place, Hold in Place, and Relocation protocols.
These drills, coupled with previous classroom instruction, continue to allow our buildings to best prepare and respond to emergencies that may occur throughout the year. NYS Education requirements include our building administrative teams sending home notification of upcoming safety drills that are planned. These notifications will be sent home prior to the drill(s) occurring.
Our District Safety team is looking forward to another year of working with our area Police, Fire and EMS partners as we remain committed to ensuring the highest levels of school safety in our District.
The emergency response terms used are:
- Lockdown: To secure school buildings and grounds if an immediate threat of violence happens in the school or outside. Students and staff move from hallways into rooms. Doors and windows are closed and locked and students and staff move away from doors and windows and remain quiet and out of sight.
- Secure Lockout: To secure school buildings and grounds against danger outside of the school. All students and staff outside move into the school building. Outside doors and windows are closed and locked. Some visitors to the building may not be allowed inside the building. The school day continues as normal.
- Evacuation: To move students and staff from the school building to a safe location.
- Shelter-in-Place: To keep students and staff safely inside the building when there is a safety concern outside the building. Students may stay in their classrooms for a continuation of instruction. Sometimes students and staff may need to shelter together in a predetermined safe area of the school, such as for weather emergencies.
- Hold-in-Place: To keep students and staff in their classrooms while dealing with short-term emergencies, such as a student needing medical help in the hallway. Students stay in their classrooms and instruction continues.
- Relocation: to move students and staff away from the school building and relocate them to a safe, secure location.
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Our school works with local law enforcement (police), fire departments, and other emergency response partners to make sure we are prepared for an emergency.
Part of this work includes:
- A District-Wide School Safety Plan on our website
- Safety drills in each school to practice and learn what to do in case of an emergency. State law requires we have eight evacuation (fire) drills, four lockdown drills, one relocation reunification drill and an early dismissal drill during the school year.
- Three school bus safety drills each year.
Safety Drills
Each school year before we have drills, we teach our students and staff about our emergency procedures to be sure that everyone knows what to do in an emergency. We teach in a trauma-informed way, which means we try not to scare anyone or make it seem like a real emergency. In a developmentally appropriate way, we talk about the kinds of safety drills we will practice during the school year, how a safety drill will be announced, and what students should do in each type of safety drill. When we practice evacuation (fire) drills, the drill is announced by the fire alarm going off. For all other drills, we always tell students and staff that it is a drill and not a real emergency.
In an Emergency
If there is an emergency at your child’s school, please:
- Do not go to school. Coming to the school can prevent emergency personnel (e.g., police, fire department) from getting to the school quickly.
- Do not call the school. Our priority is to protect the wellbeing of our students and communicate with emergency personnel, and we cannot respond to callers.
- We will contact parents/guardians using our Parent Square as our notification system as soon as possible. Please make sure your emergency contact information is always up to date at your child’s school.
- Check the district We will provide information to the public as soon as possible. We will provide regular updates as quickly as we are able. Information that is not from our school administration or our communications office may not be correct.
If you get a call or text from your child, help your child stay calm. Tell them that school staff know what to do in an emergency and will keep everyone safe.
If you have any questions regarding school safety, please contact the Building Principal.
Thank you for helping us protect the wellbeing of our students.
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The Pupil Services Department is excited to be partnering with Parent Network to offer free, online training opportunities for families. The special education 101 training is great for anyone who wants to learn more about procedures, NYS regulations, and strategies to promote a parent's understanding and participation in an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting. Please see attached documents for information about upcoming training.
SAVE The Date: The District Special Education PTSA will be meeting on October 14 at 5:30. The Special Education Committee of Hamburg Central PTSA is a welcoming group of parents, caregivers, and staff who support students receiving special education services. Membership is open to everyone. Learn more or get involved by contacting Chrissy Pleban ( [email protected]) or finding us on Facebook (Hamburg PTSA Special Education Community).
If you have any questions about the upcoming training or SEPTSA please reach out to the Pupil Services Office at 716-646-3200 extension 7119. We would be happy to help you!
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Click below to view our current employment opportunities.
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