PVMS Newsletter - 10/23/25
Upcoming Important Dates
10/24 (Tomorrow) - Parent/Caregiver Conferences - School Closed
11/1 - Open House 10:30-12:00
11/6 - PVMS Community Night at Panera
11/10 - Teacher Workday - No Classes
11/11 - Veteran’s Day - School Closed in Observance
11/25 - Harvest Day
11/26 - 11/28 - School Closed for Fall Break
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Our wonderful Spanish teacher, Ms. Millie, will be retiring and heading off to a new adventure in South Carolina! While we are so excited for this next chapter in her journey, we will miss her warmth, energy, and the joy she has brought to our classrooms!
Wishing you all the best, Ms. Millie — we’ll miss you dearly! -
Balancing Technology and Learning at School
At PVMS, we celebrate the many strengths of the Montessori approach- hands-on work, meaningful interaction, deep concentration, and rich language development. At the same time, we live in a digital age in which children are exposed to screens, apps, and devices from a very young age. Research increasingly shows that technology use in childhood can have both benefits and significant challenges, especially if not balanced thoughtfully.
What the research tells us
A recent review found that while digital tools can support learning and social connection, excessive or poorly regulated use of screens is associated with lower verbal intelligence, attention difficulties, and slower development of executive and emotional-regulation functions.
Another article notes that modern children frequently spend less time in direct social interaction and more time with screens, which may reduce opportunities to develop communication, self-regulation, and face-to-face social skills.
From the American Psychological Association (APA) guidance: it’s not just “how much” screen time, but “how” the screen time is used. They empathize quality (what children are doing) and context (who they are with, what they are learning), rather than setting strict time-limits for all ages.
The research also makes clear that screens may crowd out other essential activities- such as physical movement, imaginative play, human conversation, reading aloud, and hands-on exploration; all of which are foundational to healthy childhood development.
Why this matters in the Montessori environment
In a Montessori classroom, children are empowered to choose work, follow the process, concentrate, self-correct, collaborate, and develop independence. When screen time dominates outside of school, children may come into the classroom with reduced stamina for concentration, fewer opportunities for unstructured social interaction, or less experience in real-world tasks and language-rich conversation…[Read the full article on how families can support healthy screen habits →]
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Students are working on a special diorama project and would love your support. If you have any extra shoe boxes to donate, please drop them off at the office or pass them along to Ms. Jessi. Thank you for your help!
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We’re excited to share that PVMS has welcomed Brianna, our School Nurse, to the team! Brianna will be a helpful go-to for staff and families when it comes to medications, health forms, and overall guidance to support our students’ health needs.
As part of her role, Brianna may reach out directly if your child has any documented medical needs or requires medication while at school.
Please join us in giving Brianna a warm welcome!
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Our construction continues to make wonderful progress! Next week, the builders will be connecting underground lines between our two buildings. This work will take place on Monday and Tuesday, October 27–28, and will involve digging a trench between the existing school and the new Toddler building.
While this work is underway, please note:
The Toddler playground area and gate will be closed during this time.
There will be minor detours for classes walking to the main playground.
Toddler pickup logistics will look slightly different for these two days - Please refer to Ms. Tonya’s email for specifics.
Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we move into this exciting next phase of our build!
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SAVE THE DATE:
PVMS Community Night @ Panera
Let’s come together as a community!
Enjoy Panera favorites while supporting PVMS Community Activities—20% of sales will be donated when you show the flyer (digital or printed).When: Thursday, November 6, 4:00-8:00 PM
Where: Panera Bread, 450 North Main Street, East Longmeadow
**Community Time: 6:00 – 7:00 PM – Meet other families, connect, and build friendships!**
Reminder: Only orders showing the flyer count toward the donation. Gift cards, catering, and delivery orders do not qualify. Flyers will be distributed by classroom teachers, and we will have extras by the office!