PVMS Newsletter - 12/4/25
Upcoming Important Dates
Tomorrow! - First Friday Coffee Social - 8:15 - 9:00
12/11 - PCO Meeting (AM) & Book Fair with Odyssey Book Shop (PM)
12/19 - Pajama Day & Half-Day
12/22 - 1/2 - Winter Break
1/5 - School Reopens
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🌱 Room to Bloom: Final Phase!
From morning work cycles to joyful outdoor play and the leadership blossoming in Elementary, our students remind us every day why this new building matters.
We’re working toward our $50,000 goal to finish furnishing and preparing these new spaces so they can support our whole school community.
A heartfelt thank you to the families, staff, and alumni who have already contributed. 💚 Your generosity is helping these new spaces take shape for all of our students.
Together, we bloom!
ur Room to Bloom campaign continues to blossom thanks to the generous families who have already contributed! Your support is helping bring these beautiful new spaces to life:
The Rand Family
The Sweeney Family
The Schwartz Family
The Silverstone Family
The D’Amours Family
The Nortz Family
The Lynch Family -
Each year, our community donates new, child-sized hats, gloves, socks, and underwear to support children and teens at a local shelter—and we invite you to join us once again.
Items Needed:
Hats
Underwear
Gloves & Mittens
Socks & ScarvesHow to Donate:
Please place donations in the bin labeled “HUGS” at the top of the ramp, drop them off in the school office, or hand them to your child’s teacher in a bag labeled “HUGS.”Donations will be accepted now through December 18th.
Thank you for helping us spread warmth, kindness, and comfort to local children in need!
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Building Strong Readers From the Start
In a recent article, there are reports raising an important concern: many middle and high school students are still struggling with basic reading skills. A large survey of secondary teachers found that a surprising number of older students have trouble with skills like decoding, fluency, and understanding what they read- skills that are typically built in the early elementary years. Many teachers shared that these students likely missed key foundational steps when they were younger, and as schoolwork became harder, those gaps became more noticeable. Factors like limited early support, uneven instruction, and a drop in reading motivation were all identified as possible reasons for this growing challenge.
The article underscores that successful reading instruction for older students often requires going “back to basics”- reintroducing foundational literacy supports such as decoding, fluency building, and structured intervention rather than assuming older students just need content exposure. Some middle schools have begun adopting “structured literacy” or remediation models to help older students catch up.
Why This Matters and How Our Approach Fits
With so many older students nationwide struggling with essential reading skills, the article highlights just how important early, targeted instruction really is. One of the biggest takeaways is that the earlier a reading difficulty is noticed, the easier it is to support, and the more options a child has to access stronger, more intensive help if needed. Our school’s approach is
…[Read more about how PVMS supports our readers in our Pioneering Progress Blog→]
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Hampshire Regional will be hosting an in-person workshop on December 16 from 6:00–8:00 PM.
This session will help families learn why the Individualized Education Program (IEP) is important, how it is developed, and what each section of the document means. It will also cover measurable goals, available services, and how to better advocate for your child’s needs.
Location:
Hampshire Regional High School
19 Stage Road, Westhampton, MA 01027 -
Dismissal times for each program so families can plan ahead:
Toddler:
11:30 a.m. - Toddler Area
Children’s House:
11:40 a.m. – 11:50 - Front Driveway
Elementary:
11:50 a.m. – 12 noon - Front Driveway