Mission Statement: Valley View’s educators impart their enthusiasm and love of learning to our students. Rigorous standards underpin lesson planning and challenge students to work to their potential. Data driven instruction provides the basis for teaching to individual strengths while addressing specific needs. Valley View students are encouraged to be respectful, responsible, and compassionate citizens of our learning community. School culture and climate remains positive when children strive to be advocates for diversity and acceptance. Valley View’s motto inspires and guides our daily practice. Children, parents, teachers, and administrators trust that Valley View is a school “where all children can learn!” Valley View is a NJ state school of character as well as a national school of character!
Character Education At Valley View Elementary School
Character Education plays a major role in the Valley View School environment. Each year students use our green screen to come up with creative ways to express how Valley View teaches the core values of respect, kindness and acceptance to the children. Both staff and students work together on these presentations. Enjoy our "It's Raining Respect" video to the right which highlights character education at our school!
Please visit our school's Youtube Channel to enjoy more Valley View videos which includes concerts, school initiatives, goals, television clips, programs and class projects.
Enjoy!
News And Notes From Valley View Elementary School
NEW! Dear Members of the Valley View Learning Community.... The last day of school has come! Although these few months have been challenging, we amazed ourselves as we conquered Distance Learning. Thank you to students, parents, teachers, and paras for all of your hard work and determination to ensure that learning remained a priority. Congratulations to all of our children and especially our Pre K, Kindergarten, and 5th Grade students who celebrated this week with fabulous move-up ceremonies! As the summer sun heats up, I encourage everyone to slow down, eat lots of ice cream, read for pleasure, and enjoy a well-deserved respite. Yours in Panda Pride,
Dr. Kennedy
NEW! Happy Fathers’ Day to Valley View's Definitely Awesome Dads!
Faithful friends
Action heroes
Trusting allies
Homework helpers
Energetic playmates
Resourceful counselors
Super role models
Thank you for all that you do for your children and families! Hugs, Dr. Kennedy
NEW! Beginning in Grade 4 you can join the band or orchestra!! We are so pleased to be able to offer this wonderful opportunity for your son or daughter! Incoming 4th and 5th grade students may choose to play the orchestra instruments of violin, viola, cello or bass, or the band instruments of flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone, or percussion. Each week they will receive instruction in small groups on their chosen instrument, and participate in a large ensemble rehearsal. Please click on the link below to view a presentation and access the google survey sign up sheet. We look forward to seeing your child in band or orchestra next year! For more information, click here.
NEW! Dear Parents and Guardians, please note that students who have District Chromebooks will be able to keep them over the summer and return them in the fall. If there are any issues with the Chromebooks regarding trouble shooting or repairs, please contact the Tech Department (techhelp@montville.net). The Tech Department will be sending out specific fall return information shortly. Additionally, students who have rented instruments may return them to the Music Shop in Boonton. We will not be collecting these instruments at school. Take good care, Dr. K
NEW! June 1st…where has the time gone? We began to shelter in place on March 17th and have been ENGAGED ever since in Distance Learning! You might ask why I put the verb ENGAGED in bold face with capital letters. Well, it just happens to be our Panda Pride Character Education principle for the month of June! ENGAGED to many conjures up ideas of marriage proposals, diamond rings, and wedding plans. Not so for PANDAS! ENGAGED to us means that we have been “busy with, working at, engrossed in, and participating in LEARNING each day in spite of the pandemic! Our belief is that even when times are difficult, if we continue to be committed to our CORE VALUES, we will grow strong in character and succeed. Thank you to all of our students, teachers, parents, and guardians who remain ENGAGED together as a Community of Learners! Hugs, Dr. Kennedy (Click here to download our Panda Pride Poster).
NEW! Drop-off Pick-up Materials Schedule....Click here
NEW! Dear Parents and Guardians of our 5th graders. Please take a look at Lazar's 6th grade orientation video....Click here
NEW! Dear Parents and Guardians...just wanted to share some wonderful news with you! Character.org is pleased announce that Valley View School has been named a 2020 National School of Character! National certification is the highest level of distinction bestowed by Character.org. Schools receiving this designation have demonstrated excellence in establishing a school culture that exemplifies and brings to life The 11 Principles Framework for Schools: A Guide to Cultivting a Culture of Character. We are thrilled and honored to be recognized as a 2020 National School of Character. Valley View is rich in character because we have the privilege of working with incredible students, families, and teachers! Yours in PANDA PRIDE!!!! Dr. K....Click here to read the National Press release
NEW! Ms. Stevens, second grade teacher, and one of our parents, Mrs. D’Uva, a health care hero working with covid-19 patients, are inviting our students to create cards to support and cheer up caregivers and patients. Mrs. D’Uva is working in Overlook Hospital in Summit and has volunteered to deliver the cards to the care givers and patients. For more information....Click here
NEW! Kindergarten Registration is now open to all for this school year and next year. Genesis has added some new features which will make doing registrations remotely must easier! At the present time, there will be no in person registration. Thank you, Dr. Kennedy
NEW! Notes from your school counselors who are actively working during distant learning.... click here for information from the district and click here for informatin from Mr. Spector.
NEW! Dear Parent/Guardian....Our distance learning experience will begin March 17th. With any new initiative there will certainly be some glitches along the way. To that end I want to share with everyone some important contact information that will ease your concerns. First, all families should be checking teacher Schoology pages for any updates and assignments. Any questions regarding academics should be directed to the classroom teachers. Counselors, case managers, special area teachers and related staff are available remotely as well. Should you encounter any technology related issues please use the following email: techhelp@montville.net We encourage you to monitor information from federal, state, and local health agencies as we navigate through this process. Working together we are confident we will overcome this current challenge and be stronger in the end. Sincerely, Dr. Kennedy
NEW! Due to school closings....Go Bags” (Pre K – 2) and “Take Home Folders” information....(Grades 3 -5).... Click here
NEW! Here are some Physical Activity ideas for your children to participate in at home due to school closings. Mr. Saunders will post information daily through Schoology....Click here
NEW! Important letter to parents from Dr. Kennedy regarding our new traffic lanes....Click here
NEW! Important letter to parents about the flu....Click here
NEW! This Month's Home and School Connection newsletter....Click here
NEW! Directions for Receiving Schoology Notifications.... Click here
Student Video To School
Video message from the students.
Staff Video To Students
Video message from the staff.
Mock Trial Champs
Valley View School is proud to announce that our Mock Trial Club won 1st Place in this year’s Law Fair competition sponsored by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation! Every year the NJSB Foundation holds a contest for student groups in grades 3-6, challenging them to create an original law trial. This year Valley View’s club of twelve 5th graders advised by Mrs. Burke and Mrs. Ford, wrote a trial called The Case of the Dog Next Door: Perro v.Vine, a civil case involving two neighborhood dogs getting into a fight. We are so proud of the hard work and creativity the students put into creating this case! Congratulations on winning First Place! Panda Pride at its Best!! ** Not pictured- Noah Israel and Mrs. Ford
Panda Pride Assembly
On March 6, Valley View held another Panda Pride assembly to teach the children the importance of character education in school. Many students were honored in front of their peers who practiced good character in school and in their community. The children loved a visit from our school mascot.
Mismatch Day
February 28 was another school spirit theme day. Today's theme was called "Mismatch Day." The children and staff had a great time! Panda pride! Follow us on Twitter @PandaPrideRocks
Addams Family
Valley View is so proud of 5th grader, Noah Israel (far right) who is playing Pugsley in the Montville Township High School Musical, The Addams Family. A Dark -- yet sweet -- family comedy that is wildly funny! See it LIVE on stage! Mar 5,6 & 7 at 7:30PM & Mar 8 - 2PM. PURCHASE your TKTS TODAY: $15 & $12! TKTS: http://mthsnj.booktix.com
Songfest
On February 28th, the kindergarten, first, second, and third graders participated in Valley View’s annual Songfest festival. They sang, danced, and played instruments to songs with an underwater theme. They did a great job! Thank you to Mrs. Ivins’ and Ms. Rittenhouse for organizing a great performance.
Chinese New Year
Mrs. Becker's kindergarten class celebrated the Chinese New Year by having a class parent come in and volunteer her time. Mrs. Lombino came in to talk with the class about her family’s culture and traditions during the New Year. We learned about the zodiac signs and how it was the Year of the Rat. We learned about ways to celebrate at home and how red is a prominent color during the holiday. The class was also created Chinese lanterns. We followed Mrs. Lombino step by step. The students were so proud of what they made and were excited to learn about traditions in other cultures.
Science Fair
Congratulations to all the children who participated in our science fair on February 20th. You did a fantastic job! Panda Pride!
102nd Day Of School
The second graders had a blast celebrating the 102nd day of school!
Supermarket Science
Thank you to our amazing PTA for providing a Supermarket Science assembly on February 14th. This STEM assembly show taught our students the wonders of science using things you can find at the local supermarket. The kids had a great time!
LEAD Graduation
LEAD stands for Law Enforcement Against Drugs taught by Officer Scott McGowan from the Montville police department. It is a 10 lesson program where students learn how to set reachable goals, make responsible decisions, identify and manage their emotions, communicate effectively, build healthy relationships, learn peer pressure refusal skill, how to handle mistakes and effects of alcohol, nicotine and marijuana use on the brain and body. At the end of each lesson, we play games, or skits to reiterate what is learned in the classroom. A BIG thank you goes to Officer McGowan for his hard work and dedication not only to Valley View, but the entire Montville community! You can listen to a small segment of Officer McGowan speaking in the video above.
Wizards Game
Panda Pride! Valley View Superstars playing in the Pathways Wizards basketball game on Sunday January 26, 2020. From left to right, parent Jason Rowley, staff members Jason Banzhaf and Holly Wunk. Valley View scored the most points of the Montville schools in the game. Valley View students had a great time watching the game.
NJ School Of Character
Dear Parents and Guardians: It gives me great pleasure to let you know that Valley View has been recognized by character.org as a State School of Character! We are so proud of our families and our teachers who inspire our children to follow the Principles of Character in their daily lives in and out of school. We are also proud of the Character Ed Committee's valiant efforts in seeking this recognition. We will celebrate with the student body at our upcoming Character Ed assembly. Congratulations to Valley View, State School of Character...a well-deserved recognition! Hugs, Dr. Kennedy
Social Studies - American Flag
Mrs. Lee’s first graders have been learning about the American flag in Social Studies! Mr. Harry brought in flags to show us that the number of stars on the flag has changed as more states were added to our country. The large flag seen here is 112 years old and has 46 stars. Mr. Harry also showed us how to fold a flag properly using a flag that had 48 stars on it.
Mindfulness Assembly
On Friday, January 17th, Mobile Ed Productions came to Valley View to give an amazing assembly about mindfulness. The students practiced mindfulness activities through music, rhythm and movement. Thank you to our amazing PTA for providing this great show!
Winter Concert
Valley View’s budding musicians delighted family and friends with their talents this morning during our annual Winter Concert. All fourth and fifth grade students participate in Chorus and many become members of Valley View’s Band, Orchestra and Orff Club. Kudos to Ms. Alcaro, Orchestra Teacher, Mr. Ketay, Band Teacher. Mrs. Ivins, Choral and Orff Teacher, and Ms. Rittenhouse, Art Teacher, for all of their hard work in preparing the children for this wonderful performance!
Harlem Wizards Fundraiser
Harlem Wizard, David Paul, shared his basketball wizardry with Valley View students this morning in anticipation of the upcoming Pathways’ Harlem Wizard Basketball Game on January 26 at 2:30 pm in MTHS. Come on out and support Mr. Keith Spector and Mr. Jason Banzhaf who will be refereeing and competing against the Wizards. The school that scores the most points against the Wizards will win a $500 certificate to support Inclusion. Tickets go on sale today via www.pathwayskids.org and are expected to be sold out quickly. Purchase tickets a.s.a.p.!
Girls On The Run
The Valley View Girls on the Run team completed their season this Fall by running a 5K race! They trained throughout the whole fall season for this race, and we are so proud of their hard work and their accomplishments. Registration for the spring season opens in February! Contact Ms. Altchek at chelsea.altchek@montville.net with any questions.
Extraordinary Educators
Congratulations to Mrs. Kathryn Slattery, Teacher of the Year, and Mrs. Amy Escobar, Educational Specialist of the Year!! Dr. Rene Rovtar and Dr. Casey Shorter joined the Valley View staff in honoring these extraordinary educators!
Pajama Day Fundraiser
On December 6th, the Valley View community participated in the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Pajama Day. This is the 3rd year Miss Profeta held the Pajama Day Fundraiser. This year we raised close to $1,000 to support the children and their families. Valley View has spread so much love and kindness during this holiday season. Thank you to the students, parents, and staff for all your generous support!
MTHS Earth Club Visit
The MTHS Earth Club, under the advisement of Mr. Rolfe, presented to Valley View’s 5th graders to inform them of current environmental issues and to inspire them to make a positive difference to make our community more sustainable. Students prepared demonstrations about the Towaco Aquifer (water supply), Global Warming, Oil Spills, Recycling, Deforestation, Sustainable Eating, and Gardening.
Morning Meetings
Mrs. Matarazzo’s 1st grade students participate in Morning Meetings in which they acknowledge each other with personalized greetings and reflect upon monthly core values. By exchanging ideas about what nurturing (November’s core value) feels and looks like, for example, students build community, foster security, and promote respect among one another. The teacher and students close the meeting by reviewing goals for the day and reminding all to be kind, inclusive, determined, and engaged.
Food Drive
Thank you to Mr. Larkin and Ms. Falk for sponsoring The 5th Annual Thanksgiving Food drive for the Interfaith Food Pantry in Morris county. Also, thank you to all the families who made contributions to this great cause. Valley View does a great job each year with this event!
Publishing Party
On Thursday, Valley View's fifth graders celebrated the end of their personal narrative writing unit with a Publishing Party! Families and staff were invited to listen to the students talk about what inspired them to write their story and to hear an excerpt from their work. The guests were able to take home a signed copy of their child's narrative. We are so proud of our fifth grade published authors!
School Elections
Congratulations to all the students who ran for office in our school elections organized by Mrs. Sullivan and Mrs. Caravello on November 15th.
President: Ben Bienskie-Jackson
VP: Tyler Goldman
Secretary: Demetra Triantafyllou
Treasure: Zarara Mehta
Outdoor Classroom
Thank you to our wonderful PTA and our PTA President, Mrs. Susnosky for delivering our beautiful outdoor classroom. The construction is almost completed. The new classroom is located on the side part of the building on the playground side. Thank you again to our PTA!
Grade 5 / Grade 1 Narrative Writing Unit
Miss Altchek and Miss Cherry’s fifth grade students visited Mrs. Lee’s first grade class to celebrate the end of the first grade narrative writing unit. Students in both grades were excited to share the narratives they have been working on since September. The fifth grader authors showed the younger authors how they will continue to use their writing skills and strategies as they grow as writers.
Happy Halloween
As always, Valley View celebrated Halloween in style. Even though it rained all day, the children still had a chance to show off their costumes for fellow students in our hallways followed by their class parties. From our M&M staff, we hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween!
Halloween Donations
Valley View donated over 90 Halloween costumes for children across New Jersey! The donated items were sent to a local organization who distributes the collected items to shelters and families in need! Thank you to everyone who gave and bought costumes! You made Halloween very special for those in need!
Panda Pride
Mr. Spector led a PANDA PRIDE Assembly on October 23rd to launch the Citizens of the Month Character Education initiative with the children. Each month students who exhibit the designated monthly character trait have the opportunity to be recognized as their class’ Citizen of the Month. One characteristic will be celebrated each month with 10 principles of character being reflected in the first letters of our PANDA PRIDE: September is P for being PREPARED, October is A for being ACCEPTING, November is N for being NURTURING, December is D for being DIVERSE, January is A for being AUTHENTIC, February is P for being Positive, March is R for being RESPECTFUL, April is I for being INCLUSIVE, May is D for being DETERMINED, and June is E for being ENGAGED.
Valley View Clean-up
Troop 97614 showed their pride in their school by dedicating time over the weekend to participate in Montville’s town-wide cleanup! We are so proud of the members of Troop 97614!
Brian Richards
On Friday, October 18th, Brian Richards came to Valley View to perform The bGreat Show, a Character Building Assembly. The children learned about important components of good character such as trustworthiness , caring and courage.
Valley View Upstanders
Valley View kicks off the Week of Respect by celebrating our Jets 'upstanders' Marcello and Kendall! Congratulations to both of these students. Continue the good work!
Facebook Live
Congratulations to Milana and Brody for speaking on the Montville School System Facebook Live page about the Exercise US event which took place on September 26, 2019 as part of a national initiative during National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. This is the 11th year Valley View has participated in the event. Great job 5th grade!
Exercise US
Valley View 5th graders participated in the national Exercise US event on September 26th where children in the United States exercised for 10 continuous hours. Schools across the country sign up for a 15 minute exercise slot. The event brings attention to September being National Childhood Obesity Awareness month. The program was organized by Mr. Saunders, our PE teacher.
Gym Renovation
During the summer months our gym was beautifully renovated. This included adding a new floor, painted walls, new stage, new ceiling, and the removable doors were removed.
Media Center Renovation
Also, during the summer months our media center was renovated. This included new flooring, painted walls, new smart boards, new book shelves, and new tables.
Welcome Back From Dr. Kennedy
Dear Parents and Guardians, What a wonderful first day! The children arrived smiling and teaming with school supplies. Our teachers were excited to greet their classes and welcome them to their beautifully decorated rooms. Everyone was delighted to see the renovated Media Center, Gym and Boys’ and Girls’ bathrooms. A special thank you to our parents and guardians for preparing our students so well for the new school year. We look forward to a great year for learning, friendship, and fun! Yours in Panda Pride, Dr. K.
Girls On The Run
Girls on the Run is a program that teaches girls confidence, positive social skills, and healthy living through interactive lessons, fun games, and running activities. The Valley View Girls on the Run team is about to start our fall season! The program encourages girls to build their self-esteem and create a more active lifestyle. They also learn how to relate to others and their community through a team service project. Each season ends with a 5K with girls from all over northern NJ. This program is open to all girls from 3rd-5th grade in Montville. Practice starts next week, so make sure you register soon at girlsontherunnj.org. If you have any questions about the Valley View team, please contact Ms. Altchek at chelsea.altchek@montville.net. Download the GOTR Flyer....Click here