AUGUST 13, 2025 - BACK TO SCHOOL EDITION #2

You can find much of the information outlined below and more on our Back-to-School Resource Website, which brings together key details and helpful links to help you prepare for the 2025–26 school year.

This comprehensive page includes information on:

• Teacher assignments

• Calendars and instructional schedules

• Technology resources

• Transportation and communication tools

• Health and wellness guidelines

The page will remain available throughout the school year, as it also includes important updates such as inclement weather procedures and schedule changes. As we finalize additional details, we will continue to update the page accordingly.

Click here to access the Back-to-School Resource Website.

If you have any specific questions, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s school directly.

This week, we had the privilege of welcoming over 30 new educators to our team. In just a few days, their passion and commitment have already embodied the heart of the CV community.

These new team members join a district that believes in the power of education to shape futures and open doors. Each brings unique strengths to a shared mission: preparing students to thrive as innovative, thoughtful, and productive citizens in a rapidly changing world.

We’re honored to have them as part of the CV team, and we are #CVProud to be on this journey together.

Get ready to capture those special back-to-school memories! We’ve created First Day of School signs for all grade levels to help celebrate the start of the 2025–2026 school year. Click the link below to view and print the signs ahead of August 19. Whether it’s their first year or their last, these keepsake signs are a fun way to kick off a new year of learning.

First Day of School signs

Welcome back, Students and Staff!

We hope everyone had a restful and enjoyable summer. As we begin the 2025–2026 school year, we want to take a moment to address a few important safety reminders and behavioral expectations that often arise during the first few months of school.

Student Driving on Campus

Driving to school is a privilege, and we expect all students to exercise caution and follow traffic laws, especially on our main campus, which includes Eagle View Middle School and Silver Spring Elementary. Due to ongoing construction at Eagle View and along Dapp Lane, this area is especially congested with vehicles, pedestrians, and students participating in sports, band, and extracurricular activities.

Unfortunately, we continue to see drivers ignoring the 15 mph speed limit and stop signs—both during and after school hours. Repeated violations may result in loss of driving privileges, requiring students to ride the bus or be dropped off by a parent or guardian.

Driving Off-Campus and School Bus Safety

With school back in session, please be extra cautious around school buses and school zones throughout your daily commute:

• Allow extra travel time due to increased traffic and frequent stops by school buses.

• Give buses plenty of space and be prepared to stop for both buses and pedestrians.

Passing a school bus illegally is one of the most serious traffic violations in Pennsylvania, with the following consequences:

• $250 fine plus court costs

• 5 points on your driving record

• Mandatory 6-month license suspension

Important Rules to Remember:

• Stop at least 10 feet away from a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended.

• This applies both when approaching from behind and from the opposite direction, unless a physical barrier (like a grassy median or concrete divider) separates your vehicle from the bus.

• “Meeting” a school bus also includes scenarios where you approach a bus from a cross street at an intersection. Even if the bus is not directly in your lane, you must stop if its red signals are activated.

Student Relationships and Conflict Resolution

With the start of a new year, we welcome many new students into our schools. It's natural for conflicts and misunderstandings to arise, but how students choose to respond can significantly impact their school experience.

Here are some practical steps to help navigate challenges:

• Parents: Ask your child how their day went and keep the lines of communication open.

• Students: Be honest with your parents or guardians about your experiences.

• Document incidents and gather facts.

• Collaborate on strategies to resolve issues—have a plan A, B, and C.

• If issues become ongoing or escalate, report them to your grade-level principal.

Note: Bullying and harassment are typically handled first by school administration. CV Police may become involved if necessary, but only at the request of school officials.

General School Safety Reminders

Open communication is critical for maintaining a safe and supportive school environment. Encourage your student to speak with a trusted adult—such as a teacher, school administrator, or School Police Officer (SPO)—if they ever feel unsafe or concerned.

If something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t. See something? Say something.

Cumberland Valley Student and Public Safety: 717-697-8261 (Select option 4 for District Administration, then option 2 for Safety/Security).

(Please note: This is a non-emergency number that is not staffed 24 hours per day and is not a reporting hotline.)

Anonymous Reporting: Safe2Say

We’re looking forward to a safe and successful school year ahead. Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting our students and school community!

The district uses Apptegy’s Thrillshare platform as our automated notification system. To ensure you receive important emails, phone calls, and text messages (SMS) from the district during the school year, please keep your contact information up to date in your Skyward Family Access account.

Please note: Text messages are sent primarily for inclement weather alerts, emergencies, bus delays, and other important district updates. To receive these texts, you must have a cell phone number listed as a parent/guardian contact in Skyward.

In addition to our automated notification system, individual teachers and school buildings may also communicate using other platforms such as Schoology, Skyward, SeeSaw, etc., throughout the year.

Social Media: To increase our communication efforts, you may follow us on Facebook (@cvschools), Instagram (@cumberlandvalleysd), and X (@cvsdnews). Please ensure that you follow our official accounts to guarantee the most accurate information.

Official District Communication Channels: You can access a chart outlining the official communication channels to stay connected with Cumberland Valley School District.

All school breakfast meals are free this year. If you think you might qualify for free and/or reduced lunch, please submit a free and reduced lunch application.  We do not mail home applications. The easiest and most convenient way for you to get your application into the district is through the School Café website at: www.schoolcafe.com

Applications must be completed annually after July 1 of each year. If you completed an application before July 1, 2025, you will need to complete another application for the 2025-26 school year. Additionally, if you received a letter or email stating your child is directly certified as free for the 2025-26 school year, you DO NOT need to complete another application.

If you would like a paper application, you can contact your school’s office or the Food Service Department

Reminder: You can fill out a free/reduced lunch application at any time throughout the year.

Device Insurance

The District will continue to supply technology devices (iPads and Chromebooks) for each student, as we believe digital access is essential to our students' learning and development. We own and value each device and require students to follow our usage guidelines and take care and caution while handling the device. The device has a manufacturer's warranty that covers defects and malfunctions, but families will be responsible for the full cost of any loss or damage unless you purchase device insurance through the district.

Please review the full details of our 1:1 program, which includes directions on how to pay for device insurance. We encourage every student to participate in our device insurance program.

Parent Sign-Off Forms

It is important that you complete all of the back-to-school sign-offs available in Skyward’s Parent Family Access Center under the “Parent Sign-Off” tile for each of your children. These sign-offs include important information about educational websites, student handbooks, and more. Please complete these as soon as you are able to. When you log into the Skyward Family Access Portal you will notice that you cannot see information under other tiles until you complete the Parent Sign-Off forms.

For detailed information about physical and dental exams, immunizations, and related health requirements, please visit our Nursing Department webpage. These requirements are determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and vary by grade level. The webpage also offers guidance on health screenings, illness protocols, medication administration policies, and provides access to essential health forms.

CHIP covers uninsured children and teens up to age 19 – and no family earns too much to qualify. With nearly 128,000 uninsured children in Pennsylvania, this is great news for families!

CHIP provides quality, comprehensive health insurance for routine doctor’s visits, prescriptions, dental, eye care, eyeglasses, mental health, and much more. CHIP covers uninsured kids who are not eligible for Medical Assistance. For many families, CHIP is free; for others, it is low-cost.

CHIP School Flyer 2025 - English
CHIP School Flyer 2025 - Spanish

Learn how you can help protect against unexpected events with voluntary insurance plans. These plans are designed to supplement any existing coverage by helping to pay for deductibles, co-insurance, or out-of-pocket expenses resulting from injuries—especially if no other insurance is available. This coverage can be particularly valuable for active children involved in sports or other physical activities.

Click here to view the Student Accident Insurance brochure.

Cumberland Valley School District is looking for dedicated, compassionate individuals to join our amazing team of Educational Assistants!

• Full-time, Monday–Friday, daytime positions

• Competitive pay – earn up to $20/hr

• Outstanding benefits: health, dental, vision, retirement, PTO

Ready to make a difference? Apply today at www.cvschools.org/jobs

Bus schedules and van assignments are now accessible in Skyward under the “Transportation” tile. Please note that these schedules may be subject to change due to late student enrollments. We recommend checking the information again before August 19 to ensure accuracy.

Each year, families must provide updated childcare pick-up and drop-off location information to CV Transportation. This should be submitted through the online Google form.

Upcoming School Board Meetings

Unless otherwise advertised, all meetings begin at 7 p.m. and will take place in the District Office Board Room (6746 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg)

• Monday, August 18, 2025

• Tuesday, September 2, 2025 (*Labor Day - Monday, September 1)

• Monday, September 15, 2025

A full list of School Board and committee meeting dates is available by clicking here.

Quick Access

• Board Agendas - Posted a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the meeting.

• Committee Assignments - 2025-2026 Board committee/advisory group assignments.

• Meeting Minutes - Posted to BoardDocs approved by the Board of School Directors.

• Watch Live - School Board meetings are live-streamed to our website.