Activities
Pickering Valley has a variety of offerings for students to participate in clubs and activities.
Pickering Valley Elementary Clubs & Activities
- Drama Club - 4th & 5th Grade Students
- Band - 4th & 5th Grade Students
- Strings - 3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Students
- Broadcast Club - 5th Grade Students
- Chorus - 4th & 5th Grade Students
- Intramurals - 4th & 5th Grade Students
- Reading Olympics - 4th & 5th Grade Students
- Safety Patrol - 5th Grade Students
Drama Club - 4th & 5th Grade Students
Fourth and fifth graders are eligible to participate in a musical drama production. Auditions are held in early January with the performance being held in March. Students audition by reciting a poem and singing a song from the show. Rehearsals are held on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays after school. Contact Mrs. Jamie Andrzejewski at jandrzejewski@dasd.org for more details.
Band - 4th & 5th Grade Students
Any student in fourth and fifth grade is eligible to participate in the Band program. Students receive one 30 minute lesson every 6-day cycle. Band includes instruments from the woodwind, brass and percussion families. Pickering Valley is so lucky to have a successful and strong music program!
Instruments currently offered:
Woodwind: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone
Brass: Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Baritone
Percussion: Snare Drum
Practice
Students are expected to practice their instruments at home about 4-5 times for 15-20 minutes between lessons. Practice is necessary to ensure adequate progress is made. Students learn about the value of practicing repeatedly so they remember what they learned in their last lesson. Our curriculum focuses on teaching rhythm, note reading, tone production, technique and music history. Students will be assessed through informal and formal playing assessments every week.
Students are expected to practice their instruments at home about 4-5 times for 15-20 minutes between lessons. Practice is necessary to ensure adequate progress is made. Students learn about the value of practicing repeatedly so they remember what they learned in their last lesson. Our curriculum focuses on teaching rhythm, note reading, tone production, technique and music history. Students will be assessed through informal and formal playing assessments every week.
Students learn about responsibility and time management with practicing and coming to their lesson. Students are pulled from classes during the day for lessons, so their lesson times will change every week so they don’t miss the same class. It is the student’s responsibility to remember their lesson time and make-up any missed classwork to participate in Band.
Morning group rehearsals are held on B days in the school cafeteria from 7:45 am - 8:45 am. Contact Dr. Bob Carpency at rcarpency@dasd.org for more details.
4th Grade Students
Fourth Grade students have one concert at the end of the school year during the school day. They will have four before-school rehearsals where the whole Band will practice together to prepare for this concert.
Fourth Grade students have one concert at the end of the school year during the school day. They will have four before-school rehearsals where the whole Band will practice together to prepare for this concert.
5th Grade students
Fifth Grade students perform in the Winter and Spring Concerts and will have before-school rehearsals for a majority of the school year to prepare for. 5th Grade students also have the opportunity to participate in 5th Grade Honors Band, a district-wide Band comprised of the most dedicated and talented students from all ten elementary schools.
Fifth Grade students perform in the Winter and Spring Concerts and will have before-school rehearsals for a majority of the school year to prepare for. 5th Grade students also have the opportunity to participate in 5th Grade Honors Band, a district-wide Band comprised of the most dedicated and talented students from all ten elementary schools.
Band Lessons
Band lessons help reinforce how beneficial it is to have music as a part of our daily lives. Students in Band make friends and develop several critical life skills, including: cooperation, patience, persistence, resilience, responsibility, tolerance, teamwork. Most importantly, we will have fun making music together! Our concerts showcase how hard the students work and how wonderful the students sound when playing their instruments together.
Band lessons help reinforce how beneficial it is to have music as a part of our daily lives. Students in Band make friends and develop several critical life skills, including: cooperation, patience, persistence, resilience, responsibility, tolerance, teamwork. Most importantly, we will have fun making music together! Our concerts showcase how hard the students work and how wonderful the students sound when playing their instruments together.
Strings - 3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Students
Strings help reinforce how beneficial it is to have music as a part of our daily lives. Students in strings make friends, build self-esteem with succeeding at an instrument, and they can be creative with the music that they learn. Our concerts showcase how hard the students work and how wonderful the students sound when playing their instruments together. Pickering Valley is so lucky to have a successful and strong music program!
The string instruments available are the violin, viola, cello and string bass. All of these instruments can make a sound by using a bow, or by plucking the strings. Students begin learning their chosen instrument by plucking the strings for the first few months of lessons.
Lessons
Students can start taking string lessons in 3rd grade and can continue in 4th and 5th grade. Lessons are for 30 minutes, once a cycle during the school day. Lessons are in small groups with 5-8 students per group according to their instrument. Parents can rent the instruments through local music stores or the school might have cellos and basses available. Students also need a music stand to keep at home for practicing their music.
Morning group rehearsals are held on E days in the school cafeteria from 7:45 am - 8:45 am. Contact Mrs. Heather Donnell at hdonnell@dasd.org for more details.
Students can start taking string lessons in 3rd grade and can continue in 4th and 5th grade. Lessons are for 30 minutes, once a cycle during the school day. Lessons are in small groups with 5-8 students per group according to their instrument. Parents can rent the instruments through local music stores or the school might have cellos and basses available. Students also need a music stand to keep at home for practicing their music.
Morning group rehearsals are held on E days in the school cafeteria from 7:45 am - 8:45 am. Contact Mrs. Heather Donnell at hdonnell@dasd.org for more details.
Practice
To improve their progress and skills, it is important that they practice at home at least 5 days a week! Practicing helps them remember what they learned at their last lesson. We use a method book which teaches all about rhythm, reading music, instrument technique, sound, and music history.
First Year Students
Beginners (first year students) will have several practices prior to their first concert at the end of the school year. The concert will take place during the school day and of course parents are invited.
To improve their progress and skills, it is important that they practice at home at least 5 days a week! Practicing helps them remember what they learned at their last lesson. We use a method book which teaches all about rhythm, reading music, instrument technique, sound, and music history.
First Year Students
Beginners (first year students) will have several practices prior to their first concert at the end of the school year. The concert will take place during the school day and of course parents are invited.
Second and Third Year Students
Second and third year students have a Winter concert and Spring concert. They will have morning rehearsals before school every week to prepare for these performances.
Second and third year students have a Winter concert and Spring concert. They will have morning rehearsals before school every week to prepare for these performances.
Broadcast Club - 5th Grade Students
Would you like to be a part of the Broadcast Crew here at PV? If so, please read the requirements below.
- Stay after school on your assigned Tuesday (3:50-4:30).
- Students will be placed in groups of 4-5 and that will be their “crew.” Each crew will have assigned weeks where they will be responsible for morning broadcast.
- This is a YEAR-LONG COMMITMENT! If for some reason you can't make it to broadcast, please let us know.
- You must be on time.
- You must be willing to practice.
- Cooperation is needed at all times.
- You MUST have fun!
Is your child interested in joining the Broadcast Club? Contact Ms. Jess Czerny at jczerny@dasd.org for more details.
Chorus - 4th & 5th Grade Students
4th and 5th Grade students can participate in the Pickering Valley Elementary School Chorus. Chorus meets before school once a cycle. Students will learn approximately five songs for each concert. There will be a Winter Concert and a Spring Concert. Chorus songs may include two-part songs, instruments, and movement. Students will work with Ms. Kamph on proper singing technique and pitch matching. Morning group rehearsals are held on C days in the school cafeteria. Contact Ms. Shannon Kamph at skamph@dasd.org for more details.
There are many benefits to joining chorus!
- Choral music has rhythms AND words. Reading, counting, comprehension, foreign languages, expression – it has it all.
- Choral music has messages and meaning. Choral music provides a powerful means of cultural and historical expression.
- Choral singing is a collaborative endeavor – people sing together.
- Choral singing can be taught in ways that work for all kinds of learners.
- Choral singing is a life-long activity.
*From National Association for Music Education
Intramurals - 4th & 5th Grade Students
The program begins immediately after school (students will be called to the gym from their classrooms) and ends promptly at 4:30pm. Your child will be given a group roster and a schedule before the season begins. Different groups will play on different days, so it is imperative to check the schedule weekly. Students should only stay for Intramurals on days their group is assigned to play. We will rotate through a variety of developmentally appropriate activities throughout the course of the year. Intramurals will be held rain or shine!
Is your child interested in joining Intramurals? Contact Mr. Steve Orendorff at sorendorff@dasd.org for more details.
Intramurals Code of Conduct
Sneakers must be worn in order to participate.
Good sportsmanship is a priority.
Your child is responsible to remind you that he/she needs to be picked up no later than 4:30.
Sneakers must be worn in order to participate.
Good sportsmanship is a priority.
Your child is responsible to remind you that he/she needs to be picked up no later than 4:30.
Parent Pick-Up Routine
The first parent in line will pull around the “horseshoe” in front of the school. All remaining cars will follow and park in a line.
Please note that any late pick-ups (more than 5 minutes) will result in the student missing the next game. No warnings are given. Exceptions will be made in the case of an unusual emergency.
The first parent in line will pull around the “horseshoe” in front of the school. All remaining cars will follow and park in a line.
Please note that any late pick-ups (more than 5 minutes) will result in the student missing the next game. No warnings are given. Exceptions will be made in the case of an unusual emergency.
DASD Participation Fee
DASD charges a $25 participation fee for extracurricular activities. Pay If you have not paid this fee yet during this school year, please visit PaySchools Central and log in to pay the extracurricular fee for the current school year.
DASD charges a $25 participation fee for extracurricular activities. Pay If you have not paid this fee yet during this school year, please visit PaySchools Central and log in to pay the extracurricular fee for the current school year.
Reading Olympics - 4th & 5th Grade Students
Each year schools from all over Chester County compete in a quiz-style competition. Children read books from a pre-selected list and are quizzed as a team and earn points. Teams are awarded ribbons at the end of the competition. It is a great event with only winners. Pickering Valley Elementary would like to put at least 3 teams in the Spring competition.
The criteria for your child to participate on one of the PV teams are as follows:
Must be 4th or 5th grader for the current school year.
Must read 20 books from the attached list by May.
Must attend scheduled morning meetings. During these meetings, children will practice strategies used during the competition and will quiz each other on the books.
Must attend the official Chester County Reading Olympics competition in Spring. (Date yet to be selected).
Must be 4th or 5th grader for the current school year.
Must read 20 books from the attached list by May.
Must attend scheduled morning meetings. During these meetings, children will practice strategies used during the competition and will quiz each other on the books.
Must attend the official Chester County Reading Olympics competition in Spring. (Date yet to be selected).
This is a great way to encourage reading. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact Mr. Steve Orendorff at sorendorff@dasd.org.
Safety Patrol - 5th Grade Students
Pickering Valley Elementary is excited to continue the implementation of the Safety Patrol Program, which is sponsored by AAA. Several former presidents, Supreme Court Justices and astronauts have served in the Safety Patrol Program since it began in 1920. The primary purpose of the program is to enhance the safety of our students. In addition, this promotes the development of leadership skills and good citizenship qualities. A safety patrol’s job is to model for students the safety rules that have been taught in the classroom, and to assist students in safe transitions throughout the building. Patrols receive instructions in safety guidelines and procedures during their training and patrol meetings. Pickering Valley has both a Fall and Spring Safety session to encourage as many 5th graders to participate as possible.
Is your student interested in being on the Safety Patrol? Contact Mrs. Jessi Mitchell at jmitchell@dasd.org or Mrs. Holly Lipow at hlipow@dasd.org for more details.
Duties of all Patrols:
Compliment students observed following safety rules.
Remind students of safety rules when appropriate.
Report for duty on time with proper equipment.
Know and follow all building regulations as a role model to others.
Report to Patrol sponsor, administrators, and staff members assigned.
Attend and participate in all patrol meetings.
Safety patrols are selected from the fifth grade. Patrols are selected with input from teachers, administrators. Consideration is based on student interest, commitment, responsibility, self-discipline, and a written letter as to why they should be considered a Safety Patroller.
A big thank you to our current safety patrols for helping keep our PV students safe!