PV Schools

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

Honoring our service men and women is a part of Putnam Valley’s tradition. In fact, this year our senior class dedicated its “color wars” assemblage in the lobby of the High School to the armed services with artistic and creative designs and sculptures, including a hand-made Jeep replica and a number of emblematic pieces related to service.  In particular, the honor wall of former students who have and do serve remains in place with an opportunity to write a letter to one of our students in uniform (see below for link to pictures). It is clear that our students and staff recognize the sacrifices that have been and are being made so that we can enjoy our lives and the continued protection of our Constitution. We have been reminded again and again that freedom has a price and that we must be willing to accept that responsibility. Perhaps it is important to remember that Veterans Day was once Armistice Day, and that November 11th was the 11th month of the 11th day on the 11th hour in 1918 that the peace agreement was signed ending the horror of  WWI, the war that was supposed to “end all wars.”  As we know so well,  that is not the way things went, and we have been involved in many wars since. In fact, it may be that the decisions made at the end of WWI, after the Treaty of Versailles when new countries and boundaries were determined arbitrarily, have contributed to future conflicts that exist even today.   This is our reality, and perhaps most chilling, is the knowledge that the nuclear threat that once was the overarching fear when I was in elementary school practicing emergency drills by hiding under my desk, has returned after a period of seeming quiescence. In remembering our veterans, we can take the time to appreciate the precious gifts we have because we have been vigilant. That willingness to protect our values means that our youth continue to serve and die in places like Niger, on the frontiers of the terrorist threat. As educators, we strive together to inspire our students to live up to our shared American values, so that we can continue to preserve the way of life that is worth dying for, as we honor those who serve. “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”-John Fitzgerald Kennedy

~PVES will dismiss at 12:00 tomorrow, Thursday, November 9 for Parent Teacher Conferences~
~All Schools will be closed Friday, November 10~

Sincerely,

Dr. Frances Wills
Superintendent of Schools

Find photos here or on the Putnam Valley CSD app