Dear Putnam Valley Community:
There is no denying the fact, this was one interesting school year. When we established our district-wide goal last summer to embrace the growth that occurs when you overcome challenges, this was certainly not what we had in mind. Although I anticipated some struggles during my first year as a Superintendent, I could have never imagined how the year would turn out. More importantly, the underlying message of achieving personal growth by overcoming challenges remains more true now than ever.
While nothing was perfect and there are things that we would change, I remain proud of how quickly our school community responded to the COVID crisis. We were able to transition from in-person to distance learning over a weekend. While we know that there is no replacement for live in-person instruction, everyone rose to the challenge to support our students. We are very thankful for the active role parents played in the success of our instructional program.
As the 2019-2020 school year is coming to an end, work has already begun to plan for the 2020-2021 school year. While there are still many more questions than answers regarding how instruction will take place and what level of social distancing will be required, plans are being developed to cover all potential options. This work will continue over the summer as we await additional guidance from the New York State Department of Health. A parent/student survey is currently being developed and will be shared next week. The purpose of the survey is to collect information that will be used by our Re-entry Task Force as we explore all options for the reopening of school in the fall.
Beginning on Tuesday, June 23 the Middle/High School campus will be closed to allow for our buildings and grounds crew to begin to set up for our graduation ceremony on June 26. This will include the turf and the track. We are requesting the community’s cooperation. Please refrain from using the school facilities during this time.
I wish everyone a safe and healthy summer. This should be a time for relaxation and reflection on all that has transpired this year. Time to consider the challenges of COVID and the hope for social justice and equality. Time to reconnect with family and friends, to help a neighbor or community member, and to take care of yourself. Nobody knows the challenges that lay ahead, but I’m confident that the Putnam Valley School Community can handle anything that comes our way.
Take care and stay well,
Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools