Dear Putnam Valley Parents/Guardians, Staff and High School students:
John Dewey writes: “If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.”
On Tuesday evening, September 27 at 7:00 PM, the Putnam Valley School District will screen Most Likely to Succeed, a film that explores a vision for high schools for the 21st century. The movie focuses on the key skills that students will require to be successful in a global and technology driven economy. The film presents a powerful look at what our students will need to know and be able to do to navigate the post-high school landscape of accelerated change and required resilience and flexibility. At Putnam Valley, we are seeking to increase opportunities for students to find their passion and a path for the future that will further their “pursuit of happiness.”
Please join us for this film and a panel discussion at the conclusion of the film as we consider these questions:
- What does John Dewey’s statement mean to you? What relevance does it have to how we educate our students today?
- What skills do you think are essential for our students’ futures?
- When you think back on your school experiences, what had the biggest impact on you? What stands out for you as an outstanding learning experience?
- How do students in our school learn to make decisions? What are some examples of how our students experience leadership?
- How much autonomy do our students have in creating and defining projects or big initiatives for themselves?
- What are the benefits or challenges of reflection and assessment of this kind for students, parents and teachers?
I hope to see many of you at 7:00 PM tomorrow night in our Performing Arts Center at the High School. If you’d be interested in joining Ms. Intrieri and I on the panel, please email me.
Click here for the movie trailer.
Sincerely,
Dr. Frances Wills
Superintendent of Schools