Superintendent’s Message

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

Appreciation is the theme of this month’s message.

As Superintendent of Schools in Putnam Valley, I want to thank every community member who participated in this year’s school budget and capital project bond vote. Whether you supported the proposals or not, your engagement and commitment to civic involvement are deeply valued.

I’m happy to report that this year’s school budget and bond referendum, along with the Putnam Valley Town Library Budget proposition, all passed. With over 2,200 ballots cast—and over 1,250 in support of each proposition—this marked a significant increase in voter turnout, which the District actively encouraged throughout the year.  Thank you to the District Facilities Planning Committee and the Communications and Finance Subcommittees for your dedication and insight.  It was through these community connections that we were able to provide the community with accurate and timely information.  We remained committed to transparency, facts, and community engagement, and the results indicate that our efforts were successful.

Thanks to the approved spending plan, we will continue providing a rigorous academic program and a wide range of extracurricular activities that our students have come to expect. This plan helps us retain current staff and enhances our ability to support all students.

Each year, we strive to balance students’ academic needs with the financial responsibilities of our taxpayers.  Strong schools are built and sustained when communities come together to support them, and the Putnam Valley Community continues to do so each year.  Great schools enhance community appeal, strengthening home values and attracting families seeking quality education.

The approval of the District’s bond proposal will allow the District to address much-needed infrastructure repairs and upgrades. Upgrades to the Middle School parking lot and the Elementary School nurse’s office will create safer spaces for students and staff. Investments in our buildings will allow for long-term cost savings through the installation of sustainable energy sources, improve access to our outdoor learning spaces so all students can take advantage of them, and address vital infrastructure needs, including roofs, drainage, parking lots, and retaining walls.

Two seats on the Board of Education were also on this year’s ballot and the community overwhelmingly reelected Sam Oliverio and Janette Yetter to continue their service on the Putnam Valley School Board.  Congratulations to Sam and Janette, and thank you for volunteering to serve this important role within our school community.

The Putnam Valley School District continues to be known across the region for its strong academic programs, competitive athletic teams, exceptional art, music, and performing arts programs, and the caring staff members who serve our students every day. Please take a few minutes to provide your feedback here as we continue our work to improve communication, increase engagement, and better serve our community.

Thank you once again for your continued support.  We look forward to another outstanding year in Putnam Valley. Enjoy the Memorial Day weekend as we remember and honor those who served and sacrificed for our country.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

Today is the day! Please remember to get out and vote today, Tuesday, May 20.  The polls will be open from 6 am to 9 pm at Putnam Valley Elementary School.  Please visit our website www.pvcsd.org for detailed budget and project information.

Proposed Budget highlights:

• Below the allowable tax levy cap (14th consecutive year)
• Maintains academic programs and staffing
• Balances educational programs with fiscal responsibility
• Revenue generated by welcoming Garrison students to PVHS

Capital Project highlights:

• Includes infrastructure improvements to all three buildings
• No additional cost to taxpayers
• 66% of the project will be reimbursed by New York State building aid

School Board Trustee Election:  Two candidates are running for two open seats.  Sam Oliverio (incumbent) and Janette Yetter (incumbent) will be on the ballot. Please join me in thanking these volunteers for their willingness to serve our community.

Budget Newsletter (mailed to every residence in the PVCSD)
Budget Newsletter – Spanish

Budget and Capital Project Information – Presentation and videos

Capital Project videos

We are excited to propose a budget that prioritizes the preservation of our District’s instructional program while staying under the tax cap and a capital project that addresses infrastructure needs at all three buildings. This is the result of thoughtful planning, and we are hopeful that we have provided the information necessary for you to make an informed decision.

Thank you,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Thursday, May 22, will be a half-day for Putnam Valley Elementary School.

Friday, May 23, is the first “give back holiday” as noted on the school calendar, and all school buildings and offices will be closed.

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

We are excited to share the news that the Putnam Valley Central School District will begin offering Universal Pre-K in September, in partnership with the YMCA of Central and Northern Westchester. A few weeks ago, the YMCA submitted a Request For Proposal to provide a program that meets the requirements of the available New York State Pre-K grant. This grant fully funds the program for a limited number of four-year-old students, making it free for families and without impacting taxpayers.

The YMCA currently runs Pre-K programs in several districts in our region, and classrooms will be staffed by certified teachers and teaching assistants employed by the YMCA. Transportation for Pre-K students is the responsibility of the parents. While the program is entirely funded by New York State, the District maintains responsibility over its operations and will meet regularly with the Pre-K staff and administration from the YMCA.

The program will utilize Scholastic’s Pre-K On My Way curriculum, enhanced with Fundations and Heggerty, preparing students for a smooth transition into kindergarten. Pre-K teachers will be provided the opportunity to work alongside our staff during Superintendent’s Conference Days and other professional learning opportunities as deemed appropriate.

To be eligible for the program, students must be 4 years of age on or before December 1, 2025 and reside within the Putnam Valley School District.  Students will be selected through a lottery, which will be live-streamed for transparency.  The program will be held in the modular building behind Putnam Valley Elementary School and run five hours a day (9:30 am – 2:30 pm), five days a week, following the PVCSD Calendar. Before and after-care will be offered through the YMCA for a fee for those students who are enrolled in the program. Additional information will be provided directly by the YMCA.

Interested families must begin by completing the application form found HERE.  The application window will be open until May 30, 2025.  The lottery will take place on June 2, 2025, and live-streamed via the pvcsd.orgwebsite.  A waitlist will also be selected at that time.  Families of those selected by the lottery will have until June 30, 2025, to complete their registration with the Putnam Valley School District.

We recognize the impact early learning has on student success, and Putnam Valley is proud to be able to offer this opportunity for our families. Through this program, we are truly putting children first and foremost and beginning even earlier to build a foundation for the future.

Thank you,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

Tonight, Tuesday, April 22, the Putnam Valley Board of Education will hold a special business meeting beginning at 7 PM in the High School cafeteria.

The Board will acknowledge the 2025 retirees of the district: Maureen Bellino, Natalie Doherty, Cheryl Kahn, Kathie Marsico, Maureen Pedersen, and Laura Sherwood. In addition, it is anticipated that the Board will confer tenure on the following staff members:  Carol Espineira, Jessica Knuth, Julianna Shalhoub, Melissa Sullivan, Thomas Wharton, Justine Trainor, Maureen Lynch, Brittany Tyndal, Judi Cancellaro, and Jackie Levine. 

Please join us in celebrating these staff members in person or tune in to our live stream at pvcsd.org.

• PNW BOCES Vote – Trustee Candidates & 2025-2026 Administrative Budget
• 2025-2026 Proposed Budget Q & A – Dr. Luft, Superintendent of Schools, and Dr. Grace Chan, Assistant Superintendent for Business Administration

The school budget for 2025-26 will be presented to voters on Tuesday, May 20.  All budget information is available on the website, along with corresponding presentations and videos. Please click here.

Board of Education meetings are open to the public and are always available LIVE via our www.pvcsd.org website.

Additional Calendar reminders:

Wednesday, April 23 – Budget Q&A – PTA Meeting/All Welcome – 7 pm – PVES
Thursday, April 24 – Legally Blonde performance for our senior citizens – 3:30 pm – PVHS
Friday, April 25, Legally Blonde opens to the public – 7 pm – PVHS
Saturday, April 26, Community Potluck 5:15 pm to 6:45 – (showtime 7 pm) – PVHS Cafeteria

We look forward to seeing our community at these upcoming events.

Thank you,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

I want to provide an update regarding the potential threat reported to our high school Monday afternoon. After a thorough investigation regarding a potential threat involving high school students, authorities have determined that the threat is not credible and there is no danger to our school community.

We know situations like this can be unsettling, and we appreciate your patience and support. Thank you for understanding that the information we can share is limited to maintain student privacy.

We remain committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for everyone in our schools and take all reports seriously. We commend our staff and local law enforcement for their swift response. To provide additional reassurance to families, students and staff there will be increased law enforcement on campus in the morning.

As always, we encourage students, staff, and families to report any concerns to school administrators. Do not hesitate to direct urgent or emergency situations to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.

Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping our schools safe.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

This afternoon, we received notification of a potential threat involving high school students. The administration was notified, and together with the School Resource Officer, we began investigating in accordance with our building safety plan.  The Putnam Valley Central School District takes all threats seriously and is collaborating with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office as they continue their investigation.  There are no changes to any regularly scheduled after-school activities, and we will update the community as information becomes available. We take the safety of our students and staff seriously and encourage anyone with any information to please notify the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office at (845) 225-4300.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

Across New York State, annual school budgets will be presented to voters on Tuesday, May 20. Our vote will be held at Putnam Valley Elementary School and polls will be open from 6 AM to 9 PM.

Please consider joining us for one or more of our budget sessions. These informal settings are intended to provide an opportunity for a deeper understanding of the annual budget process and capital improvement planning. All are welcome and your participation is appreciated.

Thursday, March 27 at PVHS – Budget and Capital Project Q&A – 

5:45 PM to 6:45 PM – High School Library 

(prior to the Board of Education Meeting at 7 PM in the high school cafeteria)

Wednesday, April 23 at PVES – Budget and Capital Project Q&A – 

(please note time change) – Elementary School Auditorium 

6:00 PM – General PTA Meeting  

6:30 PM – Budget and Capital Project Q&A  
(with Dr. Luft, Superintendent of Schools and Dr. Chan, Asst. Supt. of Business)

If there is interest in scheduling a meeting during the day, we would be happy to accommodate that. Please contact Jeannie Denike at jdenike@pvcsd.org.

You can find our most recent presentations to the Board of Education here:

Proposed 2025-2026 School Budget Presentation-https://youtu.be/_5bYlmaRN8c

Capital Project Discussion – https://youtu.be/lpp-2DL9a2c

Thank you,

Dr. Grace Chan
Assistant Superintendent of Business

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

Across New York State, annual school budgets will be presented to voters on Tuesday, May 20. Our vote will be held at Putnam Valley Elementary School and polls will be open from 6 AM to 9 PM.

Please consider joining us for one or more of our budget sessions.

Thursday, March 27 at PVHS – Budget and Capital Project Q&A –

5:45 PM to 6:45 PM – High School Library (prior to the Board of Education Meeting at 7 PM in the high school cafeteria)

Wednesday, April 23 at PVES – Budget and Capital Project Q&A –

7:00 PM to 8:00 PM – Elementary School Auditorium

If there is interest in scheduling a meeting during the day, we would be happy to accommodate that. Please contact Jeannie Denike at jdenike@pvcsd.org.

These informal settings are intended to provide an opportunity for a deeper understanding of the annual budget process and capital improvement planning. All are welcome and your participation is appreciated.

You can find our most recent presentations to the Board of Education here:

Proposed 2025-2026 School Budget Presentation – https://youtu.be/_5bYlmaRN8c

Capital Project Discussion – https://youtu.be/lpp-2DL9a2c

Thank you,

Dr. Grace Chan
Assistant Superintendent of Business

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Putnam Valley Community,

As the weather outside warms, we are reminded that spring is right around the corner.  However, I do wonder if at least one more snow day could still surprise us. Tonight, many families of our third and fourth-graders will be treated to a joyful production of The Jungle Book. I had the privilege of attending the dress rehearsal yesterday, and I am still smiling. The students and staff involved in this production are a shining example of the talent and dedication within our community.

In addition to the play, we have many other reasons to celebrate. Our cheerleading team just placed 3rd in New York State, and two of our wrestlers competed in the first-ever NYS Girls Wrestling Championships. Meanwhile, our young scientists have been actively presenting their research, and students across the district are thriving in a wide range of activities.

While our District continues to excel within the classroom, on the stage, and through athletic competition, much of our attention over the past several months has focused on the much-needed infrastructure work that must be completed.  Following the defeat of our capital project, 625 Yes votes to 667 No votes, a difference of just 42 ballots, we remain committed to providing the best possible educational environment for our students while completing the necessary infrastructure work at no additional cost to our taxpayers.  (The majority of the proposed project, 66%, will be supported by New York State Building Aid.)

In response to the vote, we continue to engage with our community and carefully review the path forward. On Wednesday, February 26, we held a Facilities Committee meeting with nearly 100 people in attendance. During this meeting, attendees worked in small groups to review the proposed scope of work for the capital project and identified their priorities. The results were tabulated and reviewed at a second meeting on March 12, where we further discussed the community’s feedback and the impact of the failed vote.

The committee’s work was then presented to the Board of Education at their meeting last night. The newly proposed project would provide a slight tax savings to the taxpayer while still completing the work that was determined most necessary by our community.  Facilities Committee Presentation/BOE Meeting 3/13/25

All of the work identified by the committee is important and necessary, but the failed vote in January has changed the critical timeline, and the Board must carefully consider what work can be removed from the project, as well as the costs associated with those changes.

Please continue to follow our progress. We will keep you informed about the next steps and provide further opportunities to answer questions and share information with the community.  The District has established both a Communications and Financial Subcommittee to help engage the community with accurate information that will empower an informed decision when they cast a ballot on Tuesday, May 20.  If you are interested in joining either of these subcommittees, please contact Jeannie Denike at JDenike@pvcsd.org.

On another note, I wanted to inform the community of some of the additional security measures that we put in place following the incident last month when a student from another school, accompanied by a Putnam Valley student, boarded our school bus and briefly entered our high school. While it was determined that this individual did not present a threat and was escorted off campus, it was clearly a violation of our security protocols.

As is our practice, the district conducted an incident debrief that included district administration, staff, law enforcement, and our school security consultants.  Immediate changes were made to our protocols to better prevent an incident like this from happening again.

As part of these enhanced security measures, a monitor is stationed at the front entrance of the high school each morning and during departure and arrival to and from BOCES. All students are now entering through the two doors on the left side of the building. Additionally, we have confirmed with our contracted transportation company that only students on our official roster are permitted to board the school bus.

Student and staff safety remains our top priority, and we will continue to strive to always improve.  Our schools remain extremely safe, and Putnam Valley continues to serve as a model for many districts in our region.

Our schools have always been the heart of the Putnam Valley Community.  Our buildings have served as a place of celebration and support. We welcome and host a wide range of community events and organizations that enrich the lives of our residents. We must continue to invest in our facilities to ensure they are available for generations to come, just as they were for me when I first attended Putnam Valley Elementary School over 40 years ago.  Thank you for your continued support and for being an informed voter on Tuesday, May 20.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Facilities Committee Presentation/BOE Meeting 3/13/25
Facilities Project – to be updated after 3/27/25 BOE Meeting
pvcsd.org