Superintendent’s Message

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

Good morning,

A short time ago, an ambulance was called to our elementary school to provide medical assistance for an adult. To keep hallways clear, a hold-in-place has been called, and students will resume their normal schedule shortly.

Thank you,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

As required by the New York State Department of Health, we are notifying you that a person in our elementary school was recently diagnosed with pertussis (whooping cough). Pertussis is an illness particularly notable for its severe and long-lasting cough. The following information has been provided by the Putnam County Department of Health.

Pertussis is a highly contagious disease spread through the air by coughing or sneezing. Pertussis begins with cold symptoms followed by a cough that becomes much worse over 1-2 weeks. Symptoms usually include a long series of coughs (“coughing fits”) sometimes followed by a whooping noise. However, older children, adults, and very young infants may not develop the whoop. There is generally only a slight fever. People with pertussis may have a series of coughs followed by vomiting, turning blue, or difficulty catching breath. The cough is often worse at night and cough medicines usually do not help alleviate the cough.

If you have been experiencing a cough illness, a visit to the doctor is highly recommended.  You should be tested (PCR test) by your health care provider.

Vaccination is the best defense against Pertussis.

Please consider the following Putnam County Department of Health recommendations:

• Vaccinate your child following the recommended guidelines which include a pertussis-containing vaccine (Dtap) at 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 months of age.  A booster dose is given at 4-6 years.  A Tdap booster is given at ages 11-12.
• Adults are often carriers and should receive one Tdap booster in their adult life. Adults do not have to wait until their next Td (Tetanus/Diptheria) booster is due, they can receive Tdap at any time.
• Infants under one year old, especially those under six months, are most likely to have severe symptoms if they develop pertussis. When possible young infants should be kept away from people with a cough. Infants with any coughing illness should be seen promptly by their doctor.

If you have further concerns or questions please contact your doctor or the Putnam County Department of Health
at (845) 808-1390.

Thank you,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

The District is aware of the discoloration of the water on the High School/Middle School campus.  We have been in contact with the Yorktown Water District which provides water service to those buildings.  They have received similar complaints from residents along that section of their system. The discoloration is a result of yesterday’s fire along Peekskill Hollow Road and the fact that the Fire Department needed to tap into the fire hydrant on the school’s property.

The Yorktown Water District expects the discoloration of the water to dissipate throughout the day as water continues to flow through that pipe.  We have been notified that the water on campus is potable and that any questions regarding its safety can be directed to the Yorktown Water District.

All bottle-filling stations throughout the building contain water filters and bottled water is available to anyone who requests it.

Thank you,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

From: Yorktown Water Lab <ytwlab@yorktownny.gov>

The continued discoloration of your water is not an indication of unsafe drinking water. Nothing has entered into the water main, it is due solely to the high rate of water flow disturbing the water in the main. This will dissipate as water at the school is used & water that has already settled replaces it. I hope that this information will ease any concerns that staff or students may have. My contact information is listed below should there be any additional questions.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Dahlke
Yorktown Consolidated Water District #1
Water Quality Lab / GIS
Asst. Distribution Superintendent
1080 Spillway Rd.
Shrub Oak, NY 10588
Work # (914) 245-6111, Ext. # 631
Cell # (845) 265-7621
ytwlab@yorktownny.gov

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

Peekskill Hollow Road remains closed at this time.  We expect student dismissal from our High School and Middle School to be on time. However, due to the road closure, the dismissal process could take longer and may impact the Elementary School dismissal. We expect any delays to be minimal.

Please note: Parent pick-up at the High School/Middle School campus is not an option until the road is reopened, and we do not know when that will happen. All students will be directed to take the bus (car traffic will be allowed to leave campus – but not enter). For students who do not usually take the bus, the main office staff will assist students in finding their appropriate bus.

After-school activities at the High School/Middle School will continue as scheduled.

Thank you for your cooperation and your patience.

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

As you know, we held our capital project vote on Tuesday, January 28. While the outcome was not what we had hoped for, we deeply appreciate the engagement, feedback, and support from our community throughout this process. Encouraging voter turnout has been and will continue to be a focus for PVCSD. Unfortunately, despite our efforts, we were unable to get more voters to the polls. In fact, turnout on Tuesday was slightly less than the turnout for the annual May vote, with approximately 15% of registered voters casting a ballot (625 Yes votes to 667 No votes, a small difference of only 42 ballots).

Our commitment to providing the best possible educational environment for our students remains a priority. In the coming weeks, we will carefully review the results, gather additional community input, and determine the best path forward to address the needs of our schools. Your voices are critical to shaping our next steps, and we will continue to explore ways to communicate accurate information with the Putnam Valley community.

We have been asked by many community members “What comes next?” The reality is that despite the failed vote, the work outlined in the project must still be done. Roofs still need to be replaced, the retaining wall is still failing, and the elementary school will still need heat as the current system is quickly reaching the end of its useful life. The district must now weigh whether to go out for a second vote, revise the project, or break it up into smaller chunks and include some of these costs in the operating budget. Including these costs in the operating budget would have financial implications for current programs and staffing and would eliminate our eligibility for state aid on those portions of the project.

Over the next several weeks, we will reconvene our Facilities Planning Committee, the group of community members, parents, and staff that spent nearly two years putting this project together, to provide insight on what direction they believe the district should go. We will continue to seek feedback from the larger community, our administrators, teachers, and support staff.

More information will be shared soon, including opportunities for further discussions and community input. Thank you for your dedication to our schools. We look forward to working together to ensure a strong future for our students and our district.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

To clarify, all public votes conducted by the school district must abide by the strict guidance outlined by New York State Education Law and the Commissioner of Education. Annual budget votes and special votes, like today’s capital project vote, follow the same training, safeguards, and vote-counting processes.

Our priority is to ensure that every voice in our community is heard and counted. To do this, we follow strict protocols.

• All ballots are carefully accounted for and secured throughout the voting process.
• Voters are checked in through an electronic system that confirms the voter is registered in the Putnam Valley School District.
• Ballots are safely secured in locked ballot boxes for the entirety of the day, the keys to open these boxes are securely taped to a table adjacent to the ballot boxes, all in public view and under the watchful eye of election staff.
• Ballots are only counted after the polls close at 9 PM.
• Once the polls close, ballots are electronically scanned, and absentee and early ballots are counted by hand.
• All scanning and counting of ballots are done in view of members of the public in attendance.

We encourage anyone interested to cast a ballot and witness the process firsthand.  Please check in with our District Clerk who is on-site in our Elementary School cafeteria and can answer any questions. Entrance doors must be locked at 9 PM when the last voter in the room has voted and will remain locked until all ballots are counted.  Members of the public may remain for the ballot count but must arrive prior to 9 PM.

Thank you,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 28, the PVCSD community will have the opportunity to decide on the next steps for much-needed capital improvements to our school buildings and grounds. Our capital project vote will be held in the Elementary School between 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM. The goal was always to present a project that would be tax-neutral; to minimize and stabilize the tax burden while thoughtfully planning repairs and improvements.

The proposed project includes both campuses and all three school buildings. Infrastructure improvements include replacing the aging oil burners at the elementary school by expanding and completing the existing geothermal heating and air conditioning system, redesigning and repairing the parking lot on the high school/middle school campus, including replacing the retaining wall, and improvements to the elementary school library and nurse’s office.

We have received inquiries regarding how the project can be tax-neutral, the high school weight room, and the elementary school play area.

To clarify:

• Tax-neutral: All proposed work can be completed without additional cost to the taxpayer.  A combination of existing debt payments that will be rolled into the new project along with the use of capital reserve funds allows the project to be tax-neutral. State aid will offset the expense of the bond payments needed to support the project.
• Update High School Weight Room: This space is currently used for academic and physical education classes during the day, including adaptive physical education classes. Improvements will make the space more suitable for student needs and provide the IB (International Baccalaureate) dance class with a dedicated space. Some of the equipment in this space date back to 2001 when the high school first opened.
• Elementary School Play Area: An additional play area will be installed, specifically designed for students with physical disabilities and young children K-2.

For more information, please visit our website, where you will find:

• Details from our Facilities Committee meetings (beginning in May 2023)
• Our project overview video (3 minutes)
• Why Now? (Timing of the facilities vote)
• FAQ
• Five Fast Facts
• Benefits of our geothermal systems
• Newsletter mailed to all residences of PVCSD
• Board of Education presentations and videos

Vote – Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 28  

• Hours: polls will be open from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM
• Location: Putnam Valley Elementary School.
• Parking: As always, designated parking will be available across from the cafeteria doors. Signage will be posted.
• Who Can Vote: Any registered resident of the Putnam Valley School District, can vote. If you have voted in any public election in the last four years you are registered to vote.

Thank you for considering the district’s proposal.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools