Superintendent’s Message

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

In honor of First Responder Appreciation Day 2024, we will once again hold special events at each building and would appreciate the participation of our First Responder families and town residents. We are looking for all First Responders (volunteer and professional) – law enforcement, firefighters, medical professionals, military personnel, etc. If you are interested and available to attend any of these events, please complete the form below.

Putnam Valley Elementary School – First Responder Visit – Friday, October 25:  Spend 10 to 15 minutes with one or more of our classes and tell the students a little bit about your typical day, answer questions, and/or read a book about your work. (Arrival 9:15 am)

Putnam Valley Middle and High School – First Responders/Youth Corps – Thursday, October 24:  We are inviting youth corps leaders and other first responders to share information about their service. How did you get involved? What was your path to your current position? What advice do you have for young people interested in serving their community as a volunteer or beginning a career as a first responder?

Community Event at Putnam Valley High School – Honoring our First Responders – Friday, November 1, 5:30pm: We invite all first responders, living or working in Putnam Valley to be recognized before our football game. Kickoff is at 6:00 pm.  We would like our first responders to lead the team down onto the field at approximately 5:30 pm and be recognized at the start of the game.  Your children are welcome and encouraged to walk with you. (Please arrive at 5:15 pm, arrive in uniform if possible)

These events provide an opportunity for our community to say THANK YOU to all first responders. We are grateful for your participation.

​Please Click Here to Access the Form

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

October 7, 2024

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

This Friday, October 11, 2024, all three schools will hold their Early Dismissal Evacuation Drill as required by the New York State Education Department.  Each school will dismiss 15 minutes earlier than their regular dismissal time.  

Please make arrangements to accommodate for the early arrival of your children.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

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Hello PVCSD!

Please find our most recent newsletter here.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

This afternoon, administrators at Putnam Valley High School were made aware of concerning messages exchanged between several Putnam Valley students. The messages were posted on social media. Aligned with our protocols, the District initiated a threat assessment and contacted the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. At this time, we have determined there is no threat to the Putnam Valley School District or its students. We will continue to actively work with the Sheriff’s Office to fully investigate this matter.

We always take these types of reports very seriously and work closely with law enforcement to investigate and respond appropriately.

Thank you,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

Summer has been incredibly productive at the Putnam Valley School District. Thanks to the dedicated work of our custodial staff, our buildings have been transformed back to their pristine condition as numerous summer projects wrap up. At the Elementary School, hallways have been revitalized with a new coat of paint, offering students and staff a bright and welcoming environment upon their return to school.  Many bathrooms have received a much-needed makeover, with the remaining facilities scheduled to be updated in the next couple of years.  Our Middle School will reopen with a new student support suite, housing our clinical staff members, and a new conference room.  Several classroom spaces have been updated to accommodate the need of our instructional programs.  Improvements have been made to the wellness trail, upper field at the Elementary School, and athletic facilities, including new bullpens on the baseball field.  These projects along with many smaller ones across our buildings, are made possible thanks to our talented staff members in the buildings and grounds department.

Throughout the summer, our buildings have been bustling with a variety of professional learning opportunities and academic programs. Earlier in July, we hosted a Regional Leadership Institute at Putnam Valley High School, welcoming administrators from across the region to learn together. Our extended school year program, summer boost programs, and Kindercamp have filled our classrooms with eager and enthusiastic students. Each of these programs provides invaluable opportunities for those students needing additional support and we are so grateful for the dedication of our leaders, instructional staff, and teaching assistants.

Many of our classrooms now feature new interactive BenQ displays, replacing the older Newline boards. This new technology offers teachers a range of instructional tools and improved connectivity. Training will be provided in the coming month to ensure a smooth integration of this technology into our classrooms. These enhancements to our learning environment are the result of the district’s technology department’s commitment to supporting both infrastructure and instructional needs.

Last summer, we announced the district’s newly adopted C.O.R.E. Values. These values are the product of collaborative efforts involving parents, students, staff, administration, and community members, each contributing feedback on what is most important. These C.O.R.E values will serve as our guiding principles and focal points for all future endeavors. Last year, we focused on the first of these values, Community.  This year, we will turn our attention to Opportunity, as we continue to explore ways to build on last year’s successes.

District C.O.R.E. Values:

• Community: Empathetic learners who take great pride in their school community.

• Opportunity: Courageous learners seeking opportunities to improve themselves and support others.

• Resiliency: Joyful learners who display resiliency when faced with challenges.

• Empowerment: Reflective learners who empower themselves and others to always be better.

As we look forward to the upcoming year, there is much to celebrate.  We continue to receive feedback from recent graduates, applauding their preparedness for post-secondary learning thanks to the work of our dedicated staff members and the rigorous academic program they were provided.  Last school year, we welcomed three students from the Garrison School District into our high school. This upcoming school year, we anticipate welcoming fourteen students, representing well over half of the Garrison School District’s rising ninth graders.  It is evident that Garrison students and parents have taken notice of all we have to offer in the Putnam Valley School District.

After several years of hard work, Putnam Valley Middle School will be seeking authorization to be recognized as an International Baccalaureate School offering the IB Middle Years Programme.  This anticipated authorization is a testament to the hard work of our administration and instructional staff, especially the teacher leaders who have guided this work over the past few years.

At the Elementary School, our staff will further implement the Scholastic Reading program and phonemic awareness, while placing increased focus on writing across the curriculum.

As always, there is much to be proud of in Putnam Valley. In just a few days, our buildings will reopen, and we will welcome back our students, staff, and new dynamic educators joining our team. Please watch for important information from our school building leaders regarding the upcoming school year. We are excited for another fantastic year filled with incredible opportunities for our students and staff.

See you soon!

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

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Dear Putnam Valley Community:

As the school year comes to a close, we are reminded of this year’s district goal, “building a stronger school community.” This goal is closely aligned with the District’s recently established CORE Values; Community, Opportunity, Resiliency, and Empowerment.

Merriam-Webster defines community as “a unified body of individuals with common interests.” I think that defines Putnam Valley very well. I don’t know of any other district that can bring together a diverse group of students within a unifying cause like we do. Putnam Valley is most certainly a strong and unified community, a community in which our schools serve as the nucleus.

Over the past year, as a school community, we have had the opportunity to join together to celebrate great accomplishments, awards, championships, and accolades. Each of these accomplishments brings our community closer together. Community is not something you inherit but instead, something you create. Putnam Valley has always been a special community thanks to the collective efforts of everyone who contributes to making it an amazing place to work and live.

Thanks to the collective efforts of our talented staff, amazing students, caring parents, and supportive community, the Putnam Valley School District continues to excel. Schools across the region are taking notice, young families are eager to move in, and our students are reporting how well prepared they were for the rigor of post-secondary academics. We take great pride in the success our students achieve, knowing that everyone in the Putnam Valley School Community played a small role in helping each student reach their full potential.

Thank you for everything you do to support our community and our students. Have a great summer.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Good Afternoon Putnam Valley Community:

Well, the weather forecast has been accurate. It is hot outside!  Rest assured that we are closely monitoring the health and safety of our students.  As deemed necessary, outdoor activities may be moved indoors.  Putnam Valley’s long-term investment in sustainable energy, specifically the installation of geothermal heating and cooling in each of our buildings, affords our students and staff building-wide air conditioning.  While many Districts in our region are currently exploring alternative learning spaces and truncated schedules, our schools will remain open for our students and staff.

At this time, the High School Graduation is scheduled to begin at 7 pm on the High School Turf.  The ceremony will be live-streamed into our High School Performing Arts Center for those who need a break from the heat.  We will continue to monitor both the heat index and the possibility of inclement weather on Friday and communicate any potential changes to our ceremony.

Thank you and stay cool!

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

I am pleased to announce that after an extensive interview process, we anticipate the appointment of Robert Webb as the next Director of Physical Education, Athletics, and Health Services for the Putnam Valley School District during our Board of Education Meeting on June 20.  Mr. Webb will be assuming the position vacated by David Kantrowitz.  We thank Mr. Kantrowitz for his dedicated service to the Putnam Valley School District and wish him the best in his new position.

Mr. Webb joins our administrative team after serving as the Director of Health, Physical Education & Athletics for the Yonkers Public Schools.  Mr. Webb has also served as a Building Level Athletic Director and a Health Education Teacher in the Yonkers Public Schools for the past nine years.  Mr. Webb has coached numerous sports teams across various levels, from youth programs through varsity athletics.  He was recently honored with the Section One Athletics, Liam Frawley – Emerging Athletic Administrator Award.

The interview committee, comprised of teachers, staff, coaches, parents, students, and administrators, was impressed by Mr. Webb’s knowledge of education, athletics, and the Putnam Valley School Community.  Mr. Webb spoke about the importance of fostering a positive athletic environment that encourages student participation and entices and retains quality coaches.  Mr. Webb is looking forward to becoming a part of Putnam Valley’s close-knit community, affording him the ability to build strong relationships with students, staff, and parents.

We look forward to welcoming Mr. Webb to the Putnam Valley School District, with his official start date anticipated to be July 22. We would like to thank everyone who participated in this extensive interview process.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Putnam Valley Community:

Appreciation is the theme for this month’s message.  As the Superintendent of Schools in Putnam Valley, I would like to extend my gratitude to the community members who came out and voted on this year’s school budget and propositions.  Regardless of how you voted, thank you for taking the time to let your voice be heard through your ballot.

I’m happy to report that this year’s school budget, along with the capital reserve and transportation propositions, all passed.  Over 750 community members supported the proposed spending plan, which will allow the district to continue offering the rigorous academic program and wide range of extracurricular activities our students have come to expect.  This plan not only allows us to maintain our current staff but includes an additional guidance counselor at the middle school and smaller class sizes at the elementary school.

Please take a moment to provide some feedback here as our team will immediately start working on the 2025-2026 budget.

Two seats on the Board of Education were also on this year’s ballot and the community overwhelmingly reelected Barbara Parmly to remain on the Board and welcomed Alexandra (Sasha) Hayes as a new member to the Board.  Congratulations to Barbara and Sasha and thank you for volunteering to serve this important role within our school community.  I also want to acknowledge and thank Maranda Zocchi and Zayd Eljamel for their interest in serving our school community.

Each year’s school budget proposition is designed to balance the academic needs of our students with the financial impact on 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 are always at the center of desirable communities. The more desirable your community is to prospective home buyers, the more your home value improves.

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 for the caring staff members that serve our students each and every day.

Thank you and we look forward to another amazing year here in Putnam Valley.

Sincerely,

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 high 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:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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