Dear Putnam Valley Community:
Summer has been very busy at the Putnam Valley School District. Thanks to the dedicated work of our custodial staff, our buildings have been transformed back to their pristine conditions as numerous summer projects are wrapping up. At the Elementary School, we have completed the creation of a new outdoor learning space in the courtyard, an irrigation system to restore the upper athletic field, drainage, paving, and sealing of the Elementary School driveway. At the High School, roof work is well underway. These projects, along with many smaller projects in all of our buildings, are possible thanks to the talented staff members of our buildings and grounds department.
Throughout the summer, our buildings have hosted a wide range of professional learning opportunities and academic programs. We hosted the Regional Leadership Institute earlier in July, welcoming administrators from across the region into Putnam Valley High School. Our extended school year program, summer boost programs, and our Kindercamp have filled our classrooms with the smiling faces of students, ready and eager to learn. Each of these programs is supported by our own leaders, instructional staff, and teaching assistants who dedicate a portion of their summer to ensure that those students who need additional support are provided those opportunities.
Many of our classrooms have received new interactive displays, replacing SMART Boards that were installed many years ago. This new technology provides teachers with a wide range of instructional tools, along with more consistent connectivity. Training will be provided throughout the next month to help support the seamless integration of this new technology into the classroom. These enhancements to the student learning environment are possible thanks to the work of the district’s technology department which is able to support both the infrastructure and the instructional needs of our buildings.
The Putnam Valley School District is proud to announce the district’s newly adopted C.O.R.E. Values. These values are the collective work of parents, students, staff, administration, and community members; each group provided feedback on those values that are most important to them. The final work was completed by the District Advisory Committee which is composed of parents, teachers, administrators, and community members. These C.O.R.E. Values will become the district’s guiding principles and will serve as the focal point for all future work. Putnam Valley has always been a special place to work, live, and learn; it is our belief that these values capture the essence of what the Putnam Valley School Community has to offer.
District C.O.R.E. Values:
The C.O.R.E. Values of a PV Learner – Always keeping the student at the center of all our work.
Community: Empathic learners who take great pride in their school community.
Opportunity: Courageous learners seeking opportunities to improve themselves and 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 continues to be much to celebrate. An unprecedented number of high school students are enrolling in higher level and rigorous courses, challenging themselves academically while developing the skills necessary to be successful as they prepare for college or their careers. We are welcoming our first cohort of students from the Garrison School District, marking the starting point of what we expect to be a long-term relationship between the two districts. Our Middle School will be continuing its work as an International Baccalaureate (IB) Candidate School, incorporating aspects of the IB Learner Profile into daily instruction while beginning to develop units of study. Elementary School staff will continue their implementation of the Scholastic Reading program and the Eureka math program, which have led to outstanding student success over the past few years. A continued emphasis on Fundations at the primary level will help us develop stronger independent readers. Carly Robey joins the Putnam Valley Elementary School, bringing many years of reading instruction experience to her new role as Assistant Principal.
As always, there is much to be proud of here in Putnam Valley. In a few short days, our buildings will reopen and we will welcome back our students and staff, as well as some new dynamic educators who will be joining our team. Please be on the lookout for important information coming from our school building leaders regarding the upcoming opening of school. We are all looking forward to another fantastic year with the best students and staff in the world. See you soon.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools