Dear PVES Families,
As you may have seen in our recent district newsletter, Putnam Valley Elementary School was recently ranked #103 out of 2,831 New York State Elementary Schools in performance by U.S. News and World Report. This puts our dear PVES in the 96th Percentile of the elementary schools in NY state. This amazing achievement is certainly due to the district and community support, the talented faculty and staff, and the wonderful families with whom we work each and every day. Our students continue to show us that the work we are doing is making such a difference. Our PV Pride is strong, and we will continue to lead the way!
We are heading into a very festive time of year! The school building is now decorated with creative turkeys and lots of student-made recipes, along with a growing understanding of our country’s history. I wish you and yours a very happy, healthy Thanksgiving. Although this period of time has certainly been challenging, we have many reasons to be thankful. I am certainly so grateful to be part of this wonderful community.
Please be reminded that just our elementary students will have a half-day of school on this Wednesday, November 24th. Students will be dismissed at 12:00 noon. Parents who are picking up students should arrive at school at 11:50 AM. Schools will be closed on Thursday and Friday of this week in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday.
I am happy to say that our elementary building is healthy and safe. This, of course, is a top priority. At times, students must quarantine due to safety regulations. Please be reminded that if you let us know that your child must quarantine due to exposure outside of school, he or she may not return to school until the Quarantine Release Forms from the Department of Health are submitted. If you let us know that your child has been exposed to Covid, he or she will be on an official contact tracing list and will receive Quarantine Instructional Support. We will then welcome your child back when he or she is symptom free and the DOH has officially released the student from quarantine. We know this can be confusing, so please email me with any questions at mpodesta@pvcsd.org.
If your child must quarantine, the classroom teacher will be reaching out to you to set up the plans for Quarantine Instructional Support. This will include daily live Google Meets for ELA and Math, along with live meets with some support teachers. Please allow 24 hours for the live meets to begin, as teachers will need the time to plan and arrange for the quarantine instruction. This allows time for laptop and material pick-up at school as well. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Please mark your calendars for the next PTA Event of the year! On Saturday, December 11th, the PTA will be hosting a Winter Wonderland for our elementary students! This Wonderland will be held at PVES (both inside and outside) on the Saturday afternoon, and it certainly sounds like a festive event. Please see the Weekly Notices for more information!
We wish you and yours a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your family time, and be sure to cherish the memories in the making. Remember that the small, simple moments are usually the most meaningful to your young ones.
My best,
Dr. Margaret Podesta
Principal