Dear Parents and Guardians,

We hope this message finds you well. As we continue to work on improving and enhancing our school environment, we are excited to announce an opportunity for you to play a vital role in shaping the future of our educational community. We are seeking dedicated and enthusiastic parent leaders to join our Building Steering Committee.

What is the Building Steering Committee?

The Building Steering Committee is a group of parents who will collaborate with school administration, students, teachers, and staff to provide input about the parental perspectives on education. This committee will be instrumental in shaping the future of our learning environment, ensuring it is safe, inspiring, and conducive to student success.

Why Join the Building Steering Committee?

• Impact: Your input and contributions will directly influence the design and improvement of our school facilities.

• Voice: You’ll have the opportunity to represent the parent perspective and advocate for the needs and desires of our school community.

• Collaboration: Work closely with school leaders, teachers, and other parents to create a vibrant and functional learning space.

• Leadership: Develop leadership skills, contribute your perspective, and join a dynamic team that enhances our school.

Who Are We Looking For?

We are seeking 5 or 8 parents who are passionate about education, dedicated to our school’s mission, with a strong commitment to our school, and a willingness to contribute their time and effort are encouraged to apply.

First Meeting: Tuesday, Sept. 19th, 3:00 in the high school library

How to Apply

If you are interested in becoming a part of the Building Steering Committee, please email kmacneil@pvcsd.org by  Sunday, Sept. 17th.
We are excited about the positive changes this committee will bring to our school, and we look forward to working collaboratively with our parent leaders.

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our school community. Together, we can create an even better learning environment for our children.

Sincerely,
Mr. Matt Mello
Principal
Putnam Valley HS

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I apologize for not properly communicating with parents about a change in our Math curriculum this year.  As you know, PVHS is an IB World School, and we are very proud of the educational opportunities the program provides our students.  Our graduates continue to rave about the merits of the IB program and IB courses.  Over the past several years, we have recognized that we need to adjust our math program to better prepare students for advanced math courses.  We have received feedback over the course of that time from parents, educators, and higher education about the Advanced Regents pathway. Our discussions have been in-depth and comprehensive.   The conclusion is that the Algebra II Regents curriculum misses trigonometry components that will better prepare students for advanced courses in calculus and statistics. Our array of IB courses, DCC courses, U Albany, and Siena College courses provide students with the key courses they need as they make their post-secondary plans.

Students can still sit for the Algebra II Regents if they would like, and teachers will have practice Regents exams and can guide them with other information they may need to know.  Many of the schools in our region have done away with offering Algebra II Regents and the Advanced Regents Diploma because it prevents schools from providing more accelerated trigonometry options for students. Last year we made the Physics Regents optional so that our students could be exposed to a more in-depth physics curriculum.

I hope this clarifies our math program and the reasoning behind a shift to infusing trigonometry into our Algebra II offerings.

Sincerely,

Matt Mello

Principal
Putnam Valley HS