Dear Putnam Valley Community,

Warmer temperatures are in the forecast - stay Resilient! 

As mentioned in my March 5 communication, budget season is underway. District administration has been actively developing the budget for the 2026-2027 school year; building and department presentations have been delivered to the Board of Education. If you missed any of these meetings or videos, additional information can be found here.

Next week, on Thursday, March 26, before the scheduled Board of Education meeting, I will hold a Superintendent’s Listening Hour focused on the budget and our upcoming annual vote on Tuesday, May 19. Parent engagement is so important and deeply valued. Please consider joining me and Dr. Chan, Assistant Superintendent for Business Administration, in the High School Library from 6-7 PM on Thursday, March 26.

In April, we look forward to welcoming Dr. Betty Rosa, NYS Commissioner of Education, to Putnam Valley for a visit. This is an exciting opportunity to showcase how we are aligning instruction and student experiences to ensure our students graduate prepared, confident, and future-ready.

Thanks to the hard work of our dedicated staff, Putnam Valley continues to receive recognition across New York State as a model district. Schools near and far are requesting visits to observe our classrooms and learn from our instructional practices. The Commissioner’s visit reflects this growing interest, and she is eager to see firsthand the practices taking place in our schools and share those insights with other educational leaders.

In other exciting news, the District has recently received final approval from the New York State Education Department to move forward with our District-wide capital project - approved by voters last spring. Following the competitive bidding process, contracts will be awarded to the lowest responsible bidders. This project includes parking lot and roof improvements at the Middle and High School, HVAC upgrades at the Middle School, and several enhancements at the Elementary School, including a new playground, upgrades to the nurse’s office, and geothermal heating and cooling.

Sure signs of spring include our spring musicals. We are incredibly proud of the talent and dedication of our student performers and production crews. If you were lucky enough to see our elementary school students in School House Rock, you know what I mean. This weekend, you can see Once Upon a Mattress at the Middle School with shows scheduled for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Our High School musical, Into the Woods, will open to the community the weekend of April 17. We encourage everyone to attend and support the arts in our schools—these performances are always a highlight of the year. Ticket information can be found below. 

Please take a few minutes to review additional information, news, and updates in this newsletter.

Thank you again for your continued support of the Putnam Valley School District.

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

Mobile settings may impact your ability to see photos - please check and change settings or view this message on a desktop.

Join us!

Superintendent's Listening Hour

Thursday, March 26,

High School Library

6:00 - 7:00 PM

This informal setting is an opportunity to learn about the budget process and ask questions, helping you make an informed vote on Tuesday, May 19.

~ Catch a Show ~

February 27 marked the 100th day of school at PVES!

This day is a major milestone that serves to highlight how far our students have progressed in their learning journey. Our school community came together to decorate our hallways and doors with festive banners, while our students demonstrated their artistic and counting skills by creating artwork to mark the occasion. Can you see the "1 0 0" in these creative pieces?

PVES students participated in several fun activities aimed at fostering teamwork, friendship, and respect for all people.

The PVMS Students vs. Staff Volleyball Game took place on Friday, February 13, 2026, in the gymnasium just before Winter Break. This beloved tradition celebrates the hard work and spirit of our students.

In this highly anticipated matchup, PVMS teachers faced off against the 8th-grade students in a friendly but competitive game that had the crowd cheering from start to finish. Both teams demonstrated impressive teamwork and school spirit, with students eager to challenge their teachers and staff members determined to defend their pride.

The event provided plenty of laughs and exciting moments, while strengthening the sense of community and connection between students and staff as everyone headed into Winter Break.

Our middle school students practiced real-world skills at the grocery store - building independence, confidence, and community connections.

The Class of 2026 has incredible students, and two have risen to the very top.

Please join us in celebrating our academic leaders:

Valedictorian — Massimo Cartategui.

Salutatorian — Kaitlyn Caruso

Your dedication, perseverance, and commitment to excellence make our entire school community proud. Congratulations!

(Kaitlyn and Massimo pictured with Dr. Payne, High School Assistant Principal, Mrs. Davino, High School Guidance Counselor, and Mr. Mello, High School Principal)

Congratulations to Caitlyn Koumas and Aasiyah Ba-Yunus for competing in the recent UAlbany Science Research Invitational Symposium! Caitlyn placed 3rd in the Behavioral Category with her research on using an EEG to determine the relation between music and perceived stress levels. Aasiyah qualified to compete with her research of investigating monoclonal antibodies with T-cells. Our student researchers joined others throughout New York to present their original scientific research before peers, teachers, and judges at the University of Albany.

 If you do not see entire email - please click View entire message below

Putnam Valley continues to be recognized across the state and beyond for its commitment to sustainable energy. Read more...

Cleaner Air and Lower Costs.


1998-2000: First geothermal system installed at the Middle and High School.

2018: Rooftop solar panels installed, Geothermal system added to the Elementary School.

2026-2027: Solar panels will be installed on the Wellness Center rooftop this summer. Next year, the geothermal conversion of the Elementary School will eliminate all remaining oil use.

We will soon complete the vision of using zero oil district-wide.

By 2028, Putnam Valley will be one of the only - if not the only - school districts in the nation with 100% geothermal heating and cooling in all buildings - achieving ZERO oil use district-wide!

Huge congratulations to our Girls Wrestling team on an incredible achievement — Section 1 Champions

Section 1 Individual Champions: Maddy Keeler, Julia DiMichele, Delina Gritz,

Alexis Keeler

Third Place Finishers: Sam Regnier and Gianna Johnson

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

~New York State Championships~

These student-athletes proudly represented Putnam Valley at the

NYSPHSAA Championships



Wrestling:

Maddy Keeler, Julia DiMichele, Delina Gritz, and Alexis Keeler went on to

represent Putnam Valley at MVP Arena in Albany.

Delina placed 4th in her weight class!

Swimming:

Oliver Rzezwicki - 100 yard backstroke

beats personal best with a strong finish

Competitive Cheer:

This powerhouse team has been to the state championship multiple times, and this year marks two years in a row.

 If you do not see entire email - please click View entire message below

Congratulations, Coach Kelly Wilson

Section 1 Cheerleading Coach of the Year

Spring sports are in full swing -- Game schedules can be found here!

The Putnam Valley Central School District is accepting nominations for our Athletic Hall of Fame. Please carefully read the nomination criteria on the form which can be accessed below.

Final approval from the New York State Education Department has been received for the District-wide renovations and upgrades.

We will now advertise the project to prospective bidders. Following the competitive bidding process, contracts will be awarded to the lowest responsible bidders in each required field of work. Once the project is awarded, we will immediately work to develop a mobilization schedule, facilitate material and supply orders, and implement a construction timeline. We hope you will begin to see activity around our campuses late spring and early summer. 

Board meetings are open to the public and live-streamed on our pvcsd.org website.

The Putnam Valley Education Foundation (PVEF) is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization comprised of parents, teachers, and community members. Since 2003, PVEF has raised over $350,000 to fund teacher-led grants that bring creativity, enrichment and essential resources into our schools.

~ 2026 Honorees ~

Mrs. Barbara Parmly, Mr. Sam Oliverio, and Mrs. Elizabeth Broas  

Always keeping the student at the center of 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 grow and improve.