Dear Putnam Valley School Community, 

On behalf of the Putnam Valley Central School District, it is my great pleasure to welcome our students, staff, and families back for the 2025-2026 school year!



As always, the summer months were incredibly busy across our district. Our dedicated staff worked tirelessly to ensure that everything was in place to greet our students with open arms. Our buildings and classrooms were returned to pristine condition, and you can see the pride and care in every corner of our schools. 



Each September brings the excitement of new opportunities, renewed goals, and the promise of growth for every student. Our Elementary and Middle School Back-to-School Nights were well attended, and we invite parents and guardians to the High School on October 8 at 6 pm for their Back-to-School Night. These opportunities to come together help us support students, and we thank you for your active participation.  

This year, we’ve chosen “Resiliency” as the district-wide goal and will make it the theme of our work throughout this school year. Resilience is key to overcoming challenges and aligns with our CORE Values of Community, Opportunity, Resilience, and Empowerment. Resilience will guide our work as we support students and staff in navigating challenges and building strength through learning and connection.

We deeply value the partnership between our schools and our families. Together, we can create meaningful experiences that support the academic achievement, social-emotional development, and the well-being of every student. Your engagement and collaboration are vital to the strength of our school community.

Please take a few minutes to review highlights in this newsletter, which include updates such as our first cohort of Universal Pre-K students, an exciting four-legged addition to our elementary school, and much more.  

You can follow the Putnam Valley Central School District on Facebook and Instagram for ongoing updates, celebrations, and photos.

As we begin this new year, we do so with optimism and enthusiasm for the opportunities that lie ahead. Thank you for entrusting us with the education and care of your children. We look forward to a successful and rewarding school year for all.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeremy Luft

Superintendent of Schools

The new school year is well underway at PVES, and the children and the building are both so bright! Our cafeteria is freshly painted, with colorful new tables to welcome our lunch groups each day. Thank you to Mr. Ray Renzo and our entire custodial staff for the hard work that went into brightening this important social spot in our school for our students.

Over the summer, the hallways and classrooms stayed busy with our ESY (Extended School Year) students, Summer Boost Camp, and our KinderCamp children. We then held our Kindergarten Orientation & Bus Run in late August, followed by our New Student Meeting and our Kindergarten Back-to-School Night. Our September Back-to-School Nights were extremely well attended, along with our PTA/PVES Picnic, with the highlight of the Bubble Bus! Thank you to our PTA and all of our elementary families who made this event so special. We have so much to look forward to, with lots of learning ahead! Our elementary students are adorable, and they know that learning can be so much fun!

Putnam Valley Middle School held its Back-to-School Nights on September 16 and September 17 from 6:30 - 9:00 PM. We had over 250 people attend the first evening and about 100 attendees the second evening. Our parents enjoyed the opportunity to meet their child's teachers and learn about the curriculum and expectations and the PTA, PVEF, Cove Care, and the Boy Scouts had table displays to share the ways they support our students and community. It takes a Valley to raise a child, and we were extremely excited to see such a great turnout from our Putnam Valley families!

Thanks to the effort of our dedicated middle school staff, PVMS has been certified as an IB World School for the Middle Years Programme (MYP). This considerable accomplishment is the culmination of a long process of review and implementation of the MYP curriculum. As an IB World School, PVMS is now recognized as providing a global curriculum focused on developing well-rounded, critically thinking students who are prepared to make a positive difference in the world.

Thank you to every educator, leader, and team member who contributed by writing units, embracing new instructional practices, and committing to the rigorous and inspiring work of the Middle Years Program. We would like to extend our deepest appreciation to Travis McCarty and Jaime Zecca for their vision and leadership in guiding this process from the start. A special thanks to our incredible MYP Coordinators, MaryKay Cohen and Stephanie Trchala, whose tireless commitment and thoughtful leadership made this achievement possible. Your work has created a lasting foundation for excellence in teaching and learning at PVMS.

This fall, our middle school students will visit the Taconic Outdoor Education Center in Cold Spring for a variety of field experiences and activities. Focused on team-building, these activities encompass a variety of topics, and help strengthen problem-solving, communication and cooperation skills.

We're thrilled to share that the JCK Foundation recently returned to the high school for an impactful day of connection and education! Their dedicated team members, John Tessitore and Kevin McMahon, engaged with freshmen in both large and small group settings, delivering powerful sessions focused on breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health challenges and labels. John and Kevin led an afternoon session reconnecting with our seniors, whom they presented to 3 years ago when they were freshmen.



Their mission? To empower students with the knowledge and confidence to seek help—whether for themselves or a friend in need. John and Kevin inspired students to prioritize mental wellness and support one another by fostering open conversations and providing clear guidance on available resources.

Together, we're building a stronger, more compassionate community, one conversation at a time.

This fall, Putnam Valley TheatreWorks is proud to present "Arsenic and Old Lace". This comedy will be performed on November 7 and 8 at 7 p.m, and on November 9 at 2 p.m. Tickets are not yet available, but please keep an eye on the Arts section of the PVCSD website as those dates approach for more information.

The wait is over. Our beautiful brand-new track and turf field are officially open, and the games are already underway. This marks an exciting new chapter for Putnam Valley Athletics, and we are looking forward to the continued support from our community. With exciting games ahead and school spirit in full swing, there has never been a better time to come out and cheer on the Tigers.

As we gear up for Homecoming, we invite everyone to come out, make some noise, and support our student-athletes.

Homecoming Varsity Athletics Schedule

• September 26
• Cheerleading and Football vs. Briarcliff-Hamilton at 6:00 PM
• September 29
• Girls Soccer vs. Briarcliff at 4:45 PM
• September 30
• Boys Soccer vs. Saunders at 4:30 PM
• Volleyball vs. Dobbs Ferry at 5:00 PM
• October 1
• Field Hockey vs. Carmel at 4:30 PM
• October 8
• Girls Swimming vs. Bronxville-Tuckahoe
• Location: Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School at 4:30 PM

Senior Day and Night Celebrations



Help us honor our senior student-athletes and all they have contributed to our teams and school community:

• September 26
• Cheerleading and Football at 6:00 PM
• October 3
• Field Hockey at 7:00 PM
• October 8
• Boys Soccer at 5:00 PM
• October 18
• Girls Soccer at 11:00 AM
• October 22
• Volleyball at 6:30 PM
  

Let’s come together as a community, be loud and proud, and cheer on our Tigers.



Go Tigers!

Congratulations to the 2025 Hall of Fame Inductees:

Kristi Dini, Class of 2005

Joey Morgan, Class of 2005

Erin McCrudden, Class of 2013

Community contributor - Mrs.Jerri Cohen

Reminder: Make your nominations for our Hall of Fame here.
June 2025 Hall of Fame Induction Video.

Putnam Valley Central School District has been selected as a recipient of the New York State Green Ribbon Award, presented by the New York State Department of Education Board of Regents. This prestigious recognition honors schools and districts that demonstrate innovative efforts in sustainability, environmental education, and wellness. It is a powerful reminder that our commitment to building a foundation for the future includes both academic excellence and environmental responsibility.

We would like to acknowledge Mr. David Spittal for his leadership and commitment to this effort and for ensuring Putnam Valley CSD is a leader in sustainability in our state. This Green Ribbon recognition reflects years of vision and action—from implementing geothermal energy systems and efficient building practices to promoting environmental stewardship throughout our schools. We would also like to recognize all of the work done at each building to make Putnam Valley CSD green! From Mr. Shawn Tarkington’s Go Green Club, to the Sustainability Fair led by Ms. Jenn Bruno and Ms. Liz Broas, to Ms. Jeannine Lewis’s Environmental Club, and many more initiatives and opportunities led by our colleagues, our students at every level are taught the importance of caring for our planet and finding innovative and sustainable solutions.