Dear Putnam Valley Community,

The holiday season is the perfect time to reflect on how grateful I am to work alongside the incredible educators and staff who serve our outstanding students. It is truly an honor to be part of this district and to celebrate the amazing work that happens here every day. The dedication, care, and teamwork of our staff show up in every corner of our schools, making Putnam Valley a special place for students.

Twenty-five years ago, Putnam Valley High School opened its doors. Since 2000, Putnam Valley High School has been a place where students discover their strengths, build lasting relationships, and prepare for bright futures. We are grateful to the staff, students, families, and community members whose support has shaped the High School over the past quarter-century.

Today, our students continue to explore new opportunities and make us proud. Recently, 60 tenth-grade students participated in a BOCES Tech Tour to learn about the wide range of career and technical programs offered. On January 7, between 6:00 and 9:00 pm, our High School Science Research students will hold their Presentation Practice Night, and all are welcome to attend and provide feedback. Our spring musical is underway with an audition workshop open to all high school students on January 6, and auditions after school on January 8. Across all grade levels, our students continue to make meaningful progress in and beyond the classroom.

Middle School Band and Chorus performances have entertained families and showcased the talents of our students. An added treat was a performance of Jingle Bells that included adult guests. We were all looking forward to the upcoming Elementary School sing-along, one of my favorite PVCSD holiday traditions, but the weather had other ideas.

For families with children turning four years old by December 31, 2026, please be reminded that applications for our Universal Pre-K are due by December 31, 2025. Application Additional information

In typical fashion, our community continues to show its generosity. Multiple holiday food, toy, and clothing drives support our friends and neighbors, teach our students the importance of service, and highlight the caring spirit of the Putnam Valley community. 

Last Wednesday, our Community Liaisons hosted a Holiday Potluck. It was so nice to see so many families enjoying one another's company. We are grateful for these opportunities to make connections and grow our community.



Looking ahead, the Board of Education will meet on January 8, 2026, for a Multi-Year Financial Planning Presentation, and on January 22, 2026, I will host a Listening Hour at 6:00 PM just prior to the BOE meeting, followed by the Budget Presentation covering the Opening of Schools, Athletics, and Technology.



From all of us at PVCSD, we wish you all a joyful holiday season. Thank you for supporting the students and staff who make Putnam Valley such a special place. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools

The following calendar changes were approved by

the Board of Education:

The Superintendent's Conference Day scheduled for

Thursday, March 19, 2026, has been moved to Friday, March 20 2026.

• Thursday, March 19, will now be a regular school day.
• Friday, March 20, school will be closed for students.

Thanks to our many PTA volunteers, the recent Scholastic Book Fair was a great success! Students throughout the elementary school had the opportunity to take time out of the normal school day to explore a wide selection of reading material as they take the next steps on their literacy journey. We look forward to welcoming our young readers and the PTA again in the spring for another Scholastic Book Fair!

This year’s PVES Gym Show celebrated the Olympic Games and featured 119 third and fourth-grade students representing Greece, Sweden, Ireland, China, Canada, the United States, Jamaica, and Germany. Students showcased their skills through a variety of events. These events included speed skating, cross-country skiing, hurdles, bobsledding, and more. Our student athletes showed dedication and teamwork. Their hard work truly paid off with a wonderful performance.

Congratulations Hailey Ordaz (Gr 2) for winning the Putnam County Department of Public Works "Name our Snowplow Contest"! 

Hailey followed the directions that were shared in the Weekly Word and submitted a wonderful suggestion for a name for a DPW Truck for this winter season.

WHITE TIGER was a contest winner!

Look for the "White Tiger" on our Putnam County roads this year.

Representatives from Putnam County came to PVES for a photo opportunity with our proud PVES winner! Look for photos in our local newspapers!

Putnam Valley Middle School proudly hosts Student of the Month Breakfasts each month to recognize students who demonstrate the MYP IB Learner Profile Attributes of being Principled, Communicators, Reflective, Open-Minded, Balanced, Caring, Inquirers, Thinkers, Knowledgeable, and Risk Takers. Teachers nominate students for this honor based on these qualities, celebrating their character, effort, and commitment to learning. Parents are invited to join in the recognition, making the event a meaningful community celebration. Honored students receive a certificate along with a Student of the Month magnet and pencil. The PTA generously provides breakfast for the parents in attendance.

All was merry and bright during our exceptional winter concerts for the Middle School! Our chorus and band concerts sang and played our audience into the holidays, as students showcased their developing skills and talents. Thanks to

Mr. Soprano, Ms. Kraus, Ms. Craane, and Ms. Bennett for leading our students in these terrific performances, as well as many school community helpers for a delightful rendition of Jingle Bells!

Putnam Valley High School opened its doors in September 2000, and we are proud to celebrate 25 years of learning, growth, and community. This milestone reflects a quarter century of achievement and pride. PVHS has become a place where students discover their strengths, build lasting relationships, and prepare for bright futures. We are grateful to the staff, students, families, and community members whose support has shaped the high school over the past 25 years!

Putnam Valley High School showcdased some very impressive talent at the tenth annual Gratitude Festival in November. Hosted by the Tri-M Music Honor Society each year just before Thanksgiving, the festival celebrates the skills of musicians and artists, providing a chance for the entire community to enjoy their performances and creations.

Congratulations to the cast and crew of Arsenic and Old Lace! Mastering comedic timing is no easy feat, and our actors rose to the challenge. Bringing three shows to life requires an incredible amount of dedication and hard work, and the results were nothing short of amazing. Bravo!

Up next: Into the Woods - April 17, 18, 19

PVHS Students: Audition workshop on January 6 - Auditions, January 8

One Community. Many Acts of Kindness

From toy drives and coat drives to food drives, sock donations, and more, our students and their advisors have been hard at work supporting those in need. We are incredibly proud of their dedication—and deeply grateful to the generous Putnam Valley community for making these efforts possible.

~~~ Gather, Share, Celebrate ~~~

🏐An outstanding postseason run for Volleyball! 🏐

Section 1 Champions • Regional Champions • State Finalists

Congratulations to this amazing team and their coaches,

Sam Fasce, Nicole Scavelli, and Kristina Turner

Game Day Cheerleaders win states! Again!  

This is their 2nd state title in 3 years. 

Congratulations to coaches Kelly Wilson, Nicole D'Addona, and Joe D'Addona and to this team, who are setting the standard for Game Day Cheerleading in NY State through dedication, hard work, and unmatched enthusiasm. 

Our PV Tigers wrapped up a strong fall season, highlighted by several impressive NYSPHSAA State Championship appearances. Congratulations to swimmer Elisabeth Knuth, who competed in the 100m Breaststroke, our girls volleyball program for their outstanding postseason run as state finalists, and our Game Day Cheerleaders for bringing home another state title! Alongside these accomplishments, we saw many exceptional individual and team performances throughout the season.



In addition to our success on the field, court, mat, and in the pool, our student-athletes continue to excel in the classroom as well.

All eight of our fall varsity programs have been recognized for their academic excellence as NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete Teams.

Across all programs, 102 varsity student-athletes have been honored as Individual Scholar-Athletes for maintaining a 90 average or above during the fall season. We are incredibly proud of their hard work and commitment both academically and athletically.

As we close out the fall, the winter season is now in full swing. Be sure to keep the momentum going and come out to support your Tigers this winter.

Winter Schedule: http://digitalsports.com/school/id/22360.aspx

The Putnam Valley CSD is partnering with the YMCA of Central and Northern Westchester to offer a Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Program for 4-year-olds who reside in the Putnam Valley School District.

The program will be housed in the modular building located behind PVES.

Students turning 4 years of age on or before December 1, 2026,

can enter the lottery until December 31.

The lottery will be held on January 14, 2026.

Students selected through the lottery process must register by February 20, 2026.

For more information, please visit the page on the district website: