Pawling Rotary Club Members
Delight Third Graders with Dictionary Gift
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With boxes of brand-new dictionaries in tow, members of the Pawling Rotary Club visited Pawling Elementary School on Tuesday, November 7 for a special assembly to gift dictionaries to each third-grade student.
The latest in a twenty-eight-year stretch of annual visits, the event is part of the Rotary Dictionary Project: a global initiative that aims to promote literacy by providing personal dictionaries to students. Pawling Rotarians kicked off the event by lining up to greet classes as they filed into the multi-purpose room. Students had been briefed by their teachers in advance, and it showed; they spoke in hushed tones as their eager eyes searched a long table stacked neatly with colorful dictionaries.
Third grade teacher Selena Baaden said that this is typical of her students’ reaction year after year; they not only delight in receiving their very own dictionaries but also see it as a milestone of sorts.
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“This event represents an elevated expectation of learning in a ‘big kid’ grade,” she said. “It’s a staple in our autumn calendar, and the children always look forward to it.”
The assembly began with a short presentation from Pawling Rotarian John Ammaturo about the project’s mission to champion literacy and education within the community. Students were then called up individually by name to receive dictionaries – each containing a personalized name plate and the Rotary’s wagon wheel logo. Every exchange was sealed with a handshake, after which the children proudly displayed their gifts for the camera.
Back at their seats, the third graders unfolded their new books – some reading silently while others chatted excitedly with classmates, pointing out words and practicing the American Sign Language alphabet included in the books’ reference section. The room buzzed with conversation:
“Hey, look at this!”
“Wow, that’s the longest word I’ve ever seen.”
“I’ve always wanted a dictionary!”
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Baaden said that the particular dictionaries that the Rotary provides aren’t just run-of-the-mill books; they also contain information on chemical compounds, American history, geography and even astronomy.
“They’re special in that they provide historical, civic and scientific content to explore,” she said. “It encourages curiosity, discovery and lots of questions and makes the learning process more engaging and interactive for them.”
Students quieted as Rotarian Richard Harshbarger concluded the event by praising the students for their enthusiasm and curiosity before leading them in a pledge to use their dictionaries every day and become lifelong learners.Harshbarger later explained why the Rotary chooses third-grade students for the event; according to educators, students who meet grade level reading standards by third grade are more likely to succeed in academics.
“We focus our efforts on third graders because that is such an important milestone in a child’s educational life,” Harshbarger said. “We hope the children will use the dictionaries at school and at home to become good readers and writers.”
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Rotarian Medina Khalil smiled as she watched the students make their way back to their classrooms, each one clutching their brand-new dictionary.
“This is what we love the most: seeing the faces of these children as they explore the world inside a book,” she said. “Watching them light up as they share with one another is very rewarding.”
The Rotary Club of Pawling has been participating in the Dictionary Project since 1995. The club will also provide dictionaries to third graders at the Mizzentop Day School this year, reaching a total of about 110 students in the Town and Village of Pawling.
“It’s such a pleasure to watch our students use this resource all year in so many ways – even just for fun!” said Baaden. “We are extraordinarily grateful to the Pawling Rotary Club for investing in our students in such a meaningful way.”
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FFA Enhances CTE Education
at Pawling Middle and High Schools
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When Pawling Middle/High School career and technical education (CTE) teacher Zsolt Vass started working in the district in 2021, one of his goals was simple: to bring the Future Farmers of America (FFA) program to Pawling students.
FFA is a national organization that provides schools with an intracurricular experience featuring agricultural education and career development in related fields. Its programming offers students opportunities to learn more about the world of agriculture through club membership and elective courses; participants enjoy leadership opportunities, real-world experiences and community service and passion projects. They can also earn scholarships and awards through their work. Districts in which the program is chartered enjoy myriad benefits as well, including professional development and enhanced curricula for teachers.
After three years of effort, Vass is proud to announce that Pawling is now one of those districts – and he could not be more thrilled.
“FFA is such a well put together program with so many resources,” he said. “We are going to have such easy access to grants, professional development, training and high-level professional contacts now. I’m so excited to provide this opportunity to our students.”
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Vass began collaborating with Pawling’s Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Debra Kirkhus to bring the FFA program to Pawling as soon as he entered the district. He worked with the FFA at his prior workplace and thinks of it as an almost essential component of a complete CTE experience for students studying agriculture and related fields.
“I knew that we had to bring this program in from day one,” he said. “I saw how much the kids got out of it during my previous experience. FFA plays so well into the CTE program that we’re building here at Pawling.”
Pawling Superintendent Kim Fontana recalled this interest from his interview.
“I was sure Mr. Vass would find a warm welcome for his ideas and expertise here,” said Fontana.
Vass currently teaches woodshop at the high school in the new innovation lab and collaborates on various manufacturing opportunities for students. At the middle level, he teaches the introduction to agriculture class for all sixth graders.
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This sequence continues with a plant and animal science class, which all students take during the seventh or eighth grade years. Vass also teaches two pre-engineering classes that are part of the district’s implementation of Project Lead the Way – namely science and technology as well as energy and the environment.
Adept at career and general technical education, Vass is particularly passionate about offering students exposure to tangible aspects of agriculture. He often brings his goats and rabbits to the school for his students to enjoy. He also oversees the middle school’s greenhouse, a room filled with student-propagated plants as well as a bearded dragon and young chickens that the students care for themselves. They even raise plants and live insects to feed their animal charges.
Following a comprehensive introduction in middle school, students have a foundation on which to grow. Those more interested in manufacturing or engineering are offered more sophisticated courses in those areas at the high school; those with a science or engineering bent may choose to build on their middle school studies and develop a research or design focus. Some students augment Pawling’s offerings with courses on local Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) campuses. Vass also coordinates opportunities for students in the high school’s PRIDE program, providing them with exposure to landscaping, plant science and more to help grow the skills these learners need in the workforce and in life beyond high school.
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“What Mr. Vass has brought to our schools exemplifies the types of experiences the Regents’ Blue Ribbon Commission is recommending all students have access to – namely rich, guaranteed experiences across career and technical education,” Fontana said. “We are so glad that our students have access to these programs and can develop a whole range of passions and interests from the exposure we provide.”
Kirkhus said that establishing the FFA program at Pawling has been a huge community effort. Community partners such as Cloverbrook Farm and Dykeman’s Farm have already been generous supporters of Pawling students and this program, providing field trips and hands-on opportunities.
“Mr. Vass and I had a number of informal meetings with local farm owners and community members to discuss the feasibility of this type of endeavor in Pawling,” she said. “There has been an incredible amount of support there.”
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“This is especially important since supervised agricultural experience is a huge component of the program,” Kirkhus continued. “It’s been a team community effort from the start, and we are so grateful.”
She not only understands the assets that FFA brings to the district on a professional level, but a personal one as well. Her own adult daughter has worked and lived on farms for the past four years so Kirkhus has gotten an up-close perspective on the program’s potential benefits.
“It’s amazing how many aspects of the agricultural industry my daughter has encountered in her work – planting, maintaining machinery, hands-on building skills, veterinary care and technology,” she said. “She’s even getting a second degree in computer science because she’s seen how technology impacts agriculture.
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“Students learn a tremendous amount about the hard work, commitment and care associated with this field, but they’ll also gain so many other transferable skills that can be used in a variety of areas in their future work.”
Vass, too, spoke emphatically about the multifaceted applied science foundation that FFA will offer to Pawling students.
“We can discuss the nuts and bolts all day, but the fact is that it plays into the individual student learning experience in more ways than we can count,” he said. “Kids who like engineering find out how Formula 1 cars work. Kids who love chemistry realize how it plays into plant growth. It’s not just about cattle and corn.
“The whole idea with bringing in FFA is that it’s helping our students to become more well-rounded learners. That’s really what education is all about.”
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Pawling Elementary School students were over the moon to have astronaut Nicole Stott visit on Thursday November 16! Stott shared stories of her adventures and the importance of being good crew member of "Spaceship Earth."
We would like to thank the Pawling Public Library for making this program possible through their Literacy Heroes program. For more information on all that the library has to offer visit www.pawlingfreelibrary.org
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Dear Pawling Central School District Families,
As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I would like to express my gratitude and pride for the achievements and accomplishments of our Pawling students. They have already shown great curiosity, creativity and growth this fall; I am looking forward to all that the remainder of the 2023-24 school year brings. I am also thankful for our teachers and staff, who work diligently to provide high-quality instruction and services to our students.
I hope you have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving break with your loved ones. Please take this time to rest, relax and celebrate the gifts in your life. I look forward to seeing your children back on Monday, November 27.
Sincerely,
Kim Fontana
Pawling Central School District Superintendent
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Digital Backpack
The digital backpack is updated regularly with information from the schools and local community. You can find a link for it under the Parent tab of the homepage. It is also listed on the homepage with the date of the most recent update.
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We Are Hiring!
The Pawling Central School District is a great place to work. We have positions open for full-time permanent building substitute teachers, typists and custodial workers. We also have substitute positions open in many other job categories: certified teacher, uncertified teacher, teaching assistant, teacher aide, monitor, bus driver and food service worker. We also have part-time positions open, such as school monitor. Full-time positions earn excellent benefits. As a team of educators, we never doubt that we are making a difference for our community. PCSD offers walk-throughs and orientations for those thinking about working in schools. Our very best employees are often people who live in our community. Diverse and bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. See the link below to reach our friendly and helpful Human Resources Team.
https://www.pawlingschools.org/human_resources
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Want to get involved? Not sure how?
Contact the Superintendent's Office at (845) 855-2150.
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