Building a Foundation for the Future

Define Your

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River DeMarco - 12th Grade

ASPIRE

Opportunity

How do we continue to offer more personalized education programs that meet the needs of all students?

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How do we intrinsically motivate students to take advantage of the wealth of opportunities?

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Staff Changes

Returning Staff

• Karen Kruse (Special Education Leave Replacement)

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• Karen Profita (Student Support Leave Replacement)

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New Staff

• Ashley Graham (Aemisegger) Physics

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• Matt Monroe (Student Resource Officer)

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Collective Action Takes Community

We VALUE staff, student, and parent voice; therefore, we want to elevate your collective voice through open & thoughtful dialogue.

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Inclusive Voice Come build with us!

Tiger Streak

• A group of tigers is called a streak - Tiger Streak is Putnam Valley High School’s student-led advisory group.

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• Tiger Streak consists of handpicked student advisors from grades 9th to 12th, as well as staff members like administration and our school psychologists.

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• During our monthly meetings, we discuss things that could affect both individuals and the school as a whole.

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• In our time in Tiger Streak, we have made changes in school wide communication, school rules, and fixed challenges in places like the cafeteria.

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• We are able to openly discuss problems and challenges we see and face in our school community, and share perspectives and ideas throughout grade levels as well as suggest and find solutions.

Connections Club

• Efforts specifically geared towards supporting our newly arrived students to the school district by supporting them with:
• Building Social Connections
• Navigating school and local resources
• Acclimating to the Putnam Valley community
• Continued support throughout the school year from their advisor and peers:
• Monthly check-ins (small/large group and individual)
• Surveys to obtain feedback
• Fostering student engagement and achievement
• Newcomer students are already reporting that being part of this group has helped them with:
• Learning about sports, clubs and activities
• Helping to set up with important school platforms (Powerschool, Google Classroom, Passport for Good, etc.)
• Learning which adults to connect with for different needs (Guidance, Food Services, Technology, etc)
• Overcoming fears related to transitioning to a new school

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Back to School Night

• Maximizing parent engagement and encourage participation
• Home language surveys sent to all families starting last year
• Creating opportunities for access to information in their home language
• Invitations, signage, presentations
• Access to iPads with live translation applications
• Bilingual student volunteers for support with translations
• Parallel presentation for our Spanish-speaking families
• Ensure important information is accessible
• Build rapport with our diverse families
• Learn more about our families and their specific needs
• Ensuring ALL of our families feel welcomed and valued in our community

5-Year Enrollment Numbers

GRADE 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 2024/25

9 121 140 115 120 148

10 129 122 140 116 124

11 155 132 122 141 120

12 141 157 131 123 138

Total HS 546 551 508 500 530

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BOCES Technical Center

2022/2023 2023/2024

39 Juniors 36 juniors

21 Seniors 31 seniors

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40

36

31

BOCES Courses and Enrollment

IB 5 Year Evaluation

Reflective Process that allows us to develop a deeper understanding of our Diploma Program and how we can better support and guide students and staff.

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Process:

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1. Review and Update: 30+ PVHS IB Programme Procedures

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• Self-Study Process:

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• Identify strengths and weaknesses and solicit feedback from ALL stakeholders

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• Generate Programme Development Plans: to address weaknesses

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• 2 Day Visitation by IB Evaluators

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• Conduct interviews with various stakeholders: i.e. Students, Parents Teachers, Administrators…

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• Report submitted to the Head of IB World Schools North America

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Key Findings: We have a STRONG IB Programme

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• Inclusivity and “family” culture permeated throughout; student support by ALL was evident
• Our diverse course selection appeals to various student interest
• Standardization of scoring; plus alignment with IB standards will further strengthen our IB Programme
• Horizontal teacher collaboration; plus time for examination of student work is necessary for student preparation

**71 % of Seniors are enrolled in at least 1 IB course.

Seniors average about 3 IB courses.

MTSS - It Takes a Valley!!!

• Student Support Team: manages the overall “health” of PVHS
• includes Building Administration, School Nurse, School Counselors, School Psychologist, & School Social Worker
• MTSS Student-Facing Team
• develops and manages student enrichment and intervention
• Achievement Center Summer Curriculum Work
• Developed draft entrance and exit criteria
• Shared Drive for all Achievement Center Teachers
• Progress monitoring process

Cell Phone Guidelines- A Mental Health Issue

Social-Emotional issues dominate cell phone and social media overuse

1. Enter a classroom put the phone in airplane mode
2. Place phone in backpack or cell phone cubby/holder
3. Teacher’s discretion to allow cell phone use for educational purposes

**Cell Phone Stays in the Classroom.** Students will not take their cell phones for a bathroom break or to visit the nurse, guidance, main office, etc.

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**Three-Step Remediation Process**

• 1st Violation of the guidelines - Conference with the teacher
• 2nd Violation of the guidelines - Conference with the teacher and a communication home. Building administration is notified.
• 3rd Violation of the guidelines - Discipline referral for insubordination. Student must turn their cell phone into the main office at the beginning of the day and have it returned at the end of the day for consecutive days. Referral to the Student Support Suite.
• Further incidents will result in longer periods of the above cell phone ban and parent meetings with the administration.

These guidelines also apply to the use of other electronic devices, such as headphones, earbuds, smartwatches, gaming devices, etc.

Garrison Students

November 13th

• 8th grade Presentation - 9:30 -11:30

November 18th

• Parent Presentation - 6:00 - 8:00

GRADE 2023/24 2024/25

9 2 13

10 4

11

12 1

Total HS 3 17

Upcoming High School Events

Nov. 1st IB Music/IB French Tarrytown Music Hall Carmen Opera

Nov. 8-10 Fall Drama “Girls in the Boat”

Nov. 13th 8th Grade Garrison Students Tour

Nov 18th Garrison Parent Tour

Nov. 19th Mu Alpha Theta Induction Ceremony

Nov. 25th WCC Orientation Trip & 9th Annual Gratitude Fest

Nov. 26th Fall Spotlight Award Ceremony

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Reflections?

Questions?