This season’s girls swim and dive team are a tight group of 24 athletes, including six newcomers, ready to take advantage of their small-school status in Division I, dominated by Newburgh, Pine Bush, Monroe-Woodbury and Kingston. 

Lead by veteran coaches John and Antoinette Quinn and five captains eager to set a good example, their focus in on personal improvement and team work.

Mr. Quinn, a retired NYPD sergeant, has been coaching swimming for 30 years, the last 25 with wife Antoinette, a retired teacher. They love working together, in and off the pool deck. When asked about their approach to coaching, they complete each other’s sentences: “It’s about personal improvement—their personal best times. It’s about camaraderie—and social skills. It’s not always about winning—it’s about learning to work as a team. Getting along is the most important thing—character building!”

With five seventh-graders and one freshman joining the program this fall, two-year Captain Eleanor Glover, a senior, is especially aware of her leadership role. “Captains are chosen because they show dedication to the team and they are someone others can look up to.” And she’s grateful for the lessons of her responsibility. “Being a captain has showed me that I can contribute to something bigger,” Eleanor said. “I can cheer up someone who’s having a bad day, and I can step up when the coaches need my help. As a senior, my goal this year is to work hard every day, end on a good note and finish strong.”

Four-year swimmer and new Captain Hannah Machingo, a sophomore, is honored to be nominated a captain. “I always looked up to my team captains and I wanted others to look up to me as well,” Hannah said. “I like helping people and the idea of setting a good example for others. We are a big family who looks out for each other and we have the backs of our new athletes.” A multi-sport athlete, Hannah will work to make section’s for her relays this season, and hopes the team will break new records.

A letter to parents and application form for Free and Reduced-Price Meals (FRPM) should be reaching the mailboxes of all school families. The letter answers all your questions regarding FRPM enrollment and eligibility, according to Federal guidelines.

A new application must be submitted each year, but only one application is necessary for each household. A 30-day grace period begins on the first day of school in September, but applications may be submitted any time during the school year, should a family’s situation change.

You can link to the letter and form, in English and in Spanish, from the food services page of our website. Extra copies are also available at each school’s main office. Completed applications should be returned to Warwick Valley Central School District, P.O. Box 595 Warwick, NY 10990. If you need assistance with your application or have questions about the program, please call Food Services at (845) 987-3050 x 12890.

Families who wish to apply for SNAP or other assistance benefits should contact the local assistance office or call 1-800-342-3009.

Local resources

Backpack Snack Attack

Backpack Snack Attack is a Warwick Valley non-profit, volunteer organization that provides nutritional snacks to hundreds of school children in need of supplemental food on weekends and when school is not in session.

Ran entirely by volunteers, the program is supported by donations and fundraising, including collections made by canisters placed at the counters of local businesses, and a fill-the-van run in partnership with Warwick ShopRite. Raised funds are also used to purchase school supplies. School nurses are the community liaison for the program.

Food Pantries

• Community Kitchen in Pine Island (serving free monthly dinners)
• Warwick Ecumenical Food Pantry
• Florida Community Food Pantry
• Greenwood Lake Food Pantry
• Peter Lutheran Church Food Pantry in Warwick

Park Avenue students will R.O.A.R. with even greater confidence this school year with the help of positive and mindful messages they will encounter on their bathroom breaks. 

Delivered in brightly-colored posters funded by a community grant from the Stewart’s Foundation, the confidence and kindness-boosting messages were posted on school bathroom doors this week with the help of current and former students, PTA and staff members. 

Principal Sandra Wood secured the grant-funded posters as part of school-wide efforts to integrate mindfulness in social-emotional learning and

development. Positive messages also align with Park Avenue’s PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports) programs and R.O.A.R. (Respect, Outstanding choices, Acceptance, Responsibility), the school’s matrix of behavioral expectations.  

The Warwick Valley Central School District is welcoming 18 new teachers to its schools this year. Before meeting their students on Thursday, Sept. 5, they warmed up to their new instructional environment, colleagues and administrators during a three-day orientation with Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, Cindy Leandro. 

We extend a warm welcome to each of them:  

Stacey Browne – Sanfordville Elementary
Matthew Calandra – Middle School
Danielle DeStaso – High School
Christie Esserman – Sanfordville Elementary
Amanda Knowles – Sanfordville Elementary
Daniel LaCavalla – High School
Devin Lamar – High School
Emma La Rosa – Park Avenue Elementary
Brianna Murphy – Sanfordville Elementary
Christina O’Carroll – High School
Kathrine O’Donnell – Middle School (not pictured)
Emily Perez – Sanfordville Elementary
Shane Peters – Middle School
Jereme Safier – High School
Katherine Scrima – High School
Adam Staiger – High School
Elizabeth Sullivan – Middle School
Christina Vakirtzis – Middle School (not pictured)

Joining schools across the country, Warwick Valley Central School District is expanding measures to curb out the use of vaping products among its students.

In addition to the installation of vaping sensors at the middle and high school buildings, school coalition teams are tightening collaboration with the Warwick Coalition to increase student and community awareness of vaping’s harmful health effects, and looking for help inside and outside school facilities. 

As hundreds of people including teens continue to take ill from e-cigarettes across the United States, and several deaths have now been linked to vaping, state and federal agencies are taking action, and public awareness is on the rise.  

“Vaping is emerging as a public health crisis and we all need to take responsibility for educating ourselves and others about the dangers of vaping products,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Leach said. “We are asking parents and guardians to talk to their children and reinforce the same message at home: vaping is not safe. Vaping is a modern day cigarette, as addictive as cigarettes, and the chemical composition of vaping products is largely unknown and unregulated. Schools have struggled with this problem for too long now, but the time is right for coordinated action between schools and communities to educate our students and rid our learning spaces of vaping.” 

As part of the District’s substance abuse prevention initiatives, students in grades seven, nine and 12 are surveyed annually. Survey results indicate that e-cigarettes are easily available and common among high school students. 

At an upcoming work session of the Board of Education, district leaders will discuss this challenge and how to address it in the context of student health and safety.  

John B. Russo is back, in a familiar role, adding to his 42 years of service to the Warwick Valley District. 

If you were a student at Warwick Valley Middle School when it first opened in 1974, you may remember Mr. Russo as your gym teacher. He would go on to serve the school and generations of students as assistant principal for two years, and as a principal for 13, but his longest-running role was as the District’s director of human resources and safety, until he retired in 2015. 

After serving as acting principal at Sanfordville Elementary School over the summer months, Mr. Russo is now back at the Middle School where his career started, as an interim associate principal. 

“I really appreciate the opportunity to come back part-time,” Mr. Russo said. “It’s great to be busy and I love working with the school staff and the kids.” 

A beloved member of the Warwick Valley school community known for his hard work and always having student needs and safety as his first priority, Mr. Russo is warmly welcomed back!

The District will hold an early dismissal drill on Wednesday, Sept. 18.  Dismissal times are 15 minutes earlier than regular dismissal times. 

During the course of the school year, there are times when weather conditions such as snow storms, freezing rain and other emergencies can result in early dismissal of students and/or school closings. 

The decision to close school and dismiss students ahead of schedule is never taken lightly but made with careful consideration for the safety and welfare of our students and staff.

Family planning for Early Dismissals

Parents are encouraged to develop early dismissal plans for their children and review them together regularly. The order of dismissal is intended to ensure that older siblings of elementary school children arrive home first. If an early closing results in young children arriving home to no supervision, it is suggested that you make emergency plans with a “sitter,” neighbor or friend. Please DO NOT come to school to pick up your child during an early dismissal. The safest place for your child in the event of a weather-related emergency is on the school bus.

More information about emergency closings and delays, including a listing of radio stations for changes in the school schedule, is available on the “Emergency Closings and Delays” webpage.

In partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension, Warwick Valley elementary schools will offer a fall and spring workshop series for parents of children ages 2-12. Each series consists of four workshops. 

Fall Series: “Discipline is not a dirty word”

Dates: Tuesday, Oct. 29, Tuesday, Nov. 5, Tuesday Nov. 12, Thursday, Nov. 21
All four workshops will be held from 7-9 p.m., at Sanfordville Elementary Library

About the series

This program seeks to provide an understanding of age-appropriate behaviors and realistic expectations for children ages 2-12 by focusing on seven basic principles of positive and persuasive discipline. Discussion topics will include: 

• The type of parenting style you have and what works best
• Why children act the way they do
• Ways to communicate so kids will listen
• How to thrive with spirited children
• How to become an emotion coach for your child
• Ways to set limits and what are appropriate limits
• The importance of healthy family relationships
• The role of media and technology in your child’s life

Cost: $40 per family; fee includes printed materials.
Registration Form
Note: Registration is limited to 25 families and received on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

Contacts: 

• Park Avenue Elementary: Jeanette Myrick, School Counselor, 987-3170, ext. 14645, jmyrick@wvcsd.org  
• Sanfordville Elementary: Grace Geysen, School Counselor, 987-3300, ext. 13600, ggeysen@wvcsd.org                                

Stay tuned for the Spring Series announcement. 

The High School Drama Club invites you to join them for two irresistibly funny and hardly predictable productions this theater season:      

Fall Production: Almost, Maine – Friday, Nov. 1 & Saturday, Nov. 2

This romantic comedy was the most-produced high school play of 2019 according to National Public Radio (NPR). It’s made up of nine short plays exploring love and loss in a remote, mythical almost-town called Almost. Filled with laughs and deep sentimentality, it’s the perfect entertainment for a brisk autumn evening.  

Spring Production: The Drowsy Chaperone – Friday, March 13 & Saturday, March 14

Winner of five Tony Awards, including best book and best original score, The Drowsy Chaperone is a loving send-up of the Jazz Age musical, featuring one show-stopping song and dance after another. Lively and farcical, The Drowsy Chaperone is a masterful meta-musical, poking fun at all the tropes that characterize the musical theatre genre. If you are a musical theater lover, this musical is for you! 

Directed by…

The productions will once again be directed by Club Advisor Nick DiLeo, joined by Donna Nestor as producer, Beth Maisonet as choreographer, and Chris Persad and Noreen Hanson as musical directors.

Additional show information will be made available as dates draw near. If you have a question in advance, you may contact the Drama Club at wvhsdramaclub@wvcsd.org. Mark your calendar now to enjoy these two great shows and applaud our students’ talent! 

Warwick Valley High School Guidance Department invites students and their families for an informational evening about the college application process, the Financial Aid process, and FAFSA.

Thursday Sept. 19, 7 – 9 p.m., High School Auditorium 

This is your chance to get a play-by-play understanding of what students encounter in the coming months and how to support them during the process. 

Event topics:

• How counselors will work with you and your student 
• Transcript requests
• Letters of recommendation
• Using Naviance
• The Common Application
• NCAA Clearinghouse
• Financial Aid 101 
• FAFSA
• And more! 

This program is especially recommended for the parents and guardians of current seniors, but juniors and their families are welcome to attend. 

We look forward to seeing you there! 

An aerial view of the WVCSD solar power project.

Since activated on the sunny, rolling field downhill from Sanfordville Elementary on February of 2018, and through July of 2019, the District’s solar array has generated $519,879 in energy credits, offsetting roughly 75 percent of the District’s electrical energy costs. 

The largest school-district-owned solar project in New York, Warwick Valley’s facility spans 7,866 solar panels and 33 inverters, and generates a minimum of 2,419,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year. 

“We couldn’t feel more gratified with the return on the District’s investment in solar energy,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Leach. “We are committed to pursuing a bold yet sustainable and responsible vision for our schools and our students’ future. To sustain our investment in innovation in education, we must be equally invested in responsible, cost-saving efficiencies and forward-thinking solutions to today’s challenges.”  

The power generated by the solar field feeds into Orange & Rockland’s power grid and comes back to the District in the form of monetary credits. Since going online in February 2018, the array has generated about 4,500,000 kWh of electricity. 

“The energy savings from the solar project have already surpassed our initial estimates, producing 10 percent more electricity than projected,” said Timothy Holmes, the District’s Assistant Superintendent for Business who oversaw the solar array’s project construction. “While production is tied to weather, and we’ve had some less-than-favorable seasons, a year and a half later the project has exceeded our expectations.” 

The solar power project is part of an Energy Performance Contract (EPC), approved and aided by New York State, and will qualify for incentives through the NYS Energy Research & Development Authority. As an EPC, the solar array must pay for itself within 18 years. The total cost of the project was $5.7 million, with more than $3.1 million covered with New York State aid and grants. The debt service costs are offset by the energy savings.

“Originally, we estimated the project would pay for itself after 12.82 years,” Mr. Holmes said. “We are well on our way to make good on those projections.” 

In addition to energy-related factors, the scrupulous research and planning preceding the seven-month construction of the solar project addressed concerns for student safety, local zoning laws and the visual impact. The facility is equipped with fencing and security cameras and is surrounded by 180 evergreens to provide year-round tree cover, as well as a natural visual barrier.

Warwick Valley’s many environmentally-minded initiatives have earned all its schools Green Ribbon designations by the U.S. Department of Education. 

The WVCSD Board of Education Facilities Committee is continuing to examine the most recent, state-mandated Building Condition Survey to identify project needs and priorities. New York State Education Law requires school districts to conduct this survey every five years.

At the Sept. 16 Board of Education meeting, committee chair and BOE Vice President Keith Parsons, provided updates on the committee’s work and deliberations toward a set of recommendations for building improvements and upgrades. They include new flooring and boilers at Sanfordville Elementary School; window replacements at Park Avenue Elementary School; continued roofing repairs at Warwick Valley High School and upgrades to the auditorium. 

The Facilities Committee has also been considering the suggestions of community advisory members, namely, the replacement of the grass football field with a multi-purpose turf field, additional outdoor bathrooms, and the expansion of the track from six to eight lanes. 

As part of that consideration, District leaders and community members recently toured the newly upgraded athletic facilities at Goshen High School. Goshen administrators shared their experience with the installation of two, new turf fields and other improvements to their athletic capacity over the summer months. Next, the Warwick group will tour equivalent facilities at Monroe-Woodbury Central School District, Mr. Parsons said.

The Board of Education will discuss these recommendations with the committee during the Oct. 15 work session.

“Any work that the committee and Board of Education considers must be tax neutral,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Leach said. “Presenting a project that won’t impact the tax levy can be accomplished by maximizing the amount of state aid the District receives and utilizing the District’s capital reserve.” 

The estimated state aid reimbursement for capital project work is 64 percent.

Parents and guardians of Warwick Valley High School students are invited to join administrators and faculty for the 2019-20 Back-to-School event on Wednesday, Sept. 25, from 6-8 p.m. 

Calling all creative problem-solvers! Odyssey of the Mind tryouts will take place at Pine Island Elementary School as follows:

• Tuesday, Oct. 1, 5-6:30 p.m. — Division 2  (grades 6-8)  & Div. 3 (grades 9-12) 
• Thursday, Oct. 3, 5-6:30 p.m.— Division 1 (grades 3-5)

 Odyssey of the Mind Tryouts

The Odyssey of the Mind (OotM) tryout is an audition process. It is mandatory that all students attend their grade specific tryout date to be considered for an Odyssey team.  Students who competed in previous years MUST audition. Unfortunately, there are a limited number of 7 spots per team, so some students may not be placed. Parents will receive an email by Sunday, Oct. 6 letting the students know the results of the auditions. Parents of team members and students will be required to attend the mandatory informational meeting on Thursday, Oct. 10,  at 6:30 p.m., in the Warwick Valley Middle School cafeteria.  

What to bring to the tryouts

To try out for OotM you will need the following:

• Completed informational sheet (click on link to download and fill out) 
• A small picture of yourself
• A 3-5 sentence paragraph written by you and prepped to act out in front of a small panel of judges and students.
  • Your topic: Cinderella never lost her shoe at the ball! Tell us what really happened (This is a fun, creative element to show us your acting side and writing abilities)

More about the program

What Is Odyssey of the Mind?

Odyssey of the Mind (OotM) is a worldwide program that promotes creative problem solving. Under the guidance of a coach, teams of seven students learn creative thinking and problem solving skills while finding innovative solutions to a variety of technical and performance problems. From the start, OotM recognized the importance of many of the skills now emphasized in education today such as science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, a.k.a. STEAM.  

Odyssey of the Mind encourages teamwork and the development of individual creativity.  Team members solve a “long term” problem, which they create, produce, practice, and then present their solution, at a competition. The problem might be to design a vehicle, build a balsa wood structure, write a song, or design a musical instrument – problems are different each year.  Within each of these problems, students will be set-building, costume-making, creating props, acting, and writing a script. These skills all develop self-confidence and public speaking skills.  In addition to the long term problem, the team also prepares for a “Spontaneous” problem, which they must solve or respond to in a short period of time. Competing and practicing for spontaneous can be fun, and sharpens their creative and quick thinking skills.  With all of these different elements, OotM brings together kids with varying interests that often form lifelong friendships.   

Why is Odyssey of the Mind is Good for Kids?

The Odyssey of the Mind teaches students to learn creative problem solving methods while having fun in the process and “thinking outside of the box”. By tapping into creativity, and through encouraging imaginative paths to problem solving, students learn skills that will provide them with the ability to solve problems – great and small – for a lifetime.  The Odyssey of the Mind teaches students how to think divergently by providing open-ended problems that appeal to a wide range of interests. Students learn how to identify challenges and to think creatively to solve these problems. They are free to express their ideas and suggestions without fear of criticism. “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” – Maya Angelou   

What does the Odyssey of the Mind Commitment look like?

Students will have multiple practices each week and weekends from October-March. All team members will require a participation fee of $125 for the program as well as participation in fundraising events. Teams will compete at the Regional competition in Goshen, NY, March 7th (snow date March 8).  Those teams that advance to the State Competition on April 4, 2020 will continue practices through March and have a $50 state competition fee. In order to participate in states, families will need to travel to Binghamton, NY, purchase a hotel room and support the Warwick teams in competition.  Teams that advance to the World Finals in Iowa on May 27-30, will continue to have multiple practices per week through April and May. Additional fees will be necessary for this incredible opportunity. OOTM is a club that is self funded by student participation fees and fundraising.  When we’ve faced high costs for World Finals in the past, the district has offset some of these fees but please note, not all fees can be predicted without knowing how many teams will advance.  

Former PIE students, Emmerson Powers and Alix Ragans, share their knowledge in monarch tagging and recording data.

Direct flights from Sanfordville Elementary to Mexico? With a tiny, harmless sticker on their back to indicate their place of origin, monarch butterflies were recently released from Sanfordville’s school grounds and set off to Mexico for the winter months. 

The momentous event for Sanfordville’s third and fourth graders was organized by the Partners in Education (PIE) program with the help of two former PIE students, Emmerson Powers and Alix Ragans, who lent their knowledge in monarch tagging and recording data to the delicate operation.     

Appreciation for the natural environment and curriculum integration are two of the cornerstones of PIE learning. Outdoor activities encourage exploration and help students make connections between instruction and the real world through hands-on experiences and the use of tools and technology. 

Sanfordville’s PIE students were first introduced to the butterfly life cycle during May’s northern monarch migration by parent partners Abbey Ashley and Laure Ragans. They learned about the  role of milkweed in monarch survival, gender identification, mimicry, and overall sustainability of butterfly populations. Children were encouraged to build their own pollinator gardens over the summer to help increase butterflies as well as bees in the area.

Related instruction supported a geography unit and culminated with a presentation on the watch’s tracking of the monarch’s fall migration to Mexico by fifth and sixth-grade students on the MAC/Orange Team, the Middle School’s PIE classroom. 

In observance of Rosh Hashanah, there is no school for students on Monday, Sept. 30. 

John B. Russo is back, in a familiar role, adding to his 42 years of service to the Warwick Valley District. 

If you were a student at Warwick Valley Middle School when it first opened in 1974, you may remember Mr. Russo as your gym teacher. He would go on to serve the school and generations of students as assistant principal for two years, and as a principal for 13, but his longest-running role was as the District’s director of human resources and safety, until he retired in 2015. 

After serving as acting principal at Sanfordville Elementary School over the summer months, Mr. Russo is now back at the Middle School where his career started, as an interim associate principal. 

“I really appreciate the opportunity to come back part-time,” Mr. Russo said. “It’s great to be busy and I love working with the school staff and the kids.” 

A beloved member of the Warwick Valley school community known for his hard work and always having student needs and safety as his first priority, Mr. Russo is warmly welcomed back!

As part of their science curriculum, Sanfordville students step out of their regular classroom and into the STEM lab housed in the school’s media center to learn from STEM teacher Brittni Aberasturi. 

The STEM learning approach involves research around a driving question, critical thinking, communication, and real-world application achieved through collaborative and creative problem-solving. 

This week, Jennifer Disy’s fourth grade students set out to discover how favorite animals sense and respond to danger. Once they complete their research, they will use their newfound knowledge and collaborate to create models of animal identification signs as you might find at the zoo. 

More about STEM learning

STEM curriculum (science, technology, engineering, math) is offered to students in all grades at and Sanfordville and Park Avenue Elementary Schools in dedicated STEM-classrooms and dedicated teachers. 

Developing STEM-based skills necessitates spaces that allow students to tinker with tech and non-tech tools, explore and share ideas, solve problems, and make things.

Education’s growing focus on STEM instruction and skills reflects trends in technology and workforce development. The STEM push is also about innovative instruction around these core subjects, in the context of 21st-century learning, literacy and life skills

In observance of Yom Kippur, there is no school for students on Wednesday, Oct. 9. 

Order your 2020 Yearbook today

Yearbooks may be purchased online or by calling the Jostens toll free number.  

• Online: jostensyearbooks.com
• Toll Free 24-hrs: 1-866-282-1516

Senior portraits

Due Nov. 30, senior portraits are taken in the South Café. Please bring your $25. sitting fee with you (cash, check or credit card accepted). Any questions about this process, please call Prestige Portraits by Lifetouch at 1-800-426-9533.

Note: Students may elect to have their senior portraits taken by an outside photographer (also due Nov. 30). Email jpgs to tmcloughlin@wvcsd.org

Senior recognition ads

Know someone special in the graduating class? Buy a yearbook ad! Due Jan. 25. Choose a template from the online ordering page or upload your own design. Sizes and prices: 1/8-page @ $40 • 1/4 @ $70 • 1/2 @ $130 •full-page @ $250.  

Questions?

Email Yearbook advisor: Terry McLoughlin