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.

It’s National Fire Safety Week and the men and women of the Warwick Fire Department joined fellow firefighters across the nation to bring their fire safety and prevention message to students at Sanfordville and Park Avenue Elementary schools.  

The excitement their annual visit evokes is way up there with field day, for who can resist the sight of a bright red fire engine, holding a jetting fire hose, or taping the hat of a firefighter in full-gear—mask, respirator and all. 

Sporting t-shirts printed with the words, “Preventing fires through education,” Warwick’s firefighters spent generous time with our students discussing their role, explaining fire-fighting equipment, and emphasizing life-saving tips like, “stop, drop and roll.” To help children feel safe in their care and know what to expect in the event of a fire rescue, fully-outfitted firefighters demonstrated what they look and sound like when they search the scene of fire.   

Warwick Valley’s elementary schools express their appreciation to our local fire department for their continued commitment to the safety of our students, and for all they do to help keep our homes and families safe, year round.

The best time to “SAVE the day” is first thing in the morning! Just ask a kindergartner in Ms. Jackson’s class at Sanfordville Elementary. 

SAVE stands for Silence, Affirmations, Visualization, and Exercise, and that’s how every school day starts for Ms. Jackson’s “Turtles,” as they like to call themselves. 

The silence period involves a basic practice of mindfulness. Students close their eyes and rest a hand over their chest to quiet themselves, invite a kind attitude, and bring their focus to the present moment. 

The next two steps, affirmation and visualization, prompt students to voice positive thoughts and imagine themselves exhibiting happy and productive behaviors throughout their day.

Affirmations are lead by Ms. Jackson and vary each day. “I will be kind.” “I will be accountable.” “I will make wise choices.” “I will be safe at school.” Or, “I will behave like a cheetah!” A classroom chart lists positive behaviors inspired by the characteristics of cheetahs, such as, following rules and directions super-fast, respecting friends during work and play.

During visualization, students get personal about their commitments: “I will be gloriously kind and not throw toys around,” one student pronounced. “I will will do more!” another student added. Ms. Jackson expanded on the idea by suggesting what doing more might look like in the classroom. “You can do a little bit more at clean-up time, for instance, or you can try to do more with your writing today.”

SAVE the day ends with some light exercises: a few, simple yoga poses, push ups and a bit of jumping and wiggling around to shake off any lingering stressors or anxiety. 

Elementary mindfulness 

As part of Warwick Valley school’s commitment to integrating social-emotional learning into standard instruction and curriculum and preparing students for responsible and productive futures, students of all grades have been engaging in the practice of mindfulness. 

Schools and educators across the country are increasingly recognizing that the practice of mindfulness improves students’ health, social-emotional wellbeing, as well as learning engagement and outcomes. 

At the elementary level, research has shown that young children are especially suited to seize the benefits of mindful practices, just as they are better equipped to learn a musical instrument or a new language. At their stage of brain development, children are more apt to developing the emotional skills encouraged by mindfulness, such as  self-regulation, patience, and resilience.

Warwick Valley schools will be closed on Monday, Oct. 14, in observance of Columbus Day. 

Warwick Valley Central School District is advancing its commitment to educating the whole child and preparing students for better futures by partnering with the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence (YCEI) and adopting the organization’s RULER approach to the integration of social-emotional learning into the standard school curriculum.  

Why RULER

Decades of research show that social-emotional skills are essential to effective teaching and learning, sound decision making, physical and mental health, and success in and beyond school. RULER’s evidence-based approach applies “hard science” to the teaching of so-called soft skills such as those associated with the acronym: Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotion. 

“RULER starts with the simple recognition that our emotions matter,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Leach. “Students and teachers alike face many stressors in and outside of our classrooms and schools. Their emotions impact their ability to focus and engage in learning activities, or to be at their best in difficult moments. Emotional awareness is an important first step, but managing our emotions doesn’t come naturally. It’s a skill we learn and practice, and its essential to the health and well being of our students and school community.” 

RULER’s implementation in Warwick

Warwick’s teachers recently participated in a RULER training with Dr. Marc Brackett, YCEI director, hosted by Putnam-Westchester BOCES. Yale’s RULER team of trainers involve and support entire school communities in understanding the value of emotions, building the skills of emotional intelligence, and creating and maintaining a positive school climate. 

In year-one of RULER’s implementation in Warwick, a team of representatives from each school building will work closely with the PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports) team and focus their awareness-raising and skill-development efforts on faculty and staff. Teachers at each school will create a charter representing their vision for RULER’s impact in their building. Subsequent trainings are scheduled for December and March.

In year-two, all four schools will move to full curriculum and instruction integration of the RULER approach, starting in September of 2020. 

RULER tools for teaching emotional intelligence

RULER’s tools for teaching and learning emotion-regulating skills include the “mood meter,” which recognizes the need to acknowledge and communicate students’ feelings; taking a “meta-moment,” a process for gaining emotional self-control in difficult situations and replacing rushed reactions with purposeful, reasoned action; and conflict resolution, which can reduce the number and severity of classroom incidents through deescalation strategies, encourage empathy and positive relationship-building. 

The mindfulness connection

The RULER approach is also a natural expansion of the District’s earlier introduction of the practice of mindfulness in all four schools. In September of 2018, physical education teachers and school social workers began integrating mindful breath and movement exercises to help improve students’ health, social-emotional wellbeing, and learning engagement. 

Educators across the country are increasingly recognizing that the practice of mindfulness, based on inner states of being rather than external circumstances, cultivates more positive mindsets, develops social-emotional competencies and connections, and leads to more compassionate teaching and leadership.

RULER and #TheirFuture

RULER also aligns with and the District’s #TheirFuture initiative. As envisioned by District leaders, their students’ future involves asking and answering their own questions, wrestling to solve authentic problems that matter to them, and a future of giving and receiving effective feedback that supports their contributions in life, work, and citizenship. 

The RULER difference

Schools that have adopted the RULER approach to social-emotional learning are reporting increased student engagement, more connected and collaborative classroom environments, more trusting relationships between students and school staff, and greater levels of inspiration and joy among both groups. Research also shows that  RULER raises academic achievement and contributes to more supportive, productive, and compassionate school climates. These results are informing the development of innovative new programming to unlock the power of emotional intelligence and impact a wider range of children and educators.  

In observance of Veterans Day, Warwick Valley schools will be closed on Monday, November 11. 

For over fifty years, Walt Disney’s Jungle Book has bridged generations of fans with endearing characters, swinging songs that echo for a lifetime, and the celebration of friendship.  

Now, you can watch the kids show version, live, in a production brought to you by Park Avenue Elementary Drama Club. 

Performances:

• Friday, Nov. 22 – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 23 – 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Tickets:

Tickets are $6 per guest. Seating is limited, therefore, ticket reservations will be open to cast members first, and to the general public starting Nov. 2. Ticket forms can be obtain by emailing parkavepta@gmail.com. Starting on Nov. 4, ticket forms can be picked up at the Park Avenue Elementary main office, on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

Whether it’s curiosity or passion that draws students to chorus in middle school, there is nothing like a sense of the possibilities to get them to hearten their resolve. 

This morning, during an eighth-grade chorus lesson in Mr. Peters music room, high school chorus students gave their younger peers a vision of what is possible, indeed. Perhaps most meaningful were the connections the older and younger students experienced through their shared love of singing. 

Lead by music/chorus teacher Noreen Hanson, high schoolers sang to the eighth graders and talked to them about the chorus offerings they can look forward to, and the opportunities for various choir sections. 

“We thought this would be a fun way to showcase the possibilities of the high school choir programs,” said Shane Peters, a middle school music/chorus teacher. “Having the high schoolers sing with the eighth-graders did amazing things! They saw for themselves how they can grow and sound like in high school. They were so inspired, they wanted to keep on singing and match their older peers’ volume and tone.”  

While the more experienced singers sought to encourage a deeper choral interest in their younger counterparts, they emphasized the “feeling of family” that comes from being part of a chorus, and the potential for personal as well as musical growth in a place where it’s safe to be yourself and take risks.  

The eighth graders returned the high schoolers’ friendliness by performing a piece they are rehearsing for their upcoming concert. Before they parted ways, the two groups joined their voices in one song. 

“We hope that this kind of exchange can help motivate and retain students in our choir programs,” Ms. Hanson said. “We will also continue to experiment with combined rehearsals as a way to explore the creation of a unified, district-wide choir.”

“Do you know the candy store in town? Imagine you are standing across the street from it and want to go buy some candy. How do you get to the store?” 

That’s how School Resource Officer (SRO) Brian Luthin started his crosswalk safety lesson to Suesette White’s kindergartners at Park Avenue Elementary. 

SRO Luthin and SRO Katie Ostero serve Warwick Valley’s two elementary schools on alternate weekly schedules. As part of a developing safety-centered curriculum for grades K-4, they are pushing into classrooms to teach students on a range of age-appropriate safety topics. 

“SROs are a valuable resource and community partner, and they are part of our students’ daily learning experience,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Leach. “As a district, we prioritize the physical, social and emotional safety and well-being of our students. So we asked ourselves, ‘What can our students’ learn from our SROs about safety and safe choices, and their place in the community?’”  

The kindergarten safety unit

The kindergaten’s crosswalk safety unit begins with an introductory conversation in the classroom, followed by the practice of “stop, look both ways, and listen” on a real crosswalk, on the school roadway. Students are paired in twos and threes as a reminder that they should hold hands with an adult before crossing the street. 

After practice, the SROs return to the classroom with the students to go over what they have learned and answer any questions. 

“I was scared, I thought I wasn’t able to do it, but I did it!” one student said to SRO Luthin.

“If you start crossing and a car comes fast, can you go back?” another student asked. “Yes, if you see a car coming, you can always go back,” Officer Luthin replied. 

Kindergartners are also being encouraged to learn their family’s emergency phone number and their address. 

Safety lessons in grades 1-4

In the months ahead, the elementary SROs will be pushing into the classrooms of grades 1-4 to cover other age-appropriate safety topics.

First-graders will learn when it’s safe to share personal and family information, and with whom; second-graders will learn how to handle common emergencies, matching different scenarios with the best emergency contact. 

The safety curriculum for grades 3-4 will make connections with Park Avenue’s ROAR and Sanfordville’s PAWS programs which emphasize making good choices. Topics will range identifying risky situations and making safe choices by thinking about future outcomes; learning how to respond to peer and societal pressure; and empowering students to say “no.” 

The SRO program

While the SRO program is part of the district’s response to increased threats to school safety, the district’s broader vision for its SRO program is to help build healthy and enduring relationships between law enforcement and the school community. 

“Beyond the expertise and experience SROs can contribute to our students’ learning, the relationship of trust they develop with our local law enforcement will have long-lasting benefits for the Warwick Valley community,” Dr. Leach said. 

Those budding relationships were plain to see when SRO Katie and SRO Brian—as they are known to students and staff—addressed most kindergartners by their name during the unit lessons, less than two months into the school year. 

Warwick Valley High School Drama Club invites you to a heartwarming night of great theater with the first production of “Almost, Maine” on the school stage. 

Comprised of nine individual vignettes, John Cariani’s romantic comedy “Almost, Maine” has been the most popular production for high schools in this past decade. Almost, Maine’s residents never got organized. That’s why they’re just Almost. Under wintry starry skies, and the bewitching northern lights, they find themselves falling in and out of love, in the strangest ways. 

In the words of the cast…

Senior Jonah Bowen, a seasoned actor and familiar face on the WVHS stage, is cast in two of the vignettes. “This show is so philosophical, so full of hidden meanings that after eight rehearsals I’m still noticing new motifs and picking up on new subtleties,” Jonah said. “It’s very clever writing and there are lots of aha moments. It’s also very relevant to today. Love is at the center, and everyone needs love and can relate to it.”

Sophomore Erin Eicher is playing a waitress. “I love the show’s metaphors and deeper meanings,” Erin said. “We didn’t realize many of them when we were first reading our scripts, but once we got on stage, Mr. DiLeo helped us pick up on all the references.” On her second year with the Drama Club, Erin also appreciates the range of opportunities created by show’s independent vignettes. “The various plays within the play allow for more students to play a big role and explore different characters and types of acting.” 

Junior Ellie Hanson has been training as an actor, singer and dancer since the age of five. “This show is immersive literacy,” Ellie said. “Literary elements are so prevalent, they are the bulk of the show. Your 10th-grade English essay could be all about this show. And everybody can understand it and relate to it on some level, which is really good.”

Ellie’s outgoing and loquacious personality consistently finds her typecast in comedic roles, but in this production she plays a broken-hearted character who happens upon a new romantic interest. “I couldn’t relate to that side of her experience, but we share a love of fun facts and trivia, and that’s how I connected with her.” But perhaps the most indelible of Ellie’s acting milestones in “Almost, Maine” is her first stage kiss.

Freshman Patrick Liszewski has been acting since his elementary years but expects this show will leave a lasting impression. “Every scene is its own mini show with lots of symbolism and it’s fun to analyze it,” Patrick said. He’s playing Steve, a young man who can’t feel pain—until a most gentle gesture awakens his feelings. “Ultimately the show is about love and relationships, and it becomes memorable once you see it.” 

Behind the scenes

Returning to direct the production is club advisor, Nick DiLeo, with Donna Nestor as producer. The sets are constructed by WVHS set design class under the coordination of art teacher Rocco Manno. The cast involves nineteen actors, from freshmen to seniors, with another twenty students serving as the stage crew. 

Performances

• Friday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 2, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Tickets and information

• $8 for general admission
• $6.00 for senior citizens. 

No advance tickets will be sold for this production; instead, the Club’s box office team will be available one hour before each scheduled curtain time to sell tickets. If residents have a question, they may contact the Club at 987-3050, voicemail box #22500, or via email at wvhsdramaclub@wvcsd.org. 

Tuesday, Nov. 5, is a Conference Day devoted to professional development. There is no school for students. 

In observance of Veterans Day, Warwick Valley schools will be closed on Monday, November 11. 

In observance of Veterans Day, Warwick Valley schools will be closed on Monday, Nov. 11. 

Warm up to winter and the holiday season with free, live music performances by Warwick Valley’s rising stars. All are invited to the Middle School’s Winter Concert Series.

Tuesday, Dec. 10

• Grade 7 Winter Concert – 6:30 p.m. – High School Auditorium
• Grade 8 Winter Concert – 7:30 p.m. – High School Auditorium

Wednesday, Dec. 11

• Grade 5 Winter Concert – 6:30 p.m. – High School Auditorium
• Grade 6 Winter Concert – 7:30 p.m. – High School Auditorium
  

SNOW DATES:

Thursday, Dec. 19

• Grade 5 Winter Concert – 6:30 p.m. – High School Auditorium
• Grade 6 Winter Concert – 7:30 p.m. – High School Auditorium
• Grade 7 Winter Concert – 6:30 p.m. – High School Auditorium
• Grade 8 Winter Concert – 7:30 p.m. – High School Auditorium

WVHS orchestra, chorus and band students invite you to enjoy three of the season’s premier music events in Warwick Valley, featuring holiday and winter themes and eclectic musical genres.

• Tuesday, Dec. 3: Orchestra Winter Concert – 7 p.m. – High School Auditorium
  Snow Date: Wed., Dec. 4
  
• Thursday, Dec. 12: Chorus Winter Concert – 7 p.m. – High School Auditorium
  Snow Date: Monday, Dec. 16
• Tuesday, Dec. 17: Band Winter Concert – 7 p.m. – High School Auditorium
  Snow Date: Wednesday, Dec. 18

At first glance, the Middle School’s Tabletop Gaming Club is just that: kids playing tabletop games. 

But stay awhile and you’ll find out that it’s about more than getting kids away from game consoles and creating a space for direct interaction.   

Advisors Thomas Kelly, math teacher, and Pete Stika, one-on-one teacher aide, take turns with the various groups playing card games, mancala, connect-4, checkers or chess. 

While math is implicit in any of these games in varying degrees, Mr. Stika and Mr. Kelly make it explicit when the opportunity arises.

During a game of Blackjack, students were challenged to think in terms of probability as a way to assess their chances of winning or losing. Having established that the most popular number in the game was 10, Mr. Stika asked, “How many chances do you have at getting a ten? Think of it as a fraction.” As the 10s turned up, they added them up and again questioned how many chances they had left for getting a 10. 

Appealing to other, shared interests among club members—e.g., “Choose your own adventure” books and the Dungeons and Dragons video games—advisors are also highlighting the storytelling aspect of gaming and encouraging students to create their own.  

Instructing a student attracted to the possibilities of controlling a game’s narrative, Mr. Stika recommended that he first decide on the length of the game’s story and what it might be about. “Determine a starting point and add a node for each action or decision until a plot and path emerge,” Mr. Stika said, illustrating possible game actions and course on a sheet of paper. “Then you can worry about a point system.” 

Advisors also encourage personal choice and a sense of community by inviting students to bring in their favorite tabletop games and share them with their peers.

“And remember, we’re not playing the sore-loser game. We’re all here to learn,” Mr. Stika said to the group as they settled down. 

The Tabletop Gaming Club welcomes all seventh and eighth graders and meets on Wednesdays, in Mr. Kelly’s room, during unit lunch. 

What was it like to go to school in Warwick a hundred years ago? What tools did students use to learn? 

Park Avenue’s first-graders had a hands-on glimpse into the classrooms of yore during a social studies lesson brought to life by the Warwick Historical Society’s Traveling Trunk program. 

Throughout the school year, local historians bring the “Traveling Trunk” into Warwick Valley’s classrooms to support social studies learning standards through the students’ interaction with primary historical sources.

When the trunk creaked open in Park Avenue’s first-grade classrooms this week, students uncovered an oil lamp, old photographs, quill pens, an historic “cyphering” (math) book written with a quill pen, a stereopticon (a precursor to slide projectors), and writing tablets made out of slate. 

Following the lesson and their engagement with these artifacts, students pulled out their Traveling Trunk journals to reflect on their learning experience.

The 2019 PSAT/NMSQT scores will be posted online at studentscores.collegeboard.org New York state scores will be posted on December 11. 

Students and educators can access scores by logging in with their College Board account. Creating an account is easy. From your account, you can also print your online score report by clicking the “Download Your Score Report” button.

For complete information and an instructional video on how to access your scores go to https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt-psat-10/scores/getting-scores

Warwick Valley schools will close for Thanksgiving recess on Wednesday, Nov. 27, through Friday, Nov. 29. Classes will resume on Monday, Dec. 2. Happy Thanksgiving!