Carmel Central School District

Updates from the Superintendent

• January 12, 2023

  Dear Carmel Community,

  I am writing to you today to provide an update on the leadership at Carmel High School. Based on my recommendation, Vanessa DeFonce will begin in the role of interim principal for Carmel High School beginning Tuesday, January 17.

  She will serve in the interim role through the remainder of the school year.

  Last week, we notified parents with students at the high school that Anthony DiCarlo was unable to return to the interim principal position at the high school for the foreseeable future, which prompted the search for a new candidate.

  DeFonce comes to Carmel Central School District with a wealth of experience as an educational leader. Most recently, she served as interim principal at Beacon High School in the Beacon City School District, where she previously held roles as acting principal and interim assistant principal at both the elementary and high school levels. Prior to her time at Beacon City School District, she spent many years at Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School in the Lakeland Central School District, serving as a school counselor, guidance coordinator, assistant principal and principal during her tenure.

  DeFonce earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Binghamton University, a Master of Arts in Guidance and Counseling from New York University, and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Mercy College.

  While I and the assistant superintendents have enjoyed the opportunity to be in the high school building during the last week to help provide coverage, we are excited to have a more-permanent leader in the role every day. We look forward to welcoming Interim Principal DeFonce to Carmel High School in just a few days and are confident that she will be a great asset to the district during her time here. Please join me in welcoming her to Carmel High School.

  As always, if you have any questions, please contact my office for guidance.

  Best regards,

  Mary-Margaret Zehr
  Superintendent of Schools

  Superintendent of Schools

• December 22, 2022

  View CCSD Holiday Video

  Dear Carmel Community, 

  As we head into our much-deserved holiday recess, I want to share my gratitude for all that you do every day in support of our district students. As we reflect on the first half of the school year, there is so much to be thankful for -- moments of hope, happiness, triumph and togetherness. None of these would have been possible without the dedication of the teachers, staff, families and community who all have the common goal of helping our students succeed. We are also appreciative of our Board of Education trustees, who volunteer their time and put in countless hours of work in order to provide the kind of education our community stakeholders expect, and our students deserve. 

  I thank you all for your continued partnership over the last year. 

  My holiday wish is that you connect and enjoy time with your loved ones. I hope you find moments to smile and laugh, to relax and to be present. I hope you pause to celebrate your successes during 2022 and make plans for an amazing 2023. I hope you enjoy whatever makes you happy and that you come back from break re-energized and re-charged. 

  As a reminder, our schools will be closed December 26 through January 2 for the holiday break. We will welcome our grade 7-12 students back to our classrooms on Tuesday, January 3. Our students in grades K-6 will return to classrooms on Wednesday, January 4, due to the planned professional development day. 

  From my family to yours, have a wonderful, safe and very happy holiday break. I look forward to seeing you all in 2023! 

  Best wishes, 

  Mary-Margaret Zehr 
  Superintendent of Schools 

  Superintendent of Schools

• December 20, 2022

  Dear Carmel Community,

  The district is working diligently to review the hold harmless agreement for usage of district facilities with the district’s attorney and insurance company in hopes of finding a solution that addresses the voiced concerns and works for the district, our PTOs and our many community groups. Our hope is to find an agreeable outcome soon.

  This time of year, especially, is a season of many fun, festive and time-honored events that students have come to love and anticipate. We recognize the value of the many offerings and programs that our dedicated Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) members make happen for our students.

  Currently, there is a pause in events hosted and sponsored in our district facilities by our PTOS related to requirements in the district policy for facility usage. We have been in communication with the PTO groups and are working to resolve this as soon as we can. We ask for continued patience as we work together to find an outcome that keeps what is best for our students as our top priority.

  While we have different capacities than our PTO groups, the administrators and staff at each school building will be working hard to organize and run any traditional time-honored activities and events for the time being while the district works on a resolution. We want to ensure that our students all get to experience the fun and magic that they have expected and deserve.

  The hold harmless agreement has long been a requirement of facilities usage policy in the district, since at least 2012 when the policy was last revised. The agreement is in place to protect the district and its taxpayers from being liable for claims or damages as a result of the use of our facilities by organizations. As Superintendent of Schools, I am required to enforce any district policy as it is written and approved. While the Board of Education is responsible for creating policy, there has been no change made to the district’s official policy by the current Board of Education.

  Sincerely,

  Mary-Margaret Zehr
  Superintendent of Schools

  Superintendent of Schools

• December 1, 2022

  Dear Carmel Community,  

  Just before the Thanksgiving holiday, Deborah Weisel departed from her role as interim principal of Carmel High School as scheduled. Back in September, I shared with you that Anthony DiCarlo had been appointed to the interim principal position beginning November 16. 

  We are ever thankful to Ms. Weisel for her guidance and leadership over the last several months. It was wonderful to be able to welcome her back to our district, even if just for a short while, and benefit from her connections and knowledge. It was even more wonderful to see her establish new connections with our students and reconnect with students whom she made memories with when she was their elementary school principal several years ago. There were many full-circle moments with Ms. Weisel back in our district over the last several months which were so special to see. We wish Ms. Weisel all the best in her future adventures! 

  We are equally pleased to be able to bring Mr. DiCarlo back to our district, where he served as our interim principal at Kent Elementary School over the summer and the beginning of the school year. After a short break between roles, Mr. DiCarlo is officially at the helm of Carmel High School, and we are thrilled to have him back with us again. He will be with us at Carmel High School through the end of the school year.  

  As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to my office. 

  Best regards, 

  Mary-Margaret Zehr  
  Superintendent of Schools 

  Superintendent of Schools

• November 28, 2022

  Dear Carmel Community, 

  Earlier this school year, our district began working with Syracuse University’s Office of Public Research and Development in the School of Education to further build upon the foundation of our strategic plan and help advance us forward over the next several years.  

  While so much work has been happening already, there is still much more input to be collected to help us formulate a unified plan for our district’s future. 

  We need your help! 

  Our strategic planning partner is looking to conduct focus groups with parents and community members to gain feedback on our district’s climate. This is an opportunity for you to provide valuable contributions to the strategic planning process. 

  Strategic Planning focus groups are scheduled for January 4-6, 2023, at select times during the day for different populations. We are looking to include a cross-section of our parents and community to ensure a holistic representation of our district population.  

  Focus Group Schedule 

  • January 4, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.: Community Members only (non-parent) 
  • January 5, 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.: High School Parents only 
  • January 5, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.: Community Members only (non-parent)
  • January 5, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.: Elementary Parents only
  • January 5, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.: Elementary Parents only
  • January 5, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.: Community Members only (non-parent)
  • January 6, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.: Middle School Parents only 

  Register for a Focus Group 

  Registrations will be accepted through December 6 and participants will be notified of their selection by December 12. 

  Please note that participation is not on a first-applied, first-picked basis. Registration does not guarantee selection for participation in the groups. We strive to have our focus groups represent all aspects of our community, so participants will be chosen to ensure a variety of voices. 

  We hope that you will be interested in joining one of the focus groups to provide valuable feedback for our strategic planning process. Should you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the district administrative office. 

  Best regards, 

  Mary-Margaret Zehr 
  Superintendent of Schools 

  Lauren Santabarbara 
  Interim Assistant Superintendent for Instruction 

  Superintendent of Schools

• November 23, 2022

  Dear Carmel Community,

  The Thanksgiving season is a time to gather, enjoy the company of our loved ones, and pause to reflect on all that we are grateful for in our lives. As we enter the holiday break for Thanksgiving, I send each of you my heartfelt thanks for all that you do for our district and its students.

  Thank you to our students for inspiring us every day. It is our privilege to watch you learn, grow and succeed in the care of our district, and we are immensely proud of your many accomplishments – in school and in your personal lives.

  Thank you to our parents, guardians and community members for your unwavering support of our students – at home, in our buildings and on our fields. Your dedication to the children of our district and your partnership to ensure that they have the best possible education is incredible to witness.

  Thank you to our teachers and staff for continuing to make connections with our students every day and supporting them in their educational journey. Whether you plan and teach lessons, transport students, prepare and serve nutritious meals, support offices and departments, ensure student safety, maintain our buildings or support our students in a multitude of ways, our students’ successes are also your successes.

  As we break for the holiday, I extend my warmest wishes for happy and safe celebrations with family and friends. I hope everyone can recharge over the holiday break and use the time to connect with family and friends.

  I am so thankful to be a part of this amazing Carmel community. On behalf of Carmel Central School District and its administration, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.

  Best regards, 

  Mary-Margaret Zehr  
  Superintendent of Schools 

  Superintendent of Schools

• November 3, 2022

  Dear Carmel Community, 

  It has been quite a busy few weeks in our district and it has been great to see so much excitement and enthusiasm among our students, staff and parents at the many events that have taken place. We had a wonderful Homecoming event that brought together the entire Carmel community for a fun-filled day where the Carmel pride was overflowing! 

  Thank you to our district Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) groups for hosting so many wonderful activities in the past month including the Color-A-Thon at the elementary schools, Halloween parties and Trunk-or-Treats, book fairs, spirit days and more. Seeing so many of our students and families gathering in new and fun ways has been amazing. 

  Here are a few updates and reminders from our district: 

  Interim Superintendent for Instruction 
  In the spirit of beginning the season of being thankful and expressing our gratitude, the District extends our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Mary Foster as she departs from her role on our administrative team. For the last several months, our district has been fortunate to have Dr. Foster serving as our interim Assistant Superintendent for Instruction while the position remained vacant. During her time with the district, Dr. Foster has been instrumental in so many of our great initiatives including the implementation of professional development sessions on the Science of Reading for our grade K-6 staff, a continued focus on our literacy programs in grades K-6 and more.  

  Our district has made so many positive strides forward during her time with us and we are grateful for all that she has done. We will surely miss having her as part of our administrative team, even if it was only temporary, and wish her all the best in her future endeavors. 

  As I announced in an email back in June, Lauren Santabarbara has transitioned from her previous role as principal of Carmel High School and is now serving as Interim Superintendent of Instruction for the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year. Later this spring, we will re-evaluate the role and make a decision regarding a permanent hire in the role. 

  Inclement Weather Communications 
  While we are still in the height of the fall season, the winter season and possibility of inclement weather are not far off. The safety of our students and staff is always most important when making the difficult decision to delay, close or dismiss early due to weather conditions. 

  As a reminder, should there be a need to delay opening, close schools or dismiss students early from school due to inclement weather, a recorded phone call, email and text will go out from the District. In addition, this information will be posted to the District website as well as our Facebook and Twitter accounts after the phone call, email and text go out. Our goal is always to send these updates by 5:30 a.m. on school days to provide enough time for our families to prepare but as we have learned, weather conditions are sometimes ever-changing. 

  Our district certainly has a busy calendar of even more events taking place over the next several weeks and I look forward to the opportunities to see and speak to many more community members. I hope you will join us and continue to make some amazing Carmel connections! 

  As always, should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office. 

  Best regards, 

  Mary-Margaret Zehr 
  Superintendent of Schools 

  Superintendent of Schools

• October 5, 2022

  Dear Carmel Community,

  Happy Homecoming and Spirit Week! It looks like the weather this weekend will be perfect for our Homecoming celebration and we hope the entire community will come out for the various festivities of the weekend. The Carmel pride has been buzzing in our buildings all week in anticipation of all the wonderful Homecoming activities in store.

  If you are planning to join us for Homecoming, here are a few quick updates and reminders about the activities this weekend:

  Homecoming Bonfire
  Our annual Homecoming Bonfire will kick off on Friday, October 7, at 6 p.m. at George Fischer Middle School. We look forward to recognizing our fall athletes at the event with special performances to follow. The bonfire will be ignited at 8 p.m. Regrettably, we will be unable to host the fireworks display as previously planned. While much planning was done by the District and the Carmel Rams Booster Club to secure a vendor to provide celebratory fireworks, unfortunately, insurance coverage and liability issues are preventing the display from happening. While the outcome is not what we wanted, the Homecoming celebration and fun will continue with the planned bonfire and athletic recognitions.

  Homecoming Parade
  We can’t wait to see all our Homecoming Superheroes marching down Gleneida Avenue and Fair Street on Saturday! Don’t forget that the 2022 Homecoming Parade will step off at 11:30 a.m. from the Putnam County Courthouse Lot and will end at Carmel High School where parade floats will be judged and awarded prizes. Come on out and cheer on your favorite school and community groups all in the name of Homecoming spirit.

  Senior Athlete Recognition
  Our fall senior athletes will be honored in a special recognition ceremony under the arch on the field before the scheduled football game on Saturday. We are so proud of all our fall athletes and look forward to celebrating them with their families on the field. Congratulations, senior fall athletes!

  Homecoming Varsity Football Game
  The Varsity Football Homecoming Game against Mount Vernon will kick off on Saturday, October 8, at 1:30 p.m. at Robert Kristeller Field at Carmel High School. We look forward to the special performances by the Carmel High School Dance Team and Twirlers and a Historic-themed Halftime Show by the CCSD Cheerleaders. Our Carmel Rams Football team has had an amazing start to the 2022 season, and we can’t wait to cheer them on at Saturday’s big game. Let’s go, Rams!

  Again, we hope to see the entire Carmel Community at the parade and football game on Saturday. We also extend our heartful thanks to all those parents, staff members, and volunteers who are supporting our students in what is sure to be another memorable Spirit Week and Homecoming.

  Best wishes,

  Mary-Margaret Zehr
  Superintendent of Schools 

  Superintendent of Schools

• September 22, 2022

  Dear Carmel Community,

  We are just a few weeks into the school year and so many exciting classroom lessons, meetings, athletic games, and student club and PTO-sponsored events have already taken place on our school campuses. The 2022-2023 school year has already started off strong and there is still so much more to come!

  I am writing to you today to share some exciting district initiatives underway and upcoming community events where you can join in the conversation to help shape the future of our district.

  Strategic Planning
  I am pleased to share that Carmel Central School District will be working with Syracuse University’s Office of Public Research and Development in the School of Education to develop a new strategic plan that will help advance us forward over the next several years. The last time we reviewed a strategic plan for the district was prior to the pandemic and so much has changed in two years! We are excited to embark on this journey over the next several months with the goal of a unified plan for our district’s future.

  Throughout the fall, our strategic planning partner will be conducting conversations with key district leaders, identifying benchmark studies and reviewing our previous strategic plans to create a starting point. This includes a 10-year review of our student achievement data. As we move into late-winter and spring, our partners will look to conduct surveys with parent groups, teachers and students to gain feedback on our district’s climate. We look forward to the opportunity to hear from you in this strategic planning process and value the contributions you each can provide. See additional information about our strategic planning process.

  Coffee & Connections with the Superintendent
  It has been my desire since I joined the district last year to host regularly scheduled gatherings to hear directly from our parents and community. Now that the stressors of the pandemic have been greatly reduced and we are able to safely gather together, it is the perfect opportunity to start our Coffee & Connections with the Superintendent events. My hope is to provide an informal setting and refreshments for open dialogue on select topics during the year. I have scheduled three of these in-person meetings and hope that you will make plans to join me on November 1, February 15 and May 30.

  The first Coffee & Connections event on November 1 will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the George Fischer Middle School library. At this first event we will be discussing curriculum initiatives and details of the strategic planning process. Please bring your questions and comments and I will bring the coffee and snacks!

  At the beginning of the school year, I challenged the district staff to make the 2022-2023 school year the year of connections. I would like to extend that challenge to our parents and community as well. We hope you will take the time to come out and connect with our district and help support the educational journey of our district students.

  Best regards,

  Mary-Margaret Zehr
  Superintendent of Schools

  Superintendent of Schools

• September 9, 2022

  Dear Carmel Community,

  We have now completed our first week of the 2022-2023 school year and the exciting and familiar cadence of the school year is well underway. Our district students have already begun connecting with friends – new and old, learning new skills, exploring possibilities, and are just enjoying being back together in the classroom. I am honored to have a front-row seat to watch them grow and succeed in our classrooms in the coming weeks and months.

  As you know, Carmel Central School District collaborates closely with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department to place School Resource Officers (SROs) in our District schools. We greatly value our working relationship with the Sheriff’s Department and are so appreciative of the assistance that our trained SROs provide to ensure and maintain a safe educational environment for our students and staff in our school buildings.

  Last week, we were made aware of a new program that the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department has instituted department-wide which would require the SROs assigned to work in school buildings to wear body-worn cameras effective at of the start of the 2022-2023 school year. In order to understand how this new policy might impact our schools, I, along with several other superintendents in our county, asked to meet with Sheriff McConville and other Putnam County officials to gain a clearer explanation of how and when these devices might be used.

  In that meeting, Sheriff McConville assured the school districts that the body-worn cameras will only be enabled in the school environment to record incidents and interactions involving the SROs when the officer needs to perform necessary law enforcement activity, or when the officer believes it necessary to protect school staff and students. A copy of a letter that was sent from Sheriff McConville documenting the reasons for implementation of this program is attached to this email for your reference.

  Our district has already begun the process of reviewing our procedures to determine if any need to be updated in light of the new body-worn camera requirements. We are continuing to work out the specific details about how and when body-worn cameras worn by our SROs will be implemented in certain situations.

  We remain ever thankful for our SROs and the support that they and the County provide and look forward to our continued collaboration in ensuring school safety. If you have any questions regarding this, please feel free to contact my office directly at (845) 878-2094 ext. 201, or the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department at (845) 225-4300.

  Sincerely, 

  Mary-Margaret Zehr
  Superintendent of Schools 

  Superintendent of Schools