Sign up for our Carmel Central School District News group through ParentSquare to stay up-to-date on news and events taking place in the district. You will receive two weekly e-newsletters as well as other updates with important district information. Current parents and staff are automatically subscribed to receive both e-newsletters.
As part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing safety, communication and equity districtwide, Carmel Central School District has launched a new communication tool, Anonymous Alerts®. This tool enables students or parents to report urgent information to school officials quickly, easily and anonymously across all our school campuses.
Online registration for incoming 2023-24 kindergarten students is now open!
Please visit our New Student Registration page for additional information and the 2023-24 New Student Registration Form.
Dear Carmel Community,
Welcome to the 2023-24 school year. It’s going to be great because with effort and enthusiasm, we will make it so. We are thrilled to welcome the students back to school for an exciting year of learning, growth and community spirit.
Our teachers, staff and administrators have been hard at work finding new ways to inspire young minds. Their goal is to help all students feel supported, respected and motivated to reach their full potential. We know that kindness is contagious, and we will continue to spread it around showing every student how much we value them.
This year we will be offering many new opportunities for students, including a new reading program based on the Science of Reading. It will emphasize skills that help children become proficient readers.
Thank you for being the kind of community that works together to support the schools. I encourage you all to get involved and be actively engaged in the education of our students. A culture of unity is what makes our community.
As part of our commitment to providing support to the community we also wanted to make sure you knew about this: the NYS Comptroller is returning lost money to New Yorkers. Check the Comptroller’s website to see if you are owed unclaimed money. It is a reasonably quick process that could end with you getting a check in the mail.
I am grateful for the opportunity to lead the Carmel Central School District this fall and wish you all a remarkable and rewarding school year ahead.
Best regards,
Joe McGrath
Interim Superintendent of Schools
Dear Carmel Community,
I hope this letter finds you wrapped in the embrace of joy and anticipation as we prepare to embark on yet another remarkable chapter in our educational journey together. The summer sun may have been shining, but it pales in comparison to the radiance that each of your children bring back to our halls as we prepare to welcome the laughter, learning, and shared experiences once more.
Our school has missed the cheerful hum of conversations, the echo of footsteps, and the sweet melodies of youthful enthusiasm! We are counting down the days to the heartwarming symphony that only our community can compose.
This year we have the distinct pleasure of introducing not just one, not two, but three extraordinary individuals who have chosen to dance their way into our hearts as our new principals. Ms. Darling at MPES, Dr. Neufville and GFMS and Mr. Piazza at CHS are joining our existing amazing principal team with Mr. Brown at KPS and Mr. Setaro at KES. We also are pleased that Mr. Svarczkopf has joined our ranks as interim Director of Technology. Additionally, we are welcoming several new teachers and other staff members who are excited to support and nurture our wonderful students.
Can you feel the excitement in the air? These remarkable educators come bearing not just wisdom and experience, but an abundance of warmth, compassion, and the promise of forging connections that will leave an indelible mark on our students' lives.
School calendars will be sent out on Monday and should be arriving in your mailboxes any day. In additional to important dates, the calendar has lots of useful information including a referral chart and other information on how to have your concerns addressed if you have the need.
You will be receiving more correspondence from our principals and our staff very shortly with information on the return to school, but I wanted to personally wish you a fantastic school year.
With warm regards,
Joe McGrath
Interim Superintendent
Dear Carmel Community,
While summer break is still upon us, we are already looking forward to welcoming our students and staff back to our buildings for the first day of the school year in just a few weeks.
We are gearing up for another amazing year and I am pleased to share the following recent staff appointments with you:
Matthew Paterson Elementary School Principal
At the August 1 Board of Education meeting, Jennifer Darling was appointed as principal of Matthew Paterson Elementary School, beginning the week of August 14
Darling joins our district with more than 20 years of experience as an educator working with elementary school students. For the last four years, she served as the principal of Concord Road Elementary School in Ardsley, having served as the building’s assistant principal there for five years prior. In these positions, she oversaw the refinement of the multi-tiered system of support for students to strengthen core instruction; led building-level committees including the Safety Team, Culturally Responsive Sustaining Education Committee and the Planning and Performance Leadership Team; and redesigned and implemented a cycle design to strengthen the K-4 literacy program.
Before joining the administrative team in Ardsley, Darling spent 14 years working in the public school system in the Bronx, beginning as a fifth-grade teacher before transitioning into positions as a literacy instructional coach and then assistant principal.
Darling earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education PreK-6 from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Cortland, an MSEd in Literacy Birth-6 from City University of New York (CUNY) Hunter College, as well as an EDM in Leadership for Educational Change from The Bank Street College of Education.
Interim Director of Technology
At the August 1 Board of Education meeting, Daniel Svarczkopf was appointed as the Interim Director of Technology for the district, beginning August 21. The vacancy was created when I took on the Interim Superintendent role and I have been serving in both capacities while we searched for and appointed a candidate as Interim Director of Technology.
Svarczkopf joins our district from Newburgh Enlarged City School District where he served as Assistant Principal of an elementary school for the last year, having also served as the Instructional Technology Facilitator for the four years prior.
Svarczkopf’s career in education has provided him with opportunities to develop a unique ability to effectively analyze student achievement data which has helped teachers drive exceptional student outcomes. He began his career as a Mathematics Teacher and Educational Technology coach at Passages Academy in New York City, before moving into roles as a Computer Science Teacher in Newburgh Free Academy’s P-TECH Program and then the Computer Science Program Coordinator at Newburgh Armory.
Svarczkopf earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education (Mathematics) from Mount Saint Mary College, a Master of Science in Educational Technology from SUNY College at Oneonta, as well as a Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Leadership from SUNY New Paltz.
We are excited for both Darling and Svarczkopf to join our district’s administrative team over the next few weeks. Please join me in welcoming them to our district.
Best regards,
Joseph McGrath
Interim Superintendent of Schools
Dear Carmel Community,
At the June 27 Board of Education meeting, Ms. Merica Neufville, Ed.D., was appointed as principal of George Fischer Middle School, beginning August 1. Deborah Weisel will serve in the interim principal role with our district through July 31.
Neufville joins our district with nearly 20 years of experience working with PK-Grade 12 students, families and staff within diverse professional learning communities, and more than a decade of experience as an assistant principal. For the last two years, she served as a high school assistant principal in Peekskill City School District where she filled many roles including the Mathematics and Science Department supervisor, instructional evaluator, grade level supervisor, School Safety Team member, Building Emergency Response Team member and many others.
Prior to her time in Peekskill, she served in the Yonkers Public School District for eight years as a PK-12 Assistant Principal where she gained experience in curriculum design and development, instructional learning, learning plans, teacher and staff development, assessments, education scheduling, student performance evaluation and more.
Neufville earned a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from The College of New Rochelle, a Master of Science in School Administration and Supervision with distinction from Mercy College, as well as an Education Doctorate in Executive Leadership and School District Leader Advanced Certificate from St. John Fisher College. She brings many valuable skills and relevant experience to our district as a seasoned educational leader.
We are excited for Dr. Neufville to join our district’s administrative team and are confident that her passion and abilities are going to take George Fischer Middle School to the next level. Please join me in welcoming her to our district.
Best regards,
Joseph McGrath
Interim Superintendent of Schools
The fourth graders at Kent Elementary School know there is nothing like a few words of encouragement to brighten a day.
“If someone’s sad, we want to make them feel better,” one fourth grader said.
With the help of the fourth-grade teachers -- Cathleen Rosetti, Chris Livulpi and Nancy Faccilonga -- the students wrote inspiring words on rocks the y had painted. Soon the rocks were covered with positive phrases like “Don’t give up,” “you are golden,” “Make today a great day” and “You can do this!”
It is part of the fourth grade Days of Caring project.
Adam Boehein, a Carmel High School senior, stood in front of bleachers packed with freshman on August 29, waving signs he made to welcome the school’s new class of ninth graders.
“This is a fun day,” said Adam, who signed up to be a mentor at freshman orientation. “Having someone show you the way makes you feel that you belong. It can be scary for the underclassmen to come to a new building. I remember when I was a freshman it was all pretty confusing.
Even before the 2023-24 school year started, Carmel’s newest teachers gathered for a new staff orientation at George Fischer Middle School.
During the summer, Interim Superintendent Joe McGrath hired 25 new teachers to fill openings in schools throughout the district.
“While students and parents were enjoying the summer, we were busy making sure our schools would be fully staffed when students returned,” Superintendent McGrath said. “In a district like Carmel, we are very lucky. We have our choice of excellent teacher candidates.”
During the workshop the new teachers got classroom tips from their more-experienced mentors, heard from district administrators and learned about Carmel’s instructional technology, among many other subjects.
Five-year-old Nathalie had never been on a school bus before and she couldn’t wait for the ride to begin. In a pink jacket and matching sneakers, she danced her way through the Matthew Paterson Elementary School gym, hugging friends she hadn’t seen since preschool, making crafts at tables set up by MPES PTO volunteers and meeting the school’s new principal, Jennifer Darling.
Mary Odell, Carmel High School Business Teacher, Department Chair and advisor to the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) student club, was honored with a Vocational Service Award by the Rotary Club of Carmel in June.
Congratulations to our many First in Math grand champions of the 2022-23 school year! Students were awarded certificates to recognize their achievements before the school year ended.
See more photos of some of our First in Math Grand Champions!
If you need an expert on ponds, look no further than the kindergarten classes at Matthew Paterson Elementary.
An end-of-the-year, in-class Pond Ecology presentation from the PNW BOCES Center for Environmental Education (CEE) brought a lesson on local pond organisms, ecosystems and the food chain directly to the students.
Read the full story and see photos from the ecology presentation!
On June 23, our middle- and elementary-school students participated in the final dismissals of the school year with music, bubbles, high fives and smiles all around
Have an amazing and restful summer, Carmel community. We'll see our students back in 73 days for the 2023-24 school year!
What is one of the best ways to end an amazing first year of elementary school? With a picnic, of course!
Kent Primary's youngest class celebrated the end of their kindergarten year in style with a special gathering with their parents/guardians and families. First grade, here they come!
Elementary school students got moving, grooving, jumping, hopping and skipping to reinforce math skills during fun Math & Movement sessions with their gym teachers and Instructional Math Coach Jennifer Coughlin.
In their final performance as Kent Primary Eagles, fourth-grade students sang their hearts out for parents, families and special guests with an amazing set list of songs.
Kindergarten students were bubbling with excitement and ready to be blown away by all that was in store for them at a special Kindergarten Bubble Day at Matthew Paterson Elementary.
Read more and see photos of the unbelie-BUBBLE fun at Bubble Day!
An ocelot. A cheetah. A polar bear. The fifth-grade students at George Fischer Middle School all took their guesses. Finally, one raised his hand, certain he had the answer.
“A grizzly bear?” the student asked.
“Ooh,” Patrick Harmon said. “Very close.”
The skull not only belonged to a relative, the black bear, it was a highlight of Harmon’s recent presentation on Animal Adaptation. Harmon, a naturalist from Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES’ Center for Environmental Education, led a 40-minute program for the students.
Carmel High School students in Mrs. Romanovsky and Mrs. Molino’s Forensics classes had the opportunity to take a field trip to visit the MTA Police Department's Canine Training Facility in Stormville.
Matthew Paterson Elementary fourth-grade students took to the stage one final time as pandas to showcase their musical talents to parents, families and friends in attendance at the Fourth Grade Music Celebration.
The Carmel Central School District Board of Education has appointed Joseph McGrath as the Interim Superintendent of the district beginning July 1, 2023. The appointment was approved at the regular meeting of the Board of Education on June 6.
He will serve as the Interim Superintendent until a permanent Superintendent is selected.
Next Board of Education Meeting - September 19, 2023, Carmel High School, Library, 6:30 p.m.
NOTE: Board of Education meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. Upon completion of Open Session and Board Comments, the Board is anticipated to enter Executive Session for approximately 1-2 hours in length.
Board meetings will continue to be live-streamed on this page. Committee meetings are open to the public.
Sign up for our Carmel Central School District News group through ParentSquare to stay up-to-date on news and events taking place in the district. You will receive two weekly e-newsletters as well as other updates with important district information. Current parents and staff are automatically subscribed to receive both e-newsletters.
Community members who wish to speak during the public comment portion of a Board of Education meeting are asked to sign-up in advance using our Public Comment Sign-up Form or by contacting the District Clerk four (4) hours prior to the meeting at jstevens@carmelschools.org. The sign-up form will also be available at the meeting for anyone who wishes to speak and did not sign up in advance.
These individuals will be called upon during the scheduled public participation section on the agenda. To facilitate follow-up, please provide your name, telephone number, email address, and mailing address, as well as the topic of your comments. Speakers are limited to five (5) minutes each. No district employee or student may be commented upon or identified by name or situation.
As part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing safety, communication and equity districtwide, Carmel Central School District has launched a new communication tool, Anonymous Alerts®. This tool enables students or parents to report urgent information to school officials quickly, easily and anonymously across all our school campuses.
Online registration for incoming 2023-24 kindergarten students is now open!
Please visit our New Student Registration page for additional information and the 2023-24 New Student Registration Form.
Recordings of Board of Education meetings and presentations from those meetings are available to the public.
Schools will be closed; Administrative Office will be open.
