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.
Nominating petitions for prospective Board of Education candidates are now available! This year, two vacancies exist on the Board of Education for the seats of Trustee Heitman-Cayea and Trustee Morello. The two seats will be filled by the two candidates with the highest number of votes for three (3) year terms commencing July 1, 2023, and expiring on June 30, 2026. Nominating petitions must be submitted to the District Clerk on or before Monday, April 17, 2023, at 5 p.m. A minimum of 72 signatures are required to nominate a candidate. To receive a nomination packet, please contact Joanne Stevens, district clerk, at jstevens@carmelschools.org or (845) 878-2094 x201.
March 8, 2023
Dear Carmel Community,
During the last week, the district hosted two forums for community members to discuss safety, communications and equity in the Carmel Central School District. Thank you to all who attended the forums where we heard many compelling and thought-provoking statements, listened to your concerns and reflected on different perspectives.
One thing is clear: We all want to make a difference.
Among our core values as a district is the belief that individuals thrive when they feel safe, supported and respected, and that every person has intrinsic value. We strive to keep these values at the center of all that we do. The recent incidents and conversations at the forums have taught us that more work is necessary to make these values a reality. We are taking this opportunity to focus on how we can bring change to our district, and we are committed to engaging in that work with all of you.
I am providing you with an update regarding two recent incidents and the district’s plan for next steps.
Updates Regarding District Actions in Response to Recent Incidents
On the morning of Monday, February 13, the district conducted an investigation into student-created videos shared on social media. The videos used artificial intelligence to impersonate district staff and contained language that was inappropriate and concerning. As the district continued the investigation, additional videos containing threatening and racist language were discovered.
We immediately contacted law enforcement, beginning with the School Resource Officer (SRO), to conduct a threat assessment and determine what actions were needed to safeguard our students. At the time of the discovery of the additional videos, the students involved were already facing disciplinary action in accordance with the district’s Code of Conduct and their parents had been notified. Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the district is unable to share any information about students involved in incidents or any disciplinary action that may have been taken.
Throughout the investigation, the district followed Incident Command protocols, provided evidence and cooperated fully with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. As the lead agency, the Sheriff’s Department followed its threat assessment procedures while the district followed all directives regarding safety.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office conducts intensive and immediate investigations into all threats toward school students and staff. Investigatory measures include:
While not all-inclusive, these examples illustrate the depth and breadth of investigative measures undertaken to ensure safety. The department deemed there was no immediate threat to students and staff and that it was safe to keep the buildings open.
When the investigation concluded late on Monday morning, principals for both Carmel High School and George Fischer Middle School sent emails to building parents and staff regarding the incident. The district also provides building social workers or counselors to support students when needed.
The Board of Education and the Superintendent of Schools have requested a meeting with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department to enhance our working relationship and response to incidents in the future.
On Thursday, February 16, after the school day ended, the district learned of a possible threat based on a student drawing at Matthew Paterson Elementary School. The concerning information was relayed to the principal by a teacher. Law enforcement was immediately notified.
The Sheriff’s Department followed its threat assessment procedures (outlined in the previous section of this letter). The district, as per protocol, followed all law enforcement directives regarding student and staff safety. Late in the evening, when the Sheriff’s Department deemed there was no immediate threat to students and staff and that it was safe for the buildings to remain open, parents and staff were notified. Once again, building social workers and/or counselors were available to any students in need of support.
The district has an SRO or SPO (School Patrol Officer) in each of our school buildings throughout the day as part of our regular operating procedures. In the event of an incident, the Sheriff’s Department may increase police presence at school buildings to support the SRO/SPO as needed.
Students involved in the Matthew Patterson incident were dealt with in accordance with the district code of conduct. Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the district is unable to share any information about students involved in incidents or any disciplinary action that may have been taken.
Where Do We Go from Here?
As a community, we must face these challenges together. We must work to create a learning environment where all students feel safe and respected. We must continue to enhance the partnership between parents and school. We must work to create communication protocols that are a model for others to follow. Next steps include:
This is such challenging, but transformative and important work, and our goal is to provide the community with many opportunities to get involved. Our partnerships with the parents, students and community members are critical to our growth. It takes a village to raise our children, and we appreciate all that you do to support those efforts.
Sincerely,
Mary-Margaret Zehr
Superintendent of Schools
In compliance with New York State Education Law Section 3635, a parent or guardian of children residing in the Carmel Central School District attending a non-public school, or who are requesting transportation to or from childcare, must request transportation services each year prior to the first day of April of the preceding school year by completing a Transportation Request form. Requests for the 2023-2024 school year must be submitted and received by April 1, 2023. Please complete the Transportation Request form for either childcare or private/parochial school on the district's Transportation page and email, mail, fax or bring it in person to Michael Klenotiz, Supervisor of Transportation, by April 1.
Our calendar at a glance provides information on planned school recesses, early dismissals, report card conferences and calendar changes due to snow days. This important resource should be kept handy throughout the year! See the Board-approved calendar at a glance for the 2022-23 school year.
Sign up for our weekly e-newsletters, Carmel Connections & Schoolhouse News, to stay up-to-date on all that is happening in our district!
February 15, 2023
Dear Carmel Community,
Earlier this week, Carmel Central School District administration was made aware of individuals on the social media app TikTok that were posing as the District, and posting fake, inappropriate videos created using artificial intelligence and impersonating different members of the District administration and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department.
Through investigation, it was found that these accounts' creators were Carmel High School students, and the incident is being dealt with in accordance with the District’s Code of Conduct.
As an organization committed to diversity and inclusion, the Carmel Central School District Board of Education is appalled at, and condemns, these recent videos, along with the blatant racism, hatred and disregard for humanity displayed in some of them.
Words in a statement alone feel inadequate. We must go beyond words. Collectively, we must work to end racism. We must look within ourselves and reflect on how we may be propagating racist stereotypes, policies and conditions. We must ask ourselves and others, “What can we do to change our current environment and expectations, and work to create an anti-racist school community?” We must listen and learn, and then we must act. To do the first without the second is simply not an option.
The Board of Education is committed, now more than ever, to ensuring that our programs, our actions, and our District commit to our continued work toward a fully inclusive school community – one where all voices are heard and where all perspectives matter. We reaffirm our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in our work and the District’s K-12 programs, and we urge our school community and the community at large to join in this effort, knowing that it will create a path to a better society and a better future.
We do not tolerate discrimination, harassment or racism, either in our programs, or from the members of our District. We hold everyone in our school system to standards of basic respect and human decency.
No one is as strong as all of us, and together we can work to unite and send a strong message to all that racism and all forms of hatred have no place in our schools.
Sincerely,
Carmel Central School District Board of Education
Debra Heitman-Cayea, President
Melissa Orser, Vice President
Valerie Crocco, Trustee
John C. Curzio II, Trustee
Dawn Dall, Trustee
Matthew Morello, Trustee
Jason Paraskeva, Trustee
Carmel High School students have a long history of helping younger students as classroom volunteers through the Students Assisting Students (SAS) Club. This year, after a two-year hiatus, the program is back and students are reaping the benefits.
The club pairs high school juniors and seniors who apply to the program with elementary school teachers to volunteer their time in the classroom. In the process, the high school students gain mentors and hands-on classroom experience.
During the March 4-5 weekend, Carmel High School students Else Hedman and Chloe White participated in the New York State Band Directors Association (NYSBDA) All-State band.
The students traveled to Syracuse to perform with top musicians from across in concerts on Saturday and Sunday. This was a huge honor for our student musicians. Bravo!
During recent early dismissal days, George Fischer Middle School students attended an in-school assembly led by our community partners at The Prevention Council of Putnam and CoveCare Center on the dangers of vaping and using e-cigarettes. The presentation series, CATCH My Breath, discussed the negative consequences and health hazards associated with e-cigarette use, the use of flavor chemicals and their role in e-cigarette marketing and how they can make smart decisions for their developing minds.
Teachers and staff at Kent Elementary School showed off their #CarmelCreativity during Read Across America Week with a fun recorded reading of Dr. Seuss' "Oh the Places You'll Go" for their students: "You're off to great places. Today is your day. Your mountains are waiting, so get on your way!"
KES also celebrated with a fun reading-themed spirit week and hosted a visit from author Joe Shandrowki, known for his book Huga Tuga, The Magical Blue Sea Monster along with a reading pep rally.
Seventh-grade students at George Fischer Middle School honored Black History Month through creativity in art class, creating collages of individuals who have had a positive impact on black history in our country.
During the week of Valentine's Day, classrooms in George Fischer Middle School participated in a doorway decorating contest organized by the PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) team. Teachers and students decorated around the doorways of classrooms using words of positive affirmation to promote self-respect and kindness to ourselves and others.
See a video slideshow of the many decorated doorways throughout the school.
It was a fun afternoon of assembling and disassembling, constructing and deconstructing, and putting together and taking apart – all in the name of creativity and science for second-grade students in Mrs. Vickery’s class at Matthew Paterson Elementary.
Working in small groups, students had a chance to construct different figures using clay and toothpicks. As one student constructed, the others sketched the result, each taking turns as the lead builder.
Read a full story and see more photos of our engineers in action.
Local veterans received Valentine’s Day messages of thanks from district students this year and some cards included a special video message!
With assistance from RTI Reading Teacher Janine Avitabile and Instructional Technology Coach Michele Love, a group of third-grade students at Matthew Paterson learned how to create short video messages using graphics, music and voiceover audio as a supplement to their hand-crafted cards for veterans.
See Valentine's Day video messages created for veterans by our students!
Staff and students at George Fischer Middle School participated in "Go Red Day" sponsored by the American Heart Association in February. Participants were asked to wear red to bring awareness to living a healthy lifestyle and being good to their hearts.
There was also a bulletin board in the building hosted by the Family and Consumer Science Department where students and staff could post their healthy recipes.
On February 9, Carmel High School's Technology Department hosted the Western Welding Academy as part of the "Blue Collar Tour," a 30-state tour to promote building trades and welding as promising careers in today’s job market.
Throughout the day, more than 100 students attended the event and learned about welding, participated in welding demonstrations, and got hands-on with welding tools!
The ponderings of young scientists at George Fischer Middle School were highlighted at the annual science fair on February 4. Tables lined the gymnasium space as students presented scientific wonders, interesting experiments, and amazing findings on diverse topics including soil erosion, the power of light, the weathering of limestone, mold growth and others. More than 60 projects were submitted for this year’s science fair by students in grades 5-8 in the categories of Biology, Earth and Space, Physical Science, Technology and Mathematics.
Read more about the student projects and see photos from the fair!
February 3-4, George Fischer Middle School welcomed students from school districts across Putnam County for the PCMEA All-County music festival.
Student musicians are selected to be a part of the All-County weekend based on their previous spring NYSSMA solo festival scores. Students prepared for All-County with weekly afterschool rehearsals to prepare for working with a guest conductor at the festival.
Congratulations to all the musicians and teachers on an amazing All-County weekend!
George Fischer Middle School seventh-grade students got up close with some fearsome predators during a recent lesson focused on animal adaptations and biomimicry that help creatures survive and thrive in the wild. The students were even able to see evidence of animal adaptation traits firsthand thanks to a slithering special guest!
In January, five Carmel High School Science Research Program students presented at the Eastern Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, a sub-regional symposium to the statewide Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, one of the most prestigious forums for young scientists in the country.
Congratulations to junior Grace Fischer for placing 1st in the category of Environmental Science and senior Teagan Weindel for placing 3rd in the category of Behavioral Science. For placing first, Grace has earned a spot as a speaker at the Upstate Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (statewide fair) on March 8!
The five CHS students who presented at the Eastern JSHS were:
• Olivia Schwark (senior): The Relationship Between the Physical and Mental Well-Being of Patients with Leukemia
• Riley Ward (senior): Debunking the Stigma Behind Chemistry
• Grace Fischer (junior): The Effects of Human-Made Noise Pollution on Songbirds in New York State
• Teagan Weindel (senior): Analysis of the Population Fluctuation of District 7 of Carmel, NY from 1856-1866
• Jennie Belle Aliaga (junior): The Knowledge and Practices of Water Intake and its Relation to Urbanization Levels during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States
Congratulations to all of our students for a job well done. We are so proud of you!
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.
Nominating petitions for prospective Board of Education candidates are now available! This year, two vacancies exist on the Board of Education for the seats of Trustee Heitman-Cayea and Trustee Morello. The two seats will be filled by the two candidates with the highest number of votes for three (3) year terms commencing July 1, 2023, and expiring on June 30, 2026. Nominating petitions must be submitted to the District Clerk on or before Monday, April 17, 2023, at 5 p.m. A minimum of 72 signatures are required to nominate a candidate. To receive a nomination packet, please contact Joanne Stevens, district clerk, at jstevens@carmelschools.org or (845) 878-2094 x201.
March 8, 2023
Dear Carmel Community,
During the last week, the district hosted two forums for community members to discuss safety, communications and equity in the Carmel Central School District. Thank you to all who attended the forums where we heard many compelling and thought-provoking statements, listened to your concerns and reflected on different perspectives.
One thing is clear: We all want to make a difference.
Among our core values as a district is the belief that individuals thrive when they feel safe, supported and respected, and that every person has intrinsic value. We strive to keep these values at the center of all that we do. The recent incidents and conversations at the forums have taught us that more work is necessary to make these values a reality. We are taking this opportunity to focus on how we can bring change to our district, and we are committed to engaging in that work with all of you.
I am providing you with an update regarding two recent incidents and the district’s plan for next steps.
Updates Regarding District Actions in Response to Recent Incidents
On the morning of Monday, February 13, the district conducted an investigation into student-created videos shared on social media. The videos used artificial intelligence to impersonate district staff and contained language that was inappropriate and concerning. As the district continued the investigation, additional videos containing threatening and racist language were discovered.
We immediately contacted law enforcement, beginning with the School Resource Officer (SRO), to conduct a threat assessment and determine what actions were needed to safeguard our students. At the time of the discovery of the additional videos, the students involved were already facing disciplinary action in accordance with the district’s Code of Conduct and their parents had been notified. Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the district is unable to share any information about students involved in incidents or any disciplinary action that may have been taken.
Throughout the investigation, the district followed Incident Command protocols, provided evidence and cooperated fully with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. As the lead agency, the Sheriff’s Department followed its threat assessment procedures while the district followed all directives regarding safety.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office conducts intensive and immediate investigations into all threats toward school students and staff. Investigatory measures include:
While not all-inclusive, these examples illustrate the depth and breadth of investigative measures undertaken to ensure safety. The department deemed there was no immediate threat to students and staff and that it was safe to keep the buildings open.
When the investigation concluded late on Monday morning, principals for both Carmel High School and George Fischer Middle School sent emails to building parents and staff regarding the incident. The district also provides building social workers or counselors to support students when needed.
The Board of Education and the Superintendent of Schools have requested a meeting with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department to enhance our working relationship and response to incidents in the future.
On Thursday, February 16, after the school day ended, the district learned of a possible threat based on a student drawing at Matthew Paterson Elementary School. The concerning information was relayed to the principal by a teacher. Law enforcement was immediately notified.
The Sheriff’s Department followed its threat assessment procedures (outlined in the previous section of this letter). The district, as per protocol, followed all law enforcement directives regarding student and staff safety. Late in the evening, when the Sheriff’s Department deemed there was no immediate threat to students and staff and that it was safe for the buildings to remain open, parents and staff were notified. Once again, building social workers and/or counselors were available to any students in need of support.
The district has an SRO or SPO (School Patrol Officer) in each of our school buildings throughout the day as part of our regular operating procedures. In the event of an incident, the Sheriff’s Department may increase police presence at school buildings to support the SRO/SPO as needed.
Students involved in the Matthew Patterson incident were dealt with in accordance with the district code of conduct. Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the district is unable to share any information about students involved in incidents or any disciplinary action that may have been taken.
Where Do We Go from Here?
As a community, we must face these challenges together. We must work to create a learning environment where all students feel safe and respected. We must continue to enhance the partnership between parents and school. We must work to create communication protocols that are a model for others to follow. Next steps include:
This is such challenging, but transformative and important work, and our goal is to provide the community with many opportunities to get involved. Our partnerships with the parents, students and community members are critical to our growth. It takes a village to raise our children, and we appreciate all that you do to support those efforts.
Sincerely,
Mary-Margaret Zehr
Superintendent of Schools
In compliance with New York State Education Law Section 3635, a parent or guardian of children residing in the Carmel Central School District attending a non-public school, or who are requesting transportation to or from childcare, must request transportation services each year prior to the first day of April of the preceding school year by completing a Transportation Request form. Requests for the 2023-2024 school year must be submitted and received by April 1, 2023. Please complete the Transportation Request form for either childcare or private/parochial school on the district's Transportation page and email, mail, fax or bring it in person to Michael Klenotiz, Supervisor of Transportation, by April 1.
Our calendar at a glance provides information on planned school recesses, early dismissals, report card conferences and calendar changes due to snow days. This important resource should be kept handy throughout the year! See the Board-approved calendar at a glance for the 2022-23 school year.
Sign up for our weekly e-newsletters, Carmel Connections & Schoolhouse News, to stay up-to-date on all that is happening in our district!
BOE Committee Meetings:
Facilities & Transportation: 4:30 - 5:20 p.m.
Audit, Finance & Personnel: 5:30 - 6:20 p.m
BOE Committee Meeting:
Special Education, Support Services & Wellness Committee
BOARD OF ED MEETING; 6:30 P.M., CHS LIBRARY
