Carmel Central School District

Cultivating Opportunities for All

• Seniors Get Instant College Decisions

  Forget the long, agonizing wait for college admissions letters. Some Carmel High School seniors are learning their fate instantly, without even leaving school. 

  Through Instant Decision Days, local universities send admissions representatives directly to Carmel High School’s Counseling Office to meet with students one-on-one and deliver immediate admission decisions. 

  Recently, 10 Carmel seniors met with Manhattan University Associate Director of Admission Jose De La Cruz and Admission Counselor Michael Troia. 

  Among them was Gianna Palazzo, 17, who beamed when she heard that she was accepted. 

  “It’s so nice to know that you got in somewhere,” Gianna said, smiling. “I’m not sure where I’m going to go to college yet, though.” 

  Gianna, who plans to study chemical engineering, has taken six Advanced Placement courses and 10 college-level classes through Westchester Community College, Syracuse University Project Advance and other programs. During her interview, she discussed with the admissions team which credits might transfer to Manhattan University. 

  “What I want to do is use those credits to get ahead with requirements so I can focus on my major,” she explained. 

  Instant Decision Day acceptances are not binding, and students admitted through the program still have until May to make their final choice. 

  Carmel High School counselor Kristen Mancini said the event makes the college admissions process more accessible and less stressful for students. 

  “For the past several years, CHS has partnered with local colleges to offer Instant Decision Days, providing students with the opportunity to meet directly with admissions representatives and receive an immediate admission decision,” Mancini said. “Each year, CHS typically hosts two to three colleges, depending on student interest and college availability.” 

  This year’s participating institutions include Manhattan University, Iona University and Western Connecticut State University. 

  During the meetings, students can ask questions, learn more about each university, and receive their admission decisions in person, making the process faster, more personal and a lot more exciting. 

  Carmel High School News

• A Mock Congress Debates Laws

  Students in Kerry Hackert’s U.S. History classes at Carmel High School recently stepped into the shoes of lawmakers during a Mock Congress designed to explore how the American legislative process works. 

  As part of their study of the U.S. government, students first examined the legislative branch and learned how a bill becomes a law. They were then divided into committees to draft their own legislation on major national issues. This year’s topics: the drinking age and the death penalty. 

  Working in teams, students researched their assigned issues, analyzed arguments for and against, and crafted bills that reflected their proposed policies. Each committee then presented its bill to the full “Congress,” where spirited debate and questioning followed before votes were cast and the bills were sent to “President Hackert” for final approval. 

  In one class, the mock lawmakers voted to keep the national drinking age at 21. Representative Ava Connors, who led the committee in favor of maintaining the current law, gave a persuasive speech emphasizing the dangers of lowering the drinking age. 

  “Keeping the drinking age at 21 gives younger kids a harder time getting alcohol,” Connors said. “If the drinking age is 18, the approximate age of a senior in high school, younger people will have easier access. This could lead to alcohol abuse at an earlier age, and research shows the brain doesn’t fully develop until around age 25.” 

  In a different class, however, the outcome was different: the class voted to lower the drinking age to 18. Despite their differing decisions, both classes reached the same conclusion on another issue -- voting to keep the death penalty legal, though several students presented compelling arguments to abolish it. 

  Hackert, who organized the Mock Congress, said the project remains a highlight of the year. 

  “I love doing this every year because there are always students who don’t talk much in class but really shine in this format,” Hackert said. “They feel more comfortable, they’re engaged, and they come to class excited. I was also very proud of how respectfully they discussed and debated with one another.” 

  Carmel High School News

• Don't Miss the CHS Drama Club's Fall Play

  The CHS Drama Club presents "The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon" by Don Zolidis November 14 through November 16 at Casey Hall. 

  You may think you know the story of Cinderella, Rapunzel, or Hansel and Gretel, but you’ve never seen them quite like this. Guided by a team of Narrators, The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon is a madcap ride through all 209 of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. An ensemble cast zips from story to story, weaving each one together as we discover the origin stories of some of literature’s most well-known characters. November 14-16 in Casey Hall at CHS.

  Shows are:
  Friday Nov 14 @ 7pm
  Saturday Nov 15 @ 2pm & 7pm
  Sunday Nov 16 @ 5pm
  
  Visit chsperform.booktix.com for more Information and tickets!

  Carmel High School News

• Awareness Months Bring Students Together

  Since she started at Matthew Paterson Elementary School three years ago, Principal Jennifer Darling wanted to find a way to use the various awareness months that dot the school calendar and give children a real understanding of what is being recognized, whether it’s September 11, or anti-bullying efforts, Native American heritage or women’s history.  

  “There are so many awareness months, weeks or days now,” Darling said. “It’s helpful to have a structured plan on how to address them and to make them the shared experience for children that they are intended to be.”   

  So Principal Darling and the Welcoming and Affirming Committee got to work.  

  “I wanted to start in the library and build on the reading curriculum, Core Knowledge Language Arts,” Ms. Darling said. “The committee wanted to add a digital piece.” 

  What they came up with was a Book of the Month project. They picked out books for different age groups that would speak to the heritage, history or event that was being highlighted that month. The school librarian, Teaching Assistant Susan Fitzpatrick, now reads the chosen book to the classes during their scheduled library time.  

  “The classes follow each read-aloud session by using the Book Creator digital program to develop skills and share their thoughts,” said third grade Teacher Michele Love. “The students might create a comic based on what was read to them or write a letter.”  

  For Veterans Day, Ms. Fitzpatrick read “Veterans: Heroes in Our Neighborhood” by Valerie Pfundstein to each class. When she finished the book, she had each student write a postcard thanking a veteran for their service.  

  “That really got them thinking,” Fitzpatrick said. “A lot of the students have parents or grandparents who served in the military, and they wanted to talk about those people in their lives.”   

  “I want to thank the committee for all its hard work,” Ms. Darling said. 

  The committee includes the following teachers, staff and parents: Jess Kuney, Jess Curran, Christine Demme, Michele Love, Michelle Belasco, Kathy Allen, Megan Adams, Lorenza Triebenbacher, Sydney Gaspar, Susan Fitzpatrick and Pascale Zeynali. 

   

  Matthew Paterson Elementary School News

• First Grade Doctors to the Rescue

  Students in Corinne Phillips and Julie Ann Burton's first grade class at Kent Primary School put on lab coats and stethoscopes and became doctors for a day.  

  The students put together puzzles of skeletons, wore aprons decorated with internal organs, and listened to each other's hearts with a stethoscope.  

  Carmel Central School District's reading program Core Knowledge Language Arts, or CKLA, is a science of reading-based program that emphasizes skills like phonics, decoding and blending sounds.  

  “The reading program introduces young readers to a wide vocabulary while building on topics like science and social studies,” said Dr. Jeff Gorman, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction.  

  When the first graders finished their unit on the body, Mrs. Phillips let them dress up and act like doctors as a way to reinforce some of the vocabulary and topics they had read about.  

  "We had a memory game with germs, a food pyramid sort and some playdough body systems," Ms. Phillips said. "The class enjoyed rotating through each station They enjoyed calling each other Dr. and then their last name, as well as using the vocabulary we have learned." 

  Kent Primary School News

• Second Graders Make Scarecrow for Garden

  When Sarah LoCascio’s daughter started school four years ago, LoCascio knew they would both miss the outdoor time they spent together in the garden.  

  “I’m a gardener and my daughter always worked with me in our garden,” she said. “When she started kindergarten, I thought maybe I could bring the gardening to school, then every single student could experience gardening.” 

  And that is how the Kent Elementary School Garden was born. LoCascio met with administrators, set up a non-profit to raise funds for the work and recruited volunteers to help build a fence, create the raised beds and maintain the garden. In 2021, the garden was planted for the first time.  

  Now, gardening is part of every Kent Elementary student’s education. Each class is invited to participate in garden programs every fall and spring. 

  “In the fall, they pick vegetables, harvest, collect seeds and water the plants,” LoCascio said. “All the kids love to water.” 

  In the spring, students grow seeds in classroom seed kits and later plant the seedlings in raised beds in the garden.  

  The vegetables the students grow are donated to local food pantries each year, and the students take such pride in helping feed those in need, said Erica Intrieri, the garden treasurer.  

  “This year we donated 60 pounds of food to Second Chance Foods, a pantry in Brewster,” Intrieri said. “We grew a lot of cabbage and cabbage is heavy.”  

  On a recent day when the first frost was expected, Alexandra Stenger’s class of second graders came out to the garden, which sits in the side yard of Kent Elementary.   

  “Does anyone know what a frost is?” LoCascio asked. 

  “That’s when it’s lower than 32 degrees, and sometimes the plants die,” said second-grader Leanna. “But if the root is still in the ground, sometimes it grows again in the spring.” 

  Even though it was the end of the season and the pumpkins had not grown as planned, the students did not mind. They got to build a scarecrow instead. 

  They stuffed an old pair of jeans, green sneakers and a pink plaid shirt with plenty of crumpled newspaper.  

  Then the class took a vote on naming the scarecrow. They settled on “Mrs. Sunflower.”  

  “Does anybody know the purpose of a scarecrow?” LoCascio asked.  

  All the hands shot up: “It’s to scare away the birds.”  

  The students said they could not wait to start gardening again in the spring.  

  Kent Elementary School News

• Valedictorian and Salutatorian Named

  Alexander Robinson was in his Advanced Placement Calculus class on Monday morning, when his name came over the loudspeaker, and he was called down to the Carmel High School Counseling Office.  

  “My friends all looked at me, like they knew something big was about to happen,” said Alexander, who goes by “Xander” for short.  

  It turns out they were right.  

  Xander, 17, of Patterson, was named Carmel High School Valedictorian for 2026 and Megan O’Sullivan, 17, of Carmel was named Salutatorian. 

  “We are very proud of Xander and Megan for this outstanding accomplishment," Carmel High School Principal Brian Piazza said. "These are two great students who represent Carmel High School at its best. Their commitment to academic achievement and service to our community is a great example for all the students in our building. I could not be prouder to recognize Megan as Salutatorian and Xander as Valedictorian for the Class of 2026.”  

  Xander, a Boy Scout on the way to being named an Eagle Scout in Carmel Troop 1, is not only a great student, he is the social media manager of the Carmel High School Chapter of the National Honor Society, a member of Tri-M, the music honor society, and plays on the Varsity Volleyball and Varsity Bowling teams. 

  Though he plans to study computer science in college, Xander said his favorite class was Advanced Placement Physics 2. 

  “It really opened my eyes, being able to look at things in the real world and see the physics behind them,” he said. “It made me think in a new way about how things work.” 

  Salutatorian Megan credited her fellow Carmel Central School District students for helping her succeed.  

  “I made some awesome friends here, and I know I’m going to have them as friends for life,” Megan said. “My friends, family and teachers helped me through.” 

  Megan, who plans to study computer science, has been active in the Science Club, the Go Green Club and Students Assisting Students, or SAS. In SAS, she returns to her alma mater Kent Primary School, to help tutor children. Her biggest community project, however, is adapting toys to make them accessible for disabled children.   

  Superintendent of Schools Michael Plotkin congratulated Xander and Megan. 

  "They each worked hard and took some of the most challenging classes that Carmel High School offers,” Mr. Plotkin said. “I am so proud that Carmel Central School District has paved the way for their future success. We look forward to hearing about these students' progress and growth as they engage in their adventures beyond high school." 

  Kristin Mancini served as counselor for both students.  

  “They are exceptional students and exceptional people,” Ms. Mancini said. “They have had a big impact on the other students here and on the outside community through their service work. They are humble and, I think, were genuinely surprised.”  

  Carmel High School News

• Buddies in Math and Reading

  Exciting happenings are bubbling over in Aimee Pagano's third grade class at Kent Primary School. Students are stepping up and embracing the power of Buddy Beads during math time.

   

  When a student masters their independent practice and follows all the instructions, they earn the prestigious honor of wearing a set of Buddy Beads! With this fantastic achievement, they transform into a “math buddy,” taking on a teacher role for the period. These budding educators provide invaluable one-on-one support to classmates who might be facing challenges with the math concepts, and they even check their peers' work to ensure it’s on the right track!

   

  But that’s not all – the classroom is buzzing with anticipation for the brand-new Read Beads initiative! After diving into a book that aligns with their reading level, students engage in a dynamic book talk with Mrs. Pagano. Once their discussion wraps up, they get to pick a shiny new bead to commemorate the book they just read and add it to their growing Read Bead chain.

   

  At the end of the year, they’ll proudly bring home their chains, showcasing their reading adventures and accomplishments throughout the year.

  Kent Primary School News

• Thank you, Board of Education

  The New York State School Boards Association named October 13-18 as School Board Recognition Week, a time to promote awareness and understanding of the important work performed by local school boards.  

  Since the Carmel Board of Education did not have a meeting that week, new Superintendent of Schools Michael Plotkin took the opportunity to extend the district’s thanks to the Board during the Tuesday, Oct. 21 meeting. It also happened to be Mr. Plotkin’s first meeting as Superintendent of Schools.  

  “We pause to honor the extraordinary dedication of the Carmel Central School District Board of Education,” Mr. Plotkin said. “Each of you give countless hours, often behind the scenes, to ensure that every decision you make supports the success, safety and well-being of our Carmel students. Your leadership guides our vision and anchors our community in shared purpose. The progress we celebrate, which includes strong schools, innovative programs and caring classrooms, stands as a direct reflection of your commitment. For all of that, we want to say ‘Thank you.’” 

  The district thanked the board members with a certificate of appreciation, drawings from elementary school students, tissue paper flowers made by art students and the gift of one service from the Carmel High School auto shop, where oil changes, tire rotations and detailing are all part of the curriculum.

  The Board members, President Melissa Orser, Vice President John Curzio, II, Trustee Jordi Douglas, Trustee Frank Grasso, Trustee Nicholas Magliano, Trustee Michael Torpey and Trustee James Wise, all serve as volunteers in the unpaid Board positions. 

  District News

• Schools Welcome Superintendent Michael Plotkin

  Michael Plotkin’s first day as Carmel’s Superintendent of Schools started out with a tour of George Fischer Middle School, where he seemed to already know just about everyone.  

  That’s because Mr. Plotkin has been an active parent in the Carmel Central School District for decades.   

  His walk through the middle school hallways was punctuated with hugs and handshakes as he rekindled old relationships and quickly made new ones.  

  Fifth grade teacher Deanna Belascio reached out in greeting. 

  “I had all of his daughters,” she said. “They grew up, but I stayed the same age; I have only taught here for 26 years.”  

  Further down the hallway, Assistant Principal for fifth grade Joe Keenan offered a bear hug. 

  “Thanks for taking this on,” Mr. Keenan said. “This is a big job, but you’re going to do really well here.”   

  Up in the sixth-grade wing, even students called out to him.  

  “Do you remember me?” sixth grader Giuliana asked. “I’m Kevin’s daughter.”  

  “Of course, I remember you,” the new superintendent said. “Let’s take a selfie so I can send it to your father.” 

  Her father served as the D.A.R.E. officer in Mr. Plotkin’s previous district, Croton-Harmon. 

  Since it was a Friday, several middle school Carmel Rams Football fans were wearing their jerseys.  

  “Are you going to the game?” Mr. Plotkin asked as he slid into a booth in the school library where a group was working on an independent study project. 

  “Yes, my brother is on the team,” said a boy named Henry.  

  “My son, Ben, is on the team,” Mr. Plotkin said. “I’ll tell him to say hi to your brother.”  

  Then it was on to the building’s lowest level, where he spoke with the cafeteria manager about the day’s lunch (Taco Pizza), stopped to talk to the kids learning coding in the technology classroom, and checked into Head Custodian Terrence McQuade’s office to see the equipment that keeps the building humming.  

  Of course, he knew Mr. McQuade from back in the day. 

  “I used to do the youth wrestling program here, and he was instrumental in making sure that we didn’t kill ourselves,” Mr. Plotkin joked.  

  Before he headed over to Carmel High School and the district’s three elementary schools, Mr. Plotkin stopped to hear the students in Erika Wahlers’ music class practice drumming to a Halloween song.  

  “That teacher was friends with my daughter when they were in school,” he said.  

  With his outgoing and friendly demeanor, it seems Mr. Plotkin will soon know everyone in the Carmel Central School District. 

   

  District News

• Students to Perform at Festival

  About 40 Carmel High School students will perform with the top high school musicians from throughout Putnam, Dutchess and Columbia counties at the Area All State Festival, to be held at Arlington High School on November 21 and 22.

  Carmel students will participate in four ensembles -- Treble Choir, Mixed Choir, Orchestra and Band.

  Sean Kmiotek, a percussionist, is attending Area All State for the second year in a row.

  “It was great being around all those talented musicians,” he said.

  Students are selected for the festival based on their spring NYSSMA solo evaluation scores.

  Peter Ballantoni, orchestra teacher, said the annual event creates a great opportunity for students.

  “It pushes them to be stronger musicians,” Ballantoni said. “Their performance at NYSSMA allows them to participate, and because of that they are inspired to work harder.”

  Parker Vanacoro, a sophomore, is looking forward to participating in Area All State for the first time.

  “It’s going to be a great experience,” Parker, a vocalist, said. “I think I will learn a lot.”

  Neenah Julien, a junior, will sing in the Treble Choir. 

  “I am so excited to go,” she said. “I think it will be great.”  

  Carmel Central School District is known for its strong music department.

  "We are honored every year for our students to be chosen for this high achievement,” Meghan Cabral, band teacher and co-chair of the district’s Music Department. “Each year the talent and competition gets stronger for these honors ensembles, and we are proud to have such a great representation once again from Carmel Schools Music Department.”

   

  Carmel High School News

• Students Learn Fire Safety

  Visitors to Matthew Paterson Elementary School for Fire Safety Week came complete with lights and sirens.  

  Firefighter Anthony Rivera of the Patterson Fire Department No. 1 talked to students about how important it is to remember the phrase “Stop, Drop and Roll” in case they were ever in a fire. Then he had the children line up, drop to the ground and roll under polls that were set about two feet high.  

  “That was so funny,” Aidan, a second grader in Stephanie Moran’s class, said after rolling across the grass. “It was really easy.”  

  Firefighter Rivera, like many of the emergency responders who visited Matthew Paterson during Fire Safety Week, has a child of his own in the school.  His son, Anthony, is in third grade.   

  First grader Josie was proud that her father, Firefighter Gene Boo, was there. He donned a scary looking oxygen mask to help children know what to expect if a masked firefighter came to rescue them during a fire. Later he helped students tour the Patterson fire engine.   

  “He wants everybody to be safe,” said Josie, who is in Jennifer Pili's class.     

  In addition to the Patterson firefighters, ambulance crew, fire police and rescue team, the Carmel Fire Department also visited the school. Carmel firefighters invited students to tour its signature green truck.  

  “We provide mutual aid. All the departments around here do,” Carmel Firefighter Steve Rivera said. “We come to all of Carmel Central School District Elementary schools for the fire safety lesson. Our department serves much of the district but only the middle and high school are within our boundaries.”  

  Matthew Paterson Elementary School News

• Book Fair Teaches Independence

  Shopping is a lot harder when you don’t have your parents paying the bill.  

  That is what Antonietta Feliciotto’s first graders found out at the Kent Elementary School bookfair this week.  

  First, the children roamed around the school gym trying to decide between the many books, posters, gadgets and pencils that filled the bookshelves and tables.  

  “The Dog Man books (by Dav Pilkey) are really popular,” said Erica Intrieri, one of the Parent Teacher Organization volunteers who staffed the bookfair, which is a fundraiser for the group. “Those are for second graders and older. Books about rocks and sharks are also popular. All kids love rocks these days.” 

  “I have $20,” one boy said, holding up a baggie filled with cash. 

  It was a hardcover book involving monsters that cost $9.99, so yes, he could get that and something else.  

  Arianna, a first grader, held up a pencil case designed as an iPhone. She pulled out a receipt that showed how much money she had in the spending account her parents set up for the occasion. “I have this much,” she said. “Can I get it?”  

  The Scholastic Book Fairs, which were held in each of the three Carmel Central School District elementary schools in October, were about more than reading. They were an exercise in math and decision-making, and they gave kids a sense of independence.  

  After Kent Elementary PTO President Marie Camacho explained to one young boy the cost of the books he chose and how many he could buy with the money he had, he asked a question many of us share.  

  “So,” he asked. “What is tax?”  

  Kent Elementary School News

• Transforming a Garden -- Together

  Members of Carmel Teachers' Association, Teaching Assistants, CCSD SEPTO and Girl Scout Troop Inspire 1234 came together on October 8 to grow with kindness in a fun and amazing garden project at Matthew Patterson Elementary School. 

  The group all worked together to beautify MPES garden for Fall.

  After the planting, students and families enjoyed painting birdhouses and rocks for the garden. They also created paper flowers, colored Chrysanthemums and enjoyed sensory sand bins. Every student who participated received a gardening certificate of achievement.

  It was a beautiful evening working together and learning how to grow with kindness! 

  Matthew Paterson Elementary School News

• A Successful Launch of the 5th Grade Academy

  For Elianna, a fifth grader, the best thing about middle school is that she feels so independent. 

  “You get to move from class to class,” she said. “And you get lockers.” 

  The students themselves may not notice it, but George Fischer Middle School’s new 5th Grade Academy, which launched in September, is designed to provide age-appropriate levels of independence while giving students a safe transition from the self-contained environment of elementary school. 

  Rather than throw them fully into the middle school routine, the academy focuses on the academic and developmental needs of students on the cusp of adolescence.  

  Adjusting to a middle school environment can be challenging, but fifth graders will have access to a schedule and support structures that reflect their developmental needs, with three core classes in the morning and the opportunity for specials and lunch in the middle of their school day. 

  The changes in school routine start on the trip to school. Fifth graders must sit in the front rows of the school bus. They are the first to exit the bus in the morning and the first to depart in the afternoon.  

  “We sit in the front of the bus because we are the youngest,” said Rylee, who is 10. “I like that.” 

  The fifth graders enter and exit the school directly through the fifth-grade wing of the building. That wing is off limits to students in grades six through eight.  

  “It’s been very helpful to not have students from the other grades in the fifth-grade hallway,” a teacher said. “It’s quieter. There is less disruption.” 

  The academy offers more than physical separation from the older students. It includes activities that promote positive peer interactions, build self-esteem and support social development. 

  Fifth graders will also receive instruction focused on digital literacy, including how to access online resources responsibly and understand the importance of managing their digital footprint.  

  “I have heard only good things from parents,” said Joe Keenan, the assistant principal fifth grade. “The changes we have made, especially with the buses, have gone a long way toward protecting the fifth graders.”  

  The academy can also foster stronger relationships between students, staff and families.  

  “This is such a big school in comparison to our three elementary schools,” said George Fischer Middle School Principal John Fratto. “Keeping fifth graders separate and supported will help them build relationships with students who might be from the other side of town. Those friendships will keep them grounded throughout their school years.” 

  George Fischer Middle School News

• Hispanic Heritage Month Readings

  In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, English as a New Language Teachers Sarah Albrecht and Angeline Solimine read books to their students that sprinkled some Spanish words in with the English text.   

  Albrecht read “Pepe and the Parade: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage” by Tracey Kyle to her first graders at Kent Primary School.  

  In the book, Pepe goes to the city to see a Hispanic Heritage Parade that showcases clothes, foods and music that come from places like Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. “Todos Celebramos!” the grandfather/abuelo says.  

  One line in the book says “Abuelo shakes maracas. People love the ‘chuk chuk’ sound.”  So, Albrecht had her students make maracas of their own. They filled plastic eggs with pinto beans and wrapped them in brightly colored tissue paper.  

  “I like this,” said Gael, 6, shaking his maraca and giving a little wiggle.  

  “I’m going to use a lot of colors,” said Mia, 6. “I’m going to make a rainbow.” 

  Over in the Kent Primary School library, ENL Teacher Angeline Solimine read “Isabel and Her Colores Go to School” by Alexandra Alessandri to her kindergarten students.  

  It is the story of a girl who is afraid to go to her first day of school because she does not speak English.  

  “She was sad because she didn’t understand the language – yet,” Solimine said. “You are all learning English, too. Think of how much you have learned already.”  

  While most English skills are taught in subject areas throughout the day, students who need extra help attend more intensive English language classes for one period a day.  

  “There are a lot of good words to learn in this book,” Solimine told the class. “What are ‘corazones’ in English?”  

  Elena, who is five, put her hand on her heart to show she understood.  

  Kent Primary School News

• New Superintendent Eager to Start

  Though his official start date is not until October 17, incoming Superintendent of Schools Michael F. Plotkin has been hard at work in the Carmel Central School District since the Board of Education appointed him on September 16. Mr. Plotkin, a longtime member of the Carmel schools community, has been meeting nights and weekends with Interim Superintendent Dr. Erin Meehan-Fairben to ensure a smooth transition.  

  “I am so eager to start that I wanted to jump right in,” Mr. Plotkin said. “I’m excited to meet all the parents, staff and the students, and I look forward to being involved in the day-to-day operations of the Carmel schools.”  

  A resident of Holmes whose three daughters are Carmel High School graduates, Mr. Plotkin has deep roots in the community. He particularly enjoyed the recent homecoming weekend, since his son is one of the Carmel High School Rams football players.   

  “I am so honored to have the chance to serve my home district,” Mr. Plotkin said.  

  After touring the schools and discussing issues with Dr. Fairben, who announced her retirement plans this past spring, Mr. Plotkin solidified his goals for his first 100 days in office. Now, when he officially starts as Superintendent, he will hit the ground running.  

  “Over these past few weeks, I have gotten to know Michael, and I am confident that I am leaving the district in excellent hands,” Dr. Fairben said. “I am certain that the Carmel Central School District will thrive under his leadership.” 

  District News

• RISE and Recycle with PACE

  Students in April Roe’s PACE class and Heather Pitcher’s RISE class at GFMS are taking on some new responsibilities this year with a total of 4 building enterprises: Fast PACE Shredding; PACE RISE Express; PACE RISE Supply Co; and RISE and Recycle with PACE. While these jobs don’t yield money, the students are learning and practicing social skills and job readiness skills.

  RISE and Recycle with PACE is the newest initiative at GFMS where the students are collecting recycling from the classrooms and sorting it. The project is helping to make the students more visible within the school community. It also allows gives them practice with wearing and tolerating a uniform, appropriate work behavior and social skills interactions.

  Thank you to the building’s support team on these new initiatives!

  George Fischer Middle School News

• Homecoming 2025: The Great Flood

  You may have seen the bonfire, the parade and the Rams football game, but have you seen the Carmel High School Film Club's video, Homecoming 2025: The Great Flood? The video sticks with this year's "Under the Sea" theme for homecoming and features lots of familiar CHS faces.  

  Carmel High School News

• GFMS Students Celebrate Constitution Day

  The classrooms at George Fischer Middle School were abuzz with activity as students celebrated Constitution Day through interactive and engaging lessons in their Social Studies classes. From drafting their own constitutions to conversing with the Founding Fathers, students explored the enduring importance of the U.S. Constitution in imaginative ways.

   

  Some classes, like those in Marie Bova’s 5th grade class took on the challenge of creating their own classroom constitutions. Working collaboratively, students outlined rules, rights, and responsibilities for their learning environment, mirroring the compromises and debates of 1787. This hands-on activity helped students connect with the democratic process while building skills in teamwork and problem-solving.

   

  Other groups focused on analyzing the Bill of Rights. They examined the freedoms guaranteed in the amendments, discussing their significance and relevance in today’s world. These conversations prompted students to think critically about the ways individual rights shape civic life.

  Students also explored the goals set forth in the Preamble to the Constitution. After reviewing its famous opening lines, they reflected on how the goals of the Founders—such as establishing justice and promoting the general welfare—remain important today. Each student then set their own personal or classroom goal for the school year, creating a meaningful connection between history and their daily lives.

   

  In a particularly exciting twist, several classes utilized a school AI resource that transported them into a virtual “chat room” with the Founding Fathers. Students had the chance to ask historical figures questions about the Constitutional Convention, the debates behind the Constitution, and the challenges of building a new government. Many remarked that it was a fun and efficient way to learn about a complex topic, while teachers noted that the activity not only boosted student engagement but also deepened their historical understanding.

   

  By blending creativity, critical thinking, and technology, GFMS students discovered that the lessons of the Constitution are as relevant today as they were over two centuries ago. Their enthusiasm and curiosity showed that the spirit of civic engagement is alive and well in Carmel.

  George Fischer Middle School News