Home Page - Pocantico Hills Central School

A Message from the Superintendent

October 30, 2018

Dear Community Members,

Given the current disparity in the level of support for the Capital Project, the Board of Education at its October 25^th meeting, decided to put the project under consideration on hold – as is, to be revisited the summer of 2019. It is my opinion that moving forward without a consensus of support for the project will not likely result in a positive outcome and it is best to refocus our efforts in the short term.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who served on committees, attended meetings, completed surveys, shared ideas and expressed their opinions. Three years of time and effort was invested by many. This work will provide a solid springboard for future consideration, and any needed repairs will be addressed within our annual budget.

Sincerely yours,

Carol Conklin-Spillane

A Message from the Board of Education

Pocantico Hills Board of Education Begins Executive Search

Dear Community Members:

The Pocantico Hills Board of Education has begun the process of searching for a Superintendent of Schools. We are committed to seeking your input into this process, and to keeping you apprised of progress along the way.

As a first step, we will involve diverse groups of community members to help us formulate a desired profile of the next school leader. While the Board of Education has the responsibility for selecting and appointing the Superintendent, we consider input and feedback from stakeholder groups an essential component in guiding our search and making our final selection.

We have engaged Bob Christmann, lead consultant at NY State Leadership Group, to support our District throughout this process. Mr. Christmann will be leading and facilitating each of the input sessions.

Please review the list of engagements below, organized by stakeholder group, and feel free to attend the one that is most appropriate for you. You are welcome to attend any of the sessions. However, please keep in mind Mr. Christmann will tailor each session to the specific needs of each group. Additionally, we will arrange an online survey for community members to provide additional guidance (details forthcoming).

If you are unable to attend any of the sessions, or wish to provide further input, you are welcome to call Mr. Christmann directly: 716-777-0451. Also, you can also contact the Board of Education at any time via: boe@pocanticohills.org.

The sessions will be held in the School Library, and are as follows:

Tuesday, October 23, 2018
- 6:30-7:30 pm: Parents/Guardians of Students
- 7:30-8:30 pm: Any Community Member (District Resident)
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
- 6:45-7:30pm: Pocantico Hills Foundation and PTA Members
- 7:30-8:15pm: Parents with Pocantico Students in Partner High Schools
Monday, November 5, 2018
- 6:30-7:15 pm: Any Community Member (District Resident)
- 7:30-8:15 pm: Parents/Guardians of Students

Warmly,

Al Pacile, President, Pocantico Hills Board of Education

What Is Your Mood? Check Out Our Middle School Mood Meter

The ability to recognize, understand, label, express and when necessary, regulate our emotions is critical to our emotional health and success in school. Understanding these skills using the RULER approach provides our students with an opportunity to utilize the Mood Meter—an important component to the Anchors of Emotional Intelligence. Our Mood Meter Mondays allow students to utilize this resource to self-identify their emotion prior to lunch. This provides one data point to assess our students’ emotional well-being and our overall culture and climate at Pocantico at the beginning of each week.

Link to our Middle School Mood Meter can be found here.

Pocantico Hills School Core Values - Kindness, Respect and Perseverance

As part of our successful transition back to school, our 8^th grade students were charged with creating a school-wide character pledge that reflects our core values—kindness, respect and perseverance. Their successful work was chronicled throughout the week and captured on video Pocantico Character. Our Pocantico Character Pledge is recited each morning following the Pledge of Allegiance as a school community. Again, a special thank you to the class of 2019 and Mr. Murray, Mrs. Carruth and Mrs. Hongell, who facilitated this important work with our students.

As a student of character at Pocantico Hills …

I pledge to not give up when obstacles are in the way. I will persevere.

I will listen to others and use careful words. I will be respectful.

I will smile and greet people in the hallways. I will be kind.

Our Mission

The Pocantico Hills School staff believes that each student is a complex and unique person. We are committed to helping our children realize their complete personal potential – academic, creative, physical and emotional. We will ask the students to stretch themselves and help them to discover the rewards of working hard.

We will treat the students with respect and understanding and encourage them to be caring and contributing members of society, students who are thoughtful, honest, fair, kind and self-disciplined.

Important Information

2019-2020 - School Calendar

Budget Guide 2019-2020

Transportation Request Form 2019-20

POCANTICO AM BUS STOPS

POCANTICO PM BUS SCHEDULE

BRIARCLIFF HS AM BUS STOPS.pdf

PLEASANTVILLE AM BUS STOPS

SHHS BUS SCHEDULE

2018-2019 School Calendar

Transportation - Delayed Openings - Important Information

Here at Pocantico Hills

Dr. Mary Lane Cobb of Tarrytown, a retired family physician who was educated in a segregated school system in Kentucky, spoke with seventh-graders during Women's History Month.
Dr. Lane said she was inspired by an uncle who was a physician to become a doctor. She entered the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1950 and was the only black woman in a class of 50.
Dr. Lane retired 26 years ago and has been involved in many community activities, including as a member of the Choral Arts Society of Westchester and the Westchester Region NAACP. Teacher Joy Scantlebury and library media specialist Anne Gordon organized her visit.
Julia Davis, author of the "I Love Me!" book series, visited the school in late February. She is the aunt of fifth-grader Ty'Asia Carver, and sister of Ty'Asia's mother, June.
The author encouraged students to love themselves as they are and be kind to others. She gave high-fives, and a few "air" high-fives, when children said something positive about a classmate.
The Atlanta-based author has written eight picture books and one chapter book. She signed books for students during her visit, which was made possible by the PTA, the Diversity Committee and the library.
Kindergarteners celebrated the 100th day of school by wearing special crowns and shirts they designed, and eating a snack that made the shape of 100.
Classroom activities included writing how they would spend $100, guessing which of three bags had 100 pieces of candy in it, and stringing beads.
Thanks to teachers Christina Povemba and Lindsey Wiley for making the 100th day of school so special!
A few dozen middle school students made cards for senior citizens during the fifth annual Operation Valentine.
The students delivered them to residents of the Atria Briarcliff Manor assisted living facility.
Students brought in candy, cookies and other treats from home to enjoy during Operation Valentine.
Pocantico Hills Central School celebrated the customs, traditions and food of many cultures during “One World Evening” Jan. 29.
The event included three student performances in the auditorium followed by the "One World Walk" in the cafeteria.
Many families brought traditional food and drink for others to sample, such as chai tea, samosas, kielbasa, empanadas, sushi and pierogi.
Students spent two weeks learning about Yoga in physical education class.
They found out that yoga has many benefits, including relaxation, increased flexibility and stress reduction.
Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh brought instruction to the school. It was a great experience for all!
Adam Brown, director of curriculum and technology, offered contestants last-minute advice at the school's National Geographic GeoBee Jan. 24.
Contestants had about 15 seconds to write down their answers on a whiteboard before showing the audience.
GeoBee contestants shared their answers with the audience.
Adam Brown presented seventh-grader Maryum with the winner’s medal.
Maryum celebrated her victory with Principal Brent Harrington.
Third-graders went on a field trip to the New York Botanical Garden in November.
The highlight of the day was a tour of the annual Holiday Train Show.
Students made mandalas from natural materials.
They explored rain forests, deserts and other environments in the garden's conservatory.
The train show featured model trains and trolleys moving through magical landscapes of historic New York buildings.
The weather was perfect for the students' Halloween parade Oct. 31.
Inflatable costumes were popular this year, as were unicorns, the Incredibles characters, princesses and superheroes.
Some teachers dressed up too, including as Play-Doh, M&M's and a rain cloud.
Children had parties in their classrooms after the parade.
Students picked carrots, squash, corn and other vegetables for the annual Harvest Soup Festival.
Staffers Jose Zamora, who tended the garden, and Kassie Arcate, school chef, helped with harvesting, cleaning, chopping and cooking.
The whole school enjoyed the harvest soup the next day, along with herb butter and carrot leaf pesto they put on rolls.
The largest vegetable grown in the garden was the Italian zucchini, which required many hands to safely carry it to the chopping table.
Children picked, washed and peeled the vegetables, and they peeled and grated garlic.
The school has held the event for about 10 years.
The school launched a new Makerspace this year to foster creativity and develop children’s skills in science, technology, engineering and math.
In their second class, first-graders had a chance to work with any of the supplies they wanted, from Styrofoam balls and felt to markers.
The Pocantico Hills Foundation is a sponsor of the Makerspace and raised money to help start the program.

Online Calendar

Mar 25

DAY 5

Pocantico Hills Central School
Mar 26

DAY 6

Pocantico Hills Central School
Mar 27

DAY 1

Pocantico Hills Central School
Mar 28

11:45 AM DISMISSAL

Early dismissal for students only

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Pocantico Hills Central School
Mar 28

PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES

Pocantico Hills Central School
Mar 28

DAY 2

Pocantico Hills Central School
Mar 28 11:30 PM 04:00 AM

School Library

BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING

Pocantico Hills Central School
Mar 29

DAY 3

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Apr 1

DAY 4

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Apr 2

DAY 5

Pocantico Hills Central School
Apr 3

DAY 6

Pocantico Hills Central School
Apr 4

DAY 1

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Apr 4 11:30 PM 04:00 AM

School Library

BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING

Pocantico Hills Central School
Apr 5

End of 3rd Quarter - Middle School

Pocantico Hills Central School
Apr 5

DAY 2

Pocantico Hills Central School