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Pocantico Hills CSD

Learning. Achievement. Growth. Direction.

April 2026 Digital Newsletter

Posted Date: 05/01/26 (03:30 PM)
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School logo, shield with building, apple, leaves and compass

Pocantico Hills Newsletter

April 2026

A collage of images from 'One Poco Night' featuring international flags, food stations, cultural performances, and attendees.
A group of smiling teenagers stand together in a gymnasium, some holding plates of food.

A night of delicious celebration

The Poco community came out to celebrate One Poco Night!

Among the activities were two special performances from students. Arlene shared a traditional Peruvian dance called the Marinera Nortena. There was also music from Claire who played a traditional Chinese instrument, called the Gu Zheng.

And then there was the food! Families shared traditional food reflecting their heritage, from Cuban sandwiches to Mexican Stew, crickets, pasta and more!

It was a wonderful evening of cultural celebration and community. Thank you to everyone who participated in making this night special, and delicious!
 

Elementary Spring Concert

Thank you to our amazing elementary singers! Our first through fourth graders performed a great Spring Concert!

Younger students sang "Music is in all of Us," while the fourth and fifth graders presented an arrangement by Music Teacher Juliet Freedman.

Singers included such selections as "Getting Ready for Music" and "Sing Along." The older choir entertained with some oldies, including "Have you Ever Seen the Rain" and "Rainbow Connection."

It was a great night of music!
A diverse group of children are on a stage, some looking forward, others interacting.
A diverse group of children in formal attire are singing together on a stage.
 

Spotlight shines on our playwrights

Three smiling children sit on a stage in front of a blue backdrop with text.
Stage scene with green backdrop displaying "The Hungry Family by Catherine Lepore".
A stage play titled 'Good Knowing You for 20 Minutes' is performed with actors interacting near lockers and props.
The entire third grade class settled into their theater seats and waited with much anticipation. It was not long before they clapped and laughed, delighted with the scenes appearing before them.

There were some in the audience who paid particular attention, including Pocantico third-grade playwrights Catherine, Liam and George!

The students, including several second and third grade classes from area schools, were visiting Pleasantville’s ARC Stages having participated in the theaters Visions and Voices program. The educational opportunity includes educators from the theater visiting schools and working with students on playwriting. Students then write their own original play and submit them to the theater, which selects several student plays to perform.

“It looked really great,” Catherine said of she her play, “The Hungry Family,” performed on stage. “I loved how it showed what I wrote.”

“I liked the whole thing,” Liam said of being a part of the program, from writing the play to seeing not only his, but those of other students come to life.

“I liked how they included both people and animals,” George said of the stories that were shown on this day.

Liam and George both wrote "Nice Knowing you for 20 Minutes."
 

Upcoming facilities work to benefit instructional core, student and community wellness

The Pocantico Hills Central School District continues its ongoing Capital projects, with a new focus on Phase III. This will include upgrades to the school’s library as well as upgrades to the school’s athletic fields.

The $6.5 million project is being funded completely by the district’s capital reserves and requires approval from the district’s constituents. There will be no financial impact to the community.

The following proposed facilities improvements represents a strategic investment in both the instructional core of the school and the overall well-being of students and the community. Each project is designed as a multi-use, high-impact enhancement aligned with the district’s Portrait of a Graduate and commitment to responsible stewardship.

The project will transform the library into a modern learning space, where both literature and technology merge.

Instructionally, the newly renovated space will help individual students develop strong research habits, independent exploration, digital citizenship skills and how to properly and safely use information.

The library renovation will be an investment in the instructional core of the school and future readiness of our students.

The project also supports the school’s Portrait of a Graduate by helping students become critical thinkers, foster empathy and become effective communicators.

The project will also enable the school to restore and enhance its athletics fields and green spaces by improving drainage and creating walking space for the community.

Upgrades to the drainage system will allow the fields to open earlier and remain useable for longer time periods. A designated year-round walking path will allow for community space and support the wellness programs the district supports with its fitness center. Additionally, upgrades to the pool surround will offer a more comfortable and updated space for our students and community.

These upgrades to the outdoors spaces on campus help to promote physical, social and emotional well-being for our students, staff and the broader community.
 

A letter from the Superintendent

Dear Pocantico Hills Community,

Well, spring has arrived at last and we here at the school certainly welcome the sunshine and warmth! We’ve already had several gardens sessions for our students, and they have been able to enjoy outdoor recess on a much more regular basis!

As always, the classrooms and hallways here at Pocantico are buzzing with activity. Our third graders enjoyed time as playwrights, even seeing some of their work come alive on stage thanks to our partnership with ARC Stages. The entire community came out to help us celebrate One Poco Night. It was an evening of delicious food, wonderful performances and an amazing way for our community to gather and celebrate what makes Poco great. And now our singers and musicians are warming up to bring music to our community with spring concerts!


Our proposed 2026–2027 budget was recently approved by the Board of Education. We will continue to share information and keep our community informed as we move forward. Information on the 2026-27 budget can be found on our website.

With the proposed budget is a request to continue our amazing facilities upgrades. Our Capital Project Phase III, which is completely funded through capital reserves, includes upgrades to our school library and fields. The improvements planned for the library will help create a modern learning space for our students. The upgrades to our fields will improve drainage and provide our students with better and safer facilities. It will also extend our community wellness programs by providing a walking track for community use.

We are very excited to think about how these projects will continue the legacy of community outreach here at Pocantico that has been a part of our history for decades.

Warm regards,
Rich Calkins
Superintendent of Schools
Man standing next to American flag
 

The competition was alive and well

When all was said and done, the staff came out victorious, winning all three matches, during the 8th Grade vs. Staff Volleyball Game! With the entire student body cheering everyone on, players volleyed, threw their bodies into it and laughed all in the name of fun!
A group of people playing volleyball in a gymnasium with the Pocantico Hills Hawks logo visible.
A group of students watches a volleyball game in a gymnasium with a 'Pocantico Hills Hawks' banner.
A group of children and adults stand on bleachers in a gymnasium, with a basketball hoop visible.
A male volleyball player jumps to spike the ball over the net during a game.
 

HAWKS Journey Spring edition!

A group of young children and an adult stand together outdoors, with the children holding a ruler and a sign.
A smiling teacher stands with three young students, all holding papers and wearing backpacks.
Our HAWKS Journey Spring edition was a complete blast! Our "Hawks" enjoyed time with friends, along with Scout the Hawk, arts and crafts, all kinds of games and had fun planting seeds to grow, grow, grow!
 
A conductor leads a large orchestra on a brightly lit stage with a golden backdrop.

Joint music adventure

Several of our musicians performed with the All-County Chorus and Band ensembles! Congratulations to our nine students who represented Pocantico so proudly at the festival!
 

School Budget and School Board Election


Date: May 19, 2026

Time: 7 am - 9 pm

Location: School Gymnasium



There are two propositions on the ballot:
Proposition 1: 2026-27 Budget
Proposition 2: Use of Capital Reserve Funds

Candidates for Board of Education:
Two (2) open Board of Education seats available for a three-year term beginning on July 1, 2026, and ending on June 30, 2029. This year, the election for these two seats will be conducted as write-in campaigns.
 

Upcoming Events


May 6, Middle School Spring Concert, 6 p.m.
May 7, Board of Education Meeting/Public Hearing on Proposed School Budget, 6:30 p.m.
May 20, Board of Education Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
May 13-15, 8th Grade Trip to Washington, DC
May 25, Memorial Day (District Closed) / Memorial Day Parade
May 29, Truck Day