December 22, 2010

Happy Holidays

Dear Putnam Valley Community,

“Reflection is a flower of the mind, giving out wholesome fragrance” (Desiderius Erasmus).

I always view the holiday period as a time to refresh, recharge and reflect on how we can continuously improve the educational program for our kids. At the Putnam Valley Central School District, we encourage all of our educators to be reflective regarding their teaching practices. I know that our dedicated educators are consistently introspective regarding their instructional methodologies in order to ensure the best outcomes for our students.  During the new year, our educators will continue to share “best instructional practices” not only within their grades and buildings, but between all three schools as well. This kindergarten through twelfth grade dialogue based on student qualitative data (i.e. student work) and quantitative data (i.e. testing data) about curriculum and instruction is essential for a cohesive educational program.

As I continue to reflect on how we can improve the total educational experience for all of our students, I hope in the new year, you take a moment to share your thoughts with me regarding “how we are doing and what we can do better” for all of our kids. As I have said in my past “Honestly Speaking” columns, I welcome your input, and want to hear from you about our successes and what can be improved upon. I will always respond in a timely fashion to your communications with me.

Please take this time to enjoy the gift of our wonderful community, your wonderful children, friends and family. I look forward to hearing from you in 2011!

Sincerely,

Dr. Barbara Fuchs