It was a whirlwind first year at PVHS! The building, with its pristine corridors and classrooms, was bustling from day one. Teachers, staff, and students were generous and warm in welcoming me to my new school, and I am proud to be returning for another year as the principal. With so much to do, there was barely a moment to reflect on all that was done over the past year and I think it’s valuable to take a moment to sit back and recall many of the moments that encapsulated this past year. As a “historian” it also gives me the opportunity to put the year in context and record the highlights and observations from  the year for my personal reflection.

1. Freshman Foundations: The year began with a successful initiative set forth by the PVHS 9th grade teachers to set the social, emotional and academic foundation for our new members of the high school. With a focus on Habits of Effective Teens, by Stephen Covey, teachers gave individual workshops to our students to get them off on the right foot in high school. It was a group effort with all teachers’ grades 9-12 pitching in! Teachers gave presentations on getting organized, having gratitude and acquiring study skills. Freshman Foundations was the start of a new program that we will build on each year.  It was also an excellent day that demonstrated what teachers could accomplish as a team.
2. Color Wars: Spirit at PVHS is unprecedented!  Every student was fully decked out in his or her class color to support the event. Students participated in a variety of extremely well-organized events from wheelbarrow races, pie-eating and Sumo wrestling,  with each teacher jumping into help. It was a group effort! However, what was most impressive was how quickly everything was cleaned up. Within the hour, streamers, balloons and brightly colored red, blue, green and orange decorations were driven off in the pickup truck as another Color Wars came to a close.
3. Athletics: The Tigers had a tremendous year in athletics. Advancing in the football playoffs was no small feat while the Boys’ Soccer team proudly took the league this fall. The winter season was incredible with playoffs at the County Center for both boys and girls’ teams, and New York State appearances by Cheerleading and Wrestling. We celebrated with our new “Breakfast of Champions” for our athletes, and we congratulated our Super Fans in the spring for winning the Hudson Valley Sports Report Fan Base Challenge. Our Super Fans rock the PV House!
4. Theater Works: The spring musical felt as if I was sitting on Broadway. Me and My Girl showcased such phenomenal dancing. It was mesmerizing to watch the entire cast tap away with many students who had never danced before this musical. This show demonstrated what our students’ could attain with a high level of commitment and dedication to their activities.
5. Journey Program: The Journey Program kicked off this year with approximately 33 students in the program. These students embraced such exciting fields of study from real estate, filmmaking and the creation of barbecues! The students were led on a journey of self-discovery and it is a program that I would like more students to experience.
6. Student Recognitions: As an outcome of our PBIS program, one of our goals at the high school is to do more to recognize students in a variety of ways. The Student Spotlight was an excellent addition to our year that touched everyone’s hearts. Teachers recognized students of all grades and abilities for their kindness, hard work and positive attitudes and helpfulness at school. It was a well-attended ceremony that left everyone uplifted. We also added academic awards in grades 9-11 to acknowledge those students who worked so hard in their classes to achieve academic success.
7. Senior Week: Senior year is a significant milestone and to recognize this important transition, PVHS instituted its first Senior Week, where seniors were released from classes one week early to participate in a variety of activities. This week acknowledged the important rite of passage from high school to beyond, while also enabling students to have time to bond and savor their last moments together. A highlight was the Junior-Senior Ice Cream Social where the junior class provided the ice-cream, and the twelfth graders came in to get their yearbooks signed. It’s another new tradition that demonstrated the strong bonds in our school community.
8. Chemistry Forum: We are always reflecting on ways to help all children succeed and help all students access higher level, rigorous classes. Through working with our Chemistry teachers, we moved forward with the initiative to implement an Honors Option for all students in Chemistry next year. This change meant the elimination of the traditional Honors track. Although this led to some initial questions, we held a Chemistry Forum to give all parents, students and teachers the opportunity to discuss the critical issues of tracking, and pushing all students to excel.
9. Creating a Community: Upon arrival at PVHS, many teachers were frustrated with the restrictions that existed on the Internet. The filtering system prevented teachers from accessing valuable resources and videos. I couldn’t wait to surprise the teachers at one of our first faculty meetings with the news that the filtering restrictions were lifted. Teachers would now be able to responsibly access Youtube, social media and other sites to improve teaching and learning.  We also relaxed many outdated rules, such as “no book bags” for students to create a warmer climate where students and teachers feel respected and part of a larger learning community.
10. Let’s hear it for Mr.O! I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our two Assistant Principals! I was lucky enough to have veteran Assistant Principal, Mr. Oliverio begin the school year with me and get the school building ready for day one. After his retirement, I had the privilege of working with Mr. Odell as my partner for the winter and spring. We made many positive changes that will benefit the quality of life at PVHS. From the change in the traffic pattern to the addition of the Volunteer Access Program to record Community Service, we strengthened the infrastructure moving forward. I look forward to bringing our third, “Mr. O” (Mr. O’Connor) on board as we continue our important work.

With all of these changes and new events, the question remains, what is the most important thing I learned from this past year?

For one, it’s impossible to plan for everything. Being a leader means balancing these happy events while dealing with many of the issues and crisis that arise in any school building. The most important thing to remember is to face every issue head on and don’t be afraid to make decisions that are in the best interest of the school, even if met with resistance. I am relieved that the first year hurdles are behind me, and I can look forward to the consistency of a second year!