Carmel Central School District

Cultivating Opportunities for All

• Soup from a Stone at Kent Primary

  Lisa Chase’s second grade class at Kent Primary School proudly presented a delightful Readers Theater musical titled “Stone Soup,” based on the classic folktale.

  The students brought the story to life with spirited narration, charming dialogue, and catchy songs that captured the magic of sharing and community. Each child played an important role, whether as a narrator, a villager, or the clever traveler, showcasing their enthusiasm and teamwork. The simple yet heartfelt performance was a wonderful celebration of kindness and cooperation, leaving the audience smiling and inspired.

  Juliana Schultz, Kent Primary's retired music teacher, came back to school and volunteered her time as "musical director" to help prepare the students for the production. Schultz and Chase have been collaborating on a musical performance each year since 2012. 

  After the show, the class came together to celebrate their accomplishments and a wonderful second grade year.

  Kent Primary School News

• Learning to Solve Crimes While Getting College Credit

  After a fire alarm went off at Carmel High School, investigators came to the scene and found a burned stack of math finals in a garbage pail and a pack of matches.

  This was a job for the SUPA Forensics students at Carmel High School.

  For their final project, the students had to investigate one of three mock crime scenes in the high school’s Casey Hall. The mock crimes involved arson, a classroom stabbing and money stolen from a safe.

  Natalie, a senior, decided to take SUPA (Syracuse University Project Advance) Forensics, after her counselor told her she could earn four college credits.

  “I like crime shows, so I thought it would be really cool,” Natalie said. “And it has been great. Today we are processing evidence like it’s an authentic crime scene. Next week, we present it as if we are in a court of law.”

  The exercise is the culmination of applying all they have learned in the class, said Eugene Pepe III, who teaches Forensics, SUPA Forensics and Chemistry at the high school.

  “This is a very hands-on class," Pepe said. "The only way they learn this is if they do it." 

  He should know, he’s been a teacher for 22 years.

  “They don’t have to solve the crime; they just have to process it,” Pepe said. “They have to collect the evidence, preserve it and document it.”

  Investigators from the Putnam County Sheriff's Office came to the class to guide students in how to process crime scene evidence. The presence of three investigators and School Resource Officer Mike Gray certainly gave the mock crime scenes a feeling of legitimacy.

  “I think it’s eye-opening for them,” Senior Investigator Randel Hill said. “It brings a real-life perspective to what we do. It’s not like TV.”

  Hill was working with students on the mock stabbing incident.

  As students gathered around a bloody desk with tape measures in hand, the investigator showed them how to get the most accurate measurements at a crime scene.

  “Don’t worry, the blood is not real,” Pepe whispered to an onlooker.

  Carmel High School News

• Technology Whiz Kids Help Others

  Most seventh graders might spend their lunch periods relaxing and socializing, but not the A Team from Technology Teacher Jeff Naso’s class.

  Alissa, Lyndsey and Emma rush to the technology lab during their free periods to help other students create projects with the 3d printer, laser cutter or other high-tech tools.

  “We help Mr. Naso with the sixth graders’ projects,” Alissa said.

  “It’s so much fun,” said Emma, who always enjoyed making things in art class.

  Recently, they also made new signs for some George Fischer Middle School offices.

  “The existing wooden guidance office sign has been here for decades,” Counselor Lisa Jackson said. “We are so glad to get an upgrade while also helping the kids who work with Mr. Naso extend their skills.”

  Though she’s only 13 years old, Lyndsey said the technology class has made her think about becoming an engineer in the future.

  “I might go into engineering,” Lyndsey said. “I’m considering it. It’s a little too early to decide for sure.”

  George Fischer Middle School News

• Cookbook Unites Kent Primary Community

  Families who are looking for a tasty meal have a new resource to turn to: The Kent Primary School Community Cookbook.

  The book features nearly 50 recipes that range from Irish Soda Bread, to Zeppoles to Chiles Rellenos and Marry Me Chicken.

  “A community cookbook in a diverse neighborhood is more than just a collection of recipes – it’s a celebration of culture, connection and shared stories,” said Third Grade Teacher Alison Spunt. “By bringing together dishes from different backgrounds, it fosters inclusion, preserves traditions and builds community pride, all while introducing neighbors to new flavors and traditions.”

  Read more

  Kent Primary School News

• Matthew Paterson Gets a Little Lending Library

  Students at Matthew Paterson Elementary School now have another place to find great books to read.  

  The school just opened a Little Lending Library, which sits right by the main entrance and is open to all.   

  Teaching Assistant Leslie Maher came up with the idea.  She had seen little lending libraries – built like tiny houses on top of a post – and thought it would be great if Matthew Paterson could have one of its own.  

  “When teachers reorganize their classrooms, they often have a lot of books that they no longer need,” Maher said. “I just thought this would be a great way to make those books available to our students.”  

  Principal Jenn Darling loved the idea of giving students yet another fun way to fall in love with reading. 

  “Lots of families come here after school, to the playground or for sports,” Darling said. “Now they can stop and pick up a book. We are happy to do anything that promotes a love of reading.” 

   But who could build the tiny library?  

  Diana McDermott, who teaches third and fourth grade at Matthew Paterson, knew just the guy. Her husband, Bill, built both of their homes. She volunteered him.  

  “He was volun-told,” she joked. “But he didn’t mind. He was happy to build a little library for the school, and he doesn’t do anything half-way. Look at all the detail. It’s really beautiful.”  

  When Principal Darling cut the ribbon on the Little Lending Library this week, the school already had close to 300 books collected to fill it.  

  “I just live down the block,” Maher said. “In the summer, I can just stop by and restock it.”  

  Matthew Paterson Elementary School News

• No Place for Hate -- See Video

  Congratulations to GFMS for earning the designation of a "No Place for Hate" school.

  This year-long, student-led effort will help make the middle school an affirming, welcoming and safe learning environment for all. Members of the school's Equity Club went to the city on Tuesday, May 20 to give a presentation on all the work they did to help GFMS become a member of the "No Place for Hate" school community.

  See the GFMS No Place for Hate video to find out more about the program. 

  George Fischer Middle School News

• Budget Passed and Three New Board Members Elected

  Voters endorsed the Carmel Central School District Budget Tuesday and elected three new board members to the Board of Education.  

  The budget passed by a vote of 1290 to 1113. Nicholas Magliano, Frank Grasso and Michael Torpey were elected to the Board of Education.   

  “I’m so appreciative to the community for supporting students and allowing us to fulfill the mission of the district,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Erin Meehan-Fairben said. “I also want to welcome the three new Board of Education members Nicholas Magliano, Frank Grasso and Michael Torpey.” 

  The Board of Education results were:  

  Nicholas Magliano -- 1390  
  Frank Grasso -- 1252 
   Michael Torpey --1255 
   Prakash Tewari -- 1059 
   Nathaniel Query -- 740 

  Board President Melissa Orser said she was grateful that the community approved the budget.  

  “I want to thank the community for coming out to support our schools,” Board President Orser said. “I also want to thank the administration – both the superintendent of schools and the assistant superintendents – for upholding the board’s focus on fiscal responsibility.” 

  District News

• Tim Raney Chosen for NYS Master Teacher Program

  Any of the students who have been in Tim Raney’s video production or engineering classes at Carmel High School know he is a master of his craft. His attention to detail, thorough understanding of complex subjects and ability to inspire creativity are part of every class he teaches.

  Now, even those who haven’t studied with him will recognize his skills. Raney has been selected for the highly competitive New York State Master Teacher Program.

  “I applied because I’m passionate about teaching STEM and constantly looking for ways to grow,” he said. “The program offers an incredible opportunity to collaborate with other educators, learn from experts and bring new strategies back to my students and colleagues.”   

  Raney is now part of a statewide network of educators that was established in 2013 to recognize outstanding K-12 public school STEM teachers and counselors. As a master teacher he becomes part of a community of educators who push each other to grow.

  Read More

  Carmel High School News

• Rededication of Clifton Watson Memorial Grove

  Back in the 1980s members of the Kent Elementary School community wanted to create something that would serve as a tribute to Clifton Watson, the school’s longtime principal.

  They created the Clifton Watson Memorial Grove to honor a beloved educator who was a leader in environmental education.

  On May 29, the grove will be rededicated in a ceremony at Kent Elementary School at 11 a.m. The public is invited to celebrate the legacy of one of the district’s great school leaders.

  Read more

  Kent Elementary School News

• See the Budget Newsletter

  The 2025-26 Budget Newsletter has been mailed to residents throughout the Carmel Central School District. You don't, however, have to wait for yours to come in the mail. You can read it right here: 2025-26 Budget Newsletter. 

  District News

• Fourth Graders Experience History

  Fourth graders in all three Carmel Central School District elementary schools learned about the American Revolution in a History Day celebration that allowed them to experience life the way soldiers did 250 years ago. They dressed in uniform, marched, drilled and pitched tents.   

  Colonial and Revolutionary history are part of the fourth-grade curriculum and George Fischer Middle School Social Studies Teacher Keith Reilly and Carmel High School History Teacher Rob Buccheri visited Kent Elementary School, Kent Primary School and Matthew Paterson Elementary School to help bring American history to life for the youngsters.  

  GFMS Reading Teacher Denise Santalis organized the event and took the fantastic photos. 

  See more

   

  District News

• Art Show Featured in Lohud.com

  Student Art Show Featured in Lohud.com

  The 41st Annual Student Art Show at Carmel High School was featured in the local news site Lohud.com.  The news site included a video and slideshow of the event, which drew large crowds from throughout the community.  Nearly 450 CHS students had their artwork displayed in the show, which featured works in a variety of media, including pottery, graphic arts, painting, drawing and more.  

  Carmel High School News

• Second Grader Inspires a Relay for Life Team

  When Lucas, a second grader at Matthew Paterson Elementary School, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, the impact on his family was tremendous.

  “Lucas was six months old at the time,” his mother Ashley Martinez said. “He is a twin, we were so worried that his twin brother, Oliver, would develop cancer, too. Our oldest son, Adrian, was just three. It was a very scary time.”

  Lucas is cancer-free now. Since his recovery, the family has helped raise money in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life to help find a cure. Lucas has been involved in the Relay since he was two years old, walking and raising money for cancer research.

  This year, the Relay for Life of Eastern Putnam will be held at Brewster High School on Saturday, May 31 from 2 to 10 p.m.

  The Martinez family will be there along with a team of about 20 family members and friends who call themselves “The Lukey-Dukes.”

  “We welcome all friends, families and CCSD staff to join us,” Mrs. Martinez said. “Our team raises money specifically for childhood cancer. At the Relay, we do a dinosaur lap with inflatable costumes. We just try to bring attention to childhood cancer.”

  Read more

  Matthew Paterson Elementary School News

• Don't Miss the 41st Annual Student Art Show

  Carmel High School’s 41st Annual Student Art Show will have special evening hours on Thursday, April 10 from 6 - 8 p.m. The show, which features work from about 450 students, will run through Friday, April 11 at noon.  

  “This year’s show features more hands-on displays for graphics classes,” said Art Teacher Danielle Marino. “Ms. Kenny has been focused on product and packaging design with her classes and she has created beautiful notebooks, bags and gift boxes which can be picked up and examined.”     

  But that’s not all that’s new this year. 

  “Several Carmel students participated in the Garrison Art Center's student exhibit,” Ms. Marino said. “The show was last week, and we set up a separate display area for our students to show off their work based on the theme "Exploring Identity.” 

  Carmel High School News

• Core Knowledge in the Real World

  On two warm fall days, third graders from Matthew Paterson Elementary School walked across the road to the Patterson Environmental Park.

  The park includes part of the Great Swamp, one of the largest freshwater wetlands in New York State and home to many species of wildlife. The students’ visit would allow them to see its ecological diversity up close.

  “We finished the unit on animal classification in our reading program, Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA), so we added a trip to the Great Swamp for a hands-on extension,” Teacher Gina Boalt said. “I love this reading program; it is so rich in content.”

  Judging from their enthusiasm, the students were excited to put their new knowledge to the test

  Matthew Paterson Elementary School News

• Matthew Paterson Third Graders Celebrate History

  The Third-Grade Harvest Festival at Matthew Paterson Elementary School is an event that brings students, teachers, staff and families together to celebrate an American tradition. 

  Parents dressed as Pilgrims and helped the third graders with activities, including grinding apples to make applesauce. The apples were donated by Fishkill Farms in East Fishkill and Wilkins Fruit & Fir Farm in Yorktown  

  “This is a great tradition,” said Dan Minieri, who dressed as a Pilgrim for the event. Mineri’s son, Dan, is in the third grade.   

  The lack of rain this fall led to a burn ban throughout Putnam County, so the tradition of cooking applesauce over an open flame was replaced by a safer inflatable campfire toy with a smoke machine.  

  “It was still great fun,” said Third Grade Teacher Michelle Belasco.  “This event encompasses our Carmel 6 Cs, and it is something we look forward to each year.”

  Matthew Paterson Elementary School News

• Fourth Graders Explore the Middle Ages

  As the students rotated through the four fourth-grade classrooms at Matthew Paterson Elementary School, they made coats of arms, stained glass, illuminated letters and castles – some with modern-day twists.

  In Michael Dwyer’s classroom, the students used K’NEX building toys to create castles that would do any royal family proud.  One group of builders even put their castle on wheels.

  “Castles don’t use wheels,” nine-year-old Chace said to his teammates. “That’s castle-ing 101.” 

  Pretty soon, though, Chace went along with his group’s idea and started adding wheels. When the group rolled its castle up and down the aisles, their classmates all laughed.

  Middle Ages Day was the culminating activity of the reading unit that fourth graders had just completed in the district’s Core Knowledge Language Arts, or CKLA, reading program.  The unit had them reading, writing and learning the vocabulary of medieval times.

  “They learned all about the Middle Ages, so everything they are creating now is building on their prior knowledge,” Teacher Anastasia Amelio said. “It’s more than just ‘Oh, this is cool.’ These are activities that tie it all together.

  Matthew Paterson Elementary School News

• Students Write, Design and Publish Books

  They used to say you had to know someone to get a book published.  

  Not anymore.  

  Fourth grade reading students at Matthew Paterson Elementary School published their own books using Book Creator, the online publishing software. 

  Reading Teacher Janine Avitabile recently gave her students the chance to each present their books to their class.    

  “Our focus was winter holiday traditions that ranged from Christmas, Ramadan and ended with our New Year's resolutions,” Avitabile said. “They each got to tell the story of their own family traditions.”  

  The students wrote the story and chose the photos. They even created the design, picking their own fonts and adjusting the sizing and layout of their images. 

  Matthew Paterson Elementary School News

• Art Student Wins Prestigious Award

  Carmel High School Senior Jasmine Hall won a Silver Key Award in Illustration for our region in the Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards competition. The nationwide arts competition is among the most prestigious recognition programs for creative teens. 

  Jasmine entered her drawing of “Fish of the United States,” which she drew in colored pencil on an actual map of the United States.   

  “It’s only 47 fish because three states don’t have state fish,” Jasmine said. “I did a lot of research, and I spent a lot of time on it, but I didn’t expect to win anything. I hadn’t yet checked my email that day, so it was a complete surprise. My teacher put the digital version of the certificate on the screen, and I saw it when I came to class.” 

  Jasmine started drawing in 7th grade and got more serious when she entered high school. She has taken seven art classes at Carmel High School. She’s currently in Advanced Placement Drawing and Portfolio Preparation, a class that is for students who intend to pursue careers in art. 

  Carmel High School News

• A Visit From Baby Goats

  Some visitors to Matthew Paterson Elementary School recently brought out the nurturing instinct in students from kindergarten through fourth grade, not to mention their teachers and administrators.  

  Nearly everyone who got to see the three baby goats that visited from Ridge Ranch in Patterson started cooing.  

  “Oh, they are so cute,” they cried. “Can we pet them?”  

  The district’s Special Education PTO, or CCSD SEPTO, sponsored three goats this year at Ridge Ranch, an educational farm run by Arielle and Dan Honovich that specializes in “Animal Experiences.”  

  Matthew Paterson Elementary School News