WVCSD EdTalk & Photo of the Week: July 29, 2026

Although the school year may be on pause, learning, preparation, and community engagement continue throughout Warwick. Our students are taking part in meaningful summer programs, our staff members are planning for the year ahead, and our community partners are creating opportunities that extend learning well beyond the classroom. This week’s highlights reflect the energy, collaboration, and sense of purpose that continue across the District during the summer months.

It was once again an honor to attend and support our students at the Town of Warwick Police Department Junior Police Academy graduation ceremony at Mountain Lake Park on Friday. We value our partnerships with the community, and we are especially thankful for the Police Department’s leadership in providing this summer program for our students.

The program introduces local 10- to 15-year-olds to the principles of public service and leadership. Throughout the two-week academy, cadets participated in a wide range of educational activities at Warwick Valley Middle School, along with hands-on experiences designed to deepen their understanding of public safety and community service.

The cadets were very active each day. Activities included drill instruction with the Orange County Police Academy; crime-scene investigation demonstrations by detectives; lessons in public speaking and the chain of command; CPR and first-aid training; a bicycle safety presentation by Orange County Traffic Safety; a yoga session at Vastu; and a visit to Chosun Taekwondo Academy. Cadets also toured the Orange County Emergency Services Center, including the 911 Center and Hudson Valley Crime Analysis Center; visited the Warwick Town Court, Department of Public Works, and Warwick Valley Humane Society; learned about fire safety at the Warwick Fire Department’s Raymond Hose Company; and observed a drone demonstration by the New York State Police, among many other activities.

Many people and local organizations help make the Junior Police Academy successful each year. Thank you for your efforts and for supporting our students. A second cohort of students will begin its academy experience next week!

Here are some highlights from our schools this week:

Park Avenue Elementary School 
A great deal of planning and preparation takes place during the summer months to help ensure a successful start to each new school year. This work ranges from our PBIS and ROAR initiatives, mentioned in a recent update, to academic priorities such as foundational literacy, which is especially important during the elementary years. Our planning also includes collaboration with a retired agriculture teacher who helps bring science concepts to life through engaging, hands-on experiences.

The overall goal is to connect science, agriculture, and sustainability in meaningful ways. During the previous school year, students explored the role and anatomy of insects, identified foods grown in gardens, planned miniature gardens, studied flower anatomy and pollination, learned about worms and decomposition, and constructed model watersheds. These experiences are being reviewed and refined for the upcoming school year.

Lessons are adjusted based on teacher feedback and classroom needs, but each is designed to deepen students’ understanding of the living world, systems and networks, and the relationship between people and nature. Most importantly, the lessons are intended to make learning enjoyable and strengthen our students’ curiosity and love of learning.

Sanfordville Elementary School 
Attention, all new kindergarten parents: Summer is flying by, and September will be here before we know it! Here are some thoughts about this exciting milestone and a few tips to help your child prepare for kindergarten.

Kindergarten is a wonderful year filled with new friends, discovery, and growth. Your child will learn academic skills, but more importantly, they will develop confidence, curiosity, and a love of learning. It is completely normal for children and their parents to feel nervous about this transition. Those butterflies are simply a sign of excitement about what is to come.

There are several ways you can help at home during these final weeks of summer. Talk positively about school and share your own happy school memories. Read books about starting kindergarten together, and keep the tone upbeat and reassuring. Work on independence skills such as washing hands, using the bathroom, opening lunch containers, and following simple directions. These everyday skills build confidence in the classroom. As we move into August, begin adjusting bedtimes and wake-up times to align more closely with the school schedule. A well-rested child is ready to learn and make friends.
Your kindergartener will experience a blend of play-based and structured learning. The Kindergarten Team will focus on social-emotional development, foundational literacy and mathematics skills, creativity, critical thinking, and more. Expect to see progress, but not perfection. Every child develops at their own pace, and that is exactly as it should be.

Be on the lookout for your child’s information packet, which will be mailed by Aug. 21. The packet will include all the details you need except bus stop information, which will be available on the Parent Portal after 3 p.m. on Aug. 24. Your child’s color-coded bus tag will also be included in the mailing. Please be sure the tag is attached to your child or their backpack throughout the first week of school.
Be sure to add our Meet the Teacher Open House to your calendar. It will be held Tuesday, Sept. 1, from 2 to 3 p.m. The PTA Ice Cream Social will also take place on the playground that day from 2 to 4 p.m.

Kindergarten is a journey we take together. Your partnership with our teachers and staff makes all the difference. The Sanfordville staff cannot wait to meet your child in September and welcome them to our school family. Here is to a wonderful year ahead!

Warwick Valley Middle School
The stars were shining brightly this week at Warwick Valley Middle School as our Extended School Year program celebrated Hollywood Week. Walking through the halls, students and staff were greeted by palm trees, mountain backdrops, and iconic Hollywood signs that transformed the school into a movie set. Classrooms embraced the theme with creative projects, including personalized movie director displays featuring students’ photographs and artwork, making every child feel like the star of the show.

While our ESY students enjoyed another fun and engaging themed week, there was also plenty of activity taking place behind the scenes. Teachers from a variety of grade levels and content areas continued their summer curriculum work, collaborating to strengthen lessons and plan meaningful learning experiences for the upcoming school year. From science investigations to English language arts curriculum development, staff members have been hard at work preparing for another successful year.

The middle school is also proud to host the District’s Summer Enrichment Program. Participating students have enjoyed a wide variety of engaging learning opportunities, with the popular cooking classes offered during both the morning and afternoon sessions serving as one of the program’s biggest highlights. These hands-on experiences continue to be a favorite among students, providing opportunities to learn new skills while having fun.
Whether students are starring in Hollywood Week, teachers are planning for the future, or enrichment participants are creating delicious recipes in the kitchen, the middle school has been buzzing with learning, creativity, and excitement all summer long.\

Warwick Valley High School
Fifteen Warwick Valley High School students are partnering with the Town and Village of Warwick to help develop Patriot’s Path, a new memorial currently under construction at Veterans Memorial Park. The project will honor the service and sacrifice of local veterans while creating an educational experience for residents and visitors.

Under the guidance of social studies teachers Joe Mita and Melissa Hamilton, the students will research Warwick’s connections to different periods of American military history. Their work will help shape the historical information featured along the 10-foot-wide brick pathway, which will guide visitors through various eras of military conflict. By examining local records, historical documents, and the experiences of Warwick veterans, the students will help ensure that the memorial reflects the community’s important contributions to our nation’s history.

The students attended a press conference at Veterans Memorial Park announcing that $734,500 in state funding had been secured for the project. New York State Senator James Skoufis, Town of Warwick Supervisor Jesse Dwyer, Village of Warwick Mayor Michael Newhard, local veterans, community members, and other elected officials were also in attendance.

Patriot’s Path provides students with a meaningful opportunity to apply their research, critical-thinking, and communication skills beyond the classroom. Their involvement also allows them to contribute directly to a lasting community resource. Through this partnership, high school students will play an important role in preserving local military history and ensuring that the stories, experiences, and sacrifices of Warwick’s veterans are remembered and shared with future generations.

These summer experiences reflect the many ways learning continues well beyond the traditional school year. Whether students are developing leadership skills, exploring science, preparing for kindergarten, participating in enrichment programs, or helping preserve Warwick’s history, they are benefiting from the dedication of our staff and the strength of our community partnerships. As July comes to a close, we are grateful for all that is already underway and excited for the opportunities the new school year will bring.

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Photo of the Week

Students in the Warwick Valley Central School District's Summer Enrichment Program Baking 102 class spent Wednesday afternoon working together to make chocolate chip cookies from scratch.