WVCSD EdTalk & Photo of the Week:August 19, 2026

Warwick Valley Central School District communicates important updates and information to students and families in many ways, including our school district website, our social media channels, and robocalls, emails, and texts. To streamline and consolidate our most critical communications with school families, we use ParentSquare as our direct school-to-home communication platform.

ParentSquare is used by school districts across the country and is recognized as a trusted leader in school-home engagement. The platform provides capabilities that allow us to communicate with Warwick Valley families more efficiently, with greater accessibility, and in an overall user-friendly way. We introduced ParentSquare last year, and it has proven effective in helping parents and guardians stay informed and actively involved in their child’s education.

We understand how important it is for families to receive timely, accurate information about their child’s school experience—whether it’s an upcoming event announcement, weather-related delays and closures, a sports practice cancellation, or an important classroom update. By bringing all district, school, grade-level, and classroom communications into one centralized location, ParentSquare makes it simpler for parents and families to stay connected.

ParentSquare provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to:

• Send and receive school and class information.
• Share pictures and files.
• View calendar items.
• Sign up to volunteer.
• Stay in touch with school clubs, sports, and extracurricular activities.
• Access much more, all in one centralized place.

If you haven’t already registered for ParentSquare, you can do so at any time using the email address or phone number you have on file with the district. Once registered, please take a moment to confirm your contact information and set your communication preferences.

The most effective and convenient way to make the most of ParentSquare is to download the app, which is FREE for both Apple and Android operating systems. To help you get started with ParentSquare, we offer a Getting Started with ParentSquare presentation on our website.

If you have any questions, answers are readily available through ParentSquare’s easy-to-use, built-in help feature. Just click the question mark in the top right corner of the desktop version or the Help tab in the mobile app.

ParentSquare is an essential tool in keeping our school community connected and informed. We appreciate your continued partnership as we work together to support your child’s educational journey!

Here are some highlights from our schools this week:

Park Avenue Elementary School

As we look ahead to the start of the new school year, parents will want to mark some important dates on their calendars. On September 1st, parents and students will have the opportunity to drop off school supplies and meet their new teachers. Please refer to the schedule below. This event is meant to give students the chance to meet their teachers in a more relaxed setting in order to make the transition to the first day of school smoother. Once each grade’s Meet the Teacher event has concluded, families are invited to the PTA’s Ice Cream Social, which will take place on our main lawn. Students and parents can mingle, talk about their summer fun, and begin establishing new friendships.

In addition, Back-to-School Nights will take place on September 17th and September 24th for grades K–2 and grades 3 & 4, respectively. These evening events, starting at 6:00 pm, will provide a more comprehensive look at the school year, including what to expect in terms of academic learning, field trips, and many other exciting activities.

Lastly, although it seems far off, this year’s Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences will take place on November 12th (5:00–8:00 pm) and November 18th (12:30–3:30 pm & 5:00–8:00 pm). Parent-Teacher Conferences are a great opportunity to hear about students’ progress and for parents and teachers to collaborate to support children more effectively. Parents will be able to RSVP for specific times as we approach these dates.

Grade                                     Meet the Teacher                  Ice Cream Social (Outdoors)

Kindergarten and First            2:00 pm to 2:30 pm                 2:30 pm to 3:00 pm

Grade 4                                   2:30 pm to 3:00 pm                 3:00 pm to 3:30 pm

Grades Two and Three           3:00 pm to 3:30 pm                 3:30 pm to 4:00 pm

Sanfordville Elementary School
Sanfordville Elementary School Sanfordville Elementary School is ready to welcome students back for the 2026–27 school year on Wednesday, September 2nd at 8:55 am. The school has lined up a series of events designed to help families ease into the new academic year.

Families who are new to the district are invited to tour the school on Thursday, August 27th at 10:00 am, giving parents and students a chance to explore the building before classes begin. Two events are scheduled for Tuesday, September 1st. A Meet Your Teacher Open House will take place from 2:00 to 3:00 pm, providing an opportunity for families to meet their child's teacher and drop off school supplies. A PTA Ice Cream Social on the Sanfordville playground will take place from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.

Families should expect student packets to arrive in the mail after August 21st. These packets contain the principal's welcome letter with class assignments, important school information, a personal letter from the teacher, district sign-off forms, a demographic verification sheet, PTA and PIE Community updates, lunch information, health information, ParentSquare information for kindergartners and new students, and bus tags for kindergarten students. Parents are encouraged to review all materials carefully.

Bus information will be available on the Parent Portal beginning August 24th at 3:00 pm. The school recommends that families check the portal again the day before school starts, as routes may change. Parents can also visit the district website for the school calendar, announcements, and other important updates.

Warwick Valley Middle School

On Friday, August 14th, Warwick Valley Middle School officially wrapped up another successful Extended School Year (ESY) program. After six weeks filled with learning, creativity, friendship, and fun, there was no better way to celebrate the final week than with a Hawaiian-themed sendoff, as students and staff embraced one last summer theme together.

Throughout the week, students participated in a variety of activities that brought the Hawaiian and beach theme to life. From water activities and beach balls to hula skirts and tropical decorations, students had plenty of opportunities to learn, laugh, and enjoy time with their classmates and staff. The week provided a perfect combination of continued learning and summertime fun, creating plenty of smiles and memorable moments as the program came to a close.

WVMS was proud to host students from across the district as part of the ESY program this summer. Over the six weeks, students continued developing important academic and social skills while participating in engaging weekly themes, hands-on projects, STEM challenges, art activities, physical education, and special Fun Friday experiences. Each week's theme gave teachers and staff another opportunity to make learning exciting and provide students with meaningful experiences beyond the traditional classroom.

The success of the ESY program would not have been possible without the tremendous dedication of our teachers, aides, related service providers, nurses, security personnel, custodians, cafeteria staff, transportation staff, and everyone who helped support our students throughout the summer. We are incredibly grateful for the energy, patience, creativity, and care they brought to WVMS each day.

Warwick Valley High School
Warwick Valley High School is helping members of the Class of 2027 get a head start on the college application process through its College Application and Common App Seminar, offered during the first three Wednesdays in August.

Led by members of the WVHS Counseling Department, the seminars are designed to make the college application process feel more manageable by providing students with step-by-step guidance and dedicated time to begin working on their applications before the school year gets underway.

During the sessions, a school counselor walks students through the Common Application, explaining the different sections of the application and providing helpful information about what colleges are looking for throughout the process. Students have the opportunity to create or access their Common App accounts, begin entering important personal and academic information, review application requirements, and ask questions as they work.

Just as importantly, the seminar provides students with uninterrupted time to begin completing their applications with a counselor available to offer guidance and support along the way.

By beginning the process in August, students can reduce some of the stress that often accompanies college application season and enter their senior year with a clearer understanding of what they need to accomplish.

The seminars are part of WVHS’s ongoing commitment to supporting students as they prepare for life after graduation. Whether students are just beginning to explore colleges or already have a list of schools in mind, the sessions provide a supportive environment where they can take an important first step toward their future.

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Photo of the Week

A rain shower did not stop counselors and campers from rotating through stations on the first day of Warwick Girls Soccer Camp at Sanfordville Elementary School on Aug. 3.