JUNE 20, 2024

Dear Pleasantville Families,

As the school year comes to a close, I am excited to share some important updates and news.

Middle School Assistant Principal Appointed

I am pleased to announce that on Tuesday night, the Board of Education approved the appointment of Ashley O’Hara as Assistant Principal of the middle school beginning July 1, 2024. Ashley has been a middle school teacher for 17 years and is currently serving as Interim Assistant Principal.

As she has done in the past for Pleasantville, I look forward to her continued focus on supporting the emotional, social, and academic growth and development of our middle school students. In her new role, Ms. O’Hara is looking forward to continuing to partner with families and the community to ensure success during this phase of child development.

Comment Period for Code of Conduct and District Safety Plan

At our meeting on Tuesday, the Board of Education discussed the 24-25 draft District Code of Conduct. These discussion topics reflect feedback from the community, address current events and attitudes, and the latest concerns raised by government officials.

The discussion focused on three primary areas: 1) the use of phones in our school buildings, 2) how the code of conduct may be applied to the use of artificial intelligence (AI), and 3) expungement of student suspensions. The conversation about expungements has resulted in different language and subsequently a new draft of the document.

The public comment period for both the 2024-25 Code of Conduct and the District Safety Plan is June 1-June 30, 2024.

If you have any questions about either the draft 2024-2025 Code of Conduct or the 2024-2025 draft District Safety Plan , please forward them to me at desat@pleasantvilleschools.org by June 30, 2024.

For the youth,

Dr. Tina DeSa

Superintendent of Schools

Pleasantville Middle School and Bedford Road School Celebrate Superhero Stories Collaboration

BRS kindergarteners visited PMS. Here fifth grader Lilly Szep (left) interviews Kindergarten Buddies Sarah Doris Norton (middle) and Oliver Quiroga (right)

Continuing a district tradition, Pleasantville Middle School fifth graders teamed up with Bedford Road School kindergarteners to craft imaginative Superhero Stories. This initiative, now in its eighteenth year, originally began with PMS sixth graders and has found a new home in the fifth grade English Language Arts (ELA) classes for the past six years.

George Coffey, a fifth-grade teacher at PMS, shared that the inspiration for this project came from the story "Superhero" by Marc Tauss. Under the guidance of PMS and BRS staff, the project closely mirrors elements of Tauss’s narrative, where the protagonist transforms into a superhero.

John Speight and Diana Bonci’s fifth graders ready to interview their kindergarten buddies

The collaborative writing journey began in April, with a special meeting on the middle school lawn. Fifth graders interviewed their kindergarten buddies, aiming to gather personal details to weave into their superhero stories. To further assist in developing their characters, the fifth graders also read "Superhero Instruction Manual" by Kirsty Dempsey.

This year’s twist on the project was to envision each Kindergarten Buddy as the star of an upcoming superhero movie. The fifth graders were tasked with creating a promotional poster for the movie, featuring their buddy as the superhero. The kindergarteners, unaware of the details, awaited the final reveal.

Kindergartener Sarah Byrne draws her fifth grade buddy Tori Busch as a superhero

The project culminated in a celebration when the fifth graders visited BRS to present the completed posters. Gathering on the BRS playground, the older students shared their creations with their young buddies. As they gathered in the shade on a recent hot day, the fifth graders and kindergarteners engaged in lively conversations about the posters. The younger students also created their own artwork, drawing superhero versions of their fifth-grade buddies using crayons and colored pencils.

Students from George Coffey’s fifth grade class and Debbie Anttila’s kindergarten class discuss their poster

The collaborative effort produced memorable and personalized posters. PMS student Tori Busch’s buddy, Sarah Byrne, loves the color black and summer, so Tori’s poster featured a dark background and a sun. Rebecca Greco, a kindergartener in Debbie Anttila’s class is a fan of anime and was delighted to see anime characters included in her poster by her fifth-grade collaborator Kaima Ibe.

Common interests helped bridge the age gap between the students. Kindergartener Ari Parker’s love for recess and gym class resonated with fifth grader TJ Smith, who incorporated relevant images into his project.

Rocco Alvarado shares his poster with Calvin Almassy, a student in Debbie Anttila’s kindergarten class

Both the fifth graders and kindergarteners enjoyed their shared experience. The kindergarteners left with their personalized posters, while the fifth graders took home sketches made by their younger buddies. This exchange not only fostered creativity but also strengthened bonds across different age groups, leaving lasting impressions on all participants.

John Speight and Diana Bonci’s fifth graders interviewing their kindergarten buddies

PHS Seniors Get Red Carpet Treatment at Their Prom

Dressed to impress, Pleasantville High School seniors gathered on the Front Circle for pre-prom photos before heading out for their big night. The Journal News photographer Seth Harrison captured the excitement and smiles as seniors showed off their elegant gowns and swanky tuxedos.

The photos taken by Harrison can be downloaded and shared. If posting elsewhere, please be sure to give photographer credit to Seth Harrison/The Journal News.

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