Thanks to the dedication of Pawling’s music teachers, the district has been named one of the National Association of Music Merchants’ Best Communities for Music Education for 2024 – an honor that acknowledges schools across the country for their commitment to music education.

Pawling’s music program’s success is attributed to its broad offerings from grades pre-K through 12 – including the chance to learn an instrument as early as third grade. Additionally, middle school music

teacher Alicia Nace said that middle and high school students actively participate in music recruitment, visiting the elementary school to showcase the musical pathways available to young students.

“This event is one of my favorite performances because it celebrates the older students’ hard work and dedication,” Nace said. “They were all once beginners.”

Under the guidance of band director Alexander Gray, band members demonstrated their instruments by playing well-known tunes including selections from “Star Wars” and children’s TV show “Bluey.” The middle school orchestra and choir, led by orchestra director Joseph MacEachen and vocal director Jeffrey Easter, also contributed their talents.

“When younger students see the upperclassmen, they are inspired and motivated to know that they could one day be in their shoes,” said Nace.

“I cannot think of a better way to showcase our music program than by involving our own students.”

Who am I? What am I curious about? What brings me joy?

Eighth grade students at Pawling Middle School delved into these questions during the third annual Intersession, a week-long immersive career exploration designed to “break down barriers” and encourage students to look toward their futures.

Throughout the week, students enjoyed keynote speeches and real-life stories of perseverance and triumph from community professionals in different fields. They also traveled to Pawling businesses as well as colleges and career-centered locales such as the Museum of Modern Art and Maritime Aquarium, journaling each day to reflect on their experiences.

Middle School Principal Megan Gleason explained that Intersession was developed to empower students to make informed decisions as they prepare for high school.

“The goal is for students to dream about their futures and learn about the pathways that exist to achieve them,” she said. “We want them to trust that they have agency in making these dreams come true.”

What do piles of sand, second graders and data from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have in common?

They are all found together in Pawling Elementary’s Project Lead the Way (PLTW) program. Offered to students throughout the school, PLTW introduces students to real-world challenges through hands-on projects that exercise skills in science, technology,

engineering and math.

This spring, second grade classes explored the causes and effects of landslides. Using data from NASA and the IPCC Interactive Atlas, students identified vulnerable areas – particularly Peru’s at-risk Amazonas region – and created models based on their findings. They then

designed and built possible mitigation strategies and tested their work at the end of the unit.

Second grade student Graham Facchin’s group designed a drainage system for their model of an unstable slope in Peru – but unfortunately it didn’t stand up to the test.

“Well, it didn’t go the way we planned,” he said. “Next time I think we should block the areas around the drain, like a funnel.”

“My goal is to give students a space to develop agency,” said teacher Steve Malone, who runs the PLTW program. “The projects do not have single solutions; it’s common for students to find new approaches to problems even years down the road.”

Digital Backpack

The digital backpack is updated regularly with information from the schools and local community. You can find a link for it under the Parent tab of the homepage. It is also listed on the homepage with the date of the most recent update.

We Are Hiring!

The Pawling Central School District is a great place to work. We have positions open for full-time permanent building substitute teachers, typists and custodial workers. We also have substitute positions open in many other job categories: certified teacher, uncertified teacher, teaching assistant, teacher aide, monitor, bus driver and food service worker. We also have part-time positions open, such as school monitor. Full-time positions earn excellent benefits. As a team of educators, we never doubt that we are making a difference for our community. PCSD offers walk-throughs and orientations for those thinking about working in schools. Our very best employees are often people who live in our community. Diverse and bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. See the link below to reach our friendly and helpful Human Resources Team.

https://www.pawlingschools.org/human_resources