WVCSD EdTalk & Pic of the Week: October 1, 2025

This week, I’d like to begin with a story that captures the very heart of what it means to be a Warwick Valley Wildcat. It’s a story of creativity, collaboration, resilience, and global connection—all qualities we strive to instill in our students every day.

I had the privilege of accepting the Odyssey of the Mind World Championship trophy on behalf of a remarkable group of Warwick Valley Middle School students. These sixth graders, who competed as fifth graders last year, earned first place at the 2025 World Finals in May—an extraordinary achievement that reflects their creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. Their accomplishment is a powerful example of how the Warwick Valley Central School District’s Portrait of a Graduate mission is being realized through innovative, student-centered programs.

As I shared with the students during the ceremony, the Portrait of a Graduate is a set of attributes we want every Warwick Valley student to carry with them beyond high school—whether they pursue a four-year college, a two-year program, enter the workforce, or serve in the military. It’s about preparing students for their future, not my past or their parents’ past.

Warwick Valley CSD’s Portrait of a Graduate was developed through a multi-year, community-wide effort involving students, parents, educators, and stakeholders. It defines seven essential qualities we aim to cultivate in every Warwick Valley student by the time they graduate: collaborator, communicator, creator/innovator, ethical and global citizen, resilient individual, problem solver, and lifelong learner.

These qualities are not just ideals—they are embedded in our curriculum, our culture, our classrooms, and our extracurricular activities. Odyssey of the Mind exemplifies these attributes in action. It’s interdisciplinary, authentic, and deeply engaging. Instead of learning in isolated academic subject silos, as many of us adults did years ago, our students work across disciplines to solve complex problems creatively and collaboratively.

Last year’s team tackled a challenge called Mech-Animal Sidekick, designing and building a robotic creature that played a central role in a student-written skit. Along the way, they used power tools, wrote scripts, built sets, and formed international friendships with their buddy team from China. Their work required imagination, strategy, and teamwork—hallmarks of problem solvers, creators, collaborators, communicators, resilient individuals, and ethical and global citizens. In fact, students fulfilled all seven Portrait of a Graduate attributes in this one activity alone.

During our conversation at the trophy presentation, students spoke about the skills they developed—interpersonal communication, creativity, resilience, and innovation. These are precisely the qualities we aim to nurture. As I told them, “You’re highlighting many of those areas today. A lot of you mentioned things like interpersonal skills, being lifelong learners, being strong communicators. And this is a great example of that.”

Education is evolving. We’re moving away from Regents exams being the sole measure of success and embracing multiple pathways to graduation. “Intelligence is as unique as a fingerprint,” I reminded the students. “We’re all very complex, and we all have different gifts.”

There’s extensive research supporting this view. Some students excel in verbal-linguistic skills, others in logical reasoning, visual-spatial thinking, or interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence. Odyssey of the Mind allows students to showcase these diverse strengths in a meaningful way. It’s not just about learning something and filing it away—it’s about applying knowledge, making connections, and using skills in the real world.

Today, we strive to create learning environments that are dynamic, inclusive, and future-focused. Programs like Odyssey of the Mind are not just extracurricular—they are essential experiences that help students grow into the collaborators, communicators, creators, ethical citizens, resilient individuals, problem solvers, and lifelong learners we envision in our Portrait of a Graduate. And remember, it’s typically never too late to join a club or activity. Just contact your teacher or school to learn more.

Lastly, congratulations again to our world champion Odyssey of the Mind team, and thank you to our dedicated educators, volunteers, and families who make these opportunities possible. Together, we are shaping a future where every student’s unique gifts are recognized and celebrated.

Here are some highlights from our schools this week:

Park Avenue Elementary School
Park Avenue’s Student Council had the wonderful opportunity to meet with WTBQ’s Taylor Sterling during lunchtime. Our student leaders listened as Ms. Sterling shared information about the annual Toys for Military Tots initiative and brainstormed ideas for collecting toys in the lead-up to this year’s holiday season. Along with WTBQ, the Student Council is proud to work alongside Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus, John Richichi from the Orange County NAM Knights, and Amanda Dana, Director of Orange County Tourism and Film, among others.

During their time in the library, second graders listened to Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg and discussed the story in detail, asking many thoughtful questions. Afterward, students paired up for a “back-to-back/face-to-face” activity, where they shared details they remembered and questions they had about the book. Mr. Spicehandler reflected, “Exploring new books and delving into the details and intricacies of a great story excites and engages students while fostering their love of literacy. Discussing those details with others helps students deepen their appreciation for books while also strengthening their skills as communicators, collaborators, ethical and global citizens, and lifelong learners.”

Sanfordville Elementary School
Can you believe that Sanfordville Elementary School is 25 years old? This school year marks the 25th anniversary of the day Sanfordville opened its doors to welcome students and their families. To commemorate the opening, students in 2000 placed items in a time capsule to be opened in 2025. On Monday, September 22, a team of teachers and a PTA representative gathered to begin planning for the capsule’s opening later this school year. We can’t wait to see what treasures we’ll discover when it’s opened in early November! Students will also work together to suggest and gather new artifacts from 2025 to reseal in the time capsule, which will be opened again in 2050.

Last week, second graders and their teachers began a new writing unit. In this unit, students are focusing on special moments they have experienced in their lives and capturing them in writing. As a whole class, they created a piece called The Time We Walked Into Second Grade! Many of the emotions they explored included feelings of nervousness and excitement. Students are eager to see their finished pieces.

Fourth graders are completing their Geography of New York unit by creating mini-posters of the state’s diverse landforms, including plateaus, plains, mountains, and valleys. Perhaps the most exciting event in fourth grade right now is meeting their K-Buddies. The students have enjoyed getting to know their new kindergarten pals and are looking forward to a wonderful year filled with projects, activities, and reading together.

Warwick Valley Middle School
Ms. McKay’s seventh grade Home and Careers classes learned about kitchen safety this week with a fun Halloween twist. The classroom transformed into a “spook-tacular” kitchen lab where students identified eerie safety hazards like mystery spills and phantom flames. They rotated through themed stations such as The Haunted Cutting Board and Beware of the Boiling Cauldron to practice safe kitchen habits. Students also solved a “Kitchen Catastrophe Mystery,” identifying what went wrong in spooky cooking scenarios. The interactive lesson helped them connect safety rules to real-life situations at home. With creativity, teamwork, and plenty of Halloween spirit, students made learning kitchen safety both fun and unforgettable.

In technology classes, students explored solar energy as part of their larger unit on designing and building a tiny house. Through hands-on experimentation, they learned how circuits work, how solar energy is stored, and how it can be used to power small devices such as fans and lights. This engaging, project-based lesson not only deepened their understanding of renewable energy but also challenged them to think creatively about sustainable design. By applying what they’ve learned, students are gaining valuable insight into real-world applications of solar power—skills that will serve them well as they continue their tiny house projects and beyond.

In fifth grade ELA, students have been busy learning about different types of sentences and practicing how to expand their writing. Drawing inspiration from their summer experiences, they are adding vivid details and variety to make their work more engaging. These lessons are helping students strengthen their sentence structure and creativity while preparing for their upcoming writing unit, where they will begin developing full paragraphs with greater depth, organization, and clarity.

Warwick Valley High School
The high school is thrilled to welcome a very special new member to our Wildcat community—a guide dog named Elphie. Elphie, a gentle and friendly black Labrador, has undergone extensive training to provide essential support for one of our students. She will be a constant companion throughout the school day, helping her handler navigate routines with confidence and independence.

Elphie’s presence not only supports her student but also serves as a reminder of the power of teamwork, inclusivity, and respect within our school community. Already, she has been greeted with excitement by students and staff alike, and we are proud to have her as part of the Warwick Valley family.

WVHS also recently hosted its annual Club Fair, an event that gave students the chance to explore the many extracurricular opportunities available on campus. With more than 40 clubs and organizations represented, the fair highlighted the countless ways Wildcats can get involved, develop leadership skills, and pursue their passions beyond the classroom.

From academic honor societies and service-based groups to music, arts, athletics, and special-interest clubs, there was truly something for everyone. Student leaders and advisors enthusiastically shared information, answered questions, and encouraged their peers to sign up.

The Club Fair has become a beloved tradition at WVHS, helping students connect with one another, discover new interests, and build a stronger sense of community. With so many opportunities to choose from, Wildcats are off to a fantastic start in making this school year both meaningful and memorable.

In closing, as we celebrate the success of our Odyssey of the Mind world champions and share the wonderful stories from across our schools, one theme shines through: Warwick Valley students are thriving because they are engaged, supported, and inspired. Whether it’s solving global challenges through creativity, honoring tradition by opening a time capsule, welcoming a guide dog to our high school community, or exploring renewable energy in the middle school lab, our Wildcats are living examples of the Portrait of a Graduate. These moments remind us that education is not just about preparing for tests; it’s about preparing for life. Thank you to our teachers, families, and community partners who make these opportunities possible. Together, we are building a future where every student’s gifts are recognized, celebrated, and given the chance to grow.

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Pic of the Week

Warwick Valley Middle School sixth graders work on a hands-on lab about the effects of erosion, deposition, and wind on sand and soil in science class on Sept. 26, 2025.