WVCSD EdTalk & Photo of the Week: July 30, 2025

New York’s public education system touches the lives of millions: students, families, and taxpayers. While state tax dollars support a large portion of each district’s budget, the amount each community receives is based on its relative wealth. The goal is equity, yet funding still varies widely depending on property values and household income.

Under New York’s funding formula, Warwick Valley receives proportionally less state aid due to higher local incomes and property wealth, which requires the district to raise more revenue locally. As a result, a neighboring district with a similar number of students will receive roughly $17 million more in state aid this year, or about $4,500 more per student.

So, who truly shapes the future of public education in New York?

Local boards of education, including Warwick Valley’s, create district policy, but they must do so within the bounds of New York State Education Law and the regulations issued by the State Education Department (NYSED) and the Board of Regents. Ignoring those rules can put state funding at risk.

In many other states, the governor sits at the top of the educational hierarchy. In New York, however, NYSED reports to the Board of Regents, a 17-member body elected by the State Legislature. This structure, grounded in the 1938 State Constitution, gives the Regents broad and independent authority over education policy.

Governor Kathy Hochul has voiced frustration with her limited role. In a July 22 Times Union interview, she said, “I often learn about education decisions in the newspaper, and that’s a source of frustration for me.” This year, she used the state budget process to advance major school initiatives, including Part DDD, which mandates "bell to bell" cellphone restrictions, and Part CCC, which eases oversight of non-public schools. Both became law without direct involvement from NYSED.

So the question remains: Are we crafting education policy through meaningful public dialogue, or is Albany’s budget process now driving the agenda?

As a superintendent, I believe strongly in local governance. Communities understand their students best. But when even the state’s education department is sidelined, independent oversight begins to erode. Each spring, the state budget increasingly delivers sweeping mandates that reshape local policy and strain district resources.

For now, the Regents remain the primary stewards of statewide education policy — but the balance of power seems to be shifting.

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Here are some highlights from our schools this week:

Park Avenue Elementary School
For the previous two weeks, we have shared news about planning and preparation taking place to ensure a smooth start to the 2025-26 school year. We mentioned both PBIS and ROAR as tools we use to foster a positive school culture and for managing student behaviors. At the end of the 2024-25 school year, we were fortunate to add another meaningful tool that we feel will further enhance school spirit and culture.

As part of Park Avenue tradition, each year’s outgoing fourth grade class gives a gift back to their school which is funded by the PTA. This year, the fourth graders selected a unique gift, a theme song written specifically for Park Avenue! The song was first shared at the Park Avenue Palooza on June 13, and was a big hit with all students. The gift was formally announced at the Moving Up Ceremony on June 23, and a plaque with the lyrics is posted in our Main Lobby.  

And excerpt reads:

PARK AVE! It’s a family; home of the Wildcat community.
Rockin’ the purple and gold with pride, we’re doing our best when we’re side by side.
PARK AV! A world to explore, in beautiful Warwick there’s so much more.
Being a Wildcat is who we are, at Park Ave we don’t shout, we ROAR!”

As part of summer planning, we are working on ways to teach all students the song during music classes and to incorporate it into the start of each PBIS/ROAR event, such as our end of trimester celebrations. Needless to say, we would love to include this school anthem at the start of other events like the annual Palooza and our Moving Up Ceremony. We are confident that including the song during such special moments will elevate school spirit, communicate the general message about expectations in a different way, and lead to better student behavior. Thank you to singer and songwriter, Jared Campbell, our PTA and the Park Avenue PBIS Committee.

Sanfordville Elementary School 
This week our Extended School Year program transformed Sanfordville into a dazzling Hollywood scene for Hollywood Week! Students stepped into the spotlight with engaging math and literacy lessons creatively themed to bring the magic of Hollywood to life.

In Encore classes, students practiced their favorite songs and choreography, and then dazzled classmates with a special performance on the Sanfordville Stage. They finished with a walk down the red carpet on Fun Friday. The excitement continued in library class, where students attended the Oscars Awards for Books, celebrating their summer reading achievements.

A highlight of the week was baking star-shaped sugar cookies for their Hollywood Walk of Fame activity. Working alongside the speech pathologist and occupational therapist, students kneaded dough and cut out shapes, practicing speech goals and strengthening fine motor and occupational therapy skills with every step.

Second graders enjoyed reading Hollywood Chicken, by Lisa Fleming. They explored the world of auditions and agents, made predictions about Chicken Lily’s adventures, and learned about Hollywood’s filmmaking history and the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. To wrap up, students researched how cameras work and crafted their own cameras and film to tell picture stories.

First grade students focused on the digraph “th,” distinguishing between voiced and unvoiced sounds through a multisensory learning approach. They practiced writing high-frequency words in sand during dictation exercises and created Hollywood-themed crafts, including their own Hollywood stars and popsicle stick cameras.

Hollywood Week brought learning, creativity, and fun together in a star-studded celebration of knowledge and imagination. We can’t wait to see how the rest of the Extended School Year program shines!

Warwick Valley Middle School
On July 21, fifteen students from the Warwick Valley Prevention Coalition’s Summer Youth Leadership Academy (SYLA) visited the Dorothy Wilson Center for a morning of hands-on leadership activities. WVMS Principal Jared Yapkowitz and WVMS Associate Principal Andrew Rao led students through exploring what it means to be a leader, why leadership matters, and the traits that make great leaders stand out. After hearing the backstory of why Mr. Yapkowitz and Mr. Rao chose leadership roles, students also completed a leadership self-assessment to better understand their individual strengths and the type of natural leader they are.

In addition to the meaningful conversations, students participated in a series of interactive team-building challenges designed to stretch their critical thinking and collaboration skills. One of the highlights was the Survival on the Moon scenario, where students had to work together to rank a list of items they would need to survive a crash landing on the moon. Each group justified their rankings and came to a consensus, sparking great dialogue and debate. The answers and activity were actually assembled by NASA astronauts. Another activity, Wilderness Survival, placed students in a scenario where they were stranded in the woods with limited supplies. Teams had to prioritize their resources, make decisions under pressure, and reflect on how their individual leadership styles contributed to their group’s success.

The activities pushed students to rely on teamwork, active listening, and shared decision-making, all essential skills for any leader. The energy and engagement in the room were impressive, and it was clear that each student walked away with a better understanding of what it means to lead with purpose.We’re excited to see how these young leaders apply what they learned throughout the rest of the SYLA program and into the school year ahead.

Warwick Valley High School
Dr. Moroney, Warwick Valley High School’s dedicated Mandarin teacher, recently led a weeklong enrichment session that offered students a hands-on introduction to the Mandarin language and Chinese culture. The program was designed to be both educational and interactive, giving students the opportunity to explore a new language in a relaxed and engaging environment.

Throughout the week, students learned key elements of Mandarin, including the Chinese zodiac signs, the Mandarin alphabet (pinyin), and vocabulary related to the four seasons. A highlight for many was learning how to write their names using Chinese characters, an exciting challenge that sparked both creativity and pride. Through group discussions, writing practice and visual aids, Dr. Moroney made the content accessible and fun for all participants, regardless of their prior experience with the language.

The week concluded with a cultural celebration: a dumpling-making party. Students rolled up their sleeves to learn the art of folding and preparing traditional Chinese dumplings. It was a delicious and fitting end to a week filled with learning, laughter, and cultural exchange. Dr. Moroney’s enrichment session not only introduced students to the fundamentals of Mandarin, but also fostered a deeper appreciation for Chinese culture, an experience her students described as meaningful and memorable.

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Town of Warwick Police Department K9 officer Fritz grabs the arm of an instructor during a demonstration at the Town of Warwick Police Department Junior Police Academy at Warwick Valley High School.