September Newsletter 2026

Posted Date: 10/01/26 (04:00 PM)

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Pocantico Hills Newsletter

SEPTEMBER 2026

WELCOME BACK!

Collage of first day of school, students entering building, getting off busses, being greeted by teachers.

Our students and staff returned to school for another great year of learning and growth!

Superintendent Conference Day

In the annual tradition of back-to-school readiness, Superintendent Richard Calkins addressed his staff at the start of a new school year.

Education, Mr. Calkins said is one profession in which everyone involved is always thinking about their work.

“We are always talking about our students and the impact we have on our students each and every day,” he said. “It’s life changing, what all of you do is of vital significance and of vital importance.”

Mr. Calkins also discussed the next phase of the Capital Project, which will focus on enhancing our outdoor spaces. Work is expected to begin next year to create a new outdoor space designed to encourage and support more time outdoors for our students.

Additionally, the space will include a 1/3 walking track for use by students, staff and the community. The work will also move the playground closer to the school building.

Mr. Calkins also discussed opportunities to expand partnerships with our partner schools, creating additional opportunities for collaboration and connection among our school communities.

Finally, the superintendent recognized, honored and celebrated the milestone years of service, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years of teachers and staff.

Familiar face goes to the head of the classroom

A portrait of a smiling woman with long brown hair wearing a white top against a blue background.

A familiar face has arrived at the front of middle school science class.

Katie Zachensky was named the new middle school science teacher at Pocantico. Ms. Zachensky has experience teaching science, as she has taught the subject, along with math, in Georgia and North Carolina.

Ms. Zachensky has worked at Pocantico as a Teacher’s Assistant for four years and has also filled in as a leave replacement teacher for fifth grade.

“The science curriculum interested me,” Ms. Zachensky said, about making a change. She will be teaching seventh grade Integrated Science and eighth grade Regents Science and Earth and Space Science.

Ms. Zachensky said she is excited to be in this new role and work with the students, some of who were in second grade when she first began to work in the district.

“I’ve really seen them grow as learners,” she said. “I’m ready to see how much they’ve grown since I saw them last.”

The first few weeks of school have given Ms. Zachensky an opportunity to settle into her role at the head of the classroom.

“Running a classroom by myself, it’s all coming back,” she joked.

CONGRATULATIONS to our teachers and staff on their many years of service!

Graphic listing names of teachers and staff celebrating milestone anniversaries, from 10 to 25 years of service.

7th-8th Grade Retreat

What a great day for our 7th and 8th grade students! Their annual retreat at the Sharpe Reservation is always an amazing way for our students to bond, have some fun, enjoy some problem solving activities and otherwise enjoy some time outdoors!

A group of people race homemade carts on a grassy hill outside a wooden lodge.

A group of children and an adult form a large circle, holding hands in a grassy clearing surrounded by trees.

A group of people work together on a grassy lawn to assemble a structure from white plastic pipes and fittings.

A diverse group of people stand together in a wooded area, holding onto a thick rope structure.

HAWKS Celebration

A collage of circular photos shows elementary students participating in a school event in a gymnasium.

Students and staff brought the energy during the annual HAWKS Celebration! Everyone gathered in the gym, while each class sent representatives to share class goals and their class song! We are all HAWKS!!!

A letter from the Superintendent

Dear Pocantico Hills Community,

The 2026–2027 school year is off and running, and our students and staff have arrived with enthusiasm, energy, and a willingness to learn and grow.

I want to thank our teachers and staff for all their hard work in preparing for another school year and for helping everyone transition so smoothly from summer relaxing to fall-focused. Over the past few weeks, both students and staff have been settling into new teachers, new roles, and new routines—and together, we have made it a wonderful start to the new school year!

In what has become an annual tradition, we recently held our HAWKS Celebration. It is always amazing to see our entire school community—from our youngest JPK students to our eighth-grade school leaders—come together to celebrate Poco and what it means to be HAWKS.

During the celebration, students are reminded of the values we hold dear at Poco: Honest, Accountable, Wholehearted, Kind, and Safe. Each class also sets a goal that they will be responsible for upholding throughout the year. The celebration includes representatives from each class sharing their goals with the school, along with music, dancing, and plenty of all-around fun!

Most importantly, the HAWKS Celebration reminds us of what makes Poco such an amazing community. We are all HAWKS, and we all play an important role in making our school a welcoming, supportive, and positive place to learn and grow.

I look forward to seeing what the rest of the year has in store for all of us here at Poco! I encourage our families to get involved and support our students and our school community in any way they can. Together, we can make this another wonderful year at Poco!

Warm regards,

Rich Calkins

Superintendent of Schools

Let's grow!

Students spent time in the Pocantico Gardens

“It's a girl!” announced one student as she hoisted up a gigantic butternut squash!

Several Pocantico classes visited the garden today where they were greeted by Kaleidoscope Garden representative Beth. During their visit students helped to plant radishes, have a taste of some of the goodies they found and wrote down some of their observations.

A collage of students and instructors engaging in outdoor gardening activities and learning together.

Smile!

Picture Day had everyone smiling!

A collage of photos shows young children and teachers participating in school picture day.

Upcoming Events

Oct. 8, Board of Education Meeting, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 12, Columbus Day & Indigenous Peoples Day (District Closed)

Oct. 16, Swan Lake Walk

Oct. 22, Board of Education Meeting, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Halloween Parade, 2 p.m.