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Pocantico Hills CSD

Learning. Achievement. Growth. Direction.

JUNE Digital Newsletter

Posted Date: 06/30/26 (12:00 PM)
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School logo, shield with building, apple, leaves and compass

Pocantico Hills Newsletter

June 2026

A group of graduates in blue gowns toss their caps in the air outdoors.
Graduates in blue gowns and caps sit in rows in front of a stone building.
Graduates in blue gowns and caps celebrate their commencement ceremony.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026!

It was a beautiful evening when our eighth graders were celebrated for all their hard work. We wish them all the best!
 

8th Graders celebrated for academic achievement and more

Four students proudly display their "Most Improved" certificates from Pocantico Hills Central School.
A man in a blue shirt shakes hands with a young woman, presenting her with a medal.
People gather around a table laden with ice cream bowls, toppings, and frozen treats.
Congratulations to all our 8th Grade students on their awards! Students were recently recognized for all of their hard work throughout the school year in a special ceremony and ice cream social!
 
A band director leads a student orchestra in a school auditorium.
A choir director gestures to a large group of students in blue shirts on a stage.
Four smiling young people in blue t-shirts stand in front of a blue roller coaster.

GOLDEN!

Our seventh and eighth grade Band and Chorus students had an outstanding day receiving two GOLD ratings on their performances in the Great East Music Festival! They took their celebration to Lake Compounce Amusement Park and enjoyed some well deserved fun!
 

Checkmate!

A group of children proudly hold trophies after a chess competition.
Earlier this month, several of our students took part in a chess tournament and had a blast showcasing their strategic thinking and sportsmanship across the boards!
 
A diverse group of five young people and an adult sit on chairs in front of a whiteboard with inspirational text.
Two young girls are seated at a table, one pointing with a slice of pizza in her hand.

ENL students celebrate

It was an afternoon of good eats, great information and lots of smiles during the annual ELL Celebration where Pocantico’s English Language Learner’s gathered to celebrate their hard work.

ELL Teacher Joy Scantlebury hosts a special lunch for her students. She invites special guests, former students, to talk to her current ones about their experience. Everyone enjoys a delicious lunch and receives gift of books to help them along in their journey of learning English!

Thank you to Pocantico alums for stopping by:
Saaya K. - just graduated Briarcliff High School
Aiden L - just graduated from Briarcliff High School
Angela Z. - just completed sophomore year at NYU
Darren Z. - just graduated from University of Maryland
Angel P. – Business owner
 

A special celebration

June is Caribbean Heritage Month and in recognition our students turned their lunch periods into a dance party! Thank you to our friends who shared parts of their culture with us, from delicious food to the great music!
People serve food and drinks at a community event, with a "Food Alert" sign visible.
Two smiling women stand in front of a table laden with food, with other people and children in the background.
 

A letter from the Superintendent

Dear Pocantico Hills Community,

June was an absolute blur with so many wonderful activities, from the 8th grade awards ceremony to the amazing ENL Lunch hosted by Joy Scantlebury and so much more!

No doubt the summer will be busy too! Here on campus, Camp Poco will be offering great seasonal activities and will celebrate a special milestone! On July 10 the camp will celebrate it’s 70th Birthday! How amazing is that?

Our facilities will also be busy, as work will begin on Phase III of the Capital Project.

The work will expand our community offerings and continue to support our focus on helping the community to stay fit and healthy, with the addition of a walking track and more. We look forward to having this work complete and being able to enjoy the movement and fresh air!

Finally, I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to the Pocantico Class of 2026! They were an amazing group of students and we wish them all the best!

I hope you and your families have a wonderful and safe summer! We look forward to seeing you in September!

Warm regards,
Rich Calkins
Superintendent of Schools
Man standing next to American flag
 
Children on a stage hold up large red letters spelling 'S', 'E', 'R', 'C', 'H'.
Children and adults participate in a 'Brain Challenge' TV game show on a stage with colorful lights and a digital scoreboard.
A man with a microphone stands on a stage in front of a sparkly backdrop with the words "BRAIN CHALLENGE" visible.

Fun competition!

The competition was fierce and the fun abounded during the annual Hollyrock Entertainment "Brain Challenge!" Students and teachers representing BLUE and RED teams competed in a battle of the brains as they were cheered on by their friends and colleagues!
 

Happy Summer!

We wish all of our Poco Families a happy and safe summer!
We'll see you on Sept. 1, 2026 for the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!
A cartoon watermelon slice wearing sunglasses holds a popsicle under a bright sun.