News & Happenings

• Back-to-school information
  • Elementary school supply lists
     Anna S. Kuhl Elementary School
    Hamilton Bicentennial Elementary School
  
  
  • Fall sports physical schedule
  Interested in playing a fall sport? Sports physicals are required. Students who do not complete the requirements will be considered ineligible for sports until they are cleared by the nursing staff. Fall sports physicals will be conducted free of charge this summer at Hamilton Bicentennial Elementary School. Click here for the schedule.

• PJHS Interact sponsoring School Supply Drive
  The Port Jervis High School Rotary Interact will be sponsoring its second annual School Supply Drive the first two weeks of September. Donations can be dropped off at the High School Main Office beginning Sept. 3. Anyone interested in making a donation can refer to the school supply lists posted on this Web site for the needed items. Last year, Interact was able to help over 60 students in the school district thanks to the help and support of the community.

• Station showing HBE Lip Sync Concert
  Cable Channel 20 is back on the air
  The district's educational station, cable Channel 20, is back in service. Last week, the station was off the air while electrical work was being done at Port Jervis High School as part of the Capital Project. Listed below are special programming notes:
  • Taped broadcast of the Hamilton Bicentennial Elementary School student Lip Sync Concert will air: Thursday, July 17; Friday, July 18; Tuesday, July 22; and Thursday, July 24. Show times for all dates are noon and 2 p.m.  

• Fourth Quarter Honor Rolls announced
  Congratulations to all of the students in grades 4 to 12 who qualified for the Fourth Marking Period Honor Roll.
  • Port Jervis High School
  • Port Jervis Middle School
  • Anna S. Kuhl Elementary School
  • Hamilton Bicentennial Elementary School 

• Superintendent comments about bus tape
  On July 1, a copy of a surveillance tape from what was identified as a Port Jervis School District bus aired on a local news program. Prior to being contacted that day by the television station, Superintendent John Xanthis did not know the tape existed. Since he had not seen the tape and did not have time to validate that the footage was taken on a Port Jervis bus, Xanthis was unable to comment about the matter before the broadcast. At no time did the superintendent refuse to view the tape. Click here to read Xanthis' statement about the tape.

• Congratulations to the Class of 2008  
  Their paths will take them in many different directions next year. Many are heading off to college. Others are entering the military or the workforce. But, for one last night, the Port Jervis High School Class of 2008 came together June 27 to celebrate the culmination of 12 years of handwork.
  Click here for the list of graduates. 

• William Onofry appointed to school board
  Deerpark resident William Onofry was appointed July 1 to fill the vacancy on the Port Jervis School District Board of Education.  Mr. Onofry was selected by the school board from a group of district residents who expressed an interest in the position. His term ends May 19, 2009. A professional contractor, Onofry previously served one three-year term on the board, holding positions on the Buildings and Grounds Committee and Education Committee. Onofry says he's proud "to be part of a team that is trying to move the district forward."

• Sixth graders celebrate move to middle school 

  A special Moving-Up ceremony was held at ASK Elementary School June 20 to bid farewell to the members of the sixth grade class. Prior to the ceremony, students and their families were treated to breakfast in the school cafeteria. The school staff wishes the future seventh graders the best of luck in middle school!

• Ceremony marks completion of Kindergarten

  Moving-up ceremonies were held June 19 at ASK Elementary School to mark the end of kindergarten for the Class of 2021.These future ASK first graders were all smiles before their kindergarten recognition.

• PJHS honors students for perfect attendance

  Attendance at Port Jervis High School continues to rise. This year, 73 students didn’t miss a day of school. MORE  

• Carlie's Crusade comes to PJ Middle School
  Safety program teaches kids not to be victims

  The message of Carlie's Crusade Foundation is simple: "Don't Be a Victim. Be a Survivor." Two volunteers from the abduction prevention and internet safety group spent three days at the Middle School teaching students practical skills to keep them safe. "Our goal is to teach kids how not to look like an attractive target and how to get away from a bad situation as quickly as possible," says foundation co-founder John Jenerose. MORE

• Young authors read original stories to families

  The stories were about everything from reptiles and guinea pigs to family vacations and Webkinz. But they all had one important element in common. All of the poetry and prose read at the June 10 Author's Teas were written by the first grade students at Bicentennial Elementary School. The Author's Teas are held annually at each grade level - generally in the last few weeks of the school year. MORE

• Baccalaureate celebrates seniors' achievements

  The Class of 2008 gathered together with family and friends  June 6 at the Port Jervis High School Baccalaureate to reflect upon their successes and to celebrate the completion of their formal education. This year's interfaith service was held at the Deerpark Reformed Church. MORE 

• Thank you for your support
  Voters approve school district budget

  Port Jervis residents overwhelmingly approved the 2008-2009 budget of $58,562,024 on May 20.  "I want to thank the community for supporting the budget. Your continued support will allow us to take another step forward for our school district and our students. Good things are happening in our district. Port Jervis is now a District in Good Standing, three of our schools are designated as High Performing schools, and student assessment scores district wide are increasing. While we've made great strides recently, we still have a lot to accomplish, and thanks to your support, we can continue to move the district forward," said John Xanthis. For more on the budget, click here.

• National Honor Society inducts 24 new members

  On May 22, a solemn candle-lighting ceremony was held at Port Jervis High School to induct 24 new members into the Neversink Chapter of the National Honor Society. MORE

• National Technical Honor Society induction
  Ten Port Jervis High School students were inducted into the National Technical Honor Society May 28 at the Emanuel Axelrod Education Center on the Orange-Ulster BOCES campus in Goshen. MORE

• Three Port schools make state's top list

  The New York State Department of Education has recognized three Port Jervis schools as high performing/gap closing schools. Anna S. Kuhl Elementary School, Hamilton Bicentennial Elementary School, and Port Jervis High School were included on the list of high performing schools released by the state May 16. The schools earned this distinction by meeting all applicable state English Language Arts (ELA) and math standards for 2006-2007 and for making adequate yearly progress in ELA and math for two consecutive years. MORE   

• Asbestos removal scheduled for this summer
  During the Summer of 2008, asbestos abatement will be performed at ASK Elementary School, Port Jervis High School, and Port Jervis Middle School. Abatement protocols on the removal of asbestos in public schools are very strict. Precautionary measures to assure safety include, but are not limited to, completely sealing off the work section from the rest of the building along with cleaning and testing abatement areas before reopening that section of the building. Click here to read the letter sent home to parents that outlines the safety measures the district will follow.
   

• Congratulations students, teachers & staff!!
  Port Jervis: School District in Good Standing

  Port Jervis is now a District in Good Standing. The State Education Department has removed Port Jervis from its In Need of Improvement list. Port Jervis is one of only two districts statewide that worked its way off the list by making adequate yearly progress in all academic areas for two consecutive years. MORE    
  Link to the State Education Department
   

• Tune into Ch. 20 for latest district information 
  Time Warner Cable is now dedicating Channel 20 to the Port Jervis City School District. The district is currently running school contact information, calendar dates, information about school programs and services and school closing/delay announcements. The new channel will also enable the district to broadcast the bi-monthly School Board meetings live. In the future, the district will expand coverage to include broadcasts of musical productions and other programs.

• Next year's student calendar online
  Want to know the dates your children will start school next year or how many days they will have off for Winter Break?
  The 2008-2009 Student Calendar - approved by the Board of Education at its Jan. 8 meeting - lists all of next year's official school holidays, in-service conference days, and recess dates. Click here to download the calendar.     
   

• When school's out, don't be caught off guard
  Want to be one of the first to know about school closings and delays? Parents can sign up to have an email alert sent directly to their home and/or work computer through the district's School News Notifier (SNN).
  Click here  to sign-up for this service.