PRSD Pulse
PRSD Pulse: End of Year Edition
Superintendent's Update
What an incredible school year! The 2023-24 academic year has concluded, and I am so proud of each and every one of our students for their hard work and ever-evolving drive to succeed. To our Pearl River High School graduates, I wish you all the best as you set sail toward a new and exciting chapter of your lives. The unwavering dedication and commitment of our educators to ensuring that our K-12 students have the tools to learn and thrive never goes unrecognized, and I applaud your incredible efforts. The collaboration of our administrators, staff, faculty, teachers and parents reflects the PRSD’s mission of supporting our children across every avenue of learning, and I am grateful for the strength of our shared vision.
In the closing weeks of June, our school buildings celebrated the accomplishments of our students who are preparing to move up to the next grade-level. At each of our elementary schools - Evans Park Elementary School, Lincoln Avenue Elementary School and Franklin Avenue Elementary School - kindergarteners excitedly showcased all they’ve learned during ‘Bubble Up’ Celebrations and fourth graders prepared for fifth grade as they were acknowledged during Grade 4 Promotion Ceremonies, Pearl River Middle School seventh graders marked their transition to the high school during a Grade 7 Moving Up Ceremony (June 24), and the Pearl River High School Class of 2024 tossed their caps in the air to mark their graduation during the 118th Commencement Ceremony (June 25). Throughout the month, the academic and athletic achievements of our high school students were celebrated during various awards ceremonies, and spotlighted on our social feeds as part of our campaigns: #CountdownToCommencement and #MovingUpMentions. In addition, our 2nd annual Arts in the Park Festival (June 1) was a success - as over 2,000 pieces of original artwork was on display for all to see and student-musicians performed a variety of tunes under the direction of our talented music department. I extend my gratitude to all involved for another wonderful event celebrating arts in education and all it has to offer.
During the summer months, our facilities and technology teams will be heavily engaged in the work of ensuring that our school buildings are ready and prepared to welcome all learners back in September. I am excited about the 2024-25 school year, and new opportunities for our District to grow and advance. I wish all a restful and relaxing summer spent with family and friends!
Sincerely,
Marco F. Pochintesta, Ed.D.
Spotlights Section
Congratulations, Class of 2024!
On the field with the sun shining bright, the graduating senior class was honored for all that they've accomplished, achieved and overcome as they prepare to turn the page on a new chapter during the 118th Pearl River High School Commencement Ceremony on June 25! Beginning with a traditional processional march (led by musical accompaniment from the talented PRHS band and orchestra ensembles) along with renditions performed by the PRHS senior choral ensemble, these departing PRHS Pirates entered onto the field – taking their seats for a welcoming invocation from Reverend Ransford S. Clarke (Saint Margaret of Antioch Parish), greetings and remarks from Assistant Principal Aaron McCasland and Principal Dr. Robert Zegarelli, addresses from the salutatorian (Melody Qin) and valedictorian (Matthew Treanor), as well as words from the class president (John Hannagan). With an official presentation of the class from Superintendent Dr. Marco Pochintesta, students were awarded their diplomas by Board of Education members and school counselors – taking to the stage to mark their exciting milestone. Although we must bid a bittersweet farewell to our seniors, the District wishes them the very best as they take on new ventures. More on Facebook and Instagram.
Seventh Graders Move Up to Eighth Grade
PRMS Pirates will continue their upward quest to be their best as they sail towards a new and exciting adventure...high school! On June 25, Pearl River Middle School seventh graders celebrated their transition to Pearl River High School during the Grade 7 Moving Up Ceremony as they prepare to transition to a new grade level and school building come fall. The outdoor ceremony, hosted on the PRMS campus, celebrated seventh graders’ completion of middle school and acknowledged their hard work and commitment to success throughout their time at PRMS. With words of inspiration from Superintendent Dr. Marco Pochintesta and Principal Dave Wright, as well as musical performances from choral students led by choral/general music teacher Dr. Rene Dalandan (who was also honored for his retirement), a number of rising eighth graders were honored with special awards by Assistant Principal Edith Ramirez-Lopez before all students in attendance took to the stage to receive their certificates individually. As the ceremony concluded, PRHS Principal Dr. Robert Zegarelli and Assistant Principals Aaron McCasland and Jacqueline Lividini led the procession of graduates for a final walk around the school grounds, as they say goodbye to the middle school and anticipate the start of high school. More on Facebook and Instagram.
Senior Stroll Marks Trip Down Memory Lane
On the morning of June 25, graduating PRHS Pirates traveled to each of the school buildings for their Senior Stroll - an exciting opportunity to reflect on their time spent as students in the PRSD. A celebratory tradition, seniors headed by school bus to Evans Park Elementary School, Lincoln Avenue Elementary School, Franklin Avenue Elementary School and Pearl River Middle School to walk the halls they once did as elementary and middle school students, and greet their former teachers and principals. Soon-to-be graduates were warmly welcomed by the smiles, applause, cheers, and (happy) tears of their former educators and current K-7 learners. More on Facebook and Instagram.
FA Kindergarteners Are Bubbly About First Grade!
EP Fourth Graders Promoted to Fifth Grade
FA Stars Shine at Grade 4 Promotion
LA Lions Prepare to Roar in Middle School
The PRSD kicked off end of year celebrations with Lincoln Avenue Elementary School's Grade 4 Promotion! With a crowd of family, friends, teachers, administrators and Board of Education members in attendance, these fourth grade Lincoln Ave Lions are transitioning into PRMS Pirates entering fifth grade come September. Beginning with welcoming remarks from Principal Kathleenann Cool, students took to the stage to receive certificates from fourth grade teachers as well as District administrators and BOE members. Following the ceremony, students and parents headed outdoors for refreshments, playground time, and photo ops with their name posters as they celebrated this exciting milestone together. Special thanks to music teacher Scott Louis for providing musical selection during the ceremony and working with students on an original song ("You Can't Take It With You"), as well as the Lincoln Avenue PTA for designing and unveiling the Class of 2024 mural. In addition, we congratulate senior John Hannagan who was awarded the Audra Marinelli/LA PTA Scholarship. More on Facebook and Instagram.
Capstone Projects Highlight Student Passions
Leading up to the conclusion of the 2023-24 school year, seniors enrolled in Pearl River High School's English 12 Capstone class presented their 'passion projects' during Capstone Night - inviting District and building administrators, teachers, staff, family and friends to attend a showcase of their work that's taken place throughout the year. Beginning in November, 15 students pitched their original project ideas to Superintendent Dr. Marco Pochintesta, Principal Dr. Robert Zegarelli, Assistant Principal Aaron McCasland, English teacher Tracy Holihan, and counselors - presenting information about their research, mentors and thesis paper relative to their project. Using feedback and suggestions from the panel and meeting benchmarks along the way, these #PRHSPirates excitedly shared the final products of their hard work, time and effort during Capstone Night.
We applaud the incredible work of each student:
Emily Dwyer (custom design and lacrosse stick)
Riley Craig (instructing pet communication)
Alina Dolan (zen classroom design)
Michael Carlacci (interchangeable golf club heads)
C.J. Ritchie (handmade baseball glove)
Gavin Nittoli (pharmaceutical grant proposal)
Kevin Bottrill (custom electric guitar)
Katie Houston (published children’s book)
Ciaran Holt (piano composition and performance)
Aiden Durcan (book of Orangetown’s history)
Jack McArdle (handmade skateboard)
James Woodward (handcrafted bowling ball and core)
Kyle O’Keefe (moving company business plan)
Laura Robles (original short film)
Max Prunty (lateral machine with a pulley system design)
The PRSD Counts Down to Commencement
Our #CountdownToCommencement campaign started off strong with a bright spotlight on the students who made the Top 10%! The District highlighted the 18 seniors at the top of the class who've displayed exemplary commitment, dedication and hard work to their academic studies over the past four years. We are so proud of these students, and all of our departing Pirates!
Congratulations to the Top 10%:
Matthew Treanor, Valedictorian
Melody Qin, Salutatorian
John Hannagan
Sophia Brown
Emily Caro
Bernard Caparrelli
Katherine Timony
Vincent McAllister
Sergey Khlebutin
Catherine Arnold
Alex Balison
Megan Kay
Riley Craig
Laura Duffy
Gavin Nittoli
Faith Caro
Rylee McGinnis
Michael Carlacci
Kindergarten Lions Transition to First Grade
Celebrating School Social Work
Selected Pearl River High School and Pearl River Middle School students (pictured) were honored with 2024 Rockland Community College Black & Latinx Student Achievement Awards - recognizing and reinforcing the academic, artistic, athletic, leadership and cultural accomplishments of Rockland County students from the Black/African and Latinx diasporas.
Congratulations to:
Pearl River High School students in grades 8, 10, and 12: Madison Bautista, Sofia Benitez, Maximus Emanuel, Paula Garcia Gomez, Arianna Guaman, Camila Gutierrez, Marian (Luciana or Luci) Jimenez Lopez, Marc Losada, Maya Morales, Sofia Robles Gomez, Lucian Ruiz, Genesis Suquilema, Angelina Emanuel, Brenda Florentino Aguilar, Luis Gomez, Elise Perry, Tigran Siavichay, Bernard Caparrelli (Achiever's Circle), Emily Caro (Achiever's Circle), Faith Caro (Achiever's Circle), Alina Dolan (Achiever's Circle), Tamami Figueroa-Himeno (Achiever's Circle), Miguel Leal (Achiever's Circle), Natalee Mattei (Achiever's Circle), Madyson Moroney (Achiever's Circle), Laura Robles Gomez (Achiever's Circle), Miranda Zecena Leon (Achiever's Circle), Jennifer Amaya Mazariego, Jehily Escalante, Anthony Franzese, Aiden McHugh and Jailene Zhinin
Pearl River Middle School students in grade 6: Sarahi Benitez, Sarah Cunningham, Grace Lopez, Chadrick Nelson, Dylan Bautista, Isaac Lemus, Rachel Margulies and Kira Gregory
Spotlighting the Class of 2024 Valedictorian and Salutatorian
The PRSD shines a spotlight on Pearl River High School seniors Matthew Treanor and Melody Qin - the Class of 2024 Valedictorian and Salutatorian! Both Matthew and Melody serve as outstanding student leaders and community members - dedicating themselves to academic excellence and achievement; extracurricular involvement and honor societies; accomplishments spanning the arts and athletics; and participation in an array of school programs. We applaud these two hardworking individuals and their passion for success...read more about Matthew and Melody on Facebook and Instagram.
A Bubbly Day to Celebrate Kindergarten!
It was a BUBBLY day of celebrating our littlest learners at Evans Park Elementary School as kindergarteners showcased their honed knowledge and learning progress as part of a Bubble Up Ceremony on June 10! Joined by District administrators, Principal Joe Avdek, teachers, staff and those in attendance, kindergarten Evans Park Tigers performed various songs they've learned under the direction of music teacher Sarah Gill, walked through the bubble entrance to officially mark the transition to first grade and completed a learning craft with family members. More on Facebook and Instagram.
Grade 7 Student Artwork Featured in NYWEA Calendar
The PRSD shined a bright light on student achievements at the middle school level alongside Pearl River High School's Class of 2024 as we kicked off #MovingUpMentions - highlighting seventh grade student recognitions as PRMS Pirates geared up to transition to the high school following the PRMS Grade 7 Moving Up Ceremony on June 24. We spotlight Pearl River Middle School seventh grader Janelle Suero (pictured with Principal Dave Wright) - winner of the 'Create a Watershed Superhero' Poster Contest sponsored by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) & New York Water Environment Association (NYWEA)! With the guidance of science teacher Rosann Whipple, Janelle submitted original artwork aiming to encourage fellow students to learn about their role in the watershed they live in, and how to conserve and protect our water sources both now and for future generations. Selected from a pool of submissions collected from New York State public and private middle schools, Janelle's artwork was one of 14 chosen for creativity, originality and artistic quality to be included in the 2025 print calendar that is distributed throughout the state. Winners received their framed posters and an invitation to a local NYWEA chapter event. Great work, Janelle! You can see her art featured in the NYWEA calendar for the month of August 2025...more on Facebook and Instagram.
Seniors Paint the Wall!
The Pearl River High School Class of 2024 excitedly prepared for commencement as they engaged in year-end events celebrating their hard work and accomplishments! On June 7, seniors put the finishing touches on their Paint the Wall creation, picked up their yearbooks and participated in Field Day activities...and we stopped by to catch everything in action! In groups, PRHS Pirates took part in kickball, capture the flag, soccer and tug of war - organized by classmates, Class of 2024 advisors and building administrators. Students also enjoyed lunch provided by the PRHS PTSA while painting the wall - adding vivid color to their 'treasure map' creation. This time-honored tradition reflects the senior class's journey throughout their graduating academic year and offers one last opportunity for students to join together to leave their lasting mark on PRHS. More on Facebook and Instagram.
Student Wins 2024 National Merit Scholarship
The PRSD kicked off its June #CountdownToCommencement campaign - spotlighting the accomplishments of the Class of 2024 and exciting year-end events leading up to the 118th Pearl River High School Commencement Ceremony on June 25. Up first, we proudly celebrated senior Emily Caro - a 2024 National Merit Scholarship Winner! Selected from a pool of high-achieving student scholars from across the United States, Emily first qualified for honors based on her preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Tests (PSAT/NMSQT®), and by meeting program entry and participation requirements as a Finalist before moving forward. Out of more than 15,000 distinguished Finalists, Emily was selected as one of 7,140 Winners named across the country! Come August, Emily will head to Fordham University where she plans to major in Political Science.
A National Merit Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar and New York State Seal of Biliteracy recipient, Emily serves as Co-President of DECA, Co-President of Science Honor Society, Conference Director of Model United Nations, Executive Committee Member of Rotary Interact Club, and Vice President of Youth and Government. Emily also trains as a second-degree black belt in karate and has donated hundreds of crocheted newborn hats to NICUs in the New York/New Jersey region. In addition, Emily has interned at the Rockland County Attorney’s Office and currently serves on the Steering Committee of Orangetown Youth Court. This past winter, Emily received the Best Delegate Award at the Yale Model UN 50 International Conference, played viola in the Rockland Senior All-County Orchestra, and qualified for DECA’s State Conference. More on Facebook and Instagram.
A Successful 2nd-Annual Arts in the Park Festival
On Saturday, June 1, the PRSD hosted its 2nd annual Arts in the Park Festival! Featuring original artwork created by K-12 students on display and an array of live musical performances spanning band, orchestra and chorus, the hard work, preparation and dedication of our students and arts educators throughout the 2023-24 school year came to fruition. We applaud the wonderful work and talent of our music and art departments, and sincerely thank them for their collaborative efforts and contributions towards an incredible celebration of all that arts in education has to offer. We extend gratitude to Superintendent Dr. Marco Pochintesta, Arts in the Park Coordinator Kathleenann Cool, PRSD administrators, Board of Education members, building principals, facilities staff, teachers, event volunteers, PTAs/PTSAs, parents and students for helping make this possible! In addition, thank you to Assemblyman John McGowan (Assembly District 97) for presenting a proclamation - designating Arts in the Park as a festival of the arts celebrated by the community. More on Facebook and Instagram.