With a blend of heartfelt reflections and hearty laughter, Pawling High School's Class of 2023 bade farewell to the Pawling Central School District on Friday, June 23.

Held at the middle/high school baseball field, the graduation featured speeches highlighting the spirit and achievements of Pawling’s senior class. 

Emma Leahy sang the Star Spangled Banner while Salutatorian Madalyn Henke implored her classmates to forget fear and move forward with their aspirations.

“My brother once said, ‘Ain’t no one gonna let you go unless you start to go,’” Henke said. “Even though he was referring to merging on the highway, take that advice into your life. Jump at opportunities. Seek to do more, not less. Always work to carve your own path. Live your life in a way that you won’t regret.”

Valedictorian Magnolia Garbarino used her speech to impart advice: “Find something that makes you angry” in a world that could use change.

“I’m not saying that anger should govern your life but I do think that it’s a useful emotion in identifying where our passions lie,” she said. “And there’s a whole lot to be angry about.”

Garbarino also laughed while moving on to share a story about her struggle during a three-year stint on Pawling’s tennis team. She hoped that her words would remind others not to shy away from challenges.

“There were matches where I felt like apologizing to my opponents for having wasted their time playing against me,” she said. “This is all to say that when used constructively, failure is not a bad thing and is actually a very necessary stage in the growth process.”

Decorated with art, photos and words of wisdom, many students’ graduation caps reflected these messages as they walked the stage to receive their diplomas. “It’s a slow process but quitting won’t speed it up,” read one student’s mortar board.

Clearly, those collecting their diplomas had not. 

“Rare and special” were the words Pawling Middle School Principal Megan Gleason used to describe the eighth-grade class at its moving up ceremony on Thursday, June 22.

Speaker after speaker echoed that sentiment, praising the class as a force to be reckoned with both in terms of academics and character.

“It is typical, especially in a school our size, for a grade level or a cohort to develop its own collective identity,” said Gleason. “As adults we usually focus on how we can teach into the needs of this force, but you didn’t need us to temper or change your collective spirit. You simply needed space and encouragement to amplify your strengths.”

Pawling Superintendent Kim Fontana called on the students to amplify their strengths in new ways as they progress through a changing academic landscape, while a number of other faculty and staff members stood at the podium to express pride in Pawling's Class of 2027. 

Faculty speakers shed tears as they shared personal stories of their time with this group of eighth graders.

As Class President Anthony Benedetto put it, "At the end of the day, we have to remember that it doesn’t matter how we get where we are going unless we enjoy the memories and people who helped us achieve our final goals."

Pawling Elementary School fourth graders were honored with send-off speeches and certificates at the Fourth Grade Recognition Ceremony on Friday, June 16.

Students treated the audience to an arrangement of Pinkzebra's "We Won't Stop Dreaming" led by elementary school music teacher Brianne Chasanoff.

Though exciting for many, the move to middle school can be intimidating for younger students. But Pawling students are ready for the move, thanks to a year-long series of events designed to prepare them for middle school. Fourth graders not only attend information nights and orientations with their families but also events during the school day designed to familiarize them with Pawling Middle School life. 

This spring’s Math Carnival, for example, paired them with current fifth graders for games at the middle school while a “Middle School Jeopardy” event brought students back the following week for trivia games and activities.

“The fourth graders report that they feel a lot more comfortable going to middle school when they have more information, can picture their classrooms and teachers and get to spend time with next year's sixth grade peers,” said elementary school counselor Jessica Dommu.

Middle school counselor Debra Ahern explained that the fifth-grade experience at Pawling is intentionally designed as a bridge between the elementary and middle schools.

“It’s a big transition and so much is built around that understanding,” she said. “The fifth-grade kids’ day is like a halfway point, structured differently than the older students’ day. Each grade even has its own hallway.”

“Sometimes the kids worry that they’ll get in trouble when they’re late because they were lost or forgot their locker combinations, but the teachers expect that and are well-prepared to help when they do,” she added.

At the conclusion of the moving up ceremony, fourth grade teachers stood to present students with graduation certificates. The event wrapped up with an outdoor reception provided by the PTA. Teachers, students and families enjoyed cupcakes and gifts: sunglasses (because the students’ futures are “so bright that they have to wear shades!") and commemorative tee shirts.

Digital Backpack

The digital backpack is updated regularly with information from the schools and local community. You can find a link for it under the Parent tab of the homepage. It is also listed on the homepage with the date of the most recent update.

We Are Hiring!

The Pawling Central School District is a great place to work. We have positions open for full-time permanent building substitute teachers, typists and custodial workers. We also have substitute positions open in many other job categories: certified teacher, uncertified teacher, teaching assistant, teacher aide, monitor, bus driver and food service worker. We also have part-time positions open, such as school monitor. Full-time positions earn excellent benefits. As a team of educators, we never doubt that we are making a difference for our community. PCSD offers walk-throughs and orientations for those thinking about working in schools. Our very best employees are often people who live in our community. Diverse and bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. See the link below to reach our friendly and helpful Human Resources Team.

https://www.pawlingschools.org/human_resources