Pelham School District

10/09/2026

🌳 Rooted in History, Growing for the Future! 🇺🇸✨

Our PMHS students, staff, faculty, and community members gathered in front of the high school for a very special occasion: planting a native red oak tree as part of America’s 250th Anniversary celebration! 🎉

This tree planting is part of the community-wide Liberty Tree Initiative, a partnership bringing local organizations together to honor our nation’s history. Pelham played a vital role during the American Revolution, and this beautiful new addition to our school grounds serves as a living connection to our past—and a green investment in our future! 🌿

🙌 A Big Thank You To:

The Pelham Public Schools Humanities and Facilities Departments for coordinating this meaningful ceremony.

Our incredible students for leading the way through their International Baccalaureate (IB) Community Projects and the PMHS Environmental Club! 🌍💚

This is just the beginning—stay tuned for more campus plantings and patriotic commemorative events happening throughout the school year!

09/30/2026

🌟 PMHS Students Represent NY at National AI Policy Summit 🤖
This summer, PMHS students Charlie Fanuele and Rafe Goodyear joined Assistant Superintendent Dr. Claire Comerford in Boston and Cambridge for a weekend of statecraft at the AI Fellowship (supported by Day of AI, MIT RAISE, AASA, and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute).

Debating inside a replica of the U.S. Senate chamber, Charlie and Rafe worked alongside student leaders from across the country to draft the STUDENT FIRST Act—a model policy designed to guide safe technology use, data privacy, and ethical AI in schools nationwide! 📜

Here are a few quick takeaways from our PMHS leaders:

💡 Perspective & Civil Discourse: Students debated everything from strict limits to early AI literacy, finding common ground despite differing political viewpoints.

🏫 A Vision for the Future: "If we want to have meaningful change... it has to start with teachers and how curriculum is designed. There needs to be a curriculum shift toward things AI can't do and a greater emphasis on learning itself." – Rafe Goodyear

We are so proud to see Pelham students leading critical conversations about the future of education! 👏💙🔴


🔗 Read the full story on the PMHS website:

PMHS students crafted and debated AI policy at a national event in Massachusetts this summer!

09/28/2026

On the first day of school, we caught up with our students to ask one big question: "What are you looking forward to most this school year?"

From reuniting with best friends, taking new classes, upcoming sports season and of course - PMHS Olympics – their answers will bring a smile to your face! 🚌 👇

🎥 Press play on the video below to hear what our students had to say!

09/25/2026

History came alive at PMHS! 📚✨

In honor of Constitution Day, Citizenship Day, and our continued celebration of America’s Semiquincentennial, our 11th graders had the incredible opportunity to host historian and best-selling author Patrick O’Donnell!

Mr. O’Donnell, author of “The Indispensables,” brought our community's rich past to life. As one of the nation’s leading experts on The Battle of Pelham, he gave students a deep dive into how our very own backyard served as a pivotal staging ground for the outcome of the American Revolution! 🗽💥

During his visit, he shared inspiring takeaways on:

🔹 How individual choices ripple through history

🔹 The enduring power and importance of kindness

🔹 Local history and its massive role in shaping our nation

Our 11th graders were completely locked in—asking sharp, insightful questions about his research process, using primary sources, and bringing history to the page.

Huge thanks to Mr. O’Donnell for inspiring our young historians and reminding us all of the powerful legacy right beneath our feet! ❤️💙

09/23/2026

🎶 MAJOR MUSIC NEWS! Celebrating Our PMHS All-State & Area All-State Musicians! 🎶

Please join us in giving a massive round of applause to our incredibly talented Pelham Memorial High School student musicians! This year an impressive five students earned a spot or alternate position at the All-State level – a feat that takes months of dedication, early morning practices, and unbelievable commitment. We could not be prouder of these students for representing our school community with such excellence!

Additionally, we are thrilled to share that 16 PMHS students were selected for the Westchester Area All-State by the Westchester County School Music Association (WCSMA) and NYSSMA Zone 11—placing them among the strongest high school musicians in all of Westchester County! 🏆

🌟 NYSSMA All-State Recognition
- Eleanor Condon – Mixed Chorus (Alto 2)

🎷 NYSSMA All-State Alternates
- Evan Kaplan – Viola
- Katie Howard – Alto Saxophone
- Luigi Di Cristofano – Jazz Tenor Saxophone & Tenor Saxophone
-Marie Kuznetsov – Bb Clarinet

🎺 WCSMA Westchester Area All-State Honorees
- Concert Band: Jane Scott, Niraj Schwaderer, Anand Palshikar, Katie Howard, Luigi Di Cristofano
- Mixed Chorus: Amelia Deighton, Joni Pulaj
-Treble Chorus: Ella Selvaduri, Eleanor Condon, Marie Kuznetsov, Mia Sakran
Symphony Orchestra: Marcus Blackburn
String Orchestra: Evan Kaplan
Orchestra Alternates: Mason Wan, Keith Kerman, Sophia Panusheva
A huge congratulations to these hardworking musicians, their families, and our dedicated music instructors who guide them every step of the way! 👏❤️
Drop a comment below to send your congratulations to our student musicians! 👇✨

09/22/2026

🎉 Congratulations to our National Merit Semifinalist! 🌟

Join us in celebrating Pelham Memorial High School senior Evan Kaplan, who has just been named a National Merit Semifinalist! 🎓✨

Out of more than 1.3 million students who took the PSAT/NMSQT across the country, Evan scored in the top percentage of all test-takers, placing him among an elite group of just 16,000 students nationwide.

“I am extremely proud of Evan for being named a National Merit Semifinalist this year,” said PMHS Principal Sean A. Llewellyn. “Evan is an outstanding and well-rounded student – an example of what our educational program aspires to achieve. Congratulations to Evan, his family and our talented faculty and staff on this incredible honor.”

Evan is now in the running to become a National Merit Finalist and earn a share of nearly $24 million in college scholarship awards this spring! 🏆💰

09/16/2026

CPR/First Aid/AED Training

As part of our Superintendent’s Conference Day activities, members of our safety and security team, custodians and other staff members participated in CPR/First Aid/AED training provided by Southern Westchester BOCES. Thank you to everyone who participated in this important training to help keep our schools, students and staff safe!

09/11/2026

On Friday, September 11, members of our student body recognized the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks by participating in a number of activities spanning all grades. Members of the Pelham Memorial High School and Pelham Middle School student governments attended the Town of Pelham’s 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony, offering a chance to hear moving speeches and foster a stronger connection to the values and history of our community. At the ceremony, middle school students delivered thank-you cards to first responders, and later in the afternoon, high school student leaders led their own memorial ceremony after school.

Throughout the day, all grade levels had an opportunity to recognize this solemn day in an age-appropriate manner. This included school-wide announcements, discussions about the role of first responders, community helpers, and local heroes, as well as opportunities to give back to their school and community through service, read-alouds, and other activities to honor the day.

Thank you to the Pelham community, our first responders, teachers, staff, and students for continuing to preserve the history and memories of this solemn day.

09/10/2026

Interesting on Serving on a Committee?

Pelham Parents and community members, are you looking for a way to get more involved in our school community? 📢

The Pelham Board of Education is seeking dedicated volunteers to join several committees for the 2026-2027 school year. This is a fantastic opportunity to lend your voice and expertise to the important work that shapes our district.

Committees with open seats include:

- Advocacy and Community Engagement
- Audit
- School Culture & Belonging
- Personal Growth & Achievement (Curriculum)
- Bond Steering
- Safety
-Wellness

Whether you're a returning volunteer or new to the process, we encourage you to apply. We're looking for individuals with a passion for our schools and a desire to make a difference. Your professional expertise and prior volunteer experience will be considered.

Ready to get started? Learn more about each committee and submit your application by Sunday, September 20, 2026, using the links below.

🔗 Learn more: https://www.pelhamschools.org/board-of-education/goals-and-committees/boe-committee-descriptions

📝 Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCtSU8zv-scWa2UOu1q-5IHGNVLAJkWffjT3P3s_lqqNnQJg/viewform?usp=publish-editor

Let's work together to make the 2026-2027 school year a success!

09/09/2026

🎉 Honoring 25 & 30 Years of Dedication at Pelham Public Schools! 🍎✨

During the opening ceremony of Superintendent’s Conference Day on September 2, Dr. Champ recognized 21 incredible veteran staff members for their decades of service, dedication, and heart!
Together, these 16 staff members reaching 25 years and 5 staff members reaching 30 years have spent over half a century shaping minds, caring for students, and serving as the backbone of our Pelham school community.

Please join us in celebrating these extraordinary educators and staff members! 👇

🌟 25 YEARS OF SERVICE
- Ronald Martucci – Colonial School Teacher
- Sandra Reali – Hutchinson School Teacher
- Jacqueline Soccodato – Hutchinson School Teacher
- Christine “Chrissy” Block – Middle School Special Education Teacher
- Margaret McCarthy – Middle School Nurse
- Patricia Powers – Middle School Special Education Teacher
- Nicole Starvatow – Middle School Mathematics Teacher
- Kathleen Vela – Middle School Science & ENL Teacher
- Peter Ehrmann – Middle School Mathematics Teacher
- Elizabeth Caparotta – High School Italian Teacher
- Liane Glanowski – High School Mathematics Teacher
- Stephen Magarelli – Middle & High School Physical Education Teacher
- Aileen Memoli – High School Special Education & Mathematics Teacher
- Michele Newman – High School Special Education & Mathematics Teacher
- Robert Stellabotte – High School Mathematics Teacher
- Nicole Wasnetsky – High School English Teacher

🌟 30 YEARS OF SERVICE
- Joanne Ragosta – Hutchinson School Teacher
- Kathy Lieggi – Middle School Special Education Teacher
- Anne Solimine – Middle School Reading Teacher
- Dexter Jackson – Middle School Social Studies Teacher
- Chris Maselli – Videographer