Carmel High School

Latest CHS Headlines

• A Carmel Graduate Gives Back

  Come October, Chris DeChent will have worked in the Carmel Schools for 20 years. But that anniversary does not even include the time he worked in the district before graduating from Carmel High School in 2004.  

  DeChent, the Information Systems Technician, started helping out with district technology when he was in Carmel High School. By tenth grade he had a summer internship in the IT department and, later, an after-school job.  

  “In high school I was always the student ready to jump in and help the teacher if the computer had a problem or the projector wasn’t working,” DeChent said. “I enjoyed building computers, understanding how they worked, and figuring out how to repair them. My name became known to the IT department and they let me help out. I started here full time after graduation.” 

  DeChent credits his teachers with encouraging his interests and talents.  

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  District News

• An Announcement

  We unequivocally denounce antisemitism in all of its forms and expressions.

  The Carmel Central School District serves a diverse population. We embrace that diversity and are focused on shaping the next generation of successful Carmel graduates who exemplify the Carmel 6 Cs (Citizenship, Compassion, Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, Communication). Through education, our students are taught to engage in civil and respectful discourse. Our mission is to educate the whole student through partnerships to become lifelong learners in an ever-changing world.

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  District News

• Welcoming New Principals

  New principals have been hired this summer at Kent Primary School and Kent Elementary School.  

  Vincent Fino, who served as Assistant Principal at Carmel High School is the new principal at Kent Primary School. He replaces Dan Brown, who retired at the end of the school year.   

  At Kent Elementary School, new Principal John Fratto is replacing Michael Setaro, who took a position at Southern Westchester BOCES. Mr. Fratto also served as an Assistant Principal at Carmel High School.  

  With such great leadership in place, Kent Elementary and Kent Primary will be well prepared for a great 2024-25 school year.  

   

  District News

• Introducing Carmel's New Superintendent of Schools

  On July 1, Erin Meehan-Fairben, Ed.D.  will take over as the Carmel Central School District's new Superintendent of Schools. Dr. Fairben, who brings a wealth of experience, a proven track record of educational leadership and a deep commitment to student success, was appointed by the Board of Education in February.

  Dr. Fairben has been an educator for 32 years. She has taught at elementary, middle and high school as well as college-level courses for aspiring educators at SUNY Brockport, St. John Fisher, and Hobart and William Smith colleges.  She has held various leadership roles at both the building and district level including Assistant Principal, Principal, Director of Pupil Personnel Services and Special Programs, Superintendent of the NYS School for the Blind, Director of P16, Assistant Superintendent and most recently as an Associate Superintendent at the Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES. Throughout her career, Dr. Fairben has worked tirelessly to support all students and has expanded educational opportunities for students through collaboration, effective communication, and visionary leadership.  Dr. Fairben brings with her decades of leadership experience in building strong relationships with her staff and community.   

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  District News

• Congratulations to the Class of 2024

  Carmel High School’s 331 graduates enjoyed music, speeches and memories of their years together as they said goodbye Thursday to the Carmel Central School District.  

  “We began classes on Zoom and disguised ourselves under masks for some years,” Salutatorian Jennie Belle Aliaga said. “Further, we recall color day. The day most deserving of a bright blue sky was tainted by a deep orange hue. Thanks, Canada.  All this to say these misfortunes ended up making our high school years a little more unique and memorable.” 

  Her advice to the class: “Don’t wait. The best time for action will always be now.” 

  Valedictorian Luke Walters used his speech to share the glory and highlight the accomplishments of others in the class of 2024. He encouraged all his fellow graduates to aim high.  

  “If we leave here today and we give it 100%, our chances of success, be it professional, economic or even spiritual, will soar,” Luke said. “If we find great mentors along the way, they will teach us and they will help us to take risks that put us in the best position for success and, if the fates allow us to be at the right place at the right time, perhaps some of us will someday change the world.” 

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  Carmel High School News

• Science and Surprises for Research Students

  At the Carmel Science Research Symposium in May, seven seniors presented high-level research projects that ranged from topics like nicotine, to volcanoes, to the effect of noise pollution on songbirds.  

  But as the 30 science research students in grades ten through 12 displayed their projects to curious teachers, parents, administrators and friends, several mentioned all the non-scientific things they learned by joining the three-year program.  

  “It’s all about your own self-discipline,” said Halina White, a junior. “I think it really prepares you for adult life and college.” 

  Halina’s project this year was “Analyzing Awareness and Interest in Different Sustainability Methods in Putnam County.” Students can change projects from one year to the next or expand upon a project in successive years.  

  Junior Maia Thompson agreed that the science research program teaches independent learning.  

  “I really like the fact that the research is all student-led,” Maia said. “I got the opportunity to explore my own interests.” 

  Dr. Nicole Griffin, who has taught the science research program since 2015, said that helping students to become independent thinkers who follow their own interests is a foundation of the program.  

  “I was a student in science research when I went to school here,” said Griffin, a Carmel High School alum. “It was the same way back then.” 

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  Carmel High School News

• Carmel High School Teacher Heads to Court

  Carmel High School Social Studies Teacher Susan Tornatore will travel to Washington, D.C. in June to attend the prestigious Supreme Court Summer Institute.  

  Tornatore teaches senior Economics and Law, a required course at Carmel High School.  

  “The institute will enrich my understanding of how the SCOTUS operates, selects cases and makes decisions,” Tornatore said. “I am eager to learn how I can integrate recent Supreme Court decisions into our law curriculum in a way that is meaningful for our students. The activity I am looking forward to the most is being present for a live reading of a decision by the justices at the Supreme Court on June 13th.” 

  The Institute offers teachers the opportunity to study recent Supreme Court cases in detail and learn innovative teaching methods for conveying this information to students. Well-known Supreme Court lawyers, reporters, scholars, and educators will be among the speakers and instructors for the Institute. A recent evaluation of the Supreme Court Summer Institute found that, after the program, teachers who attended felt much more confident discussing controversial issues and Supreme Court cases in their classrooms, discussed Supreme Court cases and used interactive teaching strategies more frequently, and gained critical knowledge about the U.S. Supreme Court. 

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  Carmel High School News

• Recognizing Musical Talent

  At its May 7 meeting, the Carmel Board of Education recognized music students throughout the district who were selected for the All County and Honors ensembles. The Carmel Central School District Music Department has so much to be proud of each year. 

  “This year, we had over 50 students perform in Area All State,” said Music Department Chair Meghan Cabral. “We also had students perform with New York State School Music Association's All State festival and the New York State Band Directors' Association honor bands. Our George Fischer Middle School students stood out at the Putnam County Music Educators' Association all county festivals, too. This year we had over 70 students accepted! Each year we also have students earn Excellent and Outstanding ratings at the NYSSMA solo festival.”   
   
  Carmel Schools have been recognized as one of the best communities for music education by the National Association of Music Merchants’ (NaMM) for seven years running.   

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  District News

• The 40th Annual CHS Student Art Show

  Ren Collina can easily rattle off the names of all the art classes that Carmel High School offers: Studio Art, Mixed Media, Drawing & Painting, Ceramics, Photography, Graphics, AP Portfolio and AP Art History. 

  She should know, she has taken most of them.  

  “I took seven art classes in high school,” said Ren, a senior who is headed to Ithaca College in the fall to study theater production and design. “I was basically in the art rooms all day. It is such a welcoming place. It was a great community to be part of.”  

  Ren was just one of 500 students whose work was displayed at the 40th Annual Carmel High School Student Art Show at Casey Hall in April.   

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  Carmel High School News

• Mental Health and Wellness at Carmel High School

  The hallway outside the gymnasium was filled with Carmel High School students who came to the school’s annual Mental Health and Wellness Fair to see what services local organizations offer.  

  “It’s a good way to get exposure to all the options that are out there in our community,” said Anabella Marte, a junior, who quickly finished work in her English class so that she could tour the fair.  

  Students picked up brochures, pinwheels and mints that the groups offered while they stopped to talk to representatives from agencies including the Putnam Community Action Program, the Putnam County Youth Bureau and the LOFT LGBTQ+ Community Center. 

  Perhaps the biggest draw, however, was Mia, the therapy dog who came with representatives of Exceptional Sidekick, a nonprofit that provides service dogs to disabled teens and young adults.  

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  Carmel High School News