Pawling Central School District

 Five years ago, Pawling parent Amy Emke participated in “What Matters PCSD” – a visioning process that aimed to aid Pawling Central School District in defining its aspirations and guide future decision-making.

While engaging in a public discussion during which community members shared feedback with the district, a number of attendees including Emke voiced their hopes for enhanced arts programs. A year later she noticed something remarkable.

“I remember thinking, ‘Wow, there are so many more music programs this year. This is what I’ve always wanted!’” she said. “Then it hit me: maybe it was happening because we asked for it.”

This is the power of a district visioning process, and now the Pawling Central School District is doing it again with "What Matters PCSD 2.0" – an initiative designed to shape the future of the Pawling schools with direct input from the community. This project builds on the foundation established in 2019 by assessing and updating priorities to meet the evolving needs of its students, staff and district residents.

While the first process was a groundbreaking effort to gather collective input that ultimately included over 20,000 pieces of data, the current iteration builds upon that foundation with a more strategic focus.

“I am entering this process with a completely open mind,” said Kim Fontana, Pawling Central School District Superintendent. “It's time to move on to a more systemic strategic plan, but the vision needs to be updated prior to doing that work. Some parts of the 2019 vision may be changed or even jettisoned in favor of other priorities in this update, but this vision is likely to really focus on the school program.”

This means revisiting previous priorities, considering new insights and refining goals based on current educational and community needs. With the help of Judith Wilson, a renowned facilitator and educator with 40 years of experience, the district is currently working to gather input about what matters most to members of the entire school community including students, staff, families and community members. Data will ultimately include information collected from surveys and individual interviews as well as from notes taken during five community conversations that were held in February.

Once data is collected and analyzed, Wilson will submit a draft which the Superintendent will share with the Board for its review with the goal of finalizing an updated vision before the end of the school year – a vision that will reflect what the community values most.

As evidenced by Emke’s anecdote, a major takeaway from the 2019 process was the direct impact of community feedback on school initiatives. In addition to expanding music and performing arts programs, the district also implemented improvements through a capital project that enhanced facilities across all school buildings – including a brand new state-of-the-art athletic field on the middle and high school campus. This demonstrates the power of community input, something Emke believes more parents should recognize.

“People may not realize that it’s possible to have things they would like in their public schools if they make their voices heard,” she said. “We love to wish for change but don’t really have a right to complain if we’ve never shared our opinions. This is an opportunity to do that.”

Ultimately, the success of “What Matters PCSD 2.0” depends on meaningful community involvement – and Fontana hopes that the public understands the importance of their input.

“We are so fortunate to have such a committed and caring community of students, staff, parents and residents who are always willing to pitch in and support our students,” she said. “It’s been a hopeful, joyful and forward-thinking process, full of opportunity for all of us to join together for the benefit of the students we share.”