Poughkeepsie Day School Alumni Association

Hey PDS Alums! Hope to see you at one of these!

We’re planning two music and arts picnics at the school this spring!

One will be on Saturday, April 24 (let's celebrate Earth Day together!) and the other will be on Saturday, May 8 on the Kenyon field from noon to 2pm.

Please RSVP to join us at one of both of these upcoming events by using the Google Form below: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdZHqe64WO8wER-zJg4jNHJujd-t2swN0t44gLu--4I3WBWpA/viewform?gxids=7628

In case you missed today's exciting announcement about the future of PDS, here it is!

Since the summer a dedicated group of alums and PDS community volunteers have been working hard to create an updated model that combines the best of PDS with some fresh ideas for the future.

Today the Board of Trustees announced that the school intends to reopen in Fall 2021 and is now accepting admissions inquiries for the coming academic year 🙌

Read the full announcement for more information. Please share with your friends, family, and anyone else who is interested in PDS. If you'd like to get involved in supporting the reopening process, reach out to us on Facebook or to Kai Lord-Farmer '06, PDS Board Secretary, at [email protected].

Thank you to everyone who has supported the school over the past year! We hope you'll be a part of helping us to build a bright future for Poughkeepsie Day School.

++++ Exciting News! Update on the Reopening of PDS ++++

Today we are pleased to announce that Poughkeepsie Day School plans to reopen for 2021 and beyond! We are now welcoming new admissions inquiries for the 2021-2022 academic year for PreK-12 students.

Over the past 6 months, a dedicated coalition of alums, faculty, and PDS community volunteers have been collaborating to create an exciting plan for PDS that brings forward the best of the PDS historical model and adds some wonderful new updates.

Key updates and next steps & how to get involved:

**New Mission Statement and School Model**
-The new mission statement and updated academic model combines the same holistic educational values that have always defined PDS with a more explicit focus on social equity, anti-racism, and environmental education

-PDS plans to offer expanded after school and summer school programs, and will actively promote these to youth beyond the immediate PDS community

-There will be a program for summer 2021 - more details soon!

**Admissions and Launch Team**
-In consultation with Barbara Wood ‘78 (currently teaching math at The Storm King School) and Karali Pizele ‘90 as co-leaders of PDS 2021, the board has established a team to prepare for the start of the 2021 academic year including admissions, summer programming, curriculum updates, and other elements needed for a successful relaunch of PDS

-PDS has already received a sizeable number of admissions inquiries from prospective as well as returning families and looks forward to more in the weeks to come

**Fundraising**
-We welcome all forms of support for the relaunch and future success of PDS - whether time, money, or otherwise!

-If you would like to help with fundraising, have recommendations, or wish to donate your time, skills, or funds, please contact Kai Lord-Farmer ‘06, Board Secretary, at [email protected].


**Get Involved!**
-The board is in search of volunteers to help with marketing, communications and outreach, fundraising, supporting the admissions process, and a newly established DEI/anti-racism task force to help ensure our impact is aligned with our intentions

-If you are interested in supporting PDS by volunteering to help for any of these specific areas, please contact Kai Lord-Farmer ‘06, Board Secretary, at [email protected].


Thank you to all members of the PDS community for your ongoing support. After a turbulent year, we couldn't be more excited to be making this announcement.

Congratulations to our newest alums, the Class of 2020!! Check out this photo album of their unique, magical and memorable commencement in this remarkable year!

2020 Senior Commencement Explore this photo album by Poughkeepsie Day School on Flickr!

Congratulations to Karmen Cockerham Smallwood '98 for being named the new Assistant Commissioner for Youth Services. Karmen will oversee the County’s Path to Promise Initiative, a comprehensive initiative to ensure all young people in Dutchess County – from birth through age 19 – have the assets they need to achieve their full potential as they grow into young adults. https://www.theharlemvalleynews.net/?p=53171&fbclid=IwAR0r1QJBhuSWKI05ZsQO4F5W7dJfKTS6f7WdoD6mbWbeTGdaVUoXO05I5_g

Claudia Hinsdale '17 composed this beautiful piece for the Oberlin College Choir, and it's been performed twice (so far) - once at the choir's fall concert, and once this past weekend at the Kaleidosonic Music Festival, which features 500 musicians during four hours of music. Claudia took her first ever electronic composition class with PDS' own Damon Banks!

Joy (variation on Allegri's Miserere) /something emerges from thin air, collects, disperses into space/ Conducted by Gregory Ristow, written for and performed by the Oberlin College Choir Soloists: Risa Beddie, Clara Dahmer, Isabel Break

Congratulations to Elizabeth Brooks '16!! (Daughter of Tom Brooks '82) This is so consistent with what she did in all her time at PDS!!

Elizabeth Brooks '20 Wins Morse Prize For Engineering Achievement As a first-year student, Elizabeth Brooks ’20 joined SheCode, a group that teaches computer programming skills to middle and high school girls in the New Haven area. At the time, it was an informal pr

I know some PDS alums who could easily qualify for this position!!!

Job Announcement: Portland Public Schools Climate Justice Coordinator - Zinn Education Project This is one of the most important new school district positions available: a full-time Climate Justice Coordinator for Portland (Ore.) Public Schools. There will be the opportunity to have a profound impact, since the Climate Justice Coordinator would work with the Portland Public Schools Climate Ju...

Our newly minted alumni, congratulations Class of 2019!!

Terrific news!! Best wishes, Ariana ‘96!!

Barnard College Names Ariana González Stokas Its Inaugural Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | Barnard College NEW YORK, May 2, 2019 — After a yearlong search, Barnard College announced today that it has hired Ariana González Stokas to serve as its inaugural Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Reporting to President Sian Leah Beilock and working in partnership with campuswide consti...

A big THANK YOU to the Arnoff family and Arnoff Moving & Storage for providing collection, weighing and transport services to Food Bowl™ Hudson Valley, A Poughkeepsie Day School Community Project! Our three student teams from PDS, Randolph School and Green Chimneys collected 4,010 pounds of non-perishable food and Arnoff made sure that all of this was properly weighed and delivered to local food pantries.