Poughkeepsie City School District

06/03/2026

More than 60 Poughkeepsie High School students were honored Tuesday night as the school held its annual Senior Awards and Scholarships Celebration at the school's auditorium.
More than $107,000 was awarded Tuesday, with some scholarships renewable for multiple years. That’s in addition to other scholarships not included in the celebration or not yet awarded, and the Rensselaer Medal, a full Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute scholarship worth $160,000, pending acceptance, to Lander Perez-Gonzalez.
Throughout the year, members of the school staff work not only to expose students to higher education opportunities but also to connect them with scholarship applications and offers. Among other efforts, College Readiness and Workforce Education Counselor Kelly Semexant maintains a running list of available scholarships, complete with requirements and deadlines, and circulates each through ParentSquare messages to students and staff.
“Students were granted more than $100,000 in local scholarships alone,” Semexant said. “This is why it’s so important for seniors to apply for local scholarships before applying to national ones.”
Visit https://poughkeepsieschools.org/index.php?pageID=smartSiteFeed&psqFeed=true&articleID=82079936 to read all about the night and hear from some of the students.

06/03/2026

As Skyler Jenkins celebrated inside Poughkeepsie High School’s lobby late Tuesday afternoon, her little sister was standing by her side, coming up to her waist, wearing a matching jean jacket and pink dress.
Jenkins has just become a member of the National Honor Society, just like her two older siblings.
“A lot of the inductees are legacies,” said Katie Livermore, the school’s longtime NHS adviser. “So many of them are following the good example that their older siblings set for them, which is really nice and a I hope that will keep passing down.”
Twenty-three Poughkeepsie students were inducted into the National Honor Society Tuesday. The most prestigious student organization in the country, the NHS stresses not only excellence in the classroom but also community leadership.
To earn induction, the group completed hundreds of service hours, many assisting the district’s elementary schools at special events and after-school programs.
As has been the case in past years, the ceremony is completely run by the school’s NHS officers. President Renata Martinez led the presentation, with Vice President Aubrey Wood, Co-Treasurers Edwin Gomez-Perez and Alexis Urena Marte, and co-Volunteer Coordinator Diana Canales Melendez providing comments on the four pillars of NHS, Character, Scholarship, Service and Leadership.
“Character is what differentiates one person from another and it isn’t simply born with you,” Wood, the Class of 2026 Salutatorian said. “It is made with a mix of one’s principals and qualities that come from the choices and actions we take every day.”
Canales Melendez explained, “There is a price for leadership. It’s a sacrifice – the willingness to cast aside personal interest for the benefit of others.
“Leadership is always needed,” she continued. “In the National Honor Society, there will be the opportunity for you to become leaders. However, being a leader is not an easy task.”
The NHS co-Volunteer Coordinator Israa Hadine and Secretary Rodrigo Vega-Salvador then read off the names of the new members. As they were announced one-by-one, the inductees picked up and lit an electric candle. Once the full group was assembled, they recited the National Honor Society Pledge.
Principal Dr. Phee Simpson closed the ceremony with congratulatory remarks focusing on the organization’s pillars. She thanked the students’ support systems in attendance and addressed the inductees directly.
“As you embark on this new chapter, remember these traits we are celebrating you tonight for,” she said. “Seek out knowledge endlessly. Always speak kindness. Lead with empathy and let your unique character shine through. Actively honing these traits will lead you to achieve all the greatness everyone here sees in you, as you should see in yourself.”

06/02/2026

Fifth grade students from across the Poughkeepsie City School District Monday explored Marist University’s campus and newest buildings, learning more about the college experience and opportunities nearby to the City of Poughkeepsie.
One fifth grade class from each Clinton, Smith and Warring elementary schools took part in the trip. They earned it by having the highest attendance of any class in their grade in their respective schools in January and February.
The trip was made possible through the Marist Liberty Partnerships Program. LPP Assistant Director and Middle School Coordinator Dwayne Douglas and High School Coordinator Rachel Cullen, and university employees spoke with the students as they walked around the new Dyson Center, the James J. McCann Recreational Center and other areas. They even got to play a game of kickball at Tenney Stadium and received free shirts.
The trip was one of several campus tour experiences Poughkeepsie elementary students have had throughout the school year, as part of the district’s emphasis on early college and career exposure.

06/02/2026

The Class of 2030 is getting a taste of Poughkeepsie High School.
Eighth grade students engaged in an orientation session led by Jason Conrad, this year’s 12th grade school counselor, who will be guiding next year’s freshman class. The session on Tuesday was one of several the high school is holding for the departing Poughkeepsie Middle School students in advance of the 2026-27 school year.
The group listened to Conrad and other school department and club representatives discuss expectations of students in the high school, opportunities in a wide selection of classes and clubs, and how various systems, like the Yondr Pouch phone cases, work.
Then, the students broke up to tour the school in smaller groups led by current students, speaking with staff members as opportunities arose.
Meanwhile, other PMS students interested in taking part in the district’s Smart Scholars Early College High School Performing Arts Academy on Tuesday were also at the high school engaging in an informational session with the program’s representative from Dutchess Community College, AnnChris Warren. The DCC theater instructor explained opportunities available at the college for those taking part in the Smart Scholars program and showed clips of past DCC productions, before leading the students through a variety of theater games and exercises.
Smart Scholars, a first-of-its kind program created by the district in partnership with DCC and the Bardavon 1869 Opera House, allows participants to earn up to 24 college credits through dual-enrollment classes while receiving dedicated academic support, counseling and, of course, specialized skills in a wide variety of performing arts and related jobs. The program is open to incoming ninth graders; students taking part Tuesday were in both seventh and eighth grade.
Families interested in enrolling in Smart Scholars should contact Director of College Readiness and Workforce Education Dr. Janety Encarnacion at [email protected]

06/02/2026

As summer approaches, it’s natural to start thinking about pool time.
Well, Poughkeepsie Middle School’s been thinking about its pool for a couple months now, and the renovation of the areas around the pool and showers are well underway. Take a look at how the work is going here. The work is expected to carry on through the summer.

05/29/2026

Kids ages 18 and under in the City of Poughkeepsie will be able to get free lunch and breakfast Monday through Friday throughout the summer once again.
The Poughkeepsie City School District Summer Meals program will provide free food at five open locations each weekday from July 6 through Aug. 28. Due to construction at both Poughkeepsie high and middle schools planned for most of the summer, the Pioneer on the Run bus location will be at Pulaski Pool rather than at a school.
Students taking part in the district’s in-building summer programs will receive their meals inside the schools.
No registration is required. Lunch will be provided at all five sites; breakfast will only be available at the Pioneer On The Run bus. The district is also sending food to a wide range of summer camps, churches and programs. While some participating camps provide breakfast and lunch, others provide just one meal; contact your camp to learn more.
The five locations, subject to change, will be:
• Pioneer on the Run at Pulaski Pool: 62 Washington St. Breakfast 8:30-9:30 a.m.; Lunch 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Thurgood Marshall, 109 Delafield St. Lunch 11 a.m.-noon
• Harriet Tubman Terrace Apartments, 21 Williams St. Lunch 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
• MLK Apartments, 159 Washington St. Lunch 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
• Hudson Garden Apartments, 120 Hudson Ave. Lunch noon-1 p.m.
The district, each day, prepares hundreds of meals for children around the area through funding provided through the state. To find sites outside of the area operated by a different entity, visit www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp

05/28/2026

05/27/2026

Want to spend Sunday afternoon playing with Lego while supporting the Poughkeepsie City School District?
The Poughkeepsie Public Schools Foundation is hosting LegoPalooza! At Dutchess Community College this Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. The afternoon promises to be a load of fun for all ages, with a little bit of competition mixed in. Every dollar raised from ticket sales and sponsorships will go to support the educational experience for Poughkeepsie students.
While tickets are $10 for individuals and $25 for a family of five or fewer, there are 120 free tickets available to district families on a first-come, first-served basis; check ParentSquare for the special promo code. (Pre-registration is required; limit five free tickets per family.) To secure your tickets, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/legopalooza-tickets-1986023741473?aff=oddtdtcreator
A free shuttle will be available from three different district schools, at which you can pick up your admission wristband. Please arrive early to check in for the bus.
Departure times:
• From Krieger at noon
• From Warring at 1 p.m.
• From Poughkeepsie Middle School at 2:40 p.m.
If you provide your own transportation, please visit a bus location first to obtain a wristband.
Return times from Dutchess Community College are:
• Leaving for Krieger 1:30 p.m.
• Leaving for Warring 3:10 p.m.
• Leaving for Poughkeepsie Middle School 4 p.m.
All ages are welcome but anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or older. Middle and high school students must bring their student ID as proof of their PCSD student status; elementary students will be verified at each bus location. No food or drinks are allowed in the building, and no smoking, v**e or to***co products are allowed on campus; no animals are permitted on campus with the exception of service dogs. Please see other rules on the registration page.
Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Visit https://ppsfonline.org/sponsorship/ to learn more.
LegoPalooza! Will be within DCC’s Falcon Hall physical education center; use address 53 Pendell Road.

05/27/2026

Over the weekend seven chicks hatched in Sojourner Truth Elementary School's Innovation Lab and the students are enjoying the new additions to their school. You can check out a video of the chicks here.
Principal Alicia O'Connell came in to see the eggs hatch on Sunday and Monday.
The lab has a “brooder box” for keeping the chicks enclosed now that they’ve hatched, complete with a heat lamp and a small piece of playground equipment. The school plans to keep the chicks in the lab for about 10 days before various teachers take them home.
The school purchased two incubators to make the unit possible. The lab also has a set of 21 plastic eggs, numbered for each day of the anticipated development cycle of a real egg. Each day a new egg is opened and, inside, there’s an illustration of what the chick embryo looks like inside. And, teachers have used the science lesson to teach vocabulary words like “sequence,” “incubate” and “pore.”