Matthew Paterson Elementary School

Matthew Patterson Elementary School is one of three elementary schools in the Carmel Central School District. We are a K-4 school that serves a student population of approximately 500 students. The staff at MPES strives to work collaboratively and in partnership with the greater community to achieve the CCSD strategic vision and mission:

CCSD Mission: The Carmel Central School District educates the whole student through partnerships to become lifelong learners in am ever changing world.

CCSD Vision: We embrace individuality, provide opportunities for students to discover and pursue their passions, and ignite a desire to learn.

As part of the ongoing strategic planning process here in the CCSD, MPES is currently working to establish and develop the 6 C’s: Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Communication, Citizenship, Compassion and Creativity. Throughout the school year, we will be working together as a community to support students in developing their own capacity in these areas. As many of you know, MPES has been a Habits of Mind school for several years. Many of the 16 Habits of Mind are analogous to the qualities found in the 6 C’s. For example, when MPES students think about compassion, they relate it to the Habit of Mind of, “Listening with Understanding and Empathy.” Similarly, when we talk about critical thinking, MPES students recognize the Habits of, “Questioning and Problem Solving,” and “Thinking about your thinking, Metacognition.” Please join us in reinforcing the 6 C’s and the Habits of Mind with your child.

In terms of becoming, “lifelong learners,” the staff at MPES leads by example. Our faculty is committed to engaging in professional learning through our building and district professional Learning Communities, ongoing staff development, teacher led study groups and ongoing grade level and interdisciplinary collaboration, another of the important C’s. 

As technology has advanced through the years, MPES staff have embraced STEAM activities, explored the possibilities of Makerspace and are always interested in making use of new web based resources. We are steadily increasing the number of laptops available for student use and are fully engaged in the district technology committee in order to remain current in how we use technology to enhance our instructional capabilities.

At MPES, we work in partnership with the MPES PTO, who offer after school enrichment classes (robotics, mad science, theater and rock music,) run the school store, bring in special events and educational experiences and use the resources they raise to support new playground equipment, assemblies and supporting teacher requests for items that help foster our educational mission. Please consider volunteering for any of the many opportunities that arise to support our MPES PTO activities.