Principal's Message

Dear Matthew Paterson School Community,   

The countdown is on... school is almost here! Our classrooms are ready, the hallways are shining, and our staff can't wait to welcome our amazing students back to Matthew Paterson Elementary School for another incredible year. A new school year is filled with fresh beginnings, exciting opportunities, new friendships, and countless moments to learn and grow. Whether your child is entering kindergarten or beginning their final year at MPES, we are excited to help them discover their strengths, build confidence, and create wonderful memories. 

This year, we will continue to encourage our students to be Respectful, Responsible, Kind, and Safe while embracing challenges, celebrating successes, and supporting one another as a community. We are grateful for the partnership we share with our families. Your encouragement at home and involvement in our school make a tremendous difference. Together, we can ensure that every child has an outstanding year. 

Enjoy these final days of summer and get ready for another fantastic year of Panda Pride!. 

We are thrilled to announce that the first day of school for 1st to 4th graders will be on Wednesday, September 2nd. Our kindergarten students will have a shortened day on September 2nd. Along with their parents, they will participate in an orientation session from 9:30 – 10:45am (There is no school bus transportation for kindergarten on this day). The first full day of school for kindergarten students will be September 3rd.  

Class Placements: 
Class placements will go live via ParentVue on Friday, August 21st, 2026.  
Carmel Central School District - ParentVUE / StudentVUE. 

New & Good updates:

• This year we will continue with our ELA curriculum, Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA), which will help enrich student learning and align practices to the Science of Reading.
• We are piloting a new math program called Envisions.
• We will have full-time Music and Art teachers.
• We added additional parking spots and a new playground structure.  
• Each day, our school will take part in a W.I.N. period (What I Need), during which students will be provided with intervention or enrichment in ELA and Math according to their own ability levels.
• We will continue our Weekly Principal Newsletters in which we update our families on the interesting happenings and important information for MPES.

 
School Dismissal Manager (SDM):
 
I wanted to follow up on how important it is that we have clear communication on how your child gets home every day. The purpose of the School Dismissal Manager app is to for you to have easy access to change your child’s dismissal. The School Dismissal Manager digital system is the most efficient and accurate way to track dismissal requests; its purpose is to make things easier and less prone to confusion. We will continue to utilize SDM starting Wednesday, September 2, 2026. You will receive additional information about setting up SDM.  

Social-Emotional Learning: 
I'm excited to share that, starting the 2026-2027 school year, the three elementary schools will implement a shared monthly Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) theme. Each monthly theme will explicitly align with the Carmel Central School District's Six Cs (Critical Thinking, Citizenship, Compassion, Creativity, Collaboration, and Communication) and include a common read-aloud, schoolwide activity, classroom connections, and family engagement component.  

Get Involved: 
Our Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) plays a vital role in enhancing the school experience for our students. We encourage you to join the PTO and participate in its activities and initiatives. Family involvement strengthens our school community and supports our shared mission of providing the best education for our students. For more information, please visit the MPES PTO website. 

Special Education Parent Teacher Organization (SEPTO)
Families are also welcome to participate in our districtwide SEPTO. This group is dedicated to building collaborative relationships between families, the Carmel schools, and the community in support of individuals with disabilities. SEPTO provides education, resources, and advocacy for families.
To learn more, you can contact Marie Camacho, SEPTO President, at ccsdsepto@carmelschools.org. 

Let’s make this a fantastic year filled with compassion, collaboration, and celebration. I can’t wait to see our hallways filled with the smiles and laughter of our students once again. 
 
Fondly, 
Jennifer Darling
Principal, Matthew Paterson Elementary School