Magical Elm Drive News

December was a very busy month. I want to express a deep appreciation to all of you who took the time to attend our fabulous Winter Pageant.

Below you will find pictures from the preschool community walk, the Winter Pageant, the Snowflake Run, the Blazer assembly, Silly Sock Day, Funny/crazy holiday sweaters and Pajama Day.

We have a lot of important information to share with you below! Please continue reading for key updates, reminders, and resources to support you and your child this school year.

Wishing all of you a healthy, happy and safe New Year!

Warmest Wishes,

Christine Brady

Christine.Brady@millbrookcsd.org

845-677-4225 ext. 5102

Elm Drive Elementary Interim Principal

Upcoming Dates

January 5- Students return from Winter Break

January 16- Early Release Day- 11:40 Parent Pickup

January 19- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day-School Closed

Snapshots of the Fun around Elm!

The Snowflake Run

Mr. Russell's Snowflake Run

Each year Elm Drive's P.E. teacher Mr Russell, holds the exciting Snowflake Run. During class, he teaches the students about running, stamina, and endurance.

Our Core Values

Core values

This year, you may hear more about our Core Values. Schools promote academic success in reading, writing, and math, but we also have a responsibility to help students feel a strong sense of belonging and develop the soft skills that will serve them well in the future. We build these skills through RULER, our social-emotional learning curriculum, and reinforce them by promoting and celebrating our Core Values. Together, these values give our diverse community a shared vision of what it means to learn and grow side by side.

Purpose: I stay focused and strive to achieve my goals.
Ethics: I act with integrity and make responsible choices.
Acceptance: I respect differences and value diverse perspectives.
Community: I help create a supportive and inclusive environment.
Evolution: I reflect on my growth and work to become a better version of myself.

Congratulations to our Blue Ribbon Blazers!

Each month, we recognize one student from each grade who demonstrates one of our Core Values, with their certificates proudly awarded to them. In addition to honoring a student, we also recognize a staff member. This month, our Art teacher, was nominated! Mrs. Schmitt is recognized by her colleagues for being a creative and caring part of the Elm Drive community. As a member of the Elm Drive Team, she has been dearly loved by students, and recognized by the staff. We are so proud of our students and staff for living our PEACE values and serving as positive role models throughout our school community!

December Assemblies, Celebrations & Activites

Elm Drive's Spirit Days

Funny/Crazy Holiday Sweater Day and Pajama Day- More exciting spirit days at magical Elm Drive

A Festive Time at Elm Drive- The teachers made the month of December another magical month for our Elm Drive students

Elm Drive's Winter Pageant

Community Walk- Our Pre-K classes went on a chilly walk through our amazing town to see where people live and work in our community

Recess Fun- Come colder weather and snow, Elm Drive is ready to play!

Parents Night Out- PTO members, teachers, and highschool volunteers spent an exciting night full of activities with our Elm Drive and Alden students.

Safety Reminders

For the safety of our students, parents and visitors are NOT PERMITTED to enter the building during the school day.
If your child is arriving late, leaving early, or you need to drop something off, please use the buzzer at the front door. A member of our main office staff will meet you at the entrance to assist.
All student sign-in and sign-out procedures will take place OUTSIDE the building.
Families will receive one week’s notice prior to any scheduled safety drills.
For everyone’s safety, please do not hold the door for others—even if you know them. All visitors must be buzzed in by the main office.
Please be mindful of students in the parking lot during parent pick-up and drop-off. We understand that the parking lot can be busy at these times, and your patience and caution help keep all of our students safe. Thank you for slowing down, following staff directions, and staying alert. Your cooperation makes a big difference in ensuring a safe and smooth dismissal for everyone.

Student Drop Off/Pick Up

Student drop-off begins at 8:40 a.m. at the main entrance, which serves as the single point of entry each morning. Parents/guardians must park their car and walk their child to the main entrance; no parents enter the building.

Dismissal begins at 3:15 p.m. for all other students. If you are picking up your child, please park in the side parking lot and proceed to the side All-Purpose Room door, where staff will assist with sign-out. We kindly ask that once you have signed your child out, you exit in a timely manner so that dismissal can run smoothly.

Please note: Parents/guardians may not pick up students directly from the main office. All student sign-in and sign-out procedures will take place OUTSIDE the building. For safety, identification is required each time a child is signed out.

If you are picking up your child early, you must do so before 3 p.m. to avoid disrupting dismissal procedures.

REMINDERS:

Always send an email or note if you are picking up your child from school if they're not normally Parent Pick Up.
Inform the office if you are Parent Pick Up every day.

**The email address for these requests is elm.parentpickup@millbrookcsd.org**

*Please be mindful of students in the parking lot during parent pick-up and drop-off. We understand that the parking lot can be busy at these times, and your patience and caution help keep all of our students safe. Thank you for slowing down, following staff directions, and staying alert. Your cooperation makes a big difference in ensuring a safe and smooth dismissal for everyone.

Transportation

Please CLICK HERE or visit the transportation page on our District website. Feel free to call the First Student Bus Company at 845-677-6666 if you need assistance or Transportation Secretary, Jessica McRoberts at 845-677-4200 ext. 1104.

Attendance

“Chronic absence” is defined as missing at least 10% of the school days for which a student is enrolled over the course of an academic year for any reason. It serves as an early warning sign that children may be falling behind academically and are at risk of academic failure.

As a friendly reminder, our Board of Education policy emphasizes that consistent, daily attendance is essential for student success. The Board is committed to reducing unexcused absences, tardiness, and early departures, and we need your partnership to make this possible for your child. We will continue to monitor attendance closely and be in communication when we see these trends and work collaboratively with families to find solutions that ensure we provide interventions aimed at our students maximizing their potential. Our team led by, Principal, Samantha Lynch, and School Psychologist, Michelle Quattrone, will be working with students and their families who are regularly missing school to create personalized plans of support to ensure we get the most of our time at Elm Drive!

A.C.Es (Adverse Childhood Experiences)

Supporting our children mentally, emotionally, and socially is of the utmost importance to the faculty and staff at Elm Drive Elementary. Many children may have difficulty expressing how they feel or adjusting to the social and academic rigors of school. Our staff are learning how exactly these circumstances are impacting the overall well-being of our children, students, and families and want to help navigate these challenging times together.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs, are stressful or traumatic events that can lead to social, emotional, and cognitive impairment that impact the overall functioning of a student. Exposure to ACEs produces chronic stress that often leads to children struggling in school because of their inability to focus, process information, and or cope emotionally.

The importance of continuing to support our children and putting in place protective factors are essential. Understanding how our children experience various circumstances is pertinent for their overall growth and success. Therefore, the mental health staff at the middle school are committed to sharing information about ACEs with school personnel to help guide social-emotional support throughout the building. Thank you for supporting your children at home and partnering with school staff.

If you are interested in learning more about ACEs please visit the following websites:

Please contact Michelle Quattrone (School Psychologist) for any questions or concerns related to ACES.

Michelle.Quattrone@millbrookcsd.org

845 - 677 - 4225 ext. 5216

Handle with Care

If your family is experiencing difficulties at home, we would like to provide additional support at school. We understand that you are not always able to share details and that's okay. If your child is coming to school after a difficult night, morning or weekend, please let us know. A simple email to our team with the subject line "Handle with Care." Nothing else will be said or asked. This will let us know that your child may need extra time, patience, or help during the day.

Click Here To Access the Google Form or Click on the QR Code above

Social Emotional Learning

Click on the SEL letter below for more information about SEL lessons at Elm Drive, Lunch Bunch and Banana Split Groups

Elm Drive SEL letter

Interested in Joining PTO?

Click Here For More Information & Sign-Up!

Get Your Gear!

We encourage students & staff to show their Millbrook Pride by wearing our school colors.

Get your Blazer Friday Fresh Gear Now!

Click here to visit the Millbrook School Store

20% off on Blazer Gear!!!

Lost and Found

If you notice your child’s belongings in the lost and found, please contact the main office at 677-4225 ext. 5108 or ext. 5100.

Student Services Website

The Student Services website is a great resource for students and families. Please check out the details by clicking here.

Updates from Pupil Personnel Services

PPS Office:

We will be resending collaboration portal forms in student backpacks this month. Please be on the lookout and send them back as soon as possible.

ENL Department :

Parents with students in the ENL program should have received an ENL progress report in addition to the report card.

As always, if you have questions regarding your child, please do not hesitate to contact the PPS Office:

Annual Reviews

Alden Place Elementary Annual Review Meetings will be occurring this month! We are excited for the opportunity to come together and begin planning for your child's 26/27 school year. If you have any questions regarding the date of your child's Annual Review Meeting or have any questions leading up to the meeting, please do not hesitate to contact your child's Special Education Case Manager or the PPS Office.

Ana Nyarady - Supervisor of Pupil Personnel Services
- 845-677-4200 ext. 1116
- ananyarady@millbrookcsd.org
Danielle Leonardi - Administrative Assistant
- 845-677-4200 ext. 1107
- danielleleonardi@millbrookcsd.org

Alexandra Ellis- ENL Coordinator
- 845-677-4200 ext. 1109
- alexandra.ellis@millbrookcsd.org
Joann Hobson- Special Education Coordinator
- 845-677-4200 ext. 1107
- joann.hobson@millbrookcsd.org

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