Dear Elm Drive Families,
Dear Elm Drive Families,
Embedded Files
September has been a month of students getting to know their teachers, building new routines, and celebrating our first Blazer Assembly, where we recognized students and a faculty member who demonstrated our core values, PEACE. You can read more about our values in the newsletter below.
As we enter October, we have many exciting events planned! October is Fire Prevention Month, and we look forward to welcoming the Millbrook Fire Department for a special assembly. We will also celebrate Spirit Week with fun activities for our students and families. All October dates and events are included below, and our calendar is always available on the Elm Drive building webpage.
We have also completed two evacuation drills so far this year. A BIG thank-you to our teachers, safety team members, and local law enforcement partners for helping keep our students safe. Families will continue to receive at least one week’s notice before each drill.
This year, we will continue our work with MTSS to support students academically, behaviorally, and socially-emotionally through high-quality instruction, targeted interventions, positive behavior supports, and RULER. We are also excited to provide spaces such as our Sensory Room and Calming Room to help students regulate, refocus, and thrive.
I look forward to partnering with you throughout the year as we support your children’s growth and success.
Find more information below for important updates, reminders, and resources to support you and your child this year.
Best,
Samantha Lynch
Samantha.Lynch@millbrookcsd.org
845-677-4225 ext. 5102
Elm Drive Elementary Principal
Upcoming Dates
Upcoming Dates
October 9: Early Release (11:40 dismissal)
October 12: Columbus Day (NO SCHOOL)
October 13-16: Spirit Week (see below)
October 15: Fire Prevention Assembly (ALL Grades)
October 30: Halloween Parade (more information to come)
Our Core Values
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.
At Elm Drive, our core values are PEACE—Purpose, Ethics, Acceptance, Community, and Evolution. Along with academic learning, we believe it is important to help our students develop the social-emotional skills and sense of belonging they need to grow and thrive. Through RULER and our Core Values, we intentionally build and celebrate these skills throughout the year.
Each month, teachers have the opportunity to nominate students who demonstrated one or more of our PEACE values, and we were proud to recognize one student from each grade level at our first Blazer Assembly. Their nominations will be proudly displayed at the school entrance as a reminder of the wonderful qualities our students bring to our community.
We also recognized First Grade Teacher, Ms. Guzman, for her kindness, patience, and dedication to our students and staff. She creates a welcoming classroom where everyone feels valued and supported. Her positive attitude and care for others truly exemplify our PEACE values. Congratulations, Ms. Guzman!
Content & Special Area Learning!
Physical Education
Physical Education
Students have been having fun with parachute activities, including the popular game “Sharkbite,” in P.E.
Our 1st and 2nd graders have also started Progressive Stepback to continue developing and mastering their throwing and catching skills.
Pre-K Art
Pre-K Art
Our Pre-K students welcomed fall with a fun apple-themed art project! After learning about how apples grow and exploring their different parts, students created colorful apple compositions using paint and collage elements.
Students practiced brush-handling skill, and strengthened their fine-motor skills as they cut out stems and leaves.
Pre-K Music
Pre-K Music
Pre-K has been practicing steady beat through movement activities, and learning the difference between high and low sounds.
First Grade Apple Learning
First Grade Apple Learning
First graders made applesauce while practicing "how-to" writing, and learning about the apple life cycle. Students explored the parts of an apple, learned how seeds grow into apple trees, and enjoyed a tasty applesauce treat!
K–2 students are off to a great start with UFLI phonics! Our Kindergarten readers are already building confidence as they practice their Heart Words—words they need to learn “by heart.” Students eagerly volunteered to practice writing on their classroom learning screens, and it has been wonderful to see their excitement, confidence, and willingness to try grow each day. We are so proud of our young readers!
We show our Blazer Pride every day, and Fridays are extra special! Staff wear their Blazer gear, and we encourage our students to join in! We’ve had a fantastic start to the school year, learning about Constitution Day, honoring Patriot Day, participating in the Scholastic Book Fair, and celebrating our school community. We’re excited for all October has in store!
04748d33dad36fdffd0673306547a23e.MP4Happy Constitution Day from Kindergarten! Mrs. Hobson and Mrs. Dunstan’s class read, We the Kids by David Catrow and talked about the importance of rules. Then, they wrote their own class constitution and promise, proudly signing it with their thumbprints!
Kindergarten Counting Cafe!
Students used what they are learning about counting and number formation to place their orders, write how many, and count out "food" items to serve to their friends.
Get In Touch
Attendance
To communicate information about absences or lateness, please email: elm.attendance@millbrookcsd.org.
Transportation
If you need to make a change to your child's pick up for the day, please use the following email address to do so, as we need changes in writing. elm.parentpickup@millbrookcsd.org
Individual teachers
To reach your child's teacher, click the letter icon on SchoolTool next to the teacher's name.
School Psychologist
Elizabeth Rizzi
X5126, elizabeth.rizzi@millbrookcsd.org
Nurse
Donna Delaney
X5104, donna.delaney@millbrookcsd.org
Main Office
Mary Beth Griffen
X5100, marybeth.griffen@millbrookcsd.org
&
Janet Monahan
Annual Notifications
Annual Notifications
Please click here to proceed to the MCSD website with all of the Annual Notifications, Technology Use, and Code of Conduct forms which MUST be completed. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the main office.
DO NOT PUBLISH: Click here to complete form indicating you DO NOT want your child's photo, video, interview, web pages or student work published.
Let's Keep Each Other SAFE!
Transportation & Attendance
Transportation & Attendance
Student Drop Off/Pick Up
Student Drop Off/Pick Up
Student drop-off begins at 8:40 a.m. at the main entrance, which will serve 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 PreK students and 3:20 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. For safety, identification is required each time a child is signed out.
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 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.
To communicate about absences, please email:
elm.attendance@millbrookcsd.org.
If you need to make a change to your child's pick up for the day, please use the following email address to do so, as we need changes in writing. The email address is: elm.parentpickup@millbrookcsd.org
Bike Rack!
Bike Rack!
We’ve noticed more of our Elm Drive students riding their bikes to school, so we thought a bike rack would be a great addition to our school! We’re excited to provide a designated spot for students to safely park their bikes while they’re at school.
“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, Elizabeht Rizzi, 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!
Social Emotional Learning
Click on the SEL letter below for more information about SEL lessons at Elm Drive, Lunch Bunch and Banana Split Groups
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 Elizabeth Rizzi (School Psychologist) for any questions or concerns related to ACES.
Elizabeth.Rizzi@millbrookcsd.org
845 - 677 - 4225 ext. 5126
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
Elm Drive Back To School Night
Thanks for Coming!
Nurse's Corner
Food Services
Millbrook_MySchoolBucks_Parent_Flyer.pdfUpdates from Pupil Personnel Services
Consistency Across Schools
We’re working to make sure families have the same smooth experience with PPS District Wide.
504 Plans
Annual and reevaluation consents have been sent out. If you haven’t received yours, please call the PPS office. A special thank you to Danielle Leonardi for organizing this process!
IEP Collaboration Portal
Consent forms were sent home so families can receive secure updates and notifications. Need another copy? Contact PPS and we’ll resend it.
Staff Training
CPI Training: Small group sessions have been organized for staff in CPI
CPR/AED Training; Targetted staff have been organized and trained to keep our students safe
English as a New Language (ENL) Services
ENL support started on the first day of school. We’ve welcomed many new students this month. Thank you to Ms. Ellis, our ENL Coordinator, for helping with assessments, placements, and family communication.
As always, if you have questions regarding your child, please do not hesitate to contact the PPS Office:
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
Interested in Joining PTO?
Interested in Joining PTO?
Thank You to our Partners!
Thank You to our Partners!
A special thank-you to our PTO, Sports Boosters, and Millbrook Educational Foundation (MEF) for all they do for our students and school community. Their time, generosity, and hard work support opportunities in our classrooms, on our playing fields, and beyond. We are grateful for their partnership and for everyone who volunteers to help make Millbrook such a wonderful place to learn and grow.
PTO Fun Facts.pdfGet Your Gear!
Every Friday 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!!!
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