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Dear Millbrook Families...
Dear Millbrook Families...
October 2025
MMS Families,
Blazers are back and better than ever! We would like to thank all the families that came out for our MMS Back to School Night. It is such a pleasure to meet with you and see the incredible supporters our students have at home (check out some great pictures from the night below). Our MMS teachers are gushing about what an amazing start we have had with our students. There have been very few issues with student cell phones and inappropriate behavior. We have seen many big smiles and helpful faces. As evidenced at Back-to-School Night, our maintenance crew continues to support us with creating a learning environment with the most up-to-date facilities.
We NEED Your Help! If you have any cool pictures of our students in action, we would LOVE to see them and promote them on Instagram, X, and our Newsletter. Please email any images to mms.attendance@millbrookcsd.org
Attendance, lateness, and student sign-outs will be handled in the main office. Call 677-4210, x3129 to report an absence as soon as possible in the morning. An email communication to MMS Attendance is an acceptable and legal form of communication: mms. attendance@millbrookcsd.org
Call the main office in the case of an extended absence (two or more days) so that we are aware. Please be sure that work is done and submitted in a timely fashion so long as your child is well enough to complete it. Having our students in the building is the only way we can truly ensure students are getting everything they need in order to be successful. As a school, we will contact families and work with students who have excessive absences in order to create a plan to be in class daily.
We have a lot of important information to share with you below!
-Steven Cabello
MMS Principal
Dates to Note for the October:
October 10th- 1/2 day early dismissal for students at 11:05 AM
October 13- Columbus Day School closed
October 14-17 Spirit Week
October 17- PINK out! & NY Finest Presentation
October 31st- Happy Halloween! (Students are encouraged to come in school-appropriate costumes for our parade)
November 19- Parent Teacher Conferences early dismissal
November 20- Parent Teacher Conferences early dismissal (Evening Conferences Available)
November 26-28 Thanksgiving Recess
Attendance Matters
“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 the Commisioner of Education emphasizes that consistent, daily attendance is essential for student success. We are 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 Dean of Students, Mr. Gilroy, 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 MMS!
Opening Days at MMS!
This past month all students met in the gymnasium with Mr. Cabello and we discussed kindness and inclusion. Millbrook Middle School is a place where we welcome, embrace, empower and celebrate our differences. The first three days of school students made grade level charters, did RULER activities, particpated in team building excercises and we built expectations for our learning community. We encourage all students to get to know those who are different than we are and learn about our differences. It was made clear that intolerance, hate speech and general mean behavior will NOT be tolerated at MMS. Students were informed of DASA and its implications when it disrupts the learning environment and negatively affects a student’s life at school. Students were very receptive and have proven so with their actions as we have had no infractions of this type to start the school year.
One great way to be a part of the fabric of the Millbrook Learning Community is to get involved in after school activities. Students also were gathered separately to discuss all of the opportunities that they have to get involved after school. We encourage students to take part in clubs, sports and after school help provided by our incredible staff here at MMS.
Safety At MMS
We have been working hard on preparing our students on all of the necessary safety procedures that could possibly happen to ensure our preparation. Our teachers have been trained and have spent the beginning of the year educating students on these procedures in all of their classrooms. Over the course of the last few weeks we have successfully completed 4 evacuation drills and one lockdown drill & hold-in-place with the assistance of law enforcement. We cannot thank our SRO Deputy Freer, our local and state police, and our safety team members that ensure that we are prepared in the event of any emergency. We work to make our drills as realistic as possible utilizing teachers and staff to be put in situations where they must react to take measures to keep us safe. We have prioritized real life situations where we have faculty and staff (especially new ones) use our pull stations during drills. We have recently updated all of our pull stations to ensure that we are up to date and maintaining all of our saftey procedures. Great work by Ms. Genna, Mr. Z (and his students) and Ms. Nyarady on locating and sucessfully activating our drills.
Another safety measure that we utilize is our sign out procedure. If you or a family member are picking your student up from school early, please make sure that you have an ID available to show the greeter, Mr. Bianco.
***As a reminder, on November 10, 2025, we will be doing a simulated shelter in place / shelter drill that will culminate with an early evacuation drill at 2:15 PM. Please make sure to recognize your child will arrive home roughly 15 minutes earlier than usual on this date. After school activities will still be available to students on this date***
This and next week will continue to practice our safety drills throughout the week. Students and staff are doing an incredible job!
A.C.Es (Adverse Childhood Experiences)
Supporting our children mentally, emotionally, and socially is of the utmost importance to the faculty and staff at MMS. 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 Jennifer Obrizok (School Psychologist) or Kelly Domino (School Counselor) for any questions or concerns.
Jennifer.Obrizok@millbrookcsd.org
845 - 677 - 4210 ext. 3108
Kelly.Domino@millbrookcsd.org
845 - 677 - 4210 ext. 3109
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.
What can I do to help?
Parents as Partners!
What can I do to help?
Parents as Partners!
Thank you to families who have adjusted beautifully to the new school year. At Open House, in-person and via email we have had multiple parents ask, what can we do to support the work that goes on at MMS? Here are the cliff notes:
-Create routines for your child at home to ensure that they are ready to go in the morning. This includes regular bed times, meal preparations, and planning for appropriate dress for the school day; it's getting cold, dress warm!
-Make sure your child comes to school daily AND on time. Every second we get with our students makes a huge difference in the growth that we can make in their education!
-Be in communication. Speak with your child’s teachers directly or as a team to ensure you know exactly how to support them in different courses.
-Remind them that their cell phones should be in their locker! If you find your child texting during the day, please do not respond. Students who are using their phones during the day will have them confiscated.
-Promote their independence. Encourage your child to advocate for themself and to address issues with the appropriate person. Now is the time to confront issues head on, but seek assistance with all of the people who support them here daily.
-Please review with your child what their contingency plans are should their club or after school activities get canceled. The main office can relay messages to your children, however there is always the chance that messages can slip through the cracks. Please also review with your child all important phone numbers they should have memorized, along with their home addresses. Not knowing your home address is of course a safety concern, but also delays our late bus process.
-Lastly, and most importantly, be their cheerleader. Everyone needs their parents in their corner!
Fall Sports are Underway!
Schedule Changes & Drops
Schedule changes and drops will be made only when needs are clearly indicated.This year’s deadline was Tuesday, September 30th. After this date all requests to drop/change courses will require a parent conference with the teacher, counselor, student and principal. These requests will only be granted if absolutely necessary. The request will not receive final approval until the appropriate steps have been taken.
SchoolTool & Parent Portal
We are very happy to announce that the SchoolTool portal is now available to all MMS and MHS students! The tech team has created and enabled accounts for all middle and high school students which they can now use to access SchoolTool via the Google account sign-on option from the web portal. The attached document provides step-by-step directions on how to access their accounts.
A HUGE THANK YOU to our Technology Team for putting in the work to get this activated, tested, and provide the attached directions document to simplify the process as much as possible.
Millbrook Central School District Presents:
Internet Safety Night with NY’s Finest – Thomas Grimes
Millbrook CSD is proud to welcome back Thomas Grimes, a retired NYPD Detective and renowned safety advocate, for a virtual internet safety presentation open to all district families.
About the Presenter:
Thomas Grimes is a United States Air Force veteran and a retired NYPD Detective with over 20 years of service. He began his career in the Bronx at the 46th Precinct and went on to serve in elite federal task forces, investigating international narcotics operations with the FBI and DEA. His work took him from New York City to the Caribbean and South America. He also served as a first responder on 9/11 and has provided security for world leaders, including four U.S. Presidents and Pope John Paul II.
Now, Tom channels his deep experience into educating students and families about real-world dangers in the digital age. He speaks nationally on how to protect children from online threats, including cyberbullying, inappropriate content, predators, and digital footprints.
Why Attend:
This session will help parents:
Understand the latest online trends and platforms
Learn how to talk with children about safe and responsible digital behavior
Identify potential warning signs and risk factors
Take actionable steps to create a safer online environment at home
Virtual Presentation Details:
Date: Tuesday, October 14
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Online via Google Meet (link provided in district calendar and email)
This event is open to all K–12 families. We encourage you to join us from the comfort of your home to learn how we can partner together to keep our children safe online.
PLUS:
Mr. Grimes will be visiting Millbrook High School in person on Friday, October 17 to speak directly with students in grades 6–12 about internet safety, digital responsibility, and making smart choices online.
Early Bird Special -
Order your yearbook now!
Yearbooks are currently on sale with reduced pricing of $25 through October 31st.
Price will increase to $35 on November 1st, so reserve your copy now!
Go to the Yearbook online ordering site www.yearbookordercenter.com and enter our school code 13773.
Get 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!!!
A note from Student Services
For Resources, News & Announcements from our School Counseling department, please visit our webpage by clicking here.
Updates 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.
County Collaboration
We recently joined other PPS Directors from across Dutchess County to share ideas and strengthen support for students.
Staff Training
CPI Training: A small group was trained Sept. 26, with a larger session on Nov. 4.
Behavior Support: We’re exploring new training through Dutchess BOCES to build positive and lasting classroom strategies.
Nursing Coverage
While hiring continues, substitute nurses are stepping in to keep our schools covered. We are grateful for their support!
English as a New Language (ENL) Services
ENL support started on the first day of school. We’ve welcomed three new students this month. Thank you to Ms. Ellis, our new 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:
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
MMS Back to School Night...
Thanks for Coming!
Veterans Invited!
Annual Veterans Day Breakfast Assembly
Monday, November 10th
8:00 AM
Millbrook Middle School
Blazers in Action!
A GREAT Way to Get Involved
This is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to get involved in our learning community. This is a great way to get community service hours for things like National Junior Honor Society and beyond!
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