This year National Library Week was being celebrated from April 20-24 with the theme "Find Your Joy" at the library. Sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA), this annual event highlights the essential role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in communities. “Find Your Joy,” is an invitation for people of all backgrounds to explore and discover what sparks joy in them at the library. Whether it is reading on the beanbags, crafting something in the MakerSpace or coding some robots, there is something for everyone. Here at the Middle School we just finished a collaborative Stick Together puzzle with a reading theme, and are participating in a library trivia contest. Each morning a different library-themed question is asked over the announcements.  Homebases race to be the first to call in their answer to the main office, with the highest point homebase receiving a special prize at the end of the week.

 Grades 3-8 New York State English Language Arts (ELA) exam April 30h & May 1st 2026

Grades 3-8 New York State Mathematics exam May 6th & May 7th  2026

The purpose of these exams is the following:

-to provide data and identify student progress in these content areas;

-to identify the needs for Academic Intervention Services (AIS) and to provide more immediate student supports;

-to prepare students for the rigorous testing environment they will experience on the NYS Regents; and

-to predict student performance on Regents exams.

These state assessments do not impact student grades. Instead, they are one of many evaluation measures used to monitor student progress.  

If your child intends to refuse the New York State exam, the District will need you to notify the principal or main office secretary specifically stating your intention to refuse the NYS assessment prior to the test taking day. Math, ELA and 8th Grade Science teachers have created Grade Level assignments for all students who refuse the NYS Examinations. If your child takes Algebra and/or Earth Science they are automatically exempt from these exams since they wil be taking a Regents exam at the end of the school year. This will allow our teachers to collect data and give them the opportunity to assess all students’ current progress within the content area to provide personalized learning for all students. 

Accelerated students who take Algebra and/or Earth Science at the high school are automatically exempt from these exams since they wil be taking a Regents exam at the end of the school year. 

We celebrated National Professional Administrative Assistant Day, we proudly celebrate the incredible dedication, organization, and hard work of our administrative team. Their support is the backbone of our school community, and we are truly grateful for all they do each and every day to keep our building running smoothly. Thank you for your commitment, positivity, and care — we appreciate you, Ms. Winters and Ms. Osborn! We also recognized our School Lunch Heros by writing them a big thank you card for all of the amazing work they do to ensure we have a nuttricious breakfast and lunch daily. They are truly our lunch hero team!

The following students were recognized as Students of the Third Quarter : 

Emmanuel Ashong, Giuliana Berardinelli, Danielle Hennessey, Aaron Rotchfort, Noah Kinsley and Quinn Martin Miller

The time has come for our 6th & 7th graders to take their capstone field trip to Vassar College & the Hudson River this month.  We always look forward to these events as they allow our students to see the history they have learned about all year come to life. 

Parents, be on the lookout for an informational email from your child's team for some important reminders as you start assisting your child in preparing for the trip.  We thank you for all of your support as always.

This month's Blue Ribbon Blazer is Colin Wohlford. Colin is a Millbrook student-athlete who has become an important part of the fabric of our educational community well beyond graduation. Colin can be found throughout the year supporting our students as a substitute teacher and coach throughout the district. When the middle school had an unexpected leave, Colin stepped up and took over all of the daily duties of the physical education department. He came in early to run the intramural program before school, continued the education of PE in grades 6-8, collaborated with our instructional team and went above & beyond to be there socially, emotionally and educationally for all of our students. For all of these reasons and so many more, we are happy to honor Colin Wohlford as our Blue Ribbon Blazer for the month of May. 

Thank you to our ENL team who helped make our ENL World Cup Night a huge success! Students from different grade levels competed in exciting indoor soccer matches against their parents, showing incredible teamwork, sportsmanship, and school spirit. It was a wonderful evening of fun, community, and friendly competition!