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  • End of Year Newsletter: Office of the Superintendent

    END OF YEAR NEWSLETTER Dear School Community, As your family eases into the well-deserved summer recess, please know that the staff and I are filled with immense pride and gratitude for all that was accomplished this past year. While the District and our students earned numerous scholarships, accolades, and trophies in music, art, sports and academics, there are equally significant areas that deserve our appreciation. This year New Milford students also became stronger, better thinkers, and more resilient. When I speak with our dedicated teachers, they sometimes overlook the growth their students achieve because they witness it daily, much like parents do at home. However, from my vantage point, comparing their journey from Day 1 to Day 181, I can unequivocally state that these children have undergone a notable transformation. This growth is a testament to the solid support provided by our teachers, administration, and families, both within and beyond the school walls. None of us could achieve such success for these children in isolation; a collaborative partnership is the singular path to ensuring a truly successful and enriching experience for every child.  As you begin your summer, I sincerely hope you enjoy the opportunity for extra moments with your child(ren). I know firsthand that things can get hectic in the summer, but as the parents of our graduating Class of 2025 will attest, time truly does fly. Before you know it, your child will be on the High School field dressed in cap and gown receiving their diploma. Please enjoy this time. Thank you for your continued partnership and for being an integral part of the New Milford Public School District. Below you will read about many of the happenings in the District over the past month. It has been a busy end of year with a lot to be proud of. I continue to be amazed at how much recognition these students earn outside of the school. We are certainly doing something right. Have a great summer. Sincerely, Peter Galasso Superintendent of Schools DISTRICT UPDATES Graduating Class of 2025 We would like to congratulate, but also thank this Senior class one last time for all that they have accomplished this school year. This graduating class is made up of good, solid kids, who left a legacy of success in their wake; championships, school records, scholarships, and awards. They also have really big personalities, which will make them hard to forget. Their presence in the hallways and at events will certainly be missed. We wish them the best of luck and look forward to hearing about their future successes.  Graduating Senior Tribute Video - Senior Sign Out 2025 (thank-you to Erin Grady and all those who took part in creating and participating in this video) Honoring New Milford Teachers New Milford School district honored 2 separate groups of teachers at the June 18 Board Meeting; 2025 Teachers of the Year, as well as Teacher retirements. Those in attendance posed for a picture with District administration.  Dr. Chrisomalis, Jessica Torre, Ruth Beiner, Jane Swarctz, Lauren Giannettino (Berkley Teacher of the Year), Maureen Westervelt Special Ed. Teacher of the Year), Raymond Cottiers (District Teacher of the Year), Denise Trento, Patricia Fitzpatrick (Gibbs Teacher of the Year), Lou Manuppelli, Joe Andolino, James DeLalla, Patricia Adriance (David E. Owens Teacher of the Year), Peter Galasso, Dave Wilson. (Not pictured; Lynn Torpie (NMHS TOY), Alison Hall-Goldman, Steven Vassallo, Frank Jacob, Dr. Whitney Perro) New Milford Awards & Recognition  Students in New Milford continue to be recognized across the county, state and even nation, for their academic and artistic abilities. We appreciate that the teachers and administration offer these outlets for students, which extend beyond the classroom. We also thank the students for their willingness to take these extra challenges on. MET Paid Internship:   Alisha Choe has been accepted into the highly competitive High School Internship Program at the Metropolitan Museum of Art this summer. With an acceptance rate of just 12%, this prestigious opportunity will give Alisha an incredible advantage if she chooses to go into a profession in this area. As part of the paid internship, Alisha will commute to New York City five days a week to work alongside museum professionals. She’ll engage in hands-on learning experiences with curators, educators, and conservators, experiencing the diverse careers that exist within one of the world’s largest and most respected collections of art. Amazing Alisha! DEO Essay Contest Winners : Camaj and Yorro We have two NJWE Essay contest winners from David E. Owens Middle School for the NJWEA statewide essay contest, which focuses on the water system. We have two students who demonstrated their exceptional writing skills and talents. Sebastian Camaj won 2nd place for the North Section schools and will receive $100. He also won Runner Up for the overall statewide competition and will receive an additional $100. Ailsie Yorro won Runner Up for the North Section schools and will receive $50. Congratulations to them both! Congressional Art Competition: Jamie Lyback Congratulations to Jamie Lyback for participating in the 2025 NJ-05 Congressional Art Competition Showcase. Her artwork was on display at the Bergen County Plaza in Hackensack! Jamie has won several wards this year and is pursuing art in college. Good luck Jamie! Metro Theatre Award Winners  - Outstanding Stage Crew :   The Metro Awards, often called the "Tony Awards for high schools", are an annual celebration of excellence in high school musical theater. The awards ceremony recognizes outstanding achievements in various categories, including overall production, leading actors and actresses, direction, and technical aspects of the productions. We are thrilled to announce that the New Milford High School Stage Crew has been awarded 'Outstanding Stage Crew' at the 2025 Metro Awards for the Little Shop of Horrors Production! This is a tremendous accomplishment and we are proud of the entire staff and all the students who made this production successful.  Solar Sprint Competition: DEO students win awards:    The Junior Solar Sprint (JSS) is a STEM-focused event where students design, build, and race model solar cars. These competitions encourage students to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills while learning about renewable energy and sustainable technologies. 5 groups of DEO students were eligible for the competition and competed this past May in person. DEO students took 1st and second place in craftmanship.  Finance Challenge -   STATE CHAMPIONS : New Milford High School Students:   The Intuit Finance Challenge is played during the month of May which is Financial Literacy Month. NMHS students and their teacher, Ms. Taylor, participated and competed against other high schools throughout the nation. Students competed in an interactive simulation that helps prepare them for their financial future. Student's explored concepts like credit, loans, savings, and investments while building their financial savviness. In this simulation, students made over 40 investment decisions as they allocated their savings between a multitude of investment options and practice diversifying their portfolio to yield the highest return. NMHS placed first in the state! Here are our future leaders in business and finance.  Nationwide Runner Up- Mapman contest: DEO student Irene Choe:    For the past 31 years, Junior Scholastic, a social studies magazine for students in grades 6-8, has brought map skills to life for middle school students nationwide with its popular geography contest. The ' Can You Find Mapman? ' contest challenges students to correctly read a map and answer five questions to determine the location of Junior Scholastic’s senior cartographer, Jim McMahon—and then to draw a map of that place. More than 777 students submitted entries to this year’s contest. McMahon and his wife Helen, a New York City public school librarian, selected the winning map. They also selected 25 runners-up. We are proud to say that Irene Choe of DEO MS was a runner up and will receive  a certificate, $25 gift card, and be named in the Junior Scholastic magazine alongside a copy of her drawing. Placing in the top 25 out of 777 contestants is an amazing achievement. We are very proud of Irene! Jr. Academy Model United Nations Conference: - DEO Pride    8th graders in the Social Studies Honors program attended the 11th annual JAMUN (Junior Academy Model United Nations) conference at the Bergen Academies. Each student was given a country to represent and a world issue to research. With this information, the students had to write a paper explaining their country’s position on the topic and create a solution to solve that issue. During the conference, the students presented their point of view and collaborated with students from different schools located in both New Jersey and New York to write a resolution that they hoped would pass. For David E. Owens Middle School, Anika Thomas received a Verbal Commendation, Eden Clark received Outstanding Delegate, and Yuvraj Patil received Outstanding Delegate. Overall this group did an outstanding job and made our school and community very proud.  Inside Our Schools Lego Master visits B.F. Gibbs Corey Samuels, a Lego master champion, visited the Gibbs school to host a Lego STEM assembly. The Lego master along with the students created a Lego-Knight piece that will be on display in the Gibbs School.   Gibbs and Berkley 'Art for the Sky' (sponsored by the NMEF): Art For the Sky is a unique, team building activity for schools that helps dissolve boundaries that often exist in student daily lives. These enchanting creations are an artful blend of science, history and math: a whole-body way of stimulating the imagination of our students to see the elusive "big picture" and help us better understand our interconnection with all life. Both Gibbs and Berkley received a grant from the NMEF to make this happen. Thank-you to the NMEF, students, parents and administration for working together to make this happen.  (Please click the link below to watch these extraordinary creations !) Gibbs School The Tree of Dreams Berkley School The Dream Dog Dare to Dream Student Leadership Conference: Our Knights of Learning students and Wings Academy clients gave a presentation at the  Dare to Dream Student Leadership Conference hosted by the New Jersey Department of Education. This event is a major milestone for our students, and we are very proud that they presented to other students from across the County at Ramapo College. The conference highlights strategies for middle and high school students with disabilities on self-advocacy and self-determination. Our students and staff worked together to create a video project titled "How to Be Your Best Self-Advocate"  where our students told their own personal stories. Thank-you to Ms. Viole, Mrs. Westervelt, Mr. Coyne, Mrs. Millheim, Mrs. Hall-Goldman, Mrs. Daloisio  and Director of Special Services Mrs. Horn.  In addition, our program held the annual Employer Recognition Breakfast to thank our community partners for working with our students. We have many students who have partnered with local businesses to become active members of the work force and prepare them for real life career opportunities. We are very proud of these students! DEO Orchestra, Band & Choral Performance Adjudication Judges from High Note Festivals came to the NMHS Auditorium to listen and critique our DEO music students. The concert band, string orchestra, and chorus all had great performances and received an in person critique from two formal judges. This equaled 144 students experiencing an adjudication experience...many for the first time. The feedback the students and program received from the judges will enhance our music programs as they continue to grow.                              DEO Chorus                                                            DEO Band County Valedictorian Breakfast Honors Devin Ryan The Bergen County Valedictorian Breakfast is an annual event hosted by the Bergen County Coalition of School Administrators to recognize and honor the valedictorians from high schools across Bergen County. The event includes speeches from county superintendents and board leaders, presentations of awards, and raffles. Valedictorians are presented with plaques of recognition for their academic achievements. Devin Ryan and his parents joined District administration at the breakfast to honor the 2025 NMHS Valedictorian. There is only one Valedictorian at each High School in Bergen County. Each Valedictorian has earned the highest academic achievement in their graduating class over a four year career. Devin gave the annual Valedictorian speech at graduation and next year will be attending West Point University.  New Milford is very proud of all Devin's accomplishments.  County Suicide Symposium hosted at New Milford High School New Jersey Student Support Services (NJ4S) Bergen Hub and New Milford Public Schools welcomed community members and mental health experts into the high school auditorium for a Suicide Prevention Symposium. The symposium helped connect community members with important mental health resources. NJ4S Bergen Hub is a New Jersey Department of Children and Families (NJDCF) program providing a hub-and-spoke model of services and resources to support youth mental wellness in Bergen County. The panel was moderated by Konstantina Bonagura, Prevention Consultant for NJ4S and Dorene Zacher, Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying Coordinator for the New Milford Public Schools. Ms. Bonagura explained, "NJ4S Bergen Hub and New Milford Public Schools came together to support Bergen County students and show a commitment to their mental health. The Suicide Prevention Symposium was part of a greater outreach effort to inform the community that we are part of a resource-rich ecosystem dedicated to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of students and their families.” UPCOMING EVENTS:  (visit the school webpages for more specific information) Upcoming Events June 30:     NMSD  Scholarship Golf Outing July 15:   NM BOE Retreat - 7:00pm (NMHS) August 20:   Camp DEO - 9:00am- 12:00pm (DEO) August 27:   BOE Meeting - 7:00pm (NMHS) September 1:   Labor Day September 2:   First Day for Teachers September 3:   First Day for Students (1/2 Day) Annually the NJDOE releases resources for families at the end of the year that include mental and public health information. These resources can be found here: NJDOE Family Summer Resource Information

    Tuesday, Jul 01 2025

  • April Newsletter: Office of the Superintendent

    APRIL NEWSLETTER Dear School Community, We are happy to share that the 2025-2026 School Calendar has been approved. This calendar was thoughtfully developed incorporating input from our community, students, teachers, and administrative staff. In response to feedback regarding the impact of half-days on our elementary working families, we have reduced the number of half-days by three. Additionally, a key objective was to achieve an earlier student dismissal in June while still recognizing important holidays across our diverse school community. To this end, any unused emergency closing days will be considered for use in support of this goal. However, please be aware that emergency give-back days, also known as black out days, require Board approval and should not be pre-planned.  We cannot overstate the importance of consistent school attendance .  We urge families to plan vacations in accordance with the school calendar to minimize disruption to students' learning . School plays a vital role in a child's life, standing alongside health and family as a top priority. This commitment to regular attendance and engagement with our dedicated teaching staff is essential for academic success and cannot be replicated.  The impact of absenteeism is clear: 1.    Regular attendance increases standardized test performance by 1.5x (Source: Attendance Works). 2.   Chronic absenteeism drops graduation rates by 20% (Source: National Bureau of Economic Research).  3.   Missing 10% or more of school in early grades predicts a higher dropout risk (Source: U.S. DOE). Please make attendance a priority, not just for academics, but to establish crucial work habits that will help set these young men and women apart from those they will compete against for future careers.  In fact, one of the most desired skills that employers are looking for right now is reliability, right alongside communication skills, problem solving and leadership. If we can train our future workforce to simply show up and be reliable, they are already headed in the right direction. Work ethic can begin being reinforced as early as elementary school. Attendance is important . Setting attendance goals for your child(ren) can be an important step in monitoring absences. No more than 5 absences in a school year is recommended, as those students with a 3% or less absentee rate, on average, realize greater academic success than their peers. 2025-2026 NMPSD School Calendar Below you will read about many of the happenings in the District over the past month, as well as some upcoming events that we would be grateful for you to be a part of. As always, your support is greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Peter Galasso Superintendent of Schools DISTRICT UPDATES NJSLA, AP Testing, and SAT's With Spring comes some important assessments for our students that not only help shape their academic career in New Milford, but also helps create opportunities post High School. These tests include the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA), advanced placement (AP) exams, and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). All of these tests are important in their own way. The (NJSLA) provides a measure of student progress and mastery of New Jersey Student Learning Standards, which helps the District develop program and curriculum. These tests are administered in Science, Language Arts and Math. The AP exams offer students the opportunity to earn college credit and advanced placement, demonstrating college readiness and potentially boosting college admission. The NMHS offers approximately 14 AP courses. The SAT's are still the fundamental barometer that many colleges use for college admissions. All these assessments are important in their own way and students should not only be willing to take these assessments, but also strive to do the best they can.   State Released Performance Reports The School Performance Reports reflect the New Jersey Department of Education’s (NJDOE) commitment to providing parents, students, and school communities with a large variety of information about each school and district. These reports can be used as a tool to help evaluate whether all students have equitable access to high quality education. The NJDOE believes that it is critical to use the data in the reports, along with other information collected directly within districts and communities, to start conversations, identify gaps in learning, and continue to find ways to ensure all students receive the support and resources they need. These School Performance Reports will also be used in conjunction with available school and district data to identify priorities for the upcoming year.   There is a lot of information contained in the district and school profiles including; state assessment results, absenteeism, graduation rates, college and career readiness, narratives, etc. When you click the link below, the website allows you to search by school or district. These performance reports were released in April 2025 and reflect the 2023-2024 school year.  Access the Performance reports here:   NJ School Performance Reports New Milford Awards & Recognition  Students from the New Milford Public School District continue to be recognized across the county, state and even nation, for their academic and artistic abilities. We appreciate that the teachers and administration offer these outlets for students, which extend beyond the classroom. We are also thankful that the students are willing to rise to the extra challenge in taking such activities on. Mock Trial Competition : Mock Trial is an educational program offered by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation (NJSBF) that simulates real court cases for students. Nicole Choi (grade 11) and Moses Deus (grade 11) competed at the State Mock Trial competition several weeks ago which saw 216 teams participating with more than 3,400 students from around the state of New Jersey. We would like to congratulate Nicole Choi for achieving FIRST PLACE in the Courtroom News reporter competition. Nicole will now represent New Milford at the National Competition in Arizona this May. HOSA-Future Health Professionals : HOSA is a national student organization focused on developing future healthcare professionals, providing leadership, service, and recognition opportunities for students in health science programs. It aims to prepare students for careers in the health professions through various activities and events, including competitions, leadership conferences, and community service projects.  We are proud to say that Ian Lee (grade 10) placed second at the HOSA State Leadership Conference (SLC) in Dental Terminology. Ian will now be competing at the HOSA International in Tennessee this coming June.    Montclair Theatre Awards Nominations : This annual event recognizes outstanding performances in middle and high school theater productions across New Jersey. The awards celebrate excellence in various aspects of theatre, including; acting, directing, technical aspects, and overall production. The timing of these awards is a little behind, but we are proud to say that last year's middle school musical, Shrek Jr. is up for 3 awards: 1) Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design - Sonia Villavicencio. 2) Outstanding Achievement by a student stage crew - Hannah Cho. 3) Outstanding Performance by an Actor- Amari Rudd.  This 3rd annual awards ceremony will be held on May 19, 2025 at Montclair State University.  Drug Free Bookmark Contest (4th grade): The annual contest challenges fourth-grade students across New Jersey to create original bookmark designs that promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. There were 2,157 entries submitted from across the state. The three Bergen County finalists have been named and one of our very own is up for the Grand Prize. We are proud to report Arianna Dy, from B.F. Gibbs Elementary School will be honored at an awards ceremony on May 6.  Inside Our Schools Principal for a Day - B.F. Gibbs Principal Eleanor Evans, typically a 1st grader at BF Gibbs, traded in her day as a student for the pressures of an Elementary Principal. Principal Evans checked in with teachers, met with the Superintendent, helped ensure sub coverage, and even hosted the first ever Gibbs International Night. Throughout the day she proved to be a bright, confident and organized young lady, who if she so chooses, certainly has a career in education. Thank-you to Mrs. Torre and the Gibbs staff for supporting Ms. Evans.  Berkley Street School Recognizes Autism Advocacy Month The Berkley School School participated in Autism Advocacy Month through a door decorating contest. Ms. Fernandez's homeroom earned first place with the "We're all different, but in this class we swim together" theme. ( pictured far left ). Thank-you to all those who participated. (below are the doors that were decorated)   DEO's - Frozen Jr. Musical The David E. Owens performance of Frozen Jr., under the Direction of Ms. Korzelius (Director) and Mrs. Haderthauer (Producer), took place the first week of April. The set design was remarkable and was only rivaled by the student performances. The Middle School musical boasted a tremendous amount of participation from the student body, grades 6 through 8, with approximately 75 students participating as actors, stage crew, or set artists. The high schoolers chipped in as well for the set design and we cannot thank the volunteer parents and alumni enough for once again, helping to build the set. The Middle School musical was a resounding success because of volunteerism and hard work from students and staff. NMHS Marketing Recruitment Project - NMHS Pride As part of a NMHS marketing course taught by Ms. Taylor, students were tasked with creating a recruitment video as part of a course project. Two students, Johanna Angeles and Maya Akselrod, chose to focus on NMHS, highlighting some of the opportunities the High School offers our students. Their finished product not only exemplifies why they enjoy the New Milford High School, but also allowed them to hone the career skills they acquired from Ms. Taylor's course. NMHS Marketing Recruitment Project NMEF Funded - An Elementary Day in Clay The New Milford Education Foundation, an organization that has provided countless opportunities to New Milford students and staff, provided a grant to both Gibbs and Berkley that brought clay into our classrooms. This special clay does not have to be kiln fired for it to properly harden, but provides most all of the benefits traditional clay offers, including creating pottery. Both art teachers, Mrs. Grammer, Gibbs, and Mrs. Ivchenko, Berkley, welcomed Mr. Mendelson into their classrooms to provide this hands on experience. Exposure to clay will serve the high school programs well, where we offer more advanced pottery courses with spinning wheels, kiln firing, and glazing opportunities. UPCOMING EVENTS:  (visit the school webpages for more specific information) Upcoming Events April 23:     NM BOE Work Session - 7:00pm (NMHS)                   (Student Presentation REACH) April 24:   Black Poster Project - YMCA event April 24:  NMHS Jr./Sr. Art Show (Art Center of New Jersey) April 30:   NM BOE Regular Session - 7:00pm (NMHS) May 5:      Student Short Session (1/2 day for students) May 7:       BOE Work Session - 7:00pm (NMHS)                   (Student Presentation Drug Alliance) May 9:     Pevny Annual Scholarship BBQ - (NMHS) - 3 - 9:00pm May 13:   Senior Academic Awards (Macaluso's) - 6 - 9:00pm May 13:    Bergen County Suicide Prevention Symposium (right) May 15:     NMHS Junior Prom (Sanzari's) 7 - 10:00pm May 16:     NMHS Buddy Talent Show   District Events  29th Annual NMHS Golf Outing - June 30th (click link for Golf Outing Scholarship Fundraiser information) Community Events  New Milford Football and Cheer Registration                                       Black Poster Project - Hope in Action

    Friday, Apr 18 2025

  • February Newsletter: Office of the Superintendent

    FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER Dear School Community, The weeks and months after winter break and leading up to spring break can feel like an eternity. With spring break being so late this year, April 14 - April 18, combined with the dreary, cold days of winter, it can feel like a very long stretch of time without a break for our students. Whereas our teachers love the routine this affords in the classroom, unfortunately, this also the time we begin seeing a lot of absences accumulate for many of our students. Please make every effort to get your child(ren) to school. I have my own children in grades 6, 9 and 12. I feel like I am constantly explaining to them, somedays you are tired, other days you do not feel 100%, and at times you will feel overwhelmed,  but you still go to school ; it is important to build up that stamina and grit.  As adults, we can all relate to feeling tired, less than perfect, or overwhelmed on most days, but we still go to work, raise our families, and handle our responsibilities. We do what we have to do!  Statistically, students with 95% or higher attendance rates (under 9 days absent) earn significantly higher grades then those with lower attendance and are more likely to attend a 4 year college.  There is no replacement for seat time, not just in terms of academics, but also, being present in school has a direct correlation to other intangibles, such as; social networking, building routine, perseverance, work ethic, etc. All of these things are so valuable as our students enter into the next stage of their lives.  Below you will read about many of the happenings in the District over the past month, as well as some upcoming events that we would love for you to be a part of. Thank-you for your support. Sincerely, Peter Galasso Superintendent of Schools DISTRICT UPDATES High School Musical: "Little Shop of Horrors" Come see our New Milford High School students perform "Little Shop of Horrors this week. March 6th  7:00pm March 7th  7:00pm March 8th  2:00pm and 7:00pm To buy tickets please click the link below: Little Shop of Horrors Tickets The play includes a set design that is being nominated for County awards and bigger than life puppets that are operated by our students. When these things are combined with the talent of our students and the live Pit Orchestra (musicians), it is sure to be an amazing performance.  Rare Disease Day On February 28, the District celebrated Rare Disease Day.  Rare Disease Day is an international day of awareness for rare diseases, observed annually on the last day of February. It aims to raise public attention, advocate for research and treatments, and support individuals and families affected by rare diseases. We have students in our school system that are representatives of this population and in celebration and support of acceptance, empathy, and kindness, the district dedicated time to raise awareness in our classrooms. In the elementary schools activity time, read alouds, and lessons were developed that were age appropriate. At the middle school, the 'Science of Rare diseases' was discussed in Science Courses, which included a true cross-curricular activity, linking Science class with an Art class, to have the students develop their likeness with the tapestry of colors representing Rare Disease Day. Pictured below is the David E. Owens display outside the main office.     Profile of a Graduate I’m pleased to share an update on our Profile of a Graduate initiative, launched last school year to define the skills and competencies we want for our students as they prepare for the future. Over the past several months, we have carefully reviewed and disaggregated feedback from our stakeholder survey. This data highlights the core competencies our community values for the children of New Milford. I invite you to review these findings and see how your voices have shaped this important work. Our next steps will include collaborating with students at NMHS to create a visual representation of these shared values, bringing our vision to life in a meaningful and inspiring way. Thank you for your continued support in shaping the future of our students. Profile of a Graduate Survey Responses Unsung Hero Award The Bergen County Unsung Hero Award is an annual award given to a high school senior from each of Bergen County's high schools. The award recognizes students who have made a significant impact on their school and community. New Milford's 2024 - 2025 Unsung Hero is Marcella Brause. After overcoming significant obstacles during her sophomore year, Marcella returned to assume the role of NMHS cross-country captain. Marcella is also a Peer Mentor in the Peer to Peer Physical Education program. This is an inclusive program where peer mentors encourage students with disabilities to actively engage in a general physical education setting. And above all else, Marcella's character is beyond reproach.   Inside Our Schools Valley Healthcare Exhibition Day Gibbs students travelled through six hands-on learning stations to hear from doctors, nurses, and other specialists. Professionals walked the students through a hospital visit and taught them all about the careers that make up the healthcare system. A special thank you to Mrs. Kaitlyn Moceri, CAVS, Manager of Volunteer Resources for Valley Health System, for organizing this amazing event for our students. Mrs. Moceri is also the proud mother of a Gibbs first grade student. Read Across America Read Across America is the nation's largest celebration of reading, intended to motivate and help American kids become aware of and celebrate good reading habits. Read Across America Week was started and created by the National Education Association in 1997. New Milford Elementary Schools dedicated the day to guest readers with notable town dignitaries entering the classroom to "drop everything and read." We cannot thank them enough. Pictured below is Board of Education President, Heather Gomez, taking time to read to Gibbs students. Pictured to the right, Mayor Michael Putrino and New Milford Police Chief Brian Clancy both joined our schools for Read Across America, as well.  David E. Owens Middle School -  Science and the Musical Arts Hands on Science continues to be a focus of DEO. Recently, students have been creating their own fossils, working with simple circuits, and exploring with Polymer Magic. Pictured to the left are some of our 6th grade students taking pride in their curated fossils. This year the musical at David E. Owens Middle School will be Frozen Jr. The entire cast along with parent volunteers, and school staff, Mrs. Haderthauer, Mrs. Korzelius, and Mr. Prete, showed up for the set build. The students, staff and parent volunteers (who we cannot thank enough), spent the entirety of a Saturday morning carrying, hammering, drilling, and helping make the set come to life. Pictured below is the Frozen Jr. cast, and the Saturday helpers. Thank-you again to those parents and former alumni who volunteered their time. We could not do it without you.  NMHS - Cupcakes, Bowling and BUDDY's New Milford Bowling History :   Layla Grund finished her bowling season at the state finals. She had a great year. Here are some of the things she accomplished this season: Winner of the NJIC Vince Albrecht Tournament NJIC Girls 1st team all league NJIC Girls High Average, High Series and High Game Top 10 finish at the BCWCA Tournament 16th Place in the Girls State Finals (Top 100 qualify) BUDDY ( Bullying Undermines Developing Diverse Youths) NMHS students, under the direction of the District Student Assistance Counselor (SAC), Mrs. Zacher, offered a prevention program to third-grade students at both Gibbs and Berkley Elementary Schools.  This program was developed to educate the students on critical aspects of the New Jersey Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act. The third-grade students received an education on: What is bullying? The difference between physical bullying, verbal bullying, and cyberbullying. The importance of being trustworthy, honest, caring, and doing the right thing and the importance of being an UPSTANDER. At the end of the presentation, Mr. Galasso swore in 145 New Milford School District third-grade students as UPSTANDERS. Each student was given a certificate and a BUDDY bracelet to celebrate their willingness to make a difference in their life, their peer's life, and their school community. We would like to thank the following students who were part of the program: Luke Lubnewski, Brooke Seda, Vance Thomas, Belize Nobles, Christine Esguerra, Dylan Fuld. Culinary Cupcake Wars 1,2,3,4….We Declare a Cupcake War! The High School Culinary Arts and International Foods Classes in January participated in Cupcake Wars!  All teams had one week to build and decorate a display, then bake and decorate their cupcakes to go along with the theme of their display.  On the final day students and staff voted.  The grand prize winner was the Lemonade Stand!  All students worked and learned new skills.  Some teams even learned how to pipe icing!  It was a fun and exciting event for all!  The current Culinary classes are very excited to participate in Cupcake Wars again this coming spring. State Sectional Champs: 1st time in History The wrestling success this year is historic for New Milford High School. The team, consisting of 14 seniors, is led led by a strong coaching staff; Ray Cottiers, head coach and assistants, Matt Ulrich, Glenn Ulrich, and Grady Johnson. Coach Cottiers for his teams success won Coach of the Year for the Region, District, and League. Matt Ulrich earned Assistant coach of the year in the North region. The team defeated Kittatinny Reginal High School, a 25x sectional champion, at the sectional finals earlier in the month. This is New Milford's first sectional wrestling championship. The team also won their league. There were also several personal accomplishments; Jerzee Ryan earned his 100th win, which is an amazing accomplishment in the wrestling world. Teammate, Devin Ryan, continued his dominance in the sport. Devin is the Bergen County Champion, New Milford's first 4x District Champion, 4x State qualifier and voted Most Outstanding Wrestler. Devin, will be attending West Point in the Fall where he will continue his wrestling career.   If you would like to order apparel commemorating this championship, please click the link below: New Milford High School Wrestling Champions Gear 2025 (Pictured above is the 2024-2025 High School wrestling team led by Coach Raymond Cottiers.) Award Winning Architect Presents to NMHS Students On February 20th, Tom Grassi, a fellow of the American Institute of Architects, presented to our students on the use of Geometry in Architecture. Mr. Grassi shared his passion for drawing, architecture, and the over 38 years of projects he is proud to have been a part of. As an employee of the Port Authority of NY & NJ for 30 years and a survivor of the September 11th World Trade Center attacks, our presenter shared his contributions to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum along with his work on the Oculus Transportation Hub. Currently, as an architect with the firm HNTB, Mr. Grassi is designing the updated Newark Airport AirTrain, a replacement to his original design from early on in his career. Most recently, Mr. Grassi's United Airlines Terminal C Recomposure Benches have gained national recognition as the recipient of the Engineering Excellence National Recognition Award given by the American Council of Engineering Companies. Contemporary Math and Honors Geometry classes, along with students interested in architecture, saw how geometry concepts such as circle radii, trigonometry, area, and volume have been applied to his architectural designs. Students saw how drones, 3D printing, and other newer technologies are aiding in the design and construction of the new and more efficient transportation systems Mr. Grassi is working on.   UPCOMING EVENTS:  (visit the school webpages for more specific information) Upcoming Events March 6  - NMHS Spring Musical Opening Night: 7:00pm March 7 - NMHS Spring Musical: 7:00pm March 8:   - NMHS Spring Musical: 2:00pm                 -   NMHS Spring Musical: 7:00pm March 10  - Student 1/2 Day / Teacher Prof. Development March 11   - NJGPA (state Test) Grade 11 begins March 14 -Empty Bowls Fundraiser: 5:00-8:00pm, NMHS March 18 - Board of Education Work Session: 7:00pm March 20 - World Language Honor Society Induction: 6pm March 26 - Board of Education Regular Session: 7:00pm                   - DEO Science Fair: 6:30pm March 27 -  New Milford Education Foundation Gala (please consider attending)  District Events  29th Annual NMHS Golf Outing - June 30th (click link for Golf Outing Scholarship Fundraiser information) Empty Bowls Fundraiser- March 14 (Hand made bowls by students- all proceeds donated to the Church of Ascension Food Pantry of New Milford)

    Wednesday, Mar 05 2025