

SPOTLIGHT
on New Milford Schools

Message from Superintendent, Dr. Janet Parlato
Dear New Milford Public Schools Families, Faculty, Staff, and Community,
The time between our February long weekend and the April vacation week is an important time for consistent learning, as students are nicely settled into school routines, and we tend to have fewer disruptions due to weather. Throughout each week, I find myself in each of the five schools, and it is indeed a pleasure to see our students engaged in their work, asking questions, assisting peers, and considering big ideas. At the same time, teachers are continuing their professional learning by discovering our new K-3 reading series, Bookworms; considering middle school Math resources; using student performance information to plan lessons; and thinking about the best ways to teach reading in each subject area. The efforts needed to maintain a culture of learning for students and adults never cease, and we are rewarded with progress and growth in every school because of this hard work. In the pages of this edition of the Spotlight on New Milford Schools, you will see many examples of our students' and staff members' efforts and progress which we are proud to share with you.
Sincerely,
Janet P. Parlato, Ed.D.
Important Dates
- March 9th - Daylight Savings Time Begins
- March 10th - St. Baldrick's Foundation -Greenwave Braves the Shave, 2:30-5:00, NMHS
- March 13th - Staff PD (2 hour Delayed Opening for Students)'
- March 14th - Opening Day for Legally Blonde, The Musical (see below for all performance dates & deets) NMHS
- April 14th-18th - Spring Recess (SCHOOLS CLOSED)
- May 15th - Early Dismissal - Staff PD
- May 26th - Memorial Day (SCHOOLS CLOSED)
- June 14th: Graduation ~ 10:00am @ NMHS Joe Wiser Stadium🎓
Parent POV
By Adrienne Williams
I remember all those years ago, when you begged to do gymnastics. I never wanted you to because of what I knew it would do to your body, but we caved and decided to “let you give it a try.” We know how that story ended up going. I also remember you looking up to the girls in the gym and asking me, “Mom, do you think one day I could be a level 10?” I told you yes, that with hard work and determination, you could do anything. Fast-forward thirteen years, through failures and falls, triumphs and perseverance. After a wildly successful year of placing second at Regionals and securing a spot to represent Region 6 at Eastern Nationals. After winning SWC’s three years in a row and being named one of the top 15 gymnasts in CT to watch, you were ready to be a level 10. This past summer, I watched you work harder than you ever have. You were nailing the skills it would take to be amazing as a level 10, and to finish your high school career breaking records, something you worked tirelessly for for 13 years, training 3-4 hours a day, 5 days a week, 365 days a year.
Then it happened…a botched beam dismount.
The doctor told you it was a mild subluxation of your left shoulder, put you in PT, and you carried on. However, it happened again, and this time worse, with a full dislocation. It was hard that day in November, seeing the tears spill down your cheeks as the doctor rattled off a laundry list of injuries to that shoulder, followed by the words, “you need surgery.” After much deliberation, you begged the doctor to let you try to have some semblance of a senior year, to get that opportunity to compete as a level 10 and break those records. He agreed but was realistic in saying it may or may not happen. Here is where life lessons kick in, resilience, versatility. Even when things don’t work out the way you want them to, there are still blessings to be recognized. You had a choice…one that a 17 year old shouldn’t have to make. But you were determined, once again, to make it. You took a month off, worked hard in PT, and although you could do watered down versions of each event, the harder skills were tougher, and the shoulder kept dislocating. You and your coach were at a crossroads, and a decision was made that crushed you. You would never be able to compete as a level 10. All those years of sacrifice, missed birthday parties, sleepovers, family events; the bumps, the tears, the successes of doing something you love so much, was coming to an end sooner than you had wanted. You were devastated, but you decided to conquer as much of your high school season as you could. Each time you compete, I cry, because (in your words), you are “giving it your all each time you are out there, because it might be your last.” For 13 years, I have watched you in this sport, and it has brought me such joy. I have seen you struggle and watched you succeed. You have gotten to a place in your sport that some never make it to. Gymnastics is often mentally tougher than its physical demands, and you have proven to be one of the toughest ones out there. You are an inspiration to so many. I can say, without a doubt, that you have inspired me as well. And although being hesitant all those years ago, I am immensely grateful for the discipline this sport has given you, and all the life lessons that have gone along with it.
I’m not sure I’ll ever see you vault again, or swing the bars so gracefully like you always have.
I don’t know if I’ll ever hold my breath while you throw yourself backwards on a beam, or watch you tumble across the floor. But I have all the memories, and I have loved watching you do what you love, all of these years. You will forever be our MVP, and Dad and I will forever be your number one fans.
I don’t know what you’ll do next kid, but I’m sure it will be great.
Love,
Mom
2025-2026 Budget Information
Did you know that the Powerschool App does not show student report cards? To see report cards you must use your browser on a computer, phone or any other device that allows you to login to your New Milford powerschool parent account.
New Milford Public School uses a third party vendor to create and email report cards and the PowerSchool app does not accept any third party access to their app. Please be aware that logging in to your account with the link above will allow you to see actual report cards as well any archived report cards or forms from New Milford Public School whenever they are needed.
If you have any trouble logging in to your parent portal, please put in a technology ticket here or call your child’s school for assistance. Always check your portal on a browser if you don’t see something you are looking for on your app, there is always more data on the browser option than the app.
🐾 A Lovely Visit from Alamo ! 🐶
Alamo stopped by Central Office on Feb. 28th ! Alamo is NMPD's community outreach , victim support, and officer wellness dog. Thank you to Officer Legan for bringing our new friend to visit. Alamo is welcome anytime !
Alamo has Arrived !
Alamo takes over Dr. Parlato's desk
Officer Legan and Alamo
NMHS News
New Milford High School
Mr. Raymond Manka, Principal
Mr. Kevin Best, Assistant Principal
Dr. Megan Dwyer, Assistant Principal
Mr. Anthony Blake, Assistant Principal
French Honor Society Delivers Valentines to Seniors
New Milford seniors, on vous aime!!
Schaghticoke Middle School
860-354-2204
Ms. Linda Scoralick, Principal
Mr. Michael Boucher, Assistant Principal
Ms. Shannon Surreira, Assistant Principal SMS/NES
Mrs. Jennifer Powers, Assistant Principal
SMS News
Ed Gerety
On Tuesday, February 4th, nationally renowned inspirational speaker, Ed Gerety visited Schaghticoke Middle School for three grade-level assemblies titled, Catching Waves: Shaping Your Future Today. Ed captivated our audience with powerful messages of respect and responsibility, consequences of choices, being kind and inclusive, acknowledging and expressing gratitude, and the courage to believe in oneself. Active participation was encouraged throughout the assemblies and Ed raved about SMS’s participation and citizenship during each assembly.
Ed Gerety also met with the SMS Student Leaders for a Change group to hear about the work they are currently doing, and to introduce the students to new activities and ideas to help promote and lead positive change within the SMS community. We look forward to continuing Ed’s powerful messages through leading gratitude activities as a whole school, and to enhance student self-confidence through projects pertaining to future goals, hopes, and dreams.
News from 7 Yellow
Students on team 7 Yellow have been engaged in a lot of project based learning!
In grade 7 students take a year long course called Communication Arts. Recently students have been working on a project designed to showcase the skills they have built in the first half of the school year. Students chose a persuasive topic they were passionate about or wanted to learn more about to explore through a series of assignments. After multiple days of research on their topic, students worked with their notes to create Doodle Notes. Doodle notes are designed to mix the qualities of the left and right brain to better understand a concept/topic. To maximize the effects of these benefits, a special blend of characteristics is required to create the perfect left/right brain interactive note-taking experience. This work will be beneficial as students become experts on their topics and create either a TedTalk, Podcast, Vlog or Blog to inform others on their topic.
In Social Studies students also learned about the geography of the African continent as well as learning about the “Scramble for Africa,” and Imperialism, as well as Apartheid in South Africa. Students also finished their Egypt projects, which were excellent! Students are currently learning about the major monotheistic religions of the Middle-East, and we will move onto current events in the region next.
Sarah Noble Intermediate School
860-210-4020
Mrs. Anne Bilko, Principal
Mrs. Jennifer Chmielewski, Assistant Principal
Mrs. Jennifer Meyers, Assistant Principal
SNIS News
Visit from President Lincoln
Sarah Noble 5th Graders enjoyed a visit from President Abraham Lincoln. President Lincoln shared many anecdotes from his life and through his presidency. He also led the students in reciting the Gettysburg Address. Students were able to participate and ask questions of the former president as well.
Pilobolus Movin
Throughout the month of February, our 4th graders have participated in Movin workshops with Pilobolus! Movin is an in school workshop residency led by the Pilobolus Artists.
Students learn to express themselves in collaborative, physical movements with lots of humor along the way. Students have had a wonderful time!
World Language Expo Moments
Once again this year, we were happy to welcome back NMHS teacher Nina Money‘s language honor society students to present a language fair for 5th-grade students. SNIS students were able to spend time learning about the culture and language of multiple countries.
STEM classes at SNIS:
We were fortunate to have Mrs. Bonnell, K-5 STEM teacher back at SNIS. All three grades learn to think broadly about the world around them, work collaboratively, and create. Here our third graders are creating their very own arcade!
SNIS Grade 4 Chess Club
With over 60 enthusiastic members, the SNIS Grade 4 Chess Club was a hub of strategy, learning, and fun! Guided by four dedicated mentors—Lucas, Freya, Henry, and Bethany—along with our generous parent volunteer, Mr. Schriver, students played over 400 games, sharpening their skills in one of the world’s oldest and most strategic games. Beyond the board, they demonstrated kindness, positivity, and a willingness to learn. Mr. Delia and Mrs. Keppel could not be more proud of the incredible growth and sportsmanship shown by every student.
Keep thinking ahead, keep challenging yourself, and keep playing chess!
Hill & Plain Elementary School
860-354-5430
Mrs. Catherine Calabrese, Principal
Mrs. Kerri Adakonis, Assistant Principal
HPS News
Family Paint Night!
HPS’s PTO hosted a night of 2 sessions of “free” Family Paint Night! Mommy’s Board Silly provided the project that was completed by each family. It was so much fun!
Welcome, Mrs. Mascoli !
26th Annual Elementary Celebration of the Arts by the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS)
National School Counseling Week
Happy National School Counseling Week to Mrs. DeGennaro! Thanks for helping us and teaching us about feelings and how each one is normal! Our students are learning how to identify and fluctuate between each.
Hip Hip Hooray - it’s the 100th Day!
Learning Walks
The Leadership Team was part of the 1st in-house Learning Walk at HPS. There were celebrations for the trends of learning. Learning Walks bring us beyond our own classrooms to observe learner-centered practices and bright spots in classroom environments, celebrate strengths, and identify trends to inform future support—all in a non-evaluative way.
Happy President's Day !
What is Citizenship ?
Our February whole-school assembly was to reiterate school expectations as well as define what CITIZENSHIP is and how to be a kind and productive community member of Hill and Plain and New Milford. Thanks to Mrs. McCarthy’s class for your help!
Northville Elementary School
860-355-3713
Mrs. Gwen Gallagher, Principal
Ms. Shannon Surreira, Assistant Principal SMS/NES
NES News
We Choose Love
Love is in the air! Here at Northville we choose LOVE every day of the year, not just on Valentine's Day.
The Kindergarteners celebrated 100 days of school on Feb 4th. They dressed up as Senior Citizens with glasses, hats and curlers.
The Kindergarten Teacher Team had a different theme - they "rocked" the first 100 days!
101 Days of School 🐶
100 Year Old "Ladies"
100 Year Old "Men"
One of the 101 Dalmatians
Excel Using Tablets to Learn the Alphabet
Our Excel classes enjoy learning their alphabet and using their tablets. Storytime is fun too!
Spirit Day and Family Bingo Night !
February 7th was Townwide Spirit Day. It was fun to see everyone supporting their favorite teams and players! February 7th was also Family Bingo Night, sponsored by PTO! Nessy, Mrs. Surreira, Mrs. Tufts and Mrs. Fidalgo joined the fun.
Kids in first grade enjoyed creating Non-Fiction books about NES!
Outstanding Arts at the 26th Annual Celebration of the Arts at CAS
Avery in Second Grade received the Outstanding Arts at the 26th Annual Celebration of the Arts from CAS. Here he is in a photo with Mrs. Gallagher and Mrs. Surreira who both attended the event. Shreeji (not pictured) in second grade also won for NES!
National School Counseling Week
National School Counseling Week 2025 was February 3 - 7. Our School Counselor, Mrs. Lisa Tarsa, makes a difference every day at NES and we appreciate her! This week is earmarked to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within US schools . Thank you Mrs. Tarsa!
Black History Month
February was Black History month! Throughout the month, students learned about the history, accomplishments and unique contributions of the black community.
Dental Hygiene and KidSight
February also marked visits from Caceci Family Dentistry to teach our second graders about Dental Hygiene as well as The Lion's Club of New Milford who performed their "KidSight" initiative which was a free eyesight screening for all students (with permission to be tested). A sincere THANK YOU to both parties for offering these services!
Thank You, Bus Drivers !
We appreciate the hard work of our bus drivers! We know that driving a school bus can be challenging, but we wanted to give a shout out to our bus drivers for the job they do. Thank you.
Mannie Nogueira, Professional BMX Athlete Visits NES
Mannie Nogueira, Professional BMX Athlete, came to the school for his BMX assembly which was super fun for the kids. The assembly was all about showing kindness and being a good friend.
Collecting Plastic with LHTC Students & Groundhog Day
The students from LHTC continue to help us collect plastic for our soon-to-be upcycled bench!
February 2nd was Groundhog Day and Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. According to the legend it means six more weeks of winter! Here's hoping good ole Phil is wrong this time!
Get In The Game
Winter Southwest Conference Championship Teams
On February 5th, the New Milford High School Dance team won the SWC Championship in the Jazz Division which is the first SWC Championship for our Dance team in school history! Congratulations, ladies !
CIAC Tournament
24 Teams participated in the CIAC Tournament! Overall, our two teams finished in 13th and 22nd places. Congratulations on a great season !
Greenwave Wrestling
Josie captures 3rd in the STATE! Alex O. took second as well as Clara R. (2nd). Congratulations, Greenwave!
Please support our student athletes and community !
STEM News
STEM in Action: Creativity, Innovation, and AI Exploration!
Students across the district have been thinking like engineers, designers, and innovators in STEM!
3rd Grade: The Arcade Project
Third graders have been hard at work designing and building arcade games using recyclable materials. They’ve embraced STEM habits of mind like creativity, perseverance, problem-solving, and questioning to bring their ideas to life. Their projects will be showcased at an interactive arcade for families to explore during conferences on March 5 & 6.
4th Grade: The Circular Economy Challenge
Fourth graders have been rethinking waste through the lens of the circular economy by designing toys and games using repurposed materials. They’ve explored systems thinking, resourcefulness, and sustainable design, turning discarded items into creative new play experiences.
5th Grade: AI & Machine Learning
Fifth graders have been diving into the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) through Code.org’s AI curriculum. They are learning how machines make predictions, the role of data in training AI, and how algorithms shape decision-making. These explorations encourage critical thinking about technology and its impact on our daily lives.
STEM continues to encourage students to question, problem solve, and bring ideas to life—one challenge at a time!
Food & Nutrition News
February was American Heart Month 💗
One of the objectives is to raise awareness about hearth health and encourage people to make small changes in their lifestyle to help prevent heart disease. One of the recommendations is to increase fiber intake with whole grains/fruits and vegetables. The school lunch program does this on a daily basis by only offering whole grain products, 5 subgroups of vegetables, and a variety of fruits.
The department is also committed to trying new food items to keep the students engaged and interested. A “Woodle” (whole grain ramen noodle prepped in a spicy chili sauce) sample day was done in January at the High School. Over half the students tried the samples and provide positive feedback. The plan is to offer this whole grain (51%) noodle bowl, with fresh vegetables and chicken in the future. A photo is on the right.
March is Women's History Month !
Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations!
“What makes you different or weird, that’s your strength.” - Meryl Streep
6 Women Educators
Click to learn about these life-changing teachers.
Yes, We Can!
Click to learn about women who were "firsts."
Women in STEM
One woman's mission to diversity Wikipedia.