Dear Mill Families,
I am incredibly proud of all that we have achieved together in 2024. From the dedication of our students to the unwavering support of our families and the commitment of our staff, we have much to be thankful for.
As we enter the Winter Recess Break, I encourage you to take time to create special memories with your loved ones. May your holidays be filled with joy, laughter and peace and may the new year bring health and happiness to you and your family.
I look forward to welcoming everyone back in 2025, ready to continue learning, growing and achieving together.
Warmest wishes,
Chris McDuffie
Principal
Mill Middle School
December, 2024
December 19:
🎻 Orchestra Grades 6-8 Concert 🎻
December 20:
🔠 Spelling Bee 🐝
December 23 - January 3:
⛄ NO SCHOOL (Winter Recess) ⛄
January, 2025
January 7:
📖 Course of Studies Night at South (6:00pm-8:00pm) 📖
January 8:
📖 Course of Studies Night at North (6:00pm-8:00pm) 📖
January 9:
📖 Course of Studies Night at East (6:00pm-8:00pm) 📖
January 15:
🎶 Choral Concert ~ 6:00pm: 5th & 6th Grade 🎶
🎶 Choral Concert ~ 7:30pm: 7th & 8th Grade 🎶
January 20:
💗 HOLIDAY - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 💗
January 22:
🎻5th Grade Orchestra Concert 6:00pm 🎻
🎺5th Grade Band Concert 7:30pm 🎷
January 24:
🧣 Grades 5&6 Winterfest 🧣
January 27:
📝 Start of the 2nd Semester 📝
January 29:
🐲 HOLIDAY - Lunar New Year 🐲
This week, our school has spent time focusing on the character strength of Self-Control. Self-control means having the ability to control your emotions and behaviors. You think before you act.
Having self-control helps people stay calm during tough times and avoid impulsive actions. It doesn’t mean you don’t have thoughts or feelings; it means you can manage them.
When working or gathering in groups, self-control is shown through “self-monitoring.” This means being honest about what works and what doesn’t. Group members adjust their roles to help the group succeed.
To practice and encourage the character strength of self-control at home, please visit The Positivity Project’s mobile-friendly P2 for Families (available in English and Spanish), where you will watch a video together and discuss a quote and three questions. Below are links to this week’s P2 for Families lessons. Click on the grade level that best meets your child’s needs.
Thank you for your continued support!
Chris McDuffie
Principal
Mill Middle School
New Years means New Beginnings! What a great time to update your child’s school health information.
I have attached the District Health Services link for your convenience. This includes additional information regarding New York State Health Exams, Immunizations, and other student health requirements.
https://www.williamsvillek12.org/departments/student-services/health-services
Health exams/documents may be faxed to the Mill Middle Health Office at 716-626-8330, or emailed through the WITS parent portal to the Mill Middle School Nurse, Katherine Dubill, R.N. or sent directly to the Health Office.
The University at Buffalo (UB) offers a Gifted Math Program (GMP) geared towards students who rank in the upper 1% of their national peer group. This means that students should be more than "best in class" or "above average in math." Students who are currently in sixth grade are now eligible to be tested by UB for the 2025-2026 academic year (nomination deadline: Thursday, January 23, 2025). Interested nominees compete for one of only sixty (60) places in the program beginning in seventh grade. Prospective students are evaluated on the basis of a battery of tests, a completed questionnaire that includes two essays, and a family conference. Students who successfully gain admission commute to the university twice weekly for 75-minute classes through each academic year. Students study an enriched and accelerated mathematics program in grades 7 through 10, and in grades 11 and 12 students study three semesters of calculus and one semester of linear algebra, accumulating up to 22 semester hours of university credit throughout the entire program. The GMP’s coursework can replace one’s home school’s math courses; however, grades for the GMP courses and any math courses taken at one’s home school will appear on a student’s report card. For more information and/or to nominate a student for admissions consideration, please visit UB’s Gifted Math Program website at: http://giftedmath.buffalo.edu/.
