SPOTLIGHT
on New Milford Schools
February 2024, Volume 14, Issue 5
Message from Superintendent Dr. Janet Parlato
Welcome to the latest edition of the Spotlight on New Milford Schools! We are slowly but surely making our way out of winter and toward a (hopefully) lovely spring. I was fortunate to mark my one year anniversary as superintendent of New Milford Public Schools on February 21, and I thank all of our families, faculty, staff, and community members for all of their support over the past twelve months. We are definitely a school district on the move! Each of our schools and departments works with determination every day to create a productive and welcoming learning environment for our students. We have many exciting events planned for the upcoming months, and we continue to develop long-term plans for the growth of the school district. We look forward to sharing our progress with you in future editions of the Spotlight as well as on our social media pages. Here's to a wonderful month of March! Thank you again for your continued support of our students and our schools.
Important Dates
- March 6th and 7th - Parent Conferences (early dismissal on 3/6)
- March 14th - Early Dismissal - PD
- March 29th - SCHOOLS CLOSED - Good Friday
- June 15th at 10am - NMHS Graduation
New Milford Public Schools
Mission Statement
New Milford High School
Mr. Raymond Manka, Principal
Mr. Kevin Best, Assistant Principal
Dr. Megan Dwyer, Assistant Principal
Mr. Anthony Blake, Assistant Principal
Schaghticoke Middle School
860-354-2204
Ms. Linda Scoralick, Principal
Mr. Michael Boucher, Assistant Principal
Ms. Shannon Surreira, Assistant Principal SMS/NES
Mr. Nicholas Manciero, Interim Assistant Principal
Sarah Noble Intermediate School
860-210-4020
Mrs. Anne Bilko, Principal
Mrs. Jennifer Chmielewski, Assistant Principal
Mrs. Jennifer Meyers, Assistant Principal
Hill & Plain Elementary School
860-354-5430
Mrs. Catherine Calabrese, Principal
Mrs. Kerri Adakonis, Assistant Principal
Northville Elementary School
860-355-3713
Mrs. Gwen Gallagher, Principal
Ms. Shannon Surreira, Assistant Principal SMS/NES
NMHS News
February: American Heart Month
Mrs. Benson’s Allied Health students have been working hard this month learning CPR for the Professional Rescuer. They have learned and demonstrated life-saving skills for breathing and cardiac emergencies for infants, children, and adults. At the end of the month, these students will become American Red Cross-certified Professional Rescuers.
According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. Here are action items from the American Heart Association that you can take to prevent heart disease:
Know your risk. Knowing your risk can help you make lifestyle changes.
Eat a healthy diet. Start making healthy choices that include daily vegetables and less processed foods.
Be physically active. Move more – it’s one of the best ways to stay healthy, prevent disease, &age well.
Watch your weight. Stay at a healthy weight for you.
Check your blood pressure & cholesterol. These are two main risk factors that could lead to heart disease.
Congratulations Brandon!
Whether you have/had Brandon Zhang in class, or know him through clubs, activities, advisory and/or 3TR, you know he is a quality young man. Besides being kind, funny, and a conscientious human being he is quite accomplished academically! Mr. Zhang is a finalist for the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Association recognition AND he is also a candidate for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program which intends to recognize our Nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors!
While we will not know the outcome of this for weeks to come, the recognition and achievement is to be commended! Congratulations Brandon- NMHS is proud of you!!
French Honor Society
On February 12th, some FHS students (Katelyn B. Carlos T. Chelsey C. Arden S. Abby S. Karan K. Haley P. Elliot B. ) shared their love with residents from Chestnut Grove senior center. What a great time we had sharing stories and learning compassion. We all left richer.
February for Black History Month
These are pictures of quilts my African American/Black/Puerto Rican/Latino Studies class made to highlight African American/Black activists that have fought for equality and freedom for over 200 years. Each student was assigned four different people throughout the semester that they needed to research and create a quilt patch for.They are displayed in the LLC for the month of February for Black History Month.
Winter Concert Collaboration
On February 22nd, a wonderful evening was had when NMHS Jazz Band, NMHS Chorus and SMS Chorus collaborated to create a beautiful evening of music!
Police Cadets pictured with SRO Syan: Kassandra Conklin, Jase Reichin, Connor Rivera, Kayla Delaney, SRO Syan, Calley Thierfelder Kneeling: former cadet Naomi Post and Howard Baker
Absent: Anne Farias and Kayla Charles
SMS News
Student Leadership Shines!
On February 8th SMS welcomed rising 6th grade students and their families for our annual open house event. The event was designed and hosted by SMS student leaders. Throughout the month of January, student leaders worked with Mr. Boucher to talk about the purpose of the evening, review the structure of past events, and make plans for this year. During this process, SMS student leaders made maps of the building, welcome signs, and brainstormed a list of things they wish they knew as they were entering 6th grade. On the night of our event, roughly 50 student leaders volunteered their time to support the event. Student leaders were in the hallways to give directions as families toured the building, helped Principal Scoralick deliver a presentation on student life at SMS, helped with lock practice, and promoted clubs and activities. Most of all, our student leaders were ambassadors modeling all that SMS stands for. Many thanks to our wonderful and talented student leaders for all of their hard work!
Team 6 Blue Community Building
Fresh off of our school-wide Spirit Day Competition win in the second quarter, 6 Blue students are showcasing their dedication to school spirit in Quarter 3 with another lead in points! We love to see their participation and we're hopeful they can keep it up. Additionally, 6 Blue continues to acknowledge two students every other week who are consistently kind, hard-working, and respectful with our Blue Ribbon awards. With the help of Dr. T in the library lately, we've been able to meet together as a team to celebrate these students as a community (seen below). The way the students congratulate and cheer for each other has been amazing to witness. We are so proud of 6 Blue!
SMS Gives Back!
Early in February, students and families of our Schaghticoke Middle School community participated in a drive for the Animal Welfare Society under the direction of SMS Student Council. Everything from squishy, squeaky dog toys to canned food for cats with liver disease were collected. Since the Animal Welfare Society is an independent, nonprofit, non-destroy organization, they depend on the generosity of the folks in our community. We were very excited to present the dedicated staff at the shelter with a plentiful car load of items the animals need to keep them healthy and comfortable. Thank you to all who participated.
Team 7 Yellow Refines Debate Skills!
Recently in grade 7 ELA, students learned how to conduct research and how to craft an argument to support a position. As a culminating activity for this unit, students took a position, conducted research, and participated in a debate on the topic of whether or not competitive sports are healthy for kids. It was clear that great care went into the research conducted, as arguments were well thought out, balanced, and factual. Way to go 7th graders!
Mock Trial
For the last several months a group of students has been working with Ms. Kivela and Mr. Savo after school to learn about the legal system. The group looked at the legal process, the roles different people play in the court system, and various case studies. The group also selected a case to research and conduct a mock trial assuming the various roles that you would find in court. On February 16th court was in session as students from both the prosecution and the defense presented their arguments before a jury of SMS staff and the Assistant Superintendent of Schools. Students were well prepared with strong legal arguments from both sides and Judge Klee ran a tight ship, leading to a hung jury. Great job everyone!
SNIS News
Interact with Abe
President Abraham Lincoln joined our 5th graders and shared his perspective of his time and place in history. This experience is wonderful for students as they interact with ‘Abe’ in several ways. The students thoroughly enjoyed the experience! These experiences only happen with the generous support of our amazing PTO. Thank you PTO for all you do and provide for our students!
World Language Expo
We hosted a World Language Expo where NMHS world language students came to teach 5th graders about the language and country they are studying.
NES News
Love is in the air! Here at Northville we choose LOVE every day of the year, not just Valentine's Day. :)
On Feb 1st, staff attended Professional Development. Our Paraprofessional and Teaching staff received valuable information and training to help them steer the craft as Educators.
The Kindergarteners celebrated 100 days of school on Feb 1st. Here is the Kindergarten Team "Rocking the first 100 days!"
The students dressed up as if they were 100 years old - so cute!
In turn, the first graders celebrated 101 Days on February 2nd! Dressed in spots like 101 Dalmations, they had a fun Friday. First Grade teacher, Mr. MacKessy is suited up.
February 2nd was also Groundhog Day and Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow for the first time since 2020! According to the legend it means Spring is just around the corner. We found out the hard way that even groundhogs are wrong sometimes when we tallied another school closing due to snow on 2/13.
February 2nd was Townwide Spirit Day (sports themed). It was fun to see everyone supporting their favorite teams and players!
Feb. 5-9 was National School Counseling Week which brought public attention to the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. Our School Counselors make a difference every day at NES and we appreciate them!
February is Black History month! During their Library Media Center classes with Ms. Macchiaverna, students learned about the history, accomplishments and unique contributions of the black community.
Some of the books included:
MAE AMONG THE STARS
HAVE YOU THANKED AN INVENTOR TODAY?
DR. MATT VISITS NES
As well as...
I am My Ancestor's Wildest Dreams by Tanisia Moore
Stacey's Extraordinary Words by Stacey Abrams
Justice Ketanji by Denise Lewis Patrick
Little Leaders Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison
Little Legends Exceptional Men in Black History by Vashti Harrison
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!
HPS News
We finished January with our PTO hosting Family Art Night. Mrs. Bollard, our art teacher, led the event while Ms. Hores, Mrs. Haynes, Mrs. Molinaro, Mrs. Morse, Mrs. Sanchez, and Ms. Stratman were there to volunteer and support!
Fabulous February began with celebrating the 100th day of School! Our creative Kindergarten team dressed up as 100-year-olds. There were many learning activities throughout the school based on the 100th-day theme.
Good News on Groundhog Day !
Along with learning about Groundhog Day, nothing made HPS happier than the Groundhogs, Punxsutawney Phil and Chuckles, NOT seeing their shadows. This means spring is on its way!
Sports Day
Our student body embraces town-wide spirit day and this month’s theme was “Sports Fan Day”!
Dr. Parlato and Holly Hollander visited our staff meeting to discuss important work happening across the district. This month’s professional development was around reading iReady reports, more in-depth, to help better plan for our students.
25th Annual Celebrations of the Arts
HPS, along with NES, celebrated 2 students from each school at the 25th Annual Celebration of the Arts! Mrs. Bollard, our art teacher, and Mrs. Haynes, our music teacher nominated them. Let’s congratulate 2nd graders, Caleb (musician) and Scarlett (artist)! We are so proud!
HPS Wrap Up!
To finish the month, HPS wrapped up the Kids’ Heart Challenge where students and staff were excited to learn how to care for their hearts and minds, jump rope, and help kids with special hearts in the process. Dr. Matt and his Hygienist, from Caceci Family Dentistry, visited our 2nd graders to discuss dental hygiene to celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month. Finally, we collected hats, mittens, and socks to practice COMPASSION! The items will be donated to New Milford Social Services.
Get in the Game
Green Wave Dance Team Earns Runner Up in the Class L Jazz Division at States
Congratulations to the Green Wave Dance Team on finishing Runner Up in the Class L Jazz Division at States! The best New Milford has ever done!
CIAC State Open Wrestling Championships
The CIAC State Open Wrestling Championships Josephina 5th and Ricci 4th. Congratulations to all of our participants!
Green Wave South-West Conference Champions
Girls Basketball SWC Champs for 2nd Year Straight!
The Green Wave ladies did it again! Back to back SWC Champs defeating New Fairfield on February 22nd at Newtown HS 38-35. The CIAC Class L First round is a bye. The second round will take place on February 29th at NMHS at 6:30pm. Come out and support the girls! Go Green Wave!!
SWC Girls Basketball All Conference Team
Congratulations to New Milford's Jade Wallace and Ileana Feliz on being named to the SWC Girls Basketball All Conference Team!
ILEANA FELIZ SCORES 1000 POINTS
Green Wave basketball player, Ileana Feliz became the 6th 1,000 point scorer in Green Wave Basketball history and broke the All Time Scoring record for the school! Congrats on the 1,000 pts, the 2nd straight SWC win, SWC MVP and SWC All Team! We're very proud of you!
SWC CHAMPS
SWC hits different the 2nd time.
1,000 POINT CLUB
Coach Laporte and Coach Shanks with 1,000 point athletes, Ileana Feliz and Jade Wallace.
Green Wave Girls Basketball Video SWC Game Time CT
Let's go Green Wave! States starts Thursday at 6:30pm at NMHS. Pop out and support these athletes. Click the link below to watch this cool video by Game Time CT.
The Green Wave Wrestling Team won the 2024 SWC Championship!
Congratulations to the Green Wave Wrestling Team!
Green Wave Gymnastics Team won the 2024 SWC Championship!
What a night for the Green Wave Gymnastics Team! Winning the SWC Championship, Haviland Brown runner up in the All Around, Reegan Williams winning her 3rd straight All Around and Tournament MVP! Congrats, ladies! We are so proud of you.
Dance Team Finishes 2nd at SWC Championships
Congratulations to the Green Wave Dance Team for finishing 2nd at the SWC Championships in both jazz and Hip Hop! The best NMHS has ever done. Way to go, ladies!
Congratulations SWC 1st Team for Girls Indoor Track!
Amelia Sabatino and Izzy Greene earned 1st team All SWC for winning their events at the SWC Indoor Track Championships.
100th Win for Green Wave Ice Hockey Head Coach
Congratulations to the Green Wave Head Coach Scott Capriglione for reaching his 100th career win!
Gymnast Regan Williams Scores 1,000th Point!
Regan Williams scored her 1,000th point for the Green Wave Gymnastics Team as a Junior to become a member of an elite group of gymnasts! Congratulations, Reegan!
Jade Wallace News 12 Connecticut Scholar Athlete of the Week
Congratulations to Green Wave basketball senior, Jade Wallace on her continued success on the court, and for not giving up despite her health issues. Since this piece aired, Jade hit 1000 career points, and became the 7th 1,000 point score in Green Wave Basketball History!
Nick Solomon Scored his 100th career point in Ice Hockey for the Green Wave!
Congratulations, Nick! Way to go.
New Milford HS 2023-24 Athletic Events Schedule
Click here for the New Milford HS 2023-24 Athletic Events Schedule
Food and Nutrition News
February was a month of fun, love and good food! The Food and Nutrition Department served several festive meals such as pizza bagels in honor of Super Bowl weekend, orange chicken for Chinese New Year, and strawberry shortcake as a sweet treat on Valentine’s Day! We are looking forward to featuring a new item, our “baked chicken drummies” that will be on the menu with local roasted beets from Fort Hill Farm here in New Milford!