Dear Nanuet School Community,

Welcome to the first edition of The Nanuet News for the 2024-2025 school year!

It has been a bustling start for students and staff in our buildings. Meet the Teacher Nights have provided an important opportunity for parents to visit classrooms and engage with the faculty and support staff working with their children, and the turnout has been strong. Stay tuned for more information about expanded opportunities for parents as we seek to involve them more in decisions affecting their children and their schools.

We look forward to Tuesday, October 8, when we will honor and recognize our hardworking members of the Board of Education during our regularly scheduled BOE meeting. Students from our award-winning music department will join us to celebrate the BOE and thank them for their service to the community. Representatives from the Nanuet Public Library will also be on hand to share a presentation on proposed capital improvements for the library. The Nanuet Public Library vote is scheduled for Wednesday, October 16, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the library.

Also, on October 16, from 3 to 7 p.m., students can participate in Kids Vote in the Barr Middle School Cafeteria. Students from all four schools can vote on an issue important to their schools and their choice for a new library pet. Parents are encouraged to bring their children to Kids Vote and then walk across the driveway to vote on the library capital improvements. We are grateful to the middle and high school students who will facilitate the Kids Vote activities so that our younger students can see democracy in action and understand that every vote counts. More information will be shared in the coming weeks.

Exciting times are ahead for our schools, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Sincerely,

Lisa Brady, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Welcome to the Nanuet Union Free School District! Throughout September, we welcomed the newest members of our faculty and introduced them on our social media channels as part of the New to Nanuet campaign. Be sure to visit our Instagram and Facebook accounts and meet these exceptional educators. Good luck to all of our faculty and staff in the coming school year.

Just days into the new school year, we ushered in Arts in Education week. Every September, the National Art Education Association celebrates Arts In Education Week to encourage lawmakers and education decision-makers to support equitable access to the arts for all students. Check out our Facebook post to visit the Highview Elementary art room, and our Instagram post to see what our High School band and orchestra are up to.

What’s National Literacy Month without a trip to the library? At A. MacArthur Barr, our sixth-grade ELA students have been learning about genres in September. This month, they spent time with Library Media Specialist Dana DeVita to build on their classroom lessons. Check out our Facebook post for more pictures from Barr and our Instagram post to learn about the newest readers at George W. Miller Elementary.

During the upcoming October 8 Nanuet Board of Education Meeting, the Nanuet Library will make a presentation on their proposed renovation bond vote taking place on October 16. The proposed project addresses the facility’s spaces and systems including mechanical infrastructure, accessibility, safety and security, code compliance, energy efficiency, and improved spaces for Children, Teens, Adults, groups, clubs, events, meetings, and more. Check out the linked video or visit their website for more details.

Highview Elementary has been selected by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence as a 2025 RULER Spotlight School. RULER is an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning that helps school communities understand the value of emotions, build skills and create environments where well-being is a priority. As a RULER Spotlight School, Highview demonstrates excellence in integrating these principles into curriculum and culture.

The third-grade class at Highview Elementary launched into the school year's first SEL assembly, with a game of telephone. As a mindfulness exercise, the activity provided students an opportunity to rivet themselves to the moment and focus on their sense of hearing and surroundings. Once the word was shared, though not always successfully, Highview’s youngest learners brushed up on their SEL vocabulary and lessons from their time at Miller.

Senior Gabrielle Smith has been named a 2025 National Merit Scholarship Commended Student. This recognition is awarded to students for exceptional academic promise, demonstrated by their outstanding performance on the PSAT/NMSQT. “Please join us in recognizing Gabrielle for this amazing achievement,” said Principal Michael Mahoney. “She is among the 34,000 students selected—a shining example of her dedication and hard work."

How will you get involved this year? Nanuet Senior High School students got the chance to check out the many offerings available to them during the annual club fair, held earlier this month. From DECA to VAASA, there are several opportunities for our Golden Knights to expand their horizons academically, creatively and altruistically.

At the end of the month, A. MacArthur Barr fifth graders kicked off their D.A.R.E. instruction, led by School Resource Officer (SRO) Anthony Culianos, of the Clarkstown PD. During their lessons, Officer Culianos explained D.A.R.E. has expanded beyond teaching students to resist drugs and alcohol by providing them with the necessary tools to make responsible. informed decisions. Check out our Facebook post to learn more.

Say hello to Razzle from Therapy Dogs of Rockland! The 7-year-old bichon frise came to A. MacArthur Barr along with her canine colleague Cassie, to spend time with our fifth and sixth graders. During a visit to Ms. Taylor’s second-period class, students dazzled Razzle with reading and snuggles. Read more about the weekly visits in our Instagram post.

“Chicka Chicka Boom Boom! Will there be enough room?” There’s always enough room for STEM! At George W. Miller Elementary, our kindergartners have been using their budding engineering skills to rescue the falling letters from the children’s classic Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault. Check out the pictures in our Instagram post.

Over the next few months the district and buildings are moving to a new communication system to send alerts to parents, guardians and the community. Please check your email for an invitation from ParentSquare or register at their website. Follow this video to set notification and language settings in the app or website. The ParentSquare app can be downloaded from your app store.

The Nanuet News (this newsletter!) was recently recognized by the National School Public Relations Association with an Award of Merit in the newsletter category. The Golden Spotlight video series, featured from October to May in The Nanuet News, was also recognized with an Award of Merit in the video category. Thank you to the Nanuet school community, faculty and staff for making this e-newsletter a success!