Hello Mill Families,
As we navigate the bitter cold days of winter here in Western New York, we kindly remind you to ensure your children are dressed appropriately for the weather. Proper winter attire is essential to keep them warm and healthy, helping to prevent illness that could lead to missed instructional days.
Additionally, please note that the last day of the first semester is Friday, January 24. Below, you will find a full list of our upcoming events for the month of January.
Thank you for you continued support.
Best regards,
Chris McDuffie
Principal
Mill Middle School
During the January 14th Board of Education meeting, the School Start Time Committee presented the 2025-2026 Proposal for School Start and End Times. Following the January Board meeting, there will be a feedback period to allow for school community feedback. There is also a frequently asked questions document available on the District website. New school start times are anticipated to be reviewed and considered for adoption at the February 11th Board of Education meeting.
Proposed Start and End Times:
Elementary Schools
· Dodge, Heim, Forest and Maple East Elementary Schools – 7:50 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
· Country Parkway and Maple West Elementary Schools – 8:20 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Middle Schools
· Casey, Heim, Mill, Transit Middle Schools – 8:20 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
High Schools
· Williamsville East, Williamsville North, Williamsville South High Schools – 8:50 a.m. – 3:40 p.m.
Dear Mill Families,
This week, our school community focused on the character strength of Prudence during homebase time. Prudence means you plan for the future and achieve your goals by making careful everyday choices.
Prudence is about doing the right thing at the right time for the right reasons. It's a way of thinking ahead, setting goals, making plans, and having the discipline to follow through. It’s more about using your head than your heart.
Prudence helps with managing yourself effectively. Whether aiming for a sports record, getting good grades, or saving for something special, you need to plan ahead and stay focused. Even with a plan, you must resist temptations that might distract you. Prudence gives you the wisdom to use the right strengths at the right time to achieve your goals.
To practice and encourage the character strength of prudence 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 support!
Chris McDuffie
Principal
Mill Middle School
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/.
