Dear Parents and Families
Thank you for your continued support. We have enjoyed both a few warm and chilly weeks here at Mill Road Elementary School this spring. We celebrated Earth Day with a variety of activities outside and led by our Garden Teacher, Mr. Keto.
NYS Math testing for grades 3-5 takes place Tuesday and Wednesday, May 7th and May 8th. The NYS Science testing for grade 5 will take place on Tuesday, May 14th. Also note, our Reading Incentive Program, Reading Roundup, will kick off on Monday, May 20th.
Our school budget vote is on Tuesday, May 21st. Voting is from 12:00-9:00. It will be an early release day for students with dismissal being at 11:45. The RHFA Ice Cream Social will be held from 6-8 in the Mill Road Courtyard. In the event of rain, it will be moved to the PK-2 cafeteria. Our PTA has also organized a staff appreciation luncheon for Tuesday, May 21st. Special thanks to our amazing faculty and staff for all their hard work this school year!
The 5th Grade Celebration will take place on Friday, June 21st on the front lawn at Mill Road 3-5 and Kindergarten Graduation will be held on Tuesday, June 25th. Please be on the lookout for more information in the coming weeks.
May Calendar
- May 7 & 8 - NYS Math Testing grades 3-5
- May 7-9 - Kindergarten screening
- May 8 - Red Hook Budget Expo 6pm at HS
- May 14 - NYS Science Testing, grade 5
- May 14 - PTA Meeting at 7:00
- May 14 - 1st grade & K-5 Flex field trip RPAC 9:15-11:15
- May 16 - Spring Band & Chorus Concert 7pm at HS
- May 20 - 3rd grade field trip to FDR 9:15-2:00
- May 21 - Budget Vote and Staff Appreciation Luncheon, 1/2 day for students 11:45 dismissal
- May 22 - 5th grade to LAMS
- May 23 - 5th grade trip to Liberty Science Center
- May 27 - Memorial Day - No school
- May 29 - Kindergarten field trip to MH Children's Museum, D'Antoni, Leedy, Reyes 9-1:30
- May 30 - Kindergarten field trip to MH Children's Museum, Burchins, Forrest, Thomas 9-1:30
- May 30 - 4th grade field trip to Esopus Meadows - Bell, Jones, Levine 9:15-2:45
- May 31 - 4th grade field trip to Esopus Meadows - Clark, Hart 9:15-2:45
- May 31 -5th grade assembly 9:30-10:15 at HS
News from the Mill Road Garden
Like yellow-bellied marmots crawling out from hibernation, we left the safety and warmth of our classrooms and ventured back into the garden. April is always full of surprises, but this year has already exceeded expectations! Our nearly 180 bulbs planted in the fall are in full bloom, dazzling our senses with oranges, yellows, purples, pinks, and reds. The native meadow is dotted with hundreds of baby blue eyes, the first of many wildflowers to come! And our peach tree and strawberry blossoms hold the tantalizing promise of fruit on the horizon.
Our eyes soon adapted to the natural sunlight we had missed for so long and we spared no time in getting to work. Already we have buried six 30-gallon tubs to act as mini-ponds for our bird, bug, and frog friends to visit. Logs, sticks, and twigs gathered from across the school have been hauled to construct Red Hook's first (and only) 5-star bug hotel for our overwinter guests. And we are well underway planting our perennials, including a new cherry tree, hazelnut, and Amelanchier with our figs and pawpaws soon to follow!
But that wasn't even the most exciting part, our busy April culminated in the much-anticipated Earth Day Celebration held on April 26, even though it was technically Arbor Day! Over 700 Pre-K through 5th grade students were welcomed outside on that sunny afternoon to hear Dr. Boyd speak on the importance of Earth Day and dedicate a beautiful Prairiefire Crabapple to Lucy Makebish. After hearing a lovely performance of Earth Day Every Day (John Denver) from our 1st, 2nd, and Flex classes (courtesy of Ms. Budd), students were released to enjoy 15 different Earth Day activities! We had everything from seed bombs, eco-scavenger hunts, compost obstacle races, and UV bead bracelets to water taste tests, rock painting, and flower planting! It was an absolute blast to see our students enjoying the best April (and the earth) has to offer!
Keep an eye and an ear out in the next coming weeks as we prepare for our annual Plant Sale Fundraiser, where you can purchase transplants, Mill Road Maple Syrup, and Mushroom Kits to support our Garden Program! This year it will be held on May 21st during the Ice Cream Social, hope to see you there!
Best,
Doug Keto
Garden Educator
Mill Road School
PTA News
Our next meeting will be May 14th at 7:00pm in the PK-2 cafeteria. We will be reviewing year end festivities and planning for back to school! Look out for details and ordering information for our last fundraiser - the school supply fundraiser. You'll be able to purchase a kit that will contain all the supplies on the teacher supply list for your child's grade and it will be delivered to your child's classroom in time for the first day of school in September!
Reminders
- Our LOST & FOUND is filled with sweatshirts, jackets, sweaters and more. Please have your child's last name on tags so that clothing can find it's way back and remind them to check the lost & found for items they might be missing!
- Our school theme for the month of May is Perseverance
- Please remember to send in a note if your child has a change in their normal dismissal routine. Emails are to be used in an emergency with a phone call as a follow-up. We no longer accept verbal dismissal changes and the district does not allow single day bus changes. Students are permitted to ride the bus to a regularly scheduled sitter - busing to playdates is not allowed. When sending in a note please include your child's first and last name and exactly what they will be doing for dismissal. Thank you for your understanding.
Mill Road Elementary School
Email: bboyd@rhcsd.org
Website: https://www.redhookcentralschools.org/millroadis
Phone: (845) 758-2241 35100
Twitter: @RH_MR3_5