Mill Road News

Hi everyone, I am Dr. Boyd and I'm thrilled to introduce myself as the new PK-5 Principal for Mill Road Elementary School!

For over 16 years, I've had the joy of serving as a 3-5 Principal, and now I'm excited to expand my reach and work with all of our amazing PreK-2 students and families. Every child brings unique talents and potential, and I can't wait to join hands with our dedicated teachers and staff to create a positive and enriching learning environment where each child can thrive.

Joining me over the next five months will be our recently retired assistant principal at the high school, Margie O’Brien. Mrs. O’Brien shares a strong commitment in helping children achieve and grow. Please do not hesitate to introduce yourself to us and share any thoughts or feedback.This month's newsletter comes with a brand new twist – it's now combined for both PreK-5 grades! This is just one of the ways we're aiming to foster a closer school community, where older students can mentor younger ones and everyone feels like they belong.

Of course, there's plenty to look forward to in February! Join us for the PTA Family Fun Night on February 8th for an evening of laughter, games, and good company. And don't miss the 100th Day of School celebrations – it's going to be a blast!

In the meantime, please take a moment to read through this month's newsletter. You'll find important updates, upcoming events, and heartwarming stories from our classrooms. Remember, my door is always open, and I'm here to listen to your questions, concerns, and ideas. Let's make this second half of the year the best one yet for Mill Road Elementary School!

Warmly,

Dr. Boyd

Family Life: My wife Nicole and I have three children that came through Mill Road Elementary School. Two are in high school (Katie and Quinn) and our oldest (Liam) is a freshman at SUNY Cortland.

Tell us about your experience: I am proud to say that I am a Red Hook Graduate and had a great experience growing up here. I spent 9 years teaching fourth grade in Hyde Park and I've had the pleasure of serving as the Mill Road 3-5 Principal since 2007.

Favorite Subject: Math. Our Young Scholars Program has offered the opportunity to keep teaching math and science in a fun, engaging, and hands-on approach.

Favorite Color: Green

What fascinates you most?

Brain research. One of my greatest passions as an educator is learning about the science behind how students' minds work and how they learn best. Over several summers, I had the privilege of attending professional development workshops at the Harvard Graduate School of Education focused on topics like learning differences, dyslexia intervention, and neurodiversity. These workshops explored the latest brain research on conditions like dyslexia and ADHD as well as cognitive and learning variations.

Favorite Teams: NY Jets and NY Yankees

Pet: Our dog, Jeter (yes we are Yankees fans)

What will you be doing on February 8th?: On February 8th, I will be here for our PTA Family Fun Night from 6:00-8:00 with bounce houses, carnival games, reptiles, science activities, and much more. Hope to see you there!!

• Feb 8 - PTA Family Fun Night 6-8pm
• Feb 15 - Half day for students - 11:45 dismissal
• Feb 16 - 19 - No school President's Day Weekend
• Feb 21 - 100th day of school (barring additional snow days)

Congratulations Young Scholars!! For the past eight weeks over 80 students participated in the Young Scholars Program for Grades 3-5. Every Friday, curious minds attended the hands-on, enrichment program before school, filling our mornings with the joy of discovery and the thrill of learning something new.

Over the past two months, we embarked on a voyage of intellectual exploration, tackling number patterns, Pascal's Triangle, the Fibonacci Sequence, deciphering the secrets of code, and even designing Mars landing devices for our virtual journeys into space. Each topic sparked fascination, and it was a delight to witness our young scholars tackle challenges with enthusiasm and teamwork. For our grand finale, our dedicated teacher volunteers orchestrated a science extravaganza! Hands-on experiments brought physical and chemical reactions to life, leaving students wide-eyed with wonder (and maybe a little fizzy soda residue).

A heartfelt thank you to you, the supportive parents who encouraged your child's participation in the Young Scholars Program. Bringing them in each week fueled their passion for learning and inspired them to step outside their comfort zones. We hope this enriching experience has ignited a spark of curiosity that will carry them through middle school, high school, and beyond. Remember, the world of opportunities is vast, and we encourage you to nurture their exploration!

While weather wobbled without, we were waiting warm within. Sleepy skunks, woozy woodchucks, and bedtime bears dozed in dens, snoozing until it was time to SPRING into action! Our students got their first taste of hibernation as they were asked to spend the winter in their makeshift nest. If they came out too early, they were greeted with the bitter cold, lack of food, or the hungry jaws of a fox or hawk. If they woke up too late, then all of the food had already been eaten by their friends! Soon they learned to wake up right on time, knowing it was their best chance to find the food that was in such short supply.

Now, armed with their knowledge of cycles and scarcity these same students are tasked with another game of survival. Before they were simply asked to compete with their fellow animals, but in nature there can also be found ample opportunities to cooperate. Gone were their winter dreams, now it's time for summer streams! As the old saying goes "Teamwork makes the stream work" and it was up to them to keep the stream ecosystem flowing.

Crawfish, Trout, and Osprey competed and cooperated for survival, knowing that even as they struggled to live, someone must be eaten in order for the cycle to continue. Deals were made, alliances formed, and bonds broken by betrayal all in the span of 60 seconds. Students saw the flow of energy through the environment as they were eaten, adding and subtracting to the populations in our fantasy stream. In this game we were forced to look at the bigger picture, there was no individual winning or losing. Only the continuation of the stream ecosystem or its demise, the survival of all species in the food chain/web or collective collapse.

In less grim news, we are preparing for the May 18th Plant Sale Fundraiser by ordering lots of seeds, soil, and pots that will soon be planted in Four Corners Community Farm's greenhouse! We have surpassed 1,100 pounds of food waste added to our compost from the kitchen and cafeterias! And we have tapped our first tester trees in preparation for the Maple Syrup season!

Stay tuned, next up we'll be exploring the fantastic world of fungi!

Calling all Mill Road Families! Get ready for a night of unforgettable fun at the Mill Road PTA Family Fun Night! Join us on February 8th from 6:00-8:00 for an evening packed with excitement for everyone.

Fun activities and events include bounce houses, carnival games, basketball shooting contests, the Nutty Scientist of the Hudson Valley, reptiles, balloons, and much much more. Shake your legs loose at our electrifying dance party, then unleash your creativity at the craft stations. Lego enthusiasts can build their dreams with our giant collection, while the Robotics Club will showcase their impressive creations.

Fuel your fun with delicious pizza and delectable bake sale treats, both available for just $1.00. Feeling lucky? Try your chance to win one of our fantastic raffle baskets donated by local businesses and Mill Road families – each ticket is only $2.00, or grab a triple-ticket deal for $5.00!

A huge congratulations to all of the students that participated in our Martin Luther King, Jr. Art and Writing Contest! The entries displayed some fantastic artwork, excellent writing, and creativity all in celebration of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King. Special congratulations go out to our winners:

Anya Rifenburg, Maria Barr, Anna Potter, Katherine Pethic, Sophia Degraff, Karelyn Maldonado and Grace McLaughlin. Well Done!

-As the weather gets colder and we begin to experience periods of snow and ice, there comes the possibility that we will need to hold an emergency early dismissal. Please note that on emergency dismissal days, any notes sent in that day are disregarded and we automatically default to your child's emergency dismissal plan which was submitted in September. If you have any questions regarding your child's emergency dismissal plan or if you need to make any changes, please contact the main offices.

- Our LOST & FOUND is growing with sweatshirts, jackets, sweaters and more. Please have your child write their last name on tags so that clothing can find it's way back!

- Our school theme of the month for of February is Empathy

- As the weather grows colder, please remember to send in warm outdoor clothing for recess. We try to go outside as often as possible for recess. To play in the snow, boots, snow pants and gloves are needed. PTA has purchased sleds for some winter fun.

-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.

Email: bboyd@rhcsd.org
Website: https://www.redhookcentralschools.org/millroadis
Phone: (845) 758-2241 35100
Twitter: @RH_MR3_5