SPOTLIGHT

I'm so glad that we have finally entered the Spring season after such a snowy and icy winter. Now we can count on some warm afternoons, outdoor recess and physical education classes for a change of pace, and the many school activities that the last quarter of the year brings. In the pages of this Spotlight, you will see our students in action across all five schools, learning and growing with each passing day. We are making important progress with our most recently-purchased curricular materials: the Bookworms literacy series in Grades K-4, iReady Mathematics in the elementary grades, and Envision Mathematics in Grades 6-8. We are pleased that our overall district performance index, which is a measure of progress provided by the state department of education, has risen each year for the past three years. We are seeing many positive gains for students through the hard work of our faculty and staff! I hope that you find the information, photos, and graphics found in this Spotlight enjoyable and helpful.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our students and our school district!

Janet P. Parlato, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools

• May 1: District Wide PTO Spirit Day ~ Neon
• May 1: School Lunch Hero Day
• May 4- 8: Teacher Appreciation Week
• May 10: Happy Mother's Day! 💐
• May 14: Staff PD/Early Dismissal for Students
• May 25: Memorial Day - Schools Closed

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Mr. Raymond Manka, Principal

Mr. Kevin Best, Assistant Principal

Dr. Megan Dwyer, Assistant Principal

Mr. Anthony Blake, Assistant Principal

Seven NMHS Key Club Members represented the club at the New England and Bermuda District of Key Clubs District Educational Convention in Springfield, Massachusetts, March 27-29: Gabriella Bonner, Scarlet Jara, Ryan Ma, Leila Navarrete, Nicolle Salazar, Kayleigh Schell, and Payton Taylor.

Two NMHS Key Club events were featured at the Service Fair: Green Wave Brave the Shave for St. Baldrick's and Letters to Santa (each December, NMHS Key Club elves respond to letters to Santa from first-grade students at Hill & Plain).

New Milford High School was recognized at the awards ceremony:

• First Place in the Social Media Contest
• Second Place, Platinum Tier for Single Service Award (for the Wave Wardrobe)
• Third Place, Platinum Tier for Monthly Report Awards (based on total service hours, number of service projects, funds raised and donated, meeting attendance, and membership growth).
• Mackenzie Bonner received the Sandy Niniger Award in recognition of her efforts to make a difference in the lives of others for spearheading the Wave Wardrobe at NMHS.
• Ryan Ma was elected Governor of the New England and Bermuda District! There are 153 Clubs with over 7000 members in 20 divisions, and Ryan is proudly representing New Milford as the Governor of this District. This is huge!

Please congratulate these students when you see them. We're so proud of these students and all Key Club members!

New Milford High School hosted Career Day on April 09. This event provided students with the opportunity to engage with local entrepreneurs, business owners from our community, and representatives from every branch of the Military. Whether your interests lie in local apprenticeships, global career paths, or military service, this initiative facilitates meaningful connections with established professionals.

From January 29 to February 1, twenty New Milford High School students traveled to Boston with co-advisors Mrs. Abraham and Mrs. Dey to compete in Harvard’s Model United Nations Conference. Each student prepared extensively by conducting in-depth research and writing formal position papers on global issues such as clean water access, women’s healthcare, artificial intelligence, education, and international economic policy.

In addition to traditional UN committees where our delegation represented the country of Rwanda, some delegates participated in historical and futuristic crisis simulations, including the assassination of Julius Caesar, a MET Gala without the MET, and the militarization and colonization of the moon.

In their first ever Model UN experience, our students demonstrated tremendous growth in public speaking, collaboration, and diplomacy throughout the conference. Junior Ryan Ma earned special recognition with a Diplomatic Commendation for his work in the IMF Committee.

The conference hosted more than 3,500 student delegates from over 40 countries around the world, representing all 193 member nations of the United Nations, making it a truly global experience. We are incredibly proud of how these students represented themselves and the New Milford community on an international stage!

NMHS business teacher Mrs. Wargo, and these DECA students traveled to Atlanta April 25-29 to compete and network with 25,000 other members from around the world in business events such as entrepreneurship, community service, buying merchandising, and Human Resource management. Congratulations to these smart, young business people!

Twenty NMHS DECA members participated in the DECA State Career Development Conference at the Aqua Turf. Students participated in role play scenarios from Business Law and Ethics, Travel and Tourism to Entrepreneurship and Marketing. In addition, some students presented their written plans that they spent weeks researching and preparing on topics of International Business, Innovation Marketing, Community Awareness and Business Start-Ups.

Brooke DeMague placed first in her Community Awareness Project Plan earning her a trip to ICDC (International Career Development Conference) in Atlanta, Georgia. Om Patel and Dominik Hudek also earned spots at ICDC to attend a leadership program because of their work on Chapter Campaign events. These included fundraising for Camella's Cupboard, a Dress for Success professional clothing drive with the Rotary Club, and a class on Financial Awareness for kids at the New Milford Parks and Recreation. Lilah Reguin also placed 4th in her Entrepreneurship event!

Fifteen students from Spanish levels three through five experienced the natural beauty, amazing wildlife, and the culture of "pura vida" in Costa Rica. While practicing their Spanish with classmates and locals, students experienced the capital city of San Jose, saw animals such as caimans, monkeys, and macaws in Tortuguero, learned about the unique landscape surrounding Arenal volcano in La Fortuna while relaxing in the volcano's natural hot springs and kayaking on its lake and visited a cloud forest in Monteverde spotting sloths, colorful frogs, and a nest of a Quetzal. This experience helped students improve their language skills and fostered independence, curiosity, and appreciation for the biodiversity and culture of the Spanish-speaking world.

Another successful NMHS Key Club event to conquer Children's Cancer! Thank you to St. Baldrick's and everyone who participated!

NMHS students in the Children's Literature class researched wrote, produced their own books, and presented them to our Hill and Plain school family. Thank you Principal Calabrese for hosting NMHS staff: Mr. Bronn, Ms. Young, Mr. Garner, Ms. Yerman, and Ms. Alvarez for making this happen!

Thank you to SADD for this fun, inky fundraiser!

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Mrs. Linda Demeyer, Principal

Ms. Shannon Surreira, Assistant Principal SMS/NES

Mrs. Jennifer Powers, Assistant Principal

Mrs. Alicia Hynes, Assistant Principal

Our school community was buzzing with incredible energy just before spring break as we hosted our highly anticipated Color Wars event. The entire experience was a showcase of student leadership, as our dedicated Student Council members took the lead in designing every game and activity to ensure maximum engagement for their peers. From high-speed relays to creative teamwork challenges, students competed with heart and school spirit, but the real magic was seeing each grade level come together as a unified group. The laughter and cheering that filled the building served as a powerful reminder of the joy found in our shared community. It was a perfect, high-energy way to celebrate our hard work together before heading into a well-deserved break.

To kick off World Autism Month, the Schaghticoke faculty and staff proudly donned their Autism Awareness t-shirts throughout the first week of April. This visual display of solidarity serves as a powerful reminder of our collective commitment to fostering a truly inclusive environment where every student’s unique neurodiversity is recognized and celebrated. By wearing these shirts, our educators opened the door for meaningful conversations with our 800 students about the importance of empathy, understanding, and acceptance. It was a beautiful way to show that at SMS, we prioritize a culture where every learner feels seen and valued for who they are. We are incredibly proud of our staff for leading by example and championing a community of belonging for all.

6th grade art students recently completed a project titled “People in Motion.” This project asked students to create an original sketch of a person engaging in an activity. Students then transferred their sketch to a piece of cardboard. Next students used magazines to collage colors onto their figure and the stand.

SMS was hopping with basketball fun as 6th and 7th graders squared off for a winning shot at the buzzer while the athletic and well practiced 8th graders took on the mighty SMS staff! What a night! Between the games, members of the crowd participated in 3 point shot events, relays and a PTO Sponsored “Chuck a Duck” onto the game floor! It was a great evening for the SMS community!

Every page counts! SMS 6th graders participated in a high stakes NFL reading challenge that pushed the reading bar to the next level! Over the course of several weeks in late winter into early spring, students were in competition mode, checking out and returning books and keeping tabs on all the genres in the SMS library. Congratulations to Mrs. Ewers class for the big win. Mayor Pete came by to celebrate the victory!

The SMS band shared an outstanding evening of tunes and melody for families and community. The gym was brimming with applause and pride in our students' musical growth and exploration. Mr. Polhemus coordinated first time performances between grade levels without a glitch! Great evening for SMS!

A group of student leaders traveled to a conference hosted by CAS. The CAS Middle Level Leader Conference was held at Southern CT State University. During their time at the conference students had the opportunity to attend workshops about communication and leadership. They also got to meet with student groups from other schools.

SMS was delighted to welcome rising 6th grade students and their families for our annual open house event at the end of January. This event provides incoming students and families an opportunity to learn more about student life at SMS, the courses students will take, get a feel for the school, and talk to students about clubs and activities. This year there was even an SMS themed scavenger hunt and students left with some SMS swag. There was great energy in the building and we cannot wait for the next opportunity to see our newest SMS community members.

Our partnership with the Center for Empowerment & Education continued as students from all grade levels had the opportunity to participate in programming at the end of January/beginning of February. Each grade level participated in themed programming based on their age and developmental needs. Grade 6 focused on self-esteem, grade 7 on empathy, and grade 8 on boundaries and handling rejection.

Students on Team 8 Yellow had the opportunity to extend their learning about the Civil Rights Movement, meeting with Bettie Mae Fikes. Mrs. Fikes, who is from Selma, Alabama, personally knew Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and was able to share about her personal experiences from this important time in history.

Spirit days at SMS continue to be a big hit! During the month of February, “Anything but a Backpack” day was a great day to see student creativity in action. Students used toy baby strollers, hampers, suitcases and much, much more to carry their belongings on this day.

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Mrs. Anne Bilko, Principal
Mrs. Jennifer Chmielewski, Assistant Principal

Mrs. Jennifer Meyers, Assistant Principal

SNIS had their ceremonial opening of the Walking Project. It was a perfect spring day to kick off this traditional, iconic event!

Author Lauren Tarshis visited our 4th and 5th grade students. She is a ‘rockstar’ in children’s literature as the author of the I survived…series. It was a great event for our students as they got to hear of her adventures, her writing process, and ask her questions as well.

Our string players participated in a collaborative field trip to the high school, where they learned alongside and from the SMS and NMHS string players. The event culminated in a wonderful all-school concert featuring 140 string players in total! The evening included performances by each school, followed by a combined piece.

Our 5th graders were fortunate to welcome President Lincoln. Students not only asked him questions about his presidency but also gained valuable insights into his perseverance and hard work throughout his life.

NASA Astronaut Dr. Don Thomas joined SNIS for three days. Each class had an opportunity to hear him speak, learn of his journey becoming an astronaut and his life as an astronaut. They also took a class photo with him as well. It was a wonderful time. This week each class will return to the planetarium and even get to touch a piece of Mars that Dr. Johnson left us all.

Dr. Johnson was an inspiration to listen to, his story is rooted in hard work and perseverance as he was not chosen immediately to join NASA but worked hard to advance his education and career until he was chosen. Dr. Johnson then shared experiences from his four Space Shuttle flights.

On March 17th, Bagpiper Mr. Hensen greeted students as they entered and paraded through our hallways. Students enjoy seeing him and hearing his bagpipes! Additionally, our 4th graders saw the Thorne Academy Irish Dancers too!

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Mrs. Catherine Calabrese, Principal

Mrs. Kerri Adakonis, Assistant Principal

February was a busy and exciting month at HPS! Thank you to our HPS families who donated items for the Marine Care Package Drive. Students and staff at LHTC organized the “We Love Our Military!” care packages, which were sent to members of the Marine Corps as a way to show appreciation and support for those who serve our country.

After a very cold and snowy February, students enjoyed an exciting visit from the Harlem Wizards, who amazed everyone with their unique basketball tricks and high-energy performance. Our principal and several staff members even joined in on the fun! The excitement continued at a town-wide event held at NMHS, where students and staff had the opportunity to play alongside the Harlem Wizards.

Valentine’s Day is always a special and joyful day for our students. Sharing cards and small gifts with friends and teachers is one of the highlights of the year. Our front entrance bulletin board was filled with hearts, each sharing a reason why our teachers and staff love our school. Together, they created “100 Reasons We Love Our School,” spreading positivity and appreciation throughout the building.

During February, the Lions Club also visited to provide students with free vision screenings.

In addition, a local dentist spoke with students about proper dental hygiene and demonstrated healthy teeth-brushing habits.

March began with our School Read-a-Thon and a celebration of Dr. Seuss and his beloved children’s books. Each day featured a fun theme, such as wearing green for Green Eggs and Ham and Crazy Hat Day for The Cat in the Hat. Many community members joined us to read with our students, including Superintendent Parlato, Assistant Superintendent Ms. Hollander, Mayor Bass, State Representative Buckbee, K9 Alamo and Officer Legan, Wolf Den Leader Mrs. Sudwischer, local business owner Jessica Bittner, Andy Armadillo and Loren Daly, and our very own PTO Board Members Jenn Barrett and Lauren Carbone.

We thank everyone who helped make our celebration of reading such a fun and memorable experience for our students!

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Mrs. Gwen Gallagher, Principal

Ms. Shannon Surreira, Assistant Principal SMS/NES

NES Heads Into Spring!

It has been action-packed here at NES. From diving deep into local history to celebrating community traditions and showcasing our youngest musical talents, our students have been busy learning, growing, and—of course—having a whole lot of fun!

A Journey Back in Time: The Institute for American Indian Studies

The second graders took a field trip to The Institute for American Indian Studies and it was a hit. Students traded the classroom for a hands-on history lesson, stepping inside a traditional longhouse and gathered around a replica wigwam. They explored the rich culture of Connecticut’s Indigenous peoples, learning about traditional dwellings, seasonal harvests, and even getting an up-close look at native wildlife through taxidermy displays. It was a wonderful way to bring our social studies curriculum to life!

Luck of the Irish: St. Patrick’s Day Spirit

The hallways turned into a sea of green as we enjoyed some St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans! We saw some truly "extra" school spirit, including a visit from a very festive (and very round!) inflatable leprechaun and a shamrock-clad gentleman (Mr. MacKessy's cousin!) who kept everyone smiling. It was a day filled with laughter, "gold" treats, Leprechaun traps and a whole lot of community cheer.

Music to Our Ears: The Kindergarten Concert

Our littlest performers took center stage for the annual Kindergarten Concert. Armed with xylophones, drums, and plenty of enthusiasm, the students showcased their rhythmic skills. Whether they were carefully striking the keys or keeping the beat on the hand drums, their hard work in music class clearly paid off. Bravo to our rising stars!

Innovation in Action: Playful Engineers Assembly

The gym was transformed into a giant maker-space for the Playful Engineers assembly. This high-energy event encouraged students to think like inventors as they designed, built, and tested complex chain-reaction machines. It was a fantastic display of teamwork and STEM problem-solving—reminding us all that engineering is just a fancy word for "purposeful play."

Community Care: KidSight Screening Program

Health and wellness are always a priority, and we were grateful to have the Lions Club Kidsight screening program. This vital service provides quick, non-invasive vision screenings to help identify potential issues early.

CLICK CLACK MOO!

Our Kindergarten students went on a field trip to see Click Clack Moo at Ridgefield Playhouse! They had fun watching one of their favorite books by Doreen Cronin come to life!

Starting the Day Right: Morning Announcements

Finally, a huge shout-out to our students who help us kick off every day! Whether it’s leading the Pledge of Allegiance or sharing the "Funny Friday Joke," our Morning Announcements crew keeps us informed and inspired. It’s a joy to see their confidence grow every time they step up to the microphone.

It has been a whirlwind of excitement and milestones here at NES! From athletic showdowns to century-mark celebrations, our students and staff have been busy making memories. Here is a look at what’s been happening around the halls.

The energy was electric as our community gathered to cheer on NES Staff against the world-famous Harlem Wizards. It wasn’t just about the hoops; it was about the spirit of the school coming together. Whether it was teachers rocking their custom green jerseys or staff members getting in on the fun with cow-themed costumes and inflatable suits, the laughter from the bleachers was a testament to our school pride. It’s not every day you see an inflatable cow hitting a layup!

Our Kindergartners officially reached a major milestone: 100 Days of School! To celebrate being "100” days in, classes transformed into a gathering of tiny senior citizens. We saw a delightful array of:

• Classic Fashion: Suspenders, bow ties, and pearls.
• Iconic Accessories: Gray wigs, "Life Alert" necklaces, and even a few walking canes.
• Whimsical Touches: Pikachu purses and hot-dog-print cardigans proved that even after a century, style never fades. The students had a blast reflecting on everything they’ve learned since the first day of school.

Winter delivered some playground magic for our Second Graders! Bundled up in their warmest parkas and snow pants, the students took to the snow for some much-needed outdoor exploration. There is nothing quite like the smile of a child discovering a fresh patch of snow or building something new with their friends. These moments of play are where some of the best social learning happens, and the crisp winter air definitely provided a refreshing break from their "Galapagos Penguin" research projects.

Love is in the air—and in the ears—in the music room! Mr. Jimenez has been guiding the children through the creative process of composition. This week, the students took on the role of songwriters to celebrate the upcoming holiday.

Using their knowledge of rhythm and rhyme, the children have been composing original Valentine’s Day songs. It’s been wonderful to hear them experiment with different notes and lyrics to express kindness and friendship.

The first graders had a "paws-itively" wonderful time celebrating a major milestone: 101 days of school! Drawing inspiration from the classic 101 Dalmatians, the students transformed their classroom into a festive "dog house," complete with a hand-drawn kennel entrance for everyone to crawl through. The hallway was buzzing with excitement as the children showed off their creative costumes, sporting everything from spotted ears and face paint to DIY Dalmatian-print shirts. Whether they were posing for group photos in their "kennel" or enjoying a special lunch together, the day was a heartwarming way to celebrate how much they’ve grown since the first day of school.

Students and staff were treated to an unforgettable journey through West African culture during our recent Cultural Enrichment Assembly, featuring the incredibly talented master drummer and dancer, Iddi Saaka. Sponsored by the PTO, this high-energy performance brought the spirit of Ghana right into our gymnasium.

As we wrap up the shortest (but often busiest!) month of the year, we want to thank our families for their continued support. Whether it was celebrating Valentine’s Day kindness or braving the winter chill for drop-offs, your energy keeps our school spirit warm. We look forward to the brighter days and "springing forward" as we head into the next season.

Check out this stunning snap which we used as the background for this issue of Spotlight. 🌈

Lots of amazing individual and team accomplishments. Congratulations to all the students, coaches, and families! 🌊🌊🌊

Congrats to these Green Wave basketball gentlemen who earned SWC All Colonial!

NMHS Bowling Team are the South-West Conference Champions! Congratulations to Josh N., Jakob J., Gavin S., Mason B., Maggie M., Alex P., Landon M., and Austin P.! Way to go, Green Wave! 🎳🌊 🟢

Congratulations to Cienna for earning All SWC, Jaelah for All Colonial Division and Kayla for Honorable Mention!

Congratulations Liam Fletcher-Ford for being named SWC Swimmer of the Meet, coming in first in all his events, and setting a new school record of 21.21 in the 50fr and he placed 1st in the 50fr and 100fr! OUTSTANDING!

February was an exciting month for the department. We launched our first instagram page (NMPS Food Service (@nmps_foodandnutrition) • Instagram photos and videos) and will be highlighting our taste tests, menus, farm produce and more.

In preparation for the Super Bowl, a “Game Platter” was served to the High School and Middle School students. A Valentine’s meal was offered at every school with heart shaped chicken nuggets, roasted cauliflower, dinner roll and a special 100% fruit frozen treat.

March was a busy month for the Food and Nutrition Department which celebrated National Nutrition Month and National School Breakfast Week (The Quest for School Breakfast).

The theme for National Nutrition Month was “Discover The Power of Nutrition”. To celebrate, each cafeteria received a vibrant banner with the school's logo. Students got to enjoy local farm produce (apples, rainbow and orange carrots, watermelon, white radishes, and hydroponic lettuce) and five new items were put on the menus:

1. Pierogies locally made in Meriden, CT

2. Roasted beets from Vibrant Farms in Bantam, CT

3. Whole grain egg roll + fried rice

4. Grilled black bean burger

5. Cheeseburger calzone & special sauce

Two sample days with students were conducted at NMHS and SNIS. Organic petite sweet potatoes (Oxen Farm in CT) were homemade into sweet potato fries. The new fries packed with nutrients were a big hit at both schools, and greater than 87% of the students surveyed loved them and would like to see them on future menus. Check out these two videos on our instagram page, NMPS-foodandnutrition:

Sample Day at NMHS

Taste Testing at SNIS-- Roasted Sweet Potato Fries

After three years of free breakfast and lunch for all students, paid breakfast and lunch must begin this Friday, May 1.

We have been so pleased to offer multiple years of free breakfasts and lunches to all NMPS students, saving families hundreds and hundreds of dollars along the way.

The Nutrition Office has been accepting applications for free and reduced price meals since March 1. Free and reduced price meals are based upon income eligibility, and the application can be found on the district website under Food and Nutrition Services. Students who are directly certified by the state (such as through SNAP) have received a notification from the Nutrition Office confirming their eligibility to continue receiving free meals. These families do not need to submit an application for free meals.

Here are the meal prices beginning May 1. Please see the end of this message for a reminder of how to add funds to your child's meal account.

NMPS Breakfast and Lunch Pricing beginning May 1, 2026:

Grades K-5 Breakfast = $1.90

Grades K-5 Lunch = $2.85

Grades 6-12 Breakfast = $2.25

Grades 6-12 Lunch = $3.10/$3.60 depending upon the selected meal

If you have questions or need assistance with the application process, please contact the Nutrition Office at 860-354-3712 or email bernardim@newmilfordps.org

Thank you for your continued support of our students and schools!

Janet P. Parlato, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools

Resources:

NMPS Food and Nutrition Website - online free/reduced price meal application link will be posted on March 1.

To add money to your student's account, view balances, and monitor meal activity, please visit the MySchoolBucks website to set up an account using your student’s lunch account number.

My School Bucks Website