SPOTLIGHT

Dr. Janet Parlato, Superintendent of New Milford Public Schools

Dear New Milford Public Schools Families,

October is one of my favorite months of the school year. As you will see in this edition of the Spotlight, there are many activities going on across the district. In October, we are all settled into our routines, and so much of the planning the we did in May, June, and over the summer is in full view in each school. Our Grades K-3 teachers are hard at work using our new Reading program, Bookworms; we are in the third year of using our new Math program in Grades K-5, and the first year of a new Math program in Grades 6-8. We are grateful to have been able to purchase these helpful materials and resources with the community's budgetary support. In the past few months, we have revised our Vision of a Graduate so that it is now the Portrait of a Lifelong Learner; we have established model lab classrooms in Grades K-12, and over the next few weeks, teachers will learn about our district purpose frameworks, which will help students understand the focus of their learning. We are definitely moving ahead this year with many projects that support student learning and growth. We can't wait to show you all that our students will accomplish this year!

November 2nd: Daylight Savings Time Ends
November 4th: Parent Conferences/Election Day - SCHOOLS CLOSED
November 11th: Veterans Day - SCHOOLS CLOSED
November 13th: Parent Conferences (see District Calendar)
November 26th: Early Dismissal for Students and Staff
November 27th-28th: Thanksgiving Recess - SCHOOLS CLOSED

The Food & Nutrition Department is kicking off the month with a spectacular gift from the Northville’s School Garden (Plant Patch). We received 3 different colored string beans from the patch and they will be served during the first week of October. They are perfect and we like to thank the volunteers from the Plant Patch and the students who help care for the garden.

The Food and Nutrition Department has a long-standing commitment in serving locally grown food in our school meal programs. In fact we were the first district to purchase from the Northwest Connecticut (NWCT) Food Hub, highlighting our dedication to supporting Connecticut farms and giving students access to fresh, seasonal produce.

The Department's commitment to expose our students to fresh local fruits and vegetables is strong and evident by the October menu. The department is celebrating “CT Grown for CT Kids Week” by having CT Grown Fruits and Vegetables on the menu daily for the entire week. In addition to the products from local farms, we have also added products from CT based companies, such as Pan De Oro Tortilla Chips from Hartford and CT Fair Bread from Torrington.

The farms that will be used this month are:

Conundrum Farm - Kent CT

CT Food 4 Thought - Torrington CT

Desantis Farm - Watertown CT

March Farms - Bethlehem CT

Massaro Community Farm - Woodbridge CT

Roger’s Orchards - Southington CT

We believe in the power of school meals to shape lifelong health habits and connect students to their community. Our commitment is to deepen our farm to school impact, broaden student’s palates and support the local agricultural community.

"Leave space for the unknown to reveal itself"

New Milford High School

860-350-6647

Mr. Raymond Manka, Principal

Mr. Kevin Best, Assistant Principal

Dr. Megan Dwyer, Assistant Principal

Mr. Anthony Blake, Assistant Principal

NMHS Happenings

On October 8th, New Milford High School welcomed 83 new members to its chapter of the National Honor Society. Master of ceremonies, President Himaani Pradeep, along with fellow officers, Emma Coleman, Jamie Hendrix, and Scott Spinner lead the induction program. They celebrated inductees' superlative academic achievement, leadership acumen, excellent character, and voluminous community volunteer service. The highlight of the night is the lighting of the candles. NHS now has 110 members to offer tutoring to fellow students, volunteer at local food banks, and lead community activities.

NMHS National Honor Society induction Oct 8. 2025

New Milford Rotary Club Student of the Month

New Milford Rotary Club recognized Ava as the Student of the Month, nominated by the NMHS Business Department.

NEACA College and Career Fair at University of New Haven

New Milford High School juniors and seniors attended the NEACA College and Career Fair at University of New Haven!

CLICK to purchase tickets for The Play That Goes Wrong!

Schaghticoke Middle School

860-354-2204
Mrs. Linda Demeyer, Principal

Ms. Shannon Surreira, Assistant Principal SMS/NES

Mrs. Jennifer Powers, Assistant Principal

Mrs. Alicia Hynes, Assistant Principal

Board of Education Honors SMS Students

The Board of Education recognized Ideal Students from Schaghticoke Middle School on October 21, 2025. These students demonstrate ways to help their peers feel a sense of belonging to the school and in each of their classes!

Thank you to SMS teachers for nominating such a kind group, and to Principal Demeyer, Assistant Principals Powers, Hynes, and Surreira, and Supervisor Bergner for helping to honor these students:

Emma H., Grade 8

Jeremy T.-P., Grade 8

Maggie M., Grade 8

Isabella E., Grade 6

Ashley B., Grade 6

Matias C-Z., Grade 7

Sarah M., Grade 8

Lucinda C., Grade 7

Avery G., Grade 6

Pamela P., Grade 8

Stella D., Grade 7

Eiryn Z., Grade 8

Caden R., Grade 8

Students at SMS have been up to so much this month!

The Center for Empowerment & Education talked to 6th and 7th graders about healthy friendships.
Our 8th graders heard from Henry Abbott Tech, Shepaug Valley Agriscience, and NMHS as they start thinking about the transition to high school.
Our fall athletic teams have been hard at work on the practice field/court and on competition days!
We’ve also had a blast with our weekly spirit days. Recently we’ve had Disney Day, Pajama Day, and Tacky Tourist Day.

SMS photo collage Spotlight October 2025

Sarah Noble Intermediate School

860-210-4020
Mrs. Anne Bilko, Principal
Mrs. Jennifer Chmielewski, Assistant Principal

Mrs. Jennifer Meyers, Assistant Principal

Destination SNIS: Open House Reinvented

Destination SNIS: Open House Reinvented - Prior to Open House our students prepared and practiced to lead the way. We couldn't have been more excited at our Open House night this year as more than 500 students brought their families to Destination SNIS Night!

On the evening of Destination SNIS, students armed with their knowledge and passports led their families to all aspects of their academic days at SNIS. At each destination, as they finished, they collected a passport stamp before moving on and traveled to their next locale.

In each class, they introduced their families to staff members and completed a class tour. Some examples of what they did on tours were, reviewing routines, playing math games, highlighting their classwork work, reviewing classroom expectations, even completing warm up exercises in PE! Students were bursting with pride and excitement to show what they know and families left with insights and understandings specific to their child. It was an amazing evening!

Destination SNIS Open House Reinvented Collage SPotlight Oct 2025

SNIS PTO Fun Run!

Another PTO Fun Run in the Books. Mother Nature cooperated with a perfect day to run outside by grade level. Each grade walked, ran, and danced their way around the Boosterthon Fun Run track to celebrate. It was our pleasure to support our terrific terrific PTO and our students had a wonderful time!

C.S. Lewis said "Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work."...

Northville Elementary School

860-355-3713

Mrs. Gwen Gallagher, Principal

Ms. Shannon Surreira, Assistant Principal SMS/NES

October at NES

This month we celebrated our stellar students who completed their summer math and reading! Each child who turned in their work received a certificate and had a special breakfast and photos with Nessy and Mrs. Surreira.

We also enjoyed a nice article about the Plant Patch in the New Milford Living Magazine! The students continue to learn about life cycles, soil science, and the importance of water with hands-on experience in the patch. Thank you to our Plant Patch volunteers who have made our "now famous" garden such an incredible success.

We appreciate our school bus drivers. They build relationships with the students they transport to and from school. Recently, one of the All-Star transportation bus drivers came into the school and made a point of complimenting a student for practicing the NES C.A.R.E.S. expectations on the bus!

Mrs. Bonnell, our Stem teacher, was at Northville recently doing her rounds of lessons. Kindergartners kicked off the year with The Creature of Habit, creating their own imaginative creatures that try new things and ask big questions—just like real scientists!

In first grade, we read Sam and Dave Dig a Hole and discovered the power of perseverance, teamwork, and thinking outside the box.

Grade 2 students are sharpening their STEM “tools” like collaboration, critical thinking, and curiosity while observing a real compost bin filled with cafeteria waste.

Across all three grades, we’re building our STEM identity, learning to problem-solve like scientists, and turning mistakes into opportunities.

Picture day was fun and successful! As the season (finally!) begins to change and the colder temperatures drift in, we are off to a great start at Northville School!

Hill & Plain Elementary School

860-354-5430
Mrs. Catherine Calabrese, Principal

Mrs. Kerri Adakonis, Assistant Principal

HPS students and staff are being celebrated for displaying kindness and acting out our school’s CORE Values through our new “Top Dog” initiative. Nominees get to proudly display their names on the HPS Office Fridge—a fun and visible reminder of the positive impact they’re making each day. A note also goes home, encouraging family members to ask their child about it. Keep up the great work, HPS Top Dogs!

Each month, teachers nominate one or two students from their class to be recognized as “Core Value Citizens.” These students consistently demonstrate the values we promote at HPS—kindness, responsibility, respect, and more. Core Value Citizens are invited to a special lunch with Mrs. Calabrese and Mrs. Adakonis, receive a certificate, and proudly wear a student recognition bracelet. Congratulations to all of our honorees!

On September 9th, families attended Curriculum Night, where they visited classrooms, met teachers, and gained insight into the academic journey ahead. It was a wonderful opportunity for the school community to connect and set the tone for a successful year of learning and growth.

We kicked off the year with our first all-school assembly, focusing on the theme of Respect and the importance of Personal Space. Staff shared meaningful messages about treating others with care and making everyone feel valued. Thanks to Ms. Becker, our talented music teacher, students also learned our brand-new school song she helped to write, and all performed it with our beloved mascot, Barkley!

Our school garden is thriving! Weekly harvests have brought in a colorful variety of tomatoes—and just in time for fall, we’re excited to report that pumpkins are ready to be picked! Thank you to everyone helping to care for and enjoy our garden space.

The PTO hosted another unforgettable Color Run! Students, staff, and families came dressed in white and left covered in colorful, tie-dye fun. It was a joyful day of laughter, movement, and community spirit—thank you to all who helped make it a success!

Sunday evenings have become something to look forward to, thanks to Mrs. Calabrese and her dog, Ollie! Each week, they share an online read-aloud that students and staff can watch to wrap up the weekend. It’s a cozy, heartwarming way to bring our school community together and get ready for the week ahead.

Kindness is a simple way of letting another struggling soul know that there is love to be found in this world.

Green Wave Receives Michaels Cup!

Congratulations to New Milford Green Wave Athletic Department for being awarded the Michaels Cup Award at the CIAC Sportsmanship Conference for the work we have done promoting sportsmanship, community service, and positive school spirit. This is the 4th year in a row New Milford is being recognized! Thank you to our amazing student leaders, coaches, and spectators for supporting our mission to create a positive environment while giving back to the community. Go, Green Wave!! 💚🌊

NMHS athletes receive Michael's Cup Award

Green Wave Senior Football Players Staff Appreciation Impact Jersey

The Green Wave Gridiron Club's moving annual tradition of New Milford High School senior football players paying tribute to educators and staff members who had the most impact on their education. These individuals will be recognized before the game on October 24, 2025 at 7:00pm at Joe Wiser Stadium.

As the NMHS football seniors prepare to graduate, they've been thinking about the journey that got them here, and wanted to take a moment to thank you, not only for being an incredible role model, but also for being someone who truly cared about their success and well-being and for that, they are very grateful. They wouldn't be where they are today without your influence, and they want you to know how much they appreciate you.

PLEASE HELP US IN THANKING:

Jenilee Valencia

Craig Lyons

Renetta Alexander

Theresa McGuinness

Corinne Palmer

Julie Rose

Paul Jussila

Christine Santorella

Aunalise Anderson

Andrew Dombrowski

Cody Madden

Suzanne Andrews

Green Wave Boys Soccer

Congratulations to the Green Wave Boys Soccer for a fantastic regular season! Now on to States!

G⚽ Green! 💚⚽👏

NMHS Field Hockey

The girls fought hard to the end in the SWC Semifinals with an overtime battle against Pomperaug. Now they're gearing up for States! Let's get out there and support them! Let's Goooo, Wave!🏑🌊💚💯

Girls Cross Country Takes 3rd Place !

The Green Wave Girls Cross Country team takes 3rd place finish at the SWCs Championship! Congratulations to Alesia Smalls and Skyler Quigley for earning 1st Team All SWC, and to the entire team for winning the Sportsmanship Award! Way to go, girls!! 🏃🏻‍♀️💚🌊

Green Wave Girls Soccer

Congratulations, ladies on a terrific season ! ⚽⚽⚽⚽

Green Wave Girls Volleyball Pink Night

On October 14th the girls Green Wave volleyball program held Pink Night with breast cancer awareness games, and a beautiful bake sale fundraiser. Outstanding job to all! 🏐💕💚