Dr. Richardson's Friday Notes
10/23/26
Our Mission
Millburn Middle School is committed to providing the knowledge, skills, and values students require in order to be successful learners and leaders in the 21st century. One of its core missions is to develop leadership qualities in its students through its exemplary Peer Leader program and a variety of character education and service-learning opportunities.
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Follow along with us as we celebrate middle school as not just a bridge between elementary and high school, but as a destination to honor and cherish first.
Peer Leader Induction
Our Peer Leader Induction evening was a wonderful event to celebrate our students.
Peer Leadership Mission Statement
The mission of the Millburn Middle School Peer Leadership Program is to empower students to lead by example, build meaningful connections, and create a school community where everyone feels welcomed, respected, and included. Through kindness, responsibility, teamwork, and service, Peer Leaders encourage others to be upstanders, support their peers, and make a positive difference in the lives of others.
We believe that every student has the ability to be a leader, and that small acts of kindness and inclusion can make a big impact.
Excerpt from Dr. Richardson's speech to the Peer Leader Inductees on October 22:
"When we gather for a peer leader induction, it is easy to focus on what lies ahead. But true leadership isn’t defined by a title you receive today but is instead defined by the choices you have already been making every single day when no one was holding a microphone or handing out an award.
Look at what this group has already built, and we are only in October:
Leadership is hospitality: You were the first friendly faces welcoming our 6th graders on Transition Day, walking nervous families through Back to School Night, and helping new students conquer their locker combinations. Through the morning news, you give our entire school its daily beat and voice.
Leadership is inclusion: Real leaders build bigger tables, not higher walls. You didn't just sign the No Place For Hate pledge. You lived it out during the Week of Respect. You choose to spend your lunches in the ABA and LLD classrooms, jump into adaptive P.E., and give up your own study halls to tutor and mentor 6th graders. You make sure nobody walks through our hallways feeling invisible.
Leadership is service & generosity: Organizing food drives for local families, launching candy gram sales for Heifer, you understand that your influence reaches far beyond these school walls. Sitting side-by-side with our town’s seniors to craft red ribbons for Red Ribbon Week showed that leadership bridges generations.
Leadership is energy & joy: Hosting visiting peer leaders, leading "Get Fit" SPORT activities, or planning Open Gym events, you model what it means to lead a healthy, positive, and active life that inspires others to join in.
To our inductees: leadership is not about being the loudest voice in the room or standing at the front of the room. It is about quiet acts of empathy, the decision to sit next to someone eating alone, to offer a helping hand with a tricky locker, or to stand up for kindness when it isn't the easy thing to do.
If this is the standard you have set in just two short months, I cannot wait to see the culture you create, the lives you touch, and the legacy you leave by the end of this year. Congratulations to our new Peer Leaders-thank you for choosing to lead by example."
In the picture below the peer leaders recite the pledge: "I promise to remain substance-free and uphold proper standards as a peer leader. I understand that my influence is of great importance and that I must make every effort to be a positive role model for my peers."
School Violence Awareness Week & The Say Something Program
Dear Families,
This week, our school community has been observing National School Violence Awareness Week. Ensuring a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment for every student remains a high priority, and we know that school safety is a shared responsibility between school, home, and community.
As part of our commitment to safety and early prevention, our students are participating in the Sandy Hook Promise Say Something Program. This age-appropriate initiative empowers students to become "Upstanders" in our school. The program focuses on three core steps:
Recognize the Signs: Learning to identify warning signs, signals, and threats—especially on social media or in peer conversations—from individuals who may be at risk of hurting themselves or others.
Act Immediately / Take it Seriously: Understanding that reporting potential harm is not "snitching"—it is getting help for someone in distress.
Say Something: Reaching out to a trusted adult at school or home, or using our reporting tools, whenever a safety concern arises.
How You Can Support at Home
We encourage you to talk with your child about what they are learning this week. Here are a few quick ways to continue the conversation:
Ask About "Trusted Adults": Help your child identify adults at school, at home, or in the community they feel comfortable talking to if they ever feel unsafe or worried about a friend.
Talk About Online Safety: Remind your child to pay attention to what they see on social media and gaming platforms, and to let an adult know if something seems concerning.
Reinforce "Help, Not Trouble": Reassure them that coming forward with a concern is an act of care that can protect lives.
Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping our students safe, connected, and supported. Please reach out to our administration or counseling team if you have any questions or need additional resources.
Best,
Dr. Richardson
Walk and Roll
Dear Families,
A big thank you to all the students, parents, and staff who participated in our Walk & Roll to School Day earlier this month!
Thanks to your participation, we helped promote healthy habits, reduced morning traffic, and celebrated safer, walk-friendly streets in our community.
Special thanks to our police officers and crossing guards who help make the morning safe everyday. Keep up the great walking and rolling!
MMS Celebrates Red Ribbon Week from October 26-30th
Red Ribbon Week is the nation's largest and longest-running drug-use prevention campaign. It was created by the National Family Partnership in 1985 as a tribute to fallen DEA Agent Enrique Camarena.
By being drug-free, you can reach your full potential! This year’s theme is “Make a difference. Be a hero. Stay Drug Free.” 7th Grade Peer Leadership is hosting activities throughout our school for Red Ribbon Week. Peer leaders will be visiting study halls on Monday, October 26th to ask students to sign our pledge to remain drug free. Please see below for a full list of activities:
Dates to Remember
11/12: Parent Dialogue Night: The Guidance Department and Core 8 Peer Leaders will host Dialogue Night on November 12th from 7:00-8:00 - more information to come
11/20: Picture Retakes
