The FACS kitchen at the Middle School is filled with the warm, inviting aroma of freshly baked bread today, March 17, as Victoria Ingrassia’s students celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by making traditional Irish Soda Bread—a festive and delicious choice!
Using simple, classic ingredients like flour, baking soda, salt, butter and raisins students learned the basics of mixing, kneading, and shaping their dough watching a hands-on tutorial. Afterward, they headed to their stations to begin baking, carefully forming their loaves so they can come to life in the oven.
Soon, students will be enjoying their golden-brown creations, sliced and served with butter—a perfect way to celebrate the holiday!
Using simple, classic ingredients like flour, baking soda, salt, butter and raisins students learned the basics of mixing, kneading, and shaping their dough watching a hands-on tutorial. Afterward, they headed to their stations to begin baking, carefully forming their loaves so they can come to life in the oven.
Soon, students will be enjoying their golden-brown creations, sliced and served with butter—a perfect way to celebrate the holiday!
HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY --- Top of the morning to you!
These clever and creative leprechaun traps were set out yesterday by McKayla Murphy’s IS third-graders in their classroom! While no leprechauns were caught, these mischievous characters left some very fun treats behind to let students know they were onsite when they arrived to class this morning!
Leprechaun traps are creative, kid-made, decorative crafts set on St. Patrick’s Eve designed to "catch" a leprechaun. Usually made from household items like shoe boxes or jars, they're baited with gold coins, shamrocks, and glitter, often leading to a fun St. Patrick's Day tradition where the trap is found "sprung" with a small treat left behind.
Elementary school kids love making leprechaun traps because it merges imaginative play with hands-on STEM engineering, tapping into the magic and mischief of St. Patrick’s Day. The activity allows children to use creativity to design clever traps from household items, fostering critical thinking, while anticipating the fun reward of potential leprechaun “gold” or treats!
Approximately 31 million people in the U.S. claim Irish heritage! That's almost six times the population of Ireland!
These clever and creative leprechaun traps were set out yesterday by McKayla Murphy’s IS third-graders in their classroom! While no leprechauns were caught, these mischievous characters left some very fun treats behind to let students know they were onsite when they arrived to class this morning!
Leprechaun traps are creative, kid-made, decorative crafts set on St. Patrick’s Eve designed to "catch" a leprechaun. Usually made from household items like shoe boxes or jars, they're baited with gold coins, shamrocks, and glitter, often leading to a fun St. Patrick's Day tradition where the trap is found "sprung" with a small treat left behind.
Elementary school kids love making leprechaun traps because it merges imaginative play with hands-on STEM engineering, tapping into the magic and mischief of St. Patrick’s Day. The activity allows children to use creativity to design clever traps from household items, fostering critical thinking, while anticipating the fun reward of potential leprechaun “gold” or treats!
Approximately 31 million people in the U.S. claim Irish heritage! That's almost six times the population of Ireland!
SUNY New Paltz student art teacher Julia Wilson has been working with Otisville Art Teacher Kara Welsh and her second-grade art students in a project called "Food Imposters," inspired by the TV shows "Is It Cake?" and "Kids Baking Championship" where the food is disguised as something else. They’ve been making realistic plates of food out of paper, folding, crinkling and rolling the paper in the collages to make it realistic, like the textures of food.
Julia, who will graduate in May, is one of many student teachers working with district students this spring. All student teachers are getting wonderful experience working with their mentor teachers and providing our students with innovative and robust lessons to support the district’s curriculum!
Julia, who will graduate in May, is one of many student teachers working with district students this spring. All student teachers are getting wonderful experience working with their mentor teachers and providing our students with innovative and robust lessons to support the district’s curriculum!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU to everyone who attended Project Graduation’s Tricky Tray this past Saturday evening at the high school. An amazing $15,000 was raised, which will support Project Graduation’s determined work to organize and run a spectacular and memorable graduation party for the Class of 2026! These wonderful volunteers couldn’t do this without your support! We’re all grateful!
Kudos to the Otisville Kiwanis K-Kids, who collected more than 130 items for the Carlucci Home, an assisted living community in Port Jervis helping adults with activities of daily living, as well as memory care and any medical needs they may have. Each resident received a personalized, decorated gift bag filled with warm wishes from the K-Kids containing two puzzle books, soup and fuzzy socks.
“It is so rewarding to see the children putting kindness into practice,” said Kiwanis advisor Andrea Yager. “Thanks to all your support and generosity, the ladies are staying warm this winter.”
K-Kids is a Kiwanis Service Leadership Program for primary/elementary school age students. Club members improve their schools and communities — an experience that helps them develop a passion to serve, a desire to lead and the ability to engage and collaborate with others.
“It is so rewarding to see the children putting kindness into practice,” said Kiwanis advisor Andrea Yager. “Thanks to all your support and generosity, the ladies are staying warm this winter.”
K-Kids is a Kiwanis Service Leadership Program for primary/elementary school age students. Club members improve their schools and communities — an experience that helps them develop a passion to serve, a desire to lead and the ability to engage and collaborate with others.
Joan Giardina’s IS fourth-grade art students are using liquid watercolors and a watercolor “salt technique” to create gorgeous koi watercolor art! Their work includes drawing from the perspective as if they were looking down into a koi pond.
The watercolor salt technique creates unique textures (air bubbles) by sprinkling salt onto wet paint; as the salt absorbs water and pigment, it leaves behind sparkling, mottled patterns. They applied table or sea salt while the wash was still wet/damp, let it dry completely, then gently brushed off the crystals. How creative (and how beautiful their work is!)
Koi are ornamental domesticated carp with a 40 plus year average lifespan, with some living over 200 years. Originating from 19th-century Japan, they symbolize luck, love, and friendship. They grow up to 3 feet long, are omnivorous, and thrive in social groups within, often requiring, specialized, clean, and spacious ponds.
The watercolor salt technique creates unique textures (air bubbles) by sprinkling salt onto wet paint; as the salt absorbs water and pigment, it leaves behind sparkling, mottled patterns. They applied table or sea salt while the wash was still wet/damp, let it dry completely, then gently brushed off the crystals. How creative (and how beautiful their work is!)
Koi are ornamental domesticated carp with a 40 plus year average lifespan, with some living over 200 years. Originating from 19th-century Japan, they symbolize luck, love, and friendship. They grow up to 3 feet long, are omnivorous, and thrive in social groups within, often requiring, specialized, clean, and spacious ponds.
Thank you to dental hygienists Jennifer Coon and Larissa Ford, who recently visited Sally Mankoo’s ES kindergarteners to talk about dental hygiene. These little ones are pretty smart, too, because they knew which foods the “Happy Tooth” would like them to eat, and which foods make the “Sad Tooth” sad. WELL-DONE, everyone!
Bryon Imbarrato’s Otisville third-graders, like all district third-graders, have been working on fractions during their math lessons. They’ve been comparing fractions using pictures, number lines and even playing Fraction War --- an educational card game based on the classic game of "War," designed to help players practice comparing, simplifying, and finding equivalent fractions. Two or more players flip cards showing fractions, and the player with the largest fraction value wins the round and keeps all cards. The game ends when one player collects all the cards.
Third-graders study fractions to build a foundational understanding of parts-to-whole relationships, which is critical for future success in algebra, geometry, and STEM careers. This introduction helps students move from concrete, whole-number thinking to more abstract concepts, including comparing, ordering, and understanding equivalent fractions.
Third-graders study fractions to build a foundational understanding of parts-to-whole relationships, which is critical for future success in algebra, geometry, and STEM careers. This introduction helps students move from concrete, whole-number thinking to more abstract concepts, including comparing, ordering, and understanding equivalent fractions.
Learning a foreign language is a cornerstone of strong academic programs in school districts like Minisink Valley because it nurtures cognitive growth, deepens cultural understanding, and strengthens students’ future career opportunities. Studying another language challenges the brain in unique ways, sharpening critical thinking, improving memory and enhancing multitasking skills.
At the same time, learning a foreign language broadens students’ perspectives by exposing them to different cultures, traditions, and ways of thinking, including building empathy and global awareness. In an increasingly interconnected world, the ability to speak more than one language is not just an academic asset; it is an essential skill that allows individuals to communicate effectively, collaborate across cultures and thrive in a global society.
The Middle School recently celebrated National Foreign Language Week by inviting five students to share their native language or language spoken at home with the school community via morning announcements with some sentences in those languages! They did great!
Thank you to:
--- Taras Pylpchuk, Ukrainian
--- Adrien Kusztykiewicz, Polish
--- Christel Toussaint, French
--- Santiago Valencia, Spanish
--- Andrew Suen, Mandarin Chinese
At the same time, learning a foreign language broadens students’ perspectives by exposing them to different cultures, traditions, and ways of thinking, including building empathy and global awareness. In an increasingly interconnected world, the ability to speak more than one language is not just an academic asset; it is an essential skill that allows individuals to communicate effectively, collaborate across cultures and thrive in a global society.
The Middle School recently celebrated National Foreign Language Week by inviting five students to share their native language or language spoken at home with the school community via morning announcements with some sentences in those languages! They did great!
Thank you to:
--- Taras Pylpchuk, Ukrainian
--- Adrien Kusztykiewicz, Polish
--- Christel Toussaint, French
--- Santiago Valencia, Spanish
--- Andrew Suen, Mandarin Chinese
Three High School students who attend the Orange-Ulster BOCES Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) distinguished themselves among more than 500 competitors at the recent New York State SkillsUSA Leadership and Championships qualifier, hosted by Southern Westchester BOCES in Rye Brook. Congratulations and well-done!
Junior Alex Vicaretti earned second-place honors in the Heavy Equipment category, demonstrating exceptional skill and technical knowledge.
Senior Sean Bellew also secured third-place honors in the Criminal Justice category, highlighting his interest for a potential future career in this or a similar field.
Junior Edward Edwards was part of a team that captured third-place honors in the CSI category, showcasing strong investigative and teamwork abilities.
“I couldn't be more proud of our students for their contributions, dedication, and efforts throughout the competition,” said OUB CTEC Principal Eugene Hewitt. “They represented themselves, their programs, and Orange-Ulster BOCES in the finest light. They should be extremely proud of themselves, as we all are of them.”
Junior Alex Vicaretti earned second-place honors in the Heavy Equipment category, demonstrating exceptional skill and technical knowledge.
Senior Sean Bellew also secured third-place honors in the Criminal Justice category, highlighting his interest for a potential future career in this or a similar field.
Junior Edward Edwards was part of a team that captured third-place honors in the CSI category, showcasing strong investigative and teamwork abilities.
“I couldn't be more proud of our students for their contributions, dedication, and efforts throughout the competition,” said OUB CTEC Principal Eugene Hewitt. “They represented themselves, their programs, and Orange-Ulster BOCES in the finest light. They should be extremely proud of themselves, as we all are of them.”
Congratulations and best wishes to the senior members of the Girls Varsity Basketball team, who were honored for their many contributions to the team’s success during their recent Senior Night: Alyssa Doane, Cassie Jennings, Kate O'Neill and Elizabeth Yozzo! (Their costumed red attire was for a skit they performed that evening!
Eighth-grader Noah Watley proudly represented the district yesterday, March 10, at the Orange-Ulster BOCES Regional Spelling Bee — and he did a fantastic job! Noah advanced all the way to the fifth round, correctly spelling several challenging words along the way! UnBEElievable! Well-done, Noah!
Among the words he nailed were passage, prism, hipsterism, and nutation — no easy feat. Noah’s impressive run came to an end on the word “caudex,” but not before showing incredible skill and composure.
“We are all so incredibly proud of Noah and what he accomplished at the Spelling Bee,” said Middle School Librarian Maggie Spicehandler, who annually organizes the Middle School's Spelling Bee.
Among the words he nailed were passage, prism, hipsterism, and nutation — no easy feat. Noah’s impressive run came to an end on the word “caudex,” but not before showing incredible skill and composure.
“We are all so incredibly proud of Noah and what he accomplished at the Spelling Bee,” said Middle School Librarian Maggie Spicehandler, who annually organizes the Middle School's Spelling Bee.
In schools both big and small, down the hall and up the stairs,
Something wonderful happens when a story is shared!
All year long, our schools unite—what a marvelous sight—
The High School and Elementary working together just right.
They partner and plan, they laugh and they read,
Planting the tiniest, book-loving seed.
And what was the reason for such a recent fine day?
Why, Read Across America, hip-hip-hooray!
A day for all readers—both grown-ups and youth—
To celebrate stories, imagination, and truth.
Though March 2 was the official date on the chart,
Schools celebrated all week with books at the heart.
For that special day, as many folks know,
Is the birthday of the great Dr. Seuss, long ago!
His whimsical tales, with rhymes that delight,
Helped spark this celebration of reading just right.
The afternoon sparkled—it ran like a dream—
Thanks to a truly terrific team!
A cheer for our librarians who helped lead the way:
Mia McLean and Stephanie Byrne —hooray, hooray, hooray!
And thanks to the Elementary teachers so kind,
Who nurture young readers and curious minds.
Plus a marvelous crew of High School students who came
To read and bring stories and joy just the same:
Lana Besson, Joshua Geller, Natalie Butts too,
Trystan Rosario and Elliot Mankoo.
Chloe Alexis and Jaelis Roa,
Evan Washalski helped stories grow-a!
Sunshine Vance and Samiyah McKenzie joined in with cheer,
Madison Zysk made the pages appear.
Jazlin Sessoms and Heather Day,
Gavin McGinnis read... hip-hip-hooray!
Kathleen Gutierrez and Hana Ebbert too,
Madisyn Nunez-Troy joined the crew.
Mariah Sierra and Hannah Ringus—three cheers, we say!
For helping make reading the star of the day.
For when schools come together and stories take flight,
Young readers discover a wonderful sight:
That books are adventures, both cozy and grand—
The best kinds of journeys are held in your hand!
Congratulations to Senior Boys Varsity Basketball players Liam Barry and Chris Krupinski, who were honored for their many contributions to the team during their recent Senior Night! We wish you all the best!
Congratulations to Junior Hannah Wieboldt, who was recently selected as the 2026-27 New York State Dairy Ambassador!
Hannah is the 63rd dairy promoter selected to represent New York State’s dairy industry, a distinction that dates back to 1963. She has been serving as the Orange County Dairy Ambassador since Spring 2025.
As New York State Dairy Ambassador, Hannah will now serve as a spokesperson and advocate for dairy farmers by attending special events to engage with and educate consumers on the nutritional benefits of milk and dairy foods, how farmers care for their cows and their land in order to produce a sustainable product, and the importance of the dairy industry to the New York State economy.
New York State Dairy Ambassadors were selected based on their communications skills and knowledge of the dairy industry. The Dairy Ambassador program aims to build critical professional skills and confidence of young individuals who are passionate about the dairy industry.
Ambassadors will be involved in statewide promotions and events. Participants will gain experience collaborating with a team, knowledge of ADA North East promotion and marketing programs, and will participate in sessions led by experts in public speaking, social media, team building and leadership.
•With 2,800 licensed dairy herds and more than 16 billion pounds of milk produced annually, New York State is a leader in dairy production in the United States.
•The dairy industry is the largest agricultural commodity in the state, and according to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets
•New York ranks nationally as the fifth largest producer of milk and is also the largest producer of yogurt and cottage cheese.
Hannah is the 63rd dairy promoter selected to represent New York State’s dairy industry, a distinction that dates back to 1963. She has been serving as the Orange County Dairy Ambassador since Spring 2025.
As New York State Dairy Ambassador, Hannah will now serve as a spokesperson and advocate for dairy farmers by attending special events to engage with and educate consumers on the nutritional benefits of milk and dairy foods, how farmers care for their cows and their land in order to produce a sustainable product, and the importance of the dairy industry to the New York State economy.
New York State Dairy Ambassadors were selected based on their communications skills and knowledge of the dairy industry. The Dairy Ambassador program aims to build critical professional skills and confidence of young individuals who are passionate about the dairy industry.
Ambassadors will be involved in statewide promotions and events. Participants will gain experience collaborating with a team, knowledge of ADA North East promotion and marketing programs, and will participate in sessions led by experts in public speaking, social media, team building and leadership.
•With 2,800 licensed dairy herds and more than 16 billion pounds of milk produced annually, New York State is a leader in dairy production in the United States.
•The dairy industry is the largest agricultural commodity in the state, and according to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets
•New York ranks nationally as the fifth largest producer of milk and is also the largest producer of yogurt and cottage cheese.
Wait… wait… wait a second!
Did you hear it’s going to be almost 75 degrees tomorrow?! That's a little wild, right?
Before the snow completely melts into a memory, let’s rewind and check out Stephanie Guifre and her Otisville Physical Education students, who made the most of the massive snow we've had with some snowy outdoor fun—snowshoeing style!
Snowshoeing is an awesome physical education activity because it’s a high-energy, low-impact, full-body workout that’s great for all skill levels. It strengthens muscles, improves cardiovascular endurance, and challenges balance—all while keeping students active and engaged outdoors. It works the core and legs, and if poles are used, the upper body gets a great workout, too!
Fun fact: snowshoeing can burn up to 1,000 calories per hour…Just maybe not when it’s 75 degrees out
Did you hear it’s going to be almost 75 degrees tomorrow?! That's a little wild, right?
Before the snow completely melts into a memory, let’s rewind and check out Stephanie Guifre and her Otisville Physical Education students, who made the most of the massive snow we've had with some snowy outdoor fun—snowshoeing style!
Snowshoeing is an awesome physical education activity because it’s a high-energy, low-impact, full-body workout that’s great for all skill levels. It strengthens muscles, improves cardiovascular endurance, and challenges balance—all while keeping students active and engaged outdoors. It works the core and legs, and if poles are used, the upper body gets a great workout, too!
Fun fact: snowshoeing can burn up to 1,000 calories per hour…Just maybe not when it’s 75 degrees out
Be there this Saturday! It's Project Graduation's TRICKY TRAY! Support the Class of 2026 and have a great evening out!
Did you know that as part of the Middle School’s general music curriculum, all students have or will be exploring the use of Soundtrap, a powerful digital audio workstation (DAW) designed for music creation and podcasting?
Soundtrap’s interface is intuitive, which means students can start making music quickly — even if they don’t read music or play an instrument. Students can create beats, songs, and soundscapes; record vocals or instruments; and use loops and virtual instruments and can be real creators of their own genre of music! Not only can they create their own music, they can express themselves through original lyrics, podcasts and storytelling!
Take a peek at Matthew Finck’s sixth grade music students, who were recently working on centering the verse/chorus song structure, commonly referred to as AB form. After listening to four popular song examples, students were tasked with composing their own verse/chorus songs using Soundtrap on their Chromebooks.
Mr. Finck demonstrated editing techniques with his Smart Board, sharing his own original music compositions using Soundtrap. Students will apply their newly acquired skills to record themselves narrating scary stories, complete with sound effects.
Soundtrap also offers students an opportunity to further refine their creativity, problem solving, listening, editing, collaboration and communication skills --- all important abilities for them to master as they advance in their academic careers!
Soundtrap’s interface is intuitive, which means students can start making music quickly — even if they don’t read music or play an instrument. Students can create beats, songs, and soundscapes; record vocals or instruments; and use loops and virtual instruments and can be real creators of their own genre of music! Not only can they create their own music, they can express themselves through original lyrics, podcasts and storytelling!
Take a peek at Matthew Finck’s sixth grade music students, who were recently working on centering the verse/chorus song structure, commonly referred to as AB form. After listening to four popular song examples, students were tasked with composing their own verse/chorus songs using Soundtrap on their Chromebooks.
Mr. Finck demonstrated editing techniques with his Smart Board, sharing his own original music compositions using Soundtrap. Students will apply their newly acquired skills to record themselves narrating scary stories, complete with sound effects.
Soundtrap also offers students an opportunity to further refine their creativity, problem solving, listening, editing, collaboration and communication skills --- all important abilities for them to master as they advance in their academic careers!
STICKS DOWN, GAME ON!
Ross Potter’s and Jonathan Sakadelis’ IS fourth-grade physical education students are enjoying zooming into action with fast and fun floor hockey games! It’s an great activity which gets hearts pumping and feet moving as students further build agility, and motor skills while promoting teamwork and sportsmanship in a fast-paced, engaging, and safe environment. Using lightweight equipment, students develop essential skills like stick handling, passing, shooting and, of course, good sportsmanship!
Ross Potter’s and Jonathan Sakadelis’ IS fourth-grade physical education students are enjoying zooming into action with fast and fun floor hockey games! It’s an great activity which gets hearts pumping and feet moving as students further build agility, and motor skills while promoting teamwork and sportsmanship in a fast-paced, engaging, and safe environment. Using lightweight equipment, students develop essential skills like stick handling, passing, shooting and, of course, good sportsmanship!
Congratulations to the three indoor track and field individual athletes and two relay teams who have advanced to the March 7 and 8 NYSPHSAA State and Federation Championship via their successes at the Feb. 28 Section IX State Qualifier meet, held at the Armory Track & Field Center in New York.
Scoring individual/team event victories which now qualify them to compete at state competition are:
--- Ella Michelitch in the high jump with a 5' 10.5” finish. This is a school program record and ranks her No. 1 in New York State. Ella also qualified in the long jump via her runner-up finish of 18' 9.5", which is also the highest program record and places her No. 8 statewide.
--- Robert LaBarbera in the 600 meter run, with a 1:20.37 finish. This is the second highest program record and places him as No. 2 statewide.
--- Maximillian Wickrath in the 55 meter dash with a :6.32 finish. This is a school program record and places him as No. 2 statewide.
--- The boys 4x400 meter relay team of Max Wickrath, Angel Mendez, Stetson Terpak and LaBarbera outlasted Newburgh Free Academy with a 3:21.26, ranking this finish as the third highest in the school program and placing them as No. 2 statewide.
--- The girls 4x400 team of Ferrah Hill, Chloe Beck, Salma Samdaoui and Ella Michelitch advanced after a tight battle with Monroe-Woodbury and Warwick Valley with a 4:00.37 finish. This is the second highest program finish and places them as No. 10 statewide.
The 4x400 relay lineups will be filled out by alternates Jeremiah Alexis, Emma Berkshire, Lyla LaBarbera and Michael Moran.
Minisink Valley will compete against athletes representing all 11 NYSPHSAA sections for state medals, as well as qualifiers from the AIS, CHSAA and PSAL for Federation podium positions. Qualifiers in individual events and relays were selected by virtue of winning events at a section qualifying meet or having achieved a state standard performance.
The state championship will be held at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island.
Scoring individual/team event victories which now qualify them to compete at state competition are:
--- Ella Michelitch in the high jump with a 5' 10.5” finish. This is a school program record and ranks her No. 1 in New York State. Ella also qualified in the long jump via her runner-up finish of 18' 9.5", which is also the highest program record and places her No. 8 statewide.
--- Robert LaBarbera in the 600 meter run, with a 1:20.37 finish. This is the second highest program record and places him as No. 2 statewide.
--- Maximillian Wickrath in the 55 meter dash with a :6.32 finish. This is a school program record and places him as No. 2 statewide.
--- The boys 4x400 meter relay team of Max Wickrath, Angel Mendez, Stetson Terpak and LaBarbera outlasted Newburgh Free Academy with a 3:21.26, ranking this finish as the third highest in the school program and placing them as No. 2 statewide.
--- The girls 4x400 team of Ferrah Hill, Chloe Beck, Salma Samdaoui and Ella Michelitch advanced after a tight battle with Monroe-Woodbury and Warwick Valley with a 4:00.37 finish. This is the second highest program finish and places them as No. 10 statewide.
The 4x400 relay lineups will be filled out by alternates Jeremiah Alexis, Emma Berkshire, Lyla LaBarbera and Michael Moran.
Minisink Valley will compete against athletes representing all 11 NYSPHSAA sections for state medals, as well as qualifiers from the AIS, CHSAA and PSAL for Federation podium positions. Qualifiers in individual events and relays were selected by virtue of winning events at a section qualifying meet or having achieved a state standard performance.
The state championship will be held at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island.
