Minisink Valley Central School District -

THANK YOU to everyone who played a role in the success of the Elementary School's annual Transportation Day, held this past Friday ! Our youngest students had the wonderful opportunity to explore these vehicles which make so many important contributions to our communities...plus meet a K9 dog, too! It was a great educational opportunity! Take a look! As always, we're grateful to the Elementary School PTO for organizing a wonderful experience for our young students! See more photos on the district's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MinisinkValleyCSD

Congratulations to the four students who are winners of the Middle School Library’s recent Bookmark Design Contest! •Eighth-Grade: Gabby DeNonno and Lucia Garcia •Seventh-Grade: Alina Barone and Lily Mausling Their winning designs will be professionally printed and made available for people to take from the library.

The Varsity Unified Basketball team's recent game, featuring a 1980s theme, was "totally tubular!" Thank you to everyone who came out to cheer on the team and made the game so memorable!

The Elementary School team completed kindergarten screening earlier this week! They met some adorable incoming students who were proud to share what they know! The purpose of a screening is to ensure a child is developmentally ready to start kindergarten and may determine whether any additional classroom support may be needed. Screeners look at basic kindergarten readiness skills, including: language, cognitive, gross and fine motor skills. It’s also a great way for us to meet our new students! PLUS: Our soon-to-be students also got a chance to take a short ride on a school bus…how fun is that?

CAN YOU HELP? Mark your calendar, ONE WEEK FROM TODAY! Giving back has never been cooler! Join us at Rita's on Dolson Avenue on Thursday, May 22 from 5 to 8 p.m. for a refreshing ice or custard and a portion of your money spent will go to the Tyrell J. Audian Memorial Scholarship at the High School! TJ was a 2019 graduate and dedicated his life to our nation by enlisting in the Marines right out of high school. Tragically, TJ suddenly passed away during a training exercise with his unit. A track scholarship in his honor has been created in collaboration with High School yearbook. Please consider supporting of this worthy cause!

Kimberly McDermott’s ES second-graders and Lindsey McKernan’s ES kindergarteners recently gathered to teach their young students about composting with worms! Mrs. McKernan recently taught a unit on taking care of the earth to her kindergarten students, where they learned to reduce, reuse and recycle. To culminate the unit, Mrs. McDermott's second-grade class invited Mrs. McKernan's kindergarteners to learn about creating a compost bin ...complete with live red worms! How fun is this? The second-graders took turns teaching the little kindergarten students facts about composting with red worms. Then, these kindergarteners got a chance to hold the worms! (Who doesn’t love holding worms?) Finally, Mrs. McDermott shared some red worms with Mrs. McKernan and the kindergarten students started their own composting bin! What a great intra-school STEM lesson which also teaches students about environmental responsibility, the natural cycles of life, and how to reduce waste. It provides a hands-on learning experience that helps them understand decomposition, soil health, and the importance of recycling.

Sara Casillo’s and Mike Sirico's IS fifth-graders also had some recent goat fun when Minisink Valley parent Erin Ferraro brought her baby goat for them to meet….and take photos with. Who wouldn’t want a photo taken with a baby goat? Take a peek! •The most recent 2022 statistics say that at that time, there were more than 1.1 billion goats living in the world, of which 150 million were in India. • Goats were one of the first animals domesticated by humans, around 9,000 years ago, and they are known for their intelligence and agility, especially their ability to climb. They also have four-chambered stomachs, similar to cows, which helps them digest roughage.

The Varsity Softball Team’s seniors were honored at their recent Senior Night for their many contributions to the team’s success! Congratulations and best wishes to: Heather Ghussin, second base Caitlyn Higby, right field Ryin Perico, first base Natalie Rogers, catcher Ava Smith, catcher/DP

"I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree" - -Yeats Jenn Thibodeau and Catina Brooks' Grade 10 English classes recently took a field trip to explore Innisfree Gardens in Millbrook! Innisfree is considered a world-class garden on 185 acres designed over decades of close collaboration with the land and nestled within a private bowl that wraps around Tyrrel Lake. But before their trip, students read and discussed W.B. Yeats' poem "The Lake Isle of Innisfree." The poem explores the idea of finding peace and comfort in nature. Students thought and wrote about how and where they find peace and comfort, and if they felt that a connection with nature is important to the human psyche. On a day when the weather couldn't have been any nicer, students were encouraged to explore and be “fully present.” They also were asked to take pictures of anything they found beautiful or interesting. Their teachers said this brief retreat from the modern world was a perfect way to welcome the gorgeous weather! When returning to class the next day, students reflected on their visit and used specific literary devices to write a personal piece. What a creative way to apply the reading of poetry to nature by having the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors! •"The Lake Isle of Innisfree" is a 12-line poem comprising three quatrains, written by William Butler Yeats in 1888 and first published in the National Observer in 1890. The poem is an attempt to create a form of poetry that was Irish in origin rather than one that adhered to the standards set by English poets and critics. This poem is featured in Irish passports. •Innisfree Gardens takes its name from Yeats’ poem and features streams, waterfalls, terraces, retaining walls, rocks and plants based on principles of Chinese and Japanese landscape design. Most of the plants are native, and rocks come from the local forest. Tyrrel Lake is a large, deep glacial lake from which water is pumped into a hillside reservoir, and thence to the garden's water features.

The Varsity Track & Field Team’s seniors were honored at their recent Senior Night for their many contributions to the team’s success! Congratulations and best wishes to: Samuel Anderson - sprints & relays Ryan Capo - distance Brian Capper - distance Tyler Cloidt - jumps, throws & multi-events Vaughn Hill - sprints & relays Vincent Howard - sprints Julia Kronimus - sprints & jumps Dominic Marasco - sprints & jumps Justin Mauras - jumps Gavin Morse - throws Emily Murphy - distance Kaleigh Murphy - sprints & relays Xavier Rosales - throws & sprints Logan Schupner - pole vault, hurdles & jumps Madeline Sierra - sprints & relays Olivia Sierra - sprints & relays Helena Sopin - throws Benjamin Spevak - sprints & relays Zoey Terpak - sprints, relays & jumps Sarah Winner - sprints, hurdles & jumps

Congratulations to Senior Golfer Chris Rickard for advancing to the Section IX Championship! Chris shot an incredible round of 73 at West Point on Monday, falling short of the title by one stroke to the #2 ranked player in New York State. Chris also received the 2025 Chuck Reynolds Sportsmanship Award which is voted on by the OCIAA Coaches. Coach Reynolds was a dedicated teacher and passionate coach at Minisink Valley who lost his battle with cancer in 2015. The Section IX Championships begin Tuesday, May 20 at Wiltwyck Golf Club in Kingston!

The Middle School’s Pet Club has been fortunate enough to have some recent and very esteemed guests! Take a look! Students had the recent opportunity to learn about goats, ducks and chickens from Minisink Valley parent Erin O’Neill Ferraro. They also learned about proper rescue of backyard wildlife from Middle School eighth-grade science teacher and certified animal rehabilitator Diana Lucas. She showed pictures of some of the animals she has been able to help and what to do if they find an injured animal. Plus: students also met the two bearded dragons she keeps in her classroom and learned more about them and the care they require. Students also met bunny breeder and show owner Melissa Ordway. Her family raises and breeds show rabbits. She brought with her eight bunnies, including two babies, and spoke to students about breeds, proper care and the responsibilities necessary for keeping these animals. Advisor Kristine Ostensen and the Pet Club are thankful to all the volunteers who have come to their meetings to educate, support and share their animals with us this year. The Middle School’s Pet Club has been fortunate enough to have some recent and very esteemed guests! Students had the recent opportunity to learn about goats, ducks and chickens from Minisink Valley parent Erin O’Neill Ferraro. They also learned about proper rescue of backyard wildlife from Middle School teacher and certified animal rehabilitator Diana Lucas. She showed pictures of some of the animals she has been able to help and what to do if they find an injured animal. Plus: students also met the two bearded dragons she keeps in her classroom and learned more about them and the care they require. Students also met bunny breeder and show owner Melissa Ordway. Her family raises and breeds show rabbits. She brought with her eight bunnies, including two babies, and spoke to students about breeds, proper care and the responsibilities necessary for keeping these animals. Advisor Kristine Ostensen and the Pet Club are thankful to all the volunteers who have come to their meetings to educate, support and share their animals with us this year.

Joan Giardina’s IS fourth-graders are creating line and color art inspired by American artist Charles McGee! Students are learning about patterns and relief sculptures that are 3D but meant to be viewed from the front, not from all angles. During an almost eight-decade career, American artist Mr. McGee created paintings, assemblages, sculptures, public works, and a sense of community with his artwork and teaching throughout Detroit, Michigan. His enduring themes chronicled the Black experience and a love of nature that spanned an evolution across mediums. This also included abstraction and many of his works focused completely on line and color, with no recognizable nods to figuration. Through his work, Mr. McGee focused on process rather than attempting to dictate a specific meaning or story.

Rose Marie Cricchios’ High School “Speaking for Success” class recently completed a class project called “The Competitive Container Corporation.” In this activity, the class was divided into groups to form small corporations that would develop a new container product. Each corporation’s task was to design and build “the world’s best container” made of paper. They had one class period to construct their best container using only designated materials. Each container was judged on its capacity, aesthetics, sturdiness and sales pitch. Preparing their “sales pitch” allowed the groups to further practice and refine communicating in groups and working under time pressure while capitalizing on discovered individual talents. It was a great lesson which has real world applications!

When the weather cooperates, Physical Education teacher Leyla Johnson has been taking her intermediate and elementary students to the high school track to introduce them to track & field events. Take a peek at her IS fourth-graders, who recently were introduced to the long jump! In track & field, the long jump is a field event where athletes aim to jump as far as possible from a designated takeoff point (a board) into a sandpit. Athletes run along a runway, gathers speed, and then jumps, with the distance measured from the edge of the board to the closest point of body contact in the sandpit.

Mother's Day is Sunday; Happy Mother's Day to all our school community's mothers, important mother figures, grandmothers and the "special someones" who play critically important roles in the lives of our students! Thanks to the generosity of the Otisville PTO, all K-5 students are making special gifts for the special people in their lives today! (Don't look if you're one of them...or act surprised when the gift is presented to you!)

What’s cookin’ in Victoria Ingrassia’s Middle School kitchen? Eighth-grade FACS students have made pierogi! Take a peek at their preparation, cooking and “eating” time over these last few days, which also included sauteed onions, bacon and sour cream! Many members of the Middle School faculty stopped by for a very delicious snack! •Pierogi, a beloved Polish dumpling, have a complex and somewhat disputed history. While commonly associated with Poland, the dish's origins may have roots in Central Asia, with some tracing them back to China via Marco Polo's travels. Regardless of their exact origins, pierogi have a rich history in Poland, dating back to at least the 13th century. •While the exact origin is unclear, a popular story attributes the introduction of pierogi to Poland to Saint Hyacinth, a Polish saint who is said to have brought them from Ukraine in the 1200s. •Boiling pierogi is the most popular method of cooking pierogi because it adds no additional calories to your meal. It also offers a soft, delicate texture which is the more traditional way of eating Polish pierogi. •The word pierogi comes from the Slavic word, "pir," meaning “festivity.” This makes sense as pierogi are often associated with, and served during the holidays, also making them a comfort food for many.

Meghan Donohue’s ES first graders, like other district first-graders, have been learning about the difference between living and non-living things. They know that living things move, change and grow…and even if they can’t see it in “real time,” plants are constantly moving, changing & growing, just like they are! Students have also learned about the life cycle of plants, and what’s needed for them to survive. They put their knowledge to work by starting a class garden! Students followed a sequence of steps to ensure their planting process was perfect and are looking forward to seeing their flowers bloom soon! Like their peers in other ES first-grade classes, students also have some new “class pets”: LADYBUGS! Classrooms are now homes to a growing population of ladybug larvae. Students continue to observe them in the early stages of life, and are anxiously awaiting the next stage in the ladybug life cycle. Thus far, students have observed their baby bugs in the larva stage, their second stage of life. Next up will be the pupa stage, followed by emerging ladybugs!

Is there connection between cookies, cake, frosting, cupcakes, candy and baking decorations and cell production? There absolutely is…. just ask Kimberly Jordan’s Freshman Biology students! Mrs. Jordan's Freshman Biology students recently had some hands-on creative fun in a unique cell biology lab! They built body cells and sex cells using their favorite foods, making learning about cell production --- specifically mitosis and meiosis --- a tasty and sweet experience! Best of all, everything was edible! (Everything was devoured, by the way). Take a look --- each piece is unique, creative and colorful! Mitosis and meiosis are two types of cell division, but they serve different purposes and have distinct outcomes. Mitosis is a process that results in two identical daughter cells, each with the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell, and is crucial for growth and repair in the body. Meiosis, on the other hand, produces four unique gametes (sperm and egg cells) with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell, a process essential for sexual reproduction and genetic diversity.

SEEING ‘EARTH SCIENCE’ IN PERSON! Anthony Muccari’s, Vincent Napolitano’s and Toni McGinn’s High School’s Earth Science classes took learning to the next level with their recent amazing, outdoor classroom experience to Sam’s Point at Lake Minnewaska State Park! Park staff led the group to breathtaking views and gave hands-on lessons about the unique geology of the Shawangunk Ridge. Sam's Point is a 5,000-acre preserve within Minnewaska State Park Preserve, located in the southern Shawangunk Mountains in Ulster County It's known for its unique high-altitude pitch pine barrens, which are home to a variety of rare and common flora and fauna. Sam's Point also features scenic vistas, waterfalls, ice caves, and the "sky lake" Lake Maratanza. PLUS: Thanks to the “Connect Kids to Parks” grant from New York State, the entire trip was completely free for students! Sam’s Point is home to one of the few remaining dwarf pitch pine barrens in the world, growing on ancient quartz conglomerate rock that’s over 400 million years old!