Minisink Valley Intermediate School

Andrew Fenner's IS third-graders had a very fun, recent occasion to be the class teacher, instructing their peers (and Mr. Fenner) on topics of interest to them. It was a great opportunity for students to share what they know, practice important public speaking skills and also, where relevant, use technology to prepare and present their presentations to the class. These are all important skills for them to refine as their academic careers continue! Some of the presentations included class participation! And everyone did great following instruction, including Mr. Fenner who know knows how to do basic Irish step dance footwork and cheerleading motions!

Intermediate School fifth-graders had a blast during their recent field trip to LEGOLAND New York! Who wouldn't? The park offers a unique and engaging experience centered around LEGO bricks, including interactive attractions, hands-on workshops, and themed lands that can be educational and entertaining for students. The park's focus on LEGO building and creativity aligns well with STEM subjects like engineering!

CONGRATULATIONS to the Otisville and Intermediate School Girls on the Run (GOTR) teams, who competed with grit at this past weekend's 5K Race at LEGOLAND New York! We know they had a wonderful time and represented the district with distinction! Thank you to everyone at both schools who made our students' GOTR experiences so memorable!

You could feel the regalness in the Intermediate School yesterday, June 9, as faculty and staff continued with their Undercover Spirit ROYALTY DAY. These resplendent majesties had a fun day decked out in these jeweled coronets, as did their students!

Kudos to students at Intermediate School and Otisville Elementary on the success of their recent health and wellness collection efforts which will benefit Minisink Cares! At Otisville Elementary, the Kiwanis K-Kids Program spearheaded the effort to collect personal hygiene items donated by students, faculty and staff. Their Intermediate School Kiwanis K-Kids peers joined in on this initiative with equal success! Together, both schools collected 1,180 personal hygiene items! That's amazing! THANK YOU to everyone who was a part of this important effort to support our community!

Jenn Kemmerer’s and Cheryl Wilson’s IS fourth-graders, like other district fourth-graders, are learning about energy! They’ve built catapults, which are great representations of elastic potential energy. And in their recent pendulum lab, students explored how energy transforms between potential and kinetic energy! What a fun STEM learning experience! • Elastic potential energy is energy stored when one pushes, pulls or changes the shape of an elastic object, like if a rubber band is stretched between fingers or a spring is compressed. When the rubber band or spring is released, it can use that stored energy to move, showing how potential energy can turn into kinetic energy. • Kinetic energy is the energy of motion, meaning it's what makes things move. A rolling ball or a car driving has kinetic energy. The faster something moves and the heavier it is, the more kinetic energy it has. • A pendulum lab demonstrates the relationship between potential energy and kinetic energy, showing how they transform into each other as the pendulum swings. The lab typically involves students building a pendulum and analyzing its motion to understand where potential and kinetic energy are greatest and least.

Kudos to the Intermediate School’s “Girls On The Run” team for their ongoing work and commitment to be part of activities that build character development, self-confidence and team bonding along with a love for physical activity and, of course, running! The girls recently completed a service project to create uplifting cards for senior citizens to brighten their day. These cards are planned to be delivered to the Promenade at Middletown and/or Bon Secours. PLUS: The team has been training for their season culminating 5K race which will take place takes place this Sunday, June 8 at LEGOLAND New York. Good luck to all!

IS/ES/Otisville families: REMINDER: “Early Bird” registration is taking place for the Middletown YMCA’s “Club Kid” Program, which is again being offered at Minisink Valley for the 2025-26 school year. Don't miss out if interested! Club Kid provides safe, fun, and supervised care before and after school at Otisville Elementary and the Intermediate/Elementary schools and follows the district’s calendar. To learn more, CLICK HERE: https://www.minisink.com/o/oes/article/2152590

TIK TOK SAVVY! IS faculty and staff participated in an Undercover Spirit Day, today June 1. It’s a recent Tik Tok trend, where the faculty “know,” but students don’t! Today is “Secret Service Day!” Students were left wondering “why is everyone dressed in black today?”

Please support the good work of the Minisink Valley PTO and purchase an ULTIMATE DISCOUNT CARD! This fundraiser concludes Saturday, June 7! Get all the details via this link: https://www.ultimatefundraisinginc.com/discount-card-store/physical

Thank you to members of American Legion George Smith Post 1607 in Unionville and American Legion Auxiliary George Smith Unit 1607 for visiting the Intermediate School yesterday, May 21, to speak to all fifth-grade classes about the history and meaning of Memorial Day and what they did when they were active duty service personnel. Veterans also assisted in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance during morning announcements and even taught some fifth-graders the proper way to salute. Thank you for visiting, and most importantly, thank you for your service!

Last evening's K-12 Art Show was beyond beautiful! It was bright, colorful, unique creative and full of pride by everyone who attended! We hope you were there! Take a peek at some of our proud student-artists who were thrilled to show their works of art. Did you know that approximately 1,000 students had at least one piece of art on exhibit? THANK YOU to our awesome art faculty in our five buildings for their work to stage such a gorgeous exhibit! We appreciate you! See more photos on the district's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MinisinkValleyCSD

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!

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.

Intermediate School runners "On your mark, get set, go!" The Fastest Runner competition is set for Thursday, May 22! The deadline to register is Monday, May 19! We invite you to register your student to be part of this physically fun event! Scan the QR code for details!

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.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW! One of the biggest district-wide events will take place Tuesday, May 20: The annual annual District Art Show/K-12 Exhibition! Over 400 student artists representing the High School, Middle School, Otisville Elementary the Intermediate School and the Elementary School will have work on display from 5 to 8 p.m. at the High School cafeteria and auditorium. It's always a gorgeous and vibrantly colorful exhibition, featured all kinds of art mediums! This exhibition is equally wonderful because of the smiles on the proud families and students! Please join us!

Congratulations to the 17 students who were recognized at the NYSAHPERD Catskill Zone Leadership Awards Ceremony, held this past Saturday at Wallkill High School! This event honors top-grade-level students who exemplify excellence in fitness, leadership, and citizenship—key components of New York State learning standards. These students were selected for their commitment to an active lifestyle, responsible behavior, leadership qualities, and contributions to their school community. While athletic ability is not a requirement, each honoree embodies the spirit of personal growth and positive influence. "These students are role models who lead by example, showing us the power of character, effort, and service in physical education and beyond,” said Physical Education teacher Theresa Uhelsky, the organization’s past president. Students honored were: Middle School • Mason King • Ben Ziegler • Lennox Addo • Erin Arias • Lyla LeBarbera Otisville Elementary • Leah Galligan • Quinn Lattimer • Luca Artola • Eliya Graziano Intermediate School • Ella Manzie • Madison Worden • Jemma Marsala • Charlotte Kohler Elementary School • James Santos • Gary Boyajian • Declan Barry • Kaylee Jackler

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.

If it's Spring, it means the Intermediate School's Bike Club is back on the road! Run by advisors Physical Education teacher Theresa Uhelsky and Security Officer Kevin Murphy, groups meet on Wednesdays and Fridays to learn how to become more proficient in bike riding. This includes important safety rules, too. And, everyone has a fun time!