Congratulations to the winners of the Middle School’s Fastest Runner race, a mile race, held June 8!
Middle school students arrived eager and ready to take on the challenge of completing one mile on the cross country course. All runners showed determination and enthusiasm throughout the event, and did a fabulous job from start to finish. THANK YOU cross varsity runners Elijah Zittel, Gabe Simpson, Kat Jones, Abby Caputo, Catharine Sullivan, Dempsey DePuy, Maddie Greenberg and Landon straw for guiding and supporting our participants.
Top 3 boys:
Carter D'Angelo 6:08
James Hanson 6:58
Michael Allen 7:22
Top 2 girls:
Gianna Redmond 7:36
Leah Barry 8:13
Middle school students arrived eager and ready to take on the challenge of completing one mile on the cross country course. All runners showed determination and enthusiasm throughout the event, and did a fabulous job from start to finish. THANK YOU cross varsity runners Elijah Zittel, Gabe Simpson, Kat Jones, Abby Caputo, Catharine Sullivan, Dempsey DePuy, Maddie Greenberg and Landon straw for guiding and supporting our participants.
Top 3 boys:
Carter D'Angelo 6:08
James Hanson 6:58
Michael Allen 7:22
Top 2 girls:
Gianna Redmond 7:36
Leah Barry 8:13
A LESSON THAT’S WORTH AN EXTRA SCOOP!
What started as a sweet lesson quickly turned into a full-scale entrepreneurial adventure for Victoria Ingrassia’s FACS students!
Students kicked off their culinary entrepreneurial project by learning how to make homemade ice cream, creating a variety of delicious flavors and, of course, conducting some very enthusiastic taste-testing. From the first scoop to the last spoonful, the experience was both educational and enjoyable!But the real cherry on top came next.
Students were tasked with developing their own ice cream truck business plans, applying business development concepts and entrepreneurial strategies introduced by Ms. Ingrassia. They considered everything from branding and menu design to budgeting, customer service, and operations — discovering that running a successful business takes much more than serving great ice cream.
To help bring those lessons to life, Suzie Q’s Cookies and Cream rolled into the Middle School. Owner Suzanne “Q” a retired Minisink Valley teaching assistant, and her husband Rob shared their experiences launching and operating a successful ice cream food truck. She gave students an inside look at the many responsibilities that happen behind the service window, including inventory management, scheduling, insurance, health and safety regulations, staffing, payroll, equipment maintenance, customer service and more. Students quickly learned that there’s a lot more to the business than what customers see while waiting for their favorite frozen treat.
The sweetest part of the day? Students stepped into the role of food truck operators themselves, helping serve Middle School faculty, staff and their peers. Whether preparing soft serve, building brownie sundaes, or managing customer orders, they demonstrated professionalism, patience, teamwork and respect throughout the experience. PLUS: They also saw that entrepreneurial skills can have real-world rewards, as donations generated by the FACS student-run coffee cart for this past school year funded the ice cream truck’s visit to the Middle School.
While plenty of ice cream was served, students also walked away with something even more valuable: Real-world skills and business awareness. Projects like this help prepare students for future careers and everyday life by teaching responsibility, communication, problem-solving, financial literacy and customer service. They learned that success — much like a perfect ice cream sundae — is built one layer at a time through hard work, planning and perseverance.
By the end of the project, students had gained a deeper appreciation for entrepreneurship and discovered that running a small business requires much more than a cool truck and a freezer full of treats. It takes grit, knowledge, teamwork, and a willingness to run your own business!
What started as a sweet lesson quickly turned into a full-scale entrepreneurial adventure for Victoria Ingrassia’s FACS students!
Students kicked off their culinary entrepreneurial project by learning how to make homemade ice cream, creating a variety of delicious flavors and, of course, conducting some very enthusiastic taste-testing. From the first scoop to the last spoonful, the experience was both educational and enjoyable!But the real cherry on top came next.
Students were tasked with developing their own ice cream truck business plans, applying business development concepts and entrepreneurial strategies introduced by Ms. Ingrassia. They considered everything from branding and menu design to budgeting, customer service, and operations — discovering that running a successful business takes much more than serving great ice cream.
To help bring those lessons to life, Suzie Q’s Cookies and Cream rolled into the Middle School. Owner Suzanne “Q” a retired Minisink Valley teaching assistant, and her husband Rob shared their experiences launching and operating a successful ice cream food truck. She gave students an inside look at the many responsibilities that happen behind the service window, including inventory management, scheduling, insurance, health and safety regulations, staffing, payroll, equipment maintenance, customer service and more. Students quickly learned that there’s a lot more to the business than what customers see while waiting for their favorite frozen treat.
The sweetest part of the day? Students stepped into the role of food truck operators themselves, helping serve Middle School faculty, staff and their peers. Whether preparing soft serve, building brownie sundaes, or managing customer orders, they demonstrated professionalism, patience, teamwork and respect throughout the experience. PLUS: They also saw that entrepreneurial skills can have real-world rewards, as donations generated by the FACS student-run coffee cart for this past school year funded the ice cream truck’s visit to the Middle School.
While plenty of ice cream was served, students also walked away with something even more valuable: Real-world skills and business awareness. Projects like this help prepare students for future careers and everyday life by teaching responsibility, communication, problem-solving, financial literacy and customer service. They learned that success — much like a perfect ice cream sundae — is built one layer at a time through hard work, planning and perseverance.
By the end of the project, students had gained a deeper appreciation for entrepreneurship and discovered that running a small business requires much more than a cool truck and a freezer full of treats. It takes grit, knowledge, teamwork, and a willingness to run your own business!
Sign up for summer swim lessons opens June 15! Don't miss out if interested!
CLICK HERE: https://www.minisink.com/o/athletics/page/aquatics-pool-use
CLICK HERE: https://www.minisink.com/o/athletics/page/aquatics-pool-use
WOW! Congratulations to eighth-grader Maeve Walicki, who reached an incredible 100 draw controls in her very first season on the Varsity Girls Lacrosse team!
Why is that such a big deal? A draw control is what gives a team possession of the ball at the start of each quarter, at the beginning of the game, and after every goal. Winning draw controls means creating opportunities for your team to attack, control the pace of play and keep the ball out of your opponent’s hands.
Maeve’s 100 draw controls helped her team gain possession time and time again — an outstanding achievement and a huge contribution to the team’s success!
Why is that such a big deal? A draw control is what gives a team possession of the ball at the start of each quarter, at the beginning of the game, and after every goal. Winning draw controls means creating opportunities for your team to attack, control the pace of play and keep the ball out of your opponent’s hands.
Maeve’s 100 draw controls helped her team gain possession time and time again — an outstanding achievement and a huge contribution to the team’s success!
The Middle School Bikers Club rolled out for a recent field trip to Goshen and packed a whole lot of adventure into one ride!
The crew’s first stop was the iconic Joe Fix It Shop, where riders got a behind-the-scenes tour of the shop and scored some fresh helmet stickers before clipping in for the next leg of the journey.
From there, the club hit the Heritage Trail and encountered a true cyclist rite of passage: The club’s first official flat tire! Thankfully, it became the perfect roadside learning opportunity.
Club members leveled up their bike-handling and maintenance skills, learning how to use a tire fill station, properly hang and secure a bike, and dial in tire pressure like seasoned riders. They also sharpened their trail etiquette knowledge to help keep future group rides smooth, safe and fun for everyone sharing the path.
After logging the miles, there was only one way to celebrate—ice cream! Riders coasted into Trailside Treats for some well-earned recovery fuel and a chance to relive the day’s highlights.
A huge THANK YOU to guest riders Jonathan Clemmons and Venicia Salguero for helping keep the group safe, on course and rolling strong throughout the ride.
"Memories are made in the simplest things, and this trip proved it," said Advisor Kelsie Dollar. "So many fun adventures are already in the books, and many more are just up the trail. Keep on riding!"
The crew’s first stop was the iconic Joe Fix It Shop, where riders got a behind-the-scenes tour of the shop and scored some fresh helmet stickers before clipping in for the next leg of the journey.
From there, the club hit the Heritage Trail and encountered a true cyclist rite of passage: The club’s first official flat tire! Thankfully, it became the perfect roadside learning opportunity.
Club members leveled up their bike-handling and maintenance skills, learning how to use a tire fill station, properly hang and secure a bike, and dial in tire pressure like seasoned riders. They also sharpened their trail etiquette knowledge to help keep future group rides smooth, safe and fun for everyone sharing the path.
After logging the miles, there was only one way to celebrate—ice cream! Riders coasted into Trailside Treats for some well-earned recovery fuel and a chance to relive the day’s highlights.
A huge THANK YOU to guest riders Jonathan Clemmons and Venicia Salguero for helping keep the group safe, on course and rolling strong throughout the ride.
"Memories are made in the simplest things, and this trip proved it," said Advisor Kelsie Dollar. "So many fun adventures are already in the books, and many more are just up the trail. Keep on riding!"
A perfect game is one of the rarest achievements in either baseball or softball. It means no opposing player reaches base at all—no hits, walks, hit batters, errors or dropped third strikes! A perfect game is often considered one of the sport's most difficult individual accomplishments.
We’re so proud to share that eighth-grader and Junior Varsity softball pitcher Melanie Ward threw a perfect game during the recent Minisink Valley/Port Jervis matchup, where Minisink Valley won 7-0!
She pitched seven full innings giving up 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks and the field committed 0 errors. Melanie had 10 strikeouts and threw 74 pitches in the entire seven inning game. That is simply amazing! #MINISINKProud
“Mel stepped up as an eighth-grader this year to provide quality innings in the circle and she did just that pitching 54 out of our 119 innings played,” said Junior Varsity head Coach Michelle Worden. “She is a quiet kid who doesn't let anything faze her, which will contribute to her future success. Pitching a perfect game is not an easy feat. The amount of perfection that needs to happen to accomplish this, is impressive. It does not only fall on her, it falls on every single player on this team. Making the plays in the field can become stressful the further the game goes, but this team did not falter and made some great plays to stand behind Mel's strong performance. There is a reason why perfect games are so incredibly rare. We are so proud of Mel as a team and as an organization and look forward to watching her continued success with Minisink.”
We’re so proud to share that eighth-grader and Junior Varsity softball pitcher Melanie Ward threw a perfect game during the recent Minisink Valley/Port Jervis matchup, where Minisink Valley won 7-0!
She pitched seven full innings giving up 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks and the field committed 0 errors. Melanie had 10 strikeouts and threw 74 pitches in the entire seven inning game. That is simply amazing! #MINISINKProud
“Mel stepped up as an eighth-grader this year to provide quality innings in the circle and she did just that pitching 54 out of our 119 innings played,” said Junior Varsity head Coach Michelle Worden. “She is a quiet kid who doesn't let anything faze her, which will contribute to her future success. Pitching a perfect game is not an easy feat. The amount of perfection that needs to happen to accomplish this, is impressive. It does not only fall on her, it falls on every single player on this team. Making the plays in the field can become stressful the further the game goes, but this team did not falter and made some great plays to stand behind Mel's strong performance. There is a reason why perfect games are so incredibly rare. We are so proud of Mel as a team and as an organization and look forward to watching her continued success with Minisink.”
KUDOS to the members of the Middle School’s Pet Club and the High School’s Environmental Club, who recently teamed up to collect essential supplies for animals in need at the Middletown Humane Society.
Their donations were made possible through the generosity of those who supported their collection efforts. Donated items collected included kibble, litter, pet pads and dog beds --- which will definitely be put good use.
Club members send their thanks to all donors and wanted to share that Human Society staff was deeply appreciative of the generosity.
Founded in 1959, the Middletown Humane Society is a No-Kill, privately run animal shelter serving the City of Middletown as well as surrounding communities. The shelter is funded only through the generosity of supporters, so every donation matters. To learn more, visit: https://middletownhumanesociety.com/
Their donations were made possible through the generosity of those who supported their collection efforts. Donated items collected included kibble, litter, pet pads and dog beds --- which will definitely be put good use.
Club members send their thanks to all donors and wanted to share that Human Society staff was deeply appreciative of the generosity.
Founded in 1959, the Middletown Humane Society is a No-Kill, privately run animal shelter serving the City of Middletown as well as surrounding communities. The shelter is funded only through the generosity of supporters, so every donation matters. To learn more, visit: https://middletownhumanesociety.com/
The King Arthur Baking Co. helped make Pizza Day another recent success for Victoria Ingrassia’s sixth-grade FACS students, donating both flour and a homemade pizza recipe for the class’s latest hands-on cooking lesson.
Students mixed, shaped, and baked their own pizzas while learning fundamental kitchen skills and a few authentic pizza-making techniques along the way — from kneading dough to developing the right crust texture. They also discovered that pizza dough benefits from “proofing,” the resting process that helps create a lighter, airier crust.
The project offered students the chance to prepare one of the world’s most popular comfort foods completely from scratch, reinforcing practical life skills and teamwork in the kitchen. PLUS --- middle school faculty members were invited to stop by and enjoy a slice fresh from the oven.
“They were so thrilled to have us join them,” said teacher Joanna Dolan. “Moments like these are so appreciated and reminded me of how much students really can love learning and apply in real life what they are being taught.”
Beyond the fun of making pizza, students also gained experience reading recipes, measuring ingredients, and understanding how simple ingredients like flour, yeast, water, and time work together to create a classic homemade dough — a process bakers often refer to as the “science behind the crust.”
The Eighth-Grade Band and Chorus ensembles recently traveled to Chicopee High School in Massachusetts to perform at the Trills and Thrills Music Festival, where they showcased some of their favorite selections from the school year. Both ensembles performed for adjudicators who evaluated the groups on a variety of musical elements, including technical accuracy, musicality, and artistic interpretation. Kudos to all of the students for their hard work, preparation and performances; and to the music faculty for ensuring their music festival success!
The band performed Alan Silvestri’s “Captain America March,” arranged by Paul Murtha; “Shenandoah,” arranged by Robert Sheldon; and “The Great Locomotive Chase” by Robert W. Smith.
The chorus performed “Found/Tonight” by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, arranged by Jacob Narverud; as well as “Count the Stars,” arranged by Andy Beck.
Following the festival, students enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon at Six Flags New England, making the trip both a musical and memorable experience.
The band performed Alan Silvestri’s “Captain America March,” arranged by Paul Murtha; “Shenandoah,” arranged by Robert Sheldon; and “The Great Locomotive Chase” by Robert W. Smith.
The chorus performed “Found/Tonight” by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, arranged by Jacob Narverud; as well as “Count the Stars,” arranged by Andy Beck.
Following the festival, students enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon at Six Flags New England, making the trip both a musical and memorable experience.
If you’re visiting the Slate Hill campus after school, you may see the newly created Middle School Bikers Club in action! Rain or shine, middle school bikers are on the move! You’ll see them pedaling around campus on sunny days or (shhh, don’t tell anyone!) practicing in the hallways when it rains! Take a look!
“This year is about more than just riding,” said Advisor Kelsie Doller. “We’ve designed our own custom helmets and bikes, hosted guest riders and mastered our road signals with some creative sidewalk chalk practice.”
Ms. Doller reminds all of us why bicycle riding is a great activity:
Health: Staying active and strong.
Focus: For students ---clearing the mind for class.
Eco-Friendly: Rolling for a greener planet.
Confidence: Mastering safety and independence.
Community: Building friendships on two wheels.
“It’s more than just biking,” she added, “It’s an adventure.”
“This year is about more than just riding,” said Advisor Kelsie Doller. “We’ve designed our own custom helmets and bikes, hosted guest riders and mastered our road signals with some creative sidewalk chalk practice.”
Ms. Doller reminds all of us why bicycle riding is a great activity:
Health: Staying active and strong.
Focus: For students ---clearing the mind for class.
Eco-Friendly: Rolling for a greener planet.
Confidence: Mastering safety and independence.
Community: Building friendships on two wheels.
“It’s more than just biking,” she added, “It’s an adventure.”
THANK YOU to the members of the American Legion George Smith Post 1607 of Unionville, who visited Ashley Beairsto and Lauren Pullen’s sixth-grade social studies class earlier this week to speak with students about the true meaning of Memorial Day.
The visit gave students a meaningful opportunity to hear firsthand from local veterans who served our country with honor and dedication. Each veteran shared stories and experiences from their time in the military, while Becky Olah, Ladies Auxiliary Member, explained the history and importance of Memorial Day and the sacrifices made by America’s service members.
Representing Post 1607 were: Art Olah, Air Force, Vietnam era; Nick Solimando, Navy Seabees, Cold War era; Paul Gale, Army, Vietnam era; and Erik Manzie, Army, Iraqi Freedom, along with Auxiliary members Becky Olah, Fran Solimando, Sue Manzie, and junior member Ella Manzie.
Visits like these help keep the spirit of patriotism, service, and remembrance alive for the next generation. By connecting students with veterans from their own community, we ensure that the sacrifices made for our freedoms are never forgotten.
Thank you all for your service, sacrifice, and continued commitment to educating our students and honoring our nation’s heroes.
The visit gave students a meaningful opportunity to hear firsthand from local veterans who served our country with honor and dedication. Each veteran shared stories and experiences from their time in the military, while Becky Olah, Ladies Auxiliary Member, explained the history and importance of Memorial Day and the sacrifices made by America’s service members.
Representing Post 1607 were: Art Olah, Air Force, Vietnam era; Nick Solimando, Navy Seabees, Cold War era; Paul Gale, Army, Vietnam era; and Erik Manzie, Army, Iraqi Freedom, along with Auxiliary members Becky Olah, Fran Solimando, Sue Manzie, and junior member Ella Manzie.
Visits like these help keep the spirit of patriotism, service, and remembrance alive for the next generation. By connecting students with veterans from their own community, we ensure that the sacrifices made for our freedoms are never forgotten.
Thank you all for your service, sacrifice, and continued commitment to educating our students and honoring our nation’s heroes.
Congratulations to eighth-grader and Girls Varsity Lacrosse goalie Olivia Gonzalez on reaching 100 saves — an incredible milestone! Reaching 100 saves reflects not only outstanding reflexes and skill, but also consistency, toughness, composure under pressure, and her major impact on her team’s success throughout the season. As Coach Jessica Gurrieri stressed: “This is truly an amazing achievement for an eighth-grader” and a sign of tremendous talent and potential ahead.
The district’s K-12 Art Show, held last evening, was a vibrantly gorgeous celebration of student creativity, showcasing an impressive collection of artwork created across a wide range of mediums, alongside exceptional work from our media, production and film students.
From expressive compositions and striking use of color to thoughtful mixed-media pieces and digital storytelling, the exhibit transformed the high school cafeteria and auditorium into a true gallery experience!
We hope many of you were able to attend and witness the tremendous talent of our student artists representing all five district buildings. Events like these are a wonderful reminder of the power of the arts to bring a community together — connecting students, families, educators, and neighbors through creativity, imagination and shared pride.
Hundreds of proud students and even prouder families filled the show to celebrate not only the artwork created by the children in their own lives, but also to admire and encourage the work of all participating artists. The evening reflected the collaborative spirit and cultural richness that make our school community so special.
THANK YOU to the district’s art faculty for curating such a magnificent and thoughtfully installed exhibition, to everyone who supported the scholarship auction of furniture and clocks and to the high school’s Step Dance Team for their dynamic performance!
See more photos on the district's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MinisinkValleyCSD/posts/pfbid02xsVFMrvxVVmJZ5QCMgC5PBeeDvgjMzEZAQiA3r3UCDQd6VXq3f7qhtXBFKe9kqk5l?__cft__[0]=AZbX_xIm4L32rE1Jz-gzl63jTzYc8uLFmA00ZZsY8-PauqmUM1qQr6LQOuWkz-N_YQk0FD-namhvBdHhCGK9OOS8w_T4Ixck8vf4xCaPuVynUx4GLCTunm1bx-01w_PywuC7LBK3zN28jrW82BiNux0sU_k7QP6L9WjGGgdR9H5ZTA&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R
From expressive compositions and striking use of color to thoughtful mixed-media pieces and digital storytelling, the exhibit transformed the high school cafeteria and auditorium into a true gallery experience!
We hope many of you were able to attend and witness the tremendous talent of our student artists representing all five district buildings. Events like these are a wonderful reminder of the power of the arts to bring a community together — connecting students, families, educators, and neighbors through creativity, imagination and shared pride.
Hundreds of proud students and even prouder families filled the show to celebrate not only the artwork created by the children in their own lives, but also to admire and encourage the work of all participating artists. The evening reflected the collaborative spirit and cultural richness that make our school community so special.
THANK YOU to the district’s art faculty for curating such a magnificent and thoughtfully installed exhibition, to everyone who supported the scholarship auction of furniture and clocks and to the high school’s Step Dance Team for their dynamic performance!
See more photos on the district's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MinisinkValleyCSD/posts/pfbid02xsVFMrvxVVmJZ5QCMgC5PBeeDvgjMzEZAQiA3r3UCDQd6VXq3f7qhtXBFKe9kqk5l?__cft__[0]=AZbX_xIm4L32rE1Jz-gzl63jTzYc8uLFmA00ZZsY8-PauqmUM1qQr6LQOuWkz-N_YQk0FD-namhvBdHhCGK9OOS8w_T4Ixck8vf4xCaPuVynUx4GLCTunm1bx-01w_PywuC7LBK3zN28jrW82BiNux0sU_k7QP6L9WjGGgdR9H5ZTA&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R
CHEERS to the winners of the Middle School’s annual Bookmark Design Contest! Students and staff members were invited to vote on their favorites to determine the top three winners! These winning designs will be professionally printed and made available for people to take from the library.
It’s really true: A bookmark may save your page, but a good book always leaves its mark on you!
Congratulations to:
--- Eighth-grader Delilah Becerril
--- Sixth-grader Alicia Suen
--- Eighth-grader Elisa Vernatter
It’s really true: A bookmark may save your page, but a good book always leaves its mark on you!
Congratulations to:
--- Eighth-grader Delilah Becerril
--- Sixth-grader Alicia Suen
--- Eighth-grader Elisa Vernatter
Please join us in congratulating the student musicians and singers for their wonderful performances at the recent NYSSMA Solo Festival at Mount Academy in Esopus! They proudly represented Minisink Valley with tremendous musical excellence!
The New York State School Music Association Solo Festival (NYSSMA) is a music evaluation event for student musicians and singers where students perform a prepared solo piece for a certified judge and receive a score plus written feedback on their musical skills, technique, tone, rhythm and overall performance.
The festival uses difficulty levels from 1 to 6, with higher scores at advanced levels sometimes helping students qualify for honors ensembles like All-State or strengthen college music applications
The New York State School Music Association Solo Festival (NYSSMA) is a music evaluation event for student musicians and singers where students perform a prepared solo piece for a certified judge and receive a score plus written feedback on their musical skills, technique, tone, rhythm and overall performance.
The festival uses difficulty levels from 1 to 6, with higher scores at advanced levels sometimes helping students qualify for honors ensembles like All-State or strengthen college music applications
GRADE 6-12 FAMILIES:
The Cheerleading Program is holding spring open workouts for interested students in grades 6 to 12 starting tomorrow, May 14 at 6 p.m., followed by the same time on subsequent Tuesday and Thursdays. These gatherings will allow students to come together to train and experience the sport before tryout season, all under coach observation. Use this google form to sign up! Don’t miss out if interested.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdaBIcV7KwbN_BzjAbqSw04uPSPgZPTwl43dis1lzp0wUWdxg/viewform
The Cheerleading Program is holding spring open workouts for interested students in grades 6 to 12 starting tomorrow, May 14 at 6 p.m., followed by the same time on subsequent Tuesday and Thursdays. These gatherings will allow students to come together to train and experience the sport before tryout season, all under coach observation. Use this google form to sign up! Don’t miss out if interested.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdaBIcV7KwbN_BzjAbqSw04uPSPgZPTwl43dis1lzp0wUWdxg/viewform
Please join us in congratulating members of our faculty and administration who were granted tenure by the Board of Education during its May 7 and earlier in the year meetings! #MINISINKProud
High School
Jacquelyn Campbell, Special Education teacher
Thomas Connolly, Mathematics teacher
Jonathan Hannes, Special Education teacher
Toni McGinn, Special Education teacher
Rachel Moran, English as a Second Language teacher
Middle School
Francine LaDonna, Social Worker
Kaitlin Santos, Elementary teacher
Ramon Torres, Foreign Languages teacher
Otisville Elementary
Lisa Assaiante, Special Education teacher
Victoria Frascone, Special Education teacher
Stephanie Gove, Elementary teacher
Nikachi Griffin, Assistant Principal
Bryon Imbarrato, Elementary teacher
Jessica Kahn, Elementary teacher
Nicole Martinez, Elementary teacher
Intermediate School
Lilivette Alten, English as a Second Language teacher
Andrew Fenner, Elementary teacher
Elementary School
Megan St. Clair, Elementary teacher
After a recent Arbor Day mini-lesson, sixth graders stepped outside to take in the atmosphere and observe the structure and character of nearby trees. Later, students were divided into groups and given one minute to forage through an oversized bin of assorted materials. With just 20 minutes on the clock, each group set to work “planting” their own tree—assembling everything from trunks to canopies using only what they had gathered. The groups then presented their creations, identifying each tree’s species, origin and defining traits.
Following the recent Sixth-Grade Green Team vote, one standout group was recognized for cultivating the most innovative design. To celebrate, students received Arbor Day bookmarks and their own Colorado spruce saplings to take home and root in the real world.
Congratulations to this winning Sixth-Grade Green Team:
Amelia McCarey
Stacia Spongberg
Charlotte Kohler
Rayleigh Ford
Following the recent Sixth-Grade Green Team vote, one standout group was recognized for cultivating the most innovative design. To celebrate, students received Arbor Day bookmarks and their own Colorado spruce saplings to take home and root in the real world.
Congratulations to this winning Sixth-Grade Green Team:
Amelia McCarey
Stacia Spongberg
Charlotte Kohler
Rayleigh Ford
Congratulations to the 15 students who were recognized at the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (NYSAHPERD) Catskill Zone Leadership Awards Ceremony, held May 2 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 set a strong example for others, demonstrating how character, dedication, and service make an impact both in physical education and in all areas of life,” said Elementary School Physical Education teacher Anthony Pascarelli, who represented Minisink Valley faculty at the event.
Students honored were:
Middle School
Justin Artola
Charlotte Ringus
Maximus Sisto
Jasmine Tepper
Otisville Elementary
Peter Caputo
Helen Hutchital
Callan Mark
Frank Ortiz
Intermediate School
Lucas Ayala
Logan Flynn
Siena Paccio
Grace Rolon
Elementary School
Augustine Paccio
Delilah Useo
Everett Whalen
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 set a strong example for others, demonstrating how character, dedication, and service make an impact both in physical education and in all areas of life,” said Elementary School Physical Education teacher Anthony Pascarelli, who represented Minisink Valley faculty at the event.
Students honored were:
Middle School
Justin Artola
Charlotte Ringus
Maximus Sisto
Jasmine Tepper
Otisville Elementary
Peter Caputo
Helen Hutchital
Callan Mark
Frank Ortiz
Intermediate School
Lucas Ayala
Logan Flynn
Siena Paccio
Grace Rolon
Elementary School
Augustine Paccio
Delilah Useo
Everett Whalen
KUDOS to the Varsity Softball team for knocking it out of the park with its fantastic “Rising Stars Night,” held May 4!
More than 60 future varsity stars representing the Minisink and Otisville Little Leagues stepped up to the plate to join the fun — and what a night it was! The festivities were capped off with a thrilling 9–8 varsity comeback win over Warwick Valley! Amazing!
These young student athletes — clearly future varsity standouts — were all smiles as they received their “Rising Star” bracelets, rounded the bases alongside varsity players, and even scored big by getting all the varsity player autographs they wanted! From dugout chats to on-field memories, it was a home run evening filled with mentorship, teamwork and plenty of heart.
What a beautiful display of paying it forward, beginning to build a future lineup by showing how much fun the game is, and reminding these rising stars that with practice, hustle, and love of the game, anything is possible!
More than 60 future varsity stars representing the Minisink and Otisville Little Leagues stepped up to the plate to join the fun — and what a night it was! The festivities were capped off with a thrilling 9–8 varsity comeback win over Warwick Valley! Amazing!
These young student athletes — clearly future varsity standouts — were all smiles as they received their “Rising Star” bracelets, rounded the bases alongside varsity players, and even scored big by getting all the varsity player autographs they wanted! From dugout chats to on-field memories, it was a home run evening filled with mentorship, teamwork and plenty of heart.
What a beautiful display of paying it forward, beginning to build a future lineup by showing how much fun the game is, and reminding these rising stars that with practice, hustle, and love of the game, anything is possible!
