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We are always grateful when alumni return to share their experiences and inspire our students.

A big thank-you to Class of 2010 alumnus Peter Schwarz, the son of employee Maggie Schwarz, and his wife Janelle Schwarz for buzzing into Jennifer Levin’s elementary school second-grade classroom for a very “bee-autiful” virtual visit all about beekeeping!

Mr. and Mrs. Schwarz, who are both beekeepers in addition to their careers, shared their hands-on knowledge of the hive life — giving students a closer look at how a honey bee colony really works. These second-graders were fascinated to learn about the queen bee who leads the hive, the busy worker bees who gather nectar while foraging from flower to flower, the important role bees play in pollination that helps plants grow and much more!

This virtual experience was the perfect complement to the second-grade insect unit,which includes the study of the honey bee life cycle. It brought classroom learning to life in a sweet and unforgettable way—and definitely had everyone “buzzing” with excitement!
4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
students in class
students in class
beekeeper
students in class
students in class
students in class
The High School Library held its first-ever Overdue Book Roundup Challenge from June 8 to 15, to see who could return the most overdue library book. Students were encouraged to search bedrooms, bookshelves, backpacks, closets and any other mysterious locations where library books like to hide!

After a week of processing returns, we have a winner! Congratulations to junior (and Knicks fan!) Jason Wackowski-Hernandez, who returned a library book that had been checked out since Jan. 25, 2024! That's some impressive detective work! Jason received a Dunkin gift card for helping reunite a long-lost book with its library home!

This contest was a fun reminder that returning library books helps make them available for other students to enjoy or use for school work. If your student (in any building) still has library books at home, please return them to their respective school libraries. Students who aren't sure if they owe a book will find email notices reminding them their books are due.
Every returned book helps — and who knows what treasures you will be discovered while searching!

4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
library contest winner
With smiles and excitement, Angela Dombal, Jordan Procak, and Sally Mankoo’s kindergarten classes and Marjori Bobish's transitional kindergarteners recently took part in a very special butterfly release! Thanks to the generosity of the ES PTO, every kindergarten class received butterflies to raise and release.

Before saying goodbye to their beautiful butterflies, the children gathered outside to enjoy a story together. Then, they watched in wonder as the butterflies spread their wings and fluttered off into nature.

A butterfly release is a meaningful experience for young students because it helps them see firsthand how living things grow and change. After learning about the butterfly life cycle in the classroom, students were able to witness the final stage of this amazing transformation.

Activities like this spark curiosity, encourage a love of nature, and create lasting memories through hands-on learning. Plus, it’s also an opportunity to reinforce kindness, patience and a sense of care for nature.

THANK YOU again, to the ES PTO!
4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
butterfly release
butterfly release
butterfly release
butterfly release
butterfly release
butterfly release
WHAT A COOL CELEBRATION!
Take a look at Otisville’s Fifth-Grade Celebration, held this past Friday at the Otisville Firehouse! From the creative theme to all the smiling faces, it was a night to remember. The frosty décor couldn't have been more perfect for beating Friday’s summer heat!
THANK YOU to the Otisville PTO and all the volunteers for making the evening so special for these soon-to-be sixth-graders!
4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
students at dance
students at dance
faculty at dance
students at dance
students at dance
students at dance
students at dance
Congratulations to four members of the Boys Varsity Lacrosse Team for their recent honors!

The recipient of the 2026 USA Lacrosse Bob Scott Award is #29 Keegan Holmes! This award recognizes a player who goes above and beyond in service to his team, school, and community while demonstrating leadership, commitment and character.

The award is named in honor of Bob Scott, a legendary member of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and the former long-time head coach at Johns Hopkins University. Scott coached the Blue Jays from 1955 to 1974, securing 158 victories and seven national championships. He wrote the foundational book "Lacrosse: Technique and Tradition."

Named to All-Section teams:
•First Team All-Section Attackman: #3 Mike Holland
•First Team All-Section Short Stick Defensive Midfielder: #25 Stetson Terpak
•Second Team All-Section Long Stick Midfielder: #22 Chris Thorpe

“We could not be prouder to have these four young men that have been recognized for their contributions,” said Head Coach Chad Lakeman. “Each one of these athletes is without a doubt deserving of these honors. These accolades are the result of hard work, commitment, and a willingness to go above and beyond as athletes, teammates and members of the Minisink Valley community.”
4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
LAX player
LAX player
LAX player
LAX player

Meet the “new students” in Erin Chase and Emilia Chrobak's ES first-grade classes: BABY CHICKS!

Watching eggs hatch in the classroom is more than an exciting surprise—it gives first graders a front-row seat to science in action. From life cycles and observation skills to responsibility and wonder, these tiny arrivals are teaching some big lessons! PLUS: the faces on the little first-graders are just too cute! How wouldn't love to hold a newborn chick?

4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
kids with baby chicks
kids in class
kids in class
kids with chicks
kids with chicks
kids with chicks
hatching chicks
hatching chicks
Otisville Elementary held an all-school assembly on June 12, to commemorate Flag Day, which is celebrated on June 14 each year.

In addition to reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, students sang patriotic songs that music teachers Skyler Klein and Maria Fenfert taught this school year. A special shout-out to fifth-graders Hunter Walsh, Ella Capalbo and Evan Jackson, who read history of Flag Day and shared interesting facts about the U.S. flag. Well-done!

Commemorating Flag Day helps students learn about the history and meaning of the American flag and the values it represents, such as freedom, unity, and respect while continuing to provide students with an opportunity to explore national symbols, understand important traditions, and continue to develop a sense of civic responsibility, national pride and citizenry.

It commemorates June 14, 1777, when the Adoption of the Flag Resolution established the official design of the American flag.
4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
flag day students
students at assembly
students at assembly
students at assembly
students at assembly
students at assembly
students at assembly
We proudly present the 2025-26 edition of “The Explorer,” the High School’s Literary Magazine!
We invite you to read this collection of outstanding of student literary pieces, supported by beautiful artwork, via this link:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1L7Vypxuh_yEym8UwFGg8MQ8xGg2bGaEOf5sQ8fUpoM4/edit?slide=id.p#slide=id.p
4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
Literary magazine cover
OFF AND RUNNING!
Please join us in wishing the members of our Varsity Track & Field team the best of luck as they head to the NYSPHSAA Track & Field Championships this weekend in Webster, which is near Rochester.

Whether they’re exploding out of the blocks in the meter dash, chasing a personal record in the meter run, clearing the bar in the high jump and pole vault, flying through the air in the long jump, navigating the barriers of the steeplechase, or making smooth baton exchanges in the relay events, our athletes have put in the work to earn their place on the state stage.

Now it’s time to trust their training, compete with confidence, and leave it all on the track and in the field. After months of training, competing, and pushing the limits, they're set to take their marks and represent Minisink Valley with distinction! Good luck to all of our championship qualifiers—we'll be cheering you on every stride, jump, vault, and lap of the way! We can’t wait to see them sprint, soar, vault, and race their way through an unforgettable championship weekend.

4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
track athletes
track athletes
track athletes
track athletes
track athletes and superintendent
track sendoff
track athletes
Congratulations and best wishes to the senior members of the Varsity Flag Football team, who were honored for their contributions to the team's success during their recent Senior Game! Good Luck to all:

Kate O’Neill, quarterback and safety
Mikia Nash, middle linebacker and receiver
Avery Wingen, running back and outside linebacker
Ava Downing, corner and receiver
Joli Calcano, running back and corner
Jaida Macaluso, middle linebacker
Sophia Escobar, outside linebacker
Jazlin Sessoms, blitzer
Sam Kassel, outside linebacker
Lacey Cummisky, corner and receiver
4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
flag football team
Jessica Venettozzi’s IS fourth-graders, like all district fourth-graders, are putting their math skills to work by applying fraction equivalence to add mixed numbers with tenths and hundredths.

Through problem-solving, discussion, and collaboration, they explored how understanding place value and equivalent fractions helps make complex calculations more manageable.

These are important math skills that build the foundation for future success in mathematics and everyday problem-solving. By applying fraction equivalence to add mixed numbers with tenths and hundredths, students deepen their understanding of place value and learn how different forms of numbers can represent the same amount. Through problem-solving, discussion, and collaboration, they develop critical thinking skills and gain confidence in explaining their reasoning and comparing strategies with classmates. These concepts are essential for more advanced math topics such as decimals, percentages, ratios, and algebra, while also helping students use math in real-life situations involving money, measurements, and data.

“It’s exciting to see students building confidence,” said Mrs. Venettozzi, “as they connect mathematical concepts to real-world thinking and strengthen their precision and reasoning skills.”
4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
students in math class
student in math class
student in math class
student in math class
student in math class
Cleats laced. Gloves ready. Destination: FINAL FOUR.
The Varsity Softball Team is officially on the road to Binghamton for the NYSPHSAA Softball Final Four, and the entire Minisink Valley community is behind them every step of the way!

Ladies, you've already shown what it means to battle through tough innings, come through in the clutch, and leave it all on the diamond. Now it's time to keep the rally going. Trust your teammates, trust your game, and keep stacking outs and runs one pitch at a time.

A heartfelt thank you to our amazing EMS fire and ambulance partners for giving our team an honor escort to Interstate 84 and to the New York State Police continuing with bus and escorting the team to the Pennsylvania border!

The bus may be heading to Binghamton, but an entire community is riding shotgun!

Go make some memories, make some noise, and keep this postseason run alive.

Good luck, ladies — we're all rooting for you to turn this Final Four trip into a championship story!
4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
softball team
softball team with superintendent
softball team with drawings
softball team with food
softball team
police car
bus
moms and bus
bus and trucks
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
4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
MS fastest runners
MS fastest runners
runner running
group of runners
runner running
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!
4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
student with ice cream
students with ice cream
ice cream
students with ice cream
students with ice cream
students with ice cream
teacher and students talking about ice cream
ice cream food truck

Congratulations to the senior members of the Varsity Softball team, who were honored for their many contributions to the team's success at their recent Senior Game:

Hannah Connoly, #3, Second Base, two year varsity team member
Keira Filip, #9, Centerfield, three year varsity team member
Tyler Hannigan, #4, Right Field, two year varsity team member
Hannah Ringus, #5, Third Base, three year varsity team member

4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
softball girls and family
softball girls and family
After school visitors to the Slate Hill campus may also catch the Intermediate School Bike Club in action, with young riders confidently cruising around campus under the guidance of advisor Jonathan Sakadelis.

From mastering the rules of the road to sharpening their biking skills and building confidence on two wheels, these students are learning that every ride is an adventure in teamwork, safety and fun!
4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
bike club
bike club kids
bike club kids
bike club kids
bike club kids
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
4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
pool
The High School Chess Club is wrapping up a successful season and has plenty of momentum heading into next year. The club competed against other schools for the first time this year and recently welcomed Goshen for a series of friendly scrimmage matches, giving players valuable over-the-board experience and a chance to test their opening preparation.
Plans are already in motion to build on the team’s strong season with even more matches and tournaments next year against schools such as Monroe-Woodbury, Pawling, Middletown and Goshen. With a solid foundation now established, the club is looking to continue developing its competitive play and broaden its tournament schedule.

Congratulations and well-done to Jason Agba, Richard Cai, Gavin Capper, Jerry Yang, James Arias and Luciano Palacios, who recently represented the club in a Swiss-style tournament featuring students from Pawling, Goshen, Middletown, and Monroe-Woodbury. Every player scored at least two wins, and Senior Jerry Yang earned the distinction of being the tournament’s only undefeated player—a performance worthy of the top board!

If your high school student is interested in competing against other schools or simply enjoys a friendly game with others, the Chess Club welcomes players of all skill levels. Interested students should contact advisor Jonathan Grady at jgrady@minisink.com.
4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
group of students
group of students
group of students
group of students
We are always grateful when alumni return to share their experiences and inspire our students. 2014 High School Valedictorian Allison Davis recently spoke with members of the High School’s Youth Against Cancer (YAC) Club, offering a powerful and deeply personal perspective on resilience, hope and perseverance.

A former Division I cross country, indoor, and outdoor track athlete at Binghamton University, Ms. Davis earned her nursing degree and built an impressive career caring for others. She has served as a Bone Marrow Transplant Nurse at Johns Hopkins Hospital, a travel oncology nurse, telephone triage oncology nurse, medical/surgical float pool nurse and radiation oncology nurse.

In early 2025, however, Ms. Davis found herself on the other side of healthcare when she was diagnosed with Stage II Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. During a virtual meeting with students, she courageously shared her journey — from the first symptoms and diagnosis to the challenges treatment brought to her life as a young adult. Her story offered students a firsthand look at the realities of cancer, while also demonstrating the strength that can emerge in the face of adversity.

Ms. Davis also spoke about the Ulman Foundation, a Baltimore-based nonprofit that became an important source of support during her cancer journey. The organization helps young adults navigate treatment and recovery, provides free housing, wellness programs, peer support, fertility guidance, and resources tailored to the unique needs of adolescent and young adult cancer patients.
Today, Ms. Davis describes herself as being in the “survivorship” phase of life. While the physical and emotional challenges of treatment do not simply disappear, she shared that her experience has given her a deeper appreciation for life and gratitude for each day.

To honor the support she received from the Ulman Foundation, Ms. Davis will run the upcoming New York City Marathon as a member of the Ulman Foundation Team, raising funds to help other young adults facing cancer. The Youth Against Cancer Club proudly donated $300 to support her fundraising efforts and this meaningful cause.

Please join us in wishing Ms. Davis the very best as she trains for the marathon and continues to turn her personal journey into a source of hope, inspiration, and support for others. Her courage reminds us that even in life's most difficult moments, strength, compassion, and purpose can prevail.
4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
adults in a virtual mtg
students with a check
students in a meeting

Traveling to Binghamton on Friday for the FINAL FOUR softball matchup? It’s going to be Minisink Valley vs. Calhoun at 2:30 p.m. at the Greenlight Networks Grand Slam Park in Binghamton!

REMINDER: You’ll need tickets! All NYSPHSAA Championships will use online ticketing. Ticket prices are $13.60 (inclusive of fees). Cash sales will not be available at the gate. For tickets, click here: https://nysphsaa.org/sports/2023/4/11/SoftballTickets.aspx
Here’s the live stream link; please note, a subscription is required. https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/nysphsaa/gama1d5e21737

4 months ago, Minisink Valley School District
softball ticket art