Best wishes - and thanks - from the Middle School PTA

To the editor: For the past two years we have had the sincere pleasure to be the officers and board of the Warwick Valley Middle School PTA. As we end our term, it is with a little sadness but mostly with pride in our students, teachers, school staff, administrators and community. On a daily and hourly basis wonderful things are happening in the Middle School. During the two years of our term, the middle school students have attended approximately 15 assemblies encompassing everything from amazing thought provoking multi-media presentations about character and life choices, to entertaining assemblies about the Renaissance era, to performances by world renowned musical artists, including a Cajun musical group, that not only exposed the students to the music and French Creole history of the south, but gave the students an eye opening first hand account of effects of Hurricane Katrina. In these past two years teachers have hosted numerous fairs for the benefit of the students, including recently a Health Fair, giving students hands on opportunity to explore issues and careers in the health field and a Foreign Language Fair. A guitar club started by a music teacher with a handful of students in two short years has grown into a premier ensemble, which recently cut its first CD and puts on standing room only performances for the school playing everything from Eric Clapton’s “Layla” to the latest hit from Nine Inch Nails. We could fill this paper with descriptions of activities at the middle school. However, we write this letter for a simple reason, to encourage and thank. We encourage you to be involved in the middle school, especially if you have a student there, and especially if you don’t. These students are the executives, artists, scientists, leaders and parents of the next generation. The three years goes by quickly, but the transformation is tremendous. Parents have expressed that they do not feel connected to what is going on in the middle school. For anyone who feels that way we encourage you to check in with the new PTA Board for the social and enrichment activities planned for the next school year. Stop in and attend an assembly, watch a guitar club performance, visit one of the fairs. You’ll be impressed and inspired. And at the same time will be building memories of and with your children. If your time or talent allows, offer to assist with the Enrichment Club, which is planned to start this fall through the efforts of the Compact Team, to expose the students to crafts, careers, and learning experiences that are not covered in a typical curriculum. Also check in with any of the PTA events, most of which are listed on the District calendar and described at the open house and first PTA meetings of the school year. We want to offer a special thank you to the Middle School’s prior administrators: Ann Val and Bob Peters; the current administrators: Louise Lynch, Cindy Benedict, Bob Albanese; the office staff: Sue DiMartini, Millie Rivera, Pat Pierce, Marge Riley, Nancy Friedlander, Teresa Spano; nurse Chris Little; the cafeteria staff; the custodians (who helped cleaned up many messes the PTA events created); the dedicated and caring teachers, aides, counselors and psychologists; the meeter/greeters; the numerous merchants and businesses that made selfish donations of good and services throughout the past 2 years, especially, Benito’s, Edenville Deli, Scheurmann Nurseries, Beverage Plus II, Pennings Farm Market, ShopRite, Crispy Crème, as well as the tireless parent volunteers who cheerfully made each event the PTA planned for the students memorable beyond imagination. Finally to the middle school students: We wish you continued success and encourage you to make the choices that will make your dreams come true. Virginia Snigur, president; Eileen O’Brien, vice president; Joanne Graney, treasurer; Lynn Lillian, recording secretary; and Joyce Pennington, corresponding secretary