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Grade 7 students in Randi Rosen’s English class supplemented their reading of “Refugee” by Alan Gratz with a meaningful real-world connection—a December 17 visit to the Center for Performing Arts in Rhinebeck to see a live performance of “A Christmas Carol,” a work that explores many similar themes.

While studying “Refugee,” students examine social injustice, inequality, poverty, loss, and the importance of family. “Pairing these two pieces of literature highlights how some issues change over time while others remain the same, despite very different plots, settings, and author’s purpose,” said Ms. Rosen. “Focusing on these similarities helps students see how enduring themes appear both in literature and in real life,” aligning with a key New York State Grade 7 ELA standard.

The theatre experience also deepened students’ understanding of storytelling as an art form. Sharing a live performance allowed the class to appreciate staging, lighting, costuming, and performance choices, bringing the literature to life in a powerful and memorable way.

New Paltz Middle School has been brimming with holiday cheer, thanks to a week of themed Spirit Days (December 17–22) on the agenda. The fun kicked off this Wednesday with “Holiday Rhyme Without a Reason Day,” and students did not disappoint—showing up in clever, creative, and sometimes hilariously challenging rhyming pairs.

Think you can guess some of them?

Answers coming tomorrow!

The New Paltz Middle School Student Council has continued its long-standing tradition of supporting families in need, raising more than $4,300 to provide Thanksgiving food baskets for District families.

This year’s Turkey Trials, which celebrates this accomplishment, brought out an impressive 285 students who showed up with big energy and even bigger creativity—forming teams with names like “Zombie Bros,” “The Turkeyanators,” and “The Benchwarmers,” with many great costumes to match. Students faced off in a series of fun, spirited challenges, including:

Duck, Duck Water Bottle Flip

Rock Paper Scissors Six Seven

Musical Dots

Dodgeball with a twist

A huge thank-you to local businesses for donating prizes and supplies to help create a fantastic event! This cherished tradition continues to showcase the generosity, teamwork, and community spirit that make New Paltz Middle School truly special.

On November 19, students in Renée Salamone’s two Grade 8 French classes found a creative—and delicious—way to celebrate the upcoming holiday while deepening their understanding of French language and culture!

For “Frenchgiving,” an event the students dreamed up themselves, class time kicked off a new learning unit on French foods, which taught the students how to make authentic French crêpes. They practiced the art of swirling the batter in a pan and using electric crêpe makers before enjoying their freshly made treats.

But the action didn’t stop there. In addition, the language enthusiasts in both classes came together for a lunchtime feast, featuring a wide variety of dishes—some tied to the students’ own cultural heritages and others simply favorites they wanted to share. Among the offerings were spaetzle with gravy, Mexican flan, Thai tofu bites with peanut sauce, mini croissants, cannoli dip, and more. Yum!

“The planning, preparation, participation, and pure enjoyment was wonderful,” said Ms. Salamone. “It was a great opportunity to sample new foods and learn about culture, connection, and personal backgrounds.”

Happy Frenchgiving!

Students in Jenny Denman’s and Nicole Sullivan’s Grade 8 English classes had an unforgettable experience this fall—meeting local author Joe Wallace and getting hands-on, professional advice for their own creative writing!

Mr. Wallace visited New Paltz Middle School on October 28, sharing stories from his decades-long career, which includes magazine articles on science and health, books on dinosaurs and baseball, noir short stories, and his first novel, “Diamond Ruby”—a historical tale about a teenage girl who plays baseball in 1920s Brooklyn.

Students, currently working on their own creative pieces, eagerly asked questions about Mr. Wallace’s writing process before signing up for small-group and individual workshop sessions. During these sessions, Mr. Wallace’s approachable and often humorous style made students feel at ease as they shared works in progress—from ideas to first drafts.

His advice was practical and inspiring, as he urged students to focus their ideas, plot their stories, and explore “why” they chose a particular topic. He also gave the young writers a pep talk, encouraging them to keep pursuing their ideas. “What makes this topic important to you?” he asked. For those writing about sports, he told them to “put yourself in the game.”

Students were also encouraged to continue sharing drafts via email for ongoing feedback. Completed pieces will enter the Grade 8 contest, with the opportunity to advance to the regional competition that is run by Scholastic. In past years, many New Paltz Middle School students have entered and earned recognition at the regional level—and have even advanced to national recognition.

We can’t wait to see which stories stand out this year!

A Hauntingly Good Performance!

Congratulations to the Middle School Band for leading the New Paltz Halloween Parade this year! With their spirited rendition of “The Addams Family” theme song, the band members, marching front and center, set the perfect tone for the festive night.

Thirty talented student musicians marched proudly alongside enthusiastic community members who joined in on the fun — a fantastic display of teamwork, talent, and Halloween spirit!