Left to Right: Assistant Principal Khris Arvanites, Principal Michelle O'Sullivan, Assistant Principal Latoya Oates
Dear Barr Middle School Families,
What a wonderful and uplifting month it has been at Barr! Our school has been buzzing with positive energy thanks to the many activities and events that brought our students, staff, and families together. Special thanks to our PTA, November included PTA Picture Day, PTA Family Bingo, and the always-popular PTA Book Fair. Our Grade 8 students completed their babysitting course, RED Club enjoyed a meaningful trip to Haverstraw Park, and our Quarter 2 PBIS assembly celebrated students while also launching our quarter 2 focus of "accepting others." Our guidance counselors conducted individual "getting to know your" meetings with each 5th grade students and are also facilitating DBT emotional regulation lessons with our 6th graders during their IE periods. We hosted parent-teacher conferences, partnered with the Clarkstown Police Department for a parent cyber-safety presentation, engaged students in Better Together assemblies, and wrapped up an incredible production of The Lion King Kids—a true showcase of talent and teamwork.
Our staff continued to grow professionally as well. This month we focused on specially designed instruction (SDI), strategies for facilitating high-quality classroom discussions, and integrating tools such as Magic School AI and GimKit to enhance teaching and learning. Our Barr Parent Compact launched with its first meeting centered on the theme of feedback, marking a strong commitment to our goal of continually strengthening home-school partnerships.
December is shaping up to be just as active and enriching! Our fifth graders will participate in a Navajo weaving experience and visit the Nanuet public library, our Chamber Orchestra will travel to Lincoln Center, and Better Together assemblies will continue for all grades. We are also excited for our Winter Concerts in grades 5–8, a highlight of every school year. The PTA holiday boutique will run from December 8th - 10th and teachers will be bringing their classes to visit during those dates. Looking ahead at our December professional learning, all staff will participate in a tier 1 classroom de-escalation with DBT strategies workshop, our 5th and 6th grade ELA teachers will continue building knowledge on the Science of Reading with Dr. Katie Cunningham and Amy Halpert and many staff members will join Dr. Brady in early December for a book club discussion of The Lion Women of Tehran.
We encourage families to stay informed by visiting students’ Schoology pages for classroom updates, checking the Parent Portal for current academic progress, and reaching out directly to teachers with any questions. Each Friday, our Digital Backpack is shared through Parent Square, and our Barr website continues to be an excellent source of school information, with links to the PTA website as well. As always, feel free to call the main office at 627-4040 if you have questions about events and the guidance office at 627-4050 if you have questions about the schedules, academics or social emotional needs of your child(ren).
As we approach the holiday season, we wish all families a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving. We also recognize and celebrate the many meaningful cultural observances taking place in December, including:
Hanukkah – Chag Sameach
Christmas – Feliz Navidad / Merry Christmas
Kwanzaa – Habari Gani?
Bodhi Day – Bodhi Day o-medetō
Las Posadas – Felices Posadas
May this season bring peace, joy, and togetherness to every Barr family.
Warmly,
Mrs. O'Sullivan