New Schedule Changes for Week of January 24 Due to Snow Days:

The three snow days that we have had recently have all fallen on odd period days.  This has caused instructional time to be very disparate between odd and even day classes.  Our administrative and instructional leadership teams have agreed that we need to balance instructional time better in order to best serve all sections and students equally.  This is  necessitating additional changes to next week’s calendar:

1. Tuesday, January 25: will now be a D day (instead of a C day as originally planned) and will be a regular full-length school day.

2. Wednesday, January 26: will remain a shortened day and will still follow a D day rotation (schedule here).

3. Thursday, January 27: will now be a shortened day and will follow an A day rotation (schedule here).

4. Friday, January 28: will now be the first day of the second semester and is a B day. Students should access second semester schedules in PowerSchool. 

An updated version of the rotating calendar can be found here.

Please click here to read a message from Dr. O'Donnell regarding the recent theft of catalytic converters on campus.

Please click here for important information including: 

• Date changes for the two upcoming shortened days and for the start of Semester 2
• KN95 masks available for students
• Information on 2022-23 course registration
• Link to the January 14 PTSA Covid Advisory Committee webinar

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PQjaxZlm5P0MEHYKtzyp1IQkpOUoe1ybBv6oQrVfQTU/edit?usp=sharing

Click here to view our Autumn newsletter.

Click here to read a message from the Principal. 

If you missed the live Middlebrook Parent forum on February 3rd, you can watch the entire broadcast here!

 7R student Kieran Lenihan was crowned Middlebrook Geography Bee champion at the school final held on Wednesday January 15th. Kieran had to hold his nerve in a tough battle for first place with 8R student Anderson Campbell.  This is Kieran's second year in the school final. Kieran studied hard for the competition and will now compete in the state final on March 27. We all wish him the very best. 

Saturday December 14th marked the first debate tournament of the year for the Connecticut Middle school Debate League. Twenty-two middle schools in Connecticut fielded teams in the competition. Middlebrook had a very strong showing with 60 students taking part. Each student is part of a debating trio. The question, or proposition is announced in advance of the tournament, giving each student 3-4 weeks to prepare. The proposition for this debate was 'This House regrets the worldwide proliferation of surveillance cameras.' Each team debates the proposition three times - once taking the proposition side, once taking the opposition side, and their final time the side they will argue is decided by a coin toss.

Each student receives a score for their personal performance, the team score is calculated by averaging out each team members score. Middlebrook had five of the ten best individual performances with seventh grader Francesca Gusfa finishing a very impressive second overall. Middlebrook also placed four of the top ten teams in the debate with a team of three eighth graders finishing first overall. Students on the winning team were Yasmin Athulathmudali, Grace Biondo, and Anagha Khisti (pictured above).

Katie Durkin and Michael Panoli are Debate club advisors at Middlbrook, positions they have held since the inception of debate club five years ago.  Debate has existed as a High School club for a long time, but was absent as a club at Middlelbrook until Michael Wallace, a WHS student at the time, approached Middlebrook teachers asking them to consider setting up the club at Middlebrook. The idea made a lot of sense, getting the students used to debating at middle school would mean a more experienced cohort of students in the debate team at the high school.

There are four debate tournaments during the year. The next one will be held at Middlebrook on Saturday January 25th, 2020. Middlebrook are hoping that the home advantage will net them a third victory in a row. Students curious about debate are welcome to attend the next tournament as spectators. Debate club runs throughout the year on Tuesdays after school. The Middlebrook Debate Club introduces all middle school students to debate and public speaking. Debate club meetings address creating feasible arguments, speaking fluidly, and understanding fundamental civics. Games, lectures, and mock debates, during the weekly practices further bolsters students’ comprehension of current events and parliamentary procedures.

For more information about middle school debate, visit ctmsdebate.org or contact the team advisers Ms. Durkin or Mr. Panoli.

Veterans day was marked in each Wilton school with assemblies and visits by veterans to each school. Middlebrook welcomed around 25 veterans and their families. The veterans were invited onto the auditorium stage and their service was recognized. The assembly included performances by music students and a short video with students and staff and recognizing the veterans in their lives.

Eighth grade orchestra students had their first taste of performing on stage at the High School this week at the annual Halloween Spooktacular concert. As well as performing, the eighth graders had the opportunity to listen to the High School concert orchestra and wind ensemble play a variety of spooky numbers including the Sorcerer's Apprentice, Thriller and Rosen eating zombies from outer space.

Concert orchestra made a memorable arrival on stage, first violinist Gayathri made a grand entrance being wheeled on the stage in a closed coffin as part of a funeral procession.

The final number of the night saw the eighth graders playing with the High School students. Orchestra director Mr. Karlan hoped that the night had made a big impression on the middle school students. He wrapped up the evening inviting them all to continue their music education next year as part of the High School Concert orchestra.

The window for ordering supply kits from Edukit has passed.  However, you can still find printable supply lists for the upcoming school year by clicking here or following the "I want to" section on our Homepage to find current lists for each grade.

For those unable to make it, here is the link to the presentation Slide Deck and the Zoom Recording.

Parents-this digital toolset highlights those tools that students utilize to support learning in the classroom.  It includes links for mathematics, literacy and overall technology success.  

https://sites.google.com/wiltonps.org/planningforelearning/cider-mill