A Message from Headmaster Bill Porter
We have enjoyed an action-packed six weeks at Melrose. October concluded with a very well attended Conference Day on Friday, October 26th, and we helped Bob Stanhope celebrate a milestone birthday the next evening as he staged a benefit concert with his band, Cross Purpose, here at school. November began with a very successful Open House, followed closely by a highly informative breakfast presentation by our new Learning Specialist, Chrissy Contos, on how children learn to read. The month included two book fairs, three field trips and the NJHS Food Drive; we enjoyed a performance by the theatrical troupe, Traveling Lantern, and hosted our annual Mother and Son Breakfast, featuring a child-friendly version of the Newlywed Game. One of November’s highlights was our second Veterans’ Day Luncheon, honoring those who had served our country in various conflicts dating back to World War II. At this event, we were pleased to learn that the local chapter of the VFW had selected Joe Dryer as their Putnam County Teacher of the Year for his work in the classroom and for his calling attention to the accomplishments of our nation’s veterans. Another award recipient this month was Maddie Blake, who was among three finalists from Melrose in the French Embassy Contest (the other two were Christopher Flamio and AnnaBella Gillin). Maddie was selected as the First Prize winner for her age group for the entire New York metropolitan area. Our annual young alumni event featured the return of over two dozen recent graduates who seemed pleased to be back at their alma mater for the evening. This year’s Thanksgiving Pageant included recitations and musical performances by students in the Pre-Kindergarten and grades K-3, a highly successful conclusion to a terrific fall trimester.
