Mighty Minds Dress for Success!
On March 26, 2026, McVey’s Mighty Minds celebrated PARP Dress for Success Day, and the building was filled with style and confidence! Students and teachers came dressed to impress, showing that looking your best can help you feel your best while learning. It was exciting to see so many polished outfits throughout the school, and everyone had a great time participating in this special day. Another fun PARP event helped our Mighty Minds Get Smart in style!
Written By: Maggie Shea and Reagan Leake
The Publicity Club
On March 26, 2026, McVey’s Mighty Minds celebrated PARP Dress for Success Day, and the building was filled with style and confidence! Students and teachers came dressed to impress, showing that looking your best can help you feel your best while learning. It was exciting to see so many polished outfits throughout the school, and everyone had a great time participating in this special day. Another fun PARP event helped our Mighty Minds Get Smart in style!
Written By: Maggie Shea and Reagan Leake
The Publicity Club
Cozy Learning with Our Mighty Minds!
On March 25, 2026, McVey’s Mighty Minds enjoyed PARP Pajama Day, and the building was filled with comfort and excitement! Students came to school dressed in their coziest pajamas, ready to relax, read, and Get Smart. It was great to see so many smiling faces as students stayed comfortable while continuing their learning. All grade levels had a blast celebrating another fun and memorable PARP day at McVey!
Written By: Maggie Shea
The Publicity Club
On March 25, 2026, McVey’s Mighty Minds enjoyed PARP Pajama Day, and the building was filled with comfort and excitement! Students came to school dressed in their coziest pajamas, ready to relax, read, and Get Smart. It was great to see so many smiling faces as students stayed comfortable while continuing their learning. All grade levels had a blast celebrating another fun and memorable PARP day at McVey!
Written By: Maggie Shea
The Publicity Club
Mighty Minds Bring Book Characters to Life!
On March 24, 2026, McVey’s Mighty Minds celebrated PARP with Dress Up as Your Favorite Book Character Day, and the creativity throughout the building was incredible! Students showed up in so many amazing outfits, from familiar storybook favorites to some unique characters we didn’t even recognize. It was so much fun to see our school filled with imagination, excitement, and a love of reading. This was another PARP day that students truly enjoyed as they continued to Get Smart and celebrate the power of books at McVey!
Written By: Maggie Shea and Reagan Leake
The Publicity Club
On March 24, 2026, McVey’s Mighty Minds celebrated PARP with Dress Up as Your Favorite Book Character Day, and the creativity throughout the building was incredible! Students showed up in so many amazing outfits, from familiar storybook favorites to some unique characters we didn’t even recognize. It was so much fun to see our school filled with imagination, excitement, and a love of reading. This was another PARP day that students truly enjoyed as they continued to Get Smart and celebrate the power of books at McVey!
Written By: Maggie Shea and Reagan Leake
The Publicity Club
🦸♂️ PARP Superhero Day at McVey! 🦸♀️
On March 18 we dressed like superheroes at McVey! We wore all types of superhero outfits, or anything related to superheroes. The reason we dressed like superheroes was to celebrate the power of reading, imagination, and to recognize that everyone has their own unique strengths—like kindness, creativity, and intelligence—that make them a “superhero” at McVey.
This special day connected to building a positive, inclusive, and encouraging environment where students felt valued and supported. Here at McVey, everyone is included and supported by our wonderful staff, which is why we celebrated—because everyone at McVey is a Mighty Mind and a superhero who is a true bucket filler!
Here are some fun facts about Superhero Day:
You don’t need a cape to be a hero—acts of kindness, courage, and helping others make people, including kids, real-life superheroes!
Spider-Man and Black Panther show that being agile, flexible, and fast helps you be ready for any adventure!
Just like the Hulk, it’s okay to feel angry or sad, but the real power is learning how to manage those feelings and use them to help others.
Even heroes like Captain America and Iron Man, who sometimes disagree, show that working together is stronger than working alone—and that you can work things out and create great ideas together!
Written By: Olivia Basta, Udita Sen, and Penelope Vidals (The Publicity Club)
On March 18 we dressed like superheroes at McVey! We wore all types of superhero outfits, or anything related to superheroes. The reason we dressed like superheroes was to celebrate the power of reading, imagination, and to recognize that everyone has their own unique strengths—like kindness, creativity, and intelligence—that make them a “superhero” at McVey.
This special day connected to building a positive, inclusive, and encouraging environment where students felt valued and supported. Here at McVey, everyone is included and supported by our wonderful staff, which is why we celebrated—because everyone at McVey is a Mighty Mind and a superhero who is a true bucket filler!
Here are some fun facts about Superhero Day:
You don’t need a cape to be a hero—acts of kindness, courage, and helping others make people, including kids, real-life superheroes!
Spider-Man and Black Panther show that being agile, flexible, and fast helps you be ready for any adventure!
Just like the Hulk, it’s okay to feel angry or sad, but the real power is learning how to manage those feelings and use them to help others.
Even heroes like Captain America and Iron Man, who sometimes disagree, show that working together is stronger than working alone—and that you can work things out and create great ideas together!
Written By: Olivia Basta, Udita Sen, and Penelope Vidals (The Publicity Club)
🧦 PARP Crazy Socks Day! 🧦
March 17 was St. Patrick’s Day!
As part of our PARP celebration, students showed off their creativity by wearing crazy or mismatched socks. All around McVey, you could see fun patterns, bright colors, and lots of unique sock combinations! Many students also added a festive touch by wearing green and fun accessories to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. We took pictures to capture all of the school spirit and creativity on display. What a fun and spirited way to keep getting smart at McVey!
Written By: Olivia Basta, Udita Sen, Penelope Vidals, and Paige Teemsma (The Publicity Club)
March 17 was St. Patrick’s Day!
As part of our PARP celebration, students showed off their creativity by wearing crazy or mismatched socks. All around McVey, you could see fun patterns, bright colors, and lots of unique sock combinations! Many students also added a festive touch by wearing green and fun accessories to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. We took pictures to capture all of the school spirit and creativity on display. What a fun and spirited way to keep getting smart at McVey!
Written By: Olivia Basta, Udita Sen, Penelope Vidals, and Paige Teemsma (The Publicity Club)
Second grade recently wrapped up their Greek Mythology CKLA unit with one of McVey’s most exciting traditions—Ancient Greece Day! Mighty Minds traveled back in time as students and teachers dressed up as their favorite Greek mythological characters. Throughout the day, classes rotated through different classrooms to compete in their own Olympic-style games. With teamwork, energy, and lots of fun, our young scholars celebrated their learning and showed that at McVey, we’re always finding creative ways to Get Smart! 🏛️🏅
On the 101st day of school, our amazing 1st graders had a spot-tacular time dressing up as Dalmatians to celebrate 101 days of getting smarter! Covered in creative black spots from head to toe, these Mighty Minds showed that learning is something to celebrate. From counting to 101 to completing fun literacy and math activities, our students proved that every day at school helps them grow brighter, bolder, and smarter. It was a paws-itively perfect day of fun, friendship, and “Get Smart” spirit! 🐾✨
💜 P.S. I Love You Day 💜
Today we went all around the school and saw so many people wearing purple because it is P.S. I Love You Day! P.S. I Love You Day is a mental health awareness day focused on ending bullying and promoting community kindness, often symbolized by wearing purple.
Another thing that people do for P.S. I Love You Day is leave positive notes and participate in school or community activities that encourage the message, “You are not alone,” and help make happiness spread throughout the building.
When do people celebrate this? P.S. I Love You Day is observed on the second Friday of February every year. In 2026, this falls on February 13.
💜 Fun Facts!
Why Purple?
Purple was chosen because it was believed to be a “soft, yet powerful, warm, beautiful color” that now symbolizes the movement.
2026 Theme:
The theme for the 16th annual celebration (February 13, 2026) is “Be the Light,” symbolized by a lighthouse to represent being a beacon of hope for others.
Rapid Growth:
What started as a local initiative at West Islip High School in New York has grown to include over 200 schools and reach hundreds of thousands of people across the U.S. and Canada.
At McVey, it was inspiring to see so many people dressed in purple and sharing positive messages. Together, we helped remind everyone that they are not alone — and that kindness truly makes a difference. 💜
From: Udita Sen, Olivia Basta, and Penelope Vidals
(The Publicity Club)
Today we went all around the school and saw so many people wearing purple because it is P.S. I Love You Day! P.S. I Love You Day is a mental health awareness day focused on ending bullying and promoting community kindness, often symbolized by wearing purple.
Another thing that people do for P.S. I Love You Day is leave positive notes and participate in school or community activities that encourage the message, “You are not alone,” and help make happiness spread throughout the building.
When do people celebrate this? P.S. I Love You Day is observed on the second Friday of February every year. In 2026, this falls on February 13.
💜 Fun Facts!
Why Purple?
Purple was chosen because it was believed to be a “soft, yet powerful, warm, beautiful color” that now symbolizes the movement.
2026 Theme:
The theme for the 16th annual celebration (February 13, 2026) is “Be the Light,” symbolized by a lighthouse to represent being a beacon of hope for others.
Rapid Growth:
What started as a local initiative at West Islip High School in New York has grown to include over 200 schools and reach hundreds of thousands of people across the U.S. and Canada.
At McVey, it was inspiring to see so many people dressed in purple and sharing positive messages. Together, we helped remind everyone that they are not alone — and that kindness truly makes a difference. 💜
From: Udita Sen, Olivia Basta, and Penelope Vidals
(The Publicity Club)
The 3rd grade fundraiser took place on January 23, 2026. The students were fundraising to help save three pigs after reading Charlotte’s Web. There was a thrift store, dance party, necklace making, animal bingo, movie theater, bracelet making, and button/bookmark making. Every 15 minutes, the students rotated from class to class, and most students had an assigned job to help monitor the money for entry.
The movie theater showed short Pixar clips, which were very entertaining for all students. Mr. Leonardi ran the entrance and snacks for the movie theater. We spoke with Mrs. Cohen, who was running the thrift shop, about what inspired the 3rd grade teachers to do this fundraiser. She shared, “I love being environmentally friendly and reusing things.” The third graders not only learned a lot from the day, but also had a blast while doing it!
The movie theater showed short Pixar clips, which were very entertaining for all students. Mr. Leonardi ran the entrance and snacks for the movie theater. We spoke with Mrs. Cohen, who was running the thrift shop, about what inspired the 3rd grade teachers to do this fundraiser. She shared, “I love being environmentally friendly and reusing things.” The third graders not only learned a lot from the day, but also had a blast while doing it!
Cookie Fest
Last week, all grades participated in the yearly Cookie Fest, where students decorated cookies together. At Cookie Fest, all kids were included, so even if you have an allergy, you still got to make a cookie too. Students had the chance to decorate their cookies with frosting, Twizzlers, candy canes, and sprinkles. Cookie Fest is a great time to bond with friends and make memories during this festive time of year!
By: Maggie Shea, Reagan Leake, and Katherine Dhanessur
Publicity Club
Last week, all grades participated in the yearly Cookie Fest, where students decorated cookies together. At Cookie Fest, all kids were included, so even if you have an allergy, you still got to make a cookie too. Students had the chance to decorate their cookies with frosting, Twizzlers, candy canes, and sprinkles. Cookie Fest is a great time to bond with friends and make memories during this festive time of year!
By: Maggie Shea, Reagan Leake, and Katherine Dhanessur
Publicity Club
Medieval Day
Last week, the fourth grade participated in Medieval Day! Throughout Medieval Day, students played lots of games that were based on events from Medieval Times. Medieval Day is a great day to bond with friends by playing games together and even making some new friends. It is also a great way to learn more about what life was like during Medieval Times!
By: Maggie Shea, Reagan Leake, and Paige Teemsma
Publicity Club
Last week, the fourth grade participated in Medieval Day! Throughout Medieval Day, students played lots of games that were based on events from Medieval Times. Medieval Day is a great day to bond with friends by playing games together and even making some new friends. It is also a great way to learn more about what life was like during Medieval Times!
By: Maggie Shea, Reagan Leake, and Paige Teemsma
Publicity Club
Egypt Exploration in First Grade
On Wednesday, November 26, 2025, the first grade was learning all about Egypt, so they completed a grade-wide project to celebrate it. Instead of teaching about Egypt individually in their own classes, the teachers decided to explore it together as a whole grade. Each class represented a different part of Egypt and displayed it in their classrooms.
One of the first-grade teachers said, “Designing and teaching it was really fun! The kids really enjoyed getting to look around and see what Egypt actually looked like.” Some unique items they made were King Tut, Egyptian jewelry, mummies, and more! So, would you want to see their creations?
By: Udita Sen and Olivia Basta
The Publicity Club
On Wednesday, November 26, 2025, the first grade was learning all about Egypt, so they completed a grade-wide project to celebrate it. Instead of teaching about Egypt individually in their own classes, the teachers decided to explore it together as a whole grade. Each class represented a different part of Egypt and displayed it in their classrooms.
One of the first-grade teachers said, “Designing and teaching it was really fun! The kids really enjoyed getting to look around and see what Egypt actually looked like.” Some unique items they made were King Tut, Egyptian jewelry, mummies, and more! So, would you want to see their creations?
By: Udita Sen and Olivia Basta
The Publicity Club
Thanksgiving Day Parade with our Pre-K!
Our little learners proudly marched the halls, parading their colorful balloons. The smiles and excitement filled the building as our Pre-K students brought the magic of a Thanksgiving parade right to our school!
Our little learners proudly marched the halls, parading their colorful balloons. The smiles and excitement filled the building as our Pre-K students brought the magic of a Thanksgiving parade right to our school!
The PTA is proud to announce and celebrate the winners of this year’s Reflections Award Contest! Congratulations to all of our talented students who participated and shared their creativity. We are incredibly proud of all our winners and participants.
Corey the Dribbler Visits McVey!
On November 10, 2025, Corey the Dribbler visited McVey for an exciting assembly. Corey has been performing for ten years and said he loves playing basketball and showing off his tricks to audiences. During his visit, he spoke to us about showing respect when talking to others and giving them the attention they deserve.
Corey also called up around ten students to participate in a fun game called “You’ve Been Tricked!” This activity helped everyone understand the importance of grit and never giving up when faced with challenges.
The assembly reminded all McVey students to support one another, show kindness, and always do their best.
Written by: Alexandra Klin, Alessandra Estrella, and Paige Teemsma
The Publicity Club
On November 10, 2025, Corey the Dribbler visited McVey for an exciting assembly. Corey has been performing for ten years and said he loves playing basketball and showing off his tricks to audiences. During his visit, he spoke to us about showing respect when talking to others and giving them the attention they deserve.
Corey also called up around ten students to participate in a fun game called “You’ve Been Tricked!” This activity helped everyone understand the importance of grit and never giving up when faced with challenges.
The assembly reminded all McVey students to support one another, show kindness, and always do their best.
Written by: Alexandra Klin, Alessandra Estrella, and Paige Teemsma
The Publicity Club
McVey Book Fair
From November 5th–7th, the whole school got the chance to attend the Book Fair! This event is always a lot of fun because you get to explore books, learn about different genres, and decide which ones you’d like to read!
According to one of the PTA members, “The Book Fair has been going on for many, many years. A few years ago, they only had six bookcases, and now they have nine!” She also mentioned, “It took about two hours to set everything up.” Isn’t that cool?
There are three cashiers: Allison Vardikis, Lily Chang-Yeung, and Jess Shea. The other helpers are volunteers and PTA members. The books come from Scholastic, and the fair receives about 3,000 books each year—wow, that’s crazy, right?
Did you know that in the spring, instead of taking a profit, the PTA chooses to give the children of McVey a Buy-One-Get-One-Free Book Fair? Another fun fact: Mr. Minerva said he can’t even remember when the fair first started, but he knows it was before he came to McVey in 1997!
The Book Fair has been a McVey tradition for many years and continues to be a huge success!
Written by: Olivia Basta & Udita Sen
The Publicity Club
From November 5th–7th, the whole school got the chance to attend the Book Fair! This event is always a lot of fun because you get to explore books, learn about different genres, and decide which ones you’d like to read!
According to one of the PTA members, “The Book Fair has been going on for many, many years. A few years ago, they only had six bookcases, and now they have nine!” She also mentioned, “It took about two hours to set everything up.” Isn’t that cool?
There are three cashiers: Allison Vardikis, Lily Chang-Yeung, and Jess Shea. The other helpers are volunteers and PTA members. The books come from Scholastic, and the fair receives about 3,000 books each year—wow, that’s crazy, right?
Did you know that in the spring, instead of taking a profit, the PTA chooses to give the children of McVey a Buy-One-Get-One-Free Book Fair? Another fun fact: Mr. Minerva said he can’t even remember when the fair first started, but he knows it was before he came to McVey in 1997!
The Book Fair has been a McVey tradition for many years and continues to be a huge success!
Written by: Olivia Basta & Udita Sen
The Publicity Club
McVey Holds Student Council Elections
This Monday, November 3, 2025, the fourth and fifth graders at McVey participated in Student Council Elections, where everyone in those grades got the chance to vote. Voting in fourth and fifth grade is mandatory because it is a right as a student of McVey Elementary School.
“The students that ran for a position were taking an extra step forward,” said Ms. Dunne, McVey’s Principal. All of the students did an extraordinary job. None of the fourth graders ran for secretary, so the runner-up for treasurer was offered the position.
The election takes a lot of courage, and students need to be brave to prepare and deliver a speech in front of an audience. In the end, the winners of the election were fifth graders Matty Mazzello as President and Sophia Vardikis as Vice President. The fourth-grade winners were Hope Bong as Treasurer and Adam Philip as Secretary.
Great work to everyone who participated!
Written by: Maggie Shea, Paige Teemsma, and Reagan Leake
The Publicity Club
This Monday, November 3, 2025, the fourth and fifth graders at McVey participated in Student Council Elections, where everyone in those grades got the chance to vote. Voting in fourth and fifth grade is mandatory because it is a right as a student of McVey Elementary School.
“The students that ran for a position were taking an extra step forward,” said Ms. Dunne, McVey’s Principal. All of the students did an extraordinary job. None of the fourth graders ran for secretary, so the runner-up for treasurer was offered the position.
The election takes a lot of courage, and students need to be brave to prepare and deliver a speech in front of an audience. In the end, the winners of the election were fifth graders Matty Mazzello as President and Sophia Vardikis as Vice President. The fourth-grade winners were Hope Bong as Treasurer and Adam Philip as Secretary.
Great work to everyone who participated!
Written by: Maggie Shea, Paige Teemsma, and Reagan Leake
The Publicity Club
On October 29, the Kindergarten students participated in the Pumpkin Patch. This event was so much fun because they got to pick pumpkins right in front of McVey and enjoy activities, too. One kindergartener we spoke with, Bella, said her favorite part was when she got the beanbag into the witch’s cauldron.
If you’re wondering why we do this event, Ms. Volpe from the Pumpkin Patch Committee explained, “It is a wonderful event where students spend time with friends and get pumpkins to decorate and paint.”
Written by: Maggie Shea and Reagan Leake
The Publicity Club
If you’re wondering why we do this event, Ms. Volpe from the Pumpkin Patch Committee explained, “It is a wonderful event where students spend time with friends and get pumpkins to decorate and paint.”
Written by: Maggie Shea and Reagan Leake
The Publicity Club
The Halloween Howl took place on Monday, October 27. The event was filled with excitement and happiness, with a wide variety of costumes on display. Loud music and flashing lights filled the gym, along with lots of laughter, different types of costumes, and all kinds of dance moves.
There were raffles, and if you were lucky enough, you might have won a prize! The Halloween Howl was also a great place to meet up with friends, eat snacks, and dance. The scariest part of all was the spooky walk. Teachers dressed up as frightening characters and tried to terrify the kids. Some students recognized their teachers right away, while others screamed their lungs out!
The photo booth was another favorite, a great way to make memories with family and friends. The Halloween Howl is truly a fun time to enjoy all the activities and remember the exciting moments you had. We hope you had fun!
Written by Maliha Chaudhry, Alessandra Estrella, and Rania Ahmed
The Publicity Club
There were raffles, and if you were lucky enough, you might have won a prize! The Halloween Howl was also a great place to meet up with friends, eat snacks, and dance. The scariest part of all was the spooky walk. Teachers dressed up as frightening characters and tried to terrify the kids. Some students recognized their teachers right away, while others screamed their lungs out!
The photo booth was another favorite, a great way to make memories with family and friends. The Halloween Howl is truly a fun time to enjoy all the activities and remember the exciting moments you had. We hope you had fun!
Written by Maliha Chaudhry, Alessandra Estrella, and Rania Ahmed
The Publicity Club
On October 21st, McVey Elementary had a Fire Prevention Day. This day was all about learning how to prevent fires. The fire department came to teach us important safety tips and also showed us their fire gear. After the lesson, we went outside to see the fire truck up close—it was really cool and awesome! Some of the fifth-grade teachers even went up in the fire bucket. Overall, this event was amazing, and we learned many important things.
By Reagan Leake, Neel Reilly, and Riley Walsh
The Publicity Club
By Reagan Leake, Neel Reilly, and Riley Walsh
The Publicity Club
