Welcome to the Chatham Middle School!
Chatham Middle School named the 2010 School of Character for New York State!
Gordon Fitting, Principal
Pamela Petell Verenazi, Secretary to the Principal
Larry Burud, Assistant Principal
Pat Schlegel, Secretary to the Assistant Principal
"In
all the world there is no
other child exactly like you.
In the millions of years that have passed, there has never been another child like you.
You may become a Shakespeare,
a Michelangelo, a Beethoven.
You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel."
- Pablo Casals
The Staff and Students of the Chatham Middle School as well as the greater educational community recognize early adolescence not only as a period of transition for intellectual, educational and physical development, but also a period for personal and social growth.
Middle School News
MS Students Inducted Into National Junior Honor Society
In June, twenty-three Chatham Middle School students were inducted into National Junior Honor Society. To qualify for National Junior Honor Society a student must have an average of 90 or better in all core subjects, and demonstrate outstanding qualities in character, service, leadership, and citizenship. NJHS membership is for students in grades six through eight. Click here for a list of inductees.
Biography Day
On Biography Day at the Middle School, sixth grade students gave presentations about important people from our time or in history. In these presentations, each student became a famous figure and talked about his or her life and accomplishments. Folks like Neil Armstrong, William Shakespeare, and Martin Luther King were brought to life in these on-stage performances held in the MS auditorium.
The Biography projects not only allowed students to learn about important world figures, they helped students develop stronger writing, presentation, and public speaking skills.
Sixth Grade Girls Attend Alpha NU Conference
Front Row right to left: Jaina Wollowitz, Ani Adamsti, Jessica Madsen, and Emily Ooms
Back Row right to left: Jackie Hoffman (School Counselor), Megan Sweet, Cassie Pearson, Katie Kraham, Marti Paolucci, Alyssa Sirani, Ana Verma, and Shante Campbell
In May, eleven sixth grade girls from Chatham Middle School were invited to attend the annual Women Helping Girls with Choices Conference sponsored by the Alpha Nu Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. The conference, for area fifth and sixth grade girls, is designed to connect students with community women and help guide the girls in making life choices. The students learned about prominent and influential women in history, and discussed the importance of setting goals for their future. Each girl was also given a copy of a novel about a famous woman in history at the end of the day.
CMS Spirit Week
Chatham Middle School celebrated winning the NYS School of Character Award with a PTSA sponsored Spirit Week. The Character P.E.A.C.E. Club presented a slide show of all the projects, activities, community services and service learning projects students had completed throughout the year. Read More
2008-2009 School Report Card
To view the 2008-2009 NYS School Report Card for the Chatham Central School District please click here.
Skateboards for the Skate Park
Chatham Middle School students helped to raise funds for a new skateboard park by designing skateboards that were auctioned off at the 'Stoked, Silent Art Auction', which benefited the Chatham Skate Park. The silent auction was held Saturday, March 27th at the Charles B. Benenson Visitors Center & Gallery at OMI International Arts Center in Ghent. The Middle School students worked in pairs to creatively develop their designs using acrylic paints. All the work was done in Chatham Middle School's Studio Art Club with Advisor and Art Teacher Nancy Barth, along with assistance from Art Teacher Tina Fahey. All the finished boards were on display for 'What's Happening at CMS’ before going up for auction. The students are excited that their talent helped to support this community event.
Chatham Middle School Mentors
On March 22, students from Chatham Middle School’s Mentoring Program visited Whittier Nursing Home, Pine Haven Nursing Home, and the Fireman's Home of the State of New York. At each nursing home students had the opportunity to get to know the residents who live there, whether through playing games, working on crafts together, or just talking. The students and seniors learned about each other’s interests and backgrounds. Two seniors the students met were over one hundred years old and getting to know them meant hearing first hand accounts of more than a century of history.
The middle school’s successful mentoring program, now in its eighteenth year, pairs individual students with an adult volunteer mentor from the community. The mentor spends time each week with their student, helping the student to build a positive connection with themselves and their community. The student is encouraged to volunteer and to participate in community service projects.
The forty students and thirty-three mentors who visited the seniors all agreed the trip was rewarding for both themselves and the residents of the nursing homes. Seeing the positive impact their visit had on the seniors made the students feel good and they all agreed they would want to visit again.
After making new friends at the nursing home, the students and their mentors went bowling and had pizza at Chatham Bowl. The event was made possible through the generosity of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Grant.
Our Mission
The Chatham Middle School Community accepts the responsibility for the understanding and facilitating the positive transition from childhood to adolescence. Through our supportive environment and challenging program, all students have opportunities to develop the skills, knowledge and personal growth necessary to achieve success. Thank You for supporting us!