Drop and Everything and Read
Weekly Initiative Carves Out Quiet Time for a Book
New this year to the hallways, classrooms, and even administrative offices of MPH is the Drop Everything and Read initiative (DEAR), which calls on students, faculty, and staff to literally drop everything (ok, maybe not literally, especially if they are holding something fragile and/or valuable) and grab a book to quietly read for 15 minutes.

DEAR is gaining traction across campus, as evidenced by numerous sightings of hallway reading, outdoor reading, and these photos from Ms. Concepion's Grade 5 class.
New Staff Profile
Katie Rey | Director of Advancement Communications and Campaign Coordinator
I’m a big believer in the power of education and am so grateful to be part of the MPH family. Prior to joining MPH, I was as an associate director for alumni and parent engagement at my alma mater, Le Moyne College. I currently serve on Jowonio School’s board of directors as well as Salvation Army’s Young Leaders Advisory Council.

When I’m not at work or volunteering, you will likely find me in running shoes or at Wegmans – both of which are which are my favorite pastimes. I reside in The Valley neighborhood of Syracuse, (hello Gannon’s!) with my husband, Mike, and daughters, Josie and Catherine. 
New Staff Profile
Bryan Chambala | Director of Communications
I came to Manlius Pebble Hill this summer as the new director of communications from Tompkins Cortland Community College in Dryden, where I held the same position. I'm originally from the Binghamton area and studied journalism at Ithaca College, later graduating from SUNY Oneonta with a degree in history.

I spent the first decade of my career getting filthy rich as a newspaper journalist, working as a reporter at the Press & Sun-Bulletin in Binghamton and the Vineyard Gazette on Martha’s Vineyard. I also worked as an editor at The Daily Star in Oneonta, Press & Sun-Bulletin, and the Ithaca Times.

I spent the next 14 years at Tompkins Cortland CC, first as college editor, then director of communications. I also taught Academic Writing and Introduction to Journalism classes at the college.

I live in Tully with my wife, Kelly, and three children: Everett (16), Wesley (15), and Eleanor (10).
When I'm not at work, I like to hike, trail run, mountain bike, fish a little, and spend hours devising new ways to keep the local wildlife away from my chickens. I also write a little on the side and have had a few essays published in Adirondack Life, including one this past August.
MPH Photo of the Week
K-2 Suzuki Strings are underway! Our youngest learners take small group lessons, and their parents learn right along with their children to be "home teachers." From left front, James Berry (Grade 2), Tristan Glasgow (Grade 2),
Eleanor Pleskach (Grade 2, with violin), and Fiona Reynolds (Grade 2) listen as Eleanor shows them the violin.
Volunteer Opportunities Abound for Upper School Students
Students can also pitch their own ideas
Upper School Students now have several opportunities to volunteer. Please see Ms. Bentley Hoke or email pbentleyhoke@mphschool.org for more information or to sign up.

  • Share your academic talents with a peer or younger student by becoming a peer tutor. Interest meeting will be held during tutorial on Tuesday October 26 in McNeil 3. Tutoring could take place during any free block or study hall you choose.

  • Seniors and juniors, would you like to help out in a Lower School classroom? Join LS Helping Hands, either during a clubs block or a free period.

  • Want to get your hands (or a sturdy pair of gloves) dirty? Seniors and juniors can volunteer to learn from and help our hard-working Maintenance Staff during club time by joining Maintenance Crew.
  • Seniors, do you have a volunteer or internship opportunity off-campus? Sign up and get club credit for it.

  • Or propose some other method of giving back that interests you!
The Scene Around MPH
Presenting
Hocus Pocus,
Hubie Halloween,
It and More!
The MPH4MPH club is hosting a Halloween movie night October 29 for Middle and Upper School families, starting at 5:30 p.m. There will be movies (and snacks): Hocus Pocus, the Nightmare Before Christmas, Scream, Hubie Halloween, and It. Students under under 13 and planning to watch a movie rated PG-13 or R, or any student wishing to watch a movie rated R, please have a parent or guardian sign THIS permission slip. Bring the permission slip to the movie night. Masks will be required at all times in the room, and feel free to bring a blanket or pillow.
MPH Students to be Featured by Poets.org
Work selected as part of "Dear Poet" Project

Four MPH students, all ninth graders, will be featured by Poets.org as part of the "Dear Poet Project." The students, Amy Walsh, Ferial Migeed, Nina Gonzalez, and Alexa Rose Battaglia, read several of the selected writers' poems, then wrote to the poets about those poems and the students' writing, as part of Mrs. Bentley-Hoke's English 8 class in April of 2021.

The students were selected this year, and their letters will appear on the Poets.org website as part of the Dear Poet Project sometime this fall.

From left: Amy Walsh, Ferial Migeed, Nina Gonzalez, and Alexa Rose Battaglia 
Resource Reminder: MY MPH is a great resource for parents and anyone interested in MPH.
Find school-specific information, such as schedules and curriculum; check out "This Week at MPH"; and even find back issues of Snapshot. And the best part? There's no password to remember anymore.
Just visit the site and find what you need.
Fazeli Sisters Move on to States
Amitees and Parmees Fazeli, sisters who play doubles for MPH Varsity Tennis, will compete in the state tournament on October 28 at Sport Time in Schenectady after qualifying for the tournament last week. The sisters say, "After many hours of hard work and years of training, we finally reached our goal as sisters to advance to the state championships as a doubles team!"
Fiddlin' the Day Away

Ted Curtis and his merry band of pickers and fiddlers entertained the school Thursday in the Phoenix lobby with promises of a standing gig on Thursday’s around 2:45 p.m.
Health and Safety Update
Our Commitment to the
Collective Interest is Working

MPH continues to do very well in slowing the spread of COVID-19. Of the five positive cases in our community since the beginning of the school year, only one has been in a person who was fully vaccinated. Fortunately for our community, 97 percent of students and employees who are thus far eligible to receive the vaccine are fully vaccinated. A similar number have consented to our weekly school-based testing. These effective mitigation strategies are working. All of the positive cases in our community have come from outside; there has been no spread within the school community. Face coverings, hand hygiene, physical distancing, the Daily Health Assessment (DHA) Attestation, vaccines, testing, and quarantining are helping keep COVID off the MPH campus so that teaching and learning can continue with minimal disruption. MPH, along with other schools in New York State, regularly report our COVID-19 data to the COVID-19 School Report Card.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
From the Lower School

"The truth of your character is expressed through the choice of your actions."
– Steve Maraboli
Finding Signs of Fall on the Nature Trail
Last Friday during science class, the second graders looked for signs of fall on a 30-minute walk on the MPH nature trail. Students’ keen observations were: the changing color of the leaves, leaves and crab apples on the ground, the cozy smell of the fallen leaves and not-so-pleasant smell of rotting crab apples, squirrels scurrying around gathering seeds and acorns for winter, the sound of leaves crunching under our feet, and more. 

Despite the mosquitoes, it was a beautiful day and an adventure enjoyed by all!
Grade 7 and 8 Voices Featured by Syracuse Stage
The Middle School 7th-8th Grade Chorus is featured in Syracuse Stage’s Eureka Day. It is running now through October 31.

Dr. Daniel Bassin warms this week up the chorus as Syracuse Stage Sound Engineer Jacqui Herter prepares recording equipment to make a recording of our singers to be featured in the play.
Senior Night Celebrations | Boys Varsity Soccer
We begin our senior night celebrations with the Boys Varsity Soccer team, who defeated Mater Dei Academy at home, 1-0, on October 13 to cap off a 9-2-1 regular season. Stay tuned for additional sports in upcoming issues of Snapshot.
All photos by senior Nick Trivelpiece

Manlius Pebble Hill School | 315-446-2452mphschool.org