New Milford students showcase yearlong REACH projects including coding robots and solar models

At a New Milford Board of Education meeting, teachers and students from the district’s REACH gifted-and-talented program presented yearlong projects spanning engineering, physics, coding and cultural studies.

"REACH stands for reaching excellence through academic challenge," said Missus Olaviero, the Berkeley and Gibbs library media specialist, introducing first‑through‑fifth‑grade work that emphasized perseverance, engineering design and measurement. Teachers described modules in which students built paper chains, tested spinning tops, designed paper chairs and experimented with different paper‑airplane designs to learn about forces of flight.

Students demonstrated classroom coding with a small robot. "It was fun to see a new and how ... how cool it was able to move," said Adam, a second‑grader, adding, "Thank you for buying us the robots." Teachers described a new classroom coding robot (referred to in the presentation as 'Botley') and said pupils programmed it to move through obstacle courses and run relay‑style challenges.

Beyond STEM activities, students researched cultures for a district entry to a county-wide event the presenters called the "Amazing Race" in Paramus. Olivia, a third‑grader, said the trip let REACH students represent India and run academic and hands‑on challenges with peers from other districts.

Teachers credited district staff and parents for supporting the after‑school morning program and highlighted partnerships among Berkeley Street School, Gibbs School and other borough schools that allowed students to collaborate across grades. "They really get to challenge themselves and work together," said Missus Giuntino.

Board members thanked the teachers and students for the presentation and paused for a short break before continuing the agenda.