Friday, October 26, 2012

Wear Pink Day!

Staff at Macdonough showed their support for Breast Cancer Awareness by wearing pink today.  It was the tenth annual "Wear Pink Day!" 

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Pumpkin Time Graph


 

BOOOO!!!
Today the Kindergarten classes created a giant graph of pumpkins! Each student chose which pumpkin they wanted to decorate. They got to choose between sad, happy, funny, and scary.   There were the least sad pumpkins and the most scary pumpkins. Scary wins!

 
 
 

Pancakes with the Principal

Three Macdonough Students enjoyed Pancakes with the Principal at O'Rourke's Diner this morning.



Students can earn this privilege by showing SURFS behaviors at Macdonough School.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Pumpkin Patch

                                 




 The Kindergarten students got to go to Rose's Berry Farm today.  The children enjoyed a hay ride, pumpkin picking and a snack after.  Even the teacher's got into the fun. 

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Sports Day at Wesleyan University – Saturday, October 20th

Please join us for Sports Day at Wesleyan University on Saturday, October 20th. 

Macdonough students, families, and staff are invited to watch a variety of Wesleyan athletic events: Football at 1:00 pm, Volleyball at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm, Women's Soccer at 12:00 pm, Field Hockey at 12:00 pm and Men's Soccer at 2:30pm.

Come out to cheer for our friends from Wesleyan. Go Cardinals!

Nurturing Program for Parents at Macdonough

Rushford is offering a FREE 8-week Nurturing Program for parents of school age children and their families.  Sessions begin Monday October 22nd and meet weekly from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at Macdonough School.  Light meals and refreshments will be provided. 

The goal of the Nurturing Program is to improve a family’s quality of life by promoting a philosophy of caring for self, others and the environment. 

To sign up, please contact Felicia Goodwine-Vaughters at 860-852-1080 at Rushford Prevention Services in Middletown.

 

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Introducing..........MAC in Action!



Check out Mac in Action's Garden of Kindness!  This group of 4th and 5th graders serve as peer leaders at their school and they give back to their Macdonough Community.  They have chosen to bring awareness to their peers about bullying and how important it is to be kind to others. This Garden of Kindness is filled with beautiful flowers made by the students with kind words and actions written on the petals.  The group meets with Ms. Nikki and Chaelyn on Wednesdays in the FRC during Lunch/Recess.  Mac in Action has great things planned for the school year........we'll keep you posted!!!

Garden Club on the Go

The garden club had the opportunity to walk to the Community Health Center this week and work on the rooftop garden beds. We cleaned the beds and planted some bulbs for spring and garlic that can be harvested in the summer. Students were accompanied by many Wesleyan student volunteers. We hope to visit the rooftop gardens again soon.

Bigger Than You Think!

Middletown conversation to help all youth

Jim Salemi, Middletown Press
 
MIDDLETOWN - The city Youth Service Bureau deals often in numbers, compiling and crunching studies, surveys, statistics and the like.
It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that those numbers represent real people dealing with real circumstances in life.
That was the logic behind the bureau’s decision to produce an ambitious play about the people of Middletown, some once represented in the surveys and statistics and overcoming the odds, and some not necessarily represented as a statistic, but making achievements nonetheless in the face of other obstacles.
"Behind every statistic there is a story. The young and old tell stories of growing up. It’s a play involving the community and the kids," said Justin Carbonella, youth services coordinator.
The one-act play, "Bigger Than You Think," will be shown at 7 tonight at the Middletown High School auditorium.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Book Swap

Macdonough students participated in their Fall book swap today, Tuesday, October 16th. For the past two weeks students have been donating books that they have already read so that other children can enjoy them. Every student had the opportunity to choose a new or gently used book to take home and add to their personal library. It was a great success and the students had a lot of fun! Check out some pictures below. 





Monday, October 15, 2012

Third Grade Steps Back in Time

Last week Ms. Waterman's and Mr. Ferrero's  classes visited the Bushy Hill Nature Center to meet their Writing Buddies for the first time and to learn about how Native Americans lived before the European settlers arrived.  We gathered in a teepee and learned how Native Americans on the plains used this type of  shelter because of the ease of moving it as they followed the buffalo herds.  We learned how they hunted buffalo and saw examples of the tools they made and used.  We also learned about the Native Americans of the Northeast and were able to go inside a wigwam.  We learned about how they survived and saw some of the tools that they created and used.  Students also got to try their skill at archery.  While they did this they got to know their Writing Buddies.  We had a wonderful day of learning, fun, and meeting new friends.



2nd Grade Visits Farmer's Market



Second graders had a lesson in consumer shopping Friday at the Main Street Farmer's Market. They carefully made choices and headed back to school with pumpkins, apples, raspberrys, gourds, grapes, and even a few gooseberries! Board Of Ed member Sheila Daniels accompanied us and gave a quick lesson on the different types of pumpkins. Despite the rain, a great time was had by all.



Sunday, October 14, 2012

5th Grade Pen Pals

Miss Weindruch's 5th graders had a blast at Bushy Hill Nature Center.  They got to meet up with pen pals from Jack Jackter Intermediate School in Colchester, CT.  The pen pals will keep in touch through letters and emails and see each other once a month to participate in math activities and create positive social interactions.  We look forward to welcoming them to Macdonough School later this month!






ING Run for Something Better Day

Macdonough School students took their running skills to Hartford's Bushnell Park participating in the 2012 edition of the ING Run for Something Better Day.

Orange t-shirts, orange shoe laces, golden medals and smiles for all!

 
Thanks to Mrs. Oszurek, Miss Weindruch, Miss Claffey, Mrs. Ellis, and Miss Morello for coordinating this experience for our students!

Friday, October 12, 2012

Macdonough School's October Food Drive

Fifth grade students organized an October Food Drive in support of the Amazing Grace Food Pantry. As children arrived to school, book bags were overflowing with cans and boxes of food for the drive.

More than two hundred pounds of food items were donated by our families!

The food drive was held in conjunction with our October SURFS Up Celebration.

Macdonough School Sending A Contingent Of Runners To Hartford Marathon


Years earlier, as a student at Old Saybrook High School, Claffey had made it through exactly one day of track practice before deciding that the sport was not for her. She was a field hockey player. She hated running.

But on that October day in 2009, as Claffey ran 3 miles — her part of the relay — with her Macdonough School students and fellow teachers, something happened. She turned into a runner. And she kept going. Claffey ran the full 13.1 miles.


Kindergarten Goes To the FIre Station




 
The kindergarten children got to walk to the Fire Station to learn about fire saftey.  The children got a tour of the fire station and got to sit in a fire truck. 


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Mrs. Ciccia's Class Celebrates Columbus Day!



Tuesday, children in Mrs. Ciccia's class enjoyed a special Columbus Day treat while listening to In 1492 by Jean Marzollo read aloud from Miss Ripley. Students enjoyed their "Columbus Day boats" made of blue jello, oranges, and a flag decoration! Yummy!

Sunday, October 7, 2012

ING Run for Something Better Day

 

Students from Macdonough School have been invited to participate in the 2012 ING Run for Something Better Day program at Bushnell Park in Hartford. The program is designed to encourage a healthy, active lifestyle in the fight against childhood obesity for elementary and middle school students.

This program encourages students to train to complete a half marathon, covering 13.1 miles in 6 weeks. On Friday October 12th, students who complete 12 miles through the school program will run their last 1.1 "Final Mile", cross over the official ING Hartford Marathon Finish Line, receive a Finisher's Medal and then enter the "World of Fitness” area.

Thanks to Miss Weindruch, and Mrs. Ellis for coordinating the event for our students!

Macdonough Marathon Team

 


On Saturday, a group of teachers, parents, and students will be traveling to Bushnell Park to join in the running of the 2012 ING Hartford Marathon as part of the Jeff’s Running Partners program. This program encourages children in Connecticut schools and adults to complete either the 13.1 mile Hartford Half Marathon or the full 26.2 Hartford Marathon as part of a relay team.

Teachers who will be running include Miss Antonucci, Miss Claffey, Mrs. Raney, Miss Erasmus, Mrs. Ellis, Mrs. Paul, Mrs. Walsh, Mrs. Currier, Miss Sita, Mrs. Oszurek, and Mr. Ferrero. Added together, the Macdonough teachers will be running a total of over 100 miles!

Macdonough School Celebrates International Walk to School Day

Macdonough School joined other schools from around the world in celebrating International Walk to School Day on October 3, 2012.

Approximately 100 students from Macdonough walked to school along with parents, teachers and community leaders.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Friday, October 5, 2012

Miss Claffey's Class goes to Bushy Hill Nature Center!



On Tuesday, the 4th graders from Miss Claffey's class took a field trip to Bushy Hill Nature Center in Ivoryton, Connecticut.











The class met their Bio Buddies from East Lyme and got to do lots of fun activities with them!

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