Macdonough School

First Grade Works on Teamwork!

2012-02-13T15:04:00.005-05:00

During our second step lesson with Mr. Nat today, we played a fun game called Jenga. We learned skills on how to work as a team and how to give each other positive reinforcement. Thanks for a fun team building lesson, Mr. Nat!

Red Fruits and Vegetables

2012-02-13T09:19:00.001-05:00

In recognition of Valentines Day, students at Macdonough School will have special red fruits and vegetables this week. Be sure to ask your child about this wonderful Valentines Day treat!

Thanks to Mrs. Raney for coordinating our Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program and selecting such delicious snacks for us to enjoy!

"33 Day" at Macdonough School

2012-02-13T08:38:00.000-05:00

For students participating in next month's Connecticut Mastery Test, there is a special event planned for the writing portion of the assessment. Students who complete three pages on the writing test will have the chance to shave the beards of three staff members.

People of Perseverance

2012-02-09T13:02:00.003-05:00

Mrs. Paul, Miss Weindruch, and Mr. Nelson's fifth grade classes have spent many weeks researching people in history who have shown perseverance. Throughout this time, the students have been putting together PowerPoints telling about their perseverance stories and a connect they might have with their person.

Mrs. Lenihan's Class Creates Food Pyramids

2012-02-09T12:42:00.007-05:00

Students in Mrs. Lenihan's class learned about the food pyramid. They then had the opportunity to look through food circulars provided by ShopRite. The students had fun cutting out the foods and gluing them in the correct food group on the pyramid. Hooray for making healthy food choices!

WES Math is Back at Mac!

2012-02-09T11:59:00.000-05:00

Second, third, fourth, and fifth grade students excelling in math at Macdonough School have the opportunity to work with Wesleyan University students one hour each week during the spring semester.

The WES Math program gives budding mathematicians the chance to develop their problem solving skills in a small group setting.

Here is a sample of the type of work our students are tackling...

Pizza House sells two types of pizza that each come in three sizes. The chart below shows the price of each type of pizza and how many people each serves.

Pizza Sizes and Servings Size/TypeSmall (1 serving) Thin crusted - $2.50 // Thick crusted - $2.95
Medium (3 servings) Thin crusted - $4.95 // Thick crusted $5.45

Large (8 servings) Thin crusted - $8.50 // Thick crusted $9.75
Place an order that meets the following conditions:
--The order serves exactly 30 people;
--Half the servings must be thin crusted and half thick crusted;

a. Show how many of what size and what type you would order to meet these conditions.
b. What is the total cost of your order?

Need help? Just ask one of our WES Math students

Soro Bindi African Dancing at Macdonough

2012-02-09T11:38:00.005-05:00

Soro-Bindi is an exciting, interactive performance that incorportates traditional Ghanaian dancaes, songs, stories andexplanations of Ghanaian cukture. Iddi Saak leads the children through various dances such as the Kpanlogo dances and the Bawa harvest dance. Between dances, the students learn about Ghana through multiple stories.

Where in the World?

2012-02-08T15:50:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Mr. Nelson for donating a series of big maps to Macdonough School!

One of the parents, Mr. Mike Maier (also known as James and Willie's dad), framed the maps with wood so that they will last a long, long time.

The five maps are displayed in our cafeteria and show our neighborhood, our city, our state, our country, and the whole wide world!

Next time you are in the cafeteria, feel free to take a look at these wonderful maps!

Soro Bindi Comes to Macdonough!

2012-02-08T15:38:00.010-05:00

Macdonough students were entertained today by an African dancer from Ghana. Everyone enjoyed the show and eagerly took part in the performance.

Yes, that is a table...

Some of the students tried out their balance as well.

The audience learned some dance moves..

We learned about African instruments and even formed our own band!

New Benches at Donovan Park!

2012-02-08T15:21:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Miss Sowgol and the city's Park and Recreation Department for installing new benches at Donovan Park (the park and playground next to our school).

The benches are a perfect place for students to visit with one another during recess time.

Second Graders Advance in Keyboarding

2012-02-08T15:15:00.002-05:00

The students in second grade have also been advancing their keyboarding skills by practing each week on the computers. Students have been using a program called "Type To Learn" or special websites I have found online that allows them to type through fun game play.

First Grade Keyboarding

2012-02-08T15:13:00.002-05:00

The students in our first grade classes have finally begun to learn their beginning typing skills. Students have been exploring many websites including Starfall and a few special keyboarding sites!

Sign Language Superstars at Macdonough!

2012-02-08T12:41:00.000-05:00

College students from Wesleyan University are visiting on Wednesdays to teach us about sign language. They are helping first graders with vocabulary words from their anthology stories. They are also teaching third and fourth graders how to sign our school song, "Knowledge is Power."

4th Graders Write Animal Track Stories

2012-02-07T12:17:00.000-05:00

As part of the BioBuddies program, Ms.Morello and Ms.Claffey's 4th graders learned about different animal tracks and how to recognize them. They then wrote stories about animal chases and escapes using stamps! They will continue to enjoy identifying animal tracks with a memory game Mrs. Stewart gave them. Thanks Mrs. Stewart!

Here Mrs. Stewart is showing students how to recognize different animal tracks!

Jenna, Christopher, and India are examining the track stamp!

Here is India working on her story!

Here are some videos of some of the stories written by Ms. Morello's 4th graders!

A Family Of Nations Celebration

2012-02-06T13:45:00.005-05:00

Ms. Jukins, Mrs. Raney and Miss Green's second grade students have begun presenting powerpoints on their Nation research project. The students have been researching and creating a powerpoint for eight-weeks. All their hard work has paid off by sharing their Nation to their classroom family.

Jazzing it up to Louie Armstrong

2012-02-06T12:37:00.004-05:00

In honor of Black History month Kindergarteners learned about Louie Armstrong, a famous jazz musician. They learned about his life, listened to his music and used their trumpets to play along to "When the Saints Go Marching In."

Macdonough School competes at Kids Lit Quiz Finals!

2012-02-06T07:35:00.001-05:00

Twenty-one teams of Connecticut students competed in the first U.S. finals of the Kids Lit Quiz, a literature competition for kids age 10 to 13, Friday evening at CCSU in New Britain. Two of the teams were from Macdonough School!

Thanks to Miss Claffey for organizing this opportunity for Macdonough School students!

Governor Malloy's Website

2012-02-04T06:17:00.001-05:00

Did you know there is a picture of a Macdonough School staff member on Governor Malloy's web page? If you look at the picture closely, you can see the smiling face of someone from Macdonough School!

Hint: The staff member is wearing a blue shirt and is on the left side of the picture.

Smile Day!

2012-02-03T14:40:00.004-05:00

Kindergarten learns the importance of having healthy teeth and gums.They even practiced brushing.Then we learned the Recess Rocks song!Even the teachers needed a little practice.
Then we thanked them for coming to teach us!

Macdonough School Participates in National Wear Red Day

2012-02-03T12:35:00.000-05:00

February 3rd is National Wear Red Day®, a special day created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American Heart Association to raise awareness of women’s heart disease. On this day, everyone is encouraged to wear red to demonstrate their unity and support for women afflicted with heart disease, their families, and the healthcare professionals who devote their lives to battling heart disease every day.

Macdonough School staff participated in this day to do their part in raising awareness for this important cause.

Food Drive for the Amazing Grace Food Pantry

2012-02-02T16:16:00.002-05:00

Recess Rocks in Kindergarten

2012-02-02T15:32:00.002-05:00

We saw a few important people in the Recess Rocks music video. Can you spot them? Kindergarteners agree recess really does rock!

It's Groundhog Day in Kindergarten!

2012-02-02T15:01:00.003-05:00

First we watched "Chuckles" the Connecticut groundhog tell the mayor that Winter is cancelled!

Then we read a book with our very own groundhog.

Finally, we made our own groundhogs! I wonder if they saw their shadows?

Musical Mentoring is Back!

2012-02-01T17:08:00.000-05:00

We are delighted to announce the return of a special musical program at Macdonough School!

In partnership with the Green Street Arts Center, the Musical Mentoring program is up and running for selected fourth and fifth graders.

The program provides the opportunity for our students to receive private music lessons from Wesleyan University musicians. Children are matched with one of the following instruments for lessons: trumpet, trombone, violin, flute, saxophone, or clarinet.

Macdonough School's Newest Mentor

2012-02-01T06:49:00.000-05:00

Macdonough School is proud to welcome Mayor Dan Drew as the newest member of the the Middletown Mentor Program.

The Middletown Mentor Program provides volunteer mentors who are committed to spending quality time with children in grades attending Middletown Public Schools. They provide inspiration, ambition, structure, and stability in the lives of children in our community. They serve as a trusted friend and role model who will commit to listening, sharing and understanding. Many of our mentors continue with their mentees from elementary school to middle school and through high school.

Recess Rocks Video

2012-01-31T15:18:00.001-05:00

The Recess Rocks official video featuring SteveSongs has been released! Click on the image below to be directed to the Recess Rocks website. The video was filmed at Macdonough School and features a brand new Recess Rocks theme song.

If you look closely, you may see some friends from Macdonough School...

Family Resource Center Boutique!

2012-01-31T12:11:00.002-05:00

43rd Tradition Run at Hubbard Park

2012-01-31T10:04:00.007-05:00

Four Macdonough teachers braved the chilly weather on Sunday, January 29th to participate in a 5k in Meriden. The race started at the old zoo area of Hubbard Park, running 3.1 miles to Castle Craig. There was a 700 foot elevation gain, with 500 feet in the last mile. The teachers received a certificate and patch for completing the race! Way to go, Mr. Romeo, Miss Antonucci, Miss Claffey and Miss Lavoie!

Story Tubes in the FRC

2012-01-30T13:34:00.005-05:00

Introducing the Stars of the Kindergarten class!

Introducing the Stars of the First Grade class!

StoryTubes is a 2-minute video project of "my favorite book"! This lunch/recess group is a unique opportunity for kids to promote their favorite books via short videos…and for kids to learn about new titles by watching them. While the program does include a contest component, with prizes donated by national publishers and others, the goal of the program is to harness kids’ excitement for books and share it on the Internet.

CAUSE Grants for Macdonough School!

2012-01-30T08:57:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to the following Macdonough staff members who received 2012 CAUSE (Community and University Services for Education) Grants:

· Elisabeth Grossman was awarded $470.20 for Listen and Learn: Parents and Children Sharing Books. The project will fund children’s books and related cd’s so that families can enjoy books together.

· Kelly Lenihan and Angela Spaman were awarded $318.94 for Puppets and Books: A Terrific Combination for Beginning Readers. The project will fund children’s books and associated puppets so that children can act out the read aloud stories with characters.

· Buster Nelson was awarded $426.25 for College Application: A Macdonough Trip to Yale University. The project will fund the cost of a bus so that fourth and fifth graders can take a field trip to Yale.

Due to the efforts of these amazing Macdonough teachers, an additional $1,215.39 worth of materials and services is coming to the students at our school!

Family Resource Center goes to Kid City!!

2012-01-27T12:49:00.001-05:00

Macdonough Students to Compete in Kids Lit Quiz at CCSU

2012-01-27T07:42:00.001-05:00

The Kids Lit Quiz is holding the first of its nationwide competitions at Central Connecticut State University on Friday, February 3rd from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with 21 teams representing five districts (New Britain, Plainville, Middletown, Simsbury, and West Hartford).
The Kids Lit Quiz promotes wide reading and tests knowledge of children's literature.

Miss Sarah Claffey has coordinated the participation of Macdonough School students for the event.

Pancakes With My Principal

2012-01-26T14:56:00.001-05:00

Three students took a field trip to O'Rourke's Diner to have pancakes with the principal.

They were treated to a delicious pancake breakfast. The group also met Mayor Drew, saw important people including Firefighter Al and Wesleyan Basketball Coach Reilly, spent time with Miss Maley (a former Macdonough teacher), and Brian O'Rourke (the owner of the diner).

It was a fun morning!

Students were selected for exhibiting SURFS up behavior (Self-responsibility, Understanding, Respect, Fairness, and Safety).

Macdonough School Honored by Middletown Youth Services Bureau

2012-01-26T14:25:00.000-05:00

The Middletown Youth Services Bureau, as part of its efforts to promote the 40 Developmental Assets in Middletown, has selected several organizations as Asset Builders of the Year. Macdonough School has been announced as one of the award winners!

Developmental Assets represent 40 common sense building blocks that all young people need to grow up healthy and successful. Each asset represents a relationship, opportunity or value that we as a community can help ensure all young people receive. “An asset builder can be many things, but most importantly they are a person or group that is improving the lives of young people in our community.”

Raising Readers Kids Club

2012-01-25T16:06:00.004-05:00

Raising Readers Parent Club is a SIX week program that teaches you how to support your children’s literacy development through a love of stories, books, friendship and fun and is open to all families who have children in grades PreK-2nd in Macdonough school.

Call the Family Resource Center for more information! 860-638-3742

Raising Readers Kids Club learns about literacy in the electronic age by playing educational computer games

Kindergarten counts to 20!!

2012-01-25T14:01:00.002-05:00

Watch kindergarten jump and jive, making numbers come alive!!!

Charlie the Chicken

2012-01-25T13:58:00.007-05:00

Today kindergarteners from Miss Grossman's class had a special guest come visit. Kyle Amtmanis, a student from Middletown High School's Vo-Ag department, came in to talk to students about chickens. Students were introduced to Charlie the Chicken (a stuffed animal) to learn different parts of a chicken. Kyle also brought in pictures to show where they lived, what they ate and the difference between a hen and a rooster. At the end of Kyle's lesson, students had the opportunity to eat hard boiled eggs from the chickens that Kyle raises in his back yard!

DonorsChoose.org at Macdonough School

2012-01-25T08:13:00.001-05:00

DonorsChoose is a simple way to fulfill needs and foster innovation in our public schools. Teachers post projects and donors fund those that are of interest. It's that easy!

Many of the Macdonough teachers have projects posted on the Donors Choose website. Everything from books to technology to classroom materials.

Want to learn more? Click here!

Kindergarten is special!

2012-01-24T21:19:00.001-05:00

Kindergarteners are special in many different ways!

Paws and Reading a HUGE success!!!!!

2012-01-24T14:21:00.008-05:00

Logan and Juno meet for the first time!!

Logan and Juno read stories and played games!!

Juno Meets another Macdonough friend!!

Take Your Family to School Week

2012-01-24T07:38:00.004-05:00

Please join us as we celebrate Take Your Family to School Week during the week of February 13th!

Our teachers have planned activities to welcome you into their classroom and into our school. Review the list below for the dates of each grade level activity (and be on the lookout for specific information in your child’s Friday Folder). We look forward to seeing many Macdonough families during this special week!

Tuesday, February 14th
· Kindergarten: Learning with Love at 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday, February 15th
· Grade 1 - Shared Reading at 10:00 a.m.
· Grade 2 - Pop in for Popcorn Reading at 10:00 a.m.
· Grade 3 – Pot Luck and Poetry at 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, February 16th
· Grade 4 – Smoothies and Stories at 9:30 a.m.
· Grade 5 – Pajamas and Hot Cocoa Literacy Time at 10:00 a.m.

In addition, families are invited to two “all school” celebrations (one during the school day and one in the evening).

Wednesday, February 15th
· SURFS Up Celebration at 9:15 a.m.
Thursday, February 16th
· Storyteller for Families at 6:00 p.m.

Bread Day at Macdonough School

2012-01-24T07:04:00.003-05:00

Thanks to a generous donation from a local business, dozens of loaves of bread are delivered to Macdonough School each Monday afternoon.

Families are welcome to take a loaf of bread, package of muffins or bagels, or other related product. The bread is free to all Macdonough families as well as neighbors of our school.

This program is supported through the efforts of our Family Resource Center and our friends from Wesleyan University.

4th Graders are Investigating Fractions!

2012-01-23T15:56:00.000-05:00

4th Graders are learning about fractions, decimals, and equivalent fractions using ice cream models and fraction quilts! Students are learning about parts of a whole using different colors represent different flavors in ice cream models. Students are also looking at fractional parts and examining equivalent fractions.

Kenny is using an ice cream model to learn about fractional parts and decimals! Deziar and D'Andrew are working on their fraction quilts and also learning about equivalent fractions!

Michael is done with his ice cream model and is putting a cherry on top!

Briana finished her fraction quilt and next she will be finding out what the equivalent fractions are in her quilt!

Congratulations to Ms. Morello's 4th Graders for Perfect Attendance!

2012-01-23T15:08:00.002-05:00

Ms. Morello's 4th grade class had perfect attendance for the month of January for having 98% attendance and timeliness! As a reward, they received the popcorn machine for the month of January and will be having popcorn once a week until the next Surfs Up Assembly. They also had a popcorn and movie party! Students are super excited and proud of themselves!

Here are Chante, John, Sean, and Dallas enjoying the popcorn from the Popcorn Party!

Give Kids a Smile Day

2012-01-23T12:23:00.009-05:00

The Community Health Center has selected Macdonough School’s kindergarten classes to participate in this year’s Give Kids a Smile Day.

Representatives from CHC will visit with our students to discuss dental hygiene and conduct some fun activities.

The event will take place on Friday, February 3rd.

Student-Teachers Begin the Semester at Macdonough!

2012-01-23T08:40:00.000-05:00

We are delighted to welcome a group of student-teachers from Central Connecticut State University to Macdonough School this semester.

Miss Jamie Narducci will be working in kindergarten with Mrs. Spaman
Miss Audrey Aresco will be working with Miss Claffey in fourth grade.
Miss Jessica Ross will be working in third grade with Mrs. Waterman.
Miss Felicia Johnson will be working with Mrs. Paul in fifth grade.

Macdonough Third Grade Visits The Connecticut Historical Society

2012-01-22T12:26:00.005-05:00

This week we went on a field trip to the Connecticut Historical Society and met up with our writing buddies through the LEARN program. There we heard about how Native Americans lived hundreds of years ago. We learned about their houses, clothing, and games that they played. We also learned about the first European settlers; their houses, how they dressed, chores, and games that children played. Some students modeled clothing that they may have worn if they were one of the first settlers in our state. A hands on project taught our class about community and the mapping skills. It was a great day of learning and fun!

4th Grade Field Trip to the Trash Museum

2012-01-20T14:54:00.002-05:00

As part of the BioBuddies program, the 4th Graders went to the Trash Museum in Hartford today! They learned about the importance of the four R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recyle, Recover, and Rethink! They also learned about the history of trash management and the consequences of not managing trash properly for the environment. They also learned innovative uses for trash such as using plastic to make rugs!

Here are students in the Trash Castle spying for objects which have been reused and reclyed!

Here is a part of the process of trash reclying carried out in the museum!

Students pretended to be aluminum cans and weighed themselves to see how much energy could be obtained from reclying the cans!

Students learned about the process of waste management in Connecticut!

4th Graders Dissect Owl Pellets!

2012-01-20T14:48:00.000-05:00

As part of our BioBuddies program, Mrs. Stewart came into Ms. Claffey and Ms. Morello's 4th grade class. Students dissected owl pellets and examined bones from voles,birds, worms, and other animals!

Dallas, India, and D'Andrew are having fun with their owl pellets!

Jenna and Deziar are surprised at what's inside their pellet!

Here are Mariah and Chante removing the bones from their pellet!

Here is Anthony matching the bones from the owl pellet to a diagram of a vole!

Read Around Macdonough Family Literacy Night

2012-01-20T14:04:00.005-05:00

Students and their families attended Read Around Macdonough Night on Thursday. Students brought their families to enjoy stories read by teachers and parents in various classrooms. Families were guided to each room by blue chicken feet that our friend "Mr. Chicken" left throughout the day. To help tie the blue chicken theme into the night, children had the opportunity to create their very own blue chicken and enjoy some healthy blue snacks. Families ended their night in the gym with a presentation by Deborah Freedman, author of Scribble and Blue Chicken. Ms. Freedman was kind enough to autograph her books and donated Scribble to our school library! Be sure to check it out!! A very big thanks to our wonderful PTA and Family Resource Center for their help in making this night a success!!

Macdonough 5th grade girls enjoy a Girls' Night Out

2012-01-19T08:18:00.004-05:00

Last night at Woodrow Wilson, Macdonough girls enjoyed a Girls' Night Out with their moms to learn, ecxercise, create and play together!

SURFS Up at Macdonough School

2012-01-19T07:25:00.000-05:00

Teaching behavioral expectations and rewarding students for following them is the focus for our school-wide positive behavioral support program. Through the acronym SURFS, students and staff have a common understanding of expectations for behavior in a variety of settings.

S=Self-Responsibility

U=Understanding

R=Respect

F=Fairness

S=Safety

We believe that introducing, modeling, and reinforcing positive social behavior is an important of a student’s educational experience.

Please join us in helping to instill these important character traits in your children - at school and at home!

Lit & Laundry "Up and WASHING!"

2012-01-18T15:07:00.003-05:00

Come read or play games with your children while doing your laundry! All Macdonough families are welcome to use the NEW laundry machines and detergent in the Family Resource Center!

Please call the FRC to register for a time 860-638-3742

Wesleyan Basketball Team Visits Macdonough

2012-01-18T14:03:00.004-05:00

Macdonough students enjoyed recess with their friends from the Wesleyan Men's Basketball Team!!

New Train Table in the FRC

2012-01-18T14:00:00.003-05:00

The FRC wants to thank Mr. Ferrero for the wonderful new addition to the FRC!!

Pancakes with My Principal

2012-01-18T12:58:00.000-05:00

Thanks to an incredible partnership with O'Rourke's Diner, a new program has begun at Macdonough School.

Each month, a few few students will be taking a walking field trip to the iconic North End landmark to have breakfast with the school principal.

Students will be selected for exhibiting SURFS up behavior (Self-responsibility, Understanding, Respect, Fairness, and Safety).

The first field trip will take place on Thursday, January 26th!

Macdonough Students Celebrate MLK

2012-01-18T12:44:00.001-05:00

A celebration of the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., was held Monday at the First Church of Christ on Court Street.

The 19th annual event featured music and dancing in honor the civil rights leader's birthday. As part of the celebration, Macdonough School students Kendalyn, Haley, and Lauren read their entries into the "Letters to Dr. King" contest. The girls were announced as city-wide winners of the essay contest!

The event was sponsored by the Scholarship Committee of Greater Middletown which provides scholarships to deserving students.

Second Grade Studies U.S. Presidents

2012-01-18T11:51:00.002-05:00

Second grade students have been studying about our presidents in Social Studies. In math we have been working on ordinal numbers. At the January SURFS assembly they combined their knowledge and read the name of each president in the order of their service.

Kindergarten Guest Reader

2012-01-13T13:44:00.008-05:00

Kindergarten students had a guest reader come visit their classroom this afternoon. Dortha Willetts, a writer from the Middletown Chronicle, came in to read a story to the students about winter. Students learned about what different animals do when winter begins.

Storytellers Coming to Macdonough School!

2012-01-13T11:19:00.001-05:00

Thanks to a partnership with the Middlesex YMCA, Macdonough School is proud to present a family literacy event on Thursday, February 16th at 6:00 p.m. Eshu and Motoko will present Stories from Asia and Africa.

Eshu and Motoko shine up a storytelling event wherever they appear. Though diverse in style and culture, they blend and tell as one. Absolutely charming, they bring humor, a sense of drama, a talent for singing, and present a seamless performance.

Snowballs

2012-01-13T10:27:00.003-05:00

"Do you think birds know when it's going to snow?" This line is from the story Snowballs. The kindergarten children listened to this story and brought home a snow person of their own to decorate with items found around their home with their families. Some used noodles, raisins, yarn and markers. They are on display in main hallway.

Family Resource Center Boutique

2012-01-12T15:43:00.000-05:00

Macdonough families had the opportunity to shop in the first FRC Boutique.

The FRC had donated items including clothes, books, games, and more!

Stay tuned for future opportunities to shop or donate to what may become a regular event at our school!

CSI-Macdonough!

2012-01-12T12:53:00.004-05:00

This winter selected students, from Grades 3-5, will participate in "CSI-Macdonough!"

CSI-Macdonough! is a Forensic Science Recess -Plus Club. The students will learn how to analyze various types of evidence that could be found on a crime scene (Fingerprints, handprints, footprints, lip prints, bite marks, secret codes and mystery fluids and solids). The club will culminate with the students analyzing a "real" crime scene, "The Case of the Missing Cookies," by using the forensic science knowledge they learned each week during recess and lunch.

Macdonough School Selected for Junior Achievement Program!

2012-01-12T12:04:00.000-05:00

Macdonough School has been selected for a one day program by Junior Achievement!

Junior Achievement Worldwide is a partnership between the business community, educators and volunteers — all working together to inspire young people to dream big and reach their potential.

JA’s hands-on, experiential programs teach the key concepts of work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy to young people all over the world.

Raising Readers at Macdonough!

2012-01-10T16:21:00.004-05:00

Nikki Belton is facilitating a series of workshops for parents in the Family Resource Center!

The Raising Readers Parent Club is a nationally recognized family literacy program for parents. The club provide opportunities for parents to practice storytelling, reading aloud and writing in a nurturing environment.

Parents take home quality children’s books after each session to continue family learning!

Hip Hop Fitness at Macdonough

2012-01-10T09:13:00.003-05:00

More than two dozen teachers, staff, and parents joined in for the inaugural session of Hip Hop Fitness at Macdonough School!

The class is free for Macdonough parents and caregivers. It meets each Monday evening from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Free childcare provided by the Family Resource Center.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest

2012-01-10T07:26:00.003-05:00

Four of the five winners of this year’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest are from Macdonough School!

Congratulations to fifth graders Kendalyn, Xavier, and Victoria and to fourth grader Haley.

The students will be honored at a celebration at the Church of the Holy Trinity on Main Street in Middletown on Monday, January 16th.

NORA Cupcake Company

2012-01-06T16:15:00.003-05:00

A group from Macdonough School officially welcomed the NORA Cupcake Company to our neighborhood.

The students took a walking field trip to the Main Street business and presented a ceramic cupcake to the owner. Afterwards, the group sampled some delicious cupcake treats!

Dotting Doubles Facts

2012-01-06T13:54:00.008-05:00

First graders started a new unit in math. We are learning to add and subtract numbers to 20. This week, we have been practicing our doubles facts. Students used dot markers to create a number sentence using doubles! Check out our work in the hallway near our classrooms!

Macdonough School Welcomes D.A.R.E.

2012-01-05T14:38:00.004-05:00

Macdonough School is proud to welcome Officer Lee Buller from the Middletown Police Department as our new D.A.R.E. instructor.

D.A.R.E. stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. This year all fifth graders in Middletown will benefit from D.A.R.E. The program consists of a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives.

The program begins at Macdonough School on Tuesday, January 10th.

Macdonough Welcomes the Paws & Read Program!

2012-01-05T11:23:00.000-05:00

Macdonough School has been selected to host a brand new reading program for first graders! Paws and Read features a registered therapy dog and handler who will visit Macdonough School once each week for 20 minute reading sessions.

The participating first graders will select a book to read aloud to the therapy dog which will surely bring instant motivation to the task. Therapy dogs are specially trained to attend to young readers.

Target Grant Awarded to Macdonough School

2012-01-05T07:44:00.000-05:00

A group of Macdonough School students will be visiting the Connecticut Science Center thanks to a grant from Target.

As part of its commitment to provide educational resources for America’s schools, Target launched the Target Field Trip Grants program in 2006. The program is designed to help teachers bring learning to life for students and enhance classroom studies.

Macdonough School teachers have planned for a spring field trip!

Lit and Laundry at Macdonough School

2012-01-03T16:00:00.000-05:00

Our Family Resource Center (FRC) has a brand new program called "Lit and Laundry."

Macdonough parents and caregivers are invited to come read or play games with small children while doing laundry using the brand new machines in the FRC! We'll even supply the laundry detergent!

This program is FREE for all Macdonough families. Be on the look out for more information or call Heather or Nikki in the FRC at 860-638-3742 to register for a time.

Macdonough Art Work is Out of this World!

2012-01-03T12:05:00.000-05:00

The office of Middletown's Park and Recreation Department is spotlighting art work from Macdonough School students this month!

Students from the were asked to submit creations with a theme of "Outer Space." Selected students from each grade level have their art work on display. Each of the students who participated received a coupon for a free ice cream treat.

Thanks to Mrs. Karen Nocera, Recreation Supervisor at Middletown's Park and Recreation Department, for this opportunity. Special thanks to Mrs. Alison Kaye, art teacher at Macdonough School, for her work in preparing the contest entries.

Happy Holidays

2011-12-23T14:29:00.003-05:00

From all of us at Macdonough School, please accept our warmest wishes to you and yours for a peaceful holiday season.

Merry Christmas & A Very Big Thank You to Our Troops

2011-12-22T13:24:00.006-05:00

Macdonough's fifth grade students are in the giving spirit this holiday season. Students and staff are donating various items to send care packages to our troops overseas. Along with the supplies students are sending a little holiday cheer through pictures. We know how difficult it can be to spend the holidays away from home so we hope our smiles and well wishes bring a little light to their long days. Thank you to the fifth graders for coordinating this!!

3D Creations

2011-12-21T13:59:00.001-05:00

First graders have been learning about 2 and 3 dimensional shapes. To culminate our unit, students were able to build 3 dimensional shapes out of toothpicks and gumdrops! After making their creations, students took their 3D shapes home to show their families!

Box Tops for Education

2011-12-21T08:08:00.000-05:00

Help Macdonough School earn money by clipping Box Tops from your favorite products. This is one of the easiest way to earn, because we buy these products daily! All you have to do is Clip, Turn-In and Save!

Another great way to earn Box Top points is by registering online. Once you register through Box Tops for Education Website, you have the opportunity to receive coupons and promotions on Box Top products that you can use at the local grocery store.

You'll also get: Macdonough's complete Box Tops earnings details, money-saving coupons for Box Tops brands, over 100 recipes using Box Tops products, and exclusive chances to win Bonus Box Tops. Best of all, membership in http://www.boxtops4education.com/ is absolutely FREE!

Dress Down Day at Macdonough

2011-12-19T08:23:00.000-05:00

Did you ever wonder why every few weeks the teachers at Macdonough School are dressed a bit more casually than normal? The reason is a staff initiative to raise money for local causes. Staff members donate money for each of the "dress down days" and the donations are allocated throughout the year to help Middletown area organizations.

Organizations supported by the Macdonough teachers include Oddfellows Playhouse, the North End Action Team, Amazing Grace Food Pantry, Relay for Life, and the Ruth Lawrence Fund.

'Tis the Season to be Reading!!

2011-12-16T12:28:00.005-05:00

Macdonough School was a host site for Connecticut's Tis the Season to be Reading celebration.

This morning the school hosted the All Aboard - Parent Express, a 40 foot bus visiting locations throughout Connecticut to provide education and wellness presentations, information packets, hot cocoa, fun activities, free books, and giveaways to families. Middletown's Bookmobile was also on site!

Each classroom hosted a guest reader from the community who helped send the message that it's always the season to be reading at Macdonough School. Guest readers included: Officer William Warner, Middletown Police Department; Mr. Ron Klattenberg, Mr. Phil Pessina, and Mrs. Deb Kleckowski, Middletown Common Council; Fire Marshal Al Santostefano, Middletown Fire Department; Donna Marino, Middletown Schools’ Family Coordinator; Mr. Quentin Phipps, Treasurer, City of Middletown; Mrs. Izzi Greenberg, Executive Director, North End Action Team; Professor Lynda Valerie, Central Connecticut State University; Mr. Sebastian Giuliano, former Mayor, City of Middletown; and Mrs. Julie Kastenbaum!

The entire school community came together for a celebration in the gymnasium featuring a presentation by fifth grade students, a reading of Governor Malloy's proclamation, and an inspirational talk by author Jane Sutcliffe.

The day concluded with each child at Macdonough School receiving a book so that this could truly be a season to be reading.

Kwanza in Kindergarten!

2011-12-16T11:59:00.004-05:00

Today in Kindergarten we learned about Kwanza. We read a story about how people celebrate Kwanza and had a picnic with some of the delicious fruits that people eat during Kwanza!

Award Winning Author Coming to Macdonough School!

2011-12-15T11:40:00.001-05:00

Author Deborah Freedman is coming to Macdonough School on Thursday, January 19th to take part in a family reading celebration.

Deborah Freedman is an architect turned author-illustrator who lives in Connecticut. She used to live in Middletown!

Mrs. Freedman's first picture book, Scribble was a Book Sense Pick and a Connecticut Book Awards finalist.

Her second book, Blue Chicken, was released this fall to three starred reviews – from Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and Booklist – and is on Kirkus's list of "Best Children's Books of 2011".

Number Buddies Visit 2nd Grade

2011-12-14T16:14:00.006-05:00

Second graders welcomed their Number Buddies from Essex Elementary School on Wednesday. The started the morning with a snack that included delicious clementines and grapes. After talking about different ways to name numbers, the students played the card game "Close to 21." They also heard a fairytale that involved sorting gems so that all characters got equal amounts. The kids worked together to reinact the folktale. They ended their visit by eating lunch together and wishing their new friends a happy holiday.

Miss Weindruch's 5th Graders Present Achievement Awards

2011-12-14T13:23:00.004-05:00

After spending the first few months of school on the theme, Hard Work and Perseverance, fifth graders demonstrated their knowledge of hard working role models: Wilma Rudolph, Jackie Robinson, Mae Jemison, Michelle Kwan, Harriet Tubman, Buck Leonard, Benjamin Banneker, and Mia Hamm. Students created personalized achievement awards, as well as wrote and practiced speeches. As a final project, students presented the awards, and also gave acceptance speeches on behalf of the honoree. What a fun project! Public speaking isn't easy- very well done!!

Stuff-A-Cruiser Toy Drive for Macdonough School!

2011-12-14T07:12:00.000-05:00

The Middlesex United Way’s Young Leaders Society held a Stuff-A-Cruiser Toy Drive at Esca Restaurant on December 13th. The gifts that were collected were donated to the children and families at Macdonough School!

The Young Leaders Society is a unique and dynamic group providing community involvement, personal development and networking for individuals or couples 40 years of age or younger who live and work in Middlesex County. Their mission is to create opportunities for young professionals to get involved with Middlesex United Way, connect with colleagues and community leaders and give back to advance the common good.

Holiday Concert Special Guests!

2011-12-13T16:12:00.000-05:00

Students and families were treated to three special guests at this year's holiday concert!

Soro-Bindi African Dance coming to Macdonough School!

2011-12-13T14:35:00.000-05:00

Soro-Bindi is coming to Macdonough School in February!

Soro-Bindi is an exciting, interactive performance that incorporates traditional Ghanaian dances, songs, stories and explanations of Ghanaian culture. Iddi Saaka and his dance partner will lead the children through various dances such as the Kpanlogo dance and the Bawa harvest dance. Between dances, the students will learn about Ghana through multiple stories. Students will be invited to play traditional Ghanaian instruments and join together at the end for the big circle dance.

Soro-Bindi teaches students about Africa in general and Ghana in particular. The performance encourages students to respect and appreciate different cultures through an exploration of Ghana and its art forms.

Dear Santa.....

2011-12-12T14:37:00.002-05:00

Today kindergarten wrote letters to Santa. Each student was able to personally mail their letter. The mail box is right outside the office if you'd like to mail one too! Ho, Ho, Ho!

Macdonough Awarded Grant from MSAPC

2011-12-12T08:16:00.000-05:00

The Middletown Substance Abuse Prevention Council awarded Macdonough School a grant to support the spring edition of the Macdonough School Running Club.

The Macdonough School Running Club provides opportunities for students to participate in running practices to enhance their abilities and compete in local road races with parents and school staff.

First & Fifth Grade Book Buddies

2011-12-08T11:30:00.001-05:00

First graders in Mrs. Walsh's class and Mrs. Paul's fifth graders are book buddies! One student from each class is paired up with one another to read together each week. Older students read to the younger ones, and recently, the first graders have been starting to read books to their fifth grade buddies! All students enjoy this time together to share the love of reading!

Miss. Grossman's Class has a Guest Teacher!

2011-12-08T11:05:00.004-05:00

Student's were pleasantly surprised when Miss. DiBacco was a surprise guest teacher in Miss. Grossman's class today. She read the book Head to Toe by Eric Carle and taught them about verbs. Thank you Miss. DiBacco for such an exciting lesson!

Hanukkah In Kindergarten

2011-12-08T10:15:00.004-05:00

The kindergarten children learned about Hanukkah today. The children made menorahs and ate potato latkes. Ms. Izzie came in to show the children how to light the menorah and read them a Hanukkah story. Happy Hanukkah!

Book Fair at Macdonough School!

2011-12-07T08:56:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again! The Book Fair is here!

Children will have the opportunity to browse through a collection of fiction and non-fiction favorites throughout the week.

Proceeds from the book fair will be utlized by the Macdonough Parent-Teacher Association to off-set the cost of field trips.

Book Presented in Honor of Firefighter Hal

2011-12-07T07:11:00.001-05:00

The staff at Macdonough School has donated a book to the school library in honor of Firefighter Al (who is also known as Al Santostefano, Fire Marshall, Middletown Fire Department). Firefighter Al not only comes to Macdonough School to teach students about fire safety, but also serves as a mentor to a second grader.

The book, Firehouse by Mark Teague, is about the amusing journey of Edward and his cousin Judy as they learn how to be firefighters. Not taking the job of a firefighter lightly, Edward is thrust into a real emergency and is able to put his newly learned skills into action—saving the day, of course. Firehouse received the Parent’s Choice Award Silver Medal!

Hip Hop Dance Class for Parents, Teachers, and Care Givers!

2011-12-05T16:31:00.001-05:00

Beginning Monday, January 9th!

4th Graders are learning about Math Combinations!

2011-12-05T15:12:00.001-05:00

 This Week in 4th Grade Math: Combinations and Food fun!

Students manipulated various types of toppings and crackers to see how many possible combinations they could make. Students enjoyed eating their results as well!

First Grade Visitor to Kindergarten

2011-12-02T15:01:00.002-05:00

SURFS winner and first grade student,Quinn from Mrs. Walsh's class came to read
to Mrs. Spaman's class.This was the prize chosen by Quinn for being
SURFS winner this week! Thank you! Our class really enjoyed
your story!

Cultural Exchange Night

2011-12-02T11:26:00.004-05:00

On Thursday evening, Macdonough hosted a Cultural Exchange night. Parents, teachers and children got together to eat some food and converse in both English and Spanish. Latin music played in the background as folks ate delicious food from Iguanas Ranas and homemade dishes. It was a great opportunity for people to practice their Spanish and/or English skills. A big thanks to the Family Resouce Center for organizing and decorating the cafeteria. Fun was had by all!

Firefighter Al Visits 4th Grade!

2011-12-01T16:29:00.001-05:00

Firefighter Al visits Miss Morello's & Ms. Claffey's class as part of the Adopt-a-Firefighter program. Students learned about fire safety as well as power outage safety.

4th Grade Goodspeed Theater Trip!

2011-12-01T16:21:00.001-05:00

Students got to dance with Allie, one of the Goodspeed Actresses! Allie taught them the different genres of music; starting from the present all the way through the 40's. Students danced to Michael Jackson to the Beach Boys. They danced from rag to ballroom to hip hop.

Students also got to meet with Beth and Ben, who are also performers from Hello My Baby! Beth and Ben taught students the musical component of the show.

Students learned practicing drills, in which singers use to warm up their vocal cords.

Students learned lyrics to Hello My Baby!

Here is Miss Morello's class at the Goodspeed Theater.

Here is a beautiful view of the Connecticut River.

Students learned about the purpose of East Haddam's swing bridge.