Paws and Reading a HUGE success!!!!!

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

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

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!



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!

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

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!

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

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





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!

  



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

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

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

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!"

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

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

New Train Table in the FRC

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

Pancakes with My Principal

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

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

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

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!

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

"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

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!

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!

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!

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

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

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

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

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.

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!

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

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

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!

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

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

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!!