Dr. Seuss - Read Across America

Students and staff celebrated Dr. Seuss Day by participating in the annual Read Across America celebration.

Each class welcomed a special guest reader to share their favorite Dr. Seuss tale. The school was filled with red and white stovepipe hats, oobleck, and green eggs and ham.

There was even a visit from the Cat in the Hat with Thing One and Thing Two!

Student - Staff Basketball Game

It was the students against the staff in this annual exhibition of basketball skills.

Fresh off a terrific season in the Middletown Public Schools Elementary School league, the Macdonough Mariners were in top form. Coached by Teresa Morello, a third grade teacher at the school, the Mariners were raring to go.

The teachers pulled off a last minute victory thanks in large part to the heroics of kindergarten teacher Angela Spaman!

Wesleyan Connections

Kids on the Block is a community service group at Wesleyan University that teaches elementary school students about people with disabilities through puppet performances. The group will be visiting Macdonough School to perform for fourth graders on April 9th at 12:15 p.m.

The program is a chapter of a national organization called Kids on the Block, Inc., which provides puppet programs to help inform children on issues of disability awareness and social concerns of people with disabilities.

Wesleyan Connections

Professor Jay Hoggard of Wesleyan University, will have his jazz orchestra class perform at Macdonough School on Thursday, April 9th at 1:00 p.m.

Arrangements for this performance were made through Wesleyan's Center for Community Partnerships.

News from the Art Room

Save the date! The district-wide art show is March 7th-15th. The opening reception is March 7th.

Kindergarten has been working on various mixed media, seasonal artworks including penguins and snowmen. To celebrate the Chinese New Year students have been working on and will be completing Dragons.

Grade 1 students have completed clay animal sculptures. We are currently completing Paper Cuts.

Grade 2 students studied Henri Matisse and created collages. We are currently creating fans and studying watercolor techniques.

Grade 3 students constructed the facades of houses using clay, after studying architecture. We have just begun a project on Carp kites. The kites involve learning about symmetry, the technique of rubbing and the blending of oil pastels.

Grade 4 recently completed an artwork inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe using a glue relief and chalk pastels. We are currently studying calligraphy.

Grade 5 students are working on mixed media collages inspired by the artist Stuart Davis.

School Lunch Menu on CNX Radio

Students from Macdonough School recorded this week's school lunch menu to be broadcast on WCNX Radio.

Congratulations to fifth graders Pedro, Jennifer, Angel, and Tajanah!

Chinese New Year

Third graders at Macdonough School recently celebrated and learned about the Chinese New Year. This year is the Year of the Ox.

Thanks to Mrs. Lawton for coming in and teaching us about the holiday.

After School Programs

Registration forms for two spring session after school programs have been distributed to students in second, third, and fourth grades.


The popular Computer Club returns for a spring session. Students will have the opportunity to learn about the XO laptops. Each student in the program will have the opportunity to bring a laptop home to continue their learning. This program is made possible through the generous support of the North End Action Team.


A spring edition of the Fitness Club will engage students in a variety of physical fitness activities. Students will have the opportunity to enter a local race and compete in a fun run or full 5 kilometer run.


For more information on our spring After School Programs, please contact Bridget Poturnicki at 347-8553.

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.

The month of February will include a focus on Self-Responsibility. Teachers and students will spend time each day discussing the attribute of Self-Responsibility in the classroom, the hallway, the cafeteria, the bus ride, and even at home.

WES Math is Back!

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/Type
Small (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!