Upcoming Events / Meetings

BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION

TONIGHT – Thursday, February 22nd

6:00 – 7:30 pm

MacDowell Auditorium

SPRING PICTURE DAY

Friday, March 1st

FLYER

FAMILY LITERACY NIGHT 📚

Friday, March 1st

6:00 – 7:30 pm

See FLYER 

SAZ’S NIGHT – PTO RESTAURANT FUNDRAISER

Wednesday, March 13th

5539 W. State St

11:00am – 8:00 pm

Mention MacDowell – Reservations encouraged

FAMILY CONFERENCES 

Wednesday, March 13th and Tuesday, March 19th

3:45 – 7:30 pm

More info to come

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~HISTORICAL NARRATIVES of Black History through the performing arts~

Participants include High School Modern Band and Orchestra, Middle School Choir, Elementary Choir, and Music Club members.

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MacDowell Families – 

Please display your student name card signs. We want to help assist substitutes or paraprofessionals offering coverage with your child’s classroom.

As the midday dismissal procedure has changed, signs will help staff who have not previously dismissed your child know who the child’s guardian is.

If a family is in need of a sign contact the main office or Ms. Jaeger mossergj@miwaukee.k12.wi.us          Thank you!

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SPRING PICTURE DAY: Please note – we have a Spring Picture Day scheduled!

Friday, March 1st

Spring Photos are different from traditional school photos – they are meant to be more fun and informal and are not required to be taken. Only students who have ordered Spring Photos online in advance, or brought the order form back to school, will be sent to the library for photography. If you would like to order online, please use our mylifetouch.com Picture Day ID: EVTWGVWM9

Paper forms available upon request or in the main office.

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FAMILY LITERACY NIGHT – moved to March 1

Please update your RSVP if you can not attend – Or maybe you can now join us!

Celebrate Books, Reading, Libraries, Literacy Crafts, Mad Libs and observe Montessori material demonstrations. 

http://tinyurl.com/MacDLiteracy2024

Consider reading books aloud or assisting at the craft tables to make our event a success! 

Thank You!

https://tinyurl.com/MacDLiteracyVolunteer24

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REMINDERS

Kindergarten Enrollment for the 2024-2025 School Year: February 3 to March 4, 2024

• If you have a younger child that you wish to enroll in K3 or K4 at MacDowell, you must enroll during this enrollment window to receive sibling preference. The current student’s name should be included in the application. Sibling preference is not granted after this enrollment window.
• There is no advantage to completing the enrollment application on the first day of the process.  
• Current MacDowell students do not need to reapply.  They are automatically re enrolled. 
• Please encourage your friends, family and neighbors to choose MacDowell Montessori for their child’s education!  Interested families should call the school office to schedule a tour. 

HOW TO APPLY: To apply for Kindergarten enrollment, please complete these steps:

1. Visit the MPS Online Registration webpage.
2. Choose a language (English or Spanish).
3. Select “Start New Application”.
4. Complete the initial registration form at the end of the webpage. For “Registration Type”, select “24-25 Kindergarten”. (NOT FALL 24-25)

Wondering if you can enroll your child?

• Students enrolling at K3 need to be 3 years old by September 1st and must reside in Milwaukee.
• Students enrolling in K4 need to be 4 years old by September 1st.

  MPS Kindergarten Enrollment Page; MPS: Kindergarten Enrollment – Schools

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PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION

January Minutes can be viewed here – http://tinyurl.com/4uczy4jk

Next PTO organized restaurant fundraiser: 

MARCH 13th

Saz’s State House

FLYER

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FAMILY CONFERENCES – Save the Dates!

We will publish sign ups for Conferences in the near future. Conferences will be in person.

~Wednesday, March 13 from 3:45 to 7:30 pm

~Tuesday, March 19 from 3:45 to 7:30 pm

📘 We will have a BOOKFAIR the week of March 18th, more information to come. 📙

🍪Watch for the Girl Scouts selling cookies both nights. 🍪

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Attention MacDowell Parents:

MacDowell Troop #13024 will be hosting a Girl Scout cookie table during conferences on March 13 from 4-7pm and Troop #11299 will host March 19 from 4-7 pm.  Please support your local building troops. 

Cookies will be $5 per box with the following cookie options: Adventurefuls, Trefoils (AKA Shortbreads), Caramel deLites, Toast-yays, Peanut Butter Patties, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Lemonades, and Thin Mints.  

Any questions, please contact Cookie Captain Parent Leaders: Nicole Gahl (#13024) wellsteinnicole@gmail.com and Malika Clark (#11299) constance.clark74@gmail.com

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Don’t Forget – PRE ORDER YEARBOOKS

We are taking preorders for our school yearbooks! All students who had their photo taken will be in their classroom / grade level layout in this yearbook. We create two separate yearbooks, one for K3-6th grade students & one for 7-12th grade students. Yearbooks are delivered at the end of the school year. There are separate yearbook order links for each yearbook, please see order information below:

• K3-6th grade yearbooks will cost $15 – order online at ybpay.com code is 15140624
• 7-12th grade yearbooks will cost $25 – order online ybpay.com code is 14324524

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Sports and Activities Update

JUNEAU ATHLETICS:

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

MPS Referendum Will Go to Voters in April 2 Election

MPS Referendum Fact Sheet

On January 11, 2024, the Milwaukee Board of School Directors approved a plan set forth by MPS administration to place a referendum on the April 2, 2024 spring election ballot.

MPS’ plan would secure as many resources as possible for students while being mindful of taxpayers.

Read more about this important action.

~Since 2009, Wisconsin public school funding has not kept pace with inflation. For this reason, public schools across the state are facing budget challenges. 

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ACT INFORMATION

2024 ACT District Testing Day March 12

MPS high schools will administer the state-required ACT to grade 11 students on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. On this date, only juniors will be in attendance. Freshmen, sophomores, and seniors will not report to school on this date but will engage in asynchronous work. Multi-grade schools on the early start calendar (e.g., K– 12, 3–12, 6–12) will have regular attendance for students not in grades 9, 10, or 12. Students should arrive at school at their regular start time to allow testing to be completed in a timely manner.

2024 PreACT District Testing Day April 10– attendance change

MPS high schools will administer the state-required PreACT to grades 9 and 10 students on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. On this date, all 9th- 12th grade students will be in attendance. Juniors and seniors WILL report to school on this date, this is a change from previously communicated. Multi-grade schools on the early start calendar (e.g., K–12, 3–12, 6–12) will have regular attendance. Students should arrive at school at their regular start time to allow testing to be completed in a timely manner.

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!! OPT-IN TO TEXT MESSAGING ! To receive notices via text message be sure to OPT-IN to text messaging from MPS. Text “Y” to 67587 to receive school notifications, transportation updates, newsletters and important messaging.

How To Reach Me
If you need to reach me, my phone number is 414-935-1339 and my email is: mossergj@milwaukee.k12.wi.us 

~ Ms. Gail Jaeger        

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QUICK LINKS:

Lunch Menu – February

Staff Emails

MPS Early Start School Calendar

MPS 2024-2025 School Calendar

School Website

IB January Newsletter

Juneau Athletics Dec/Jan Newsletter

MacDowell Spotlight

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Juneau Varsity Girls Basketball Team

Our Girls Varsity basketball team is MCC Blue Division Conference Champions! The Pioneers defeated Milwaukee Bradley Tech this past Saturday at the MSOE Kern Center 51-23. Come watch them play in the first round of the WIAA tournament at home on Friday, February 23rd at 7:00pm.

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Upper Elementary Food Right – Youth Chef Academy

Food Right has begun in our 4th – 6th grade classrooms. Youth Chef Academy (YCA) programs provide hands-on culinary nutrition and gardening education in Milwaukee schools. Food Right believes access to fresh, whole foods and the education to learn the skills needed to make those foods into a nutritious, wholesome, plant-based meal, is a FOOD RIGHT that everyone deserves. Students worked measuring, cutting, peeling and preparing the Confetti Kale Salad. 

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MacDowell Montessori School Library

High school mobile library assistants worked with Ms Raasch to pair a photo of a Black author or illustrator with cover images for the titles we have in our library. We created several displays to honor and celebrate important Black authors and illustrators that create books for all of our students from K-12.

We read and celebrate Black authors all year in our school library! 

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Resources & Events

From Ms. Schenk:

The Milwaukee Bucks hosted their annual Black History Month Impact Game on February 8th. Their focus emphasized Black Excellence in the arts in Milwaukee.  As a part of the celebration, the Bucks create a specially designed t-shirt and donate a portion of the proceeds to a local non-profit. We are pleased to inform you that the Milwaukee Bucks have selected the MPS Foundation as this year’s recipient!  If you would like to purchase a t-shirt for yourself, a family member, or a friend, you can purchase it at a Bucks game, or by clicking on the link below:

https://shop.bucks.com/products/item-of-the-game-milwaukee-bucks-black-history-month-celebration-t-shirt

Please share this positive message far and wide! Thank you so much and have a great week! Let’s Go Bucks! MPS Proud

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Girls’ Day @ City Hall

14th Annual Girls’ Day @ City Hall
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
8:30 AM – Registration
9:00 AM – 2:00 PM – Program

Girls’ Day at City Hall was created by Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs.

Every year in March, (which is Women’s History Month) a day is selected to help expose hundreds of young women of high school and middle school age to strong female role models in political leadership positions as well as careers in public service.

The day-long event includes panel discussions, one with women in elective office and one with women in other public service careers, speakers, and opportunities for active engagement and involvement with several public service-oriented organizations and entities focused on young women and led by women. A Girls’ Day Scholarship and the Vel Phillips Trailblazer Award are also presented.

Registration is REQUIRED and must be completed online.

Space is extremely limited. No exceptions will be made.

https://city.milwaukee.gov/CommonCouncil/Initiatives/girlsdayreg