Upcoming Events / Meetings

VALENTINE COFFEE SALE – FUNDRAISER

January 30th – February 14th

Order forms sent home in red folders

ELEMENTARY FANCY DANCE

TOMORROW Friday, January 31st

6:00 – 7:30 pm

MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL WINTER DANCE – Love is In the Air

Saturday, February 1st

MS: 5:00 – 7:00 pm

HS: 7:30 – 10:00 pm

FLYER

February PTO Restaurant Fundraiser – COUSINS SUBS

Wednesday, February 5th

4:00 – 8:00 pm

Miller Parkway

FLYER

DISTRICT ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING

Thursday, February 6th

6:00 – 7:00 pm

Virtual

A MORNING OF MONTESSORI – DISTRICT EVENT

Saturday, February 8th

9:00am – 12:00pm

MacDowell

FLYER

DEER DISTRICT PREP SHOWCASE – JUNEAU BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM

Fiserv Forum

Saturday, February 8th

2:00 PM

MacDowell vs Racine Park

To order tickets click HERE

WASHINGTON DC TRIP – HIGH SCHOOL

February 10th – 14th

*watch for snack contribution signup

NO SCHOOL

Monday & Tuesday, February 17th – 18th

SEC MEETING- School Engagement Council

Wednesday, February 19th

5:00 – 5:30 pm

Sign off on the Budget

ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND THE SEC MEETINGS – every month, this is your opportunity to contribute to the school and have a voice

PTO MEETING

Wednesday, February 19th

5:30- 6:30pm

BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION

Wednesday, February 26th

6:00 – 7:30 pm

PARENT EDUCATION SESSION – FOCUS ON LITERACY

Friday February 28th

7:45-9:45 am

Thursday March 6th

5:30-7:30 pm 

More details below

Check the MacDowell webpage calendar for future events.https://mps.school/macdowell/calendar/

LOST AND FOUND – LAST CALL

At the end of the month, and each following month, any unclaimed items in the lost and found will be donated. If your child is missing clothing, hats, gloves, water bottles- stop in the front lobby and check out our lost and found table across from the main office. Items currently in the lost and found will be boxed up after January 31st. Label all of your child’s items, it helps us find their homes.

Please take the time to fill out the MacDowell School Engagement Survey– takes less than 5 minutes.

Your responses help identify improvement areas in our school’s engagement efforts and can provide valuable insights into family involvement, satisfaction, and connection with MacDowell. Let The Learning Team know your family needs. 

After submissions have been received we will share results and allow feedback at a spring School Engagement Council meeting. Please respond by February 28th. 

https://forms.gle/jG1vj7Uodt39f94s8

 

TOMORROW

Friday January 31st

6:00 – 7 :30 pm 

For MacDowell K3 – 6th grade FAMILIES. 

A PARENT OR ADULT MUST ACCOMPANY CHILDREN

RSVP – https://tinyurl.com/56ntzee4

UPPER ELEMENTARY NATURE’S CLASSROOM TRIP – eligible 4th – 6th graders

The dates of this trip are Monday, March 3 – Friday, March 7, 2025.

If your child will attend Nature’s Classroom, please complete both the NCI online registration and the MPS Field Trip Form as soon as possible. Please return the MPS Field Trip Form to your child’s teacher.

PLEASE NOTE: We require a copy of medical insurance cards – you can send a photo of the front and back via email to your child’s teacher, or attach a copy with the paperwork.

NATURE’S CLASSROOM DEADLINES:

• Both registrations (NCI online and MPS Field Trip forms) should be completed ASAP but no later than Friday, February 14th. 
• Copy of Insurance card must be included with registration.
• We will accept payment (cash or check made out to MacDowell Montessori, to

the main office) no later than Friday, February 21st.

FORMS/INFORMATION:

Cover Letter

General Information – please read

NCI Registration – online

MPS Registration / Field Trip Form 

Packing Information

UPPER ELEMENTARY FOODRIGHT – YOUNG CHEFS ACADEMY

MacDowell Upper Elementary will start their session with FoodRight’s Young Chefs Academy starting the week of February 10th. Parents / Guardians – please fill out the student consent form here : https://tinyurl.com/2tvy2kct

LOWER ELEMENTARY FOODRIGHT GROWING CHEFS – SPRING SESSIONS

MacDowell’s 1st-3rd classrooms will begin their spring sessions of Food Right at the end of February. We will have a variety of volunteer needs based on the lesson. Watch for specific dates and communication recruiting volunteers. Two of the lessons require gallon milk jugs. A concrete plan for collection has not been outlined yet. If any parent, or team of parents, would like to work together collecting and sanitizing milk jugs to help the classrooms, let us know. Ms. Heidi brazzahb@milwaukee.k12.wi.us or Ms.Jaeger mossergj@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

MPS Kindergarten Enrollment – 

Will your child turn 3, 4, or 5 by September 1, 2025? Don’t forget to enroll them at MacDowell! 

Kindergarten Enrollment for the 2025-26 school year will begin Saturday, February 1, 2024, and will end March 3, 2025. Current MacDowell students need not reapply. We will send enrollment directions closer to the enrollment date. 

District Enrollment Fairs will be held February 1st and February 22nd. FLYER

Middle and High School Updates

HIGH SCHOOL TAB WARS CONTINUES

Let’s see how much money MacDowell can raise for The Ronald McDonald House

NOW until February 28th

**Send your Kindergartener, your 3rd graders, your 8th graders with pop tabs…All grade levels and families can participate – place tabs in the grade’s bottle you’d like to support**

9-12th graders compete to win a pizza party and drinks while helping support the Ronald McDonald House.

Sports and Activities Update

HIGH SCHOOL SPRING SPORTS – https://mpsathletics-ar.rschooltoday.com/home

Registration is open NOW

DEER DISTRICT PREP SHOWCASE – JUNEAU BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM

Fiserv Forum

February 8, 2025

2:00 PM

MacDowell vs Racine Park

To order tickets click HERE

ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS

Please return any uniforms from last season and last school year.

Call For Coaches!

🎾We are looking for a 5th-8th grade Tennis head coach and assistant coach for the Spring season. If interested please contact Ms Wanta at wantalm@milwaukee.k12.wi.us 

⚽ We are looking for a 6th-8th grade Soccer head coach and assistant coach for the Spring season. If interested please contact Ms Wanta at wantalm@milwaukee.k12.wi.us 

Questions about your students’ sports teams? Join the Remind group where all practice and game information is updated regularly, or email Ms Wanta at wantalm@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

Winter Sports Remind Links

• 🏀1-3 Basketball Team 1: https://www.remind.com/join/ha9843a 
• 🏀1-3 Basketball Team 2: https://www.remind.com/join/36f428 
• 🏀4-5 Basketball: https://www.remind.com/join/82h96g 
• 🏐6-8 Volleyball Team 1: https://www.remind.com/join/cghdh6 
• 🏐6-8 Volleyball Team 2: https://www.remind.com/join/7fdfcgg 
• 📣6-8 Cheerleading: https://www.remind.com/join/29f846 
• 🏀6-7 BOYS Basketball: https://www.remind.com/join/74af88a 
• 🏀6-8 BOYS Basketball: https://www.remind.com/join/ce2kk4

 Club Remind Links 

• ♟️Tuesday Chess Club: https://www.remind.com/join/c68gd4 
• ♟️Thursday Chess Club: https://www.remind.com/join/g7b2kf2 
• ♟️MS/HS Chess Club: https://www.remind.com/join/chessmsh 
• 🎲Tabletop Adventure Gaming: https://www.remind.com/join/8e39k3f 

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS

Athletic Schedules:  https://www.mccathletics.org/public/genie/1190/school/64/

Purchase Online Tickets:   https://gofan.co/app/school/WI19445 

Notes From Your Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)

Next Meeting – February 19th 5:30pm 

(after the SEC meeting led by Principal Corona)

January PTO meeting minutes : HERE

COFFEE SALE STARTS TODAY – 

Order forms sent home in red folders, More forms available in the main office

Restaurant Fundraisers

Saz’s State House – March 12th

Artisan Ramen – April 8th

Save The Date

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, JR – MUSICAL PRODUCTION

Concert Dates: March 12 and 14, 2025  – 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

❄️Montessori at Home – Winter ❄️

Watch for highlights each week to help incorporate the Montessori methods and early childhood activities at home to prepare our children for their great work.

INDEPENDENT DRESSING

One of the main tenets of Montessori education is fostering your child’s independence both at school and at home. As a caregiver, you can develop your child’s independence by asking them to get dressed to go outside by themselves. At school, we expect the children to independently put on their snow pants, boots, coats, hats and gloves or mittens. Please see below for our winter clothes procedure so you can practice this important skill at home:

Put on in this order:

1. snow pants
2. boots
3. coat (you can remind your child of the “coat flipping” method – place your coat with the lining facing up and the hood touching your toes. Lean down and put your arms in the sleeves and flip it up and over your head)

   

   

   

   
   
4. hat
5. scarf 
6. gloves or mittens

Take off and store in this order:

1. gloves or mittens
2. scarf
3. hat (the gloves go inside your hat)
4. coat (your hat with the gloves inside get stored in one coat sleeve and the scarf goes in your other coat sleeve)
5. boots
6. snow pants 

In Case You Missed It

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 14324525
• 7-12th grade yearbooks will cost $25 –  order online at ybpay.com code is 15393925

WEATHER CLOSING INFORMATION ❄️

Winter weather has arrived! As winter conditions continue, please be alert for school closings. The district has added a new webpage about winter weather and potential school closings, with information and tips for families and staff during weather events. Please become familiar with this page linked: mpsmke.com/weather. The decision to close school will be posted on the MPS website, MPS X and Facebook pages, and on all major television and news stations.

!! OPT-IN TO TEXT MESSAGING ! To receive a newsletter link 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

QUICK LINKS:

MPS School Calendar

School Website

Lunch Menu – K – 8 January

Lunch Menu – 9-12th January

MacDowell  Spotlight

IB PERSONAL PROJECT SHOWCASE

On Friday January 17th close to 30 MacDowell 10th graders presented their Middle Years Program IB Personal Project during our Showcase in the gymnasium. Students have worked on their Personal Project all of semester one, and they were finally ready to share their project with the community and officially submit it to the International Baccalaureate Organization. We are so pleased these students have completed this important IB milestone.  Projects ranged from robotics, fiber arts, drawing, cooking, painting, learning to play flute, guitar/songwriting, and so much more.

MIDDLE SCHOOL / HIGH SCHOOL WINTER CONCERT

A selection of new and old tunes were performed by MacDowell’s Middle and High School students at our Winter Concert on January 16th. All of our Orchestra, Modern Band and Choir students put their hard work and talent on showcase for family and friends. Mr. Ash and Ms. Benthien did an amazing job instructing and encouraging our multi talented student body.

Community Resources and Events

Milwaukee Rec Dept – Daddy/Daughter Dance

Save the Date! The 2025 Daddy/Daughter Dance is right around the corner!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, Feb. 22 as we celebrate fathers, daughters, and father-figures in this classic Milwaukee event.

Event Information

• Date: Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025
• Where: Baird Center (400 W. Wisconsin Ave) NEW LOCATION
• When: 5-8 p.m.
• Dinner & Dance Option: $30 per adult, $10 first child, $5 each additional child
• Dance-Only Option: $20 per adult, $5 each child (limit three children per adult)
• Register online here!

Adult registration includes a complimentary photo.

Doors open at 5 p.m. for pre-registered dinner & dance guests only. Dinner will be served from 5:15-6:15 p.m. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. for dance guests only.

NOTE: 🔥 Any Milwaukee residents who are in need of a smoke alarm can call the city’s smoke alarm hotline, at 414-286-8980, to arrange a free installation.

MPS EXTENDED LEARNING ADVENTURES

Families are able to check the Extended Learning Adventures page on the MPS website for upcoming non-school day activities at https://mps.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/en/Programs/Extended-Learning-Opportunities/Enrichment-Camps.htm

To register for any Adventures please use the link below: Registration link- https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/1035b5a8b85a4434bde28bb302b314e2  

• February 17 from 9:00-3:00PM– WI Humane Society  
• March 24-28 from 9:00-3:00PM– Urban Ecology Center
• Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Spring Dates Coming Soon) – 5-week
• session on Saturdays