Upcoming Events / Meetings

MEDIA LITERACY SESSION – K-3rd Grade

TONIGHT Thursday, May 22nd

6:00-7:00 pm 

more information and RSVP – FLYER

MIDDLE / HIGH SCHOOL SPRING CONCERT 

TONIGHT Thursday, May 22nd

6:00 – 7:30 pm

NO SCHOOL

Monday, May 26th

Memorial Day

ELEMENTARY SPRING CONCERT

Thursday, May 29th

6:00 – 7:30 pm

MS/HS COMMUNITY DAY

Friday, May 30th

JUNIOR / SENIOR PROM

Saturday, May 31st

6:30 pm 

Hotel Metro – Purchase tickets in the main office

END OF YEAR CELEBRATION & POTLUCK FLYER

Thursday, June 5th

5:00 – 7:00 pm

NO SCHOOL

Friday, June 6th

HIGH SCHOOL EXAMS:

Wednesday, June 11th, 8:00 AM – 12:05 PM

Thursday, June 12th, 8:00 AM – 12:05 PM

Friday, June 13th, 8:00 AM – 10:45 AM

HIGH SCHOOL ALL SPORTS BANQUET

Wednesday, June 11th

5:30 – 9:00 pm

MacDowell Gymnasium – invite only

8th GRADE COMPLETION CEREMONY

Friday, June 13th

5:00 – 6:00 pm 

MacDowell Auditorium – ticket required

STUDENT LAST DAY

Friday, June 13th

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION

Monday, June 16th

6:00 – 7:00 pm

MATC Cooley Auditorium

Do you worry about your child’s mental health and finding a balance in a world of technology and social media? Join other K3 through 3rd grade parents to gather information from Ms. Raasch and share your perspective with the MacDowell community. RSVP here if you plan to attend: https://tinyurl.com/ykrh2yb3

** Presentation will be in the Library **

           

Library News

ALL BOOKS DUE TOMORROW 5/29

End of Year Library – Student and Family Responsibilities

All students have been notified about the books and other resources they owe to MacDowell Library by the end of the year. K-6 students will continue to receive paper notices and 7-12 students receive a weekly email on Thursday at 8 AM that details their current library and resource checkouts. Chromebooks must be returned before the last day of school.

Families are responsible for resolving lost/missing library books with Ms. Raasch by Friday, May 30th. Families have options: 1) pay the listed fine to the main office. 2) donate a gently used hardcover book as a replacement. Please attach a note to the book indicating the student’s name. 3) contact SSW, Ms. Jacobson, to have the fine waived if your family is currently unable to resolve it another way. 

Contact Ms. Raasch via email: raaschTL@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

Notes From Your Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)

April PTO meeting minutes : HERE

Join Us !

RSVP here: https://tinyurl.com/mvbee2kn and volunteer to help

Middle and High School Updates

COMMUNITY DAY for Middle and High School students – May 30th

What is Community Day? It is a special day for every 7th-12th grade student to engage in projects that provide service to our community – projects which are in alignment with our Service and Action goals of our Middle Years Program and our Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS) goals of our Diploma Program. During this year’s Community Day students will be taking part in a number of different activities such as blanket making for the Humane Society, cleanup at local parks and on our school grounds, making sandwiches, and sorting items for homeless shelters. Selections were made this week. 

**Watch for communication on activities that are off-site which require a permission slip and may require a bagged lunch or money to purchase lunch.  Some organizations may require a waiver for student participation. 

LIBRARY ITEMS AND CHROMEBOOKS

7-12 students receive a weekly email on Thursday at 8 AM that details their current library and resource checkouts. All books and resources are due back May 23rd. See Library section above for instructions if an item is lost. Chromebooks must be returned before the last day of school.

8th GRADE COMPLETION CEREMONY

Friday, June 13th

5:00-6:00 pm

MacDowell Auditorium

Each student is allocated 10 tickets. Tickets will be available next week starting May 19th, 2025. Parents may stop in room 116 and pick up the tickets from Ms. Rogers. We encourage adults to pick up tickets for their student between 8:00-4:00pm.

Semester 2 Exam Schedule

Junior / Senior Prom

Sports and Activities Update

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS

High school student athletes are reminded to turn in all uniforms, warmups, and bags at the conclusion of their spring sports season !!

High School All Sports Banquet – June 11 

Invitation only – Please return RSVPs by June 3rd

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

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

ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS

Join Remind!

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 

Spring Sports Remind Links

⚽1-3 Soccer TEAM 1 Coach Josh: https://www.remind.com/join/e74hh6h 

⚽1-3 Soccer TEAM 2 Coach Katie:  https://www.remind.com/join/h62e48 

⚽4-5 Soccer: https://www.remind.com/join/b9ad44e 

⚽6-8 Soccer: https://www.remind.com/join/96bk2g 

🎾5-8 Tennis: https://www.remind.com/join/e82h99 

👟5-8 Track & Field: https://www.remind.com/join/eehh64 

⚽⚽⚽⚽CALL FOR COACHING ⚽⚽⚽⚽

We’re looking for enthusiastic and supportive parent volunteers to coach or assist with our youth soccer teams for the upcoming school year 2025-2026.

No experience necessary – just a love for the game and a willingness to learn!

Details:

• 🧒 Age Group: 4th-5th grade
• 📅 Time Commitment: 1 practice per week and games on Saturday mornings.
• 💬 Role: Head Coach or Assistant Coach (your choice!)
  

Why volunteer?

• Be part of your child’s development on and off the field
• Join a fun, welcoming community of families
• Help kids build skills, confidence, and sportsmanship

If you’re interested or have questions, please contact: Ms Wanta at wantalm@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

Let’s make it a great season—we can’t do it without you!

In Case You Missed It

STUDENT ENROLLMENT FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 2025-26

As we look toward the next school year, for our planning purposes it is important for us to know whether your student(s) will continue at MacDowell next year.  Please take a moment to complete our short Enrollment Form at your earliest convenience so that we can plan efficiently.  If you have multiple MacDowell students, please complete the form for all your children. Thank you in advance.  

Complete the form here: https://tinyurl.com/yvxpbf4y

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

2025-2026 MPS School Calendar

School Website

Staff Emails

IB Newsletter – April

Lunch Menu – May

MacDowell Spotlight

DECISION DAY 2025

MacDowell’s Class of 2025 were celebrated on May 15th as they declared their decision for post-secondary success. The class of 2025 is headed off to colleges and university programs like Marquette University, UWM, Mt. Mary University, Saginaw Valley, Concordia University, University of Arizona, technical school programs like MATC, and several students are entering Wisconsin Trades Unions. Congratulations Seniors! 

Our student’s custom decision day posters can be viewed in our ground floor hallway.

ROPES AND CHALLENGES – UPPER ELEMENTARY

Ms. Morgan’s class has worked with Social Worker Ms. Jacobson over the course of the school year to prepare for the MPS Ropes and Challenges course. The Ropes and Challenges Program uses an experiential learning model, and involves activities designed to help individuals and groups develop/enhance positive social skills such as teamwork, listening, cooperating, effective communication, and problem solving. Thoughtful and guided reflection is a big component of this program, and this allows students to make meaning from their experience and think about how to apply new skills in other settings (home/school/community). 

Because the program’s emphasis is on skills development and emotional and physical safety, only those groups that have completed at least 6–8 prep sessions with a trained MPS ropes facilitator may come to the course. 

For more information follow this link to the MPS Ropes Course webpage.

District Programs / Events

SUMMER CROSS COUNTRY CAMP

The Youth Sports Office is excited to partner with High School Athletics Coaches to offer a Coed Summer Cross Country Camp Series designed to help middle school athletes prepare for the fall season. This 7-session camp is open to students entering 5th–8th grade (ages 11–14) and is ideal for building endurance, strength, and confidence, regardless of skill level.

It’s a great way for young athletes to stay active during the summer and get a head start on their fall season.

Future Hawks Cross Country Camp (Youth Sports)

Dates: July 7 – July 21, 2025

Days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Location: Madison Park – Milwaukee County Parks

Ages: 11–14

Fee: $36.00 (residents) / $54.00 (non-residents)

Program Code: RC01 (listed as Cross Country Skills Camp and Fun Run)

Focus Areas: Running form, drills, warm-ups/cool-downs, course running

**To celebrate the camp’s conclusion, participants are invited to join the Future Hawks Fun Run—free for all camp participants!

Future Hawks Fun Run

Date: Saturday, July 26, 2025

Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Location: Madison Park – Milwaukee County Parks

Race Distances: 500m, 1000m, and 3K

It’s a fun, low-cost way to help kids build confidence, conditioning, and camaraderie before the school year begins.

For registration and additional info, families can visit the Recreation Website at https://milwaukeerecreation.net/ 

MPS RUN/WALK BACK TO SCHOOL REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

(You don’t have to Run to join our team!)

Celebrate the start of the 2025-26 school year with MPS and Milwaukee Recreation at the 18th annual MPS Run Back to School! This is an annual tradition for MacDowell families and a wonderful way to get together and enjoy a beautiful walk/run through the Washington Park neighborhood.

DETAILS:

• 5K run/1.5-mile walk through Washington Park
• Date: Saturday, Aug. 23
• Start Time: 9 a.m. (please arrive no later than 8:40 a.m.)
• Start & Finish Line: MPS Central Services Building, 5225 W. Vliet St.
• Cost: $5 for youth / $15 for adults (adult fee increases to $20 after July 31)
• Fee includes an event t-shirt and race bag – if 25 participants register by August, MacDowell can choose the t-shirt color

In addition, we will be eligible for a $500 grant to go towards a recreation and/or wellness need at MacDowell! If we have the most registered participants, we are eligible for a $1,000 grant towards recreation/ wellness programs. Let’s do this, MacDowell!

TO REGISTER FOR THE RUN/WALK BACK TO SCHOOL

• Register online by visiting mkerec.net/RBTS 

When asked the question, “If participating with a school group, please list the school”, enter MacDowell Montessori. 

INFO: Milwaukee Recreation: Run Back to School

QUESTIONS? Contact our RBTS School Captain Angela Pryor angelamariepryor@gmail.com

TENNIS CAMP – At MTEF Summer Tennis Camps, participants will engage in positive youth development experiences on and off the courts. Campers will engage in tennis, life skills, fitness, and enrichment sessions. With the support of qualified and enthusiastic instructors our kids will build teamwork, confidence, and hand-eye coordination skills, learn healthy habits, make friends and develop a lifelong love of tennis. Registration includes a T-shirt. A racquet will be provided if needed.

Learn more about MTEF Summer here: www.mtef.com/summer