Upcoming Events / Meetings

DAC (District Advisory Council) MEETING

Thursday, November 6th

6:00 pm 

District Advisory Council Zoom Link

NO SCHOOL

TOMORROW, Friday, November 7th

PICTURE DAY

Tuesday, November 11th

Forms sent home this week

LOU MALNATI’S FUNDRAISER NIGHT – Brookfield and Fox Point

Thursday, November 13th

4:00pm – 10:00pm

Carry Out Only – FLYER

OPERA FOR THE YOUNG “THE ELIXIR OF LOVE”

Friday, November 14th

1:30-2:30 PM

SEC MEETING / PTO MEETING

Wednesday, November 19th

5:00pm / 5:30pm

Room 103

ETHNIC POTLUCK

Thursday, November 20th

5:30 – 7:00 pm

Join us for an evening of food and community

FLYER

NO STUDENT ATTENDANCE

November 24th – 28th

KRISPY KREME DIGITAL DOZENS

November 1 – December 31st

PHOTO RETAKE DAY

Tuesday, December 9th

EARLY RELEASE DAY

Wednesday, December 10th

SAZ’S STATE HOUSE – PTO FUNDRAISER

Thursday, December 11th

11:00am – 8:00 pm

WINTER CONCERT – 7-12TH GRADE 

Thursday, December 11th

6:00 – 7:30 pm

WINTER CONCERT – ELEMENTARY

Thursday, December 18th

6:00 –  7:30 pm

~~Need help with gifts for the holidays? Has your family been affected by the lapse in distributing SNAP benefits?  in need of warm weather gear, food, etc. Please reach out to Rachel Jacobson, our School Social Worker, as she may be able to help connect you to resources. MacDowell’s families are willing to support any food needs here in our community first. A local church in the area (Meadowbrook Church) partners with MacDowell to help provide Christmas gifts. Please reach out asap if this is something you would like to be connected to. She can be reached at 414-935-1432 or jacobsr@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

Members of MacDowell’s Senior class, in conjunction with the PEOPLE Program, are running a PEOPLE Cares drive:

Picture order forms went home this week. Picture packages can be ordered in advance online at www.mylifetouch.com Use the MacDowell order ID: EVTQK6QG8

*Pictures of all students will be taken, whether or not picture packages are ordered. These photos are used in our school yearbooks. If you chose to order using the paper order form, please send it along with a check on picture day, November 11th. If you order online, there is no need to return the paper form. 

If families do not order a picture package in advance they will receive a picture proof afterward, with instructions to order pictures online if they wish. Proofs arrive approximately one week after photos are taken.

General Reminders

COLDER WEATHER: As the season has turned colder, please remember that younger students should have spare clothing for colder weather in their backpack/bookbag. If you have not already done so, now is the time to replace their clothing with warmer weather attire. Please label items!

WEATHER CLOSING INFORMATION 

Winter weather will be here before we know it! As winter conditions arrive, please be alert for school closings. 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.

ELEMENTARY MUSIC DEPARTMENT

“THE ELIXIR OF LOVE” Presented by our MacDowell elementary choir and cast members – along with the professional Opera Artists from Opera For the Young. This is a free concert.

November 14th , 1:30 – 2:30pm 

More information on Opera for the Young: https://www.operafortheyoung.org/

MacDowell Middle School Choir and Upper Elementary Choir will perform at the Holiday Folk Fair – Education Day on November 21  10:00 am – 12:30 pm

Library Schedule

Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)

The next PTO meeting of the year is November 19th at 5:30pm. After the 5:00pm SEC Meeting

October PTO minutes : HERE 

Join the BUY NOTHING MACDOWELL MONTESSORI Facebook Page

Buy Nothing. Give Freely. Share creatively. This group offers members a way to give and receive, share, lend, and express gratitude through a network of individuals who are current or former members of the MacDowell community. 

We’d love to have you join us! This is what builds community. In this group there is no buying or selling, no trades or bartering, no soliciting for cash.

To join, click “Join Group” and answer the four membership questions. Please read all the group rules. Contact volunteer Kim Michels or Annie Smith with any questions about membership in this Buy Nothing community group.

Facebook Page LINK : https://www.facebook.com/groups/1114732806910153

KRISPY KREME DIGITAL DOZENS – $15

Doughnuts for a great cause!! MacDowell PTO is giving you the best reason to indulge in a dozen (or two) Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Until December 31, 2025.

 50% of your order will be donated back to MacDowell PTO when you purchase via our fundraising sales page! Simply buy online, visit your local store & redeem using your code. Treat yourself or even gift them to friends and family here: grouprai.se/krispykreme66300ma

Milwaukee area location : 2900 S. 108th St, West Allis, WI 53227

SAVE THE DATE:

Upcoming Restaurant Fundraisers

Krispy Kreme online voucher purchase NOW – December 31

Lou Malnati’s (Brookfield and Fox Point locations) – November 13

Saz’s State House December 11 

Cousin’s Subs (State St) January 13

Papa John’s (115th & North) February 11

Saz’s State House – March 11

 

In Case You Missed It

PARENT EDUCATION SESSION – GRAMMAR

Thank you to the parents who attended our grammar lesson last week. We had nice attendance with many engaging questions. See Ms. Michelle’s handout on activities you can do at home to help further your child’s grammar development: Grammar Handout.

 ACT 20 REQUIREMENTS K4-3rd Grade

Starting the week of October 20, 2025, MPS Assessment began emailing parents of students in four-year-old kindergarten through third grade their child’s results from the Act 20 assessments completed in aimswebPlus. To view these results, parents will need their child’s MPS ID number (this is the “s” number without the “s”). 

2nd GRADE COGAT ASSESSMENT

This year, all Milwaukee Public Schools second-grade students will participate in the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) screener. This ability test will be administered in October. CogAT is designed to provide insight into your child’s cognitive abilities, which will help us identify students as having High Ability/High Potential (HA/HP) or as gifted (GT).

Based on screener results, students who meet MPS criteria will move on to take the CogAT post-screener, which includes the full battery of tests. This version of the test will be administered after Thanksgiving Break. Initial CogAT results will be sent to parents via email through the MPS secure message system.   

What to expect and how to help:

• No special preparation is needed: This is an abilities test, not an achievement test. Students should not study for it, but they should come rested and ready to do their best. 
• Encourage your child to answer every question and to give their full effort. 
• Please make sure your child is at school on time on the testing days.  
• A good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast before testing days can help. 

The following chart shows the timeline regarding CogAT

November 2025	December 2025	January 2026
CogAT screener Duration: 45 minutes	Test results will be emailed home. Post-Screener will be administered to students who are eligible.  Duration: 90 minutes	HA/HP and GT Flags will be assigned to students in Infinite Campus. Test results will be emailed to parents.

If you have questions about specific dates for this test, please reach out to your child’s school or Ms. Wetzel, MacDowell’s Testing Coordinator. wetzelcm@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

🎶MacDowell’s Music Department has set a schedule for the school year. Find the list here: MacDowell 2025-2026 Music Performance Calendar. Note some events are Elementary or Adolescent.

Middle and High School Families 

IB LEARNER PROFILE OF THE MONTH

There are 10 learner profile traits which describe a broad range of human capacities and responsibilities that go beyond academic success.

This month we are spotlighting: KNOWLEDGEABLE: Students that develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines.They engage with issues and ideas that have local and global significance.

Clifford Kawala, 7th grade, was voted this month by staff as a student that has shown what it takes to be knowledgeable. He is engaging with the science curriculum at a higher level than his peers. His CER includes outliers in his data as well as the errors that could have possibly occurred. This is high school level work for a 7th grader!

A shout out to the other nominee for this month’s Learner Profile is Oliver Eide!! 

Biology students in Mr. Verfuerth’s class are investigating the flow of energy from the sun by comparing rates of photosynthesis in a spinach leaf. They are continuing their study of energy by determining how much energy is in a single cashew and attempting to identify how many cashews a person would need to eat to fulfill their recommended daily calorie allotment. 

Mr. Jaeger’s Advisory Occupation is Life Skills. Students have been using the produce from the school gardens to create fall flavored foods including pumpkin seeds, pumpkin chili, pumpkin bread, and chicken tomatillo soup. Find the recipes and more in October’s IB Newsletter: HERE

7th GRADE PARENTS/GUARDIANS : 

MacDowell School Counselor Mr. Jonathan Marks is hosting 7th grade parent chats promoting High School, College & Career Readiness

Click for more info / signup https://calendar.app.google/Td1n3GFUEcb39SE36

Sports and Activities Update

High School Winter Sports Deadlines

Winter sports registration is open until November 24. There will be tryouts and cuts for several teams, so it is important that athletes are fully registered AND cleared prior to day 1 of practice. 

Register online: https://mpsathletics-ar.rschooltoday.com/home

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

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

Elementary & Middle School Athletics

Fall season is coming to an end. Please return all uniforms to Ms Wanta ASAP.

Elementary Coach Needed

We’re in need of a parent volunteer to step in as the head coach for a 1st-3rd grade Soccer team this spring. If you are available or interested in more information please contact 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 Volleyball: https://www.remind.com/join/346288 
• 👟5-8 Track & Field: https://www.remind.com/join/eehh64 
• 🏀6-8 GIRLS Basketball: https://www.remind.com/join/a2k6e9 

Elementary Chess Clubs Remind Links

• ♟️Tuesday Chess Club: https://www.remind.com/join/c68gd4 
• ♟️Thursday Chess Club: https://www.remind.com/join/g7b2kf2 

PARENT COORDINATOR CORNER

LOST AND FOUND: Please check the lost and found when you are in the building. Please label items! Light jackets and hoodies are often a large part of our lost and found – labeling these items will help us return lost items to their owner. At the end of the month and each subsequent month we will box up all items to prepare for donation. September and October items have been bagged and will be donated December 1st. 

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

STAY CONNECTED – OPT IN

If you want to receive a newsletter link via text message you must opt into the system. To opt in, families should send a text message to the number 67587 with “Y” in the message.

~All school newsletters will be sent via email and text on Thursday and will not be sent as a paper copy unless requested. If families would also like to receive a paper newsletter for red folders, please fill out this form HERE:   https://forms.gle/qtgUbEcjqSx3sae47

QUICK LINKS:

MPS School Calendar

School Website

Lunch Menu – K-8th November

Lunch Menu – High School November

October IB Newsletter

MacDowell Spotlight

FIREFIGHTER VISIT

Elementary students enjoyed a visit from parent Firefighter Glenn last month. He talked generally about what Milwaukee Firefighters do, including responding to a lot of car accidents in the city. He reinforced the importance of sitting in a car seat until about 8 years old and then the backseat until they are 13 years old—even if they are “big for their age” because their bodies/brains cannot withstand the impact of a crash from the front seat. Do not sit in the front seat ! 

Also this past month, all of MacDowell’s primary classes visited the local fire station, just a walk down the block. 

ROPES AND CHALLENGES

Both Ms. Mary’s class and Mr. Roman’s class both got to go to Potters Forest this past month through the Ropes and Challenges Program, which involves teaching Social/Emotional Skills while using an experiential learning model. The program involves participating in activities designed to help individuals and groups develop and 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, which 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. The first time going to the course involves low ropes elements, and the 2nd time going to the course involves high elements (for 5th grade and above).

Here is the link for the page on MPS that talks about the Ropes Course for more information.

Community Resources and Opportunities  

FOODSHARE RESOURCES

Due to the ongoing federal government shut down, refugee families and about 42 million Americans will have their benefits for Foodshare delayed in November. Here is a link from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to check for up to date information.https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/foodshare/news.htm  

To locate food pantry information and other supports, individuals can search for locations at findhelp.org

Also, the USCIS has announced that it has updated its civics part of the citizenship test for lawful permanent residents who want to become a U.S. citizen. Please refer to the link for additional information that can be shared with families.

CIVIC MUSIC MILWAUKEE 

Inviting children and families to “discover the joy of music,” at its second annual KIDS MUSICFEST Sunday, November 9, 12 – 4 pm at Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, 325 W. Walnut St. This free-admission event will feature music performances, interactive sessions, and the opportunity to connect with greater Milwaukee’s best organizations with youth music programs.

 Visit CivicMusicMilwaukee.org for more information.