Hello MacDowell Community:

I want to make you aware that I will be on medical leave for the months of March and April recovering from surgery. As I am often the point person for events, volunteers, conferences, and general happenings I thought it best to inform you ahead of time. Other staff members will oversee my regular duties. I will not be at the carline or parent pickup, but we have many friendly faces to welcome children to school. Please prepare your children for a smooth transition; I’ll miss seeing their morning faces. 🙂 Communication and questions should be facilitated directly to your child’s classroom teacher or through the main office (414) 935-1400. I expect to return the first week of May. Still watch for newsletters and conference communications from staff. My last day will be February 28th. If you would like to know more, don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you, MacDowell community!  – Ms. Gail Jaeger, Parent Coordinator

Upcoming Events / Meetings

MPS KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT FAIR – District Event

Saturday, February 21st

9:00 – 12:00pm

North Division High School

BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROGRAM – Motown !

Thursday, February 26th

6:00 – 7:30 pm

VALENTINE COFFEE FUNDRAISER PICKUP

Tuesday March 3rd

3:00 – 4:30 pm

Main lobby – school store

EARLY RELEASE DAY

Wednesday, March 4th

ACT TESTING – 11TH GRADERS

Wednesday, March 11th

No student attendance for grades 9, 10 & 12

PTO FUNDRAISER – SAZ’S STATE HOUSE

Wednesday, March 11th

11:00am – 8:30pm

*Mention MacDowell – Reservations encouraged

FLYER

SPRING CONFERENCES 

Monday, March 16th & Wednesday March 18th

3:45-7:30pm

BOOKFAIR

Monday, March 16th & Wednesday March 18th

3:30-7:30pm

NO SCHOOL

Friday, March 20th

UPPER ELEMENTARY – NATURE’S CLASSROOM

March 23rd – 27th

NO SCHOOL March 30th – April 3rd

Spring Break

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

~SPRING CONFERENCES~

March 16th and 18th

3:45 – 7:30pm

Watch for communication and signups later this month. 

Note: this year we will be utilizing Google calendar appointments and not Signup Genius

General Reminders

MORNING HUG AND GO FLOW REMINDERS 

-Traffic should flow North to South. 

-Refrain from parking on the east side of 64th st (children and parents crossing presents a hazard and slows up vehicles trying to exit the drop off line)

-Drop off is a HUG and GO zone. Students should be ready to exit when the vehicle reaches the doors. 

• Encourage students to exit vehicles (if they are able) even if a staff member is not opening the car door. Our goal is to get the line cleared BEFORE door closure at 8:20am.

There is no parking/standing on the west side of 64th st. Parents that want to walk their students need to park further down the street past the fenceline.  Parking just past the drop off zone stops the flow of cars leaving. We all want our students in class safe and on time. 

Kindergarten Enrollment for the 2026-2027 School Year: January 31 to March 2, 2026

• 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. 
• The application will be available online through the MPS website.
• 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. 

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

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

The dates of this trip are Monday, March 23 – Friday, March 27, 2026.

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 27th. Late registrations will not be accepted. 
• Copy of Insurance card must be included with registration.

Middle and High School Families 

TAB WARS: LAST DAY!!  7-12th graders compete to win a pizza party and drinks while helping support the Ronald McDonald House

10th grade is pushing for the lead !!

Anyone can participate – place tabs in the grade’s bottle you’d like to support.

ACT INFORMATION

2026 ACT District Testing Day March 11

MPS high schools will administer the state-required ACT to grade 11 students on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. On this date, only juniors will be in attendance. Freshmen, sophomores, and seniors will not report to school on this date. Multi-grade schools (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.

2026 PreACT District Testing Day April 9

District PreACT day will be an all-school attendance day. Students should arrive at school at their regular start time to allow testing to be completed in a timely manner.

Sports and Activities Update

Calling builders and painters! The Shakespeare cast is looking for help to create a set for the MacDowell theater club. 

Proposed work dates:

• Saturday February 21 from 8:00am-12:00pm
• Friday February 27 from 5:00-8:00pm
• Saturday March 7 from 1:00-5:00pm

Please click the link to fill out the interest form and Ms. Emily will be in touch! https://forms.gle/hJFk3FqLihUv7VBG8

Save the dates!!!

6th-8th Boys basketball: March of Champions March 13-15

6th-8th Volleyball: Middle school City-Wide Volleyball Tournament March 5, 6, & 8 

Winter 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 

Youth 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 Boys Basketball: https://www.remind.com/join/ce2kk4 
• 🏐6-8 Girls Volleyball: https://www.remind.com/join/cghdh6 
• 🏐6-8 Coed Volleyball: https://www.remind.com/join/7fdfcgg 
• 📣6-8 Cheerleading: https://www.remind.com/join/29f846 

Elementary Chess Clubs Remind Links

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

Tabletop Adventure Gaming Announcement: Last day is March 2, 2026

High School Winter Sports

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

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

Registration: https://mpsathletics-ar.rschooltoday.com/home

 

Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)

The next PTO meeting of the year is March 25 at 5:30pm. After the 5:00pm SEC Meeting

January PTO minutes : HERE 

SAVE THE DATE: Upcoming Restaurant Fundraisers

Saz’s State House – March 11 FLYER

JUST ADDED: Build a Breakfast, Build a Burger – April 18th

In Case You Missed It

LOST AND FOUND Please check the lost and found when you are in the building. Please label items! 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. Items that were in the Lost and Found have been boxed up and prepared for donation.

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 25th

https://forms.gle/mCKfdGChgV5q2VDu5

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.

~Students have outdoor recess unless the temperature is below a feels like temp of 11°~ 

!! 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 email is: mossergj@milwaukee.k12.wi.us 

~ Ms. Gail Jaeger 

QUICK LINKS:

MPS School Calendar

School Website

Lunch Menu – K-8th February

Lunch Menu – High School February

December / January  IB Newsletter

Staff Preferences 25-26

MacDowell Spotlight

A PARALYMPIAN VISITS ROOM 222

Room 222 welcomed Paralympian Emily Oberst! Emily is a relative of Lucas in Ms. Savage’s class. Emily was a part of team USA’s basketball team that won the Silver medal in the Paris games. Emily shared her experience, including pictures, a book about para-athletes, and let us all hold her medal! Fun Fact: Emily’s first-time playing wheelchair basketball was in the MacDowell/Juneau gym!