September 4, 2025

Dear MacDowell Families,

Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year! We are filled with excitement and anticipation as we welcome our new and returning students. We hope you have all had a restful and rejuvenating summer and are ready for a year of curiosity, discovery, and growth.

At MacDowell, we are proud to offer a unique educational journey that blends the child-centered, hands-on approach of the Montessori philosophy with the inquiry-based, global perspective of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years and Diploma Programmes. Our dedicated staff is committed to nurturing each child’s potential, fostering a lifelong love of learning, and empowering students to become compassionate, engaged citizens of the world.

This year, we are particularly delighted to welcome several wonderful educators to new roles within our community. Their talent and dedication will be a tremendous asset to our students and our school.

Please join us in giving a warm welcome to:

• Jane Savage, who will be joining our Montessori Primary team in Room 222. Jane is a highly experienced Montessori teacher who comes to us after many years of distinguished service in Milwaukee Public Schools. Her deep knowledge of the Montessori method and her passion for early childhood education will be an invaluable addition to our community.
• Jessica Leitheim, who will serve this year as the lead Montessori Primary teacher in Room 210. Many of you may already know Ms. Jessica from her excellent work as a paraprofessional at MacDowell for the past three years. We are thrilled to see her step into this lead teaching role, where she will continue to inspire our youngest learners.
• Kristen Mathson, who will take over the Lower Elementary classroom in Room 324. Ms. Kristen has also been a vital member of the MacDowell community as a paraprofessional, and her transition to a lead teacher is a testament to her skill and commitment. We are excited for our elementary students to benefit from her guidance and enthusiasm.

We are incredibly fortunate to have all of our other school-based staff returning to their roles.  We are confident that their contributions will enrich our school and uphold the high standard of excellence you have come to expect.

Please keep an eye out for further communication on our upcoming Back-to-School events, including our Back-to-School Picnic, which will be held on September 20th at Hawthorn Glen.

We believe that a strong partnership between home and school is the foundation for a successful educational experience. We thank you for entrusting us with your child’s education and look forward to partnering with you this year.

Andrea Corona

Principal, MacDowell Montessori School

MacDowell Main Office : 414-935-1400

Please take the time to fill out the MPS School Engagement Survey– takes 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 your Parent Coordinator know what your family needs. 

https://mpsresearch.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8vthsN2BBv09xpY

From the Parent Coordinator’s Desk

Hello MacDowell families! I am again your Parent Coordinator Ms. Gail Jaeger. This will be my fifth year working at MacDowell, my third year as your Parent Coordinator. I have been a parent at MacDowell for over ten years! I have a daughter in 8th grade and a daughter in 4th grade. I love being a part of our community and really love Montessori education.

My job is to keep families involved, engaged, and informed. I organize and plan school events, support family leadership opportunities, manage our volunteers, write and send out our school newsletters and communication. You can also be sure to see me at drop off and pick up every day. 

If you are interested in volunteering for our school or serving on a family leadership committee – let me know! We are always happy to have families serve in whatever capacity they are able and we are extremely thankful for those who can offer their time, talent, and energy. Volunteer opportunities include literacy and math tutors, coaches, field trip chaperones, library assistants, high school IB mentors, and event volunteers. We also have specific needs for the high school such as assisting upperclassmen with writing, field trips, and concessions at home games or dances. 

If you are able to help our community in any way, please fill out the information on my Google Form here: https://forms.gle/t9Qy6g8FjDZJKZZQA

SCHOOL COMMUNICATION BASICS:

• I send school newsletters via email every week, on Thursday evening. You will receive this via email and also text message if you have opted into text messaging. School newsletters often include timely resources, school information, events, meetings, photos of our students, and so much more. If you want to receive this 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.
• Other school messaging is pushed out to families as needed, so please continue to check your emails.
• In addition, for K3-6th grade families, red folders are sent home weekly on Thursday. These Thursday folders may include schoolwork, field trip permission forms, extracurricular permission slips, teacher letters, homework, and other school communication. Please help your student remember to be responsible for sharing this information and bringing the folder back to school promptly.

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/WUsG3pQrntwtqtN36

• Please also follow and like us on Facebook HERE
• Please join our MacDowell PTO Facebook group, which you may request to join HERE. Let us know your child’s name and teacher when you request to join.

The first PTO meeting of the year is September 10th at 5:30pm. 

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

Welcome Back – I look forward to a fun and exciting year! ~ Ms. Jaeger 

**As we begin this school year please take time to review our MacDowell School Handbook and review important information with your child. The link to the handbook is HERE. 

Upcoming Events / Meetings

SEC MEETING (School Engagement Council)

Wednesday, September 10th

5:00pm  

prior to the PTO meeting – ALL INVITED

Useful information from Principal Corona on our school, building and students

Curious about what happens at the SEC meetings? Come join us for the first meeting of the school year! This is an extremely informative meeting. The SEC is a group of families, staff, and community members who work to support and inform shared leadership, equity, and cultural relevance resulting in increased student achievement. Common topics discussed include test scores, staffing, student attendance, and the budget. Our meetings are open to all, even if you are not an official board member, however, we are actively recruiting SEC Board Members!

PTO MEETING (Parent Teacher Organization)

Wednesday, September 10th

5:30pm

Room 103

Come with your ideas for our Back to School Picnic

PAPA JOHNS FUNDRAISER

Wednesday, September 17th

10am-10pm

7520 W Greenfield

FLYER 

THIRD FRIDAY COUNT DAY

Friday, September 19th 

On this day the State of Wisconsin will count all students to determine the amount of funding provided to schools this year. Help MacDowell by making sure your child is in attendance on September 19! It is vitally important for our school funding. 

BACK TO SCHOOL PICNIC

Saturday, September 20th

1:00-4:00 pm

Hawthorn Glen FLYER RSVP https://tinyurl.com/4tuufdu6

NO SCHOOL

Friday, October 17th & Monday October 20th

General Reminders

DROP OFF AND PICK UP SAFETY – Traffic moves North to South. Be sure to pull over to the curb to allow students to exit a vehicle. Encourage the child to exit car doors on the curbside. For the safety of all and allow for our Hug and Go space to continue to flow for all families, DO NOT stop in the middle of the road to drop off or pick up children. The road also needs to be clear for the Milwaukee Fire Department at the south end of 64th St. Midday families may exit your vehicle and join the pick up lines inside the fence line (name card in hand). You may greet the child after teachers dismiss to parents/guardians waiting at the green cones.  

Parents should not drop off students prior to the entrance doors opening at 7:55am.  There is no staff available to supervise students prior to that time.

TRANSPORTATION CHANGES – If a student needs a change to end of day transportation please call the main office BEFORE 2:15pm so that communication can get to the teacher in a timely manner. In addition please be sure to communicate to the child’s teacher any ongoing pick up instructions. Teachers are not to rely on the child’s communication alone. In relation to early pick up for appointments etc, call the main office ahead of arriving for the student to be ready in the office when their ride has arrived.  

MacDowell Main Office : 414-935-1400

LOST AND FOUND – **Parents are strongly encouraged to label their child’s belongings, including water bottles, lunch boxes, sweatshirts, jackets, and backpacks. Young and older children have a tendency for backpacks and other personal items to be misplaced. Let’s keep the LOST AND FOUND EMPTY!

NEW PASSWORDS – AS OF SPRING 2024 – All students have started to use a newly formatted password. Many students became familiar with their new passwords last year. Staff that have access to a student’s password are only your child’s specific teachers and administrators. Parents / guardians can find the child’s password in the Parent Portal of Infinite Campus: under the menu option ‘MORE’ – select the ‘Password’ tab. 

You may access the Parent Portal by downloading the app or from the MPS homepage Parent Portal shortcut, or FAMILY tab. To gain access as a first time user guardians must acquire a GUID number from the main office. Be prepared to show ID to the office staff to obtain the child’s specific code. **Don’t remember a password or other technical issues with a parent portal account? > Contact MPS Parent Portal tech support at (414) 475-8159.

BREAKFAST PROCEDURES K-6 – once again this school year breakfast will not be served in the classroom. When students arrive they should report to their classroom. Upon entering the room they will be asked if they have eaten breakfast and given the option to take the pass to a designated breakfast room on their floor. Breakfast rooms are open 8:00-8:30 am. Be sure to arrive at the 8:00 am start of the day to allow children ample time to eat breakfast, if they require, and get back to class for their studies.

SCHOOL FORMS:
Please make sure you return our school forms to your child’s teacher or the main office as soon as possible:
–MPS Media Release Form
– Census Verification Report
–MPS Protocol Medical Consent Form
–Alternative Household Income Form –– It is vitally important that we receive the Household Income Form, as it is tied to funding for our school. Families who are still missing this form were sent a hardcopy home in folders Tuesday. 

Middle and High School Families 

The school day starts at 8:00am. REMINDER – any 7th-12th grade student arriving after 8:10am will need a tardy slip.

MacDowell Montessori Middle and High School Tardiness Policy

Parents, we are working to establish a strong culture for learning here at MacDowell Montessori. That starts with students being to class on time and being ready to learn when the bell rings. Please review our procedure for tardiness with your 7th-12th grade students as we are also discussing it with them in grade level meetings.

1. If a student arrives late to class they will get marked tardy in the computer.
2. 5 or more tardies = “No Pass’ list for the following week”

1. The list is generated by the principal and sent to teachers weekly.
2. Consequences  —>

 FOOD DELIVERY is not allowed per MPS district guidelines in the Family Manual. This includes…

• No family members are allowed to drop off or deliver food from fast food or other restaurants during the school day.
• No services such as GrubHub, DoorDash, etc.

All deliveries will be turned away by school staff.

 *Please review the DRESS CODE policy for MacDowell 

• Clothing that exposes private areas will not be allowed at school. 
• Tube tops, bra style tops, undershirts (beaters) are prohibited.
• Swimsuits are not permitted for wear outside of the pool area.
• Sheer or see-through clothing is not permitted. 
• All clothing with inappropriate language or imagery is prohibited.  For example, clothing with references to alcohol, illegal drugs, weapons, gang paraphernalia, nudity, or foul language are prohibited. 
• Ski masks and gaiters are prohibited.
• Shoes with rollers or wheels are prohibited.
• Wearing heavy wallet chains is prohibited.
• Heavy coats, heavy jackets, blankets, and raincoats are not approved items and are not to be worn during the school day.

CHROMEBOOK DISTRIBUTION for Grades 7-12 is underway

A parent or guardian must complete the online Chromebook Agreement via Smartsheet before a student can check out their Chromebook. There is a $30 fee to obtain a case and charger, which can be paid for in the main office. Returning MacDowell students can bring their case and charger from last year to avoid the fee. Chromebook Procedures and Student Responsibilities

Sports and Activities Update

High School Fall Sports:

Fall sports are in full swing!  There is still time to register for volleyball and cross country (Juneau), football (Marshall), and boys’ soccer and girls swim (King).  Registration is fully online and must be fully completed before a student-athlete can start practice. The registration link, schedules, ticketing information, and other items can be found at the following link:  https://mps.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/en/Programs/Athletics.htm. 

**The DEADLINE to register and participate in fall sports is –  FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12.

Winter sports season (basketball, cheer, and wrestling) will begin in November. Stay tuned for more details in upcoming newsletters.  If you have any questions, reach out to the athletic director, Ms. Schenk at schenkao@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

Elementary & Middle School Fall Sports:

**Please return any uniforms from last school year.

🌟 Welcome to Youth Sports: 1st-8th Grades🌟

Welcome to our 25/26 sports community! We’re excited to have you join us for a year filled with growth, discovery, and fun. This is a time when students begin to develop a stronger sense of independence, build friendships, and explore their interests — both in and out of the classroom.

Whether you’re joining us for the first time or returning, this will give you a quick overview of how our school works when it comes to sports and clubs. These activities are a great way for students to learn new skills, stay active, and make new friends!

🏃‍♂️ How Sports & Clubs Work:

While sports at this age are usually more introductory and fun-focused, they still teach teamwork, coordination, and perseverance.

• Youth Sports & Clubs: We offer fun, non-competitive sports after school such as soccer & basketball along with chess club (starting in 2nd grade). 
• Lottery-Based Roster Selection: When there is more interest than spots, rosters are determined by a random lottery to ensure fairness.  
• Equipment: Most equipment is provided. Comfortable clothing, sneakers, and water bottles are recommended.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Involvement:

We Rely on Volunteers: Many of our sports and clubs are run or supported by family volunteers. We love when families join in! Whether it’s helping out with a sport or club, cheering on the sidelines, or just encouraging your child to try something new — your support makes a big difference— please consider joining our volunteer community!

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
  

This school year we are in need of some new coaches. ⚽We need a Fall 4th-5th coed soccer coach! This winter we are in need of 🏀4th-5th coed grade basketball and 🏀6th-8th boys basketball coaches. This spring season we are looking for ⚽ 4th-5th grade soccer coaches. Let’s make it a great season—we can’t do it without you!

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

🎯Youth Sports – The Lottery:

We’re excited to share how we create teams for our Youth Sports and after school clubs like, soccer, basketball, chess etc., in a way that is fair, fun, and inclusive for all of our students.

To select students, we use a tool called the Wheel of Names—an interactive, digital spinning wheel that randomly selects names. The goal was to make sure that every student has an equal chance of being placed on any team or club, without any bias or pressure.

🌀 How It Works:

• All interested students’ names are entered into the spinning wheel
• We spin the wheel one name at a time and assign students evenly across teams or clubs.
• Each name is removed after being selected to avoid repeats.
• Selected students are given registration packets to return to secure their spot.

🤝 Why We Chose This Method:

• ✅ Fairness: Ensured no favoritism or last-pick situations.
• ✅ Team Spirit: Everyone started on an equal footing, which helped build excitement and sportsmanship from the start.

We’re confident that this approach creates balanced, happy teams.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re looking forward to a great season of learning, playing, and growing together!

Ms Wanta

Sports and Activities Coordinator

wantalm@milwaukee.k12.wi.us 

OUR 2024-2025 YEARBOOKS ARE STILL AVAILABLE!

Extra copies are available in the main office on a first come first serve basis.

Elementary Yearbooks – $15, 

Middle / High School Yearbooks – $25

QUICK LINKS:

• MPS School Calendar
• School Website
• Lunch Menu – K-8th September
• Lunch Menu – 9-12th September