Upcoming Events / Meetings

 

WASHINGTON DC PARENT INFO MEETING

TONIGHT Thursday, January 4, 2024

6:00 – 7:30 pm

Auditorium

Mandatory for Parents/Guardians of eligible high school students

See Flyer HERE

 

DAC – District Advisory Council Meeting

TONIGHT Thursday, January 4, 2024

6:00pm 

OPEN TO ALL – virtual

Zoom link HERE

 

JUNEAU BOYS BASKETBALL TEAMS PLAY AT WISCONSIN HERD ARENA

January 6, 2024

1:00 pm JV / 2:30pm Varsity

Watch MacDowell JV and Varsity boy’s team play at the Wisconsin Herd Arena – Oshkosh

AND stay later for the Wisconsin Herd vs Greensboro Swarm 7:00pm

To order tickets click HERE

 

NATURE’S CLASSROOM PARENT INFO MEETING

Monday, January 8, 2024

5:00 pm

Parents / Guardians of 4th – 6th grade students

 

FAMILY LITERACY NIGHT 📚

Friday, January 12, 2024

6:00 – 7:30 pm

See Flyer Below

 

NO SCHOOL – January 15th:  MLK Jr. Day 

 

January PTO Restaurant Fundraiser – JERSEY MIKE’S

Monday, January 15, 2024

4:00 – 9:00 pm

7925 W. Layton Ave LOCATION ONLY

 

FSA ID Parent Virtual Session (needed for FAFSA application)

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

3:30 – 6:00 pm Open Forum

See flyer below

 

PERSONAL PROJECT SHOWCASE – presented by MacDowell 10th graders

Open to ALL

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

12:30 – 3:00 pm

MacDowell Gymnasium

 

50 YEARS OF MONTESSORI OPEN HOUSE

Saturday, February 10, 2024

1:00 – 4:00 pm

MacDowell Montessori

More about the event : 50 Years Montessori

GEAR SALE deadline TODAY – https://dunns-mps-montessori.itemorder.com/shop/home/

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LOST AND FOUND

Our Lost and Found is overflowing! HATS, GLOVES, LUNCH BOXES, HOODIES, JACKETS, T-SHIRTS. 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, shoes, water bottles, lunch boxes- 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 and available for review until January 15th. After that time, items will be donated. Label all of your child’s items, it helps us find their homes.

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MPS moves to a single, districtwide calendar, starting with the 2024-25 school year:

The Milwaukee Board of School Directors voted Thursday, December 21, 2023, to adopt the single calendar. The next school year will begin on Tuesday, September 3, 2024. The move to a single calendar is expected to bring cost savings in bus transportation, lessen the impact of extreme heat on school days, and streamline district operations. The single calendar also will be more convenient for families with children in different schools that previously were on different calendars.  The 2024-25 MPS school calendar can be found HERE.

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STAR testing dates are 1/8/24 – 1/26/24.  

This involves Grades 1- 10.  Please have students get plenty of sleep and eat breakfast either at home or at school. 

~Ms. Wetzel

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Elementary FAMILY LITERACY NIGHT- 

January 12th

6:00-7:30 pm

Family friendly crafts, story time, display/demonstration of sandpaper letters, moveable alphabet, grammar boxes and sentence analysis. 

Volunteer : https://tinyurl.com/MacDLiteracyVolunteer24

RSVP: http://tinyurl.com/MacDLiteracy2024

  

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FAFSA Is Moving to January!!

Attention seniors and families–if you had planned on filling out the FAFSA on opening day, breathe easy! Access to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is moving to 2024. The FAFSA is your gateway to find out what grants and loans are available to help you pay for college. 

FAFSA has not yet announced an official opening date. You can check for updates in 2024 at fafsa.gov. Be sure to watch for the 2024–25 FAFSA application.

Changes to the FAFSA will provide an easier application process, expanded eligibility for federal financial aid, reduced barriers, and a better user experience. When it opens, access the application online at fafsa.gov.

Help is available! Your school counselor, Ms. Bruce-Konuah, and College and Career Center staff, Julie Schneider, can help you complete your forms and upload documents.

Parents need to create an FSA ID in order for their child to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), which is a graduation requirement. Please complete this form to receive the link to the zoom session on 1/23/24. Ms. Schneider will be available during this session from 3:30pm-6:00pm

https://tinyurl.com/FSAIDMAC 

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MPS Kindergarten Enrollment – Save the Date!

Will your child turn 3, 4, or 5 by September 1, 2024? Don’t forget to enroll them at MacDowell! 

Kindergarten Enrollment for the 2024-25 school year will begin Saturday, February 3, 2024, and will end March 4, 2024. Current MacDowell students need not reapply. We will send enrollment directions closer to the enrollment date. 

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Sports and Activities Update

ELEMENTARY:

CHESS CLUB

Students have been notified of selection to the Chess Club. Forms and fees are due by January 11th with first sessions starting the week of January 16th. 

How the lottery works

With such a large number of students interested in participating in after school activities our school runs a lottery to determine who participates. Most sports & clubs for 1st-6th graders have a lottery run. Students that return an interest form for sports & clubs get entered into the lottery. We use the website wheelofnames.com. All names are entered into the wheel and two staff members run the lottery together. Chosen participants are notified of their spot on the team or in the club.

PLEASE JOIN REMIND

Parents please join Remind to receive updates about your students’ sports and clubs. Here are the current Team & Club links.

All schedules for the winter sports season are posted on Remind.

• 🏀1-3 Basketball Team 1-Coach Glenn https://www.remind.com/join/ead63a 
• 🏀1-3 Basketball Team 2-Coach Shawn https://www.remind.com/join/b2d448 
• 🏀6-8 Boys Basketball https://www.remind.com/join/34cgf3 
• 🏐6-8 Volleyball Team 1-Coach LJ https://www.remind.com/join/ggahg8h 
• 🏐6-8 Volleyball Team 2-Coach Maiter https://www.remind.com/join/dhc274 
• 📣6-8 Cheerleading https://www.remind.com/join/ecfb6h6 
• 🏀4-5 Basketball https://www.remind.com/join/g898dbg 

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MacDowell Spotlight

UPPER ELEMENTARY FOOD TRUCK PROJECT

Leading up to Winter Break our Upper Elementary classrooms engaged in a multi faceted project designing food trucks. Students were to create an idea, menu, design, and construct a food truck. Classrooms voted on their favorites and six finalists were displayed and voted upon by staff. All food trucks were on view in the library before the break for all classrooms to explore and enjoy. The student’s creativity and personality shined through, they did an amazing job!

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IB LEARNER PROFILE OF THE MONTH

This month we are spotlighting: PRINCIPLED: Students that are principled act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. They take responsibility for their actions and their consequences.

 

Jayana Scott-Warner, 11th grade, was voted this month by MacDowell Staff as a student that has shown what it takes to be principled. She is very hopeful that she will be selected as one of the 5 students to attend the upcoming HBCU College Trip in April. Although there are limited spots, she went out of her way to encourage and help other students apply, even helping them with their essay applications. She wanted everyone to have this opportunity, even if that meant her own chances of getting a spot were lowered, which is quite remarkable. She has a strong sense of justice and equitable access. Whenever opportunities arise she is always sure to share the word and remind Ms. Bruce-Konuah to promote those opportunities. 

Congrats Jayana!

Find this and more in December’s IB Newsletter HERE. A link to the current IB newsletter can always be found in our Quick Links below. December topics include: MYP 7th/8th grade Ecology Unit book project, PBL poster project, Ms. Werner’s math student STEM challenge, 9th grade Design examining the form and function of a chair, and 10th grade Personal Projects. DP highlights from Math Applications, Lifetime Sports, Environmental Systems and Societies, Language and Literature course and SO MUCH MORE!! 

 

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REMINDERS: 

We are always looking for volunteers! Contact Parent Coordinator Gail Jaeger if you are interested in volunteering. There are opportunities available as classroom reading and math tutors, coaching, special events and library assistants. 

!! 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:

Lunch Menu – January

MPS School Calendar

MPS 2024-2025 School Calendar

School Website

MacDowell School Handbook

IB December Newsletter

Highschool Juneau Boys Basketball Schedule

Unit 3 Letter to Parents

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Resources & Events

 

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.

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Saturday Music Lessons

MPS will offer a variety of lessons for students who want to learn piano, ukulele, drums, and more! Classes will run Jan. 27 to April 27, 2024, and are taught at Hamilton High School and Milwaukee Marshall High School. Download a flyer to learn more. Registration open Dec. 7, 2023.

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Milwaukee Rec Dept – Daddy/Daughter Dance

Save the Date! The 2024 Daddy/Daughter Dance is right around the corner!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, Feb. 17 as we celebrate fathers, daughters, and father-figures in this classic Milwaukee event.

Event Information

• Date: Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024
• Where: North Division HS Community Center
• 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 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.

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WI FACETS – 

Wisconsin Family Assistance Center for Education Training and Support – Newsletter 

WI BPDD- Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities Newsletter