SURFS Up Celebration

It was a "November to remember" in terms of this month's SURFS Up Celebration!

More than 100 parents and friends joined us to honor members of our learning community at the November SURFS Up Celebration. Staff from the Family Resource Center along with members of the Macdonough PTA coordinated a VIP reception prior to the assembly.

Students being recognized included members of the Scholars Academy, the Running Club, the Computer Club, and winners of the city wide Park and Recreation Art Contest.

Miss Sarah Claffey was also honored for completing the BEST Mentor Program, a three day program organized by the Connecticut State Department of Education. Miss Claffey is now certified to mentor new teachers and work with student-teachers from local universities. We are very proud of her accomplishment!

One child from each class was also recognized as the SURFS Up recipient. These are children who demonstrated Self-Responsibility, Understanding, Respect, Fairness, and Safety throughout the month. The families of these SURFS Up winners were also honored.

The next SURFS Up Celebration is just around the corner and will be held on December 5th!

Macdonough School Read-a-thon

Students at Macdonough School participated in a Read-a-thon on Thursday, November 13th.

Each of the students had the chance to invite a special guest to participate. Many parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles were on hand to join in the fun.

Mrs. Maturo from the Family Resource Center began the festivities by reading the students a poem by Shel Silverstein. Miss Beideman and Miss Loiseau helped all of the students select "gently used" books to read with friends. More than two hundred books were donated for the read-a-thon!

The Macdonough School Read-a-thon is one of several activities included in the School - Family - Community Partnership Plan to increase children's access to literature for take home reading.

Nurturing Pathways at the Macdonough FRC

There is great new program that Laura Maturo is offering at the Macdonough School Family Resource Center.

For the past 5 weeks, Laura has been offering Nurturing Pathways for babies ( birth to pre-walking) and caregivers. The classes combine developmental activities, music, movement and bonding activities. It really is a cutting edge program and the parents/caregivers coming just love it. You can tell the children also respond positively and are very engaged because everyone is ready for a nap afterward. They give it their all! Hopefully, the Family Resource Center will be able to offer classes again for "waddlers" and preschoolers.

The Family Resource Center is a "must visit" for families with little ones. For more information, feel free to contact Laura Maturo at Macdonough (347-8553).

Bread Day at Macdonough

Occasionally the Connecticut Food Bank drops off a couple of hundred loaves of bread for Macdonough families. This is not your average peanut butter and jelly sandwich bread, it's the really good stuff! Roasted Garlic Ciabbatta Stix, Seven Grain Batard, and Cranberry Harvest Rolls to name a few.

Parents who come to pick up their children from school are treated to a couple of complimentary loaves. Just the thing to add to the evening's dinner menu.

Bread Day is coordinated by the staff of the school's Family Resource Center. It's another one of the great things about Macdonough School!