Mac El Weekly News

As it is Valentine's Day, I want to wish you and your loved ones a day filled with love and warmth. Please note that there will be no school on Monday, February 17th, in observance of Presidents' Day.

I also want to express my sincere gratitude for your continued support, especially on our virtual learning days. Your partnership, combined with the dedication of our teachers and the hard work of our students, is truly making a difference. As we analyze student data, we're seeing real improvements in student performance, and this information helps us identify both areas of strength and areas where we can focus our future instruction. We deeply appreciate your collaboration in ensuring the continued success of our students.

Have a great three day weekend!

Feb. 14 - Valentine's Day 💗

Feb. 15 - Braves Generation Choir Circle the State at Western High School

Feb. 17 - President's Day - No School

Feb. 24 - Fundraiser forms due

Feb. 24 - 28 - Dr. Seuss Week (see flyer below for dress up days)

Feb. 28 - 4th grade field trip - Indiana State Museum

March 4 & 5 - IREAD Testing (2nd/3rd grade)

March 5 - Mac El PTO Meeting (3:30 - 4:30 pm)

Washington’s Birthday was the first federal holiday to honor an individual's birth date. In 1885, Congress designated February 22 as a holiday for all federal workers. Nearly a century later, in 1971, the Uniform Monday Holiday Law changed the date to the third Monday in February. The position of the holiday between the birthdays of Washington and Abraham Lincoln gave rise to the popular name of Presidents Day.

Exciting news—our Monthly PBIS awards are coming up soon! We want to give a big shout-out to all students who are following the Braves expectations of being safe, respectful, and responsible. In addition, they also remember to dress appropriately for the weather, which means wearing coats, gloves, mittens, hats, and pants. Even if you're riding the bus, staying warm is super important! Keep up the great work, and let’s keep supporting each other!

The second-grade guidance classes read "Have You Filled a Bucket Today?" This book is about finding and learning about the things that make kids feel special. It helps kids "fill their buckets." Positive feelings about themselves help children be kind to others and "fill" someone else's bucket. Positive feelings about themselves also help students be more productive learners and develop more positive friendships and coping skills.

Last week, 5th Grade began the Engineering Design Process for ROBOT WARS 2025!

This week they are in phase 2. It was awesome watching individuals share their ideas and their teammates giving them feedback on what they liked about the design. There was a lot of positive communication and peer encouragement going on! They also agreed to group jobs and created a budgeted shopping list of $300 STEM Coins. Any left over STEM Coin can be used during the improvement phase.

Phase 1 Ask and Imagine
Phase 2 Plan
Phase 3 Create
Phase 4 Test, Improve, Share

Sweet STEM success! Our 4th grade students got to flex their engineering muscles (and their creativity!) with a fun Valentine's Day challenge: building the tallest freestanding tower possible using only conversation hearts. It was a sweet and surprisingly tricky task as they figured out how to create stable structures with those oddly shaped candies. They had some seriously impressive designs and learned a lot about what makes a building strong – plus, everyone had fun!

Drop off: If you are dropping a student off at school in the morning, students should be dropped off at the gym doors. There are adults and cones present for student safety. If you are parked on the north side of the building, students should be walked with an adult to the sidewalk to ensure they get to the gym doors safely. Students should NOT be walking from the staff parking lot across to the school. That is not a staff supervised drop off area.

Pick up: Cars should not be parked in the lanes until 3:00 pm. If you arrive early, you will need to park in a parking space. There are people who have attended meetings or are picking up a sick child who need to leave before the end of the school day. Please be considerate of this as cars may be asked to move to allow cars to pass.

Please be careful driving and have patience during drop off and pick up. Student safety is our priority!

Regular attendance is crucial for students’ academic success. When students miss school, they often miss important lessons, assignments, and opportunities for interaction with their classmates and teachers. This can lead to falling behind in their studies and feeling discouraged. It’s essential for students to attend school consistently to build a strong foundation for their education and future goals.

If your child will not be at school, you must leave the reason for your child's absence when calling into the attendance line. Thank you!

Are you looking for a flexible way to give back to your community while earning extra income? Consider becoming a substitute teacher at Maconaquah Elementary! As a substitute, you'll have the opportunity to make a positive impact on students' lives, while enjoying a rewarding and fulfilling experience. With a variety of schedules available, substitute teaching is a great option for parents who want to balance work and family life. Join our team today and help shape the future of our students!