Mackay Newsletter

Dear Mackay Families,

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving break. It was great to see so many of you at the turkey trot. We collected 118 turkeys for the Center for Food Action…how amazing is that? Thank you all for your support!

It is hard to believe it is already December. Our teachers are busy putting the final touches on progress reports and preparing for Parent Teacher Conferences. Conferences are a wonderful opportunity to get a glimpse into your student’s hard work and progress and to ask questions, share concerns and hear feedback. I encourage you to look at your student’s report card and the rubrics before your conference so you can best utilize your time with your teacher. As a reminder, report cards will be available on Wednesday, December 4 at 3 pm on the Genesis Parent Portal.

It is exciting to see the joy on the faces of our students during the holiday season. Concerts, parties, family visits and so many other events seem to fill our days! Our upcoming band and chorus concerts offer the opportunity to slow down and spread a little holiday cheer. Students and staff have been working really hard to showcase these special talents. Please join us on Dec 12- all are welcome! This year, the week of December 9, we will focus on Mackay Gives Back, a week-long celebration of giving where each grade level will take part in a special task or craft to do something special for others. With our Simple Seed Journal theme of gratitude this year, we are so excited to reflect again on the season of giving here at Mackay and talk with the students about how giving can be one of the best gifts of all! With some new giving opportunities, this year will be even more magical! Stay tuned for more information!

Please be sure to send your child with a warm jacket during the cold winter months so they are comfortable and prepared for outdoor recess. During this season of the year we would like to say thanks to parents and guardians for all you do to spend quality time with your children. Thank you to all of the volunteers who give countless hours to make Mackay a better place for our students and staff. Thank you for being committed to giving your best to your children every day. I truly wish each of you and your families a wonderful holiday and a happy new year. I hope the season brings you lots of smiles and special memories with your amazing children! We can’t wait to see you all in 2025!

Heidi Chizzik

Hello Mackay Families!

We are embarking on “the most wonderful time of the year.” As wonderful as this holiday season is, it sometimes comes with problems. One of the character education lessons that I have been teaching our students is how to be a problem-solver. When we are faced with a problem, the first thing we should do is determine the size of it. BIG problems usually require the help of adults but small problems are ones we can normally face on our own. Students and classrooms were given a Problem-Solving Wheel with 11 possible strategies. Not every strategy will resolve every problem, but hopefully we can find a handful of ideas that might help. At Mackay, we are encouraging our students to try and solve small problems on their own, and by giving them the strategies, we might be able to help build up their confidence and independence.

--Mrs. Angerson

Dress for Cold Weather

• Please dress your child in layers as students will continue to go outside for P.E. and recess when possible. Warm winter coats, gloves, and hats are encouraged.
• If your child is not dressed appropriately for cold weather, they will NOT be allowed to attend recess outdoors and will stay inside during that time.
• Label your child's items with their name so it is easier to identify in case it gets lost. Our lost and found is overflowing and we wouldn't want you to lose your valuable clothing!

Illness

• Please be aware that there are several illnesses going around, especially COVID, RSV, and the flu. If your child is exhibiting symptoms such as runny nose, cough, and fever, we ask that you do not send them into school and continue to monitor their symptoms. We are trying to minimize the spread of illness at Mackay and ask for your cooperation at this time.
• Students that have a fever of 100 degrees or higher, or who have vomited, must remain home from school for 24 hours from the last onset of symptoms.

We thank you for your cooperation in helping keep our children healthy and safe!

Sharon Saglimbene, MSN, RN

ssaglimbene@tenafly.k12.nj.us

Mackay School Nurse

201-816-7703

This month we officially completed our “Bloom with Us” Flower Wall Installation. This was a school wide project students in K-5 worked on at the beginning of the school year! Every grade worked on a different flower using different art mediums based on their appropriate grade level curriculum. While it may be getting cold outside, our flowers are in full bloom! As we move forward through the new year we will be working on new exciting projects including winter themed art pieces that will bring even more cheer to the halls of Mackay!

Finally, I would like to wish you all the happiest of holidays and an amazing New Year! Until next time!

Ms. Bracero

In December, all students will dive into computer science and coding units. Grades K-2 will explore Scratch Jr., and students Grades 3-5 will create projects using Scratch and Code.org.

All students will participate in unplugged activities to continue learning about digital citizenship, source selection, and parts of the computer. All students can look forward to winter read-alouds, crafts, and STEM activities this month.

-Ms. Brenzel

Mackay's Annual Turkey Trot, run by our Student Council, was a super fun & festive event!

We did lots of laps in our trot with family and friends, old & new!!

In more turkey news...how special it is to say that our Mackay community collected 118 turkeys for the Center for Food Action for Thanksgiving! Gobble - Gobble!!

The Mackay staff is so grateful for all our Korean Parent Association does! Every year they provide our staff with a beautiful luncheon full of delicious food. We always look forward to it and getting to see all the parents. Thank you again!

Follow Mackay's social media platform to keep up-to-date with upcoming events and happenings in our school and community.

Instagram - @principalmackay