MCS Whose Wise Words and a special photo essay on the MCS Holiday Concerts.
MCS Whose Wise Words and a special photo essay on the MCS Holiday Concerts.
Check out the links for more info
Here are the links to the individual concerts: Photos are courtesy of Kata Sasvari
You can also find it in the newsletter story
Important Dates
Thursday, December 22 - Monday, January 2, 2023 - Winter Recess, No School
Wednesday, January 4 - Norwich School Board meeting 6:30pm; MCS Library and via Zoom
Wednesday, January 11 - Coffee Talk with Shawn & Greg 9:15am; MCS Multipurpose room
Thursday, January 12 - Norwich School Board Public Hearing & Budget Adoption - MCS Multipurpose room and via Zoom
Monday, January 16 - Holiday, No School
Friday, January 27 - Teacher In-Service, no school for students
Message From The Principal
Specials Rotation for the week of December 19:
Monday-B
Tuesday-C
Wednesday-D
Thursday-No School
Friday-No School
As I sit here on this snowy Friday, the quiet allows me to reflect on a fantastic week. Now in my fourth year at MCS, this was only the second time I have enjoyed an MCS concert. Unfortunately, a pandemic and restrictions on gatherings put a hiatus on concerts. On Wednesday and Thursday evenings, I was delighted to see the joy on the faces of all who attended the concerts.
There are many to appreciate when it comes to putting on a stellar concert. First and foremost, Travis Ramsey, our music teacher, has worked tirelessly to prepare students for the concerts. The lead up to the concert comes with hours of preparation, practice, and hard work. We are fortunate to have the dedication and talent that Mr. Ramsey gives to our school. There are others to thank as well. Did you know that the risers that we used belong to Richmond Middle School and the chairs made their debut from the Ray School? We owe a thank you to our facilities and custodial crew, Tony Daigle, Matt Zweeres, Tim Fernandez, Tom Dickerson , and Donna Stearns. This crew worked for the days leading up to the concert to move the needed equipment from other schools to our gymnasium. The MCS staff worked alongside Mr. Ramsey to practice songs and encourage students to do their very best. Many gave up planning and preparation time to accompany their students for practices and most everyone practiced songs with kids in their classrooms. What would a successful concert be without a great turnout and appreciative audience? Thank you to those of you who were able to fit the concert(s) into your schedules. MCS families make fantastic guests, being enthusiastic, positive, and appreciative. Finally, there would not be a concert without our amazing students! I just loved the excitement, enthusiasm, and joy on the faces of students as they entered the concert, during their time on stage, and as they departed. They certainly are amazing!
Talking about amazing, thank you to Kata Sasvari for taking photos during both concerts. She has graciously shared the link to those photos so that families can enjoy special concert moments. The link to both galleries is HERE. Thank you , Kata!
In other news, you will see a post that I made today to the Norwich listserv in regard to crosswalk safety. The Church Street crosswalk is well managed by Demo, our fantastic crossing guard. The crosswalk across from the gazebo currently does not have a crossing guard. This week I had three reports of parents and children having near misses with cars when attempting to cross the street. I ask that you help out in a couple of ways. First, please have a conversation with your children about the importance of stopping, pushing the button to flash the lights, and looking carefully before walking out into the street. If you drive through town at drop off or dismissal times, please be extra mindful of the crosswalks and families crossing the street. I am positive that with some extra attention, we can work together to keep everyone safe.
Finally, this week I had a call from the Barnet School. For those of you new to MCS, I was principal of the Barnet School for a decade before coming to MCS. An MCS parent contacted my past school to inquire about my time there. My Barnet colleague mentioned that the parent wanted to know, among other things, if I allowed open houses and parent volunteers. I thought this was a great question that others may be wondering. Yes, during my tenure at the Barnet School we had many open houses, concerts, literacy nights, math nights, and other events. The Barnet School has an outdoor bread oven in the shape of the school mascot, the bulldog, which provided a gathering place for many happy memories. Families in the Barnet community had little time to volunteer, but they were always welcome, just as each of you is welcome to volunteer at MCS. I welcome anyone who is interested in my time at the Barnet School to contact me. I absolutely loved being principal of the Barnet School and would like nothing more than the opportunity to talk about my experiences. I would ask that people understand that my time at Barnet was pre-covid, with a different staff, a different school community and with different traditions. I still value school-wide events, volunteerism, and providing opportunities for families to connect, just like our concerts this week!
Please enjoy all the joys that sticky snow and a snow day have to offer! I look forward to a great three day week followed by a wonderful vacation.
Enjoy,
Shawn
Student Services Update
Have a great weekend everyone. Enjoy the snow!
Greg
Counselor's Corner
This week WISE continued with their classroom lessons in grades K-4 and focused on asking for help, identifying a trusted adult, and personal space. Take home sheets and activities went home with your child, so be sure to check in with them about their lessons. The second edition of “Who’s News” was published by the 5th grade news crew and is linked here if you’d like to take a peek. 6th graders in Who’s Crew completed another video on kindness that will be shared with classes next week and spent time in morning meetings talking about empathy and positive peer relationships. It’s been another great week of snack check ins, lunch groups and problem solving; and Stella and I are looking forward to the possibility of fresh snow to play in next week!
School News and Information
Marion Cross is accepting Pre-Kindergarten applications through January 27th 2023. Please visit our website enrollment page for more information.
News from the Nurse’s Office
Antigen test available from the federal Government. Please order them directly from the link below.
Households can order another round of free antigen tests!
Biden administration makes at-home Covid tests available for free again this winter (cnbc.com)
Also, just a reminder that through BCBS (any many other insurance companies) you can get 8 free tests a month from rite aid (and maybe other pharmacies).
On another note many children are suffering from very chapped lips. It would be great if you could supply them with some they can keep in their desk to use as needed. I encourage you to put their name on it so no questions as to who it belongs to.
Thanks Nurse Jane
PTO Bulletin Board
Holiday Teacher & Staff Appreciation:
Thank you to our Class Reps who are busy getting information out about how classes are honoring their teachers during the holiday season. We want to stress that all families are represented in gift-giving, and contributions are entirely optional.
The PTO is seeking a volunteer to take charge of honoring all of our staff & faculty, including assistants, non-classroom teachers, etc. If this is something you would like to volunteer for, please contact us at marioncrosspto@gmail.com
19 Days of Norwich fundraising effort:
Marion Cross will be collecting cans of tomatoes to donate to the Haven Food Pantry. Collection boxes are positioned at each school entrance. Students, parents, and faculty, may deliver their canned goods to these boxes any morning or afternoon. Let’s work together as a Marion Cross community to see if we can beat our record from last year of 293 cans of tomatoes!
Next PTO Meeting: Thursday, Jan. 5 @ 7pm via Zoom
Courtesy Community Interest Posts
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