From the Desk of Mr. Lee
Good vs. Bad - One of the core values of MacArthur Middle School is the maintenance of a pleasant, orderly, supportive atmosphere. To achieve this requires a spirit of cooperation among students, teachers, parents and administrators. This cooperation promotes an atmosphere that enables and encourages excellence in education. In an effort to support this cooperation, all students and their parents should review our school wide behavioral expectations. They can be found at the back of the Student/Parent Handbook. These are better known as PARR expectations.
The major goal of good school discipline procedures should be to change behavior. The same can be said of disciplining your child at home. We realize that everyone makes mistakes and that with more life experience we hopefully make less of them. At MacArthur Middle School, students will sometimes use poor judgment. The majority of consequences for behavioral infractions are progressive. In other words, they gradually get more “severe” with each incident. It is always a fine balance of what does it take to change behavior. This could range from warnings and student/adult discussions to suspension.
One issue parents often struggle with is the “GOOD KID vs. BAD KID” issue. Regularly, we hear “But my child is a good child.” In other words, my child should not be given the same consequences as a “bad child” -- “My child has never been in trouble”, “This is pretty severe for someone who has never been in trouble”, or “My child should not be given the same consequences as a child who is always in trouble.”
When determining consequences for inappropriate behavior and poor student choices, administrators and teachers don’t take “good kid vs. bad kid” into consideration. Good kids make mistakes and poor choices just like the “bad kids” do. In fact, we try very hard not to label kids as good or bad – there are just good and bad behaviors and good and bad choices. The discipline procedure is written to address behavior and choice. In order to change behavior an appropriate sequence of consequences has to be administered. Kids who usually make good choices usually change their behavior early on in the sequence and kids who often make poor choices sometimes take more time to learn. We consider these factors as we make decisions in regards to consequences.
As children get into their early teenage years, don’t be afraid to allow your child to learn from his/her choices and sometimes, difficult consequences of those choices. In all reality, it is the only way they will learn – saving a child from a consequence does not afford the child the opportunity to learn accountability and responsibility for his/her choices and behaviors. A decision to allow a child to learn from his/her behaviors or choices and the following consequences may be the best child raising decision you ever make. Fight the urge to rush in on the white horse and to bail your child out of the difficult times – especially if those experiences have been caused by your child’s actions. Be there with love, be there with support, but don’t bail them out or take away their opportunity to learn something very important. If a discipline situation arises, discuss the concepts of accountability and responsibility for one’s behaviors, actions and choices. Discuss the issue of consequences as a result of those behaviors, actions and choices. This can be one of the most valuable learning experiences your child will ever receive from you.
Information - Remember to visit our website www.d23.org/macarthur for information regarding Mac news, upcoming dates and announcements. For additional information, please check your child’s backpack for teacher information and handouts each Friday.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s education, the people to contact first would be your child’s teacher/team. They can either answer your questions directly or point you in the right direction.
Dates to Remember
September 30 No School
October 9 No School
October 29 Picture Retake Day
Picture Retake Day-Wednesday, October 29, 2008
If you missed picture day, have your smile ready on Wednesday, October 29 for retake day. Pictures will begin at 8:15 a.m. in the Little Theatre. Don’t forget to bring in your Color Portrait envelope with the exact amount required. No change will be given.
Girls Basketball Intramural Schedule
We will meet in the gym from 7 to 7:45 am.
Sept. 22, 24, Oct. 2, 7, and 14
Boys Basketball Intramural Schedule
We will meet in the gym from 7:00 to 7:45 am on
Sept. 26 (PM) and 29, Oct. 1, 3 (PM), 6, 8, and 13
Cross Country
On Tuesday, September 9th MacArthur traveled to Cooper to run the hills. It was a perfect day for a race and the MAC team ran great. Elizabeth Smith, Michele Helminski, Paige Polgar, and Claire Schwaba all finished in the top 10 for the 7th Grade Girl's Race. Bruce Ferraro, Brein Martin, Jack O'Neil, and Jacob Komenda had top 10 finishes for the 7th Grade Boys. The 8th Grade race had Sara Kern, Justine Bowes, Jeff Ruffin, Cameron DeCoursey, and Adam Korber all finishing in the top 10. Great Job MAC!
On Thursday, September 11, the MacArthur cross-country team competed against London. Runners at all grade levels ran great races and each runner has shaved at least 25 seconds off of his or her time from Tuesday’s meet. We had a lot of the same top ten runners in each race but a few new additions to the 6th/7th grade girls race-Hailey Dammeier, Jennifer Polgar, Katelyn Emmerling, and Juliette Vainisi. New finishers in the top 10 for the 6th/7th grade boys race were Ivan Mancilla, Alex Kais, Chris Pierro, Sam Bayyari, and David Sessions. New finishers in the top ten for the 8th grade girls are Claire Hynes, Michelle Brown, Ashley Hafertepe, Anne Denniston, and Theresa Gansinger and new top ten finishers for 8th grade boys are Jim Olsen, Matt Quick, Igor Drab, and Ziggy Jasiunas. First place finishers were Elizabeth Smith, Ivan Mancilla, and Jeff Ruffin. A big thank you to everyone who came out and cheered our team to victory. It’s always great to race for a crowd.
Come on out to Macarthur to watch the Cross Country team battle St. Peter’s on Thursday September 25th at 4:00. The rescheduled Holmes x-country meet will be Thursday, October 2nd, 4 p.m. at Holmes.
Yearbook Meeting - The next yearbook meeting will be Wednesday, September 24 in Room 510 from 3 – 4:00 p.m. See you there.
Softball Intramurals - Grab a mitt and report to the gym at 7:00 to 7:45 am on the following dates. Get some great exercise by throwing the softball around and swinging the bat. An alternative gym activity will be arranged in case of inclement weather. See Mrs. Kutcher for details. Tues. Sept. 23, Thurs. Sept. 25, Mon. Sept. 29, Wed. Oct 1,Tues. Oct. 7, & Wed. Oct. 8
6th grade BAND - MacArthur’s sixth grade band is in need of some new members. There are several types of instruments needed to fill out the band correctly. The group is very much in need of trombones, clarinets and saxophones. If there are any 6th grade students seriously interested in learning how to play any of these instruments, please contact Mr. Thomas. Parents of interested students should e-mail Mr. Thomas for details and to have questions answered. We hope there are students that will step forward and take the first step to join this group.
Community Food Drive
District 23 is looking for donations to our local Food Drive beginning Monday, September 22 and ending Friday, September 26. Bring in non-perishable food items to your advisor next week and help your advisory win a pizza party! The top two advisories from each grade level with the most food items by the end of the week will win a pizza party. Any questions, contact Ms. Klein (mklein@d23.org) or Ms. Reibel (mreibel@d23.org).
Tennis intramurals has begun. Tennis will be after school at the Gary Morava tennis courts. All you need is a racquet and a can of tennis balls. Pick up a schedule from Ms. Sabo. Transportation will not be provided, so get together with your friends and form a car pool.
Picturing America
Art Teacher, Kevin Bazan, Industrial Arts Teacher, Andre Poisson and Library Media Specialist, MaryBeth McWilliams are participating in a grant from the National Endowment for Humanities and the American Library Association. “Picture America” is a program that is intended to give students a deeper appreciation of our country’s history by introducing them to its great art. The images selected in Picture America are a sample of significant works from the whole body of American art. The grant includes forty large, high-quality reproductions that feature artists from early American Indian artisans to painters Mary Cassatt and Thomas Hart Benton, from photographers Walker Evans and Dorthea Lange to architects Frank Lloyd Wright and William Van Alen -- Masterpieces that reflect several centuries of American art. The grant “Picture America” has been awarded to eight school districts in Illinois and the MacArthur staff is looking forward to the opportunity to share with students these historical images.
Creativity Club
The Home Economics department will be sponsoring two creativity clubs for interested students beginning on Tuesday, October 7th or Wednesday, October 8th. The Tuesday club is for 6th graders only. The Wednesday club will be held for 7th and 8th graders only.
Creativity club will make a variety of holiday related projects through the fall and winter, which will involve cooking, and painting, creating note cards, sewing and stenciling. Students pay a supply fee for the year.
If this club sounds like it is for you, then stop by the Home Economics room, room 315, and take an information sheet from the door. If you have any questions, see Mrs. Bina. Sign up sheet will be posted at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 23. Don't be left out, sign up early. This club fills up fast!!
To minimize classroom interruptions
if you need to pick your child up during the school day for an appointment, please notify the attendance office in the morning. Have your child meet you in the office at the time of their dismissal. You must sign your child out of the building. When they return from their appointment, the student can sign himself/herself back in. If you drop something off in the office that your child has left at home, your child may pick it up between classes. Students will not be called out of class. Make sure items are labeled with the child’s name. Please do not call the school to have messages delivered to your child during the school day. Thank you for your cooperation.
Wanted
Students to participate in a research study about how kids get along with important people in their lives. All participants will receive $5.00 or more in McDonald’s coupons and will be entered in a drawing for a $25.00
AMC Theatres Entertainment Card
A large sample of MacArthur families will receive an information packet. Please sign and return the consent forms by October 1st if you are interested. Any questions, please contact Mrs. Mestling at 847-544-6874.
Jump to: Top of Page or HOME 