Greetings Families!
I hope the holiday spirit has filled your home. As you can see in the Bobcat Sightings video, we had a wonderfully spirited final week of 2024 at school!
We began with the Holiday Bazaar on Monday. I believe that this event is one of the most important for our students' development, as they put aside their own wants and become the givers. I wish family members could hear the students' painstaking (sometimes excruciating : ) deliberation over what to select for loved ones and the excited anticipation of giving their gifts. I bet many parents have already been talked into opening their presents!
Just as important as the Bazaar for development is the amazing Frog Town Puppeteers' smartly hilarious performances. I was awe struck again this year as the sibling trio had every student spellbound for close to an hour with their wondrous set, handmade puppets, and perfect script. The best part to me is that the staging and puppets are made and engineered from everyday objects and kitchen table innovation. The Q and A at the end takes students behind the scenes and the excellent questions students were asking after The Grinch could have gone on for another hour!
Sprinkled among the school-wide activities were the usual routines; class parties; writers' workshop; garden trench digging; a kindergarten ride on the "Polar Express"; and holiday-themed academic challenges, including cookie making, and a candy cane science lab in second grade.
We now hand over your children for you to enjoy for the next week and a half. We look forward to welcoming them back on January 2, 2025! We have exciting things planned for the new year; read about our first ever Family Math Night below!
On behalf of the MBES team, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Mary
Mary Paine
Principal, Marcia Buker ES
28 High Street
Richmond, Me 04357
School (207)-737-4748
Mobile (207) 557-0062
Dates and Notices
January Menus
Breakfast
Lunch
January Dates and Events
Jan. 1st No School(New Years Day)
Jan 8. PTG meeting, 6:00 PM (link will be send out)
Jan. 9th Family Math Night (See below)
Jan 9th Richmond School Committee meeting
Jan. 20th No School(Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
Jan. 31st. Early Release (no PreK)
Family Math Night, January 9th
Here's an equation that's easy to solve: Strong mathematics skills + strong literacy skills + family engagement in elementary school = the foundation for future academic and career success in all areas.
At Marcia Buker, we have worked hard for the last three years to develop a strong math curriculum. Numeracy is as important as literacy to future success, and the two are interdependent. Family involvement helps students feel that importance and connection. We invite you to help us foster a positive attitude towards math and explore the fun of doing math with your child! Join us for our first ever Family Math Night on Thursday, January 9th, from 6:00 -7:30 PM. This fun event is for all students in grades PreK - 5!
Attendees will visit three math activity rooms, take home math games and family activities, use math to make their own snack, and get a chance to win prizes. Help us kick off what we hope will be an annual event!
Thanks to 4th grade teacher and building leader, Taylor Maloney, for leading this initiative and to the many colleagues who are volunteering their time to host activities and organize the evening.
We look forward to seeing you there!
It Takes a Village
Children's Holiday Bazaar: Thanks to Kerry Gardner for organizing the annual Children's Holiday Bazaar. We could not provide this meaningful experience for all 214 students without the generosity of those who donated gifts, and without our wonderful volunteers, who helped students shop and gift wrap. This year's community elves included Cora and Peter Gardner, Mini Grizkewitsch, Sandy Emmons, and Deb Bodge.
The Christmas Spirit: We can't go into much detail without ruining the magic, but we want to thank the countless individuals and organizations whose generosity made the holidays a little brighter for many children and families!