The News From MGWS

Each year at MGWS, a group of teachers chooses 10-15 books to be nominated for the Great Works Book Award.  The books are introduced to students during an assembly in October, and then the books are available in the library for students to read.  Sometime in May, students vote on their favorite and the book that receives the most votes wins the Great Works Book Award.

This year’s assembly was Tuesday and the new books have already been disappearing from the library shelves.  The following books are this year’s nominees:
Clementine by Sara Pennypacker

Phineas L. MacGuire Erupts! By Frances O’Roark Dowell

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little by Peggy Gifford

Rules by Cynthia Lord

The Big House by Carolyn Coman

Rickshaw Girl by Mitali Perkins

Shredderman: Secret Identity by Wendelin Draanen

Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck

Trapped by Peg Kehret

Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer

House of Sports by Marisabina Russo

The Earth Dragon Awaits by Laurence Yep

Sheep by Valerie Hobbs

On Monday MGWS held a schoolwide mock election.  Students and teachers cast votes for president, senator and congressperson.  The results are as follows:

5th Grade -

4th Grade -

Teachers -

The nine fourth grade classes headed off to The Music Hall this morning to see The Courage to Dream: The Amazing Life of Ben Franklin. We filled a good portion of the beautiful theater, and students enjoyed the show!

Marshwood Great Works School is collecting canned goods and other nonperishables over the next few weeks. All items will be donated to food pantries in South Berwick and Eliot.

Let’s make this our best food drive yet!

Children once again lined Academy Street for our second walk to school day this morning.

They were greeted by teachers and hot cocoa in the cafeteria upon their arrival at school. What a wonderful way to start the day!

…always a teacher!

Two of our very favorite people have been walking the halls of MGWS this year. Ruth Michel and Carlton Spring have come out of retirement in order to substitute in our building, and we couldn’t be happier to have them among us!

Ruth retired last year after 30 years of teaching – mostly here in MSAD #35 in the 4th grade. Although retired life is grand, she really wanted to stay connected to MGWS. Right now she is subbing in any MGWS classroom, but soon she’ll be with us for 6 weeks as a long-term sub. YIPPEE!

Carlton retired last year after 39 years in MSAD #35. He spent 16 years at Central School and then moved to the Junior High/Middle School where he taught math. Carlton is taking over Mrs. Starkey’s class during her maternity leave. He says, “I’m really enjoying teaching all subjects and having just one group. I’m enjoying the wonderful atmosphere in this building. It is a great place to be.”

Kate Elizabeth Marie Starkey was born on October 18, 2008 at 5:05 am. 8lbs, 11oz….20 inches long. Mrs. Starkey and Kate are doing great!

Our “Tops and Bottoms for Haiti” clothing collection wrapped up on Friday, and the results are impressive! The MGWS community donated enough clothing to fill a large barrel:

-115 Tops

-100 Bottoms

-17 MMS T-shirts

-$22.00

-and lots of cards and letters!

The clothing will be transported to NY by Amy Miller, and then shipped to the Milot School. Thanks to all for a job well done!

If you pass by the cafeteria on a Tuesday afternoon you may see a group of teachers, pencils and notebooks in hand, intently listening to their instructor. Yes, teachers go to school, too!

This group is learning about Guided Reading, which is a method of teaching reading to students. The instructor is our own Susan Goettlich, who also serves as the reading coach for MGWS. So far, feedback on the course is very positive. Teachers are trying new methods and tricks, while still relying on tried and true methods. “It’s great to have some new ideas to add to my bag of tricks,” says one participant.

The Happy Feet Walking Club is underway! Every Tuesday, Mr. Pollock will gather his walkers together and head out and around the MGWS neighborhood. What a great way to end a school day! All are welcome….