25th Children's Circus of Middletown

25th Annual Children's Circus of Middletown:
The Big City Circus
 

The Middletown Commission on the Arts and Middlesex United Way present Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater’s 25th Children’s Circus of Middletown: The Big City Circus.  The one-time-only show will be presented on Friday August 2 at 5 PM at Macdonough School, with a rain date of Saturday, August 3 at 5 PM. 

The Big City Circus captures the hustle and bustle of city life. Through parades, traffic jams, skyscrapers and pigeons, 150 talented young performers find themselves flung into a chaotic urban sprawl. Featuring fast paced stilted construction sites, lively unicycle market places and an all out acrobatic battle with Godzilla, the Big City Circus aims to bring the sites, sounds, smells and zaniness of the big city to new heights.

 

The Children’s Circus of Middletown is an exceptional community wide program where entire families come together to create this one-of-a-kind spectacle. Director Jason Leinwand, now in his 2nd year as Director, comments often on spirit of community  “In my opinion, this is the essence of what the circus is. It's a place where everyone is welcome to participate. The circus is a place where all of our individual skills are collaged together to create an unbelievable spectacle that everyone can be proud to be a part of. We become a community of artists and over time, one big circus family.”

 

Oddfellows is asking everyone to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to Amazing Grace Food Pantry.  Bring a lawn chair and enthusiasm to Macdonough School and enjoy the spectacle.  The 25th Children’s Circus of Middletown: The Big City Circus will perform at 5 PM on August 2 at Macdonough School (66 Spring Street) in Middletown.  Parking is limited to street locations, so carpooling is recommended. The Macdonough School lot is reserved for handicapped and elderly patrons.  Tickets are available at the door and are $5 for adults and $3 for children and seniors. 

 

The Children’s Circus is part of the Middletown Commission on the Arts Kids Arts program.  The circus is made possible by the Middletown Commission on the Arts, the Middlesex United Way, The Middletown Board of Education and Oddfellows Playhouse’s many generous supporters.  For more information, call (860) 347-6143. 

 

Fall 2013 classes, auditions and productions will be announced soon!  Keep an eye on the websitewww.oddfellows.org.  

 

Board of Ed Redistricts to Solve Macdonough's Overcrowding

The Board of Education voted this evening, 5-1, to redistrict 10 streets from Macdonough Elementary School to Snow and Farm Hill Elementary Schools.  The move would reduce the number of classrooms at Macdonough from 14 to 12 this fall.  Superintendent Charles explained the move as the only option to relieve the overcrowded conditions at Macdonough, where specials teachers do not have a dedicated space to teach in.  As an example, Art and Music share the same room, and both teachers have to undo and re-stage the room each time they teach.  Macdonough Principal Jon Romeo called it a "work climate space issue" his teachers have to face that no other school in the district does.

BOE member Ryan Kennedy raised many concerns about the move, including the rather painful observation that these 10 streets had been moved to Macdonough just 3 years ago to help solve the racial imbalance issues the school faces.  At that time, many parents begged to be left at the schools they loved, and BOE member Sheila Daniels reminded the board of that fact.  When asked specifically, both Dr. Charles and Principal Romeo admitted that this redistricting would only solve overcrowding for now, and it would work against solving the racial imbalance issues.  Specifically, Macdonough is only allowed to be 25% above the district's minority population average, and it was at 24.9% in October when school populations are measured by the state.  Principal Romeo commented, "We think this move will change racial imbalance by about 1.5%, which is not significant....We're hoping the state will be lenient about being 2 or 3 students over since we're not asking to be like 10-15% out of balance."

The move will affect about 30 students, mostly those starting kindergarten, first and second grade in the fall.  Only a handful of third and fourth graders are affected, and only because they are the older siblings of the younger children being moved.  Macdonough currently has 3 kindergarten and 3 first grade classes, and the move would reduce those two grades to 2 classes each.  The families have not yet been notified as the Superintendent needed the Board's approval before she could move forward.

The Board was missing three members this evening, including Ed McKeon, who is the Chair of the Feasibility community.  Cheryl McClellan commented that the committee had discussed all of Ryan Kennedy's objections, but had decided that this move was the only option to solve the most pressing concern of overcrowding.  In the final vote, Ryan voted against redistricting.

In other BOE news, seven Keigwin Middle School students helped Principal Silvia Mayo Molina present their school to the board.  Their combined presence and polished public speaking skills made a huge impression on the board and the audience.  The students spoke about their individual Student Success Plans (SSP), their involvement in extra-curricular activities, and their pursuit of personal goals. All were dressed to impress - great job!

From back left to right: Ramo Bajraktarevic, Sara Canfield, Khaliesha Ellison, and Makayah Joseph
From front left to right: Rose Romano, Anthony Vidot, and Bianca Labella

Finally, as the Superintendent prepares to present her budget to the City Council next Tuesday night (April 16), she was able to report that the district has erased the $1.2 million deficit it faced at the beginning of the school year.  This is very good news, especially given the fact that the budget Dr. Charles is asking for represents a 7.1% increase over last year's budget.  While this seems like a huge jump, the BOE budget has been flat for 5 years, which actually means the budget was cut each year when contractual price increases such as salary raises or contracted services price increases are taken into consideration.

Charles also reported that she is counting on receiving $1.6 million from the Governor's new budget, but that the district will not receive funds that were sequestered from the Federal Government.  She admitted to some preliminary discussions about what would be cut if her budget is not fully funded, but she did not hint at what the cuts would be.

CCP's Did You Know? Fact #15.

This week’s fact highlights Wesleyan Athletics’ partnerships with local elementary schools. Beyond their presentation at Woodside, Athletics sends out students on a weekly basis to join the elementary schools during recess. You can check out their Harlem Shake video with Macdonough students here.

A large force behind this partnership is Jeff McDonald, who holds several titles at Wesleyan, including Assistant Football Coach and co-advisor for Wesleyan’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee. In his article printed over at Middletown Patch, McDonald details the symbiotic relationship between Wesleyan Athletics and Macdonough School. We implore you to jump over and learn more about this dynamic partnership.

Gift Drive to Benefit MacDonough School

Rushford Center to Offer Nutrition Program

RUSHFORD OFFERS FREE NURTURING PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES

MIDDLETOWN, CT__ Rushford will offer a FREE 8-week Nurturing Program for parents of school age children ages 4-11 and their families. Sessions begin Monday, March 26th and meet weekly from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at Macdonough Elementary School, 66 Spring Street, Middletown. Light meals and refreshments will be provided.

The goal of the Nurturing Program is to improve a family’s quality of life by promoting a philosophy of caring for self, others and the environment. Rushford encourages families to attend the sessions, which will include separate parent and children’s groups to promote wellness.

Parents will share experiences to develop parenting skills and address positive life options through acceptance and support. Children will have their own safe and trusting program environment to build self-esteem and confidence, express feelings through communication, engage in family activities, and learn techniques for cooperation and conflict resolution.

Program outcomes include better parenting, improved knowledge of child development and an increased use of appropriate parenting techniques. Family Enrichment Programs, such as Rushford’s Nurturing Program, increase the odds that children from extremely high risk families are nurtured appropriately and go to school ready to learn.

Rushford is dedicated to offering prevention programs rooted in positive youth development principles. In total, more than 10,000 individuals and families use Rushford’s resources and services each year.

The Nurturing Program is made possible through a grant from the State of Connecticut Children’s Trust Fund. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. To register, or for more information, please contact Felicia Goodwine-Vaughters at 860-852-1080 at Rushford Prevention Services in Middletown.

Rushford is dedicated to meeting the substance abuse and mental health needs of children, adults and families. Working cooperatively with our Hartford Healthcare network partners and others who share our goals, Rushford strives to provide affordable, accessible services of proven effectiveness and high quality that embrace the most current research in prevention, treatment and recovery. For more information, visitwww.rushford.org.

CHC Launches National Music Video Campaign featuring local Macdonaugh Students

From the CHC Press Release: Recess Rocks Launches National Music Video to Fight Childhood Obesity Recess Rocks has teamed up with Steve Roslonek of PBS Kids’ popular show “SteveSongs” to produce an energetic Recess Rocks theme song and music video, designed to spur kids into action. The music video as well as other Recess Rocks resources, blend a variety of aerobic movements—like kickboxing, African drumming and yoga— with upbeat, energizing music. The sustained-activity programs can be used at school to get kids fit, sharpen young minds, encourage natural “feel-good” energy, build self-esteem and nurture lifelong healthy habits. Community Health Center, Inc. (CHC) developed Recess Rocks – a national program to reverse childhood obesity and to redefine and redesign how recess is incorporated into the school day. Recess Rocks is a free, dynamic movement program for elementary school children that can be adapted to any part of the school day. It brings fun, non-competitive aerobic exercise and kinesthetic learning into the classroom and beyond. Download the theme song from iTunes. Visit www.RecessRocks.com to watch the music video and learn more about how to get started with Recess Rocks in your community. Recess Rocks is a program of the Community Health Center, Inc. 635 Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457 www.chc1.com

A Time for Gratitude ...

As Mother Nature's winds and waters subside, I find myself counting my blessings, again and again. Besides my home remaining solid and safe and not losing electricity, I'm grateful for the support of many in town who contributed to our 5 week summer camp. Sponsored by the City of Middletown's Commission on the Arts (MCA), as part of their KIDS ARTS program, this camp has been run in tandem with Oddfellows Playhouse for over 20 years! While Oddfellows' culminates with the Children's Circus, we finished up this year's program with "The Big Reveal". It was a great time as the kids presented their work, and they excitedly performed their best for the Mayor, the MCA and their friends and family. I am honored and grateful to be part of this Middletown tradition.



I would like to thank those who continue to support the Arts, even and especially in these challenging times. Along with our major sponsors: the MCA, Johnson Consulting and The Middlesex County Community Foundation, we also have the support of many local businesses. Many of them contributed to our newspaper, "The Friendly Times" which was created by the kids, and can be found at the Chamber of Commerce and other places along Main Street. Look for their advertisements, created by the kids! A hearty pat on the back to O'Rourke's Diner, Illiano's Restaurant, Fusion Bakery and The Green Dahlia, who also donated to "The Big Reveal" and helped to make the kids' night a special one. Thank you also to Jon Romeo, Kelly Swan, Jeremy Hungerford and Jay Jay Johnson, who were extremely kind and helpful when we invaded their space at MacDonough School for camp.

I am grateful to live in a city which recognizes the need for artistic education, and hope we continue to develop the natural talents of our youth. We are truly blessed here in Middletown for the richness of good people and I am especially grateful to two people who volunteered their time to making our program the success that it was. Erin St. Pierre served as an administrative assistant and substitute teacher, and Darrell Lucas volunteered to videotape the kids at camp and The Big Reveal, producing a terrific VIDEO SHOW which can be found on our website. Also there are more photos and the names of all the sponsors and the awesome teachers and counselors who contributed to our KIDS ARTS camp. (buttonwood.org) - THANK YOU!

Sincerely,
Anne-Marie Cannata
Executive Director, North End Arts Rising, Inc.
(The Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts & Cultural Center)
Middletown, CT

Book Fair at Macdonough School

The public is welcome to shop the PTA Book Fair at Macdonough on Friday, June 18th, 9 am to 4 pm. It's buy one, get one, so come stock up on your summer reading books!

Friday Night Hoops Starts Tonight

NEAT and Macdonough School will be hosting the "Friday Night Hoops" basketball block parties this summer every third Friday of the Month.

The first one is TONIGHT, May 21st at 6 pm. We'll have music, food and fun. Come on out and enjoy the park with your neighbors. It will be held at Donovan Park (next to Macdonough School). This event is open to everyone. We'll provide the food and music, just come over!

Cloudy with a chance of Redistricting

Macdonough has been getting a lot of ink lately -- I thought you might like to see some photos to go along with all the chatter.

Last Thursday, we had "Movie Night" at the school - it was suggested by a dad who came to a PTA meeting a few weeks ago, and everyone jumped in to help make it a party.

About 100 families gathered in the school cafeteria and gym. Some wore their pajamas and set up camp to watch "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" while snacking on popcorn (thanks Destinta!).



You can see Reggie Holley and Marilyn Dunkley dishing out the popcorn to a line of patient kids.



For those who preferred some grown-up company, there were lots of parents in the cafeteria enjoying a spread put together by Taneone and Rebecca. There were meatballs, of course, and lots of fresh fruit and veggies.



Of course, I couldn't resist the opportunity to do some organizing too, trying to make sure that all the families know about the redistricting vote on April 6th. We're losing 80 children at Macdonough. Most of the kids who would be leaving us live less than half a mile from Spencer -- and well over a mile from Macdonough. That doesn't make this any easier. I talked to one mom who is slated to move and she said, "No, my child won't be moving. I just had his conference and his teacher says he's more than a year ahead of his grade's reading level. I won't risk losing that and I don't think we'll find it anywhere else. We just won't be leaving. That just won't be happening."

Crazy world, huh? Some people are desperate not to come to Macdonough, and some are desperate not to leave.

So that was Movie Night. I didn't get to see much of the movie, but my kid had a great time, sitting next to his friend-since-kindergarten who'll probably be moving to Spencer next year.

I imagine that there will be a lot of people at the Board of Ed meeting on April 6th (7 pm in the Middletown High auditorium). Some will be for the redistricting - and some against. In the meantime, I'm concentrating on celebrating the community we have together now, even as we get ready for change.

First Day for the North End

Today was the first day of school!
Here is a slide show of some great Macdonough moments and some sweet reunions of Moody kids and their families.

Also, my friend Gus (whose parents happen to be videographers!) had his first day of school as a kindergartner. It's a pretty cute video and also shows the Macdonough Surf's Up assembly where the kids sing the school song, are welcomed and the new teachers are honored. Congratulations everyone and have a great year!

Around Middletown in 80 Days: Day 9

First Day of School

Commodore Macdonough School

66 Spring Street

Today is a day filled with excitement, anticipation and a healthy dose of trepidation. Today is the first day of school in Middletown. This morning, students returning to Macdonough School in the North End, were welcomed by Principal Jon Romeo, the teachers and staff, as well as our intrepid traveler, Phileas Fogg. Phileas enjoyed the first SURFS assembly of the year and the Beach Boy tunes that welcomed him. After learning the school song and listening to a story, Phileas decided to learn more about the school itself.

Macdonough School was dedicated to the memory of Commodore Thomas Macdonough, a US Naval hero who was most famous for defeating the British navy during the War of 1812 in the Battle of Lake Champlain. For this heroism and leadership, he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor.

Commodore Macdonough's connection to Middletown began early in his career, while he was stationed in the city to assist in overseeing the construction of gunboats. Macdonough returned to the city and made his home here after ending his naval career and is buried in Middletown. The Commodore Macdonough school was built in 1924 and dedicated in 1925.

Phileas wishes all the students and teachers in Middletown a great year.

Macdonough staff are all wet

Middletown schools don't open until next Wednesday, but Macdonough School on Spring Street was packed with families on Saturday for the Back to School Bash. The Faith Christian and Catalyst Churches cooperate to put on a fun-filled family party for all the new and returning students at Macdonough, with a bouncy tent, popcorn, entertainment and free backpacks for all the kids.



Most activities were held inside due to the drizzle, but one activity kept a large crowd outdoors in spite of the weather. Students and parents lined up to try their hand at the dunk tank, and they had great success in keeping their teachers and their principal more soaked than the crowd.

Good News at Macdonough Featured in the Courant

The impressive progress made in the Connecticut Mastery tests at Macdonough School is featured in a major article in the Hartford Courant today.

Countdown from 98

Some may think that summer begins on the 21st of June. Others, looking at our soggy weather, may think it will never arrive. But Middletown families know that the first true day of summer is the morning that you wake up to summer vacation.

That's today.

Back in September, I wrote about the first day of school. Yesterday, we spent the morning at Macdonough doing some last minute PTA fundraising (book fair!) and watching 5th grade graduation. It was great to see all the kids and their extended families gathered in the gym - many of them carrying balloons or bouquets for their graduates.


It's been a good year.

Now on to the business of celebrating the lazy days of summer -- all 98 of them until September 2nd. Let the sprinklers begin (on second thought, maybe we've had enough sprinkling for a bit!).

Moody School Building and Leveling to be discussed at two Board of Ed meetings Tuesday

The School Board will be holding two meetings on Tuesday evening, a special meeting on Leveling at 6PM, and a regular meeting at 7PM.  Both meetings will be in the Middletown High School Cafe.  

Leveling

Leveling is the Schools administration's plan to combine all students into the same classroom, eliminating advanced classes for mathematics in 6th grade.  The Board has scheduled 20 minutes each for administrators and the Public to speak, and 20 minutes for themselves to discuss Leveling, prior to an "Action Item" on Leveling.  Leveling was discussed extensively by the Board at their June 2nd meeting.  

Moody School and JCJ Report

The second meeting is their regular meeting, scheduled to start at 7PM.  This meeting has a long agenda, full of policy readings, and reports from standing committees.  Two related items stand out, in the "Report of the Superintendent" portion of the meeting.  The first is entitled "Moody School Status" and the second  "Feasibility Study Update."

The Superintendent's office has been concerned about overcrowding at Moody School since at least January.  Assistant Superintendent Barbara Senges came to the January Moody School PTA meeting and assured the parents that there would not be too many students at Moody School next year.   Senges will be making the presentation on "Moody School Status" at the Board Meeting tonight.  

The "Feasibility Study" is the work being carried out by JCJ Architecture, who have been undertaking a district wide utilization study, to determine the best use of Middletown's school buildings.  Their final report is not due until the fall, but an "initial report" was to make recommendations for solving two issues:  overcrowding at Moody and a racial imbalance at MacDonough.  

This initial report, entitled "Observations of potential near-term changes" does not make any recommendations to address these issues, and specifically recommends against redistricting:

Rearranging attendance borders will likely not have a positive impact on the district at this time and is not seen as a viable working option.  

The long range plan will look more deeply into alternatives to large scale changes to attendance districts.  

Athough there are no recommendations for solving Moody's overcrowding issue in the JCJ report, the report does provide data on the enrollment capacity of each school.  Combining these data with the December 1st enrollment figures from the Board of Education office, it becomes obvious that while overall there is more than enough capacity in the elementary school buildings, Moody School is overflowing by the equivalent of nearly 3 classes (57 students):

These enrollment numbers can fluctuate during the course of the school year, and may be slightly different today than they were on December 1st. In fact, the JCJ report uses a total enrollment number for the elementary schools that is 25 students higher than the December 1st numbers used above (about 1%). 

Superintendent Dr. Michael Frechette told me last week that he is looking at several options for Moody School, but that he was not prepared to discuss them at that time.  He agreed that the problem was clearly a lack of capacity.  The Principal of Moody, Yolande Eldridge, told me that the Board has provided resources such as an additional copy machine and added paraprofessionals during this school year, but she could not say what resources might be made  available for the coming year. 

Friday Night Hoops

Last night, about 200 kids, parents, community members and teachers came out to Donovan Park for the first North End Nights Basketball Tournament, hosted by Macdonough School and the North End Action Team. The games were serious but friendly, the hot dogs were cooked to perfection, thanks to the grilling skills of Deputy Police Chief, Pat McMahon and the expertise of Elsie Arnold and Laura Hall, and everyone had a great time. It was a perfect night. In fact, it was such a success, that we've decided to run these once a month throughout the summer. Mark your calendar for the third Friday in June. 6:00 pm.

Thanks to the Park and Rec department for supplying the hoops, the city for supplying the grill and Macdonough for the support. And, especially to all of the great kids and families who came out to enjoy one of the nicest evenings of the year so far. Here is a slideshow of pictures for you to enjoy.

Thanks to the Teachers

This is Teacher Appreciation Week, and all across Middletown, students, families and PTA's are letting their teachers know how much they are loved.

Here's my own Thank You to the teachers at Macdonough School in the North End. Our teachers not only do a great job every day, but last month they helped the PTA offer a night of games and activities during "Turn off the TV" week. I'd like to offer this bouquet of photographs from that night to show the world what a warm and welcoming atmosphere we have at our school.

Additional thanks for our "Turn off the TV" night go to the Middlesex Hospital Community Council, the YMCA, Cromwell Martial Arts, Yoga with Christine, Vinnie's Jump & Jive, Family Resource Center and the entire Macdonough staff!

Family Basketball Tournament at Donovan Park-This Friday Night

On Friday evening, May 8th, NEAT and Macdonough School will be hosting a very fun, very informal basketball tournament at Donovan Park. This isn't about impressing people with your skill, it's about having fun with your neighbors. So, bring a friend, a kid, a spouse. Walk on down to the park. Play some b-ball. Eat a hot dog, we'll be cooking out. Bring a blanket and just lie out in the grass. This is a time for springtime fun.

Over the last few years, NEAT has become involved in sprucing up Donovan Park (the park next to Macdonough School). Something that has come up over and over again is that people just need to USE the park more. So here's your chance.

If you want to sign up, email NEAT (neat@neatmiddletown.org) or call 346-4845. We'll take any single person and put you on a team, or you could sign up as a team of three. Any age, size, gender-- anyone.

Or, just come down and enjoy the evening.

C'mon Middletown, we need to start enjoying this amazing space in the middle of our city!

North End Clean Up A Success

It was a great day in the North End on Saturday where 150 people volunteered to do some spring cleaning.

Here's a slideshow of some of the people that were out that day. I'm sorry I didn't make it to all corners of the neighborhood with my camera....there were some great scenes to be seen.

There were volunteers from the NEAT/Wesleyan Mentoring Program, Earth Ministries and the Jonah Center out of First Church, the Middletown Garden Club, and a group of youth doing a "30 Hour Famine" from East Hampton and Haddam. There were also other individuals from Middletown who came in to lend a hand as individuals. Residents got a chance to work alongside Dan Drew, who is running for Mayor this year, and Councilman Santangelo, who is a North End resident. Even the kids had fun working alongside the principal from Macdonough School, Jon Romeo, who spent hours helping out at the Erin Street Garden.

Most importantly, though, were the many residents who organized the day, spread the word to their neighbors, and went door to door, helping to clean the sidewalks and yards of their neighbors. It was a great event that helped the community, but more importantly, helped to build community.

A big thanks to Sherwin Williams Paint in Cromwell for donating supplies, to Kim O'Rourke and the City of Middletown for picking up the extra trash and helping with logistics, to Dominoes, Sammy's Pizza and Illiano's for donating Pizza for the Lunch, and to all of those who came out to help.