Elementary News

We are so grateful for the opportunity we have to teach our students at Pipe Creek and Mac El! As we approach Thanksgiving, it is always a great reminder to focus on opportunities to be thankful and share that with others. Teaching our students takes a village of teachers, support staff, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, maintenance, and the support of our families and community. We are blessed with our Maconaquah community and express our thanks.

Thank you to all our Veterans, families, students, staff and community who came together to honor the service of our Veterans. It was wonderful to witness the enthusiasm and pride our community has in our Veterans at the Veterans Day Program.

Thank you also to Courtney Whitehurst and Donny Betzner for visiting classrooms throughout the day to teach students about the different branches of the military. Students had the special opportunity to see learn about the branches of the military, our flag, and ask questions as they honored and celebrated our nation’s veterans.

There will not be another newsletter until we return from Thanksgiving break. Please note that the December menus are included at the bottom as well. Hard to believe it will be December in only a couple weeks!

Nov. 14 - Ethan Manning Visits 4th grade students

Nov. 18 - 20 - 3rd grade Field Trips to Wolf Park (teachers will share the specific date for their class)

Nov. 18 - PCE Hearing Screens

Nov. 21 - Mac El Hearing Screens

Nov. 24 - School Board Meeting (moved due to Thanksgiving)

Nov. 26 - 28- Thanksgiving Break

Nov. 27 - Happy Thanksgiving!

Dec. 2 - Mac El PTO Meeting (3:30 - 4:30 pm)

Dec. 4 - Pipe Creek Christmas Program (Kindergarten & 1st grade)

Dec. 10 - Mac El Winter PTO Family Fun Night 4:30 - 6:00 pm

Representative Manning spent over an hour with fourth-grade students discussing the branches of government and his role as a State Representative. The students learned a lot during this time and came up with some very interesting questions. After his presentation, he opened the floor for questions, allowing the students to engage with him directly. He spent time answering their inquiries, and even as they were leaving, the students remained eager to ask more questions. We truly appreciate the time he took out of his schedule to meet with our students.

We are scheduled to conduct our annual state-mandated hearing screenings for Pipe Creek students on November 18, 2025 and Maconaquah Elementary students on November 21, 2025.

Hearing screenings are a routine and important part of student health monitoring, helping us identify any potential issues early.

The following groups of students will be automatically screened as required by state law: all students in Grade 1, all students in Grade 4, and all students new to the district (regardless of grade level). You will not receive correspondence from the school if your child passes per state guidelines.

We understand that some parents may choose to have these services performed by their family physician. If your student is in one of the automatically screened groups (Grade 1, Grade 4, or new to the district) and you wish to decline this service, please notify us by emailing Katie Shields, SLP at shieldsk@maconaquah.k12.in.us.

Alternatively, if your student is in a non-required grade and you would like to request an optional hearing screening for them, please send an email to the same address.

For both declining and requesting an optional screening, your email must clearly state your child's full name, grade, and the specific request.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to the corporation nurse at (765) 689-9131 ext. 1310

When: December 2

Time: 3:30 - 4:30 pm

Where: Mac El Group Room

This is a great way to get involved, volunteer, and support our students and staff at Mac El! Even if you have never been to a meeting, it's not too late ... please come!

Planning is underway for our Mac El Winter Family Fun Night! Mark your calendars for Tuesday, December 10, from 4:30–6:00 PM. This will be a wonderful evening for families to come together and enjoy some festive winter fun before the holiday break. We can’t wait to see you there!

Our fall play, Clue, is one that the students have been especially excited about! We open Saturday, November 15 at 7 PM and have one other performance on Sunday, November 16 at 2 PM. We will begin the performances with a short one-act show that features mostly brand new actors as well called Dinner of Secrets. Most of those performers are from MMS and they have had a lot of fun with their own version of a murder mystery. Some of the script was even written by them as the cast.

Students grades 1-12 are $5 and adults are $10. Staff gets in free! Just show your Maconaquah badge. You can purchase tickets online at maconaquahperformingarts.ludus.com or with cash only at the box office prior to the show. Seating is general admission.

For a little extra fun, come to our Clue-themed lounge before the show (picture attached) for mocktails, photo opps, and more!

Doors will open 15 minutes prior to the performance. Come see if it was Miss Scarlet in the library with a candlestick or Professor Plum in the conservatory with a rope! We look forward to seeing you!

As you clean out closets this season, please consider donating any gently used boys’ and girls’ pants to our school. Accidents, spills, and muddy recesses happen often, and having extra clothing on hand helps our students stay comfortable and focused throughout the day. Donations can be dropped off at the Mac El front office at any time. Thank you for helping us keep our Braves warm and cared for this winter!

Starting at Christmas break, students will take their devices home every day in preparation for possible weather-related virtual learning days. Families should ensure that the devices are fully charged and kept in their backpacks unless they are needed for schoolwork.

If there is a change in your child's transportation, whether they will be picked up or riding a bus, it MUST be communicated with the front office. This can be done by sending a note to school or calling the office. If you call the office, please make sure you speak with a person. There is a central list at each elementary school, which allows us to check when students are unsure and the teacher may not be available. Do not just send a message to the teacher. The office MUST be notified. Thank you!

NOTE: Transportation changes should be in to the office by 2:00 pm.

We love having you visit our schools! To ensure the safety of all our students, anyone who wishes to volunteer or have lunch with their student must first complete a volunteer background check. You can find the link under the Parent Resources tab on our website.

A friendly reminder: for the safety of our students, please remember to bring your photo ID whenever you visit the school for any reason, including student pickup, lunch, or meetings.