McKenzie School District

An exciting day for our 2nd graders! This week, they traveled to Clearwater Park to release the salmon they’ve been raising as part of their incredible classroom project. It’s been an amazing journey watching them learn about the salmon life cycle, conservation, and our local ecosystem. This hands-on experience brings learning to life and makes a lasting impact.

Reminder! There will be No School from December 20 - January 3 for the winter break. Classes resume on Monday, January 6. We hope everyone enjoys their time off.

Join us on Wednesday, Dec.18, for our school board meeting! Meetings will be livestreamed. Viewing available at: https://www.youtube.com/@mckenzieschooldistrict6756/streams. Submit public comments to public.comment@mckenziesd.org.

From McKenzie student Zyla Drake: This month at WATERS, we had the chance to meet with Jason Wickizer, an ODF forest officer, who shared insights about his work with drones and helicopters to detect and fight fires. We learned how drones can take detailed images, including infrared shots, to help pinpoint fire "hotspots.” These images are critical in helping firefighters respond quickly to fires, even identifying spots as small as a centimeter! We were lucky enough to actually see one of these drones in flight multiple times. The pictures the drones take are extremely helpful to firefighters and allow them to get to fires quicker, which can be life-saving. We were all able to take print-outs of the maps home. Pictures courtesy of McKenzie student Liliana Jones.

🎶 Join Us for the Winter Concert!*🎶 📅 When: Wednesday, December 11th, at 6 PM 📍 Where:Old Gymnasium Our talented students are ready to wow you with performances from bucket drums to advanced band pieces! What You Need to Know: - Arrival Time: Students arrive at 5:30 PM for warm-up. - Attire: - Grades K-6: Festive holiday colors (red, green, gold) + Christmas hats/ornaments. - Grades 7-12: Black bottoms & tops + green band uniform. - Dress shoes encouraged!* Practice Times: - Morning: 7:40–8 AM - After School: Available until 5:50 PM Parents: - Students stay with teachers until the end of the concert. - Please keep younger children seated with you to ensure a quiet, enjoyable experience for all! 🍪 Bake Sale Donations Needed! Support our music program and PTO by donating holiday treats! Drop off baked goods from 4–5:30 PM at the Old Gym.

Mckenzie K-12 Winter Concert Invitation: We are excited to invite you to our K-12 Winter Concert, which will be held on December 11th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the New Gym. Students performing should arrive by 5:30 PM to prepare. We look forward to celebrating the season with you and showcasing our students' talents. The McKenzie Supporters PTO will also be hosting a bake sale, so be sure to stop by and meet them. See you there!

Fall Picture Retake Day is Coming! Did you miss the first Picture Day or need a redo? Date: Wednesday, December 11 Picture Day ID: EVTGG4984

🎶 Celebrating Our Golden Stand Winners! 🎶 We’re thrilled to introduce a special new tradition in our music program: the Golden Stand Winners, created by our amazing music teacher, Mr. Lake! Each month, students nominate and vote for a peer they are most proud of—someone who shows incredible effort, practice, attitude, and courage. 🌟 Congratulations to November’s Golden Stand Winners! 🌟 Ryker, Ronnie, Ady, and Clyde. As part of this honor, the winners will use the Golden Stand and Golden Chair until the end of the month. Next month, the winners will select someone they’re most proud of and share why they chose them. We are so proud of these students for their dedication to music and teamwork!

Calling All Volunteers! We’re urgently looking for passionate individuals to step up, make a difference, and help with winter sports. Sign up today here - https://forms.gle/xgVH15jHmezUtAxp7

Classroom Curiosity: Halloween Fun! We had a blast at our annual Halloween parade! A huge thank you to our fantastic staff for helping lead students through the halls.

Join us on Wednesday, Nov. 20, for our school board meeting! Meetings will be livestreamed. Viewing available at: https://www.youtube.com/@mckenzieschooldistrict6756/streams. Submit Public Comments to public.comment@mckenziesd.org.

As we head into the winter weather season, be prepared. Check out this video from Mr. Tompkins on ways you can stay informed. Link: https://youtu.be/NIhDhx3XQks

Kindergarten Pumpkin Patch Field Trip Fun! Our little adventurers had an amazing time at the pumpkin patch! They loved the hayride and finding their perfect pumpkins

Classroom Curiosity: Fourth Graders at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History! Our amazing fourth graders had a blast on their recent field trip to the Museum of Natural and Cultural History! From ancient artifacts to fascinating exhibits, they journeyed through time and culture. Check out these snapshots of our adventure.

Say “hello” to two-way messaging in the McKenzie SD app! The same district app now offers class streams, class announcements, and parent-teacher chat. Parents and Guardians, look for your personalized invitation to begin using this feature in our app on Wednesday, November 6! Download for Android https://aptg.co/GbybMc Download for iPhone https://aptg.co/qClptb

We're Having a Book Fair! Join us at McKenzie Elementary School for an exciting Book Fair from November 4th to November 8th at our Elementary School Library. All purchases made through the Book Fair will benefit our school, so thank you for supporting our kids. Can’t make it in person? No problem! Shop online from November 4th to November 17th to support our school! 25% of every online purchase goes directly to us. Family times are: Thursday, 11/7, from 5 pm -8 pm and Friday, 11/8, from 8 am-12 pm https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/mckenzieelementaryschool3

We're excited to share that our second graders have received salmon eggs again! Here are some adorable snapshots of our new little friends as we embark on this journey. We'll have the eggs until they hatch! Stay tuned for updates

You can still cheer on our Eagles at their away games. Watch along here: https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/schools/mckenzie-high-school-finn-rock. Varsity football plays at Elkton at 3 today!

Picture Day is coming on Wednesday, November 6! You can place your order on mylifetouch.com using your Picture Day ID: EVTWG3PDK. Order before midnight on Picture Day to get FREE shipping! Your child can also bring their completed flyer with cash or check on Picture Day.

Come and see our middle school football team this Wednesday at 5 p.m. as they look to close out the season undefeated. We also want to give a big shoutout to our middle school volleyball team, who finished second in the league tourney this weekend. Go Eagles!