Lancer Living
Monthly Newsletter for All Things MBE (December 2019)
Mark Your Calendars
3rd: Career Speaker (4th-6th Grades)
4th: PTO Budget Committee @ 1:00/PTO Board Meeting @ 1:30
6th: Club Pictures
9th: MBS Board of Education Meeting @ 3:30 (CES)
10th: Holiday Program @ 8:30 (Students)
11th: Holiday Program @ 8:30 (PreK-1st Parents)
12th: Holiday Program @ 8:30 (2nd-3rd Parents)
17th: Holiday Caroling in MB Village (5th Grade Students & Teachers with Mr. Pilz)
20th: End 2nd 9 Weeks/End 1st Semester (Dismiss @ 2:00)
23rd-Jan. 6th: Winter Holidays (No School-Teachers Return on Jan. 6th)
Jan. 7th: Students Return
Career Spotlights
This month's career experience for MBE’s 4th-6th grade students highlights the journey Annmarie Axon has taken throughout her time serving in the legal system. She began her career as an attorney. More recently, she was confirmed by the United States Senate and now sits in high regard as a Federal Judge for the Northern District of Alabama. We are honored to have her share the ins and outs associated with how our government functions to support its citizens.
Holiday Program
Please join us as we celebrate a variety of traditions recognized during this special season. This year, grade levels will NOT be required to wear a specific color for the performance. Students' attire should be "festive" (red, green, silver, gold, holiday blues, white, etc.) with minimal patterns. Clothing choices without words/slogans is preferred. The program is aimed to showcase the talents of students and to celebrate the holiday season.
You will find the Power Point for the 2019 Holiday Program for PreK-3rd Grades on Mr. Pilz's webpage: https://www.mtnbrook.k12.al.us/Domain/1493. The Power Point contains the show order, as well as lyric slides and sound files for the songs. The songs are embedded in the Power Point and should play with the first slide for that song. In order to access the sound file, you MUST download the PowerPoint from the webpage by clicking the blue hyperlinked "click here" button found below the slideshow.
Students can listen to the songs while when practicing and follow along with the words on the slides. The PowerPoint will be updated as new songs/slides are added.
Over the Mountain Ctares: INCubatoredu
INCubatoredu is a new, innovative program the MBHS Business Department launched that provides students with the opportunity and resources to start their very own business. Theiur business is a Spartan box that will include a custom designed t-shirt, along with several other limited edition Spartan items.
The price for the box is $29.99. It will be a basketball themed box to get students ready for the big games! To purchase a box, please click on the link below to complete Step 1 of your order: Click Here to Purchase an OTM Crate..*Once the form is submitted, you will have access to the payment link as Step 2 of the process.
Many of you purchased a crate in October when ONLY MBE was trying out this program. Now, it will be offered to other elementary schools across the district on a 1st-come-1st-served basis. Let's show these high schoolers how Lancers can support the MBHS basketball team!
Leadership Links
December is a time set aside for the school to come together and celebrate leadership during school assemblies. This is an extension of classroom and grade level celebrations in that it strategically brings together the internal school community as one.
Students from the Lancer League led the celebrations with the purpose of recognizing Lancer Leaders and reflecting on school WIGs (Wildly Important Goals). Knights opened with a welcome to students and teachers. Legacy members then spoke about tracking personal mission statements in regards to how each student is exhibiting respectful and responsible behaviors. They also had students pause to recall ways they are using their writing skills across other content areas, especially math! Grade level student representatives highlighted this service projects from the 1st semester. Heralds announced the students and staff that were nominated by peers for fall Lancer Leader Awards.
The Lancer Leader Award is given to individuals who follow the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and have shown leadership in various ways at MBE. Nominated by students or staff, these individuals are worthy of being recognized for their efforts and good character!
We close each schoolwide celebration with a guest speaker. This assembly featured a father to one of our very own, Alex McCain. 'JT' is a radio and news personality for WERC 105.5. It is always a treat to showcase how our personal leadership has been shaped by our connections to family and friends in leadership roles!
MBE Spelling Bee
McCombs' Message...
'Mrs. McCombs, how long have we had this furniture? Do you think it will be replaced before we leave MBE?' These were the questions posed to me by a group of 5th grade boys who were studying in a nook of the hallway just a few weeks ago.
My response was simply, 'What would you put there instead? If you want to explore what you think students would need to do their best work, then come see me and we will discuss it further.' Much to my surprise, the original group of young boys had extended their conversations and collectively generated an architectural design in a Google slideshow that they brought to me the following week. It was detailed not only with color schemes, but also with active links to comfortable furniture options. Mr. Aaron has joined the efforts and coordinated formal meetings with vendors who have assisted the school with previous furniture needs. They have also worked with MBS Facilities Director, Tommy Prewitt, to measure 2 additional areas that could coordinate with the original space in an effort to create a unified feel across hallways. This...this is what 'student voice' looks like!
Guess what? It is because of the generosity of Lancer Sponsors that we are able to begin bringing these ideas to life. PTO recently presented a check that will enable us to complete this project as well as move forward with purchasing interactive boards for more classrooms. We began piloting the interactive capabilities in a few classrooms last year and found great success with increased student engagement. These technology tools are quite expensive so we work diligently to research the viability of the products along with the benefits they bring to the learning experiences for students.
MBE is a unique place because of the special way the community partners with the school to enhance the environment, professional learning for teachers, supplemental curriculum, and technology tools. We work to assure we are good stewards of the donations we are awarded by fundraising and are aware of the desire for current students to reap the benefits. This means we are always assessing current trends in education, potential improvements, as well as desires of our students, parents, and teachers. Prioritizing those is of utmost importance and makes possible clear communication back to our stakeholders.
Focusing fundraising efforts solely on Lancer Sponsorships this year created a space of uncertainty. Wow! We have been blown away by the funds already provided directly back to the school. On behalf of MBE students and faculty, we want to express our sincere gratitude and THANK YOU for all that we have been entrusted. It is a very exciting time to be a Lancer!
Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement,
you should include all things in your gratitude,”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
4th Grade Service Project
4th Grade will be coordinating the service project for the month of December for North Hill Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Facility. They will be providing Christmas for low income residents who are alone, with no one to celebrate with for the holidays. The collected items will be the following: sweatshirts, gloves, snacks, toiletries, blankets, and other trinkets. The students will collect, wrap, and deliver these items in two weeks. Having students actively participate in serving has added a special layer of compassion and empathy to their character education.
MBE In the News
A Little Rain Doesn’t Scare MBE Boo Bash: https://www.villagelivingonline.com/schools/mountain-brook-elementary/a-little-rain-doesn%E2%80%99t-scare-mbe-boo-bash/
MBE Robotics Team Wins Bots in the Brook: https://www.villagelivingonline.com/schools/mountain-brook-elementary/mbe-robotics-team-wins-bots-in-the-brook/
Lancer Shout Outs
Our Book Fair Chairs, Susannah Baker and Hunter Tuck, knowcked it out of the park this year alongside the BEST librarian and library assistant around. Way to go supporting MBE's readers!
Peyton Russell and Tracy Strickland did a phenomenal job with the MBE Sportswear this year. Lancers are looking sharp and respresenting MBE well!
- We continue to be grateful for Kaira Catenacci, Hill Weathers, Erin Teague, and Anna Carlisle for connecting our 4th-6th Grade students to career options through guest speakers and services.
- 5th Grade students and teachers did an outstanding job honoring our Veterans. Thank you also to Jamie Hill and Mamie McLean for assisting Tyler Pilz in bringing together this beautiful program and time for refreshments.
- The MBE lunchroom staff outdid themselves with this year's Thanksgiving feast. It is always a special time when we can fellowship around food with those we love. It was quite a delicious meal!
- Hannah Rettig partnered with Iberia Bank to make visible the creative artwork from our students. MBE has some of the most talented artists around!
- Guilds were a fun time had by all. We appreciate the continued commitment of Anna Carlisle, Alex McCain, and Katie Potts for bringing the school together in community to engage in student-selected interest groups. It is always a blast and a time for purposeful play!
- Much appreciation goes out to Missy Wright, Allyson Martin, Brannon Aaron, Suzanne Andrews, Bill Andrews, Ruthie Gravlee, and Meredith Collins for hosting another excellent MBE Spelling Bee. We also recognize the efforts of classroom teachers who supported students as they practiced and participated in the event.
Mountain Brook Elementary
Email: mccombsa@mtnbrook.k12.al.us
Website: www.mtnbrook.k12.al.us/mbe
Location: 3020 Cambridge Road, Mountain Brook, AL, USA
Phone: 205-871-8191
Twitter: @MBElementary