September 20, 2024

Know Truth, Create Beauty, Practice Goodness

All School Announcements

Screenagers Viewing – October 1

How much time does your child spend on screens? What is your child’s relationship with social media? With video games? With YouTube? With TikTok? To think more clearly about these questions, we will show the documentary Screenagers here at school Tuesday, October 1, at 6:30 p.m. We will watch the documentary and have an opportunity to talk to each other as parents in light of what we heard. If helpful, here is a trailer: Screenagers trailer. Please RSVP so that we know which room to reserve.

RSVP for "Screenagers" Viewing

Parent Event: Socratic Seminars – October 5

One of the unique features of a MacLaren education is the Humane Letters class that all high school students attend every day. Humane Letters is a two-hour Socratic seminar that invites discussion of original texts and sharing of ideas on topics including literature, history, political theory, and philosophy. It is a challenging and effective way to learn!

We are excited to invite you to the table to discuss a variety of great works with some of our faculty members on Saturday, October 5, 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. All parents are invited to participate and experience this part of your child’s education at MacLaren. We are offering five different seminars. Attendees will be sent the reading and information about logistics after signing up. A detailed list is available in the September 12 email. Please RSVP by October 1.

RSVP for Socratic Seminar

Notes from the Nurse

As we head into fall and the weather begins to change, this is the season that can produce many illnesses, especially respiratory ones. Ragweed and mold pollens are high through mid-October and we all are still getting used to being around one another 30-40 hours a week again.

The best ways to keep you and your family healthy are:

Cover coughs and sneezes.
Good handwashing habits.
Adequate rest. Students need anywhere from 8-10 hours of sleep a night, with students under 10 years of age needing at least 10 hours or more.
Good nutrition. A good balance of fruits, veggies, meats, and grains help our body perform at its best.
Good hydration. Eight to ten cups of water a day also keep our bodies in good working order.
Activity. Just 30 minutes of activity/movement a day can be beneficial (i.e. taking a family walk after dinner).
Stay home when sick. Students recover more quickly when given an extra day or two to rest at home without having to fight to stay alert and engaged at school. It also helps prevent the spread of illness to others.

As always, the Health Office is here for all student and staff needs and to help keep our community healthy, safe, and ready to learn.

Lower School Announcements

Lower School GrandPartner Popsicle Party on the Plaza – September 25

Grandparents, and adults serving in the role of grandparents, are invited to join their K-5 grandchildren for the GrandPartner Popsicle Party on Wednesday, September 25, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Please ask the GrandPartners in your child's life to register by Monday, September 23, so that we can provide enough popsicles! GrandPartners should arrive at 1:00 p.m. to check in at the Main Entrance. They are also welcome to stay on the Plaza until pick-up time if needed. Please email Mrs. Oram if you have any questions.

Parents are invited to sign up to help! You must be an approved volunteer to help at this event.

Lower School Clubs Now Available

Lower School students are invited to join one of the newly formed after-school clubs. Sign up is available at MySchoolBucks. Clubs begin next week.

Clubs for the 2024-2025 School Year include:

Chess Club, grades 2-5, Thursdays (Updated), ending November 21
Game Club, grades K-5, Tuesdays (Updated)

Clubs meet weekly, 3:15-4:15 p.m., through April 11, 2025, with the exception of Thanksgiving Break through Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and Information Nights (November 14, January 16, March 6).

There is interest in starting a Drama Club for Lower School. If you are interested in being a parent sponsor for this potential club, please email Mrs. Finch.

YMCA After-School Care Now Available!

The YMCA is offering after-school care to all K-5 families at Thomas MacLaren School. Care will be provided from Lower School dismissal until 5:30 p.m. each day on our campus.

More details are included in this August 16 email. Families register directly with the YMCA.

Upper School Announcements

Pack the Stands and Field! - September 24

Support your MacLaren Highlanders at one of these Pack the Stands events! Admission is free for all MacLaren students, and Upper School students earn clan points for attending.

The theme will be “Multichrome Night” – each grade has an assigned color (sixth = red, seventh = orange, eighth = yellow, ninth = green, tenth = blue, eleventh = purple, twelfth = pink) and in order to get points for their clan, the student MUST be wearing at least one article of clothing that is the assigned color.

Girls' Volleyball - Pack the Stands on Tuesday, September 24, in the MacLaren gym. MS B Team plays at 4:00 p.m., MS A Team plays at 5:00 p.m., HS Varsity plays at 6:30 p.m.

Boys' Soccer - Pack the Field also on Tuesday, September 24, on MacLaren's Lower Field. Varsity plays at 4:00 p.m., JV plays at 5:30 p.m.

Go, Highlanders!

Upper School Clubs Now Available

Upper School students are invited to join one of the newly formed after-school clubs. Sign up is available at MySchoolBucks. Clubs begin next week.

Clubs for the 2024-2025 School Year include:

Arabic Alphabet Club, grades 6-12, Tuesdays
Bible Study Club, grades 9-12, Tuesdays
Chess Club, grades 8-12, Tuesdays
Game Club, grades 6-12, Tuesdays (Updated)
Service Club, grades 6-12, every other Thursday
Swing and Ballroom Dance Club, grades 9-12, Tuesdays and Thursdays (Updated)

Clubs meet weekly, 3:35-4:35 p.m., through April 11, 2025, with the exception of Thanksgiving Break through Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and Information Nights (November 14, January 16, March 6).

Highlander Athletics

Monday, September 23

MS Boys' Soccer @ HOME vs. Vanguard, A Team 4:00 p.m., B Team will follow the A Team game

Tuesday, September 24

HS Boys' Soccer @ HOME vs. Cañon City, Varsity 4:00 p.m., JV 5:30 p.m.
MS Girls' Volleyball @ HOME vs. Manitou, B Team 4:00 p.m., A Team 5:00 p.m.
HS Girls' Volleyball @ HOME vs. Palmer, Varsity 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, September 25

MS Boys' Soccer @ HOME vs. James Irwin, A Team 4:00 p.m., B Team will follow the A Team game

Thursday, September 26

MS Girls' Volleyball @ HOME vs. CSCS, C Team 4:00 p.m., B Team 5:00 p.m., A Team 6:00 p.m.

Friday, September 27

HS Cross-Country @ Rampart Twilight (Cottonwood Creek Park), 3:00 p.m.
MS Boys' Soccer @ Banning Lewis, A Team 4:00 p.m., B Team will follow the A Team game
MS Cross-Country Championships @ Monument Academy, 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, September 28

HS Boys' Soccer @ Loveland (Loveland Academy Campus), Varsity 10:00 a.m., JV 11:30 a.m.
HS Girls' Volleyball @ Cripple Creek-Victor, JV 10:00 a.m., Varsity 11:00 a.m.

HS Boys' Basketball Skills Sessions

In anticipation of the upcoming season, twice-weekly ball-handling skills sessions for high school boys will begin Monday, September 23, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. These will be Mondays and Fridays in the small gym and will run through October 25. There is no cost for these sessions, but participants will be required to complete a waiver. Basketball season begins with tryouts on November 18. Please contact Mrs. Steigerwald with any questions.

Come support our Highlanders at our HOME events! HS event admission is $6 for K-12 and senior citizens, $7 for adults. MS event admission is $2 for K-12, senior citizens are free, $3 for adults.

Click for the Athletics calendar or Athletic schedules. Add the Athletics calendar to your personal calendar through Apple iCal .

Volunteer and Fundraising Opportunities

Thank You for Giving!

Thank you for your generous support of MacLaren Athletics! The MacLaren community rallied together to raise $30,500! We are thrilled to put these dollars to good work for the benefit of our athletes.

Much of this amount will be matched through the Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day campaign, meaning donations from MacLaren families make an even bigger impact.

If you missed the campaign day, it's not too late! Any donations made in September will help us reach our $35,000 goal.

Donate Now!