News and Events

Can you imagine the excitement when Ms. Lawrence’s kindergarten class came upon a butterfly laying eggs on the fennel in the school’s garden in early September? The students have visited the garden each day to observe the eggs hatch into caterpillars, watch the caterpillars grow larger and larger, and actually see each caterpillar create their chrysalis. The students have anxiously awaited the emergence of the butterflies! Last week they witnessed the beautiful butterflies break out of their chrysalises and fly about in the Outdoor Classroom. Not only did the students learn a great science lesson, but Ms. Lawrence also applied many math and reading skills to the experience.

McKinnon Hammonds attended the ALFA Youth Leadership Conference on September 30 and October 1 at the Alabama 4-H Center in Columbiana, Alabama. State Senator, Cam Ward along with many other guest speakers encouraged the attendees of the importance of “Ag”vocating. Students from around the state enjoyed team building activities and leadership training sessions. McKinnon is a sophomore at Macon East.

The second grade recently completed a unit on Families, learning how traditions, relatives, ancestors, and keepsakes are all part of a family’s history. Each student created their own family tree, interviewed a family member, and shared a family keepsake as the culminating project. The 2nd grade family tree project is always fun and educational, and the students love sharing their family keepsake or heirloom and learning more about their ancestors.

Macon East Academy first grade students loved learning about their five senses in Mrs. Victoria Smith’s science class. The students did a blind taste test of salt and sugar to determine sweet and salty as well as other fun activities involving sight and touch. Mrs. Smith is in her first year teaching at Macon East, and her students enjoy how she makes hands-on learning fun. Their favorite experiment during the week included a popcorn treat! The first grade also made their own applesauce to celebrate Johnny Appleseed Day.

On September 26, Johnny Appleseed made his annual visit to Macon East students in the Pre-K building.  Johnny read a book about his life, teaching the young students how he introduced apples trees throughout much of the United States. An American legend, Johnny Appleseed was known for his kindness, generosity, and his leadership in conservation. His journey west began in 1792, and Johnny became known for his vagabond attire which included bare feet and a cooking pot on his head. For many years, Macon East students have enjoyed a visit from a senior student clad as Johnny Appleseed. This year, Johnny was portrayed by Jake Wyrosdick, who shared apples with the students after reading his story.

Macon East elementary students kicked off the new school year with a Space themed emphasis commemorating the 50^th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Gary Willis, program presenter from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, visited Macon East students to talk about the anniversary of the Apollo mission that put the first man on the moon. He also shared NASA’s future plans to return and land the first woman on the moon and travel to Mars with the Space Launch System, America’s next great rocket.  Mr. Willis serves as the Manager of the Office of Stakeholder Relations in the office of Strategic Analysis and Communications at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. There he leads and coordinates communication and outreach to government, business, and community leaders to support NASA’s missions. His goal is to share the message of space exploration and excite and inspire the next generation of explorers. The students enjoyed seeing a 1:100 model of the Space Launch System and hearing about the many job and internship opportunities at NASA.