Archer Senft inspires with his message of resilience and hope in his 2017 Commencement speech.

This video highlights scenes from the Lower School Closing Ceremony on Friday, June 2, which began with third graders singing "Be the Best of Whatever You Are" and culminated with fourth graders tossing their blazers!
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

McDonogh's Institute for Shakespeare and Renaissance Studies performed William Shakespeare's As You like It. This performance was videotaped at the final dress rehearsal on Thursday, June 1 in the Osborne Black Box Theatre.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Faculty and staff waved the buses off the lot at the end of the last full day of school for Lower and Middle School students. The students joined in the fun, waving and shouting from the bus windows!
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

In video class this year, third graders added transitions and effects to photos they captured on their iPads using photographic guidelines and editing techniques learned in class. In a wrap party, they enjoyed popcorn and juice while previewing their culminating video, “This is McDonogh!” Video class teacher Cindy Green presented each student with a matted copy of their photo as well as a video class award to highlight their accomplishments!
Video by McDonogh third grade students.

During lunch on Wednesday, May 24, fourth grade students created joy through surprise as they broke out in a spontaneous flash mob. The students sang a song in Chinese that they learned from their Lower School Chinese language teacher Jewel Xie. The song which is titled "The Most Dazzling Folk Style." is part of the Phoenix legend.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

In this final Chapel meeting of the school year, Bridget Collins, Director of Religious Studies, Character and Service introduced fourth grade students who shared their letters of gratitude for McDonogh School teachers. The entire Lower School joined in singing the song “Simple Gifts,” and each Lower School teacher received a sunflower. Retiring teacher Barbara Zimmerman was presented with a framed picture of a sun painted by her prefirst class.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Room 208’s Performance of Happy 101st Birthday, National Parks Service! A teacher, Mrs. Lackawanna, takes her Environment Club on a magical tour of three national parks. Wearing special Ranger hats, the kids become “time travelers” and travel by hat to Yosemite, the Everglades , and the Statue of Liberty. Along the way, the kids and Mrs. L. meet people who cared about these places and worked hard to save them.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

In the first ever delightful KinderGARDEN Bloom event, students sang songs under the direction of Performing Arts teacher Beth Rausch, as their artwork was displayed in the background.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

As part of their unit on “Families,” K1 kindergarten students gave delightful answers to questions about their family’s favorite thing to do, favorite food, favorite vacation spot, and why they love their family.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

As part of their unit on “Families,” K2 kindergarten students gave delightful answers to questions about their family’s favorite thing to do, favorite food, favorite vacation spot, and why they love their family.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

As part of their unit on “Families,” K3 kindergarten students gave delightful answers to questions about their family’s favorite thing to do, favorite food, favorite vacation spot, and why they love their family.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

On May 11, 2017, McDonogh's Middle School Concert Bands, directed by Elizabeth Irvine, performed a wide selection of music in their spring concert in the Ceres M. Horn Theatre. Their pieces included Fanfare to the Common Man by Aaron Copeland, Oye Como Va by Tito Puente, and an original band composition by 6th grader, Will Kibel.
Video coverage by Don New.

On May 10, third graders presented "Voices of Freedom," a journey through the eyes of the Montgomery Bus Boycott leaders. To prepare for their presentation, students researched leaders in the Montgomery Bus Boycott and worked collaboratively to create dynamic poems and develop scripts. All their hard work resulted in a magnificent performance.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

On May 9, McDonogh's Upper School Jazz and Concert Bands, under the direction of Don New, Director of Upper School Instrumental Music, delivered a wonderful evening of music with their spring concert in the Ceres M. Horn Theatre. The impressive repertoire included music by Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Stevie Wonder, John Williams and others. Don New recognized eight graduating band members with plaques.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

On Monday, May 8, the fourth grade held an egg drop to culminate their unit on problem-solving. Using only materials from school and home, fourth graders were challenged to construct a container to hold and protect a raw egg. The container was then tossed in the air from atop a ladder, landing on the cement ground below. Students anxiously opened their containers to find out if their egg survived the fall!
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

LifeReady: Learning at McDonogh School

The McDonogh Upper School Choral Ensembles, under the direction of Philip Olsen, Head of Choral Music, presented a delightful annual spring concert in the Tagart Memorial Chapel on May 7. The audience was treated to outstanding performances and each senior choir member received a rose. A program highlight was a Polish Triptych composed by Philip Olsen from the poetry of Lidia Kosk, translated by her daughter, Danuta E. Kosk-Kosicka.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

On Thursday May 4, 2017, the Lower, Middle, and Upper School Percussion Ensembles performed in the Night of Percussion in the Ceres M. Horn Theater directed by Michael Feathers. They performed a variety of selections from drum patterns by the Lower School Drum Corps to music by Hamilton, the White Stripes, Twenty One Pilots and more. It was a fantastic evening!
Video coverage by Elizabeth Irvine.

Second grade students in Rooms 205, 206 and 207 performed skits they wrote based on lessons they learned in their Learning for Living readings and discussions. This presentation took place in the Klein Lyceum on May 4.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Students and faculty were on the lookout for exciting surprises in music, art, and dance throughout the day, as students celebrated McD Art Pop Up Day on May 3.
Video coverage by Meredith Bower, Suzi Eldridge, and Cindy Green.

On Tuesday May 2, 2017, the Middle School and Upper School String ensembles performed in the All School Strings Concert in the Ceres M. Horn Theater directed by Catherine Frey. They were joined by the Lower School String ensemble, directed by Jessica Bailey. The performances included a variety of traditional pieces from around the world such as Ireland, Germany, France, and America. The Upper School Seniors were also recognized in their final concert.
Video coverage by Don New.

The McDonogh Middle School Vocal Music classes performed in their annual spring concert on April 28, 2017 at 7:00pm in the Ceres M. Horn Theater. Directed by Suzi Eldridge, the groups performed a variety of selections including songs from Beauty and the Beast, Moana, and a crowd-pleasing performance of "My Shot" from the hit Broadway Musical Hamilton that included all of the students performing together grades 5-8. This piece was also accompanied by the 7th and 8th grade Percussion Ensemble.

Prekindergartners visited the Roots Farm on April 27 to learn all about honeybees. Bridget Collins, Director of Character and Service, dressed as a honey bee, accompanied the students on a hayride to the Roots barn. They enjoyed a skit, a song about making a difference with Director of Fine and Performing Arts Kara Zimmerman, and a lesson about honey bees from Director of Roots Sharon Hood and friends.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The Lower School's annual Adventure with the Arts Day on Friday, April 21 took children and families on a colorful journey of music and art. Here are the musical performances and artwork presented by the prekindergarten students.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The Lower School's annual Adventure with the Arts Day on Friday, April 21 took children and families on a colorful journey of music and art. Here are the musical performances and artwork presented by the kindergarten and prefirst students.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The Lower School's annual Adventure with the Arts Day on Friday, April 21 took children and families on a colorful journey of music and art. Here are the musical performances and artwork presented by the first grade students.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The Lower School's annual Adventure with the Arts Day on Friday, April 21 took children and families on a colorful journey of music and art. Here are the musical performances and artwork presented by the second grade students.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The Lower School's annual Adventure with the Arts Day on Friday, April 21 took children and families on a colorful journey of music and art. Here are the drumming performances and artwork presented by the third grade students.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The Lower School's annual Adventure with the Arts Day on Friday, April 21 took children and families on a colorful journey of music and art. Here are the musical performances and artwork presented by the fourth grade students.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Fourth grade students experienced the joy of dancing as they learned how to salsa. Dance lessons, taught by professional salsa dancer Erica Smith, were organized by Lower School Spanish teacher Rebecca Nickolaus. The students, responding to the fast rhythms and exciting choreography, quickly picked up the dance moves and had lots of fun along the way. One fourth grader summed up the experience exclaiming "It's fun to salsa!"
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Josh Jones-Dilworth ’98 served as the alumni speaker at the Annual Scholarship Luncheon on Thursday, April 6 in Paterakis Hall. Jones-Dilworth, CEO of a boutique consultancy in Austin, Texas and a member of the team who created Siri, spoke about the importance of starting at the bottom and working your way up. He told the students, “You can’t pay it back, but you can pay it forward.”

Ethan R. ’17, the student speaker at the Annual Scholarship Luncheon, echoed the alumni speaker's comments about “paying it forward” in his remarks to the crowd of more than 300 scholarship students and their sponsors. The annual Scholarship Luncheon, held Thursday, April 6 in Paterakis Hall, celebrates and recognizes McDonogh’s commitment to the time-honored scholarship program.

Right before Spring Break, the Rock Shop bands, organized by Mr. Martel and taught by Mr. Martel, Mr. Copeland, Mr. Waller, Miss Irvine, Mr. Feathers, Mrs. Rausch, and Mr. Christman, performed in their annual concert. These bands included students from grades 5-8 and they performed a variety of rock songs and original compositions. This concert raised money for clean water in Uganda and helped Syrian Refugees.
Video coverage by Elizabeth Irvine.

Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The Lower School was happy to welcome the lead singer of Josh and the Jamtones to campus on Friday, March 24. Josh had a dance party and a “meet and greet” with each grade before giving a concert. Music and Movement teacher Beth Rausch, who jams with the popular kids' band, organized the fun.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

On March 9, first graders presented a musical review entitled "Welcome to Our Neighborhood" that was based on the television show "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood." The musical review, directed by Lower School performing arts teacher Beth Rausch, began with an ensemble performance of "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" There were appearances by the Neighborhood Trolley and other familiar characters.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Prekindergarten students made dog treats for the Baltimore Humane Society on March 9 as part of community service. With the help of parent volunteers, they mixed the dough and rolled it out. After baking, the treats will make some dogs at the animal shelter very happy!
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Multicultural Night on Friday, February 24 featured an international buffet of ethnic specialties in Paterakis Hall followed by a showcase of student performances from all three divisions representing many cultures and traditions.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Middle School students in Wendy Van Norden's science class built and programmed Lego NXT robots as part of their engineering unit. They competed in groups to maneuver their robots through obstacle courses, designing their own 3-D obstacles to add to the course.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Fourth grade students in the Lower School celebrated “Take Apart Day” on Friday, February 24, by deconstructing small appliances, household gadgets, and electronics in a culmination of their science unit on simple machines. Working with teachers Craig Whiteford and Argie O’Shea, the students gained insight into design and mechanics.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

On Friday, February 10, advisory groups of eighth graders rotated through life ready lessons to learn life skills. Included among a dozen different activities were how to change a tire, set a table, sew a button, wrap a cable, and tie knots.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

On Thursday, January 26, Lower and Middle School students were treated to a Chinese New Year celebration during lunch. Accompanied by the music of beating drums and clashing cymbals, eighth grade students dressed up in traditional Chinese lion costumes and performed the lion dance. The performances were coordinated by Middle School Chinese teacher Xuan Weng and Lower School Chinese teacher Jewel Xie.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Eighth grade engineers were challenged to design the fastest boat in the moat! As part of a makerspace workshop, the students designed their boats for the 3D printer and then fine tuned them for performance under the guidance of Middle School science teacher Gregg Kleiman. Their meticulous work culminated in a moat boat paddle battle where they raced their 3D printed boats in head-to-head competition.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The McDonogh Strings classes played a spectacular winter concert in the Tagart Memorial Chapel on January 11, 2017. All groups are under the direction of Catherine Frey, Director of Strings. The performing groups were Upper School Strings and Middle School Strings, including the beginners in 5th grade.
Video coverage by Elizabeth Irvine.

The McDonogh 6th Grade Boys Vocal Music Class, under the direction of Suzi Eldridge, Director of Middle School Vocal Music, performed in their winter concert in the Tagart Memorial Chapel on December 14, 2016. The audience was treated to outstanding performances by all of the 6th Grade Vocal Music students.
Video coverage by Lizza Irvine.

The McDonogh 5th Grade Vocal Music Class, under the direction of Suzi Eldridge, Director of Middle School Vocal Music, performed in their winter concert in the Tagart Memorial Chapel on December 13, 2016. The audience was treated to outstanding performances by all of the 5th Grade Vocal Music students.
Video coverage by Lizza Irvine.

The McDonogh 6th Grade Girls Vocal Music Class, under the direction of Suzi Eldridge, Director of Middle School Vocal Music, performed in their winter concert in the Tagart Memorial Chapel on December 13, 2016. The audience was treated to outstanding performances by all of the 6th Grade Vocal Music students.
Video coverage by Lizza Irvine.

The annual Holiday Assembly on Tuesday, December 20, featured 14 fabulous performances from McDonogh’s choral, dance, and instrumental ensembles. Interspersed with the performances were appearances by a cast of Pixar and Disney characters.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

On the 30th anniversary of the tragic death of Ceres M. Horn ’86, the Upper School gathered to remember the remarkable alumna in the theatre that bears her name.

The Lower School “Celebrate! Walking in a Winter Wonderland” performance on Friday, December 16 for prekindergarten, kindergarten, prefirst, and first grades was a celebration of the magic of the season with songs, movement, and instrumental music. The performances were directed by Kara Zimmerman, Director of Fine and Performing Arts, and Beth Rausch, Lower School Performing Arts teacher.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The Lower School “Celebrate! Once Upon a Northern Night” performance on Friday, December 16 for second, third, and fourth grades celebrated the traditions and love of the season. The performances were directed by Kara Zimmerman, Director of Fine and Performing Arts, and Beth Rausch, Lower School Performing Arts teacher.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The McDonogh Upper School Choral Ensembles, under the direction of Philip Olsen, Head of Choral Music, performed in their annual winter concert in the Tagart Memorial Chapel on December 11. The audience was treated to outstanding performances by The Concert Choir, The Senior Singers, The Women of Note, The Gentleman Songsters, and The Foxleigh Hill Singers.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The McDonogh Upper School Bands treated their audience to a spectacular winter concert in the Ceres M. Horn Theatre on December 8. Both bands are under the direction of Don New, Director of Upper School Instrumental Music. The Jazz Band opened the evening with a swinging performance of “The Muppet Show Theme,” composed by Jim Henson and Sam Pottle. The Concert Band ended the evening with an outstanding performance of “Final Countdown” by Joey Tempest.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The McDonogh School Bands, under the direction of Elizabeth Irvine, performed in their annual winter concert in Ceres Horn Theater on December 6, 2016. The audience was treated to a debut performance by the Beginning Band as well as other outstanding performances by the Intermediate and Advanced Bands.
Video coverage by Don New.

During the week of November 14, each grade level in the Lower School devoted sessions to a particular topic regarding the concept of rights. The themes included: "Environmental Rights" (Prekindergarten); “Animal Rights” (Kindergarten); “Rights for Self” (Prefirst); “Student Rights” (First Grade); “Women’s Rights” (Second Grade); “Rights of Americans with Disabilities” (Third Grade) and “Children’s Rights Globally” (Fourth Grade).
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

During the annual Lower School Hope and Courage chapel, held Friday, November 18, third grade students presented 40 “Blankets of Hope” to the Red Devils, an organization that provides support to breast cancer patients.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

In anticipation of the 101st McDonogh vs. Gilman football game, the entire student body donned orange and black for the annual all-school Spirit Parade on Friday, November 11, 2016.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

On October 31, Lower School students donned creative costumes and celebrated Halloween with the annual Lower School Halloween Assembly. Following the assembly, the students paraded around campus, delighting parents and spectators.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

For the Annual Halloween Horse Show, organized by McDonogh School riding instructors Holly Gizzi and Irene Gladys, riders creatively dressed up their ponies and paraded around in the Eagle’s Nest. Among prizes awarded were most "Hay-larious", Spookiest, most Halloweeny, and Best Cartoon Character. The best overall prize was won by “Party Animal” who was all decked out in lights!
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Students in Mary Catherine Irving’s first grade class went on a great white shark research expedition by participating in a live webinar with Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza and her team at the Ocean First Institute. Dr. McComb-Kobza took the students thirty feet underwater to conduct research inside a shark cage off the Pacific coast. The first graders asked Dr. McComb-Kobza questions about sharks.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

McDonogh’s “Learning for Living” program emphasizes themes that are rooted in giving students the social and emotional skills to do the greatest amount of good. October’s theme was “Embracing Diversity,” with a goal to help students identify and take pride in their individuality within the community.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Accompanied by Head of Lower School Barbara Robins dressed as a scarecrow and Roots Director Sharon Hood decked in her big farm hat, the entire kindergarten enjoyed a hayride out to the Roots Farm to pick pumpkins on Friday October 7. Each child chose one pumpkin to take home and another for their creative cooking class. After selecting the perfect pumpkins, the students navigated their way through the corn maze.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Middle School students design and engineer a product out of a wooden pallet. In this makerspace workshop, under the direction of Middle School science teacher Gregg Kleiman, students gain hands-on experience with new technologies in order to develop life-ready skills.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Fun was had by all Lower School students with the opening of the new playground on Monday, September 26.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

McDonogh senior Archer S. was presented with The Irvin S. Naylor Courage Award on Friday, September 16, during an Upper School Assembly. The award, which was a surprise to Archer, was established in 2004 by classmates of Irv Naylor ’54 on the occasion of their 50th Reunion.

On Friday, September 9, lower schoolers were treated to summer fun on a school day. They celebrated Aquapalooza 2016, the Lower School’s reward for their summer reading challenge. The Lower School administrative team dressed as the characters from the movie “Finding Dory.” They slid down the water slides and ran through the sprinklers along with students from prekindergarten through fourth grade.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

At Back-to-School night on September 8, Lower School Head Barbara Robins spoke of the students' joy on returning to school. She showed this video which captures "joy in work and in play" in the Lower School and what students are looking forward to learning this year.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Students and faculty gathered on Childs Memorial Terrace for Convocation on Wednesday, August 31. At the conclusion of the program, Headmaster Charlie Britton rang the school bell to officially open the 2016-2017 school year.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.