Catherine M. McGee Middle School

899 Norton Road, Berlin CT 06037

Examining Specimens - Salmon River Field Trip - May 1, 2013

Photo by K. Cormack
For photos of the field trip, see theBHS Photo Gallery.

McGee Families,

A new year awaits us.  As we take a moment to reflect before the year begins I would like to call upon you to consider what we at McGee look to as a guide for our work with all children; our core values.  Those values are beautifully captured in some of the quotes below:

Make Connections/Touch Hearts: "One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child." -Carl Jung

Inspire Curiosity & Excitement to Learn: “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” - William Butler Yeats

Open New Worlds/Never Give Up: My heart is singing for joy this morning. A miracle has happened! The light of understanding has shone upon my little pupil's mild, and behold, all things are changed. -Anne Sullivan

Develop Independence: “Spoon feeding in the long run teaches us nothing but the shape of the spoon” - E. M. Forster

Challenge Students to Think (and Laugh):  “I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework.”  -Lily Tomlin as Edith Ann

Change the World One Life at a Time: A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops. -Henry B. Adams

In times when some seek to boil the art and skill of education into cold, hard numbers we keep the whole child at the heart of our work.  CMT data affirm that we push all students to maximize their academic potential.  We are proud of the good work teachers are doing to stretch students academically, but we are equally proud of what we do to offer students an environment where they feel safe to learn about themselves and their world.  McGee continues to seek ways to teach our students that it is their world too and they together we make up the kind of community in which we live.  Thank you to all parents and adults in that community who have worked with us to provide a consistent message.  We look forward to another great year with your children. 

Sincerely,

Scott Ratchford, Ph.D. 

Catherine M. McGee Middle School encourages children to grow and learn in an atmosphere of responsibility and respect. To accomplish this mission, we believe our commitment as a rigorous academic community includes: helping children to become educated, productive citizens in a diverse society and technologically changing world providing a safe, caring, and challenging school environment that helps children develop a commitment to life-long learning creating an environment that fosters intellectual, social, emotional, and physical growth for all students and recognizes their unique developmental needs. Catherine M. McGee Middle School serves a community of about 750 students in grades six through eight. We are located in the heart of Connecticut.

Lost and Found Gallery includes photographs of items found at McGee.  Please claim items that you have lost in the Nurse's Office.

 Online Scheduler, to schedule upcoming Parent or Guardian/Teacher Conferences.  For instructions, see guidelines.