The Institute for Shakespeare & Renaissance Studies presents "The Merchant of Venice", June 2, 2013, 7:30 pm, Osborne Black Box Theatre, McDonogh School. Arguably one of the most controversial plays ever written, Merchant continues to raise penetrating questions about racism, religion, and justice. Join a group of thirteen students performing two different casts and share the culmination of two years of study and rehearsal.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The Institute for Shakespeare & Renaissance Studies presents "The Merchant of Venice", June 2, 2013, 3 pm, Osborne Black Box Theatre, McDonogh School. Arguably one of the most controversial plays ever written, Merchant continues to raise penetrating questions about racism, religion, and justice. Join a group of thirteen students performing two different casts and share the culmination of two years of study and rehearsal.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Check out what's happening with your favorite fairy tale characters in the play "Fairy Tale News" presented by Second Grade students in the classrooms of Lower School teachers Bridget Karwacki and Sharon Howell.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

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

On Wednesday May 30, 2013, seven teams of Upper School students gathered at the duck pond to race their self-constructed cardboard boats in a yearly tradition celebrating the end of classes.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Lights! Camera! Action! This year in Videoclass, groups of third graders, under the direction of special projects teacher Cindy Green, wrote original songs and melodies based on The Golden Rule. They created their own music videos with scenes of McDonogh School that they videotaped on iPads and used to accompany their songs. Ben Fish ‘16 sang the vocals in a demonstration video used in class, and Adam Green ’10 constructed background music tracks on which the students superimposed their songs.

Songfest, an annual fundraiser to benefit the Concert Choir tour, featured performances by The Gentlemen Songsters, The Women of Note, and The Clef Hangers.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

In this play, presented by the Second Grade class of Lower School teacher Nancy Lewis, students took on the roles of people in the world who are trying to save the elephants, "one elephant at a time."
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Occasionally, we flubbed our lines and the elevator door closed prematurely. Check out our bloopers for a laugh!

The 33rd Annual Sophomore Oratory Contest, hosted by Master of Ceremonies Scott S. on May 14, featured speeches by five finalists. Sara S. spoke passionately about the importance of hunting. Andrea F. criticized the messages that Disney princesses send to young girls. Sophie R. voiced support for worldwide feminism. Sophia R. discussed how media customization feeds narrow-mindedness, and Nate R. addressed the role of affirmative action in education.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Lower, Middle, and Upper School Percussion, under the direction of Wayne Hudson, presented a concert in the Ceres M. Horn Theatre on May 9, 2013. Each senior percussion student was presented with a plaque.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The Eighth Grade and Upper School Spring Band Concert under the direction of Director of Instrumental Music Pete Hengen, performed on May 7, 2012 in the Ceres M. Horn Theatre. Each senior band member was presented with a plaque.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The McDonogh Upper School Choral Ensembles, under the direction of Philip Olsen, presented their annual spring concert in the Tagart Memorial Chapel on May 5, 2013. The Foxleigh Hill Singers, composed of faculty, staff, alumni, and spouses participated in the program. Each senior choir member was presented with a rose.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The Upper School Jazz Band and Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Donald New performed in their annual spring concert in the Ceres M. Horn Theatre on May 2, 2013. Each senior jazz band student was presented with a plaque.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The McDonogh Upper School Strings Orchestra and Middle School Strings under the direction of Andrew Shaud, and the Lower School Strings Ensemble under the direction of Catherine Frey performed in the Ceres M. Horn Theatre on April 30, 2013.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

During the Middle School assembly on April 24, the Force Club, featuring faculty members Gregg Kleiman, Craig Copeland, and Darren Ford, along with Mr. Kleiman's brother Casey, presented a drama that included an exciting lightsaber display as well as pyrotechnics by Director of Instrumental Music Pete Hengen. The plot unfolded in the Jedi temple, where two sith lords infiltrated in order to take over power.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

English teacher Josh Waller '02 shares the importance of giving to the McDonogh Fund.

Fourth Grade students in Lower School art teacher Joan Newcomer's class created paper mache superheroes to coincide with the upcoming musical "A Superhero", composed by Jonathan Waller '00 and directed by English teacher Jon Aaron. The superheroes are on display in the lobby of the Horn Theatre, along with other Superhero inspired art projects from all three divisions of the school.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Alumna Kiernan Michau '09 Skypes from her dorm room to share the importance of staying connected to McDonogh.

Students have been building and programming robots to perform specified tasks along a designated path. This Lego Mindstorm robotics unit is taught by science teacher Rick Thompson to teams of engaged students in the Middle School.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

Ms. Hailstone's Second Grade class presented "The Poetry of Shel Silverstein" on Tuesday, March 5 in the Osbourne Black Box Theatre.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

The Gentleman Songsters sang at the Upper School Assembly to promote "Songfest," an annual fundraiser to benefit the Concert Choir tour. This year Songfest is a two night event on Saturday, May 18 at 7 pm and Sunday, May 19 at 5 pm. It features performances by The Gentleman Songsters, The Women of Note, The Clef Hangers, and the Concert Choir.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

This past weekend, our own MechDonogh Eagles (Team 4505) traveled to the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York to compete in the Finger Lakes Regional compeition for FIRST robotics. The challenge was to build a robot in 45 days that could throw frisbees accurately, drive around the field, and climb a pyramid. The Eagles, in their first year competing with FIRST, were successful at all three challenges, something that is very rare for rookie teams.

"Let's Come Together" was the theme of this year's Multicultural Evening on Friday, March 1. The celebration included a wonderful showcase of student performances in the Ceres M. Horn Theatre, followed by a reception with entertainment and a variety of ethnic specialties in Lamborn Hall.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

In the sixth of our video series, Kevin Costa, McDonogh’s Director of Fine and Performing Arts, shares how the day-to-day experience of creating art – on the stage or in the studio – plays a major role in preparing our students for life beyond McDonogh.

Third Grade students wrote plays based on books they read in Reading Workshop. The students presented their plays in a performance titled "Our Journey Through Literature" on Thursday, February 21st in the Ceres M. Horn Theatre.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

In the sixth of our video series, fourth grade teacher George Webb shares how Lower School students have a "blast" while learning the important skill of problem solving though patience, persistence, and practice.

Middle School engineers recently built their own catapults as part of their simple machines science unit. The students tested different designs and materials to learn which ones were the strongest and most accurate.

On January 30, the school dedicated the basketball court in the Louis E. Lamborn Memorial Field House to James T. Edwards, McDonogh's third headmaster who served the school from 1893-1898. The ceremony took place during halftime against Mount St. Joseph High School. In his remarks, Mr. Britton also remembered the building known as "Eddie's Gym," which was originally named in honor of Mr. Edwards.

There is no questioning Baltimore's love for the Ravens as they head to the Super Bowl this weekend. Even Headmaster Charlie Britton, a die-hard Patriots fan, declared it "Purple Week," allowing all students to break dress code and don purple attire... or the colors of their favorite team. At the end of the week Upper School students gathered for a final class meeting before the big game. The morning ended with a Ray Lewis Dance Contest. Go Ravens!

What is the capital of Alaska? What countries does the Tropic of Cancer intersect? McDonogh Middle School cartography whizzes gathered together on January 11 to compete in the Annual Geography Bee. Students answered questions on a variety of topics from the locations of cities to which countries share boarders.

During the All-School Holiday Assembly on Friday, December 14, Loki, the god of evil and nefarious intent, enlisted the help of super-villains, Darth Kleim, the Red Witch, and the Jokerette to destroy the holidays for everyone in McDonoghville. Committed to resisting the arch-villains was a feisty band of super-heroes, led by Loki's righteous brother Thor, who was assisted by the Incredible Hulk, the Stinger, and Major McD (Captain America was away!).

Ahoy Matey! Middle School students have been setting sail on a sea of learning about pirates. The young buccaneers have been reading "Treasure Island" in Language Arts, exploring shipping routes in Social Studies, and studying ship building techniques in Science class. The students constructed their own ships out of recycled materials and tested them in a small pool.

The John McDonogh Living Legacy Society recognizes the families and individuals who have decided to include the school in their wills or other estate plans. The following video was created by McDonogh alumna Rachel Kurtz '12 to inform our community about this important program. For more information, contact Barry Rollins, Director of Gift Planning, at brollins@mcdonogh.org or calling 410-581-4771.

In the fifth of our video series, Bridget Collins ’90, a McDonogh teacher, coach, advisor, and alumna, shares her deep pride in scholarship, opportunity, and community. Bridget's compelling story is living proof that your gift today impacts students' lives forever.

Kindergarten students learned a lesson in phonics when they participated in a wedding ceremony to join the letter Q and the letter U. The boys dressed as quarterbacks while the girls dressed as queens. A reception followed the ceremony during which the students dined on cupcakes and grapes.
Video coverage by Cindy Green.

In the fourth of our video series, Larry Johnston, McDonogh’s Vice President of Administration and Finance, answers the question, "Where does my gift go?"

In the third of our video series, Jack Hardcastle ’02, McDonogh's Director of Technology, shares how the school fuses technology into the classroom every day.

During a special gathering in Tagart Chapel on November 6, third graders presented handmade fleece blankets to members of The Red Devils, an organization dedicated to improving quality of life for breast cancer patients and their families. Tenth grade students helped the young quilters create the warm and fuzzy gifts.

McDonogh Middle School students recently planted trees on campus as a local service project. The effort was coordinated by two members of the faculty in conjunction with the Grounds Department. The trees were generously donated by John and Aimee Clime.

In the second of our video series, McDonogh's Headmaster, Charlie Britton, shares the importance of participating in The McDonogh Fund.

On Friday, October 26, the entire school was awash in a sea of orange and black in anticipation of the infamous McDonogh vs. Gilman football game. Students, teachers, staff, and parents cheered each other on in the traditional parade across the campus. The parade ended in a pep rally in the Rollins-Luetkemeyer Athletic Center.

During a special assembly on Wednesday, October 31, Upper School students were treated to mock presidential and vice presidential debates by students in history teacher Jeff Sanborn's AP American Government classes. The platforms of both parties were presented.

As part of the school's Founder's Day celebration on October 12, Middle School students enjoyed a special historical tour of the campus conducted by alumni.

In the first of several videos to raise awareness and support of The McDonogh Fund, our annual giving program, Allison F., a current senior, shares how gifts to The McDonogh Fund provide vital support to the programs that make a McDonogh education distinct.

The school community gathered around the John McDonogh monument on the morning of October 12 to pay tribute to our founder and other members of the McDonogh family who passed away during the past year. Chapel bells tolled and music filled the crisp morning air.

Lower School students and staff participated in "Be the Change Day." The day focused on ways students can learn to avoid bullying and engage in positive behavior.

Kindergartners hitched a hayride to the Roots Garden on Friday, September 28, to harvest this year's crop of pumpkins. The youngsters were delighted to see that more than 125 pumpkins grew from the seeds that they planted in June. Each child took one pumpkin home. The rest will be used to make homemade pumpkin recipes.

On Friday, September 7, Head of Lower School and proud mother duck Noreen Lidston waddled onto a large inflatable rubber duckie and led her divisonal ducklings down a “Slip 'n Slide” for meeting their summer reading challenge. The flock of lower school students read a combined total of 3,614 books to earn this summer fun on a school day. Their goal was 3,200. The lucky ducklings also ran through sprinklers, jumped around in a moon bounce, and traveled down a 22-foot inflatable slide.

On Thursday August 30, McDonogh students and faculty gathered at Childs Memorial Terrace on a gorgeous morning for Convocation. This year, the ceremony included a dedication of the Louis E. Lamborn Alumni Memorial Field House, in honor of former headmaster Louis "Doc" Lamborn, and Lamborn Road, formerly known as Woods Road, named for former headmaster Dr. Robert "Bob" Lamborn '35.