C-M Spotlight
Muse Elementary fourth-grade students working on their Butterfly Garden earlier this school year.
Muse Butterfly Garden started thanks to grant
Fourth graders at Muse Elementary School in the Canon-McMillan School District received a grant to plant the Muse Butterfly Garden.
The students began learning about the functions of a living organism by observing the life cycle of monarch butterflies from the egg stage found on local milkweed.
Over several weeks, they learned about the importance of pollinators, such as butterflies and honeybees to our environment. The class also discussed why the numbers of monarch butterflies and other pollinators have declined because of habitat loss, disease and pesticides.
Throughout the discussions, students began working together to plan a garden, doing parts to help the monarch population grow.
With the help of Bedner’s Farm and Greenhouse, students learned about different types of plants that would attract, feed and provide a safe environment for monarchs to lay their eggs.
In early September, the process began when students planted asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed), asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed), Joe Pye weed, Aster plants, coneflowers and common milkweed.
The students were thrilled that within days, the butterflies had found their garden and made it their home. As the students worked to water the plants, many of the butterflies greeted them, some even landed on a few of the students.
Near the end of the month, the classroom butterflies were ready to be released on their migration south to Mexico. The students were happy to be able to release them outside to their garden where they could feast on the many flowers they had planted.
When spring weather returns, the fourth graders will plant wildflower seeds to attract the returning monarchs and other pollinators to their beautiful garden. The students look forward to their garden being enjoyed by their fellow students and community members, as well as the monarch butterflies, for many years to come.
”The Tale of the Sleeping Beauty”
Canon-McMillan presented “The Tale of the Sleeping Beauty” as its fall play Nov. 14-16 at the high school auditorium.
“The Tale of the Sleeping Beauty,” which was written by former Canon-McMillan drama teacher Cynthia M. Berg, is a version of the classic story. The play included high school students as well as students from the district’s elementary and intermediate schools.
The actresses and actors in the movie included Jensen Maxwell, Sleeping Beauty; Maddie Timko, Evil Fairy Xena; Taylor Kairush, Krog; Edward Woodle, Prince Allen; and as the Fairy Godmothers, Maura O’Neill, Felicity; Sophia Strnisha, Gertrude; Sarah Grebeck, Calliope; Lisa Motosicke, Giselle; Charlize George, Grace; Elly Miller, Melodia; and Bethany Decker, Phoebe.
The school will present “Grease,” the school version, for its spring musical from March 21-23 at the high school auditorium.
Holiday giving project
Muse Elementary’ fourth grade class and teachers participated in a holiday giving project that provided monetary and unwrapped toy donations to the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation. The project was in lieu of a grab bag”gift exchange. As a thank you for the donations, students enjoyed a movie celebration with their classmates in mid-December.
National Law Enforcement Day
Muse Elementary School celebrated National Law Enforcement Day Jan. 9. Students created cards and the school’s staff presented officer, Brian Douglass, with a gift in appreciation of his services. Officer Douglass is pictured with Ms. Kotar-Ruth’s first grade classroom.