🐉 McLane Hall
Theme: Dragons Finish Fall Strong!
As October comes to a close, we’re excited to share the latest happenings in McLane Hall. From sports and life skills to parties and character development, it’s been a packed and rewarding month for our students!
🧠 PBIS Character Focus: Honesty
This month, we continued exploring the character trait of honesty through our PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) program. Students learned that honesty means more than telling the truth—it’s about being dependable, owning your actions, and making choices that reflect integrity, even when no one is watching. Through group discussions and real-life examples, students reflected on how honesty builds trust, strengthens relationships, and helps resolve conflicts in healthy ways.
🏀 Dorm Life Highlights
October has been full of energy and excitement!
Fall sports like football, swimming, and cross country are wrapping up, while basketball and wrestling seasons are already underway.
Basketball tryouts kicked off last week, and wrestling began this week. We’re proud to announce that many of our boys made the official basketball roster—congratulations to these young athletes!
On October 27, the boys attended a Halloween party in Copeland Hall. They dressed up, danced to music, and enjoyed delicious finger foods. From 7–9 PM, they celebrated together before returning to the dorm to wind down for the night.
Cooler weather has made outdoor play even more enjoyable. Students continue to stay active with basketball, football, and daily after-school recreational activities.
🛒 Life Skills & Curriculum Trips
Our bi-weekly trips to Walmart, Target, and other stores continue to teach students valuable budgeting and public behavior skills. These outings help promote independence and prepare them for high school—and potentially part-time jobs in the future.
🍳 Independent Living Skills
Students are gaining hands-on experience with everyday tasks:
Cooking, baking, and washing dishes
Cleaning shared spaces like tables and floors
Celebrating birthdays by baking cupcakes and enjoying the treats they made together!
🏆 Dorm Recognition
We proudly celebrated our 1st Quarter Best All-Around Student—8th grader Alex B! Alex was recognized for:
Keeping his bedroom clean and organized
Completing homework on time
Respecting dorm rules and staff
Staying consistent with dorm duties and bedtime routines
Way to go, Alex! Your hard work and leadership are truly appreciated.
🎉 Upcoming Events
Our House Points Rewards Trip is coming soon! Students earn Dragon Dollars and House Points for positive behavior, leadership, and cooperation.
🥇 1st Place: Trip to a local restaurant
🥈 2nd Place: Pizza & movie night
🥉 3rd Place: Popcorn, movie, and social time
Even if some students didn’t win this round, we’re proud of their efforts and hope they’re motivated to aim higher next quarter!
🧳 Reminders for Families
Please continue to send your student with:
Snacks and spending money for Dragon’s Lair
Warm clothing for cooler weather
Personal care items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, and body wash
Thank you for your continued support of our boarding program. Together, we’re helping our students grow into confident, capable, and kind young adults.
Warm regards,
The McLane Hall Team
🏛 Gregg Hall
🌊 Community Service
Our students recently embraced two meaningful opportunities to give back!
First, the girls headed to Vilano Beach for a shoreline cleanup. Not only did they help keep our beaches beautiful, but they also learned about the impact of trash on marine life. With perfect weather and a shared sense of purpose, they enjoyed making a positive difference in their community.
Next, they brought Halloween cheer to our blind and deaf elementary students. Leading small groups through two dorm pods for trick-or-treating, they created a festive experience at every door. Upstairs, the fun continued with crafts and snacks. Our girls truly understand the importance of being role models—and they loved making Halloween extra special for the younger students.
🏀 Dorm Life
Basketball tryouts were a highlight this month! While not everyone made the team, each student gave their best effort and demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship. We’re proud of their positive attitudes and look forward to cheering on our players this season.
Halloween was also a blast for our middle schoolers, thanks to a lively dance party hosted by the recreation department. Costumes, music, and laughter filled the night as the girls celebrated together.
A big congratulations to Gryffindor House for earning the most points in the first quarter! They’ll enjoy an off-campus trip to a local restaurant. Special kudos to Annayska R, our top individual point earner. Well done, Gryffindor!
📅 Friendly Reminders
Mark your calendars! On November 13, FSDB Food Service will serve a festive Thanksgiving meal. The cafeteria will be beautifully decorated, and the menu will showcase the season’s bounty. To make the occasion even more memorable, we encourage our girls to dress nicely—a simple dress or a blouse paired with a skirt or slacks is perfect.