Monroe County School System MESSAGES

January 11, 2012
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A Note from the Superintendent...

 

At Tuesday night's meeting of the Board of Education, consolidating middle schools was discussed.  The latest recommendation is to consolidate the middle schools with 6th grade being located at the WHMS Campus and 7th & 8th grades being housed at the BSMS Campus.

 

The Board tabled the consolidation plan until a Called Meeting on January 24, 2012 at 7p.m.

 

 

There were more than 110 electronic submissions from the district website before the Public Hearing on January 5, 2012. Approximately 100 faculty and staff attended the 4 p.m. meeting while over 200 parents, students, faculty, staff, and community members were present at the 6 p.m. session the evening of January 5, 2012.

 

The primary points stakeholders made through electronic submissions and during the meetings were:

1.  Do not relocate the 9th grade.  Reasons cited for wanting to keep 9th graders in the current facility were because of its close proximity to the MPHS Main Campus, and concerns with travel time to shuttle students between the WHMS Campus and MPHS Main Campus.  Individuals indicated that since the 9th grade campus was opened in 2007, there had been an increase in students transitioning to 10th grade with the necessary credits to graduate on time and there has been an increase in the graduation rate.

2.  There were those who asked the Board not rush the decision to ensure any changes implemented would enhance student achievement and the system.

3.  There were individuals and groups who were for the proposal if the relocation of the 9th grade was removed from the plan.

4.  There were those who were opposed to the entire proposal.

5.  There were many questions raised about special education services, gifted student services, the impact on class sizes, course/program offerings, and the impact on transportation whether by school bus or by a parent.

 

 

Regarding point 5 above: 

Even if 6th grade is housed at a different facility from 7th and 8th graders, all middle school students will continue to take core courses in English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.  Students will also continue to have connections courses in Art, Band, Chorus, Technology, PE, etc.  The desire is to eventually add other courses in Foreign Language, Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and additional fine arts and technology courses.

 

Special education services will continue to be offered as required by students' Individualized Education Plans (IEP).

 

Gifted students will continue to receive gifted services by grade level.

 

 

Class sizes will continue to meet the requirements the State Board of Education Rule for Class Sizes unless a waiver needs to be requested and is granted.  Even during these tough economic conditions, the MC BOE has tried extremely hard to follow the State Board Rule on Class Size even with waivers.

 

There would be ONE Principal for the 6th grade campus and 7th and 8th grade campus.  Each campus would have one Assistant Principal while sharing an Instructional Coach.

 

Guidance, media, and nursing services will continue to be offered at both sites.

 

School starting and ending times will be developed for transportation that will allow for ease of drop off and pick up of students by buses.  An effort will be made to ensure the schedule does not create conflicts for those parents who transport their children to and from school.

 

Again, the Board has not approved the consolidation of the middle schools.  I will continue to keep you posted.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Anthony Pack

Superintendent

Monroe County Schools  

 

 

 

 

 

A Note from Teaching and Learning...

 

You may hear your elementary school students come home and talk about a "Double Bubble".  They are not talking about the chewing gum many of us may have enjoyed when we were younger.  They are also not talking about learning how to blow a bubble inside a bubble with bubble gum.  They are talking about a teaching strategy that is being used in our three elementary schools to help boys and girls organize their thoughts.

 

The information below comes from the "Thinking Maps"  website.

 

What are Thinking Maps & How Do They Work?

Thinking Maps, developed by Dr. David Hyerle, are visual teaching tools that foster and encourage lifelong learning. They are based on a simple yet profound insight: The one common instructional thread that binds together all teachers, from pre-kindergarten through postgraduate, is that they all teach the same thought processes.

Based on thorough and well-accepted academic study and brain research, the eight Thinking Map tools correspond with eight fundamental thinking processes. More than simple task-specific graphic organizers, our tools can be utilized individually or in various combinations to form a Common Visual Language for students and teachers at all grade levels, in all subjects.

Click on each of the 8 Thinking Maps below to see an example.


 



See more examples            

Benefits: 

  • Students learn more effectively and more efficiently
  • Objectives are covered in less time with greater retention
  • Thought processes are represented similarly throughout the curricula
  • Schools also promote integrated thinking and interdisciplinary learning
  • Teachers can easily gauge student knowledge prior to a specific lesson
  • Student performance can be tracked accurately over time
  • Students gain effective tools to use across their academic careers

 

Note:

In March or April of 2010, Thinking Maps, Inc. contacted a former elementary school principal to see if Monroe County Schools would be willing to host a train-the-trainer model workshop at Katherine B. Sutton Elementary School.  Mr. Pack was asked if holding the training at the school would be acceptable.  He agreed to host the training because MCS would have two teachers trained with one being trained at no cost to the system.  As of preplanning for this year, all elementary school teachers have been trained in "Thinking Maps".

 

Any funds paid to Thinking Maps, Inc., have been used to purchase materials and professional learning.  MCS has paid the company directly not the regional sales representative.

 

Information on Updating Board of Education Voting Districts

 

Prior to a called Board of Education meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 24, the Monroe County Board of Education will hold a Public Hearing at 6:45 p.m. for the purpose of hearing stakeholder comments regarding the proposed Voting Districts for Board Members.  To see the proposed Board of Education Voter District Maps, go to the districts website through this link (here) to see the activities related to considering these proposed voting districts.

 

 

GALILEO's new password for Monroe County Schools is render

 

To access GALILEO from home, use the new password: render.  This password will be valid until 03/24/2012.

Webinars are easy to attend and are great tools for professional development. Connection instructions are sent a day before the webinar to everyone who has registered. The instructions include a connection wizard that helps you make sure your computer is ready. Below is a list of upcoming sessions currently scheduled.

Black History Month Resources-Demonstration of the Civil Rights Digital Library and GALILEO subscription resources

Holocaust Resources in GALILEO-In time for International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27

Grab GALILEO for Great Multimedia Projects-This session is great preparation for submissions to the Georgia Student Media Festival.

Meet GALILEO for Elementary/Middle/High School-Separate session that focus on each grade level

Civil War Resources-Explore subscription and DLG resources covering the American Civil War

Bueno GALILEO: Language Resources-GALILEO foreign-language resources include encyclopedias for several languages and Spanish-language magazines

Journals and Magazines:  Best Practices in GALILEO-Tips on searching journals and magazines in GALILEO and optimizing usage with alerts and linking

 

Archived webinars include a wide range of topics for all audiences:  http://help.galileo.usg.edu/librarians/training/self_guided/#training_archived

http://help.galileo.usg.edu/librarians/training

Monroe County Achievement Center Students Created the School's First Official Song

Monroe County Achievement Center students recognized at January BOE meeting 

At the January 10 Board of Education meeting, Monroe County Achievement Center students were recognized for a unique undertaking that they recently accomplished.  These students created an original work of music and lyrics to honor Monroe County Achievement Center.  Under the direction of Mrs. Adrienne Love-Tucker, the students composed an original work that will serve as the school's official song.
 

AESOP Update:  Teachers, have you made your favorite five?

The district has just completed its first week using AESOP to report absences and secure subs. Teachers, don't forget that you can create a list of substitutes which Aesop can be set to hold the absence for a period of time and to contact first when you create an absence. If they are set and ranked as "Favorite Five" they can receive an email and a call during the first evening after absence creation.

Some qualifying points to this are:

-Sub must be available for the time (no other job).  If the sub has secured another position already, then he/she will not be available for your opening.

-Keep in mind that subs who are chosen may be preferred by many employees. This means

that the closer an absence is to starting, the less likely a preferred sub would be able available for

an absence.

Here are directions on how to create your favorite five in AESOP.  You'll find helpful information on using the AESOP system here.

The Monroe County School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, or sex in its employment practices, student programs and dealings with the public.

It is the policy of the Board of Education to comply fully with the requirements of Title VI, Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act and all accompanying regulations. As a result, the following people have been appointed to oversee specific areas.

Title II, Adult 504, Adult Title IX  Dr. Mike Hickman  25 Brooklyn Avenue, Forsyth, GA 31029  478-994-2031
Student and Athletic Title IX  Tommie Walker 25 Brooklyn Avenue, Forsyth, GA 31029  478-994-2031
Student 504  Lisa Allred 433 Highway 41 South, Forsyth, GA 31029 478-994-2031

Any employee, student, applicant for employment, parent or other person who believes he or she has been discriminated against or harassed in violation of the above areas must make a complaint in accordance with the procedures outlined in Board Policy GAAA.