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MONROE MESSAGES
A Message from Monroe County Schools Nurses
 

The Nurses of Monroe County Schools want everyone to have a fun and safe Halloween. Here are some helpful hints to make your  student's Halloween Spooktacular!

 

Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.

Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.

Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.

Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.

 

 

Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you.

Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation.

Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.

Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.

Only walk on sidewalks or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.

Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.

Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats unless you know the cook well.

Enter homes only if you're with a trusted adult. Otherwise, stay outside.

Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

 
Open Enrollment for Employee Benefits Continues Through November 9
 
Employees are reminded that Open Enrollment for Benefits continues through November 9. For more information, see the system website at http://www.monroe.k12.ga.us.  
Feeding Minds and Bodies with Nutrition School Breakfasts and Lunches
 

Changes are here for the breakfast and lunch program this school year. Schools are changing meal patterns to comply with the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act. This law was passed by Congress in 2010 with a goal of encouraging children to build habits of healthy living.

You will notice some differences in our menus with the implementation of the new meal pattern rule.

  • More whole grains, fruits, and vegetables served
  • Milk is low-fat or fat-free
  • Specific calorie ranges are in place for grades K-5. 6-8, and 9-12
  • Trans fats are eliminated
  • Sugar and sodium levels are reduced.

For the latest menu offerings, see your school's website or the system website at http://www.monroe.k12.ga.us.

A Food for Thought Recipe from Lisa Singley, Nutrition Director
 

Creamy Wild-Rice Soup

with Smoked Turkey

Recipe yields- 8/1 cup Servings

 

Butter or Stick Margarine......2 tsp

Chopped Carrot................1 cup

Chopped Onion................ 1 cup

Chopped Green Onions....... 1 cup

Dried Rosemary..................1/4 tsp

Black Pepper...................1/4 tsp

Garlic Cloves, minced............3

Chicken Broth...........2/16oz cans

(Fat-Free, Less Sodium)

Smoked Turkey Breast...1 ½ cups

(chopped)

Uncooked Wild Rice..........1 cup

All-Purpose Flour..........1/3 cups

2% Reduced-Fat Milk......2 ¾ cups

Salt.................................1/2 tsp

 

1)  Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

2)     Add carrots and next 5 ingredients (carrot through garlic)

3)     Sautee 8 minutes or until browned

4)     Stir in broth, scraping pan top loosen browned bits.

5)     Stir in turkey and rice; bring to a boil.

6)     Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour and 15 minutes or until rice is tender.

7)     Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cup; level with a knife.

8)     Combine flour and milk in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Add to pan.

9)     Cook over medium heat until thick (about 8 minutes,) Stirring frequently.

10)   Stir in salt to taste.

Don't Miss MPHS Drama Events
    

Sorry, Wrong Number by Lucille Fletcher Oct 27th @ 7pm; This is the play will we take to Region One Act Competition October 23rd at Perry High School.

 

Check Please by Jonathan Rand Nov 3 @ 7 and Nov 4 @ 2; Performed by the advanced drama students; A series of horrible blind dates.

 

Little Play of Horrors by Samara Siskind Nov 10 @ 7 and Nov 11 @ 2; Performed by the fundamentals of drama students; A horror play of the silliest kind! The truth behind all of our favorite horror film icons.

 

All at the Board of Education Auditorium.  Admission to these events is $3.00.

MPHS Media Center Tweets, Too!
 
 
A Message from Hubbard Elementary School
 
Hubbard Elementary School will have its Fall Music Program on Tuesday, October 23 at 6 p.m. For more information, contact the school at 478-994-7066. 
 
A Message from the Superintendent...
New Providence Baptist Church Recognized for Service

Greg Head and Nathan Jackson, members of New Providence Baptist Church, were recognized at the October Board of Education meeting for recent enhancements church members made to grounds of Monroe County Middle School Hubbard Campus.  They are pictured with Mr. J. P. Evans,

Vice-Chair of the Board of Education.

  

 

TGScott Elementary School recognized Garrison Walker who won first place for fourth grade in the Peanut Postcard Contest sponsored by the Jimmy Carter Education Program.  Suzanne Woodbury was also recognized. She won second place for fifth grade in the Peanut Postcard Contest sponsored by the Jimmy Carter Education Program.
The two students are pictured with Mr. J. P. Evans, Vice-Chair of the Board of Education.

 

 

 

Students who were honored at the International Media Festival are pictured with Mr. J. P. Evans, Vice-Chair of the Board of Education. For a complete listing of these winners, see last week's Monroe Messages.

 

Happy Birthday to Georgia's PreK
State Representative Robert Dickey recently read to Mrs. Theresa Daniel's PreK Class at Hubbard Elementary School.
 Watch Georgia Public Television as it examines how well Georgia's lottery-funded pre-K program has worked. This program will air on Monday, October 29th at 7 pm and repeats Sunday, November 4th at 12:30pm. PreK students make up approximately 5% of Monroe County Schools student population with over 200 students participating in our schools' programs.
Ms. Sandy Colwell, Director of CTAE and Federal Programs, recently read to Mr. Tony Atwater's PreK class at KBSutton Elementary School.
A Message from Monroe County Schools Counselors

October is Bullying Prevention Awareness Month

 

A school where children don't feel safe is a school where children struggle to learn. It is a school where kids drop out, tune out, and get depressed. Not just violence but bullying, verbal harassment, substance abuse, cyber-bullying, and disruptive classrooms all interfere with a student's ability to learn."
-U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

No child makes a sudden decison to leave school. Instead, it's a long progression of often several factors that builds over time, resulting in the eventual decision to drop out. For many, bullying plays a big role in this decision. Physical, verbal and emotional harrassment can make a child feel isolated, and even afraid to attend school. Children will skip classes or even full days to avoid thier tormenters, and will fall behind as a result. Please share with your student that counselors are ready to listen and ready to help.  For more information, see
http://americangraduate.org/dropout-factors/bullying.   The U. S. Department of Education has released a website dedicated to safe schools with a focus on bullying prevention.  You can find that at
.

A Message from KBSutton Elementary Come Tweet with Us! For a full PDF brochure of the image below, click here.

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A Message from the Monroe County Schools Wellness Team

Curb Your Cravings: Appetite Suppressant Foods

 
 

Incorporate these six healthy foods into your diet and crush even your worst diet wrecking cravings right in their tracks!!! From Lisa Singley, Nutrition Director...

1)       Apples

a.       High in fiber

b.       Long chewing time

c.        Helps alleviate hunger feeling

 

2)       Pine Nuts

a.       Highest amount of protein of any nut or seed

b.       Stimulates two powerful hunger suppressing hormones

 

3)       Flaxseeds

a.       Best for Omega-3 fats

b.       High Fiber for appetite control

4)       Oatmeal

a.       Real oatmeal-healthiest carbohydrate

b.       High fiber for appetite control

5)       Salad

a.       Eat a small salad before a meal

b.       High fiber fills you up faster

6)       Soup

a.       High water and low calories

b.       Broths and vegetable soups very filling.