A Message from the Board of Education and Superintendent

After taking into consideration more than 400 responses to the survey for next year's academic calendar, the Board approved the 2013-2014 School Calendar on January 19, 2013 during their Board Work and Training Session. Understanding the Board cannot make everyone happy, the information received from the stakeholder survey for the 2013-2014 School Calendar influenced the development of this coming year's schedule for students.

There was an overwhelming response to finish school for students prior to Memorial Day, Respondents also wanted a one week break at Thanksgiving, and respondents requested a minimum of a two week break during the Christmas Holidays.  There are small breaks throughout the year giving one or two days break per month as preferred by respondents.  The calendar starts the year on a day other than Friday for students, and it starts as late in August  as possible.

The Board of Education considered requirements for the number of days needed for instruction, the number of days for teacher in-service, and testing schedules.  The adopted calendar comes the closest as possible to meeting as many of the requests identified in the Stakeholder Survey for the 2013-2014 School Calendar.

The Board of Education and Administration of Monroe County Schools continue to appreciate your input as we survey our stakeholders on key matters that impact you.

Respectfully submitted,

Mr. Anthony D. Pack, Ed. S.

Superintendent of Schools

2013-2014 STUDENT CALENDAR

2013-2014 FACULTY AND STAFF CALENDAR

What is PBIS?

School-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a process for creating safer and more effective schools. It is a systems approach to enhancing the capacity of schools to educate all children by developing research-based, school-wide, and classroom behavior support systems. The process focuses on improving a school's ability to teach and support behavior for all students. PBIS includes school-wide procedures and processes intended for all students and staff in all settings. It is a team-based process for systematic problem solving, planning and evaluation. All students are provided training as to what behavior should look like in the school setting. Students are taught the specific expectations for every setting in the school. Teachers use positive descriptive language to explain the behaviors that are required in each setting. Students are positively rewarded when they meet the expectations and agreed upon consequences are used to redirect inappropriate behavior.

Why is it so important to focus on teaching positive social behaviors?

Some would say that we shouldn't have to teach students to be good. Students know what they are supposed to do and we should just expect good behavior. While that may be some people's wish, in reality, it does not work for all students. In the past, school wide discipline has focused mainly on reacting to specific student misbehavior by implementing punishment-based strategies. Research has shown that the implementation of punishment, especially when it is used inconsistently and in absence of other positive strategies is ineffective. Teaching behavioral expectations and rewarding students for following them is a more proactive approach than waiting for misbehavior to occur before responding.

Implementation of PBIS does not mean that students are not redirected or provided consequences for egregious behavior. The emphasis, however, is on celebrating academic and behavioral accomplishments of students. This process helps establish a climate in which all students are given instruction in behavior to be successful in the school setting.

Implementation of PBIS requires that staff come to consensus on school guidelines, rewards/recognitions and consequences. It requires that staff make a conscious shift of focus from punitive outcomes to positive methods that ensure success for all students. There is a problem solving process that teachers use in order to change behaviors of groups of students so they can improve academic outcomes and decrease negative behaviors.

Where is Monroe County in its implementation?

At this point all of our schools are implementing PBIS. Each school is at a different level of implementation.

Monroe County is hosting a state-wide PBIS Open House in February. Systems from across the state are traveling to Monroe County to visit our schools. We will be sharing with them our implementation process, and our successes and challenges. They will visit some of our school in order to observe PBIS working within the school environment. The state has asked us to host this as an avenue to assist other districts in their implementation.

If you'd like more information or have questions, please send those to Lisa Allred.

The Monroe County Special Olympics Local Games will be held on March 8, 2013! This wonderful event will take place at the Mary Persons High School Track, beginning at 9am. This is a great opportunity for our special students to develop confidence and demonstrate courage as they participate in athletic sporting events.

If you are interested in becoming involved with Monroe County Special Olympics, please contact Amber Ridley or Leah Pritchett .

Once again, Monroe County Schools has a distinguished group of educators being recognized and honored NATIONALLY for their hard work, diligence, and persistence in meeting the needs of our boys and girls. Under the guidance and direction of Ms. Rayceen King, Director of Student Support Services, the majority of our counselors have accomplished what few have done across the NATION. They have met the criteria to be recognized by the American School Counselors Association for Recognized ASCA Model Programs (RAMP).

The Board of Education and Administration of Monroe County Schools are extremely proud of the work that our counselors do to assist in increasing student achievement. They are an integral part of our team.

I want to congratulate:

Mrs. Tasha Burston - Mary Persons High School

Mrs. Pat Hightower - T. G. Scott Elementary School

Dr. Valerie Jackson - Monroe County Middle School - William Hubbard Camps and Mary Person Freshman Campus

Mrs. Jennifer Rayburn - Katherine B. Sutton Elementary School

Mrs. Teresa Roller - Mary Persons High School

Mrs. Melissa Smith - T. G. Scott Elementary School

Ms. Isabelle Byas - Mary Persons High School - Retired in November 2012

We have two new counselors in the system working on their application to be submitted next year. We believe in having system where all counselors have demonstrated their sincere desire to assist and support teachers by meeting the social and emotional needs of our students through a Counseling Department like no other.

I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to our counselors who have completed and successfully achieved RAMP Certification for their programs and a sincere thank you to Ms. King as she guided and facilitated this process for the past three to four years.

Respectfully submitted,

Mr. Anthony D. Pack, Ed. S.

Superintendent

The Math Design Collaborative (MDC) is funded through the Gates Foundation and serves to add assessment strategies in math that are:

Monroe County Schools' teachers are participating in the Math Design Collaborative.

*Clarifying and sharing learning intentions and criteria for success

*Engineering effective discussion, questions, activities, and tasks that elicit evidence of learning

*Providing feedback that moves students forward

*Activating students as instructional resources for one another

*Activating students as owners of their own learning

Trainers included Vicki Mixon (DOE), Kelly Derzi (MGRESA).

Participants included Myra Boyd, Jennifer Rivers, Sandy Metts, Lisa Keys, Mark Smith, Ty Ford, Deborah Woodward.

A Message from Support Services... State Health Wellness Requirements

The majority of employees who are state health members are participating in a wellness plan.  The "Wellness Promise" must be met before May 31, 2013.  This year there are two (2) online assessments that must be completed by both you and spouse (if covered).  Also, if this is the first year you chose a wellness plan, both you and spouse (if covered) must obtain a biometric screening and get your doctor to fax in the results.  See your email for specific forms.

(The cost of the screening will be covered under the wellness provisions of your health coverage.)

For more information, contact Janet Howard.