Parents are invited to visit schools on Thursday, October 24, 2013  from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.  

Monroe County Schools also will host Parent Conference Night on  

March 27, 2014 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in all schools.

The Monroe County Board of Education and Administration of Monroe County Schools desires to maintain an effective working relationship with the news media.

As such, news releases concerning the operations, plans, or programs of the school district will be released from the Superintendent's Office with the approval of the Board as appropriate.  Releases concerning only the functions or programs at individuals schools may be approved by the principal upon consultation with the Superintendent or his/her designee.

News media personnel are to contact school principals to request permission to enter a building to requests interviews, take pictures, or cover an event.

The Monroe County Schools Gifted Education Council, comprised of students, parents, teachers, and administrators from each grade span, is committed to increasing awareness of the gifted services offered in our schools.  Please call Angie Dillon, Assistant Superintendent, for additional information or questions you may have regarding the gifted services. Click here to access the Gifted Services webpage. 

BOOK BAGS ARE NOT NEEDED - WE JUST NEED THE ITEMS TO FILL THEM UP

Many people with allergies blame plants for their misery (rightfully so), and this time of year can be tough for hay fever sufferers. Hay fever is an allergic reaction that certain people have when they inhale pollen from specific plants. One of the most colorful plants we see blooming in roadside ditches is goldenrod (Solidago sp.), and since hay fever symptom seem to be worse when it is in bloom, it is often blamed for causing hay fever. However, the true culprit is ragweed. Both plants begin blooming in late summer, but are actually quite different in many ways.

Goldenrod produces masses of bright golden flowers on single-stemmed plants, and has

relatively large, heavy pollen grains that are intended to be carried off by bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Ragweed bares greenish yellow flowers in small heads which produce copious amounts of pollen, carried by the wind rather than insects for pollination. Ragweed flowers are not showy which means these plants are often easier to recognize by their stems and leaves.Ragweed has branching purplish stems that are rough and hairy, and leaves which are smooth,but deeply divided into lobed portions.

Since 75 percent of all Americans who are allergic to pollen-producing plants are also

allergic to ragweed, removal of this pest plant is important. Homeowners can control this

shallow-rooted plant best by hoeing, hand-pulling, or mowing while plants are still young, particularly before their flowers begin to form. Select herbicides for use on broadleaf weeds can also provide control, but should not be used in right-of-ways and ditches since other wildflowers are likely present. Hopefully this information will help you to identify ragweed on your property and will allow all of us to breathe a little easier this time of year. Source:  http://baker.ifas.ufl.edu  

 Please dress comfortably as it relates to your volunteer task, but please remember that as adults, we serve as role models for our students.  To review our dress code for volunteers, click here. The administration reserves the right to make decisions concerning the dress code as situations arise. 

Makenzie Hicks (center) is pictured with (from left) Assistant Superintendent Angie Dillon, Makenzie's parents Ticia and Chad Hicks, Superintendent Anthony Pack, and Family Services Coordinator Gwen Byrd.

Makenzie Hicks is a second grade student at Hubbard Elementary School.  Her parents are Ticia and Chad Hicks. Makenzie was inspired to "share" her birthday with other students after visiting the media center where she watched a movie about a student who helped others by building a house for a family.  Makenzie wanted to do something to help others, so she collected books, backpacks, and bears to give to fellow Monroe County Schools' students in need.  

Monroe County Schools recently won the Cybersafety and Digital Citizenship Program Leadership Award for training students, teachers, staff and parents over the past two years on the issues of cybersecurity and digital citizenship. The award was presented by the Center for Digital Government sponsored by McAfee. Superintendent Anthony Pack is pictured below receiving the award. 

Run for the Resources

to Benefit Students in Need

The Give 5 Club at Mary Persons is hosting a "Running for Resources" 5K road race to benefit Monroe County students in need.  This race will take place on November 2nd with a fun run at 8:30 am and the 5K at 9am.  Cost of the race is $20. Pre-register by either going to http://www.macontracks.com  or the Mary Persons home page at http://mphs.monroe.k12.ga.us to print out a race form and mail it in to the school. You can also register the day of the race. Give 5 also needs sponsors for the race as well as volunteers.  Race shirts will be guaranteed for pre-registered participants.  Come join the fun as we help students succeed in Monroe County!  Click here for the full race entry form PDF.

Cellphones are increasingly full-blown handheld computers, and everything that can be done on the Web via computer - photo-sharing, Web browsing, game playing, tune-swapping, real-time text chat, and (oh yeah) talking - can be done on a phone. Here are some basic ideas for keeping mobile phone use safe and constructive:

Smart socializing.  Use the same good sense about what you post from your phone as from a computer. Once they're posted, text, photos, and video are tough to take back, can be copied and pasted elsewhere, and are up there pretty much forever. Think about the people in them (including you!). Reputations are at stake - even more so if racy photos are involved.  

Phones are personal. Letting other people use your phone when you are not around is like letting them have the password to your social network profile. They can impersonate you. It's a very good idea to lock your phone when you're not using it.

Bullying by phone. Because people socialize on cellphones as much as online, cyberbullying can be mobile too. Treat people on phones and the web the way you would in person, and the risk of being bullied goes down. Be aware, too, of people randomly taking pictures at parties, in locker rooms, etc. - you may not want to be tagged in their social-network photo albums!

Sexting.  The vast majority of kids are smart and don't take, send, or post or even store nude photos of themselves or peers on their phones. People who do so can be charged with production, distribution, or possession of child pornography, a serious crime. They can also be subjected to jokes, bullying, blackmail, expulsion from school, loss of a job, etc. and the images can circulate forever.  

The value of "presence." If you do a lot of texting, consider the impact that being "elsewhere" might be having on the people around you. Your presence during meals, at parties, in the car, etc. is not only polite, it's a sign of respect and appreciated.

Down time is good.  Constant texting and talking can affect sleep, concentration, school, and other things that deserve your thought and focus.  

Social mapping. Most cellphones now have GPS technology and there are a growing number of services that allow friends to pinpoint each other's physical location. If you use such a service, do so only with friends you know in person, and get to know the service's privacy features!

No texting while driving! Research shows that texting while driving can significantly increase the risk of a crash or near-crash situation. Silence your phone in the car, pull over if you need to use it, and of course follow your state's hands-free laws for mobile phones in cars. © 2011 http://www.ConnectSafely.org Used with Permission. 

Third grade students at T. G. Scott Elementary School enjoyed a visit from Mr. Truitt of Diamond Cut Kennels last month. Mr. Truitt and his daughter Alivia, a third grader, demonstrated training methods with several dogs. They used voice commands and hand signals to get the dogs to obey basic commands as well as climbing an a-frame and a ladder. He also showed the group one dog's protective skills using Alivia. This was a great stranger safety lesson for the children. Mr. Truitt trains dogs for military service people and also does pet training. His visit coincided with the third grade's current unit on narrative story elements, using the book Because of Winn Dixie. Mr. Truitt brought a rescue dog and discussed many of the problems that the dog had had when he was found. The students got to pet and hold Belgian Malinois shepherd puppies that would one day be trained for service.