Data from the Georgia Parent Survey will be used to calculate the School Climate Star Rating within the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) to determine a correlation between the student responses on the Georgia Student Health Survey II and school personnel responses on the Georgia School Personnel Survey.  

The Georgia Parent Survey will remain open through Friday, January 31, 2014.    The Georgia Parent Survey has 20 questions and it should take no more than 5 - 10 minutes to complete it.  Survey responses are anonymous and will be submitted directly to the Georgia Department of Education for analysis.

When More Than a Band-Aid May Be Needed

Submitted by Amanda Bell, MCMS Nurse 

Do you know what to do next time your child gets a nasty cut or wound?

Rule #1: Stitches need to be placed within 12 hours of the injury. Otherwise, closing the wound increases the risk of infection. So, you've got to decide before the office opens the next morning.

Rule #2: If you cannot get the bleeding under control, or you can see fat or bone (usually deeper than 1/4 inch), you need to seek medical attention.

Rule #3: Cuts to the eyebrows and lip/skin lines usually need stitches for the best cosmetic result. Since both areas have a definite line, you want the two sides of the wound to have the best chance of finding each other.

Rule #4: Injuries to the mouth and lips bleed heavily, but rarely need stitches. All that blood flow to the area also allows the wounds to heal very quickly.

Rule #5: If the wound is due to a human or cat/dog bite, it needs to be cleaned really well and usually require antibiotics. But, these wounds usually do not get stitches.

Rule #6: Wounds that are getting red are tender or are draining need to be seen by a medical provider.

Rule #7: If your child is up to date on his shots, he probably won't need a tetanus shot. But, check with your doctor to be sure.

Rule #8: Sometimes staples or Dermabond (human superglue) can be used instead of stitches. But regardless of which method is used, all wounds need to be kept clean.

Rule #9: Stitches and staples need to be removed and the length of time will depend on the location of the injury. The person who places them will give you specific instructions for follow-up.

Rule #10: Don't freak out! Your child will do better with a calm parent.

Source: http://answers.webmd.com/answers/1190543/when-does-a-cut-need-stitches  

A special thank you to Dr. Clell M. Morris, D.M.D. in Forsyth.   Dr. Morris has donated a Save-A-Tooth Kit to each school in Monroe County.   Dr. Morris is pictured above with HES Nurse Patti Nesmith. 

A grade point average (GPA) is a calculated average of the letter grades you earn in school following a 0 to 4.0 scale. Throughout high school, you'll also maintain a cumulative GPA, which is an ongoing average of all your grades beginning with freshman year. When you apply to colleges, they will receive a  transcript featuring your current cumulative GPA. Colleges use this number to measure your overall performance in school and compare you to other prospective students.

Your GPA is important for your future because:

1. For admission, prospective colleges consider both your GPA and your class, which is determined by your GPA. So the higher the GPA, the better your chances are of getting into the college of your choice.
2. Your GPA is a major consideration for both academic and athletic college scholarships as well as financial aid.

Many colleges want to evaluate your GPA using their own methods. Often, they'll disregard "easy A's" you earned in gym or art class and focus on the fundamentals of your education, calculating your GPA from the grades you earned in science, English, social studies and math. So even if you're acing several classes, it's most important to do well in the core academic classes. Some colleges also look at both your unweighted and weighted GPA's, which means you can't rely on your AP and honors courses to raise GPA.

You can't wait until your junior or senior year to start worrying about your cumulative GPA. Every single class you take during the four years gets averaged in, so your freshman and sophomore year grades are just as important. If every class in the first year or two doesn't go well, then it will be very challenging to graduate with an above average GPA. For example, if you receive all D's or 1.0's in 9th and 10th grade and all A's or 4.0's in 11th and 12th grade, your cumulative average GPA will be 2.5, which doesn't meet the minimum many schools require for admission.

A little planning and hard work during your ninth grade year can go a long way toward a better cumulative GPA and make all the difference when you send in your college applications. In fact, the GPA on your college application may only reflect the first 3 or 3 � years of high school anyway since you'll need to apply before your first semester grades of senior year are calculated.

• Work hard in your freshman and sophomore years. 
• While a low GPA won't keep you from getting into college, some four-year colleges do require a 3.0 or higher for admission
• Don't slack off once you receive your acceptance letter. Your future college will continue to monitor your grades through the end of your senior year and expect a final transcripts.  

http://www.campusexplorer.com/college-advice-tips/BAD94AE7/What-is-a-GPA/  

Students who came to story time during the week of October 28th were in for a treat when they arrived! The students enjoyed listening to the Georgia Book Award nominee title, The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen. During the course of the story, the ship sinks with fifteen circus animals on board. The students had the opportunity to build their own aluminum foil boat and try to make it float. After placing the boat in water, the children added fifteen circus animals (pennies) to see if their boat would continue to float. The students had a fantastic time learning about literature and science in a hands-on way!

PreK classes of Mrs. Marquita Self and Mrs. Alisa Helms recently visited the Fire and Police Station in Forsyth. They had a great time and learned a lot about community helpers.

There are two winners from Monroe County Achievement Center who placed in the 2013

Statewide Fire Prevention Week Contest. These are: London Bryant - Third Place Statewide Fire Safety Essay contest winner for ninth grade, and Michael D. Brown - First Place Statewide Fire Safety Essay contest winner for tenth grade.

MCMS Emphasizes Anti-Bullying this Week

MCMS celebrated Anti-Bullying this week with an array of activities, but this activity is one of the student's favorites. Each student draws their hand, cuts it out, and write their name on it. Then each hand goes on the school wall for "In the Hands of Time be a Friend and Not a Bully." MCMS students and staff wore purple to support Anti-Bullying!