Click here for the First Semester Final Exam Schedule for Mary Persons High School.

Tuesday, Dec. 17th, Social Studies; Wednesday, Dec. 18th, Math; Thursday, Dec. 19th,  Science; Friday, Dec. 20th, English/Language Arts.

Hubbard Elementary School

KB Sutton Elementary School

TG Scott Elementary School

Monroe County Middle School

Mary Persons High School

Achievement Center

HES Fifth Grade students conducted experiments last week to learn more about temperature.

MCMS Chorus will perform on  Monday, Dec.16th at Tift College, Roberts Chapel. 6th grade will perform at 6:30 p.m., and  7th and 8th grade will perform at  7:30 p.m.

10 Big and Small Ways to Save Money on College

 

Five big ways to save:

 

1. Stay in state: There's simply no denying that having your child attend an in-state, public university can be a huge money-saver. For our family, the final college decision came down to one private school, St. Louis University, and the University of Kansas, a public, in-state school. The cost difference was significant, even after scholarships.

 

2. Consider community college: When money is tight but college is a priority, a community college can be your best friend. Even if your child to goes straight to a four-year school, any community college credits you can accrue in high school or over the summer can be a great help. Lindsey was able to get 18 hours of college credit while still in high school. We had to pay community college rates for her classes, but some states, such as Florida, offer these credits for free.

 

3. Look local for scholarships: Think your student has to have off-the-chart intelligence or exceptional athletic ability to get a scholarship? Think again. Scholarships exist for all kinds of students, including those with a particular passion, strong leaders, and service-minded kids. Don't overlook smaller, local scholarships, too. They all add up and these scholarships tend to be less competitive, so your child's odds of winning them is higher. A local softball league in our town gives out $500 scholarships to several college-bound players each year. Those are the kind of opportunities that are easy to miss.

 

4. Keep your student on track: Nothing can cause college cost overruns like having to stay in school an extra semester, an extra year, or more. Sometimes it's unavoidable, but encouraging your child to take a full class load, keep up with graduation requirements, and stay focused on making grades will all go a long way toward helping him or her finish on time.

 

5. Don't make assumptions: You may figure that your family won't qualify for need-based aid, but go through the motions just in case. Start by filling out the FAFSA. Certain things like having more than one child in college at the same time may swing the numbers in your favor.

Five little ways to save for post-secondary learning:

1. Know your priorities: Avoid making a huge Target or Wal-Mart run before you leave for school. Bring only the necessities and make a list over the next few weeks of what you really need.
2. Make the most of your meal plan. Many dining halls offer take-away lunches that you can use instead of buying lunch on campus or picking up snacks at the grocery store.
3. Identify local student discounts: Many college town businesses, such as local shops and restaurants, will offer great savings if you show your student ID.
4. Skimp on the small stuff: When it comes to school supplies, pretty floral notebooks and sets of 24 highlighters may be tempting, but these can be double the cost of more basic items.
5. Know when to say "no": It's a hard pill to swallow, but you can't buy every last t-shirt, baseball cap, or tote bag that your club or organization offers. Limiting yourself is also a great way to keep your closet (and that tiny dorm room) clutter free.

www.usnews.com/education/blogs/twice-the-college-advice/2011/08/30/10-big-and-small-ways-to-save-money-on-college_print.html  

Think your children are too young to understand your grown-up conversations? Think again! Children can be upset and confused by overheard adult conversations and before they repeat something mortifying in front of your mother-in-law-or worse-it's time to monitor what you say in front of them.

Talking around Children: 6 Things to Avoid

Loaded topics.

Complaining.

Upsetting world events.

Swearing.

Source:  http://www.webmd.com.  

Monroe County Schools releases for Winter Holidays on Friday, December 20.  The schools will be closed through Friday, January 3.  Teachers return for in-service on Monday, January 6, and students return on Tuesday, January 7 for the first day of the third nine weeks.

        

 

The Monroe County Board of Education will meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. for its established monthly meeting.

 

Agenda items include the 2014-2015 School Calendar, the 2014-2015 elementary schools' zone lines, and other items.

 

Based on guidance provided by the Board to the administration at last week's called meeting, the Board of Education will review possible elementary zone lines for the 2014-2015 school year..  

 

Enrollment data informing the decision to re-zone the elementary schools:

• Over a five year period, KBSES has had a decline of approximately 10 students per year while SEHES and TGSES have had increases of 9 and 33 students per year respectively (See Table of Elementary Schools' Enrollment Figures above).
• TGSES is currently at 89% capacity (887 students currently enrolled/1000 students to building capacity).  SEHES is at 66% capacity (598 students currently enrolled/900 students to building capacity).  KBSES is at 58% capacity (436 students currently enrolled/750 students to building capacity). 
• KBSES is currently below the state funding formula based on enrollment.
• Growth throughout the county has not been realized as was estimated prior to the building of KBSES. An example is the 250 home subdivision that was to be built on the property adjacent to the KBSES property.

The timeline for determining 2013-2014 elementary zone lines:

• 12/10/2013     Regular December Board Meeting - Board reviews potential options for re-zoning the elementary schools and determines options for community feedback
• 12/12/2013 through 1/07/2014     Community feedback on options selected by the Board at the 12/10/2013 meeting - Drafts will be posted online for electronic feedback and posted at the MCBOE Central Office Building for review and written feedback (excluding the Christmas and New Year's Holidays).
• 1/7/2013         Public Hearing - MCBOE Auditorium
• 1/08/2014 through 1/13/2014     Review of community feedback
• 1/14/2014       Present second draft of new zones to the Board based on community feedback
• 1/14/2014       Board approves the new Elementary Attendance Zones
• 1/22/2014       Letter to parents of elementary school students informing parents of the assigned attendance zones for the 2014-2015 school year 
• 1/27/2014 through 2/20/2014     Parents of rising 5th grade students impacted by the re-zoning may submit a letter requesting their 5th grader remain at the current elementary school for the 2014-2015 school year.  (Transportation for 5th graders attending a school outside the established school attendance zone will be the responsibility of the parents/guardians of the students.) Note: Added 12/3/2013 after the Called BOE Meeting.

Items to be established:

• Parent and student visitation to schools once the new zones have been established - February 2014
• Enrollment projections for 2014-2015 School Year - February/March 2014
• Teacher assignment for the 2014-2015 School Year - March/April 2014

Note:  The current elementary zones will be posted on the system website by 4 PM on Monday, December 9, 2013.

Eric M. Thompson, Director of Bands 

We are excited to be hosting our county wide band Christmas Concert in the Mary Persons High School Gym on Tuesday, December 17th. There will be a wide variety of musical performers ranging from 6th grade all the way to 12th grade. The audience will get to enjoy each grade as they perform as well as hear the progression of musical ability acquired as the students get older.

 

We will end our Christmas concert with a good ole' fashion Christmas Sing A Long with music from the high school band. Afterwards we will be having hot chocolate for our guests. There is no better way to get in the Christmas spirit than by Singing Christmas Carols and warming up with some hot chocolate; we will be doing both! Please come out and support the students of the Monroe County Band Department as they share their musical talents in the spirit of Christmas. Our concert starts at 7:00PM and is free!

In the newly remodeled James P Evans Sr Gymnasium, the boys and girls had their successful first home games last week in region play against Westside High School.

Monroe County Middle students, parents, and teachers gathered last week in the auditorium to showcase student talent.  Students sang, danced, played instruments, and more.  The talent show winners were:n1st place- S. Walton; 2nd place L. Dockery; 3rd place- M. Blalock.

Hippo for Christmas

Mr. DJ Hurm's Construction students went the extra mile to create a larger than life hippopotamus for Christmas parade float. The students combined drafting, construction, engineering, and innovation to make the animal parade through the streets of Forsyth.

MCMS students just wanted a "Dawg House" for Christmas.

Machines in Jennifer Pippin's Physical Science Class

Students in Mrs. Jennifer Pippin's eighth grade physical science classes competed this week with original Rube Goldberg machines to show how simply constructed machines can do complex operations.  Click on the video above to see machines and students in action.

The GAPSS process continued this week as KBSutton Elementary had its yearly review.  The GAPSS process concludes next week with Mary Persons High School GAPSS.

Congratulations to Mrs. Charlotte Copeland, the KBSutton HIP teacher of the month!  HIP stands for High standards In Practice. KBS Principal Mrs. Alicia Elder stated, "Mrs. Copeland does a wonderful job of differentiating her lessons in order to meet the needs of her students.  She does a great job using data to form her flexible math groups in order to increase student engagement and achievement. She is also skilled in implementing how her students can use technology during guided math centers."