MONROE MESSAGES

The CRCT test administration begins this week for students in third through eighth grades. For the complete spring testing schedule, click here.

For the 2014 CRCT brochure for parents, click here. This helpful brochure explains the testing process, and it provides useful tips for parents and students.

Students are not permitted to use, or bring into the testing environment, any electronic device including cell phones. Click here for the complete guidance regarding phones and electronic devices during test.

Mark the Calendar! Join us for Special Olympics at the MPHS track on Friday, May 2 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Monroe County Board of Education meets on Tuesday, May 13 for its regularly scheduled monthly meeting. MCBOE will recognize 2013-2014 school year retirees, and student achievement winners in addition to addressing business items.

Transportation will hold its end of year banquet at Transportation on Saturday, May 3 from 1 - 4 p.m. Drivers will be recognized with awards that day.

At KBS this week, Jennifer Jenkins' fifth graders experimented with dry ice this week, and she crafted a great video of their lesson. Watch a "Jenkins Film" production by clicking the picture below.

Experimenting with Dry Ice

MPHS Announces the 2014 AP Testing Schedule.

The 2014 Mercer University Bears Basketball Team visited HES on Friday to get students and faculty excited about the upcoming CRCT Test.

TGScott Elementary School students got excited about the CRCT on Friday with a Pep Rally led by MP Cheerleaders.

HES Kindergarten students learned lots on their field trip to Noah's Ark last week. Pictured above are Mrs. Becky Cawthon's students.

Friday was Career Caravan Day at HES. Thank you to community members who made this day possible for HES.

Parents, We Need Your Feedback

Monroe County Schools conducts annual surveys of parents, students, and teachers. Please take a few minutes to provide your feedback if you are an elementary or middle school parent here. Please respond to the survey here if you have a high school student.

Congratulations to the DAR Youth Citizenship Medal Winners

Congratulations to the recipients of this year's DAR Youth Citizenship Medal. These students will be recognized at the May 13 Board of Education meeting.

K. B. Sutton Elementary School - Gabe Hogan (Alicia Elder, Principal)
Samuel E. Hubbard Elementary School - Sarah Boyer (Dr. Marcy Hunt-Harris, Principal)
T. G. Scott Elementary School - Josie Leatherman (Dr. Richard Bazemore, Principal)
Monroe County Middle School - Natalie Pippin (6th Grade Campus, William Hubbard Building) (Mr. Jay Johnston, Principal)

Congratulations MCMS's Ellia Yamamoto

Congratulations to Ellia Yamamoto, an MCMS student, for receiving first place in Georgia's Manufacturing Design Contest sponsored by Central Georgia Technical College. This state win is an outstanding honor! Her original drawing will be framed and kept by officials at the state capital, and she received a beautifully mounted print of her drawing, a plaque, a $500 scholarship check, and a 2014-15 calendar in which her drawing proudly represents the month of August. She received her award at the Governor's Luncheon held at the Atlanta's Convention Center. Ellia will meet with Governor Deal in May, so he can congratulate her on the

honor. Those in the picture starting from left to right are: Tatrabian Jackson (Director of CGTC for Monroe County Center), Kecia McGouirk (MCMS Art Teacher), Ellia Yamamoto, Ted Keen (Stepdad), and Julie Yamamoto (Mom).

GADOE Releases 2012 and 2013 CCRPI Results

The Georgia Department of Education recently released the second College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI), based on data from

the 2012 and 2013 school years.

To see Monroe County Schools CCRPI Reports for 2013 recently released by the Georgia Department of Education, click here.

For 2013, Monroe County Schools ranks 26th out of the 180 county and city school districts (There are 195 systems if charter schools are counted). Mary Persons is number 134 of the 390 reported high schools (top 34%). Out of 555 middle schools reported, Monroe County Middle School is number 233 or in the top 42%. There were 1217 elementary schools reported with KBSES being in the top 12% (140th). SEHES is 317th out of the 1217 (in the top 26%). TGSES is 416th (in the top 34%).

For a comparison of 2012 and 2013 CCRPI scores for Monroe County Schools, click here.

The CCRPI is Georgia's statewide accountability system, implemented in 2012 to replace the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) measurement, after the U.S. Department of Education granted Georgia's waiver from NCLB. It measures schools and school districts on an easy-to-understand 100-point scale, helping parents and the public better understand how schools are performing in a more comprehensive manner than the pass/fail system previously in place under AYP.

In addition to scores based on the 2013 school year, recalculated scores for the 2012 school year were also released recently. Since the first "study year" of CCRPI implementation in 2012, the State has received valuable feedback from education partners and the public, and has revised and refined the CCRPI to make a more meaningful report. The 2013 data was calculated reflecting the new calculation, and the 2012 scores were recalculated applying the new calculation methodology to the same 2012 data.

Mr. Pack stated, "I am proud of our students for achieving at such high levels. I am also extremely pleased with the dedication of our faculty and staff as they work tirelessly ensuring quality learning opportunities for our boys and girls. It is also an honor to work for a Board of Education that keeps a laser-like focus on student achievement."

Members of the system leadership team will carefully analyze CCRPI data to determine areas for improvement. School level administrators will work with their faculty to do the same. System and school continuous improvement plans will be updated with appropriate action steps.

A Message from Monroe County Schools Nurses: Protect Yourself in a Storm

Find shelter immediately.

Substantial buildings are best.
If no building is available, get in a car with doors and windows closed. The metal body of the car will conduct electricity around you but not through you. Do not use the radio or touch any metal parts of the car body.
Avoid small structures such as stand-alone restrooms and open picnic shelters. These attract lightning and provide little protection.
Never stand under a tree. Lightning strikes tall objects and will travel down the tree trunk and into you.
Bring your pets indoors. Doghouses and pens provide little or no protection for your pet. Pet run lines and pen fences are metal and attract lightning strikes.

Do not touch anything metal or electrical.

Lightning will travel into your house through anything that contains metal parts such landlines, plumbing and electrical wires
Using a land line phone during a thunderstorm is the main cause of lightning-related injuries in the U.S.
Do not touch electrical outlets during a storm. Do not attempt to unplug any devices.
Do not lie on concrete floors or lean against concrete walls. Most concrete has wire mesh in it that will conduct electricity.
Stay out of the bathtub or shower. Avoid indoor swimming pools.

Source: The Helping Hand Newsletter

MP Spring Sports Move to Region Competition

For all the latest updates on MP Spring Sports, follow @MP_Athletics and @MaryPersonsHigh on Twitter. You can catch a weekly update of all MP happenings through The Bulldog Beat, the Mary Persons High School's electronic newsletter.

It's Tea Time for Literacy

Monroe County Adult and Community Education will sponsor a tea on Saturday, May 3 from 2 to 4 p.m. at The Family Life Center of the Forsyth United Methodist Church. For more details, click here.

Monroe County School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, or sex in its employment practices, student programs and dealings with the public. It is the policy of the Board of Education to comply fully with the requirements of Title VI, Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act and all accompanying regulations. As a result, the following people have been appointed to oversee specific areas. Title II, Adult 504, Adult Title IX Dr. Mike Hickman 25 Brooklyn Avenue, Forsyth, GA 31029 478-994-2031 Student and Athletic Title IX Jackson Daniel 25 Brooklyn Avenue, Forsyth, GA 31029 478-994-2031 Student 504 Lisa Allred 433 Highway 41 South, Forsyth, GA 31029 Copyright 2014 All Rights Reserved.