Ms. Berner has been in education for 39 years, with 33 of those in Monroe County where she has worked with special needs students. In addition to her career as an educator she also served her country as a solder in the US Army Reserve for almost 36 years, completing four tours of duty in the Middle East.  She has always had a desire to teach and help others learn. "One of my most memorable moments came when I overheard "my words" coming out of the mouths of my students. Students who I had worked with for three years were talking to a new group of 9th Graders and were sharing with them the same words of wisdom I had been preaching over the years. It was refreshing to hear my students talk in such a mature manner and with such conviction." Ms. Berner has had several rewarding experiences that involved former students returning to let her know that they finally understood and appreciated what she had taught them in school, some even apologized for being difficult and thanked her for putting up with them and not giving up on them. An embarrassing moment that she is willing to share was when she was mistaken as a student and reprimanded for wandering the hall. She said she will definitely miss seeing the reactions of her students when they were able to finally understand a concept; she will also miss the intense discussions and light-hearted interactions with her colleagues. She will not miss the mounds of paperwork, record keeping, and all of the reports she has had to write year after year. She looks forward to spending time with her family and completing remodeling projects, as well as traveling leisurely and exercising more. Her advice to a new educator would be "develop a good relationship with your mentor and turn to him/her for support and guidance. Don't hesitate to ask for help when needed." She also recommends developing good organizational skills and pacing oneself in order to complete all of the required paperwork without feeling overwhelmed.

Ms. Keys has been in education for 26 years. Of those the last 7 have been in Monroe County where she has taught math. Her love of math is what inspired her to become a teacher. As a teacher she has realized that students not only watch what she taught but also who she was and how she acted. She said that the most rewarding experience for her is the sweet notes and special things that her students say about being in her class. Her most embarrassing moment was when she fell down in front of a bunch of 8th graders. She will miss her students and coworkers most but she will definitely not miss the ever-changing curriculum. She looks forward to not having to grade papers in her retirement. She would advise a new educator to "be yourself. If you have to change who you are to manage your classroom, you will burnout very quickly."  

Mrs. Plantz has worked in some form of education for most of her adult life. When she finished college she worked in higher education administration at several universities in different states, working in financial aid. When her children came along she chose to stay home with them due to her husband's business travel. She has worked with Monroe County Schools for 8 years. She was at HES before coming to MP this year. One of her most memorable moments was when she was working in financial aid at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI, when one of her "older tall, dark and handsome dental students made yet another appointment to see me about obtaining more financial aid. I asked him how I could be of assistance. He proceeded to lean back in his chair and threw his right leg up on my desk and said 'I really need a new leg!' and he knocked on his wooden leg. After the initial shock wore off and he submitted several estimates from his physician, I was able to get him fixed up." She said she will miss her past students and colleagues but not the early mornings and long commutes. In retirement she looks forward to seeing more of her children who live in Austin, TX, and a daughter who lives in Charlotte. She also looks forward to her son's wedding in July in Illinois. She said they plan to build a home in Myrtle Beach and continue their travels around the world. Her motto is "There's always more to see and learn." Her advice to a new educator is to "be flexible and patient."

Mrs. Walker has been in education for 30 years, 28 of which have been in Monroe County where she has worked with special needs students. She was inspired to become a teacher by her siblings who were teachers. Her most memorable moment was when she was chosen as Teacher of the Month by her co-workers. Most rewarding to her is having had the opportunity to teach students and make a difference in children's lives. Her most embarrassing moment was when she took a fall in the front of the school. She said that she will miss all of her students and her co-workers most, but will not miss "the amount of paperwork and data notebooks I had to maintain." She looks forward to traveling, working in her garden, shopping, and spending more time with her family and friends. Advice that she would give a new educator would be to "listen to the advice of your mentor but trust your gut. Watch other teachers teach. If you want to be a successful special education teacher or regular education teacher, you have to be patient." She also mentions that students need for teachers to be patient and willing to put time and effort into their lives, and be willing to try anything and everything to help them learn. "Don't just teach one way and expect your students to be successful."

Mrs. Woodward has been in education for 30 years, 27 of which have been in Monroe County where she has taught math. She was inspired to go into teaching by her maternal grandmother who had the greatest respect for teachers. She claimed that she planned to be a teacher at a very early age, to please her grandmother, and it stuck! Her most rewarding experience in education has been her opportunity to build relationships with awesome young people. She said that "Monroe County has produced some pretty amazing citizens of the world, and I got to be a part of that process." When asked about her most embarrassing moment as an educator she said that she is not easily embarrassed and could not come up with one. She will miss the forced interaction with teenagers, and feels she has been blessed by the young people who have been placed in her path. She said that "even the most aggravating students have shared some little piece of themselves to help make me who I am." She will also treasure the professional relationships that she has made. She will not miss her every move being documented, and she looks forward to having the time to volunteer and do things that she chooses to do rather than things that have been chosen for her. She would advise a new educator to share themselves with their students, and "let them know why you spend 8 plus hours each day doing what you do. Public education is one of the finest places you can choose to build a career. Make sure that as a professional educator, you treat others with the same level of respect with which you wish to be treated."

Class of 2015 - Senior Pictures 

Senior Pictures will be taken Wednesday, July 30 - Monday, August 4.  Retakes will be Saturday, September 13.  The photographer will be set up in the Common Area at MPHS, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Students will receive appointments from Lifetouch during summer. 

Summer Reading for Honors/AP Students 

Students enrolling in Honors/AP literature and language classes will be assigned summer reading. Students will be able to acquire these novels from various bookstores. The following is the list of the novels that all upcoming students should have read during the summer BEFORE returning for the fall semester of 2013: 

• Honors Ninth Grade Literature:  To Kill a Mockingbird  by Harper Lee
• Honors Tenth Grade Literature:  Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
• AP Language/American Literature: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and The American Crisis by Thomas Paine--Essays 1, 2, and 13  (http://www.ushistory.org/PAINE/crisis/)
• AP Literature:  Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurstonand A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

There are still a few yearbooks available for purchase  

at a cost of $70.  

See Mrs. Hogan on the main campus if you are interested.

While putting finishing touches on summer plans, don't forget to leave some quality time for volunteer activities or projects.  You'll find that incorporating service into your life can definitely be habit-forming--in a very good way!

2014-2015 FFA Officer Team 

 President: Jessica White

Vice-President: Tia Chastain

Secretary: Amber Pritchett

Treasurer: Shelby Sims

Reporter: Abby Sims

Sentinel: Wyatt Stovall

Chaplain: Rebekah Simpson

FFA Advisor:  Bill Waldrep 

Annie Kate Barnes ('15), Leah Haygood ('14), and Caitlin Stephenson ('14) have been selected to play in the Middle GA All Star Soccer game to be held at the Shamrock Bowl at Dublin High School on June 7.

WHAT: 2014 MP Bulldog Soccer Camp

WHEN: June 16-20, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. each day

WHERE: Billy Lancaster Field at MCMS-Banks Stephens Campus

WHO: Campers age 14 and under

Those registered by June 7 will receive 20% discount!  

All campers will receive a T-shirt!

Contact Coach Luton at allen.luton@monroe.k12.ga.us or Coach Jones at robby.jones@monroe.k12.ga.us to register or fill out the brochure and mail it in.

Click Here for the Summer Soccer Camp Brochure. 

Cheerleaders:

Mark Your Calendars!

Cheerleading Summer Workouts

Starting June 3- July 24, every Tuesday & Thursday from 2-4 p.m. @WHMS!

June 30- July 4: NO CHEER EVENTS

Summer Skills Camp  

July 28-30, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Varsity Competition Choreography  

July 30, 4-8 p.m. & July 31, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Varsity Spirit Sign Day 

July 31, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

   GO BULLDOGS!