Monroe Messages

Monroe County Board of Education To Meet

The Monroe County Board of Education will meet for its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Tuesday, January 13. The meeting will be called to order at 6:30 p.m. followed by an executive session. The regular business meeting is expected to resume around 7 p.m. The meeting will be in the Central Office Board Room.

The Board of Education will meet for its annual winter work session on Saturday, January 24 beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Central Office Conference Room. Check our eBoard Solutions website at https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/index.aspx?S=4117 for agendas of meetings.

Preparing our Schools For the Flu and Cold Season

KBSutton Elementary Assistant Principal Joanne Binns met with the KBS custodial team on Monday morning to review procedures for ensuring that classrooms, restrooms, cafeteria, and media center are thoroughly sanitized before students return.

This is turning out to be a very active flu season. The CDC recommends a three step approach to fighting influenza (flu). The first step is to get the flu vaccination each year. Secondly, if you do get the flu, then there are prescription antiviral drugs that can treat your illness. See your doctor when symptoms arise in you or your child. Early treatment is especially warranted for the very young, people with chronic health conditions, and the elderly. Finally, please make sure that you take everyday precautions for prevention.

Everyday precautions include:

If you or your child gets sick with flu-like symptoms, then the CDC recommends that the sick person should stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone except to get medical care. The fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine such as Tylenol or Advil.

While sick, limit contact with others as soon as possible to keep from infecting them.

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Use the "vampire sneeze" of using your elbow instead of your hands when possible to limit the spreading of the virus or germs.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Germs spread this way.

Eat with utensils. Avoid using your hands to eat food if possible.

Wash your hands often with soap and water. Sing the "Happy Birthday" song as you wash so that you make sure that the hands are clean as you lather and scrub both sides of your hands. If soap and water are not available, then use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with flu virus or other germs.

Routinely clean frequently touched objects and surfaces including door knobs, car door handles, keyboards, phones, and tables.

Practice good health habits. Get plenty of sleep and exercise, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat healthy food.

To learn more about this year's flu outbreak, click here.

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/whattodo.htm.

Pictured above are TGScott Elementary and Hubbard Elementary custodial/maintenance personnel who worked to make sure that their buildings were ready for students to return this week.

TGScott Students Present Their Science Findings

All fifth grade science projects were due last week at TGScott Elementary. Fifth grader Charly Peters brought her science project in with great excitement, and she was ready to share her findings. Students picked a topic of their choice to research. Students will present their information to their class, and projects will be displayed for viewing.

The Going Google Movement in Monroe County Schools

Monroe County Schools' teachers, students, and administrators are learning together as we take many of our digital documents to the cloud through Google Apps for Education. Instructional Technology Specialist Ronnie Shipman worked with administrators at KBSutton Elementary last week to learn more about Google Drive and Google Classroom. Mary Persons High School teachers learned about Google Classroom during Monday's Inservice Day.

Hubbard Elementary Spelling Bee Winners

Congratulations to Jordan McCord! He is Hubbard Elementary's spelling bee winner. The top five winners who will progress to the district competition are: Jordan McCord, Emilee Criswell, Evan Griffis, Christian Childress, and Sarina Eckelbarger.

TGScott Students Celebrate Good Behavior with Bear Bash

TGScott Elementary students who are safe, responsible, and respectful participated in this week's Bear Bash.

KBS Fifth Graders Learn about the Roaring Twenties

KBSutton fifth graders recently completed a unit of study on the history of the 1920s. They learned about flappers, jazz music, art deco, the Harlem Renaissance, and the social and economics influences of the times.

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