Parent Conference Evening is Thursday, March 26  
beginning at 4 p.m. and ending at 7 p.m.
Contact Your Student's School for an Appointment. 
 Progress Reports went home on Thursday.  For parents and guardians who have a valid email address on file with Monroe County Schools, you also should have received a progress report for your student via secured email through SchoolMessenger, our messaging service.  If you did not receive a progress report via email, please provide an updated email address to your school's registrar.
Monroe Messages
A Newsletter of Monroe County Schools
Congratulations to Young Georgia Author Competition Winners
Congratulations to the following students who were selected as this year's system winners in the Young Georgia Author's Writing Competition!

 

Kindergarten

Grayson Bennett

SHES

"Learning To Ride A Bike"

First Grade

Hannah Goodwin

KBSE

"The Snowy Day"

Second Grade

Sarah Huff

SHES

"The Knight Who Was Afraid of the Woods"

Third Grade

Ella Magda

TGSE

"Laika and The Matryoshka Dolls"

Fourth Grade

Jasmine Miller

KBSE

"What I Found Behind the Door"

Fifth Grade

Olivia Caulder

KBSE

"A Revengeful Treason"

Sixth Grade

Heaven Taylor

MCMS

"The Dreamcatcher's Watch"

Seventh Grade

Gabriel Imlay

MCMS

"Forever Lost"

 

Eighth Grade

Rilyn McKallip

MCMS

"The Death of Cambodia"

Ninth Grade

Klein Hopkins

MPHS

"Saying Goodbye"

Tenth Grade

Mary Sullivan Giles

MPHS

"Stop"

Eleventh Grade

Cole Jackson

MCAC

"The Wait"

Twelfth Grade

Jonathan Williams

MPHS

"Generation Communication"

 

Assistant Superintendent Angie Dillon stated, "We are so appreciative of the hard work by the students, their teachers, and the Instructional Coaches/IAPs!"  These students will be recognized at the May, 2015 Board Meeting.  Invitations will go to parents from Central Office, giving the date,  time, and location of the recognition.  Entries that win at the RESA level will be announced in June, 2015 on the DOE web site and on the Georgia Council of Teachers of English web site.

MPHS Chorus "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
video   BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER   Simon, arranger Shaw
BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER
Simon, Arranged by Shaw
Click on the video link above to enjoy the sounds of Mary Persons High School Chorus performing "Bridge Over Troubled Water" under the direction of Mr. Charles Hernandez.
Kindergarten Registration Continues
The Monroe County Board of Education announces the process for Kindergarten Registration for the 2015-2016 School Year.  Students currently enrolled in the Monroe County Schools Pre-K program are NOT required to complete the enrollment process.

 

Parent(s)/Guardian(s) may call or come by the Monroe County Board Office to schedule an appointment to register their 2015-2016 kindergarten child.  Appointments will be scheduled with the System Registrar, Cindy Seymour. The contact number for Mrs. Seymour is 478-994-2031 ext 1037.  Appointments will be scheduled from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On Tuesday and Thursday, appointments will be scheduled from 8:00 am until 6:00 pm.

 

March 23:  Kindergarten Registration Appointments begin. Parent(s)/Guardian will receive a letter confirming the school zone and Kindergarten enrollment for the upcoming school year when all necessary documentation has been received.

 

Your child will not be enrolled until all required documentation is provided. Please review the school system's documentation requirements. Failure to provide all documentation at the time of your appointment will require that you make a second appointment at a later date to complete the process.
Service Pins Awarded to MP Personnel
Congratulations to Dr. Julie Bazemore and Mr. DJ Hurm of Mary Persons High School. Both were recently recognized for their years of service with Monroe County Schools.  Dr. Bazemore has taught in the system for 25 years.  Mr. Hurm was recognized for five years of service.  They are pictured with MP Principal Jim Finch and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Mike Hickman.
GADOE Releases School Climate Ratings
The Georgia Department of Education today released its first School Climate Star Ratings. The 2014 ratings are based on survey results and data from the 2013-2014 school year.

 

School climate refers to the quality and character of school life - the "culture" of a school. A sustainable, positive school climate fosters youth development and student learning, which are essential elements for academic success, career-skill improvement and overall quality of life. The School Climate Star Rating helps determine whether a school is on the right path to school improvement or if the school is sustaining a conducive climate for learning.

 

"Research has shown us that school climate has a strong impact on student achievement," State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. "The data used to develop the 2014 Star Ratings proves this once again. If your school has a positive climate, it's giving students the environment they need to learn. You'll likely see high achievement there - or a school that's on the right track toward high achievement."   

 

To rate schools, GADOE used several components.  Surveys of perceptions of students, parents, and teachers comprised 25% of the school's rating.  Student safety comprised 50% of the rating. School attendance comprised 25% of the rating.   

 

Each school in Georgia received a 1-5 star ratings, with five stars representing an excellent school climate, and one star representing a school climate most in need of improvement. School Climate Star Ratings are an informational tool for schools, administrators, and parents; they do not affect the school's College & Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) score.

 

Star ratings are:

 

'5-star' schools ranked excellent according to the school climate index;

'4-star' schools ranked above average according to the school climate index;

'3-star' schools ranked average according to the school climate index;

'2-star' schools ranked below satisfactory according to the school climate index, or

'1-star' schools ranked unsatisfactory according to the school climate index.

 

School Climate Star Ratings are required by law; they also serve as a companion to the Department of Early Care and Learning's Quality Rated program, which includes an assessment of the learning environment.  Monroe County Schools' climate ratings are:

 

Samuel E. Hubbard Elementary
5 stars
TG Scott Elementary
5 stars
KB Sutton Elementary
5 stars
Monroe County Middle
4 stars
Mary Persons High
4 stars
KBS First Graders St. Patrick's Day STEM Activity
KBSutton Elementary First Graders celebrated St. Patrick's Day with a green STEM (Science, Technology Engineering, and Math) activity.
TGScott Students Tour Atlanta
Thanks to community partners, some students at TG Scott recently had the opportunity to take in the sights and sounds of Atlanta, GA. Students were able to go behind the scene and learn how the news is reported. They learned about the Civil Rights Movement and how Dr. King stood for non-violence. Students also had the opportunity to eat at the world's largest Drive-in Restaurant - The Varsity. Some of the students were surprised when they compared the price of Coca-Cola when it was first invented to what it cost today. Many thanks to those who made this trip possible.

HES Art Show and Chorus Performance Shine
Hubbard Elementary second graders performed this week.  Students and their families were treated to an art show as well.

MCMS Announces Pre-AP Timeline
Important Information about Pre-AP 
Pre-AP Parent Meetings:
  • March 26th (Bank Stephens Campus Gym @ 7:15p)
  • March 28th (William Hubbard Campus Caf� @ 11:25a)
  • March 31th (Bank Stephens Campus Gym @ 5:00p)
APPLICATIONS
  • Applications will be dispersed at Parent Meetings and will be sent home with students on March 29th at school. 
  • Applications will be due on Friday, April 3rd

Entrance Exam

  • All students must take an entrance exam in the area in which a Pre-AP class is desired.  (Exception:  Gifted students are not required to take an exam for a Pre-AP class corresponding with his/her area of giftedness.)
  • The dates of the exams are listed below.  A student must sign up for an exam at least 24 hours prior to the exam. Exams will be held at both the Banks Stephens and William Hubbard Campuses and start promptly at the times listed (To ensure that you are allowed to take the exam, please make sure you arrive at least 15 minutes prior to exam time.)  A student may space out the exams and take them on multiple days (ie: One exam per day) or may choose to take up to two in one session.  Please contact the school in which you will be testing to register. For Bank Stephens, please call 478-994-6186 and for William Hubbard, please call 478-994-6803.
ELA & Social Studies
Math & Science
Monday, May 4th
4pm-5pm & 5:15pm-6:15pm
Tuesday, May 5th
4pm-5pm & 5:15pm-6:15pm
Wednesday, May 6th
4pm-5pm & 5:15pm-6:15pm
Thursday, May 7th
4pm-5pm & 5:15pm-6:15pm
Saturday, May 9th
9am-10am & 10:15am-11:15am
Saturday, May 9th
1pm-2pm & 2:15pm-3:15pm
Monday, May 11th
4pm-5pm & 5:15pm-6:15pm
Tuesday, May 12th
4pm-5pm & 5:15pm-6:15pm
Wednesday, May 13th
4pm-5pm & 5:15pm-6:15pm
Thursday, May 14th
4pm-5pm & 5:15pm-6:15pm
Saturday, May 16th
9am-10am & 10:15am-11:15am
Saturday, May 16th
1pm-2pm & 2:15pm-3:15pm

 

Students will be notified of acceptance via paper report card attachment/letter.  

A Message from Monroe County Schools Nurses:  Poison Prevention Awareness

More than 2 million poisonings are reported each year to the 57 poison control centers across the country. More than 90 percent of these poisonings occur in the home. The majority of non-fatal poisonings occur in children younger than six years old. Poisonings are one of the leading causes of death among adults. A poison is any substance that can harm someone if it is used in the wrong way, by the wrong person or in the wrong amount. These tips are brought to you by members of the National Poison Prevention Week Council.

 

General Safety Tips:

  • Install safety latches on cabinets used for medicines and household products.
  • Ensure children can't use chairs or stack items to climb to products stored out of their reach.
  • Buy products in child-resistant packaging whenever possible. But remember, child-resistant is not childproof, and is designed to keep children away from the product for a short time before a parent notices.
  • Keep the toll-free Poison Help number, 1-800-222-1222, near your phone, or program 1-800-222-1222 into your home and mobile phone.

Medicine Safety Tips

  • Ask babysitters, visitors, and houseguests to keep purses, briefcases or bags that contain medicines up high, away and out of sight from your children. The same rule applies when your children are visiting a friend or relative's home.
  • Use child-resistant packaging properly by closing the container tightly after use.
  • Read medicine and product labels before each use and follow directions exactly.
  • Tell children what medicine is and why you must be the one to give it to them.
  • Never call medicine "candy" to get a child to take it.
  • Never leave medicine out on a kitchen counter or at a sick child's bedside.
  • Always turn the light on when giving or taking medicine. Check the dosage every time.
  • Put on your glasses to read the label when you need to take a medicine so that you know you have the correct amount of the right medicine.

Source: http://www.poisonprevention.org