for parents and friends of the mobile county public school system
TRANSCRIPT
MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 2
The Mobile County Public School System is offering a unique academic or career program for high school students. According to Superintendent, Martha Peek, this is setting a new challenge, “what we are working to accomplish in Mobile County, is to provide all of our students to have a goal to graduate from high school and then move into a college and career, well-prepared.” Signature Academies are currently set up in four different high schools as a path to work-based learning in a specific field or industry. The goal is to implement all high schools with a signature program. By attending a Signature Academy, students will not just graduate with an educational degree they earn college credits and extensive experience in a job field of their choice. Set up to focus around the career fields that are mainly in Mobile and surrounding counties, and reaching students throughout the area-Blount, Citronelle, Mary G. Montgomery and B.C. Rain are the chosen high schools to house the four specialty programs. Selected students can enter into a Health Career; Manufacturing, Industry and Technology; Teaching and Learning; or Aerospace and Aviation program. Students who are accepted into a Signature Academy will receive rigorous, relevant instruction, inside and outside of the classroom; engaging, hands-on activities; real world application of learning; exposure to careers and formation of
business partnerships; and student opportunity to choose pathways based on a wide range of interests. Executive Director of Career & Technical Education, Larry Mouton, feels one of the key points to the success of Signature Academies is the partnerships with businesses and the community. He points out for example, the benefit of Rain High’s Aviation Academy, “through the commitment of business and industries like Airport Authority, and Mobile Aviation College, students will be taught by actual Aviation instructors, and benefit from dual enrollment” states Mouton, “students will be able to receive college and high school credits while attending classes taught by Mobile
Blount High School
Health CareerAccess Program
Citronelle High School
Manufacturing, Industry & Technology
Montgomery High School Rain High School
Academy of Teaching and Learning
Aerospace and Aviation Academy
NEW PROGRAMS
SIGNATURE ACADEMIES
MULTIPLE PATHWAYS TO
CAREER AND COLLEGE READINESS
Blount High School students learning Nursing career techniques in the school’s Health Career Access Program
Aviation instructors, gaining a direct pathway to real employment in high wage, high demand careers.” The application period is now open to apply for these academies. Parents of eighth graders are encouraged to visit the website www.mcpss.com for more information that will assist incoming freshman on the pathway to readiness.
MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 3
Parent volunteer Antonia Duron receives a warm welcome from Burroughs principal, Dr. Julia Nelson
The first thing Mobile County Public School System parent, Antonia Duron, did after moving to Mobile from her native, Houston, Texas was enroll her children into the school system. The second thing she did was to sign up to volunteer. “The staff and principal were so
friendly,” says Duron, “I felt so welcomed and invited to help out in anyway.” Mrs. Duron finds volunteering natural, stating that she watched her working mom juggle a career and successfully participate in her school events. “I want to show my children that I believe in a good education, I feel like when the students see you on campus, they know you care.” With 2 children in the system,
and 1 graduate, she has a lot to care about. She has worked at Burroughs, Dunbar, and Murphy over the years. According to Burroughs principal, Dr. Nelson, Mrs. Duron’s assistance is invaluable. She makes copies for teachers, answers phones in the office, and even helps out with translation for Spanish-speaking parents. “I’m honored to have a school that wants parents around, and the teachers are so awesome.
MCPSS PARENT SPOTLIGHT
UNDERSTANDING STUDENT ASSESSMENTS
COMMUNITY FEATURE
“Volunteering can be as simple as taking 15
minutes of your time on
any day of the week.”
-Antonia DuronParent volunteer
It is also the best way to communicate and know what’s happening in the school.”
The ARMT + (Alabama Reading, Math & Science test) is a criterion-referenced test. It consists of selected items which match the Alabama state content standards in reading and mathematics. The primary purposes of the ARMT is to assess students‘ mastery of state content standards in reading and math; to report individual and group performance, and to report relative strengths and weaknesses of individuals and groups; and to
provide data to study changes in performance.
• Word study skills (Grade 3 only)
• Reading Vocabulary (Grades 3-8)
• Reading Comprehension (Grades 3-8)
• Mathematics Procedures (Grades 3-8)
• Mathematics Problem Solving (Grades 3-8)
ARMT DATES:May 6-14, 2013Grades 3-8 Reading & Math Grades 5 & 7 Science onlyMay 6th & 7th:ReadingMay 8th & 9th:MathMay 10thScience Students should be in school and on time each day of testing. Testing begins promptly at the start of the school day.
DID YOU KNOW?The Mobile County Public School System has a district parent advisory council. It is a group of parents & advocates that serve in an advisory capacity to the Superintendent & Office of Home-School-Community Involvement on parent involvement issues & includes 3 sub-committees: Parent Involvement, Non-Traditional Communications and Partnerships.
MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 4
HAPPENING APPS
WEBSITES, APPS, & MORE
TECHNOLOGY TOOLBOX
Literactive’s Road to Reading is a site geared towards children in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and First Grade who are learning to read. The site: Road to Reading takes the early learner on an interactive journey of exploration. Starting with initial nursery rhymes, it moves through pre-reading activities, alphabet awareness, letter sounds, short vowels, CVC word blending, initial blends, long vowels and all the phonic activities critical for developing early reading skills. To visit Literactive’s Road to Reading, go to literactive.com National Geographic Kids is a site appropriate for children ages 8 - 17 as some videos feature animals stalking and attacking their prey.
According to commonsensemedia.org,National Geographic Kids features educational games, videos, and other activities centered mostly on animals and the natural world. There's also a section that gives readers a virtual tour of different countries, fun facts, maps, and e-cards. Kids can contribute to the site by posting comments (which are moderated), voting in polls, submitting their own photos, and more. Lessons about the importance of taking care of the environment are seamlessly woven into the content.
With a seemingly endless supply of activities, National Geographic Kids can keep kids occupied for hours -- and teach them a lot along the way. Visit the National Geographic Kids website at: kids.nationalgeographic.com and continue the fun of learning at home.
Evernote A digital notebook that allows you to “Remember Everything” by taking text notes, clipping web pages, uploading images, files, and much more. Watch: Why I Love Evernote: A Student’s Perspective on YouTube for more info.
Pirate Treasure Hunt Students join forces with Pirate Jack to find the hidden treasure by using your math and literacy skills to solve eight problems.
BrainPop Featured Movie Students can watch the BrainPop.com daily featured movie and take an interactive quiz.
Motion Math Zoom Students learn about place value and decimals by exploring an interactive number line that makes comparisons to large and small animals.
Dropbox An app used to store and sync documents and files across computers, tablets, and smart phones. Users get 2GB free and can earn up to 16GB by referring friends. Larger plans can be purchased for more space.
MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 5
DEVICE
According to intelfreepress.com, in one Internet minute…●204 million emails are sent●20 million photos are viewed on Flickr●6 million views of Facebook occur●2 million-plus search queries are initiated on Google●1.3 million videos are viewed on YouTube●277,000 people login to Facebook●100,000 Tweets are sent●$83,000 in sales are racked up at Amazon●61,141 hours of music are streamed from Pandora
● 47,000 apps are downloaded● 3,000 photos are uploaded to Flickr● 1,300 people start using a mobile device● 320-plus Twitter accounts are added● 135 botnet infections occur● 100-plus LinkedIn accounts are added● 30 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube● 20 people are victims of identity theft● 6 new Wikipedia articles are published
Technology Toolbox ContributorsAmber Coggin
Technology Teacher, Collier Elementary follow her @ambercoggin
Meredith NationsTechnology Teacher, Robbins Elementary
follow her @mnations8
Burns Middle students successfully piloting the miDevice (also known as Bring Your Own Device) program with the assistance of MCPSS IT staff.
miThe Mobile County Public School System is moving to digital classrooms. miDevice is an initiative that will allow students the use of a personal device at every level of education, under safe and secure methods. Schools participating in the program will allow students to bring any device that can access the web with wi-fi. The use of wi-fi for students and teachers in class can foster innovation in the process of learning and teaching. Through pilot sites and research the Information Technology department has set up a district-filtered network support. The program is option-based and does not mandate students to have or bring devices. This is a parent choice to allow the student to bring a device.
MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 6
INVOLVEMENT
SYSTEM SNAPSHOTS
Mobile Magnet jumps for awarenessMore than two hundred Mobile Magnet students participated and raised $1469.39 for the Jump Rope for Heart Campaign.
Students win big prizes during Nat’l School Breakfast WeekStudents participated in the Cafeteria Nutrition Program’s Breakfast challenge throughout the system. Each student who ate breakfast for a week received a chance to win dvd players, roller blades, laptops and skateboards. Winners were randomly chosen from various schools.
National History Day winners
Congratulations to our Mobile County Public
School System winners-all from Causey Middle, who will go on to participate in the state competition in
April at Auburn University in Montgomery. Each year
participating students from across the United
States, American Samoa, Guam, International Schools & Dept. of Defense Schools in
Europe choose a topic from history that is related
to the annual theme.
MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 7
Vigor student places in Faulkner State
Computer Fair
Congratulations to Vigor High School
junior, Briana Baldwin. She won 2nd place in
the Individual Multimedia Category at the Faulkner State Community College
2013 Computer Fair.
Students honored for prize-winning Alabama Farm-City posterCongratulations to the Pearl Haskew students who won the Mobile County Poster Contest. Bailey Burrell won 1st place for grades 3-6. Natalie Escalera won 1st place for grades K-2 and Jordan Stallings won 2nd place for K-2. They were honored at a luncheon with The Honorable Sam Jones, Mayor of Mobile.
Pearl Haskew establishes National Elementary Honor SocietyPearl Haskew Elementary School established a chapter of the National Elementary Honor Society (NEHS) and held a ceremony to recognize their most outstanding students. Theodore High School Principal, Ronald Rowell was guest speaker at the event. He encouraged the students to continue their path of academic excellence, make wise choices, and never to give up on their dreams and aspirations.
MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 8
PRE-REGISTRATIONPreschool pre-registration is held Friday, April 19, 2013. Students pre-registering for Preschool must be four years old on or before September 2, 2013.
MCPSS is celebrating its 25th year of teaching Preschool in the Mobile, Alabama area.
The Mobile County Public School System Preschool program is designed to provide a child-centered, developmentally appropriate experience for four year-old children in need of academic support. The program stresses an environment that motivates learning through exploration and discovery. By attending, children will enter Kindergarten ready to learn and succeed. The Mobile County Public School System’s Preschool program is Federally funded. A child must reside in a Title I attendance zone to pre-register. A parent can pre-register a child at any of the participating Preschool sites in the event the school located in their attendance zone is not a Preschool site. However, a parent can only pre-register once, at one site or the child will be disqualified from the program. Transfers are not allowed within the Preschool program.
PRESCHOOL ASSESSMENTThe use of the BOEHM test
of basic concepts is used to assess a child’s eligibility for participation in the Preschool program. It is a “developmental”, not an academic test. The test is designed to measure a child’s knowledge of measures that help children understand and describe the world around them.
ELIGIBILITYREQUIREMENTS• Must be 4 yrs. old on or before
September 2nd.• Must have an original birth
certificate.• Must have a current blue
immunization card.• Must have a social security card.• Must reside in a Title I
attendance zone.• Parent must have a photo ID
and 2 proofs of residence.• Child must qualify based on
BOEHM score.• Parents may register at one
Preschool site, registering at multiple sites will disqualify your child.
PRESCHOOL SITES
Belsaw ......................221-1030Booth.......................824-1740Brazier......................221-1046Burroughs.................221-1077Calcedeaver..............221-1092Craighead..................221-1155Collins-Rhodes........221-1226Dixon.......................824-4314Fonde........................221-1240Grant.........................221-1319Hall............................221-1345Hollinger’s Island.....221-1376Howard....................221-1406Indian Springs..........221-1436John Will..................221-1750Just 4.........................221-1450Leinkauf....................221-1495Maryvale...................221-1810McDavid-Jones.........221-1510Meadowlake..............221-1529Orchard.....................221-1571O’Rourke...................221-1585Robbins....................221-1600Spencer/Westlawn...221-1705Whitley......................221-1737Wilmer......................221-1780
PRESCHOOLEDUCATION
Mission:The ultimate goal of the Mobile County Public School Preschool
program is to aid students in acquiring habits, attitudes,
knowledge, and ski!s necessary to function as successful members of
the school community.
MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 9
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
PARENT CONNECTPublished by the MCPSS
Communications Dept. and
The Office of School, Home & Community
Involvement1 Magnum Pass
Mobile, AL 36618251-221-4000
www.mcpss.com
SCHOOL BOARD OFCOMMISSIONERS
District 1 Mr. Doug Harwell, Jr.
District 2 Mr. Don Stringfellow
District 3Dr. Reginald Crenshaw
District 4Rev. Levon Manzie
District 5Dr. William Foster
SUPERINTENDENTMrs. Martha Peek
The Mobile County Public School System does not discriminate on the
basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual
orientation, or age.
2013 High School Graduation ScheduleMCPSS high school graduation ceremonies, with the exception of 2, are
held at the USA Mitchell Center. A DVD copy of any ceremony is available through the MCPSS TV Studio at 221-3119 or contact
[email protected]. All Ceremonies held at the Mitchell Center will be conveniently live-streamed through the MCPSS website.
Friday, May 10th 10:00 a.m. -Augusta Evans (held at the school)
Saturday, May 11th 10:00 a.m.-Citronelle High School (held at the school)
Monday, May 13th 9:30 a.m.-LeFlore High School 1:00 p.m.-Rain High School 5:00 p.m.-Murphy High School
Tuesday, May 14th 9:30 a.m.-Blount High School 1:00 p.m.-Vigor High School 5:00 p.m.-Theodore High School
Wednesday, May 15th 9:30 a.m.-Baker High School 3:30 p.m.-Davidson High School Thursday, May 16th 9:30 a.m.-Williamson High School 1:30 p.m.-Bryant High School 5:30 p.m.-Montgomery High School
ALL MCPSS SCHOOL CAFETERIAS AWARDED NATIONAL RECOGNITION
The Mobile County Public School System’s Cafeteria and Nutrition Program (CNP) is making national news by working to support and improve the health of our children and our community. As part of its effort, healthy items are featured on their menus and physical education and activity emphasized. Their efforts are part of the HealthierUS School Challenge. The HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) is a voluntary national certification initiative for schools participating in the
National School Lunch Program. It supports First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign by recognizing schools that are creating healthier school environments through their promotion of good nutrition and physical activity. Sponsored by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), the initiative encourages all schools take a leadership role in helping students to make healthier eating and physical activity choices that will last a lifetime. MCPSS cafeterias received awards in one of the four levels of superior
performance: Bronze ($500), Silver ($1000), Gold ($1500), or Gold Award of Distinction ($2000), along with an award plaque, banner for each school and the school listed on the Team Nutrition website. The HUSSC application process was led by MCPSS CNP Director, Suzanne Yates.
DID YOU KNOW...Parent Account Management System (PayPAMS) is a safe, easy and secure method to pay for student’s meals online. Through PayPAMS the money will be deposited directly into a child’s cafeteria account.
MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 10
The new Whitley Elementary school building will have more than 60,000 square feet of space designed for
400 students with an infrastructure for more than 500 students. The school will house 21 classrooms, incorporating many special classrooms such as art/music, science, 2 special education classrooms, and a large media center with a reading and media specialist room, computer lab, gym with stage and concession area and a new play court in the
back of the building with basketball goals. Set on the same site as the existing Whitley school, the new Whitley Elementary will be located on the south side of the existing building and face Meaher Street with three new entrances. The construction will be a two-phase project, meaning the new school will be built in Phase I and then a demo of the old school in Phase II. The project has a 14 month construction schedule. Whitley
Elementary began its first academic year in the fall of 1950. During the summer of 1988, the school was relocated to the old campus of Prichard Middle school, at 528 Sipsey Street. The school’s zone was increased to alleviate overcrowding at surrounding schools, thereby more than doubling enrollment. The move allowed Whitley to become a contiguous entity with a definite future and a positive outlook, allowing a better fulfillment of student needs.
SYSTEM GROWTH
The new building to house Augusta Evans School will be located at 6301 Biloxi Avenue, Mobile, Alabama 36608, the site of the old Hillsdale Middle School. The building’s square footage is 7,208 and will have a total of 36 classrooms that includes special rooms or other inclusions: Consumer Science, 2 Sensory rooms, Computer lab, Media, Music/Art, 2 Speech rooms, Physical Therapy, Sewing, Gym, Bead room, Play court and 2 Green Houses. The completion time frame will be 14 months of construction and the estimated completion is November 2013. Augusta Evans opened as an elementary school in 1952. It remained an elementary school up until 1968 when its mission changed from serving general education students to serving children with disabilities.
NEW AUGUSTA EVANS SCHOOL
NEW CONSTRUCTION
NEW WHITLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 11
SCHOOL CONTACTELEMENTARYAllentown Elementary-Dist. 1251-22-1000
Augusta Evans K-12-Dist. 3251-221-5400
Belsaw/Mt. Vernon Pre-K-8thDist. 3251-221-1030
Booth Elementary-Dist. 5251-824-1740
Brazier Elementary-Dist.3251-221-1046
Breitling Elementary-Dist.5251-865-0900
Burroughs Elementary-Dist. 2251-221-1077
Calcedeaver Elementary-Dist. 1251-221-1092
Castlen Elementary-Dist. 5251-865-6733
Collier Elementary-Dist. 1251-221-1120
Collins-Rhodes Elem.-Dist. 3251-221-1226
Council Traditional-Dist. 4251-221-1139
Craighead Elementary-Dist. 4251-221-1155
Dauphin Island Elem.-Dist. 2251-861-3864
Davis Elementary-Dist. 5251-221-1166
Dawes 3-5-Dist. 5251-221-1485
Dixon Elementary-Dist. 5251-824-4314
Dodge Elementary-Dist. 2251-221-1195
E.R. Dickson-Dist. 2251-221-1180
Eichold-Mertz Elem.-Dist. 4251-221-1210
Fonde Elementary-Dist. 2251-221-1240
Forest Hill Elementary-Dist. 3251-221-1270
Gilliard Elementary-Dist. 4251-221-1820
Grant Elementary-Dist. 3251-221-1319
Griggs Elementary-Dist. 2251-221-1330
Hall Elementary-Dist. 4251-221-1345
Hollingers Island Elem.-Dist. 2 251-221-1376
Holloway Elementary-Dist. 3251-221-1391
Howard Elementary-Dist. 4251-221-1406
Hutchens Elementary-Dist. 5251-221-1420
Indian Springs-Dist. 3251-221-1436
John Will Elementary-Dist. 3 251-221-1750
Just 4 Developmental Lab-Dist. 4251-221-1450
Leinkauf Elementary-Dist. 4251-221-1495
Mary B. Austin Elem.-Dist. 3251-221-1015
Maryvale Elementary-Dist. 4251-221-1810
McDavid-Jones Elem.-Dist. 1251-221-1510
Mobile Magnet School of Math,Science & Technology-Dist. 3251-221-1360
Meadowlake Elementary-Dist. 5251-221-1529
Morningside Elementary-Dist. 4251-221-1540
O’Rourke Elementary-Dist. 1251-221-1585
Old Shell Road Magnet-Dist. 3251-221-1557
Orchard Elementary-Dist. 3251-221-1571
Pearl Haskew Elementary-Dist. 5251-221-1850
Robbins Elementary-Dist. 3251-221-1600
Semmes Elementary-Dist. 1251-221-1630
Shepard Elementary-Dist. 2251-221-1645
Spencer-Westlawn-Dist. 4251-221-1705
St. Elmo Elementary-Dist. 5251-957-6314
Tanner Williams Elem.-Dist. 5251-221-1675
Turner Elementary-Dist. 1251-221-1285
Whitley Elementary-Dist. 3251-221-1737
Wilmer Elementary-Dist. 1251-221-1780
MIDDLEAlba Middle-Dist. 5251-824-4134
Burns Middle-Dist. 2251-221-2025
Calloway-Smith-Dist. 4251-221-2042 Causey Middle-Dist. 5251-221-2060
Chastang Middle-Dist. 3251-221-2081
Clark-Shaw Magnet-Dist. 3251-221-2106
Denton Middle-Dist. 2251-221-2148
Dunbar Creative & Performing Arts Magnet-Dist. 4251-221-2160
Eanes Middle-Dist. 4251-221-2189
Grand Bay Middle-Dist. 5251-865-6511
Hankins Middle-Dist. 5251-221-2200
Lott Middle-Dist. 1251-221-2240
Mobile County Training-Dist. 3251-221-2267
North Mobile County K-8th- Dist. 3251-221-2000
Phillips Preparatory-Dist. 3251-221-2286
Pillans Middle-Dist. 4251-221-2300
Scarborough Middle-Dist. 3251-221-2323
Semmes Middle-Dist. 1251-221-2344
Washington Middle-Dist. 3251-221-2361
HIGHBaker High School-Dist. 5251-221-3000
Blount High School-Dist. 3251-221-3070
Bryant Career Tech Dist. 5251-957-2845
Citronelle High School-Dist. 1251-221-3444
Continuous Learning Center-Dist. 3251-221-2122
Davidson High School-Dist. 2251-221-3084
Faulkner Vocational-Dist. 3251-221-5431
LeFlore Magnet High-Dist. 4251-221-3125
Mary G. Montgomery High-Dist. 1251-221-3153
Murphy High School-Dist. 4251-221-3186
Rain High School-Dist. 4251-221-3233
Regional School-Dist. 2251-221-5454
The Pathway School-Dist. 3251-221-5010
Theodore High-Dist. 5251-221-3351
Vigor High-Dist.3251-221-3045
Williamson High School-Dist. 4 251-221-3411
DEPARTMENTSSchool Board251-221-4387
Superintendent251-221-4394
Academic Affairs251-221-4159 0r 221-4160
Business Operations251-221-4435
Career Tech251-221-4821
Communications251-221-4003
Human Resources251-221-4500
School-Home-Community251-221-5218
Special Services251-221-4218
Student Services251-221-4245
Transportation251-221-5260