Congratulations to Lincoln Elementary School Alumnus George Vasquez who is one of two recipients of a $500 scholarship from the former Lincoln School group.  The other is Jonathon Brown.  Although Lincoln School closed in 2009, its last staff established a scholarship fund of such size that it will last until every child who attended Lincoln has graduated from Monroe High School.  George graduates with a 3.5 GPA and plans to attend Everest University in Florida to be certified as a pharmacist technician. 

Here is a reminder – as if your kids would let you forget.  The last day of the 2014-2015 school year will be this Friday, June 5, and students will have a one-hour early release.  It’s always nice to get a one-hour jump on summer vacation.  Have a safe summer everyone and we will see you back at Monroe Public Schools when school resumes on September 8.  

     Monroe High School junior-to-be Sven Wollschlaeger has been nominated by former NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin to attend the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders in Boston, MA, June 28-June 30.

     The Congress is an honors-only program for high school students who are passionate about science, technology, engineering or mathematics.  The Congress aims to inspire, motivate, honor and direct the top students in the country who aspire to be scientists and technologists, providing them a path, plan and resources to help them reach their goals.

     “We are extremely proud of Sven for being chosen to represent Michigan and Monroe High School at this very important Congress,” said Monroe High School Principal Valerie Orr.  “As the president of the Class of 2017, a member of the student council, secretary of the National Honor Society and an Ignition mentor, he is one of our campus leaders.  This is great opportunity for him to start to fulfill his dreams for after graduation.”

     During the three-day Congress, Sven will join students from across the country and hear Nobel Laureates and National Medal of Science winners talk about leading scientific research; receive advice from deans of the world’s top technological  universities, be inspired by fellow teen science prodigies; and learn about cutting-edge advances and the future of science and technology.

     As he prepares to attend the Congress after school is out for the summer, Sven thanked several businesses, organizations and people for supporting his nomination.  They are Mrs. Valerie Orr, Mr. Jeff McVeigh, Mrs. Sandra Michels, Monroe High School Student Council, Monroe High School Athletic office, Attorney Cheryl Sweeney, River Bank Wealth Management, Electric Beach Tanning and his parents, John and Corina Mignano.MHS junior selected for STEM COnghress

Orchard Center High School will hold its graduation exercises for the Class of 2015 at 7 p.m., Tuesday (June 2) in the Monroe High School Auditorium.  All are invited and no tickets are required. 

If you were not able to make it out to the Monroe High School graduation -- or if you were and you would like to see it again -- check out this link.  Enjoy

https://youtu.be/H82uTTrtsx0?t=3m52s

Valerie Orr, who in her two years as Monroe High School principal led the change to a college-going culture at Monroe County’s largest high school, has been selected as the next superintendent of Whiteford Agricultural Schools.  The Whiteford school board voted Wednesday night to hire Mrs. Orr as its superintendent.

                “We are very happy for Val that she has been selected for the Whiteford position.  She has done a tremendous job at Monroe High School and we are thankful for the time she spent with us,” said Monroe Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Barry Martin.  “We wish her all the best at Whiteford.”

Graduation exercises will be held outside at the Monroe High School football field tonight at 6:30 p.m. as planned.  No tickets will be required for entry.  However, it would be wise to bring an umbrella and something like a towel or cushion to sit on since there is a possibility of scattered rain this afternoon.  Persons who do not care to sit outside can still view the ceremonies on closed-circuit television in the air-conditioned Monroe High School Auditorium.   The MHS parking lot will open for graduation parking at 5 p.m. today.  In addition, a shuttle will run starting at 5 p.m. from the north parking lot at Monroe County Community College to the MHS parking lot, and will take attendees back to the MCCC parking lot after the ceremonies.  

If you cannot make the ceremonies, please join us via YouTube by clicking on this link

http://mpactstudio.org/live/

The live stream will begin about 6:15 p.m. 

SURVIVORKIDS CAMP

SURVIVORKIDS CAMP

For the second year in a row, the Monroe High School graduation ceremonies will be streamed live over YouTube and can be accessed by clicking on this link.  http://mpactstudio.org/live/  Ceremonies start at 6:30 p.m., Friday, at Monroe High School and the live stream will be viewable about 6:15 p.m., EDT.  Last year's live stream was viewed in many states in the US and nearly a dozen foreign countries.  The ceremonies will be available on a recorded basis, too, on the same URL after commencement has concluded.  Monroe High School is the only Monroe County high school to live stream its graduation exercises.  The live stream is a joint production of Monroe Public Access Cable Television, the Technology and Communications Departments of Monroe Public Schools and Red Letter Productions.     

     Lunch prices will rise by 10 cents next school year, the Monroe Public Schools Board of Education has decided, but prices in MPS cafeterias still will be lower than most of the other Monroe County districts are this school year.

     Even with the adjustment, elementary lunch prices will be the lowest in Monroe County in the public school districts.  After the adjustment, secondary lunches still will be lower priced at Monroe than at four regional districts were this year. 

     For the 2014-15 school year, hot lunch prices were $1.95 per lunch for elementary and $2.70 for secondary grades 7-12.  Those prices will be adjusted to $2.05 and $2.80, respectively, next school year.  The 10-cent per lunch adjustment equates to $16.80 annually if a child were to purchase hot lunch at the school cafeteria every day of the nine-month school year.

     Katherine Eighmey, director of Finance, Monroe Public Schools said that the Federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requires school food providers to adjust lunch prices annually based on an averaging formula provided in the act,meaning that the district was required to increase the lunch prices.  Monroe’s “weighted” average would be $2.41 per lunch, she said, based on the percentage of lunches for elementary students and secondary students.