Monroe Public Schools has prepared a package of 12 individual blank note cards featuring artwork from students as young as kindergarten through seniors at Monroe High School.
The full-colored pre-packaged cards are being sold for $10 a pack with all proceeds going to support the Education Foundation of Monroe Public Schools’ scholarship fund for graduating Monroe High School seniors. Cards are available for sale at the Monroe Public Schools Administration Building, 1275 N. Macomb St. during regular business hours.
“We have a tremendous group of remarkably talented art students of all ages whose creativity has been inspired by their art teaches to prepare the pieces which are pictured on these cards,” said Monroe Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Barry Martin. “The pictures are great indicators of the quality of work being produced by our students in the art program throughout our district.”
Students who have artwork appearing on the cards are: Delmar Clay, Megan Darnell, Lilly Goss, Matthew Hurt, Kyle Leask, Sarenna McMullen, Tim Murphy, Josh Pelia, Jacque Powers, Lily Self, Zhassan Smith, and Jordan Younglove.
Two Monroe Public Schools teachers – a high school teacher and an elementary school teacher – each have received $100 Back to School grants from the Meemic Foundation, through the local Leski Insurance Agency.
Carol Sliwka, a Monroe High School English teacher, and Jodi Grenn, a kindergarten teacher at Custer Elementary, were presented their grants at the recent Back to School staff day for all Monroe Public Schools personnel at Monroe High School.
Mrs. Grenn plans to use her grant money to purchase safety goggles for her students to use to when they do science experiments.
Mrs. Sliwka, who has provided students with thousands of books, plans to use her grant money to purchase more books for students to read.
The Meemic Foundation uses the Back to School grants to provide educators with funding assistance for school supplies for the 2015-16 school year.
The Meemic Foundation offers grant opportunities for the educational community for programs and projects including art, health. physical education, history, math, science, social studies, special needs, STEM, technology, classroom projects, field trips, school assemblies and professional development for educators.
During the final school hour of the day today (September 11), Monroe High School students and staff paused to listen to a message from their principal, Mrs. Sandy Kreps, about 9-11, to observe a moment of silence and to reflect on what it means for all of us. Here is the the text of that message from Mrs. Kreps:
Staff and Students:
Today marks the 14 year anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks on our country and September 11th is now recognized as Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance.
Over 3,000 Americans lost their lives, including first responders such as firemen and police officers. Since the attacks on this day in 2001, tens of thousands of Americans serving in our military have been wounded in battle in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Ten servicemen from Monroe County are among the military personnel who have been killed since 9-11. Among those are: Marine Pfc. Juan G Garza, 20, of Temperance; Army Master Sgt. William Lee Payne, 46 of Monroe; Army Pfc. Dennis J. Miller Jr. of LaSalle; Marine Lance Cpl. Allan Klein, 34 of Monroe; Army National Guard Capt. Lowell Thomas Miller II, 35 of Monroe; Army Pfc. Nicholas J. Greer, 21 of Monroe; Marine Cpl. Gary A. Koehler, 21 of Milan; Army Sgt. Christopher P. Messer, 28 of Raisinville Township; Army Pfc. Eric W. Hario, 19, of Monroe; and Army Sgt. Michael Ingram Jr., 23, of Monroe.
Today, we remember the victims and their families; the first responders who sacrificed their lives for their fellow Americans on that tragic day; for all of our servicemen and servicewomen who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country; and for those who continue to serve so we, as a nation, can remain free. We honor the memories of those we have lost and place their loved ones in our thoughts and in our prayers. Please join me in observing a moment of silence in remembrance of those Americans who lost their lives during the September 11, 2001 attacks on our country and for those Americans who have since given their lives so that we can be safe from future acts of terrorism.
Thank You
Monroe High School will honor veterans and active military members at its first-ever Military Tribute Night football game when the Trojans host Ann Arbor Skyline on Friday, September 18. In fact, the Trojans football team will wear special jerseys, black with camouflage trim, featuring an American flag, for the tribute game.
Veterans and active military will be recognized and honored in pre-game ceremonies that night. All branches of service are expected to be present. The Monroe First Downers and the Monroe Football Mother’s Club are coordinating the tribute.
“We are thankful to the Athletic Department for giving us this opportunity to recognize those who protect our freedoms,” said Monroe Public Schools teacher and football mom, Audrey Kellems. “In honor of their service, all veterans and active military will be admitted free to the game with proper military identification. Please make sure you get there early so we can recognize you in the pre-game show.”
During the pre-game festivities, all veterans and active military will be recognized. Lori Adams, a mother of twin members of the MHS football team and who has sung the National Anthem at Detroit sporting events more than 100 times, will sing “God Bless America.” In addition to playing the National Anthem, the award-winning Monroe High School marching band will perform a medley of patriotic songs. A moment of silence will be held to honor the former Monroe High School students who died in the service, as well as others who gave their lives in service to their country.
Veterans and active military members present will be asked to stand and be recognized during the pre-game show. Pre-game starts about 6:30 p.m. with the kickoff set for 7 p.m.
Ronda K. Meier, who has been associated with the Monroe Public Schools since 1992 as a classroom teacher, coach and educational change leader, is the new assistant principal at Custer Elementary, Monroe County’s largest elementary school.
At Custer, she is reunited with her former principal, Lisa McLaughlin, with whom she has worked since 2007 at Waterloo Elementary School. Mrs. Meier’s appointment was approved Tuesday night (Sept. 8) by the Monroe Public School’s Board of Education.
“Ronda’s experience with various programs and initiatives and working with nearly every elementary school throughout our district, has prepared her well for her new Custer position,” said Julie Everly, deputy superintendent, Monroe Public Schools. “She has trained with many nationally recognized educational leaders and has been involved in implementing some big programs here, like Waterloo’s development as a STEAM school and implementation of new state proficiency testing in our schools.
“In her years with Monroe Public Schools, Mrs. Meier has helped hundreds of students to succeed,” Mrs. Everly said.
Mrs. Meier, who has experience as a substitute acting principal, earned both her Bachelor degree in Elementary Education and her Master degree in Educational Leadership from Eastern Michigan University. She also holds a State of Michigan Professional Education Certificate.
For 16 years of her Monroe Public Schools career, Mrs. Meier was a classroom teacher at Manor Elementary, Waterloo Elementary and Cantrick Middle School. For five years Mrs. Meier served as a Language Arts coach at Custer, Lincoln, Riverside and Waterloo Schools. During the 2014-15 school year at Waterloo Elementary she was the school improvement coach and was one of the leaders who helped implement a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) curriculum at Waterloo, the only one at a Monroe County school.
She also has had considerable experience as a leader with school and district improvement teams, math and language arts district committees and with technology support for teachers. During her time with Monroe schools, Mrs. Meier also has presented at various state and local conferences.
Delsie Sissoko, an Upper Peninsula native who has been teaching in Monroe Public Schools since 2007, has been named an assistant principal at Monroe High School. Her appointment was affirmed Tuesday night (Sept, 8) by the Monroe Public Schools Board of Education.
Mrs. Sissoko succeeds Alex Schukow who left MHS to become an assistant principal in Saline.
“When you look at the major improvement projects we have had over the last six or seven years, Delsie’s name is always among them, as a member or leader of the group. She has had a hand in many of the major strides we as a district have been able to make,” said Julie Everly, deputy superintendent, Monroe Public Schools.
Over the past two summers, Mrs. Sissoko has been the program coordinator for the highly successful Arborwood Summer Reading Program, after being the leader of the Arborwood Family Engagement sub-committee. She also has been associated with her school’s improvement committee and the district’s school improvement committee. She has led the District English Language Arts Committee and was the professional learning council leader of the Lucy Calkins district Reading Pilot Program. She has been a PTO-teacher liaison and a member of her school’s Technology Committee.
Mrs. Sissoko began her career at Monroe Public Schools in 2007 as a teacher at the former Lincoln Elementary School. For four years she taught at Arbowood Elementary when the school opened as an elementary and then was appointed the school’s improvement coach in 2013
She has her bachelor’s degree in elementary education, mathematics and integrated science from Finlandia University. She also holds a master’s degree from Eastern Michigan University as a reading specialist.
Monroe High School’s after-hours Certified Nursing Assistant class still has a few openings and you do not have to be a Monroe High School student to qualify.
Starting Monday, September 14, this after-school class will meet once weekly from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Mondays, and will run for the entire 2015-16 school year.
All Monroe County high school seniors in any public or private school with an interest in Health Careers, and with good attendance and discipline records, are invited to the first meeting where you can still enroll. Details will be worked out for class credits and scheduling with each school district that has a student participation in this county-wide Career and Technical Education (CTE) offering.
Earlier registration and more information is available by calling MHS CTE Director Bill Ferrara at 734-265-3453.
Just in time for the start of school for students who may need them, Old National Bank has donated several large containers of school supplies for students in Monroe Public Schools. The supplies included backpacks, paper, markers, pencil boxes, rulers and hygiene products such as tissues and hand wipes.
Here Jim Treece (left,) Retail Banking Center Manager for Old National Bank in Monroe, presents a cloth bag of pencil holders and some back packs to Monroe Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Barry Martin.
Mr. Treece said the school supplies were donated by bank employees and customers and neighboring downtown Monroe merchants. It was the first year the local bank has had such a campaign.
“We are very thankful to our friends from Old National Bank. These supplies will certainly help the district provide supplies to the students who need them,” Dr. Martin said. The school supplies donation is part of a larger Tools for Schools campaign sponsored by Old National Bank. In that contest, grants of $1,000 and $5,000 are available for schools simply by having the most people vote for “your” school on-line at oldnational.com/toolsforschools or by garnering the most “likes” on Old National’s Facebook page.
It is indeed rare when an author of a text book makes a stop in a class room where his texts are used to teach but that is exactly what Michael Fitzpatrick (left), author of “Machining and CNC (Computer Numerical Control) Technology,” did September 3 when he visited MHS teacher Tim Smith (right) in his classroom to see where the lessons will be taught.
Mr. Fitzpatrick’s book, which is his third version of it, will be used in Mr. Smith’s classes for the first time this school year. “The book is to be looked at like another tool in your tool box. It is a published text for digital-brain students,” Mr. Fitzpatrick said. He explained that too many times students are asked to put away their cell phones in class but in this case, the phone actually helps learning and is needed because throughout the book there are numerous QR codes which when scanned can take the student to a website for more information.
Mr. Fitzpatrick and Mr. Smith became acquainted when they attended a number of Haas HTEC Educators training conferences in recent years. Both have similar backgrounds – both came out of the “trades” to become teachers. In fact, Mr. Fitzpatrick even videotaped part of a lecture to students while he was in Monroe for Mr. Smith to use when he starts to teach the class.
“In my 45 years in the business, the Monroe High machine shop is the most organized, best maintained and best set up I have ever seen in a school, high school or college,” Mr. Fitzpatrick said.
A Back-to-School newsletter is now out and is being distributed with various pieces of information, tips and schedules needed for the soon-to-start school year. It also includes a piece from Dr. Martin, our superintendent, about how the word, TROJANS, describes what we as Monroe Public Schools, offer to our students and families. A copy is attached to this posting. Enjoy, and we will see everyone back in class on September 8. Have a safe weekend.