Monroe Public School students have been busy this holiday season helping their fellow man, classmates and even animals.

The Arborwood Campus partnered with the Thrift Shop Association to adopt more than 60 families to help with Christmas gifts this year. They school referred families to the Shop with a Cop event held earlier this month. Staff members participated in the Arborwood Giving Tree where they adopted families at the school to buy gifts for this Christmas. Throughout the school year, Arborwood hosts food and clothing drives to help those in need. The school received support from several organizations and individuals. During the holidays, Elevate Church provided holiday meals for three families. Midway Products and the UAW also pitched in to help families have a happy holiday season.

Students at the Custer Campus have made Christmas cards for the troops while others were made for a sick child. The fifth and sixth grade choir will visit surrounding neighborhoods singing Christmas carols. Families were adopted through the St. Nick gift program and through community and private organizations. Custer student council hosted a food drive. Students made holiday placements and Christmas cards for residents at Wellspring Lutheran home. Students in Kelly Lake’s class have been doing Random Acts of Kindness throughout the school and in the community. Ms. Lake’s students have made cards for the Lutheran Home, ornaments for school bus drivers and blankets for the Monroe County Humane Society. The Parent Teacher Organization adopted a family at Custer 2. The Custer Sodexo group adopted a family. Staff at both schools also adopted families for the holidays. The school also received some kindness from the Knights of Columbus who donated more than 50 winter coats to the school for students.

At Manor Elementary, the school had a Good Deed Tree, which encouraged students to participate in good deeds at home and throughout the community. Students created Christmas cards for residents at Medilodge. The school hosted pajama day fundraiser with the money benefitting a Manor family. Students wrote cards to soldiers stationed overseas. The school also collected coats for a coat closet.

Raisinville Elementary students hosted a canned food drive, which was sponsored by teacher Mary Vincent. The food was delivered to the Salvation Army of Monroe County to be distributed to folks in need. Raisinville’s BFFs, or Birthdays for the Future collected money in lieu of presents, which was donated to a 9-year-old named Jose who lives in Quito, Ecuador through the Children’s International Charity. The money is used for school supplies, clothes, health care products and other items. In two months, the school collected nearly $400.

Waterloo Elementary students planned to go door-to-door Dec. 21 singing holiday carols to folks in the neighborhood. The school’s Parent Teacher Organization partnered with ProMedica to provide 11 Waterloo families with a holiday turkey dinner.

Students at Monroe Middle School crafted more than 500 letters to send to troops overseas. The school collected winter gear for the Trojan Closet, a clothing boutique inside of the school where students can select gear. Several groups hosted a penny war to benefit the Monroe Public Schools Promise Fund.

Monroe High School students helped more than a dozen local organizations through a variety of collections and drives during the holiday season. Each Trojan Family Time group hosted an activity to help their fellow man. Students collected food, toiletries, clothes and household goods to be donated to places like Oaks of Righteousness Christian Church/Oaks Victory Village, the Salvation Army of Monroe County, Family Counseling Services, Goodwill, Paula’s House, Philadelphia House and Monroe County Opportunity Program. Students collected food and toys to give to the Monroe County Humane Society and the Devoted Barn. Another room collected stuffed animals which were donated to Mott Children’s Hospital, Ann Arbor. One room made fleece tied blankets. Other rooms brought in canned food items to help stock the newly-created Trojan Food Closet, which benefits Monroe High School students and families. A number of rooms created holiday cards, which were sent to troops overseas. Others made cards for local nursing homes.

Orchard Center High School hosted a mobile food pantry Dec. 10 in conjunction with Monroe County Opportunity Program and Gleaners. With the help of volunteers from the district, food packages were donated to more than 125 families living in the community. For the past three years, Orchard Center High School has hosted a mobile food pantry prior to winter and spring breaks. On Dec. 21, the school’s choir group planned to visit a nursing home to sing Christmas carols. The students also created holiday cards, which will be delivered by the choir group that day.

Cindy Flynn has been named Executive Director for Human Resources with Monroe Public Schools.

Her appointment was approved Tuesday by the Monroe Public Schools Board of Education during its regular meeting.

“Cindy Flynn has been with the district for a number of years and is very familiar with our staff,” said Dr. Barry Martin, superintendent of Monroe Public Schools. “She will make a fine executive director for our human resource office.”

Prior to her new position, Ms. Flynn served as principal of Monroe Middle School since June 2010. Before leading the middle school, she was assistant principal at Custer Elementary School for 10 years.

Ms. Flynn served as teacher media specialist at Monroe Middle School from August 1994 to August 2000.

Ms. Flynn graduated with a bachelor’s in science from Eastern Michigan University. She earned a Master of Educational Leadership from Wayne State University.

She is a member of a number of associations including the Michigan Association of Middle Educators, Michigan Association of Computer Related Technology User in Learning, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Association for Middle Level Education, American Federation of School Administrators, Michigan Federations of School Administrators, Monroe Federation of School Administrators. She is also a member of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Workers- Local 59- Monroe/Lenawee County.

Jeff McVeigh, currently an assistant principal at Monroe High School, has been named principal of Monroe Middle School.

Plans to fill the assistant principal position at Monroe High School are still under consideration.

Monroe Public Schools Board of Education said farewell to three of its members.

Board President Robert Yeo presided over his final meeting Tuesday. He has served on the school board for nearly 10 years. He also served as vice president.

“It has been a pleasure working for Monroe Public Schools,” Yeo said.

He thanked the community for their support during his tenure and offered well wishes to the new board members.

“My only hope is the district continues on a positive path,” Yeo added.

Ryan Philbeck, board secretary and Dr. Tedd March, parliamentarian, joined Yeo in celebrating their final meeting. Philbeck has served on the board since 2012. Dr. March was elected to the board in November, 2008.

A new board will be seated in January with the first meeting, an organization meeting, taking place at 6:45 p.m. Jan. 10 at the district office, 1275 N. Macomb St.

Returning board members include Lawrence VanWasshenova, Floreine Mentel, Cynthia Taylor and Matthew Bunkelman.

Robert Nichols, Rosalie Pasko and Cheryl Sweeney were elected to the board in November and will begin their terms in January.

The Monroe Public Schools Board of Education approved the purchase of mobile devices for teaching staff.

The board unanimously approved the technology purchase of a cost not to exceed $120,000. The majority of the purchase, $105,000, will be covered by rebates from previous technology expenditures.

Mobile devices will be purchased from Apple Education. Computers will be purchased from Dell.

“The devices we are looking to purchase are a blend of Apple iPads, Dell Chromebooks and Dell laptops,” said David Payne, director of technology.

District staff is working with the district technology committee and building staff to determine which device will be purchased for each staff member.

“By working with the staff, we can make sure we are purchasing the right equipment to support their curriculum and not just one blanket purchase.”

Teachers for Young 5’s through second grade will receive the first round of devices, which will be iPads.

“Our goal would be to have all new devices purchased in this plan over the next two months,” Payne added.

It has been about five years since the district upgraded staff technology.

There will be a half-day of school for Monroe Public Schools students on Wednesday, December 7.  Pre-school at Riverside, along with Kids Club at Riverside and Custer, will operate on a regular schedule. 

Students will have a half day of school on Wednesday, November 23, and no school on Thursday and Friday.  Pre-school at Riverside, as well as Kids Club at Riverside and Custer, will operate on a regular schedule.

Geography Bee sponsored by National Geographic
Dates:

o    Wed., Dec. 21—Submit top three names of students from teams to Mr. Knight by the end of day via e-mail. (Soc. Studies Teachers)

o    Wed., Jan. 11—Wipe Out Round ( to determine the final 10) at 9:50 A.M. in Rm. 207 –Students bring a pencil

o    Wed., Jan. 18—FINAL COMPETITION in Auditorium to determine school-wide winner and runner-up!  9:50 AM to approximately 11:00 AM ( will need help of a scorekeeper, Mr. Knight will M.C.) Yearbook photographers welcome! Parents invited!

o    Wed., Feb. 1—School –wide winner takes online test to possibly qualify for state level of competition in Rm. 207 at 9:50 A.M.

ON WED., JAN. 18, AT TEACHERS OWN DISCRETION, TEACHERS MAY BRING THEIR CLASS DOWN TO BE A QUIET AUDIENCE, AND TO OBSERVE THE COMPETITION TAKE PLACE!!!

There will be no school for all Monroe Public Schools students on Tuesday, November 1.  This is a countywide teacher professional development day.  Kids Club will also be closed and there will be no Rainbow Preschool.  School will resume on Wednesday, November 2.