Monroe High School will host a summer Red Cross Blood Drive from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Tuesday July 21.  The Red Cross is in desperate need of life-saving blood.  Persons willing to donate should contact blood drive director Sven Wollschlaeger through either email at corinasinbox@yahoo.com or by phone or text at 734-790-5318.   

Monroe High School track star Stephen Blunt has been named the Region Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year by the Monroe News.  So what did he accomplish to earn the honor?  According to the Monroe News, “He set a school record in the 100-meter dash. Won the 100 and the 200 in the team state meet, was a Regional champions, won Track Athlete of the Meet honors at the Mason Invitational, ran anchor on the state champion 800 relay team that set a Monroe County Region record and was part of a state runner-up 400 relay that also broke the record.  The secret to his success?  Stephen told the Monroe News “he usually listen to slow hip-hop music until about a minute before a race ‘just to calm myself down and not get overly excited.” He plans to run track in college, study criminal justice and possible become a border/customs agent.  His teammate Corey Goodloe also was considered for the Track Athlete of the year honor.

Congratulations to Monroe High School Track Coach Mark Scoles who has been named the Monroe County Region Track Coach of the Year by the Monroe News.  The Monroe News called the recently concluded track season, “one of the Trojans best seasons.”  The Trojans finished third behind Saline and East Kentwood in the Division 1 state finals, their best showing since finishing runner up at states in 1989.  The Trojans also were fourth in the Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association Team State Meet.  “We were heavy with seniors this year.” Scoles old the Monroe News.  “It’s been a lot of fun keeping this group together through the years but it really was a team effort.  The expectations have been pretty high since their sophomore year.  We had good senior leadership and amazing senior talent.  But the young kids just came in and worked really hard.  They did everything the right way.”

     A security upgrade at all schools in the Monroe Public Schools district will take a major step forward this summer and be completed in the 2015-2016 school year.

     The Monroe Public Schools Board of Education June 23 approved spending $127,118 to purchase 300 more security cameras, 100 mounts and three more servers to operate the system which will include every facility in which there are students.

     The security system installation began 1½ years ago.  When the upgrade is completed, every school building will have security cameras to monitor all entrances, public areas such as parking lots, playgrounds and hallways.

      “This will give us a consistent high level of security protection throughout our district,” said Dr. Barry Martin, superintendent, Monroe Public Schools.  “Parents have told us all along that the safety of their children is critical and we have responded to that.  This is a level of security unmatched in Monroe County schools.”

     The new setup also will allow building conditions throughout the district to be monitored from remote locations in the unlikely event of an emergency,

      “Until now, some buildings have had more hardware in place than others but when this installation project is complete, all will have an identical high level of coverage,” said David Payne, director, Technology for Monroe Public Schools.

     After the Sandy Hook situation in 2012, private security guards were hired to work as door guards at each school building in Monroe Public Schools, the first district to do so.  However, over the last 18 months, the Monroe Public Schools Technology Department has steadily been increasing the number of electronic security devices across the district.  A pilot program using access control, door intercoms and security cameras was tested successfully at Arborwood Elementary Campus in 2013 and 2014.  With the start of the 2014-2015 school year, all school buildings had audio-video intercoms installed at their main entrances, Mr. Payne explained.

     Over the past school year, other security upgrades were instituted across the district.  Access control was put in place for the I Wing and F Wing entrances at Monroe High School.  Security cameras were installed through the building and perimeter areas of Orchard Center High School and Waterloo Elementary School. Security upgrades to be completed

The Roessler Street Bridge might be closed but the doors are open daily at the Riverside Early Learning Center, 77 N. Roessler St., where Summer Kids Club 2015 is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday in the summer.

     Spots still are available for the current term and this year come with free lunch thanks to a summer program sponsored by the USDA.  Summer Kid’s Club at Riverside is open to children aged 2 ½ to 14 through August 28.

     “Our theme-based curriculum offers developmentally appropriate activities that stimulate learning, fun and creativity in a relaxing and nurturing environment,” said Barb DiFiore, Riverside Kids Club director. 

     Children participate in well-supervised arts and crafts activities, indoor and outdoor games, cooking activities, creative experiences and educational projects.  Friday means movies on the big screen in the gym with a special treat to enjoy during the movie.  Students also go on field trips and special guests stop by from time-to-time, too.  Riverside Summer Kids Club opportunities also include swimming at the nearby YMCA for children six and older.  Water play activities also are available at Riverside Summer Kid’s Club.  Nutritious snacks are served during the day, too. 

     Persons interested in registering their child or children for Summer Kids Club 2015 can pick up a registration packet at Riverside or call 734-265-4985. 

Two entrances to Waterloo Elementary School will be rebuilt over the summer, after action Tuesday night (June 23) by the Monroe Public Schools Board of Education.

     “Both of these entrances – the south entrance and the southeast entrance – had degraded to the point where they needed to be improved.  Summer time is the right time to make the upgrades when we won’t disrupt any classes,” said Jerry Oley, director, Operations, Monroe Public Schools.

     Successful bidder for the project was Gratton Construction Co. of Monroe with a bid of $29,115.

     “Because the successful bidder was a local company, this will keep these dollars in our community since the work will be done by a local labor force,” Mr. Oley said. 

     The work will involve removing the existing concrete steps and the base around them and building a new landing, steps and railings.  The railings at the southeast entrance will be replaced but the south entrance railings will be removed, re-painted and re-installed before the project is complete.   Both entrances are connected to the Waterloo Playground which has had significant upgrades in the last year since the school won a $50,000 grant as part of a national school improvement contest.

                Monroe High School graduate Bishop Rance Allen’s singing performance for President and Mrs. Obama will be broadcast at 9 p.m. tonight over PBS television.  Bishop Allen had performed in April in a concert at the White House for the Obamas when he sang “I Stood on the Banks of Jordan.”  The performance was part of a program entitled “The Gospel Tradition: In Performance at the White House.”  It was recorded live for presentation tonight.

                Bishop Allen is believed to be the only Monroe High School graduate ever to perform before a sitting President.  During his career he has been nominated for Grammy Awards and also has received a Stellar Gospel Music Award.  Monroe residents will recall his career start as a member of the Rance Allen Group, which was an extremely popular singing team beginning in 1969 and that won numerous awards.

                Although Bishop Allen now is based in Toledo, he told the Monroe News, “Monroe is my home town.  It’s the place where I got started.”

Julie Everly, who has been a teacher and administrator with Monroe Public Schools for 20 years, has been appointed deputy superintendent of the district with overall responsibility for elementary and secondary education and human resources.  She will report to Monroe Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Barry Martin.

     The new role for Mrs. Everly includes a consolidation of duties with the departure July 1 of Dr. Ryan McLeod, who has been selected as superintendent of East Detroit Public Schools.  Dr. McLeod’s resignation was accepted by the Monroe Public Schools Board of Education Tuesday night (June 23.)  For the past several years, Dr. McLeod and Mrs. Everly have split assistant superintendent duties.  Mrs. Everly was in charge of elementary education and Dr. McLeod had responsibility for secondary education.  Both shared human resources duties. 

     “Mrs. Everly’s knowledge of our district, her demonstrated leadership and the strength of our staff all ensure a very smooth transition, and continued strong educational opportunities for all students here at Monroe Public Schools,” said Superintendent Dr. Barry Martin.       

     Reporting to Mrs. Everly as of July 1 will be an experienced human resources specialist already on staff, Holly Scherer, and two other positions which will be responsible for curriculum.  Those persons have not been chosen.

     Mrs. Everly joined the Monroe Public Schools staff in 1995 as a classroom teacher at Manor Elementary School.  She was named principal at Raisinville School in 2003 and co-principal in 2009 at the then newly joined Hollywood and Cantrick buildings which were renamed Arborwood Elementary Campus.  She has been an assistant superintendent since 2011.

     She has her bachelor and master degrees and her Specialist Degree with Central Office Administrative Certification from Eastern Michigan University. 

     Dr. McLeod is the second top administrator at Monroe Public Schools to be hired as a superintendent at another district this year.  Valerie Orr, who has been the principal at Monroe High School for the past two years, was named superintendent at Whiteford Schools in late May. 

     Also on Tuesday night. Jessica Shultz, who was assistant principal at Monroe Middle School, submitted her resignation to the board so she could accept the position of principal at Gibraltar Carlson High School.

     “We certainly are reluctant to say goodbye to the people who are leaving,” said Dr. Martin.  “However, it is a great endorsement of the quality of people we have in our district and the positive impact they have had on teaching and learning here at Monroe that other districts want them to come and join them.” 

All children up to age 18 – including all Monroe Public Schools students – will be able to enjoy a free lunch every week day this summer thanks to a program administered locally by the Speckled Frog Early Learning Center.  Seven sites throughout the Monroe Public Schools district are hosting the open free lunches, including Monroe High School where the Summer Learning Academy is being held.

            “We are glad to make our sites available this summer for this nutritious lunch program.  With seven places offering public lunches, there is a pretty good chance no one will have to go far for lunch,” said Julie Everly, assistant superintendent, Monroe Public Schools.  “It is a real benefit for our Summer Learning Academy students to be able to have lunch as part of the school day.  Siblings are invited to lunch, too, as long as they meet the age requirement.”

            No registration is necessary and anyone 18 and younger is welcome to come and have lunch.  Any child five or younger will have to be accompanied by an adult.

            Here are the participating locations open for the public and their hours of operation.  Note that lunches are served Monday through Friday, with one exception.

• Monroe High School, 11:45 a.m. through 12:45 p.m., through July 30.  Lunches served Monday through Thursday.
• Monroe Family YMCA, 11:30 a.m. through 12:30 p.m., through August 28.
• Oaks of Righteousness Church, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., through August 28.
• Speckled Frog Learning Center, noon to 12:30 p.m., through August 28.
• Village Pines, noon to 1 p.m., through August 28.
• Waterloo Elementary School, 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., July 13 through August 14.
• Willow Green Mobile Home Park, noon to 1 p.m., through August 28^th.

Free lunches also are provided at the Riverside Early Learning Center for pre-school only who are registered in those classes.

The program is provided at no charge as part of the USDA Summer Foods program.

The Monroe High School Class of 1985 will hold its 30-year class reunion at 6 p.m., Saturday, August 8, at the Toledo Beach Marina,  Tickets are only $15 per person and the reunion planning committee would like to hear from you so they can start to get a head count.  Contact classmate Kris Rossi at rossik23@sbcglobal.net if you are interested in attending.  Make sure, too, that you check out the group’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Monroe-High-School-Class-of-1985/1545665345678567?fref=ts for information.  Feel free to distribute this information to other Class of 1985 members who may not be internet or Facebook users.