Here is our last broadcast of the 2015 portion of our school year. We hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season. See you next year!!
Your son or daughter brought home a very important document this week. It is your child’s individual results on the M-STEP (Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress) tests which were taken last spring. We recently received this information from the State of Michigan. Your child’s teacher passed this informational document on to your child directly at school, and we wanted you to know to look for it. After you have looked over the information, if you have questions, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher.
Parents – Just a reminder, in case your children may have forgotten to tell you. Tuesday will be the last day of classes for Monroe Public Schools prior to the Christmas Holiday Break. There will be no school for Monroe Public Schools from December 23 through January 3. Classes resume on Monday, January 4, 2016. Have a wonderful holiday break.
Forty-eight Monroe High School students have successfully reached their first trimester academic goals under the school’s Allies in Monroe (AIM) mentoring program, meaning they each have earned $200 scholarships for their successful efforts. They were honored at a banquet on December 17.
AIM – now in its second year – is an academic incentive and mentoring program for all MHS students. The program is designed to enhance student achievement, increase the number of students furthering their education after high school, and improve student-staff-community relationships. It also aims to enhance the overall Monroe High School career- and college-ready culture. MHS’ AIM is the only program of its kind in Monroe County.
“We are very proud of these students, many of whom earned similar academic awards last year,” said Monroe High School Teacher David Henry, who coordinates the school’s AIM program. “These students know that someone believes in them. They have shown tremendous persistence and have learned through AIM that hard work does pay off. This is another way that we help our students to succeed.”
In the program, students are paired with an adult mentor – called an ally -- to help motivate and encourage them to reach at least a 15-percent increase in their grade-point-average or some other agreed-upon stretch target. In the program’s first four trimesters, about 150 students have earned the $200 scholarship rewards, meaning the program has awarded about $30,000 to deserving MHS students.
“We are thankful for the sponsors we have who have stepped up to support this program. They make it work for our students,” Mr. Henry said. At Thursday’s recognition banquet, these sponsors, called Angels, were recognized: Mike and Wendy Gaynier, Bruce and Kim Diven, Ryan and Dory Philbeck – Patriot Group, Elevate Church, Tim and Margie Lake, Monroe High School Alumni Association and GROW Monroe. Monroe Bank & Trust, La-Z-Boy and DTE Energy were thanked.
Although AIM is a Monroe High School program, no district money can be used to support it so AIM is governed by a board which oversees the securing of funds to support the program. Potential supporters can contact Mr. Henry at 265-3612.
Here are the students who earned first trimester recognition through AIM:
Seniors – Aja Alamo, Caitlin Daniels, Adrian Finney, Jaleene Frayer, Kara Graff, Isziah Harris-Madison, Kylee Heringhausen, Jacob LaBeau, Kyle Lange, Tevin Nickols, Jordyn Raymo,Brendan Russeau, Bandon Scheffler, Frederick Shipp, Julie Siech, Lauren VanKlingeren, Cinnamin Warren and Jalen Wilkerson.
Juniors – Austin Amolsch, Angelina Blake, Tyreke Hood, Derek Kennedy, Skylar Sortor, and Mariah Wilkes.
Sophomores – Dekayla Adams, Jina Alley, Kristen Bolster, Lauren Brooks, Precious Dafney-Burciaga, Tatum Dusseau-Johnson, Dante Holliday, Alexandria Leone, Andi Martin, Johnathan McNamee, Catherine Noble, Harlan Pfefferle, Andrew Pruchnic, Elliah Redden, Lauren Steve and Natalie Trout.
Freshmen – Deysha Ambert, Elizabeth Bray, Ashley Harris, Anthony Levesque, Sydnee Martin, Daniel Robertson, Jaccob Short, and Anna Traver.
Monroe Public Schools has received its aggregate results for students on the 2014-2015 statewide assessment known as M-STEP (Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress.)
Last spring, students were assessed in their proficiencies in English Language Arts (ELA), Math, Science and Social Studies. As predicted by state education officials when the tests were being taken during the last school year, student scores across Michigan showed that the tests were more challenging than what students experienced under the previous state-sponsored tests, the MEAP (Michigan Educational Assessment Program) tests.
“We expected proficiency levels to be different than before, just as they were across the state, and these results set a new baseline for measuring student progress on these challenging tests,” said Dr. Barry Martin, superintendent, Monroe Public Schools. “These results are important for understanding student learning going forward.
“Like most years, there are certain groups of our students who performed at or above state averages. For us, it was third grade where both reading (ELA) and math proficiencies were on a par with state averages,” Dr. Martin said.
“There is much work we will continue to do to help our Monroe students to increase their proficiencies across the board. Our commitment as a district is to work with our students in the years they are with us to help them succeed by preparing them for careers and/or college,” Dr. Martin said.
The Monroe High School Student Prevention Team is “setting up shop: in the school cafeteria this week to convince their fellow students the seriousness of drug abuse, both for illegal substances and with improperly used prescription drugs.
The 12-member Student Prevention Leadership Team recently attended the third annual Monroe County Prescription Abuse and Heroin Summit December 1 at Monroe County Community College. The goal of the team is to show fellow students how they can avoid starting the drug abuse in the first place. They also want to stress the seriousness of the situation and how innocently it can start.
Starting Monday (Dec. 14) the team isl hosting a table in the cafeteria during all lunches. Students will have a chance to have their pictures taken and record how they can make good choices that will help when negative pressures come their way. The top comments will be used by the Monroe County Substance Abuse Coalition as tweets and as a future billboard in Monroe.M
The Detroit Tigers may not be playing baseball in Detroit for another few months but Monroe-area Tigers’ fans can start getting ready for the season when Mario Impemba, Fox Sports Detroit play-by-play broadcaster for the Detroit Tigers, comes to Monroe on Wednesday, January 20, to speak at a fundraiser benefitting the Education Foundation of Monroe Public Schools.
The two-hour event will begin at 6 p.m., January 20, at the Monroe Bank & Trust headquarters’ community room, 10 Washington St. Tickets are $25 each and include light refreshments and a chance to hear the veteran Tigers broadcaster talk about the upcoming season and take audience questions. Tickets are limited and only will be available via pre-sale. Tickets will not be available at the door.
Check out the attached flyer.
“We are making tickets available now because we believe they will make great stocking stuffers and Christmas presents for the Tigers fans on anyone’s gift list,” said Deb Thornton, president, Education Foundation of Monroe Public Schools. “Hearing the man who talks about Tigers baseball all summer long talk about Tigers baseball in Monroe is a great way to chase away the mid-winter blahs and yell ‘Play Ball.’”
Tickets are available during regular business hours at the Monroe Public Schools Administration Building, 1275 N. Macomb St., or from any Foundation Board member.
Mario Impemba has been the play-by-play voice of Tigers baseball on Fox Sports Detroit since 2002. He also announced basketball for the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies and formerly broadcast California Angels baseball prior to coming to Detroit. He is a graduate of Michigan State University.M
The Mobile Food Pantry will visit Orchard Center High School from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Dec. 12. A free food package will be given to the first 200 Monroe Public Schools families. You do not need to pre-register for this event. To receive food, a parent or guardian must be present, children must be enrolled at one of the Monroe Public Schools, and be eligible for the Federal Food Subsidy Program or be a family in transition. Each family wishing to receive a food package must produce an identification, such as a parent’s driver’s license or school ID showing Monroe County residency. This event is in conjunction with the Monroe County Opportunity Program and Gleaners Food Bank.