Hello Everyone!
I hope everyone is doing well despite some bitter cold days and SNOW days to endure indoors when school cannot be open. I like to hear kids miss us when they've sat at home a few days with little to do (ha).
If you haven't had a chance to see the boys and girls basketball teams play, you are MISSING IT! Our young ladies and gentlemen are a joy to watch and cheer to victory. Come and see them! They are ON FIRE!
I received a lot of good feedback via email and through the online survey we tried. I plan to continue to use these methods to contact parents. You may have also noticed a Mexico Ledger article about our newly forming academic booster club. We have started with a small group of youth pastors and some parents to act as volunteers and affect our lunchroom environment, brainstorm ideas and focus our efforts.
What's that you say? You've never heard of an "academic" booster club? Well, in my philosophy of education, its a club about relationships and building up our students in every positive way we can think of to affect the bottom line: their success!
I will be sending out some information in coming weeks as we continue this effort an bring our collective knowledge together and get involved at MHS in the lives of young people. Look for my notice here, via email, and I'm considering regular mail as well - even though many believe it's "old school" to use what is called snail mail these days.
PLEASE HELP ME SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THIS BLOG -- I think many parents would like to have an inside look at things happening at the high school and I want people to have quality information about their high school. Refer a friend to the blog, it's the modern newsletter for MHS.
I've included my board report about events and work at MHS below for your information. As always, feel free to contact me with your comments and concerns. I always welcome community input; it helps me serve you well.
REPORT FOLLOWS:
Month/Year: February 2011
Current Enrollment: 696
Free / Reduced Lunch Enrollment: 248 / 51
Student Services Listing: 76
Students of the Month: JANUARY
Micha Willis and Jonah McKeown
Academics:
ART DEPARTMENT:
MHS Students, Faculty and Staff will be judging the McMillan Elementary Fifth Grade Civil Rights Poster contest. Finalists' work will be displayed in the case outside Ms. Haynes classroom at the high school. MHS judges will choose the top 4 displays, considering creativity, craftsmanship, message conveyed. Also, many of Ms. Haynes MHS art students will be working on an art installation for the True/False Film Festival in Columbia, starting the second week in February. Work to be displayed during the festival March 3rd-6th on the Stephens campus will be on display in the MHS north art room. Two MHS students being accepted to the Missouri Fine Arts Academy this summer are Marshall Forbis & Caroline Finck.
From Mrs. Linda Rice:
February is National Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month. Our MHS FCCLA will be discussing what we will do to celebrate CTE month locally this Thursday before school at our regularly scheduled meeting.
The Association for CTE is asking administrators, teachers and students to advocate for CTE through their social media networks on Thursday, February 17. Participation is as easy as changing your Facebook status, tweeting, or writing a blog post about the importance of CTE.
From Coach Devin Brown: The after school weightlifting has been going great. We have averaged 25 eighth graders since they have been allowed to come and participate.
From Mrs. Paula Isgrig: The Basic Physical Science class built balloon cars to demonstrate Newton's 3rd Law of Motion (For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction)
From Ms. Bridget Bingham: The Home Management class is making the final preparations for the Valentine's Restaurant. Jobs have been assigned and food is being made. Students made their own invitations to hand out to two family members.
Ms. Bridget Bingham's Job Performance class is very excited. The blue recycle bin is back from the Handi Shop. This will allow them to recycle once again in the building.
Mr. Henry reported the average number of students per day assigned to BIP (behavior intervention program, formerly ISS) for discipline issues has been reduced by approximately 50 %.
Ms. Gilles's and Ms. Pence's biology classes have been studying meiosis and how cells are formed. To show what happens in each stage, students worked together to create short claymation movies. Each group created their own animated example of meiosis using laptops with editing software and pay-dough. Claymation involves sculpting clay and hand moving the figure so that they can be filmed and “animated.” Students were very creating and resourceful, using everything from pizza dough to drawings to describe what happens in meiosis.
From Ms. Jami Williams:
Jami submitted an online article entitled “The Write Stuff” and was published in the IdeaFile education online magazine sponsored by Walsworth. The magazine editors have invited her to write a regular column for the magazine. Jami was also elected ASTRA's first Outstanding Teacher of the Month for January 2011.
From Ms. Sara Given:
The MHS Improvisational Theatre workshops/ Auditions brought in a record high number of high school participants this year. Our guest adjudicators from the community theatre not only evaluated student participation, but got on stage and performed with the students. The workshops were a blast and the new Comedy Carnival Troupe was cast and is sure to impress. Show dates are April 1 & 2 at Emmons Hall.
The DC Public Speaking classes are currently working on small group communication projects in which they will create and present a betterment project for the community of Mexico. Each group must simulate the project which includes communicating with members of the community. The groups are to put together a presentation packet which they will submit to a panel of community members when they present their proposal in a formal oral presentation. Some of the group ideas include; youth centers, community centers, recreational facilities, mentor and fitness programs, and multi culture fine dining facilities. It is wonderful to experience our young adults creating what they think is needed to better Mexico.
We are looking for community volunteers who are interested in serving on the panel of "judges" for each class. If you are interested, please contact Sara Given.
From MHS Administration Team:
Kris Turlington and Deb Haag attended ACT Annual Conference February 10, 2011.
Mrs. Woolsey has been meeting with Seniors before they graduate to learn about their experience and gather data to inform decisions for improvements at the high school. The results of her meetings are shared with the MHS administrative team.
The Building Leadership Team (BLT) is working to develop level 2 intervention to address reluctant learners and students in need of additional tutoring and assistance beyond current interventions implemented in seminar classes.
Mr. Anderson and Dr. Robinson attended the Positive Behavior Support (PBS) meeting held in Columbia, Missouri at the regional RPDC on January 27. MHS will be participating with regional consultants to train school teams, provide training to staff and faculty, and assist with data collection and networking with other districts. PBS is a statewide effort to continuously improve school culture by addressing discipline issues in a meaningful way and creating exceptional environments for student learning.
From the Guidance and Counseling Team:
Phil Neely attended an A+ Meeting in Moberly for updated information concerning the program.
Mark Holman attended an anti-Bullying Conference in Columbia.
Course Enrollment Presentations for 2011-2012 school year were given to freshman, sophomore, and juniors during seminar times.
January 26th - Mrs. Turlington presented financial aid and scholarship information for seniors and parents. Also Mr. Neely discussed A+.
The Local Scholarship Book has been published on the Guidance Web Page.
Truman University visited MHS on Thursday, January 27th.
Sports and Activities:
Mr. Brailler and MHS broadcasting students at HCC have been working with technology to broadcast basketball games live. They are currently practicing their skills in preparation for the district tournament.
Jenn Kraft and Mitch Ridgway also worked to install technology and the screen donated by the class of 1986 in the sports complex lobby.
Upcoming Events:
2/9 FCA mtg
2/10 FCCLA mtg
2/11 First MHS Cheerleader Reunion
2/12 Saturday School
2/12 ACT Testing
2/15 TEAMS competition
2/16 FCA mtg
2/18 FBLA district competition in Sturgeon
2/18 MHS Band Dance for MMS Students
2/18-2/19 SBU Ozark Honors Festival (select band/choir students)
2/ 19 Saturday School – make-up for 2/5
2/19 Cheer Clinic at Central Methodist
2/23 FCA mtg
2/25 History club mtg
2/26 Saturday School
3/1 Dixie Gray Band Parent mtg
3/5 Saturday School
3/9 HCC Open House @ 6-8 p.m.
