Monticello Live

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The MHS Forensic Team earned a 2nd place sweepstakes award at the Cabot Classic this past weekend. All members contributed to this team award, and students in 5 events advanced to semi-finals.

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Congratulations to the Monticello High School Band members who auditioned on Saturday, January 7th at Monticello Middle School and were selected to be in the Region 3 All Region Bands. Of the 24 MHS Band students that auditioned, all 24 students placed. They are as follows:

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Pictured: left to right Rex Henderson, Morrison Barron, Tucker Ward, Bentley Brodnax, Ashlee Johnson, Breanna Smith, MaryKate Jones, Hunter Hickam Standing: Nathan Pesaresi, Kameron Smith, and Jake Curry

Students from the MHS EAST participated in the Arkansas Drive Smart Challenge to bring awareness to the dangers of distracted driving. Students informed their peers of the consequences of cell phone usage while driving and the importance of wearing seatbelts. The EAST students observed morning school traffic and recorded data from drivers and passengers of their seatbelt use. They also recorded if someone arrived using their cell phone.

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Congratulations to the following Monticello band students who made the Region III All-Region Band.
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Front row: Savannah Reynolds, Rebecca Ferguson, Celeste Richard, Shelby White, Krystle Conyers Second row: David deRueda, Anna Kate St. John, Erin Ashcraft, Hannah James, Marquiona Ridgell, Michelle Montgomery, Salonica Hunter Back row: Kinsley Akin, Jacob Chisom, Daniel Wigley, John Bonfanti, Mary Kate Jones, Amy James, Maggie Barnett, LJ Leslie, and Jessica Craven. Not in picture: Coaches Debbie Ashcraft and Christy Armbrust.

Akin, Barnett, White earn NFL membership, and Wigley earns NFL Honor Status

The Monticello High School Forensics Team earned a 2nd place Sweepstakes Award at the Wildcat Classic Forensics Tournament held at North Little Rock High School. Some of the highlights of the competition were students who advanced to semi-finals in their events: Shelby White (poetry interpretation), Hannah James (original oratory), Salonica Hunter (poetry interp), and the duo team of Maggie Barnett and Kinsley Akin (improvised duet acting – superior rating). These students are now qualified to compete in the Tournament of Champions in April.

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Monticello High School Family, Career and Community Leaders of America are committed to helping our community become healthy!

FCCLA members are educating the community on the importance of proper nutrition and regular exercise. They are educating Monticello Elementary classes, adult groups, the afterschool programs, and they are also hosting a can food drive!

Everyone is encouraged to bring canned food items to the Monticello High School Family and Consumer Science classroom! All canned food items will go to DHS to help families in Drew County this holiday season! You can bring these items beginning Monday, December 5th from 8:30-3:00. For any more information please contact Amber Hairston, Family and Consumer Science Teacher and FCCLA adviser at (870) 367-4050

Hannah Jones from Monticello Middle school is participating in FCCLA STAR events. Her project this year is making the community aware of the dangers of leaving children unattended in cars.

In the US last year, 239 non-traffic fatalities have occurred. These fatalities could have resulted from hypothermia, heat stroke, power window strangulation, and vehicles set in motion. 37 non-traffic fatalities have occurred in Arkansas since 1990. Any child left unattended in car faces multiple hazards including kidnapping, abuse by a stranger, and accidental injuries. Legal guardians that leave children unattended face a variety of legal consequences. Child endangerment is a criminal charge.

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Pictured Left to Right: Karen Dabney – coordinator, Andrea Ratcliff- coordinator, Karla Booth - representing 2nd grade, Waynette Woodall – representing 1st grade, Susan Starks – representing Kindergarten

The Monticello Elementary School teachers and staff participated in the Arkansas Children’s Hospital’s Christmas Wish List. Teachers, paraprofessionals, staff members and administrators donated to the ACH wish list.

Together the faculty collected $500 and a full carload of toys, art supplies, clothing and many other items to rally round the children and families in the care of ACH in Little Rock.

Way to go MES, proud of the love shown to these young people!

Mrs. Sarah Stratton, the Literacy Facilitator and School Improvement Specialist at MHS, presented an outstanding group of 11th grade young men during the regular school board meeting Tuesday night. The group has been self-named Focus on the Future and currently consists of the following students: Jaquarius Davis, Diante Barnhill, Quincy Binns, Justin Avery, Devon Jackson, Markez Block, Tre Smith, and Jordan Shelton

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Five students from Monticello Elementary School are featured on the Front Cover of the 2012 Hameray PreK – 8 Catalog that has been distributed nationwide to schools across the United States. This catalog features an entire selection of Early Literacy and High Interest/Low Vocabulary book collections, that are aligned to the Common Core State Standards.

(L to R) Serenia Rodriguez, Aiden Jones, JaTiyah Johnson, Alivia Ramsey and Blane Kizer, 1st and 2nd grade students at Monticello Elementary School; Janine Jamison (Center – a librarian in Jefferson County) will be featured in a book written by Gaynell Jamison, Reading Specialist at Monticello Elementary School that has been published by Hameray.

Hameray selected this photo as the cover of their catalog from a series of photos that were photographed for Jamison’s new book: ‘Where Can I Read?’ that is scheduled to be released January 2012. The book will feature local residents, staff and students of Monticello Elementary School and Jamison’s daughter. Brandy VanDee of VanDee Photography was the photographer for this project.

Several Monticello High School students recently attended the Arkansas Student Congress on Human Relations. They returned with several awards for recognition of their performances.

Excellent awards were as follows: Legislative Committee – Hannah James, Daniel Wigley, and Jay Kent Gates; Party Caucus Speeches – Celeste Richard, Daniel Wigley, and Trent Rogers; Legislative Floor Debate – Skye Austin; Pages: Jordan McDaniel (Sgt at Arms) and Gabby Causey (Head Page).

Superior awards were as follows: Legislative Committee – Skye Austin and Trent Rogers; Legislative Floor Debate – Hannah James; Parliamentary Procedures – Skye Austin.

Skye Austin earned recognition as the “Best of Delegation”. All students earned points toward membership in the National Forensic League. Rogers earned Honor Status in NFL, and Austin and Richard earned membership into NFL as a result of the competition.

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The National Center for Educational Achievement (NCEA), a department of ACT, Inc., recognized Monticello Middle School as a 2011 NCEA Higher Performing School.

Monticello Middle School received Higher Performing (HP) recognition in the Mathematics – Growth  area.

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Monticello School District is one of fewer than 400 public school districts in the nation being honored by the College Board with a place on the 2nd Annual AP® Honor Roll, for simultaneously increasing access to Advanced Placement coursework while maintaining or increasing the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher on AP exams. Achieving both of these goals is the ideal scenario for a district’s Advanced Placement program, because it indicates that the district is successfully identifying motivated, academically-prepared students who are likely to benefit most from AP coursework. Since 2009, Monticello School District increased the number of students participating in AP from 45 to 63, while improving the percentage of students earning AP Exam scores of 3 or higher from 31 percent in 2009 to 37 percent in 2011. The majority of U.S. colleges and universities grant college credit or advanced placement for a score of 3 or above on AP exams. (more…)

First Row L to R Denisha Hamilton, Kaybriesha Lamb, Madison Gray, Kanira McCoy, Mary Claire Guanzon, Kalen Ellis and Keanna Daniels 2nd Row L to R Trey Williams, Clayton Pharr, Will McCoy, Mack Gossman and C.J. Lindsey 3rd Row L to R Luke Lane, Ben Nichols, Ronnie Robison, Griffin Smith, Zackeous Martin, Jerrik Milhollen (not pictured William Conyers)

Monticello Middle School 7th and 8th grade choir students participated in the Southeast Arkansas Jr. High All-Region tryouts Saturday, October 8 on the Monticello High School campus.

Over 400 students in grades 7-9 competed individually for the opportunity to perform in the 2011 SEArk All-Region Choir. MMS had 19 out of 28 students who auditioned to make the all-region choir.

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Peyton Montgomery, 9 year old daughter of Greg & Kelli Montgomery was recently inducted into the Monticello Intermediate School’s new Young Einsteins Science Club.

Peyton is a fourth grader at MIS and had to complete 20 research tasks on her own on various science topics to earn her membership. Peyton is the first member of the newly formed club that is headed up by MIS Science/Math Facilitator Karen Norton. Peyton said she plans to help her friends earn their membership now and help Mrs. Norton with other students’ research tasks that are submitted. Congratulations Peyton!

The following Monticello High School students auditioned for and have been selected to the Senior Southeast Arkansas All-Region Choir:

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The Monticello Forensics Team opened their competitive year at Little Rock Central’s Tiger Tournament with a 3rd place win in the student congress event and two students qualifying for the state Tournament of Champions.

Individual honors included:
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Four teachers from around the state were named finalists for the 2012 Teacher of the Year Award, by the state Department of Education, including a Monticello High School teacher.

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Monticello Middle School is pleased to announce our 2011 Teacher of the Year, Sherry Knight, and 2011 Master Educator, Monica Sims.

Congratulations to both of these outstanding teachers for all their hard work and dedication to the education of the students in the Monticello School District! (Pictured on the left, Mrs. Sims and on the right, Mrs. Knight)

Dear Parents of the Monticello School District,

The Monticello School District prides itself in providing a safe, secure and healthy environment for its students and patrons. At the recent Blue and White Game, there were several incidents where students were not dressed appropriately for a school activity and many were running excessively up and down bleachers, under the bleachers and the main walkway. This provides an unsafe environment for all but especially our elderly patrons.

The Monticello School District administrative staff and faculty respectfully request that parents of students in our district help us remind them to dress appropriately and conduct themselves in a way that conforms to the laws of the State of Arkansas and our district handbooks. It is especially important that our students reflect the values and standards of this community, not only at school, but at all school activities.

We appreciate your continued support of the Monticello School District and thank you in advance for your help in this matter.

Respectfully,
Bob R. Harper
Superintendent

2011 Monticello Junior Billies T-shirt are here. All profits go to support Junior Billies Football.  T shirt orders will be accepted ONLY until Thursday August 25th at noon!

Please return completed order forms to MMS Office to Candi Lawson, or mail to P.O.  Box 536 Monticello, Ar. 71657

Click Here to download a printable Order Form.

Billie Hats and shirts will be sold at all Home Football Games.  Supplies are Limited, so don’t miss your opportunity to Look Great while supporting the Billies.

The student council of Monticello Middle School organized an entire week of appreciation for all the teachers at MMS.

Parents gave goodies and treats, volunteered to help serve and help with clean-up during the week for the teachers. The students wanted to show how much they appreciate their teachers for their hard work and dedication.

Also the students and teachers would like to give a big thanks to all the parents that helped made that week as special and thoughtful as possible. Thanks very much!

During the 2011-12 school year the Monticello School District will begin the process of implementing a new curriculum for all English and math classes. The District will join all other public schools in the state of Arkansas in teaching the “Common Core State Standards”.

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MMS EAST is very excited to have our electronic LED sign. We show important dates and it helps us get information out about our school to students and their guardians more efficiently.

“It’s really cool! I have had parents and teachers compliment on the sign and how they know what’s happening with the school,”-Mr. Martens. Some EAST students helped set the sign up and download the software. The students update the sign at least twice a week for everyone to see.

Several Monticello High School students recently competed in the Regional ACTM Math Contest held at UAM. The following students took home honors:

Natalie Skinner – 1st Calculus
Ann Carol Farmer – Merit Achievement Calculus
John Bonfanti – 1st Trig/PreCal
Kristiana Tenoria – 2nd Geometry
Cody Pigott – Merit Achievement Geometry
Brittany Taylor – 2nd Algebra I

Spring break is over, and this is worth a re-post for the MMS students, who are returning to school today.

MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

Monticello 6th grade students raised $4,773 for World Vision, to provide a water well in an undeveloped country.

Principal Jerry Martens is shown in the video swimming across the school pond, like he agreed to, if the students reached $3,100.

Also, 4 teachers agreed to spend Thursday night at school if $3,000 was reached, including Blake Abbott, who spent the night in a tent on top of the roof.

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Raya Clay a senior at Monticello High School was honored on May10, 2011 at the Sam Walton College of Business in Fayetteville, Arkansas for her achievement in East Lab and she gives special thanks to her past East Lab teacher Keturah Rush for aspiring her in computing. During her 9th grade year Raya created a video on bus safety and loves working with MAC computers.

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The National Center for Educational Achievement (NCEA), a department of ACT, Inc., recognized Monticello Middle School as a 2010 NCEA Higher Performing School Monticello Middle School received Higher Performing (HP) recognition in the following areas:

• Performance Measure in Mathematics Growth

• Performance Measure in Mathematics Advanced

The Higher Performing Schools (formerly known as Just for the Kids Schools) are identified by two measures: consistent improvement in student achievement from previous years (growth) and/or absolute student achievement using the school’s advanced performance results on the spring 2010 Arkansas ABE (Augmented Benchmark Examinations). NCEA’s higher performing methodology controls for school and student demographics to allow for an apples-to-apples comparison of school achievement and to demonstrate that with the commitment of educators, all schools can have success no matter the zip code. NCEA provided award certificates to each Higher Performing School and the district.

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3/1 Pine Bluff at Home (6:00)
3/4 Villonia at Villonia (6:30)
3/7 Stuttgart at Home (6:00)
3/8 Pine Bluff at Pine Bluff (6:00)
3/11-12 Eldorado Tournament TBA
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