Monticello Live

Instructional Media Services Director Tony McKinstry discussed the Internet Safety Policy with the Monticello School Board, telling them that, “The state recommended us to have some sort of safety policy which stated that we monitor the internet…monitor the email…filter the Internet…” –“It is monitored and it is filtered as good as we can get it.”

Monticello Schools already have high standards for blocking inappropriate material from reaching their children in schools, but the State asked for a written policy to be put into place. A safety plan was developed and the Board voted to approve it.

Discussions progressed to how the wave of the future is moving towards schools no longer using textbooks, and instead, allowing each student to have digital books via iPads, Kindles, Nooks, or Laptops. The Board members mentioned how heavy student’s backpacks are and Tony McKinstry stated, “You could probably get rid of 50 pounds [of weight from books] by just switching over to a Kindle or iPad.”

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Superintended Bobby Harper told the Monticello School Board that bus drivers have no health insurance through the school district. An option was presented to the Board that, if voted upon, would allow full-time drivers to be able to partake in health insurance policies through the district.

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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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On December 2, Governor Beebe came to Monticello to present Kimberly Wilson, visual art teacher at MHS the award for being Arkansas’Teacher of the Year.

“You aren’t much of a person if you can’t understand the finer things in life… you’ve done that with our kids… you deserve Teacher of the Year,” Governor Beebe told Mrs. Wilson.

After hugging her children and her husband, accepting her roses and her large check to represent her financial award of $15,000 (from the Walton Family Foundation) Mrs. Wilson said, “I want to thank you… thank you. It humbles me.” “First, I’m privileged to be part of a fantastic school district.” “The other half… here’s what makes the difference… it’s your [students'] effort that makes it all work.”

Mrs. Wilson then said to the 4th and 5th grade students present, “You made me a great teacher; you made this possible.”

In closing Mrs. Wilson said, “Thank you to my family, my 2 children are here. They spend a lot of hours in the classroom.” “I could not do it if I did not have a fantastic, loving, supporting husband.” “I would like to thank my Principals..” She went on to describe how they never tell her no when she comes to them with her “crazy” ideas.

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Kimberly Kaye Wilson – One Monticello Life

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Click here for the story by Mandy Moss.

Numerous projects have already been started and completed around the Monticello School District, including the replacement of all outside doors at the high school, ceramic tile laid in MIS, and the on-going process of resurfacing the track. These are just a small portion of the many improvements that have been made.

Looking ahead over the next 6 years, the District has quite a list of repairs and improvements it will be embarking on. The following is a list of those improvements, school by school.

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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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Kathy Smith of the Walton Family Foundation spoke to MIS and MHS students, and guests, at a “surprise” meeting this morning. She said, “We have some very exciting news today that we’ve been keeping secret.”

Smith spoke about how most adults with careers will always point back to a teacher that helped guide them in that direction.

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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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The Monticello High School track is undergoing a re-surfacing project, which may be considered mainenance, but still is a noticable improvement.

The track, which is closed during the re-surfacing, is used not just for school activites, by for many other events, like Special Olympics activities.

The Monticello School Board presented MMS Principal Martens (left) with an award in honor of the school being recognized by the National Center for Educational Achievement (NCEA) as a 2011 NCEA Higher Performing School. MMS was awarded for it’s growth in math based upon consistent improvement in student achievement from the previous years.

“We are very fortunate to have the students and teachers we have.” – Superintendent Bobby Harper

MHS Principal Pennington was also presented with an award by the Board for being named to the College Board’s “AP Honor Roll” for improvements on Advanced Placement tests.

Monticello was 1 of 4 districts in Arkansas recognized by the Department of Education for significant student performance and rising numbers in students taking AP classes.

“It takes parents encouraging their children to take those harder AP classes… the credit goes to everyone.” – Superintendent Harper

Monticello High School students Rex Henderson and Hunter Hickam addressed the Council Thursday night on behalf of EAST Lab. They requested permission to construct and place crappie beds at Lake Monticello. Their goal is to help increase the fish population, and bring in more visitors from outside areas.

The students stated that the construction would be simple, and performed entirely by EAST students. If the City wished, they could help by supplying concrete for the project. The only other items needed: 5 gallon buckets and Bamboo or Cedar.

Once the beds are constructed and dropped into place, their positions would then be plotted so that they could be accessed online.

“I think it’s a really good idea.” – Mayor Maxwell

The Council voted yes unanimously to allow the students to begin their project.

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.

Benji Ryburn, of Ryburn’s Automotive Superstore, announced to the Monticello School Board that his company would be donating $2,500 to the district. Along with this donation, as part of a grant, Toyota will be matching the donation and giving an additional $2,500 to the schools.

The grant money is to be used for upcoming creative classroom projects and initiatives related to the improvement of student achievement. The funds may be used for various materials and supplies, such as books, software, technology, and art and lab materials.

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Taylor Eubanks, a 2009 graduate of Monticello High School and former captain of the MHS cheerleaders performed with the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders recently in a halftime performance at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington Texas.

Taylor is a Junior Theater Arts major at UT-Arlington, and also head cheerleading coach for a local gym in the Dallas area.

Taylor is the 21 year old daughter of Von and Terri Eubanks.

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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Some Monticello Middle School 7th and 8th grade art students in Ms Knight’s class are studying photography and submitting their work as part of their grades in art at MMS.

One submission was by Katie Connelley, an 8th grade student.

This photograph was taken at the pond by MMS, edited by Katie, and enhanced on the Picnik website.

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!

 Monday night, the school board voted to approve pay raises for Monticello School District employees for the 2011/2012 school year.

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

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