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MCS
News Releases for December 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Havenview Students, Staff to Honor Former Student’s Life with
Special Donation to Shriner’s Burn Center
Memphis, Tenn. – Latasha Hassell was a straight-A student at Havenview Middle School and a joy to teachers and classmates who knew her. Hassell’s life ended far too soon, following a tragic fire in her home in June. This holiday season, students and staff members from Havenview will remember Hassell during a special donation ceremony held in her honor to benefit the Shriner’s Burn Center.
Havenview students have been making donations since November. Tomorrow morning, Thursday December 20, the school will present a check to representatives of the Shriner’s Burn Center. The donation ceremony will begin at 8:30 a.m.
Havenview Middle School is located at 1481 Hester. Members of the media should check in at the school’s main office upon arrival.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Springdale Elementary School to Deliver
Holiday Cheer to Students
Gift Distribution Takes Place Tomorrow, Dec. 20 at 11 a.m.
at Springdale Elementary School
Memphis, Tenn. – Springdale Elementary School hopes to deliver a smile to every one of its students’ faces this holiday season.
Springdale has a very large population of underprivileged students (98 percent are Title I), and for many years, the school has ensured that every student receives at least one present before leaving school for the holiday break. This year, presents will be distributed tomorrow, Thursday, December 20, at 11 a.m. at Springdale Elementary School.
“So many parents do not have the resources to give their children a gift at Christmas,” said the school’s principal, JeVon Marshall.“Many of our students look forward to these gifts because it is often the only major present they receive each holiday. The parents are so grateful that they literally shed tears of gratitude each year.”
The gift-giving effort would not be possible without donations from organizations like Brown Baptist Church in Southaven, MS; Christian Chapel Neighborhood Church; Harrah’s Entertainment; Omega Psi Phi Fraternity; and Rhodes College. Additionally, a number of individuals made smaller donations to ensure that the gift giving could take place this year.
Springdale Elementary School is located at 880 North Hollywood St. Media outlets are requested to check in with the school’s office upon arrival.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Rap Artists, Community Organizations Uniting with Students, Staff at
Frayser High TODAY to Benefit Victims of North Memphis Fire
Memphis, Tenn. – Frayser High School will host a special benefit event TODAY at 2:15 p.m. for families displaced after a fire last week in the Northaven Apartment Complex, which is located near the school.
Students who made a donation of money, clothing or food for the victims of the fire were given a ticket to attend today’s benefit event, which will also feature special donation presentations by Masonic Lodge, Kappa Alpha Theta fraternity, Delta Sigma Theta sorority and the Rough Riders of Memphis. Entertainers scheduled to attend and perform at the event include rap artists Soulja Boy, Frayser Boy (former Frayser High student), Yo Gotti and Project Pat.
This benefit event will take place in the Frayser High School Auditorium. It is NOT open to the public, and ONLY students of Frayser High who made donations are allowed to attend. Local media will also be permitted to cover this event.
Frayser High School is located at 1530 Dellwood. For more information, call 416-3880.
December 17, 2007
Seventeen More MCS Teachers Complete National Board Certification
Memphis, Tenn. – Seventeen of Tennessee's 39 teachers to earn National
Board Certification this year are from Memphis City Schools, pushing the
standard. The 17 MCS teachers comprise almost half of the 39 Tennessee
teachers who achieved National Board Certification this year.
National Board Certification is a stringent, voluntary certification
process administered by the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards. As part of the National Board Certification process, teachers
build an evaluation portfolio that includes two video recordings of
classroom teaching with a self-analysis and reflection; one written
analysis and reflection of a collection of student work; documentation of
work completed outside the classroom and evidence of how it has impacted
student learning; and six 30-minute-long on-line constructed response
questions demonstrating subject-matter expertise.
Candidates undergo a 10-part evaluation process specific to the teacher’s
discipline, including performance assessments of teaching strategies and
written exercises to assess subject knowledge. Certification typically
takes between 200 and 400 hours. To be eligible, a teacher must be a
college graduate with a valid teaching license and at least three years
experience in the classroom.
The 17 MCS teachers are among those nationwide who helped comprise the
largest one-year increase in National Board Certifications ever in the
history of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. There
are now 287 National Board Certified Teachers in the State of Tennessee.
Memphis City Schools teachers who recently achieved National Board
Certification are: Melissa Anthony, Adolescent Parenting Center; Earnestine
Benton, Westside Middle School; Meredith Berry, Oak Forest Elementary;
Susan Flynn, Coleman Elementary School; Hannah Horch, Berclair Elementary
School; Margie Katz, Teaching and Learning Academy; Martha Mason, Winridge
Elementary School; Karen Pilkington, Hearing Impaired program, White
Station Elementary School; Candice Pollan, American Way Middle School;
Lashanda Simmons, Treadwell Elementary School; Emily Squires, White Station
Middle School librarian; James Thames, Central High School; Alice Thompson,
Middle College High School librarian; Karen Vogelsang, Keystone Elementary
School; Cleodis Weaver, Northside High School; James Whitehead, White
Station High School; and Linda Williams, Cordova High School.
Another teacher, Dr. Dianne Johnson of Oakshire Elementary School, recently
completed renewal of her National Board Certification, which she first
earned 10 years ago.
December 17, 2007
Director for Exceptional Children and Health Services Receives State Award
Memphis, Tenn. – Dr. Patricia Toarmina, Memphis City Schools’ Executive
Director for Exceptional Children and Health Services, received the Yoakley
Award for Outstanding Educational Leadership in the state of Tennessee. The
Tennessee Association of Administrators in Special Education (TAASE)
presented the Yoakley Award to Dr. Toarmina for outstanding services in
Special Education on December 4.
The award was given to Dr. Toarmina in recognition of her achievements in
instructional leadership, organizational management, communication, and
interpersonal relations.
Toarmina began her career with Memphis City Schools in 1978 as a special
education teacher, a position she held for 15 years. She then served as the
assistant principal of Kingsbury High School, the principal of Delano
Optional School, and then went to serve as the principal of Ridgeway Middle
School when it opened in its new building. This is Toarmina’s fourth year
to serve as Executive Director.
As Executive Director for Exceptional Children and Health Services,
Toarmina is responsible for all programs and services relating to special
education and health.
As the recipient of the Yoakley Award, Toarmina was given a plaque and a
$500 cash prize.
Monday, December 17, 2007
MCS Invites Memphis Women “Behaving Beautifully” to
Help Drive District's New Empowerment Series for Girls
Female Speakers Will Motivate, Inspire Ninth Grade Girls during Monthly"Girls Behaving Beautifully" Symposiums at MCS High Schools
Memphis, Tenn. – Memphis City Schools’ new “Girls Behaving Beautifully” empowerment series has been drawing attention from across the city of Memphis and beyond since kicking off at Treadwell High School last week.
From former graduates now leading prominent careers in Memphis and surrounding cities to elected officials and influential figures throughout the city and school district, women are expressing a strong interest and desire to educate and motivate ninth grade girls to make positive life choices.
Memphis City Schools is urging more women in the Memphis community with interest in the youth and future of this city to step forward and sign on to speak at a future “Girls Behaving Beautifully” empowerment symposiums. Ninth grade is a pivotal period in a girl’s life and educational career – a time that often includes new challenges and influences – and women who have overcome such challenges and achieved success in their lives and careers can make a serious impact on these young girls as they work to attain their goals. The district plans to hold a “Girls Behaving Beautifully"symposium at least once per month, each time at a different high school. Women interested in reaching out and joining this effort can send their contact information to behavingbeautifully@mcsk12.net.
MCS is very grateful for having the support of national beauty supply retailer Sephora, which signed on as an official sponsor of the “Girls Behaving Beautifully” empowerment series. Sephora provided gift bags for every ninth grade girl who took the "Girls Behaving Beautifully" pledge during the first symposium at Treadwell High School.
“Girls Behaving Beautifully” is the first speakers series launched by Memphis City Schools. Over the next year, the district will work to establish a speaker’s bureau to help meet the constant need for education and awareness about various issues associated with the well-being and development of students.
Friday, December 14, 2007
MCS Class of 2007 Earns Nearly $100 Million in Scholarships
Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton, State Reps, City Officials Join District
in Special Celebration of Student Achievement
Memphis, Tenn. - Memphis City Schools, Tennessee’s largest school district and the 21st largest public school system in America, held a press conference at Whitehaven High School this morning to announce a remarkable achievement by its most recent graduating class. The district announced to the public that $97,253,806 in scholarship money was awarded to students who graduated from Memphis City Schools in 2007. It's the most money awarded to a graduating class since the district-wide tracking process was implemented in 2002 and the third consecutive year that the amount has increased, proving that efforts to prepare students for post-secondary education are continuing in progressive fashion.
In a letter addressed to the graduating class of 2007, Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen said this week, "I want to congratulate you on such an impressive academic performance. ... Our country is going to need bright, young people to continue making this country great for years to come. I encourage you to continue working as hard as you can to make a difference in your school and community."
More than $58 million of the scholarship money offered to students in 2007 was for academic-based awards, which is a $12 million climb from 2005.
During the press conference, Whitehaven High School staff members also announced that its 2007 graduating class received an increased amount of scholarship money for the third consecutive year. Students at the school were awarded nearly $7 million in scholarships last year.
Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton joined MCS Superintendent Dan Ward, Patrice J. Robinson, President of the MCS Board of Commissioners, Alycia Carter, Associate District Director for Congressman Steve Cohen’s office, and other dignitaries in commending the achievements of these students, as well as the efforts of the district to assist and prepare students in their college-bound quests by offering various preparatory tests for college entry, hosting annual national college fairs and organizing financial aid sessions.
Thursday, November 13, 2007
Memphis City Schools to Unveil
Record-Setting Scholarship Offers
Press Conference on Friday, December 14 at 10 a.m. at Whitehaven High
School
Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton, Jr., Associate District Director for U.S.
Congressman Steve Cohen,
City of Memphis Officials, Superintendent Dan Ward and MCS Board
Commissioners to Attend
Memphis, Tenn. - Memphis City Schools, Tennessee’s largest school district and among the largest urban public school systems in the nation, is set to announce its record-setting scholarship offers for its most recent graduating class at a press conference to be held on Friday, December 14 at 10 a.m. at Whitehaven High School.
At this press conference, the district will reveal the overall amount of scholarship offers made to Memphis City Schools’ Class of 2007. This dollar figure exceeds that of all previous graduating classes since the district-wide tracking process was implemented in 2002. The district will also unveil the significant increase in the amount of academic scholarships offered to graduates across the district.
Mayor A C Wharton, MCS Superintendent Dan Ward, Patrice J. Robinson, President of the MCS Board of Commissioners, and Alycia Carter, Associate District Director for Congressman Steve Cohen’s office, will be among the dignitaries to participate in this announcement.
Local media is encouraged to attend this special celebration of student achievement.
The press conference will be held in the Whitehaven High School Auditorium. Whitehaven High School is located at 4851 Elvis Presley Blvd.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Memphis City Schools and
Urban Arts Commission to
Dedicate Sculpture
Memphis, Tenn. – The sculpture at William H. Brewster Elementary School will be officially dedicated on Thursday, December 13, at 10 a.m. at the school.
Memphis City Schools Superintendent Dan Ward will dedicate the sculpture, along with Carissa Hussong, Executive Director of the Urban Arts Commission, and school Principal Shonda Huery. The school’s choir, “The Beacons of Light,” will perform and students’ artwork will be on display to celebrate the dedication.
Dr. William H. Brewster Elementary School opened in 2006. The sculpture, which is comprised entirely of painted steel, was installed in November of 2007. This piece is part of the urban art project, in which 1% of capital improvement funds is specifically designated for urban art.
The sculpture is titled “Aspire,” and according to its artist, Mark Nowell, the different elements within the piece symbolize different aspects of aschool. “The sun symbolizes hope,” said Nowell. “The tree symbolizes wisdom; the sparks, youth; and the house symbolizes structure.”
Dr. William H. Brewster Elementary School is located at 2506 Sam Cooper Blvd. The dedication will be held in front of the school.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Girls Behaving Beautifully! Ladies, Lead the Way!
District Teams with Sephora to Launch Empowerment Symposium Series for
Girls of MCS
U.S. Soldier Returns from Iraq for Empowerment Symposium at Her Alma Mater,
Treadwell High School
Tuesday, December 11 at 11:30 a.m.
Memphis, Tenn. – On Tuesday, December 11, a new symposium series designed to motivate and empower girls of Memphis City Schools will launch at Treadwell High School. “Girls Behaving Beautifully”is designed to bring attention to the importance for young women to set the foundation for success in life now and to remain on track by taking control of their lives and responsibility for their actions, resisting negative influences and conducting themselves in a positive manner.
Ninth grade girls from Treadwell will hear from influential figures from within the district and the city at large, including: Tomeka Hart, Vice President of the MCS School Board and President/CEO of the Memphis Urban League, MCS Board Commissioner Kenneth T. Whalum, Jr., Sgt. Kenneth Pinkney, Director of Student Behavior and Intervention, and Sara Lewis, a former long-time MCS educator and Board Commissioner now working in the Mayor’s Office of Youth Services and Community Affairs. Eileen Collier, program director for Clear Channel Radio and on-air host for Hallelujah 95.7FM, will be serving as the event’s emcee.
“It's imperative that we make a connection with these young ladies and urge them to take charge of their lives and not give into negative influences so efforts to achieve their full potential won't become derailed,” said Vice President Hart, who is the first woman to serve as president/CEO of the Memphis Urban League. “As educators and citizens with a vested interest in the youth and future of this city, it's on us to set a positive example and push these girls to make the right choices.”
Students will also be introduced to Treadwell High School graduate Kelciera Matthews, who is now an active U.S. soldier and recently returned home from Iraq. Matthews understands the challenges young girls often face when they get to high school and hopes the story of what it took to accomplish her goals offers an added sense of inspiration and motivation.
Memphis City Schools teamed up with beauty supply retailer Sephora to launch the “Girls Behaving Beautifully”symposium series at Treadwell High School. Students in attendance will receive free lunch from Domino’s and a small gift from Sephora. Sephora has signed on to support future “Girls Behaving Beautifully”events for ninth grade girls at other high schools the remainder of the school year.
Media is strongly encouraged to attend this positive show of support by Memphis City Schools, the Mayor's office and our local business community for the girls of MCS.
Treadwell High School is located at 920 N. Highland.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Schools Invited to Participate in Effective Practice Incentive Community Pilot Program
Principals from several Memphis City Schools learned today that their schools have been selected to participate in the Effective Practice Incentive Community pilot program, the result of a multi-million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The pilot program, a partnership between Memphis City Schools and New Leaders for New Schools (New Leaders), aims to identify and share effective classroom and school-wide practices that have contributed to significant one-year academic achievement gains in order to strengthen practice and performance across Memphis City Schools.
Using TCAP and Gateway test data from the eligible schools and comparing gains made in the 2006-07 school year over 2005-06 scores, Mathematica Policy Research (MPR), an independent, nationally recognized research firm, identified schools with the strongest gains based on the designated one-year period. There are two designations for awarded schools - Gold-Gain and Silver-Gain – determined based on where the school falls in the rank-ordered list of schools by grade-band (i.e., elementary, middle and high schools).
Award winning schools will be announced by Friday, December 14th.
The schools are varied in size, geographic location and student population, ranging from schools in some of the poorest areas of Memphis to an alternative school. What they share are impressive student achievement gains over the designated one-year period.
“EPIC is different from other programs that are aimed at showcasing blue-ribbon schools or exceptional performance in that EPIC spotlights schools that may still be on the journey toward high achievement,” said Dr. Alfred Hall, MCS Chief Academic Officer. “This is because the EPIC program looks at a school’s annual student achievement gains, rather than overall proficiency rates of students. So, there may be schools receiving awards that haven’t been recognized for their success before. But these are schools with a story to tell and practices to share, and that’s what the goal of the program is: sharing practices that other similar schools can model and learn from to help boost their own academic achievement levels.”
Following presentations about the program to faculty at the individual schools, the schools will conduct a vote on whether to accept the award. The faculty vote at the school will determine whether the school participates in sharing the practices that have contributed to the academic gains at their schools. Principals and instructional staff at schools that agree to participate will receive monetary rewards for their work.
By voting to accept the award designation, Gold-Gain and Silver-Gain school administrators will have to complete a self-study and participate in a variety of methods of practice documentation. By agreeing to open their schools for others to learn from, Gold-Gain schools will be visited by a team of trained experts led by SchoolWorks, an organization trained in identifying school practices that are making a positive difference in the education of students. These practices will then be documented through multi-media and text-based case studies available for all educators in Memphis City Schools to access for free on a national web-based platform. Silver-gain schools will work with MCS and NL to produce an informational summary of their work to be posted on the online community, and will be asked by MCS to lead local professional development opportunities for their colleagues in MCS.
If a school votes in favor of participating in the project, principals, assistant principals and instructional staff members (teachers, educational assistants, PDSCCs, guidance counselors, librarians and literacy/reading coaches) will receive monetary awards. Since the work required by Principals and Assistant Principals will be substantial and demanding, Principals and Assistant Principals at Gold-Gain Schools will receive “Spotlight” awards of $15,000 and $10,000 respectively, and Principals and Assistant Principals at Silver-Gain Schools will receive “Spotlight” awards of $10,000 and $7,500 respectively. Instructional staff at both Gold-Gain and Silver-Gain Schools will receive $1,000 each.
Beginning in the 2008-09 school year, the pilot program will expand to include awards to Spotlight Educators in Gold-Gain schools. Criteria is being developed by MCS, MEA and New Leaders this year so that the selection of Spotlight Educators can begin next year. It is expected that up to approximately 60 Spotlight Educators will receive these awards next year. Spotlight Educators awards are for $7,500 each.
To qualify for consideration in this pilot year, a school had to have met certain criteria. Schools must have at least 50 percent of their students qualified for free and reduced lunch. Any school in its first year of the Fresh Start process was ineligible since it already participates in other award programs. For this same reason, Striving Schools will be ineligible next year once their schools stand to receive incentives.
The U.S. Department of Education awarded a total of five grants to New Leaders and its partners: Memphis City Schools, the District of Columbia Public Schools, a national consortium of charter schools, Denver Public Schools and Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland.
“The MCS Effective Practice Incentive Community Pilot Program will help us understand how best to find, honor and showcase educators in the schools realizing student achievement gains and then share the practices that help make these gains happen with educators across the district and the nation,” Dr. Hall said. “We see this as another great way to improve teaching and learning across the district. All of our schools will be able to tap into effective teaching and school leadership practices that they can use in their own schools through a national platform highlighting award-winning practices that will include our own great work here in Memphis.”
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Sybille Noble Named Memphis City Schools’
Chief Contracting Officer
Memphis, Tenn. – Memphis City Schools is pleased to announce that Ms. Sybille Noble will be joining the district as Chief Contracting Officer(CCO).
Noble comes to MCS with vast knowledge and expertise in contracting in both the public and private sector. As a transactions attorney for nearly 20 years with Federal Express, she maintained a distinguished record of achievement in negotiating and drafting complex contracts in support of a broad range of operating and business units. Additionally, she played an integral role in purchasing and contract administration for the county as an executive in the mayor’s office and applied nearly 30 years of experience with interpretation and application of laws, including serving as a professor of contracts law at the University of Cincinnati.
As CCO, Noble will oversee Procurement, Contracting Services, Supplier Diversity and Nutrition Services for MCS. She will be responsible for overseeing the district’s contract negotiations and drafting and incorporating supplier diversity initiatives into all MCS business operations.
“We are pleased that Ms. Sybille Noble will be lending her expertise and talent to our team,” said Superintendent Dan Ward. “She has great work and leadership skills that we feel can help us tremendously in streamlining operations and heightening efficiency and effectiveness district-wide.”
Noble earned her B.A. from Grinnell College in Grinnell, IA. She received a J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in Cincinnati, OH.
The CCO position is a newly created post that is part of Superintendent Ward’s strategic realignment of Memphis City Schools, which was unveiled last week. The realigned organizational chart can be viewed on the district’s Web site, www.mcsk12.net.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Students at Memphis City Schools Will Get “A Visit from Saint Nicholas”
Thursday, December 6
Volunteers Still Needed to Give Nearly 6,000
Of the MCS Students a Holiday Surprise!
Memphis, TN - About 6,000 children at 10 Memphis City Schools will receive a big surprise on the morning of Thursday, December 6 – A Visit from Saint Nicholas.
Dressed in his traditional Victorian-era velvet robe, Saint Nicholas will join a host of local volunteers in a special visit to underprivileged children in grades K-5 who attend Memphis City Schools.
The children will enter their buildings on Thursday, December 6 to find the halls and classrooms sprinkled with gold and silver tinsel. The holiday surprises will continue at their desks, where students will find gifts of colorful backpacks filled with books, toys and school supplies. After the gifts are discovered, children will enjoy hearing volunteers read a specially created book, The Adventures of Saint Nicholas.
Media outlets are invited to see the children of Evans Elementary discover that St. Nick visited their school at 8:00 a.m., Thursday, December 6.
This special event is part of Volunteer Memphis’ annual “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” holiday giving campaign at Memphis City Schools. Volunteers are still needed and those interested in donating their time to this worthy cause may register on-line at volunteermemphis.org, or contact the Volunteer Memphis offices at (901) 523-2425.
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