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For OCTOBER 2003

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October 3, 2003

Senator Lamar Alexander To Speak at MCS CEO "Principal For A Day" Breakfast

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander will deliver the keynote speech during Memphis City Schools "Principal For A Day" breakfast, Tuesday, October 7 at 8 a.m. in the American Way Middle School cafeteria. The school is located at 3805 American Way.

CEO "Principal For A Day" is part of the 9th annual Memphis Goes Back to School Adopt-A-Schools Partnership Week (October 6-10). The event draws numerous leaders of business, politics and community organizations. A "Principal For A Day" will be responsible for conducting morning announcements, conferencing with parents and visiting classrooms.

Memphis Goes Back To School Adopt-A-Schools Partnership Week is Dr. Carol Johnson's first week as superintendent. The CEO "Principal For A Day" breakfast is one of her first official appearances as superintendent.

Students who entered the ninth grade during the 2000-01 school year or before must take and pass both the language and math subtests of the TCAP Competency Test to graduate. The test will be administered four times (Oct., Feb., June, July) in 2003-04 before it is phased out. If a student has not passed both subtests of the TCAP Competency Test, the student should register at the school last attended to participate in the October test. Any student who falls under the TCAP Competency Test diploma requirement, and does not pass both parts by July 2004 will be required to pass ALL three Gateway exams in order to graduate.

The TCAP Competency Test will be administered on the following dates in October:

Tuesday, October 21 - Language

Wednesday, October 22 - Math

 

The remaining three TCAP Competency Test dates after October are as follows:

Tuesday, February 24, 2004 - Language

Wednesday, February 25, 2004 - Math

 

Tuesday, June 15, 2004 - Language

Wednesday, June 16, 2004 - Math

 

Final Administration

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 - Language

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 - Math

The Advance Television Broadcasting Class of the Telecommunications Center has produced a one-hour program entitled "Meet The Candidates for School Board Commissioner District 1." The special will air on: Wednesday, October 1st at 7:30 p.m., Friday, October 3rd at 1 p.m., Monday, October 6th at 6 p.m., and Wednesday, October 8th at 7:30 p.m.

Jenne Crenshaw, Junior General Manager of Cable 19-TV, will serve as the program's host. The panel includes Cable 19 News Director Brian Bradshaw, Assistant News Director LaToya Taylor, and Reporter and Promotion Manager Patrice Cooper.

All candidates were invited to the discussion. Candidates who will appear on the show are Stephanie Gatewood, J.M. Bailey, Willie Brooks, and Reginald Bernard. The election for the District I Commissioner seat will be held October 9.

For more information, contact: Ike Griffith, general manager, Cable 19-TV, 320-3460

Make-up days have been scheduled at four Memphis City Schools that were closed due to power outages or air-conditioning problems this school year. The schools and make-up days are as follows:

The Annesdale Cherokee Missionary Baptist Church will hold a "Student Recognition Night" on Wednesday, October 15 at 6 p.m. The church will honor students of Cherokee Elementary School who are achieving in the areas of academics, perfect attendance, conduct and citizenship.

Parents, students, school faculty and staff, and Superintendent Carol Johnson will be on hand for the special event. Annesdale Cherokee Missionary Baptist Church is located at 2960 Kimball Avenue.

For more information, contact: Vince McCaskill, 325-5628

Overton High School CAPA Swingers will provide the musical entertainment for the Second General Session of the 2003 Tennessee School Boards Association annual convention on Monday, November 17 at 9:15 a.m. The TSBA convention will take place at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville. The 14-member choir will perform in the hotel's Tennessee Ballroom before 600 convention attendees, consisting of school board members and superintendents from around the state. The theme of this year's convention is "Making a World of Difference."

Memphis Goes Back To School AAS Partnership Week Scheduled for Oct. 6-10

Memphis City Schools are gearing up for Memphis Goes Back To School Adopt-A-Schools Partnership Week scheduled for October 6 - 10. Schools will welcome guests each day during the week from 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Guests will receive an official tour.

"Citizens visiting their neighborhood school will be able to see first-hand what goes on during a typical school day," said Peggy Jones, coordinator of MCS Adopt-A-Schools Partnership. "They will see how faculty and staff are preparing all of our students to be successful, productive citizens and the future leaders of our city and country," Jones said.

Residents are encouraged to participate in the weeklong event. You may visit the schools on any day, but there are specific days identified to target different segments of the community. The schedule is as follows:

Monday, October 6	General Public
Tuesday, October 7	Business/Professionals Day
Wednesday, October 8	Realtor & Family Day
Thursday, October 9	Faith & Community Day
Friday, October 10	Civic Leaders & Elected Officials Day

Farewell Community Chat With Superintendent Johnnie B. Watson Scheduled

The public is invited to attend a farewell community chat session with Superintendent Johnnie B. Watson on Thursday, September 25 at 7 p.m. This will be Watson's last event of this kind, and it will take place at Snowden School, located at 1870 N. Parkway.

For more information, contact:
Vince McCaskill, communications, 325-5628

DRIVER EDUCATION PROGRAM FALL SCHEDULE RELEASED

The Division of Extended Learning has released the following schedule for Fall Driver Education classes.

For ages 15-20

SCHOOL	TIME	DATE	LOCATION
Ridgeway High School	3:00 - 6:00 p.m.	October 6th	As announced
Fairview Middle School	3:00 - 6:00 p.m.	October 20th	Cafeteria
Craigmont High School	3:00 - 6:00 p.m.	November 10th	As announced

For ages 21 and Older

SCHOOL	TIME	DATE	LOCATION
Fairview Middle School	3:00 - 6:00 p.m.	October 20th	Cafeteria

All classes meet Monday through Friday. Tuition is $140 for ages 15-20 and $175 for ages 21 and older and must be paid at the first class (no checks will be accepted). Class features include classroom instruction and supervised street driving. One-half credit and an insurance certificate will be issued to the student upon satisfactory completion of the course.

Students must complete and return an application to the Driver Education office at 2687 Avery Avenue, Memphis, TN 38112 to reserve space in the class. For more information or registration materials, call 325-7622.

WHITE STATION HIGH STUDENT TO BE PRESENTED WITH
$2,500 DISCOVER CARD TRIBUTE AWARD

Anureet J. Cheema, a student at White Station High School, will be presented with a Certificate of Recognition and $2,500 Gold I Discover Card Tribute Award at the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents (TOSS) dinner September 21 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Cheema was one of seven Tennessee students to receive a $2,500 scholarship as part of The Discover Card Tribute Awards (Scholarship) Program. Students are awarded a Gold I, II or III scholarship in the categories of Trade and Technical Studies, Arts and Humanities Studies and Science, Business and Technology Studies. All Tennessee Gold I winners also compete at the national level for a $25,000 scholarship. Anureet will be recognized as a Gold I winner in the Science Business and Technology category.

The program, given in cooperation with The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) and TOSS, awards $22,500 annually at the state level and approximately $1 million annually to students.

Memphis City Schools will hold the 2003 Summer School graduation on Saturday, October 4 at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, 70 N. Bellevue Blvd. The graduation ceremony was postponed due to the July windstorm and scheduling conflicts thereafter.

"Graduation is a special day," said Theresa Utley, MCS summer school coordinator. "We are looking forward to making this a memorable occasion for the graduates," she said.

Female graduates should wear: light colored dress or skirt and blouse, black/dark dress shoes (no flip flops or tennis shoes). Male graduates should wear; dark dress pants, white or light colored shirt, black/dark dress shoes (no flip flops or tennis shoes).

Graduation rehearsal will be conducted in the sanctuary of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church on Saturday, October 4 from 10 - 11:30 a.m. Students must attend the rehearsal in order to participate in the actual ceremony. Caps and gowns will be issued immediately following the rehearsal. The graduation ceremony will begin at 2 p.m., and students must be in place by 1:30 p.m. There will be no exceptions to the requirements.

For additional information, call 325-7622.

Parental involvement in a student's education is vitally important and can lead to a successful experience for both the parent and child. The Memphis City Schools Title 1 Center for Parental Involvement will hold a workshop for parents that will focus on the widely publicized "No Child Left Behind" Act. The workshop will give parents the opportunity to learn more about NCLB and what the school district is doing to meet new federal mandates.

The workshop will be held on Wednesday, September 17 from 9 - 11:30 a.m. at the MCS South Area office auditorium located on 2300 Hernando Road. The event is free and open to the public.

Northside High School is offering free after-school tutoring in Algebra 1, Biology and English 10 for students at that school every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. The tutoring sessions, conducted by teachers, will help students better prepare for the Gateway exams and the TCAP competency test. Northside High School is located at 1212 Vollintine Avenue.

Beginning with the 2003-2004 school year, Memphis City Schools will administer the first of a five-year grant from the Centers for Disease Control to address asthma problems of students at a total of 20 elementary schools. The grant extends an asthma case management program currently in eight elementary schools, to asthmatic students in 12 additional schools.

"This grant will assist us greatly in addressing this school health concern and working to reduce asthma episodes and asthma-related school absences, currently averaging eight days per student," said Brenda Heffner, coordinator of the coordinated director of health and social support. "Research shows that asthma is the most prevalent chronic disease among our students, with 8,776 of 118,000 suffering from asthma.

In addition to the 20 schools part of the case management program, an additional twelve schools will serve as a comparison group, where students will receive care based on standard MCS asthma management. The following schools were selected: Alcy; Bethel Grove; Caldwell; Cherokee; Coro Lake; Delano; Getwell; Goodlett; Holmes Road; John P. Freeman; Knight Road; Levi; Lincoln; Magnolia; Oakhaven; Rozelle; Scenic Hills; Sharpe; Whitehaven; and Winridge.

Schools were selected if they: 1) were located in a zip code with a high pediatric hospitalization rate for asthma and ; 2) had a large number of students with low socioeconomic status.

For more information, contact: Vince McCaskill, communications, 325-5628

MCS Board of Education President Carl Johnson, Sr. has scheduled a press conference in conjunction with members of the Shelby County legislative delegation to discuss issues facing Memphis City Schools as a result of new federal benchmarks under the No Child Left Behind Act. The press conference is scheduled for Tuesday, September 9 at noon in the Board of Education auditorium located at 2597 Avery.

Tune in beginning Wednesday, September 3, 2003 for the premier of the District Monthly with McCaskill and Flynn news show. Anchors Vince McCaskill and Nikita Flynn, managers with the Memphis City Schools communications team, will present the most accurate information on news and events taking place in the Memphis city schools. The show will air Wednesdays at 7 p.m. on Cable 19.

"The District Monthly was created to serve as the official source of news about the Memphis City Schools system," said Ike Griffith, general manager and instructor, Cable 19. "The show is also intended to provide parents, students, Memphis city school employees and the general public with an opportunity to see a complete picture of what is really occurring inside our school system daily."

Premier show features include an in-depth focus on Dr. Carol Johnson, MCS' incoming superintendent, a highlight on the new schools for the 2003-2004 school year, a closer look at the school district's budget, and much more.

If you would like to submit story ideas for upcoming shows, please send your information to mccaskill@mcsk12.net or flynnn@mcsk12.net or to producer, Borys Tomaszczuk, at tomaszczukb@mcsk12.net

For more information, contact: Vincent McCaskill or Nikita Flynn, communications, 325-5628

Ways in which members of the faith-based community of Memphis can provide assistance to Memphis City Schools will be the focus of a workshop on Monday, Sept. 22 at the Teaching & Learning Academy, 2485 Union Avenue.

The workshop is a continuation of plans that were made at a luncheon discussion last spring organized by Annesdale Cherokee Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Dwight Montgomery and Board Commissioner Sara Lewis.

The workshop, which is sponsored by the Faith-Based Public Education Initiative in conjunction with Annesdale Cherokee MBC and Memphis City Schools' Division of Parental Involvement and Family Support, is open to any representative of a church or synagogue who wishes to attend. Among the areas to be covered are educational and occupational mentoring, leadership development, tutoring, study skills, cultural development and more.

"We know, particularly at this time when the budget situation is dire for the schools, that there are a great many needs and programs that may be affected," Pastor Montgomery said. "The faith-based community is filled with people who have talents, commitment and time. We hope to find out where the needs are, and to begin plans on how individual congregations can best assist."

Pastor Montgomery's church has recently begun an after-school mentoring program for the children at Cherokee Elementary School and is planning a "Parent and Children Night" at the church for Sept. 17. He says his congregation wants to expand its mentoring to nearby Sherwood Middle School and Melrose High School.

Interested members of church congregations who would like to attend the Sept. 22 workshop may register by calling the Memphis City Schools Division of Parental Involvement and Family Support at 775-7264.

Linda Eller, a 25-year employee of Memphis City Schools, was one of 130 national winners of the Apple Distinguished Educator (ADE) Award presented by Apple Computers this summer.

Eller, a former winner of the Rotary Award for Teaching Excellence, is Staff Development Coordinator for the school district's Teaching & Learning Academy. As part of her recognition by Apple Computers, Eller received a week at the Walker Creek Ranch in Northern California participating in professional development, skill- and team-building activities, paid for by Apple.

Eller has taken a leadership role in helping to develop a variety of effective techniques for teachers to make the best use of technology. She was nominated for creating the "iMovie Institute," which uses digital storytelling to convey curriculum content to students. As an Apple Distinguished Educator, Eller is documenting her work with an iMovie that will be used on the Apple Computer website.

Apple Distinguished Educators, which come from higher education and K-12, participate with Apple as advocates, advisors and content developers as part of the program.

Eller has worked at Raineshaven, Gardenview, Idlewild and Newberry elementary schools, teaching grades 1 - 6 and serving as a school technology coordinator.

15TH ANNUAL PARENT SEMINAR TO BE HELD SEPTEMBER 3-4, 2003

Theme: "Communicating, Connecting, and Caring … Inside Memphis City Schools"

The Memphis City Schools Division of Parental Involvement and Family Support will host its 15th annual Informational Seminar for Parents September 3-4. This free workshop is open to all parents of Memphis City School students.

There will be workshops covering many topics including Family Resource Centers, the MGT Report, accountability, testing and school safety.

Guest speakers for this year's seminar are Dr. Douglas Wood, executive director, Tennessee State Board of Education, on Wednesday, September 3 and Dr. Rita Dorsey, executive director, Juvenile Violence Abatement Project, on Thursday, September 4. Parents may pre-register by calling (901) 775-7264. The schedule for the two-day seminar is as follows:

 

Wednesday, September 3
5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Teaching & Learning Academy
2485 Union Avenue
Memphis, TN 38112

Thursday, September 4
8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Holiday Inn Select
2240 Democrat Road
Memphis, TN 38132

For more information, contact Peggy Johnson, special project coordinator, Division of Parental Involvement and Family Support, at (901) 775-7264.

 

Representatives from any local unit of the Memphis Council of PTAs who have not received training this school year may attend a training session Thursday, Sept. 4 from 6 - 8 p.m. in the Memphis City Schools Board of Education auditorium.

In addition, parents who wish to start a PTA at their schools may also attend.

The session will provide information on the duties of PTA officers, contests for students, advocacy training sessions for parents and more.

FOUR MCS SCHOOLS RECEIVE INCENTIVE AWARD FOR SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE

The State of Tennessee Department of Education has awarded Campus School, Oak Forest Elementary, Vollintine Elementary and White Station Middle with incentive awards for superior performance. The schools were four of 97 in Tennessee to receive the award after a state review of the schools' 2002 annual report card.

"The Incentive Award program is an excellent opportunity to recognize the significant accomplishments and joint success of the administration, faculty, staff and students of our schools," said Superintendent Johnnie B. Watson. "The exemplary performance demonstrated by Campus School, Oak Forest, Vollintine and White Station is worthy of state commendations and serves as a prime benchmark of achievement within the Memphis City School district."

The Incentive Award program is provided for superior performance by local schools on specified measures of accountability. The goals and standards are mandated by legislation and established by the State Board of Education. The General Assembly has funded $500,000 for this program.

The process for awarding the incentive funds requires a Superintendent nomination of eligible schools that have achieved the statewide goals. Each nominated school that has achieved all the goals in the previous school year will receive an equal share of the available funds.

For more information, contact: Nikita C. Flynn, communications, 325-5652

PEABODY ELEMENTARY ONE OF HOSTS FOR ANNUAL YOUNG ARTIST CONTEST

Peabody Elementary will serve as the official school host of the 16th annual Young Artist contest, in conjunction with The Cooper Young Festival and Regions Bank. The contest, a pre-festival event, is held to promote children interest in the arts and the Memphis Arts Community.

The theme for this year's contest, "Memphis - A City of Many Cultures," was chosen in honor of Peabody Elementary and their support of the event. Students in grades 1-12 may participate. Original artwork should be limited to size 12" x 18" and may be mounted on construction paper, but should not be framed or heavy in weight. A free workshop, hosted by Wess Loudenslager, local artist and assistant manager of the Art Center on Union Avenue, will also be held at Peabody Elementary Friday, August 22, from 6-8 p.m. Students in grades 1-2 must be accompanied by an adult. Material and instruction will be provided.

A reception, featuring a performance by the Peabody Elementary School Dance ensemble group, will take place on September 11 at Peabody Elementary from 6-9 p.m. for all participants.

Entry forms for the contest may be picked up at: Java Cabana, located at 2170 Young Avenue; Pie in the Sky, located at 2149 Young Avenue and the Midtown Food Co-Op, located at 2158 Central Avenue (call 276-7222 for additional locations). The deadline for entries is August 29, 2003 and must be submitted to the Cooper Young Business Association Office located at 811 South Cooper Street. Regions Bank is providing the $500 grand prize, $100 second place, $75 third place and $50 honorable mention awards which will be given in two categories: grades KK-4 and grades 5-12. Awards will be presented at the Cooper Young Festival on September 13.

For more details on the contest and event information, contact Michele Johnson at 276-7222.

For more information, contact: Nikita Flynn, communications, 325-5652

KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS TO RECEIVE DEVELOPING SKILLS CHECKLIST TESTING

The Developing Skills Checklist (DSC) testing will take place August 11-22 for all kindergarten students. The DSC, a state-mandated test administered to all students before the first grade, measures skills in the areas of language, math, auditory and visual acuity, and memory/pre-reading.

Students will attend school one-half day on Monday, August 11. Each student will take the DSC test on a pre-scheduled basis but will not attend all-day kindergarten class during the testing period. Monday, August 25 will be the first full day for kindergarten students.

For more information about the DSC test, please contact the Testing office at 325-5450.

For more information, contact: Nikita Flynn, communications, 325-5450.

Memphis City Schools' Partner Sharing Center will offer its teachers free Back-to-School supplies Saturday, August 9 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Partner Sharing Center, 220 N. Montgomery.

Teachers are invited to go through the Partner Sharing Center to pick out items such as books, pens and markers, pencils, masking tape, crayons and other school supplies for their classrooms. Also available are special items including printer kits, photo paper and card kits for ink jet printers. Teachers must bring their own bags to carry out materials. and they will be required to show their MCS identification.

Local businesses donated the paper and other school supplies to the MCS Partner Sharing Center. More than 600 teachers took advantage of the Partner Sharing Center's free supplies last August. The center, now in its third year has been successful creating partnerships with the civic and business community. Area businesses have donated more than $13.5 million worth of supplies to help teachers.

For more information, contact: Vince McCaskill, communications, 325-7608

Registration for Memphis City Schools students will proceed as planned for tomorrow, Tuesday, August 5. Only two schools will relocate their registration to alternate sites.

Registration for Idlewild and Lucie E. Campbell elementary schools will be held at alternate sites. Idlewild's registration will be held at Idlewild Presbyterian Church at 1750 Union, and Lucie E. Campbell's registration will be held at the Trezevant Career & Technology Center, located at 3224 Rangeline Road.

Both White Station Elementary and Cromwell Elementary will hold registration at their schools.

All, except for four, Memphis City Schools will be ready for administrative in-service on Monday, and an announcement regarding registration at those four schools will be made on Monday, August 4.

Principals and teachers should report to their schools Monday, August 4. The only exceptions are staff at Cromwell Elementary, Idlewild Elementary, Lucie E. Campbell Elementary and White Station Elementary; the staff at those schools should report to the following alternate sites:

• Greater Community Temple, located at Castleman and Winchester, alternate site for Cromwell Elementary
• Idlewild Presbyterian Church at 1750 Union, alternate site for Idlewild Elementary
• Trezevant Career & Technology Center at 3224 Rangeline Road, for staff at Lucie E. Campbell Elementary
• Church of the Holy Communion/Cheney Parish Hall, at 4645 Walnut Grove Road, for staff of White Station Elementary

  Registration for Memphis City Schools students will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 5 at the individual schools. Parents of children who attend Cromwell, Idlewild, Lucie Campbell and White Station Elementary should listen to WQOX FM 88.5 and watch for news reports on Monday to find out about whether their registration will be held at those schools or an alternate location. Information will also be posted on the school district's website, www.mcsk12.net on Monday.

Despite damage, debris and delays in normal back-to-school preparations, all, except for four, Memphis City Schools will be ready for administrative in-service on Monday, August 4.

Principals and teachers should report to their schools Monday, August 4. The only exceptions are staff at Cromwell Elementary, Idlewild Elementary, Lucie E. Campbell Elementary and White Station Elementary; the staff at those schools should report to the following alternate sites:

• Greater Community Temple, located at Castleman and Winchester, alternate site for Cromwell Elementary
• Idlewild Presbyterian Church at 1750 Union, alternate site for Idlewild Elementary
• Trezevant Career & Technology Center at 3224 Rangeline Road, for staff at Lucie E. Campbell Elementary
• Church of the Holy Communion/Cheney Parish Hall, at 4645 Walnut Grove Road, for staff of White Station Elementary

  Registration for Memphis City Schools students will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 5 at the individual schools. Parents of children who attend Cromwell, Idlewild, Lucie Campbell and White Station Elementary should listen to WQOX FM 88.5 and watch for news reports over the weekend and on Monday to find out about whether their registration will be held at those schools or an alternate location. Information will also be posted on the school district's website, www.mcsk12.net.

Dr. Carol R. Johnson, who has led the Minneapolis Public Schools since 1997, has been selected by the Board of Commissioners of the Memphis City Schools as the new superintendent for the 21st largest public school system in the U.S.

Dr. Johnson will replace Johnnie B. Watson, who has served as superintendent since October of 2000. Earlier this year, Superintendent Watson announced his retirement effective Dec. 31, 2003. He has pledged to assist the new superintendent, if one was named prior to his retirement date, during the transition period.

During her tenure as superintendent of the Minneapolis Public Schools, Dr. Johnson has guided the district to establish a "consistent and coordinated" reading/language arts, math, science and social studies program that has improved reading, math and writing performance across all racial and ethnic groups. She led the effort establishing district content standards aligned with "No Child Left Behind." In the accountability area, she is credited with strengthening and moving forward the accountability framework through a joint partnership with the Greater Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce, Minneapolis Foundation, the University of Minnesota's Accountability Office and the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers. The framework holds schools and the district accountable annually for reporting and addressing multiple performance indicators.

The Minneapolis school district is the most diverse district in Minnesota, serving 50,000 students in more than 100 schools with 8,000 employees, an annual operating budget of $650 million and $1 billion in capital. More than 68 percent of the students are on free or reduced lunch, with 25 percent English language learners and 74 percent students of color. The Memphis City Schools has 118,000 students, 185 schools (including charter schools and the new Break-the-Mold school, the Grizzlies Academy), and approximately 16,000 employees. More than 70 percent of students in the Memphis City Schools receive free or reduced lunch. The Memphis school district had a budget of $731,341,000 last year, with 42.4 percent of that amount coming from the state of Tennessee, almost 31 percent from Shelby County, 13 percent from local sales tax, 11.1 percent from the City of Memphis, and the balance from local and federal funds and a fund balance reserve. More than 71 percent of the budget is expended for instruction and instructional support and an additional 13.5 percent is expended for facilities.

Under Dr. Johnson's leadership, the Minneapolis school district reduced gaps in performance through all-day kindergarten programs, generated $14 million from federal E-rate funds, and mobilized a citywide excess tax levy referendum, passing 73 percent, generating $42 million for small class sizes.

Dr. Johnson indicated during the interview process this week that if offered the position, she would be able to assume the superintendent's position in two months time.

Gateway testing for both summer school students and those who pre-registered for the tests has been re-scheduled for students in Memphis City Schools, but the tests will be administered at only three locations.

The Gateway Math Tests in Algebra I will be given on Wednesday, July 30; the Gateway Language Arts Exam will be administered on Thursday, July 31, and the Gateway Science Exam in Biology I will be given on Friday, August 1. Start time for each exam is 8 a.m. Late arrivals will not be allowed to take the tests. Students who were enrolled in summer school taking either Algebra I, English 10 or Biology I must take the exam, which counts for 15 percent of their semester average in the course. There will be no make-up exams given.

The tests will be given at Sheffield High School, 4315 Sheffield, to ALL summer school students, ALL Gateway Science (Biology I) test takers, and all students who were pre-registered at Sheffield High School.

The other two sites for the tests are Craigmont and Hillcrest high schools.

Students who originally were to have taken their tests at one of the following schools must report to Craigmont, at 3333 Covington Pike, for their exams:

• Craigmont
• East High
• Frayser High
• Georgian Hills
• J.B. Hooks
• Kingsbury High
• Manassas
• Melrose
• Middle College
• Northside Alternative
• Northside High
• Raleigh-Egypt High
• South Side
• Treadwell High
• Trezevant
• Trezevant Career Academy
• Westside High
• White Station High
• White Station Middle
• Wooddale High

Students who would have taken the Gateway Exams at the following schools must report to Hillcrest High, located at 4184 Graceland:

• Booker T. Washington
• Bellevue
• Carver
• Central
• Chickasaw
• Cypress
• Fairley High
• Fairview
• Geeter
• Hamilton High
• Hamilton Middle
• Hillcrest
• Kirby
• Lanier
• Mitchell
• Oakhaven High
• Overton
• Pyramid Academy
• Ridgeway High
• Tall Trees
• Vance
• Westwood High
• Whitehaven High

  Students taking the exams should bring a current photo ID that has both name and photo on it. Such identification could be one of the following: Driver's license or state identification card, MATA bus card, passport, military ID or school yearbook with the student's photo and his or her name printed under the photo. Students also need to bring two sharpened #2 pencils with erasers. Cell phones and pagers are not allowed.

As part of the process of searching for a new superintendent, the Memphis City Schools Board of Commissioners is sponsoring a series of forums June 12- 14 to solicit input from the community.

Recognizing that the entire community has a stake in the selection of the superintendent, the Board has planned forums at various times and locations in order to engage as many members of the community as possible.

"It is our belief that the most important responsibility of a Board is to select as Superintendent a highly qualified professional who can work productively with the Board, staff, parents, students and the community to provide a quality education for all students," said Board President Carl Johnson Sr.

Forums are scheduled as follows:

• Business Community - Thursday, June 12, 7:30 - 9 a.m., Board of Education Auditorium, Frances Coe Administration Building, 2597 Avery
• Higher Education Stakeholders - Thursday, June 12, noon - 2 p.m., Southwest Tennessee Community College, 737 Union, Theater (D-113)
• Employee Groups - Thursday, June 12, 4 - 6 p.m., Board of Education Auditorium sections A & B, Frances Coe Administration Building, 2597 Avery
• Community Forum - Thursday, June 12, 7 - 9 p.m., Teaching & Learning Academy/Telecommunications Center Auditorium, 2485 Union
• Faith-Based Community Leaders - Friday, June 13, 8 - 10 a.m., Board of Education Auditorium, Frances Coe Administration Building, 2597 Avery
• Elected Officials - Friday, June 13, 1 - 3 p.m., Board of Education Auditorium, Frances Coe Administration Building, 2597 Avery
• Community Forum - Saturday, June 14, 10 a.m. - noon, Ridgeway Middle School Auditorium, 6333 Quince Road

  Members of the PROACT firm hired to conduct the search for the new superintendent will be on hand at each of the forums to explain the process, answer questions and interact with participants. Surveys have been developed for the forum participants and will be provided during each of the forums. The surveys will also be available at the Board of Commissioners office at 2597 Avery, on the firm's web site, www.proactsearchinc.com, and beginning on Wednesday, June 11, on the Memphis City Schools' web site, www.mcsk12.net for anyone in the community who wishes to provide input.

  "We are very interested in hearing from the community about what they see as the top priorities for the next Superintendent's first year; the most important qualities, experiences and attributes that we should be considering when we are interviewing and evaluating Superintendent candidates; and what the Memphis City Schools should look like in the next five years," Johnson said.

  The Community Forum scheduled for 7 - 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 12 at the Teaching & Learning Academy will be broadcast live over Cable Channel 19 and WQOX- FM 88.5.

  For further information, contact the Board secretary, Ms. Sheila Brown, (901) 325-5447 or the executive search consultants, Dr. Nancy Noeske at (414) 347-0200 or Mr. William Hawkins at (323) 933-3337.

Barbara Galloway Hines, a veteran educator and principal who has served Texas and Illinois school districts, has been selected as principal of East High School beginning in August of 2003.

Currently House Principal of Allen High School in Allen, Texas, Hines will replace Harry Durham, a retired Memphis City Schools principal who has served as interim principal of East High during the past academic year.

"I am grateful to Mr. Durham for serving as principal of East this past year," said Johnnie B. Watson, Superintendent of Memphis City Schools. "And I am delighted in the choice of Barbara Hines as the new principal of the school. Our extensive search for a principal who has the right combination of leadership ability, a thorough understanding of issues facing urban high schools and their students, composure and passion for helping students achieve has given us an educator with all of those qualities and more. We have every confidence that she can successfully lead East High."

Allen High School, located in a fast-growth area north of Dallas, is a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School, a Texas Education Agency Pathfinder Campus and an Exemplary Campus, Texas' highest rating. As House Principal, Hines has had direct responsibility for the education of 650-700 students over the past two years. Allen High's school-within-a-school model gives its House Principal autonomy and responsibility over staff members and the students in their "houses," of which the school has four.

Hines cites the 100 percent graduation rate of students in her "house" in May 2002 as an accomplishment of which she is most proud.

"Allen High School has 2600 students who are divided into four schools called Houses. My counselor and I worked closely together, and last May, my House was the first and only House to ever have a 100 percent graduation rate. I attribute this to setting high expectations with my staff and working closely with our students and parents the entire school year," she said.

Prior to her appointment at Allen High School, Hines served as principal at a middle school in East Aurora, IL in Kane County, a suburb of Chicago. During her first principalship in Elgin (#U-46), Hines received the Kane County's "Administrator of the Year" Award after being nominated by staff and the PTA because of her work with students, teachers, parents and the community. Mrs. Hines has 16 years of experience as an administrator as well as 12 years experience as a teacher of at-risk, bilingual, as well as gifted, students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade.

Other accomplishments include an Exemplary School Business Partnership Award and Most Effective Educator Award. In addition, she hired the first Parent Liaison in East Aurora School District #131, opened the first pre-School Program at Oakton Elementary for three- and four-year-olds, opened the District's first Parent Resource Center, had the most improved student attendance in School District #54, and was instrumental in convincing Illinois state politicians to match federal grant dollars for urban schools.

A former student at LaRose Elementary and then-Lincoln Junior High School, Hines earned a bachelor 's degree from Elmhurst College in Illinois and two master's degrees, one from the University of Illinois and another from Roosevelt University in Chicago. She also received Administrative Certification from Eastern Illinois University, Guidance and Counseling Certification for the Socially Maladjusted Child from Chicago Public Schools and specialized training at the Vanderbilt International Institute for Principals and the Motorola University Facilitator and Team Building Institute.

She will assume her duties at East beginning June 23, 2003.

Fifty Locke Elementary School students are now published authors, and they will mark the occasion with a book reading, signing and dedication on Friday, May 2 at 2:30 p.m. in the school library.

The celebration is the culmination of five-months of work as part of Locke Elementary's Writer's Wonderland Project. The project began with a third grade class and eventually spread to other grades at the school. Students developed their own topics, conducted research, wrote their stories and created illustrations to make up their own books. There are 50 books, each containing 15-pages and a unique title. The young authors will each receive a copy of their book that was printed by Student Treasures Book Publishing of Topeka, Kansas.

"The Writer's Wonderland challenged the students to make their best better," said Arlena Mabery, Locke Elementary School teacher. "They defied the odds and became the Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Richard Wright and Langston Hughes of the Cleaborn Homes Community Development Projects," she said.

The book project has sparked excitement in that community and among parents, school faculty and staff who committed to buying the students' literary work. Students will be presented their books in a semi-formal ceremony. The school's library will also receive a copy of each book as part of the dedication.

Locke Elementary is located at 688 St. Paul.

For more information, contact: Vince McCaskill, communications, 325-7608

White Station High School graduating seniors James K. Adler, Leath G. Bing, and Elijah L. Harrington have been named National Merit Scholars for 2003, announced the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) today (April 30, 2003).

They are among 41 students in the state and approximately 2,500 students in the nation named to the prestigious list. The National Merit designees were chosen from a talent pool of around 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2003 National Merit Scholarship program.

A selection committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors appraised a substantial amount of information submitted by Finalists and their high schools, including academic records detailing difficulty level of course work and subjects studied, scores from two standardized tests, contributions and leadership in school and community activities, an essay and the recommendation written by a high school official. Winners in today's announcement are the Finalists judged to have the greatest potential for success in rigorous college studies.

Recipients of two other types of Merit Scholarship awards also are being announced this year. On April 16, the National Merit Scholarship Foundation released the names of winners of corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarships offered to Finalists who have qualifications of particular interest to their award sponsors.

Receiving corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarships are three other White Station High School students: Heidi R. Burch, whose scholarship is sponsored by Tenet Healthcare Corporation; Chelsy L. Hall, whose scholarship is sponsored by International Paper, and Phoebe L. Suen, whose scholarship is also sponsored by International Paper.

On May 28 and July 14, NMSC will name winners of Merit Scholarship awards sponsored by colleges and universities for Finalists who will attend their institutions.

Parents who are interested in discussing the changes in school start times that have been approved for the next school year at 18 elementary schools and three middle schools are invited to attend a meeting on Thursday, May 1.

The meeting will be held from 6 - 7:30 p.m. in the Telecommunications Auditorium at the Teaching & Learning Academy, 2485 Union Avenue. District officials will be on hand to discuss various aspects of the changes, such as before- and after-school childcare.

The following elementary schools are slated for a change to an 8:30 a.m. starting time next school year: Alcy, Carnes, Cherokee, Egypt, Florida Kansas, Gordon, Graceland, Graves, Hollywood, LaRose, Levi, Oak Forest, Oakshire, Ridgeway, Shelby Oaks, White Station, White's Chapel and Winchester. Middle schools affected by a change to a 7:30 a.m. start time are A. Maceo Walker, Hickory Ridge and Craigmont.

 

THE ENTRANCE TO THE AUDITORIUM IS LOCATED NEAR THE BACK PARKING LOT OF THE TEACHING & LEARNING ACADEMY, 2485 UNION AVENUE.

The following Elementary schools are slated for a change to an 8:30 a.m. starting time next school year: Alcy, Carnes, Cherokee, Egypt, Florida Kansas, Gordon, Graceland, Graves, Hollywood, Larose, Levi, Oak Forest, Oakshire, Ridgeway, Shelby Oaks, White Station, White's Chapel and Winchester. Middle schools affected by a change to a 7:30 a.m. start time are A. Maceo Walker, Hickory Ridge and Craigmont.

Three White Station High School seniors are among 16 students in the state of Tennessee selected to receive corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarships awarded through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), NMSC announced today.

The three students were selected from students in the National Merit Scholarship Program who advanced to the finalist level of the nationwide competition and who meet their scholarship sponsors' criteria.

Receiving corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarships are: Heidi R. Burch of Memphis, whose scholarship is sponsored by Tenet Healthcare Corporation; Chelsy L. Hall of Memphis, whose scholarship is sponsored by International Paper, and Phoebe L. Suen of Cordova, whose scholarship is also sponsored by International Paper.

Corporate sponsors provide Merit Scholarship awards for finalists who are children of their employees or members, residents of communities the company serves or have career interests the sponsor wishes to encourage. Winners are the candidates judged to have the strongest combination of academic skills and achievements, extracurricular accomplishments and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Recipients may use their scholarship awards at a regionally accredited U.S. college or university of their choice.

Winners of two other types of Merit Scholarships will be announced later this year. On April 30, NMSC will announce the recipients of National Merit $2,500 Scholarships that are offered on a state representational basis and for which all finalists compete. On May 28 and July 14, NMSC will announce winners of Merit Scholarship awards sponsored by colleges and universities for finalists who attend their institutions.

The 2003 Merit Scholarship competition began in October of 2001, when more than 1.3 million high school juniors in more than 20,000 schools entered the competition by taking the PSAT/NMSQT, which served as an initial screen of program entrants.

For more information, contact Elaine Dettweiler or Gloria Ladendorf at the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, 847-866-5100.

To help students prepare for the Gateway English 10 examination, preparation sessions have been scheduled from 9 a.m.- noon on two consecutive Saturdays - April 26 and May 3 - at Hamilton High School.

The sessions are open to any Memphis City Schools student who plans to take the Gateway 10 examination on May 8.

Registration forms are available at each high school in the district from the school counselors' offices.

Eighteen elementary school that currently open at 7:30 a.m. will open at 8:30 a.m. beginning with the 2003-04 school year, district officials announced today. In addition, all secondary schools will have the same opening time, 7:30 a.m., beginning in August.

One recommendation contained in the MGT management and performance report was that the district align starting times of schools to allow for the most efficient routing of transportation. District staff found after studying bus routes that $1.7 million in savings could be realized by moving 18 elementary schools from a 7:30 a.m. starting time to an 8:30 a.m. opening, and by moving all secondary schools to the same starting time of 7:30 a.m.

Board members, who were presented with information about the structured school opening time schedule during a board/staff conference on the MGT report Tuesday, April 1, supported the recommendation.

Elementary schools that will make the change to an 8:30 a.m. opening time are:

Alcy, Carnes, Cherokee, Egypt, Florida-Kansas, Gordon, Graceland, Graves, Hollywood, LaRose, Levi, Oak Forest, Oakshire, Ridgeway, Shelby Oaks, White Station, White's Chapel and Winchester. In addition, the two new elementary schools opening in August - the Downtown School and Lucie Campbell Elementary in the Frayser area &endash; will also open at 8:30 a.m. when the new school year begins.

Three middle schools - A. Maceo Walker, Hickory Ridge and Craigmont - are affected by the change to a 7:30 a.m. opening time for secondary schools. Additionally, the new American Way Middle School in the Parkway Village area will join all secondary schools with a 7:30 a.m. opening time.

Memphis City Schools' annual open enrollment process for the 2003-04 school year will begin April 8 at the Pipkin Building at the Mid-South Fairgrounds. On April 8 and 9, transfer applications will be accepted between 6:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. After these dates, applications will be accepted only in Room 104 of the Frances Coe Administration building during normal business hours.

Due to the requirements of the "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) law, a new category has been established as part of the open enrollment transfer, or Public School Choice, process. This category gives top priority for transfer requests to the students who have the lowest standardized test scores (TCAP or Gateway scores from the 2001-2002 school year) and who attend schools that have been designated by the Tennessee Department of Education as low-performing. The state department of education established a unified accountability system based on NCLB to review achievement levels of students throughout public school districts in the state and designates schools as low-performing or in good standing.

Providing the priorities for students requesting transfers from the state-identified schools, along with priority categories such as "majority-to-minority," "minority-to-minority" and sibling, will end on April 30, 2003. After April 30, all open enrollment transfer applications will be granted on a "first- come, first-served" basis, pending space being available in the requested school.

The lowest-achieving students from the state-identified list of Title I low-performing schools will also be provided transportation to their desired school, if the transfer is granted.

An informal waiting list was begun Saturday, March 29 at the Pipkin Building at the Mid-South Fairgrounds by parents who plan to register their children in the Open Enrollment process of Memphis City Schools for the 2003-2004 school year.

The pre-line-up list was started at approximately 3 p.m., according to one of the parent organizers, and will continue until 7 p.m. tonight (March 29). The pre-line-up activity will continue on Sunday, March 30, from 2 - 7 p.m., again in the Pipkin Building.

The parent group has been invited to move their pre-line-up process to the Avery Lobby at the Board of Education, 2597 Avery, beginning Monday, March 31. From March 31 through April 7, the organizers will accept names for the waiting list from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. each day. On the final evening, there will be a roll call, and participants must be present at the roll call. Parents interested in participating in the pre-line-up should come to the Avery Lobby at the Board of Education rather than contacting Memphis City Schools.

While Memphis City Schools does not endorse the early line-up process, the school district will honor the list.

The district's official Open Enrollment process begins on Tuesday, April 8 at 6:45 a.m. in the Pipkin Building at the Mid-South Fairgrounds.

A list of schools open to choice transfer will be available to schools, parents and the public. It will be published in The Commercial Appeal on Sunday, April 6, and will be available on the district web site (http://www.memphis-schools.k12.tn.us/special.announcements/openenrollment.html).

All students who live in the Memphis City Schools district are guaranteed school assignments based on the address of the parent/legal guardian. Open Enrollment allows a parent/legal guardian to request a transfer to a school other than the one assigned by address if there is a space available in the chosen school for choice transfers.

 

Three students from Memphis City Schools are among 17 in the state of Tennessee and approximately 600 in the nation named to receive Achievement Scholarships from the National Achievement Scholarship Program.

Receiving the awards are Marcie N. Graham, Brittanie C. Jemes and Lachelle Y. White, all seniors at White Station High School. Each of the students may use the scholarship at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university.

The National Achievement Scholarship Program is an academic competition founded in 1964 specifically to honor talented African American youth and to increase their opportunities for higher education. The program is conducted by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance.

According to the NMSC, it is expected that as many as 200 more college-sponsored Achievement Scholarship awards will be offered later this spring. The awards announced today include 450 recipients of National Achievement Scholarships of $2,500 each and approximately 150 winners of corporate-sponsored Achievement Scholarship awards.

Rising seventh grade students (current sixth graders), as well as current seventh graders, who have not received the required Hepatitis B three-shot series will have the opportunity to be vaccinated at several Memphis City Schools this spring.

The full series of shots is required by the State of Tennessee for students entering seventh grade. Memphis and Shelby County Health Department is providing Immunization Teams to city and county schools to administer the shots to students whose parents have given their consent.

Students who have already had the three-shot series should provide proof of the doses to their school nurse. If additional doses are needed, parents need to send proof of previous doses so the Health Department staff can determine the need for additional doses.

The schedule is as follows:

March 31	Georgian Hills Middle Westside Middle
April 1	Graves Geeter
April 2	Sherwood Middle Colonial Middle
April 3	Ford Road Westwood Middle
April 7	Wooddale Middle Oakhaven Middle
April 9	Ridgeway Middle
April 10	Cummings-Stafford Health Fair
April 14	Humes Middle Cypress Middle
April 15	Riverview Middle Longview Middle
April 16	Hamilton Middle Corry Middle
April 21	Snowden Middle Treadwell Middle
April 22	Magnolia Winchester Elementary
April 23	Craigmont Middle Raleigh-Egypt
April 24	Kirby Middle Hickory Ridge Middle
May 5	A. Maceo Walker Middle School Vance Middle School
Immunizations begin at 9 a.m. at each school; dates are subject to change by the schools.

 

Seventh and eighth graders in Memphis City Schools can take advantage of an enriched program in mathematics and science through the Saturday Academy, sponsored by the Memphis Urban Systemic Program, on six Saturdays beginning March 22.

Interested students must apply no later than March 18. Applications are available at middle schools and junior high schools throughout the school district.

Saturday Academy will give students a head start on the challenges of high school and college preparatory courses by providing instruction and activities designed to build greater academic skills, self-confidence and expectations for continuing their education after high school.

Separate sessions for parents will cover such topics as Gateway test information, new math and science standards and requirements, and how to help reduce math anxiety. Parents will also be able to participate in content sessions and special events. Parents are expected to attend the first session on March 22 and the last session, May 3, but are encouraged to attend sessions as they can. There will be special activities for parents each Saturday.

Student activities will include:

• Extensive use of graphing calculators
• Short-term projects in math and science
• Field trips to the Pink Palace Museum and The University of Memphis
• Guidance sessions in test-taking skills, motivation, reducing math anxiety, graduation and college entrance requirements
• Developing a portfolio for college entrance, and more.

  Dates for sessions are: March 22 and 29, April 5, 12, and 26, and May 3.

Memphis City Schools has scheduled the spring semester Parent-Teacher Conferences for Monday, Feb. 17, from noon - 3 p.m., the day before the 4th Report Card period ends.

Students will have the day off; teacher in-service is scheduled from 8 - 11 a.m.

"Family involvement sends a powerful message to students," said Johnnie B. Watson, Superintendent. "When parents are involved, their children know that learning is valuable and so are they. The parent-teacher conference is one way that parents and schools can work together to help students prepare for life's challenges. I encourage all parents to make time to go by and talk with their children's teachers."

Memphis City Schools holds two district-wide Parent-Teacher Conferences each school year. The conferences provide an opportunity for parents to meet their child's teacher, to discuss ways in which they can work together to help the child succeed, and to ask questions about the child's progress, upcoming tests or other concerns.

The Memphis City Schools Board of Education will hold a public budget hearing on Monday, March 24th at 5:30 p.m. in the Board auditorium, 2597 Avery Ave.

This hearing will give interested parents, educators and community members an opportunity to ask questions regarding the proposed 2003-2004 Memphis City Schools budget. Copies of the proposed budget will be available for review after March 17th in the Department of Communications, Room 208 at the Board of Education.

This public hearing is part of the budgeting process that allows community members to review the Memphis City Schools budget before it is approved. The Board of Education is scheduled to approve the budget April 14th. The budget must be submitted to City Council by April 15th.

Parents of students in Memphis city schools are invited to learn how they can help their children use computers for school assignments and in other learning situations at a workshop Wednesday, Feb. 19 at the South Area Office, 2300 Hernando Road.

The workshop is scheduled from 9 - 11:30 a.m., and computers will be set up for use during the workshop. Leading the session will be Brett Lawson, principal of Colonial Middle School.

The workshop is free, and parents of students at all grade levels are welcome. It is sponsored by the Title 1 Center for Parental Involvement.

For more information, call the Title 1 Center for Parental Involvement at 775-7549.

TCAP PREP SESSIONS THIS MONTH FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Students who plan to graduate from a Memphis city school by 2004 and who have not yet passed the TCAP Competency Tests in Language Arts and/or Mathematics can take advantage of TCAP Prep Sessions on the following Saturdays: Feb. 8, Feb. 15 and Feb. 22.

The test preparation sessions will be held at four city high schools - Hamilton High, Northside, Raleigh-Egypt High and Wooddale High. Students may register for the sessions at the school site. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. on each of the three Saturdays. Sessions run from 9 a.m. until noon.

TCAP Testing will take place Feb. 25 and 26. Students must pass both the TCAP Language Arts Competency Test and the TCAP Mathematics Test in order to graduate.

The test preparation sessions, which are free, are offered through the Memphis Urban Systemic Program. For more information, contact Deborah Currie at 722-4552.

Westwood High School's home basketball games have been moved to other gymnasiums for the next week while repairs are made to the Westwood gymnasium floor.

The schedule is:

Tuesday, Feb. 4 Westwood vs. Carver High at Geeter Middle

 

Wednesday, Feb. 5 Westwood vs. Booker T. Washington at Chickasaw Jr. High

 

Friday, Feb. 7 Westwood vs. Oakhaven High at Chickasaw Jr. High

 

Tuesday, Feb. 11 Westwood vs. South Side at Chickasaw Jr. High

 

Free Spanish Lessons

Adults who wish to learn Spanish may register for free classes at Memphis City Schools' Title I Center for Parental Involvement.

The classes meet Monday - Thursday from 1 - 4 p.m. at the Title I Center for Parental Involvement, 2300 Hernando Road. The course introduces participants to beginning conversational Spanish, and adults completing the course will be awarded a certificate at the end of the course.

The classes will be taught by Ramon Noriega.

Space is limited.

For more information, call 775-7493 or visit the Title I Center for Parental Involvement.

Contact: Trevor Thompson, Title I Center for Parental Involvement, 775-7493

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For Immediate Release

January 27, 2003

 

Optional Schools Waiting Line Has Formed

An informal parent-initiated waiting list was started this morning by a group of parents seeking to transfer their children into the school district's popular optional schools program, according to Linda Sklar, executive director of optional schools. The waiting list was formed by parents to determine who will be first in line when Memphis City Schools begins accepting optional transfer applications on Friday, Jan. 31, 2003.

"A group of parents has established an informal process to determine who will be first in line when we begin accepting optional transfer applications," Sklar said.

The transfer application period begins Friday, Jan. 31 at 6:30 a.m. in the Memphis Board of Education auditorium, 2597 Avery. However, parents are encouraged to stop by the Optional Schools office in Room 106 by Thursday, Jan. 30 to confirm that their paperwork is complete. Office hours are from 7:30 a.m. until 4:45 p.m.

The waiting list started around 6 a.m. today at the Board of Education, according to Laura Graham, one of the group's organizers.

Anyone interested in signing the waiting list should personally contact the parents who have organized the process at the Board of Education lobby, Sklar said.

Graham said the group has set the following hours for other parents to sign the waiting list:

• Today through Jan. 29 (Wednesday) 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Jan. 30 (Thursday) 6:30 a.m. until the actual application period begins at 6:30 a.m. on Friday morning, Jan. 31st

  The group will hold the first of two mandatory roll calls in the back parking lot between the Board building and the Park Commission building on Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. for parents on the waiting list. A second mandatory roll call will be taken at 5 a.m. on Friday for the purpose of assembling parents into a line for submission of optional transfer applications.

  When parents submit optional transfer applications, they should bring copies of their child's most recent comprehensive report card and Social Security card. Some optional schools also require recent standardized achievement test scores. (Parents may call the optional schools office at 325-5338 or the school of interest for more information).

  The last day for applying for an optional school transfer is Aug. 11, the first day of school for the 2003-2004 school year.

  First preference for available optional transfers goes to qualified siblings with brothers or sisters who are in satisfactory standing in the requested school at the beginning of the 2003-2004 school year. These spaces will be held until Feb. 28.

  City residents will also be given priority for the available spaces. Non-city residents, who must pay tuition, will be considered on a space-availability basis if they meet the entrance requirements.

  For the 2002-2003 school year, all qualified city students who applied on the first day to schools with available slots were accepted.

  Contact: Linda Sklar, 325-5338

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  Kirby High School will be open as usual tomorrow, Friday January 24 (1/24/03)

   

  The heating system has been fixed, and students should plan to return to school on Friday.

  Contact: Victor Carr, 325-5462; Debbie Baker, 325-5628

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  Kirby High School Dismissing at 11:30 a.m. Today (1/23/03)

   

  Problems with Kirby High School's heating system, coupled with the extreme cold temperature, are forcing the school to dismiss students at 11:30 a.m. today.

  Maintenance crews are working to restore heat to the building. No decision will be made on whether the school will be open on Friday, Jan. 24 until more is known about whether the heating system will be successfully repaired today. An announcement will be issued when more is known about how quickly the heating system will be repaired.

  Contact: Victor Carr, 325-5462; Debbie Baker, 325-5628

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  Science and Health Textbook Fair set for Jan. 25

  Science and Health Textbook Fair set for Jan. 25 to let parents, community review proposed texts Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools will host a joint Science and Health Textbook Fair on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 8 a.m. until noon in the auditorium of the Memphis Board of Education, 2597 Avery Avenue.

  Proposed science and health textbooks for grades K-12 will be available for examination. Parents, teachers, principals, consultants, and community members are encouraged to participate.

  Seventeen publishers will be displaying their series of textbooks for grades K-12. The textbooks have met state guidelines for review.

  Individuals attending the event will have an opportunity to examine the materials, ask questions, and provide written evaluations that will be considered by the textbook adoption committees of the Memphis City and Shelby County school systems.

  The textbooks adopted as a result of the review, evaluation and selection will be used for six years.

A series of three focus group meetings will be held this month on the topic of whether the opening time for high schools should be changed.

The meetings will be held:

• Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m., Frayser High Auditorium
• Thursday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m., Board of Education Auditorium
• Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m., Whitehaven High Auditorium

  Parents of Memphis City Schools students are invited to attend.

Student health and safety will be the focus of the November workshop presented by the Title I Center for Parental Involvement, scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 20 from 9:30 ? 11:30 a.m.

Workshop topics are "Diabetes," presented by Brenda Heffner, MHA, RN, Coordinator of School Health Services, Memphis City Schools, and "Safe and Drug-Free Schools," presented by Janice Johnson and Linda Delaney, Prevention-Intervention Supervisors, Safe Schools and Alternative Programs, Memphis City Schools.

The workshop will be held in the auditorium of the South Area Administration Building, 2300 Hernando Road.

Parents should call the Title I Center for Parental Involvement at 775-7493 by Monday, Nov. 18 if interested in attending the workshop.

Contact: Trevor Thompson, Title I Center for Parental Involvement, 775-7493; Debbie Baker, Communications, 325-5628

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For Immediate Release November 5, 2002

At 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, more than 900 band members will sound the beginning of the first annual "Outrageous Battle of the Bands" at the Mid-South Coliseum.

The event had been set for Sunday, Nov. 3 in the Liberty Bowl stadium but was postponed because of the heavy downpours over the weekend.

Organized by Whitehaven High School Band Director Walter Banks, the battle of the marching bands will feature some of the area's top high school and middle school bands from Memphis and Mississippi. In addition, the Kentucky State University marching band will appear in a guest performance.

Mississippi bands traveling to Memphis for the competition are Holly Springs High School, Greenville High School and Rosa Fort High School. Competing from Memphis are Geeter Middle School and Fairley, Hamilton, Melrose, Mitchell, Overton, Trezevant, Whitehaven and Westwood high schools.

Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the gate and are available from band members at the participating schools. Profits will be divided among participating bands.

For more information, visit the Battle's web site, www.memphis-schools.k12.tn.us/admin/communications/battle_of_bands/index.htm, or call 789-3901 or 348-3027. Visitors to the web site are invited to vote in a pre-poll as to their favorite band.

 

Contact: Walter Banks, Whitehaven High School, 348-3000 or 348-3027

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For Immediate Release

Classroom teachers and educational technology experts will be "Sharing Successes" - creative uses of computers, data bases, wireless technology, web pages, graphic organizers, graphing calculators and more as tools to improve test scores and raise student achievement - at the Nov. 6 - 7 Technology Conference at the Teaching & Learning Academy, 2485 Union.

Sponsored by Memphis City Schools' Office of Instructional Technology, the conference will run from 8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6 and Thursday, Nov. 7.

James Phillips, Executive Director of the FedEx Technology Institute, will give the keynote address before conference participants and district officials at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6.

During the two-day conference, teachers attending may choose from approximately 100 sessions on uses of technology in the classroom, presented by teachers, instructional technology staff, technology company representatives and others. The Exhibit Hall will feature a variety of software and hardware geared to classroom and student use.

"The sessions on both days offer teachers at all grade levels an array of practical technology for the classroom," said Diane Raley, staff development coordinator. "Many of the sessions are designed to be interactive and to provide hands-on learning experiences. And the range of topics covered will interest a wide range of educators - from teachers of exceptional children to curriculum coordinators and music specialists."

 

Included in the lineup of presentations and demonstrations are:

• "Using Technology to Meet the Gateway Graduation Initiative" by Pat Martin of Compass Learning, which will show how technology can provide a self-paced, individualized learning tool for students while providing teachers with comprehensive progress reports
• "Computers in the First Grade - Yes, They Can" presented by Brenda Taylor of Gardenview Elementary, which will cover basic computer skills that first graders can master, along with tips on managing and scheduling computer use in a room full of six-year-olds
• "Laptops in the Social Studies Classroom" presented by