Welcome to MCS Insider - Kudos and Good News

Our reading wrap-up campaign event, "MCS Reads with the Redbirds," at AutoZone takes place tonight, May 8, at 7:10 p.m. The Redbirds will be taking on the Iowa Cubs Any tickets that were previously purchased for the April 20 game may be transferred for use at tonight’s game by calling the Redbirds ticket office at 721-6000.

We hope that you will join us for this special occasion and look forward to seeing you at the ballpark!

Join your fellow employees for a night of reading fun as we highlight successes of the 2005-06 MCS Reads campaign. The Memphis Redbirds, an official campaign partner, is providing discount tickets for MCS employees which may be purchased by visiting the following Web site (copy and paste into your browser), or you may purchase tickets at the ballpark ticket window.
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/about/page.jsp?
ymd=20060310&content_id=46649&vkey=about_t235&fext=.jsp&sid=t235

The first 250 attendees will receive free admission to the game (must present employee I.D. to claim ticket)

*Both teacher and parent recipients will win vacation package of two airline tickets and two hotel nights to any destination within the continental U.S. provided by A&I Travel, an official campaign partner. The top student will receive an award provided by Partners In Public Education (PIPE).

For more information about this event, please contact the Department of Communications & Public Affairs at 416-5628.

Last MCS Insider for 2005-06 May 22

The final issue of the Memphis City Schools Insider will be issued on May 22, 2006. The last day for accepting story ideas or submissions will be Wednesday, May 17. The Insider will return in August.

Memphis City Schools was part of the official kickoff for Tennessee Titans football in 2006. The Titans Caravan IX rolled into Cummings Elementary School on Tuesday, May 2. This was the only stop the caravan made in Memphis during the 12-day, 4,000-mile trip across Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama.

Every year, the Titans Caravan brings players and coaches to elementary schools for a character education program promoting the importance of making smart decisions in life. The Titans chose Cummings Elementary to reward the students of the school for their excellent behavior and hard work throughout the 2005-06 school year.

The Titans Caravan featured a school assembly titled “Titans Rule: Awesome Choices.” Following the assembly, there was a “Join the Teamwork Party” on the school grounds for the entire community. Titans players and coaches, along with the team’s cheerleaders and mascot T-Rac, signed autographs and took part in all types of fun activities to get the fans in Memphis pumped for another season of Tennessee Titans football.

If someone cut a hole in a sheet of notebook paper and said it grow to be large enough for NBA seven-footer Shaquile O’Neal to jump through it, they’d most likely be labeled crazy. However, teachers and students at Sea Isle Elementary School saw it happen during a visit by the Atlanta-based company Science for Everyone, Inc. (SFE) on Friday, April 28.

The SFE presenters performed fun science tricks like applying an electric charge to a pickle, making a cup of water disappear and reconnecting torn strings without even using a single knot. The purpose of the show was to help children develop a richer appreciation for the importance of math and science by using this exciting and unique style of “hands-on, minds-on” teaching and learning.

The students were blown away by the presentations. In fact, teachers said many of the kids returned to class the following week talking about how they tried all of the tricks at home. A large color picture of second graders enjoying the event was featured in the Commercial Appeal last week.

On Friday, May 5, the students at Shrine School had the opportunity to show the community all that they have accomplished this school year during the 26th annual Shrine School Field Day. It was the day these students had been waiting for all year long.

All of Shrine’s 144 students, ages 3-22, got to participate in various indoor and outdoor field day activities, including wheelchair, bicycle and walking races, adapted bowling, softball toss, basketball shoot and bean bag toss among others. Opening ceremonies featured the presentation of the Olympic torch and the Special Olympics Oath, as well as a performance by special needs students from Georgia Avenue Elementary School.

Due to a variety of conditions such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and traumatic brain injury, Shrine School’s medically-fragile children are usually unable to participate in sports activities during the year. However, the Field Day activities were specially designed to provide an exciting, safe and fun-filled opportunity for them to compete and achieve success in the physical arena.

Student volunteers from Harding Academy assisted the physically-challenged students throughout the day. Parents, community members and representatives from several Shrine School adopters, including Baptist Trinity Home Care and Hospice, Snell’s Orthotics & Prosthetics and Hill Chapel Church, were also present to lend support.

The people of the Berclair neighborhood served as an amazing example of the bond between community and classroom during the second annual Spring Clean Up at Berclair Elementary School on Saturday, April 29.

Dozens of students, parents and teachers joined residents from the Berclair neighborhood and supporters from throughout the local business community for a full day of beautification projects. Lawnmowers cleaned up the campus greens, and new beds of spring flowers became part of the school’s scenery. Other projects, such as touching up some painting around the school and picking up trash on the school’s surrounding grounds, also took place.

“This truly is a wonderful event,” said Sam Shaw, principal of Berclair Elementary. “The support for this event really is special.”

The Spring Clean Up was organized through the Mission Memphis program at Second Presbyterian Church, which is one of Berclair’s most active school adopters.

Cypress Middle School welcomed students and their parents to the school’s library last month for the first-ever Family Social Studies Night. The event was held in conjunction with the school’s monthly PTSA meeting.

Visitors were greeted by Cypress’ very own “Ladies of Liberty,” Ms. Sims and Mrs. Watson, who were dressed in Statue of Liberty costumes. The evening featured social studies games like Tennessee Bingo and Geography Jeopardy and a series of interactive information stations, including a cultural corner with artifacts from South America and the Tennessee Scavenger Hunt.

All of the library computers were logged on to “Google Earth” so that families could explore their neighborhoods in aerial photographs. Before leaving, families were able to have their pictures taken in front of a huge world map, otherwise known as the “Families Putting Cypress on the Map” photo station.

Reading is Fundamental (RIF) books were given out as door prizes and as prizes for the games to spotlight the upcoming RIF book distribution at Cypress.

Family Social Studies Night was organized by Cypress’ social studies teachers, Ms. Sims, Mrs. Watson, Mr. Wordlaw and Mr. Burt, with assistance from librarian Mrs. Ford and Spanish teacher Mrs. Ecos.

Cypress Elementary Principal Raymond Vasser and the school’s very own "Ladies of Liberty" welcomed families for the school’s first-ever Family Social Studies Night in April.

Downtown Elementary School has just concluded a unique year-long program aimed to expose students to some very interesting and successful career options. The “What Do You Want to Be? Choosing a Career Series” brought professionals from a wide variety of careers into the school for a series of panel discussions about their jobs and their roles in the community. Students in kindergarten through sixth grade participated in these programs.

Early in the school year, players, coaches and representatives from the Memphis Redbirds, Memphis Grizzlies and the University of Memphis Tigers talked about playing and working in sports programs. They stressed the importance of hard work, education and commitment in order to succeed in any career, including professional sports.

Bankers, financial officers and local entrepreneurs were the feature presenters during the panel discussion on business. Duke Herenton, vice-president of Willis Insurance, and Jeff Sanford, director of Memphis’ Center City Commission, told students that getting a good education was key to achieving any dream in life.

The final panel discussion held in April was based on careers in law. Circuit Court Judge Donna Fields and local attorneys Salam David, Van Turner and Kevin Balkwill talked about the history of law in Memphis, as well as how much schooling it actually takes to begin a legal career. Judge Fields invited the students into her courtroom at a later date to continue their lesson on Memphis law.

The career series was developed by Ms. Grace Wood, guidance counselor, and librarian Dr. D. Jackson Maxwell. Both hope to make the program an annual part of the learning experience at Downtown Elementary.

Fourth graders at Frayser Elementary saw their artwork on one of the grandest stages in Memphis last week. Christopher Weston, Christopher Jarrett, Orlantriuna Bridges and Monica Allen, all of whom were part of the school’s Art and the Basic Curriculum program with the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, had their murals displayed during the museum’s third annual Art and the Basic Curriculum Exhibition on Saturday, May 6. Students in this program gained valuable hands-on experience during field trips to the museum throughout the year. This year, the students studied the work of Maxfield Parrish, and various still life and African themed artworks.

The Ida B. Wells Academy Soaring Eagles Service Learning group participated in Earth Day and the Memphis Zoo’s 100th birthday celebration on Saturday, April 22 by researching the zoo’s new Northwest Passage exhibit. The students spent the month of April designing special fundraising backpacks and information booklets about the Northwest Passage, which they sold at the school and during their trip to the zoo. The group later donated the $532 they raised to buy new toys for the polar bears at the Northwest Passage exhibit.

Ms. Hines is Ida B. Wells’ zoo service learning project coordinator. The group includes students Terrance Price, Nicole Pirtle, Kevin Jones, Sheneka Palmer, Marcus Holloway, Kanisha Jones and Jarvis Evans.

On Thursday, April 27, Cypress Middle School held a Disability and Special Needs Information and Awareness Day themed “Disabilities and Education: What does it mean to you?” Parents, educators and health providers from all over Memphis participated, and more than 25 exhibitors set up displays in the school library to share information about products and services available to families. Joseph K. Fisher, Tennessee’s deputy commissioner of special education, served as keynote speaker. Other featured speakers included representatives from the Memphis Respite Coalition, Support and Training for Exceptional Parents, and the Division of Mental Retardation Services. Some of Cypress’ student ambassadors served as hosts and hostesses for the event.

The Information and Awareness day was coordinated by Mr. Douglas Monday, special education teacher, and Mrs. Sandra Peoples, parent counselor, in conjunction with Family Voices of Tennessee.

Parents, educators and community health providers talked about special education and the various services available to families with special needs children during Cypress Middle School’s Awareness Day.

More than $7,500 in scholarships was handed out to Goodlett Elementary students during the school’s 10th annual Academic Excellence Scholarship Ceremony at Olivet Fellowship Baptist Church on Thursday, April 20. The theme for the evening was “HOPE - Helping Others Pursue Excellence: Building Bridges of Excellence to a Bright Future.”

First grader Mareko May, whose family provided unprecedented support for this year’s ceremony, received a $500 U.S. savings bond. Nearly 140 other students received a $50 bond, as well a medal of academic excellence. Special recognition was given to siblings Gustavo, Enrique, Laura and Hector Bermudez for marking the first time four siblings have ever been honored in the same school year.

Keynote speaker Dr. Charles Rodgers, pastor of New Dimensions Ministries, commissioned each student to continue in his or her pursuit of excellence. U.S. Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. and State Representative Lois DeBerry presented the awards. Entertainment was provided by members of the Memphis Youth Symphony.

Principal Reginald Walker, who will retire from Goodlett at the close of this school year, introduced and extended a warm welcome to incoming principal Dr. Linda Campbell.

Goodlett Elementary students received $7,500 in scholarships during the school’s 10th annual Academic Excellence Scholarship Ceremony in April.

Ida B. Wells Academy has been selected to participate in two upcoming Girls Incorporated national programs: “Project Bold” and “Friendly PEERsuasion.” The sessions are designed specifically for young girls. “Friendly PEERsuasion” focuses on decision-making skills, assertiveness, communication and managing stress. It also teaches about the short and long-term effects of substance use and helps girls recognize peer pressure. “Project Bold” is a comprehensive, research-based program aimed to help young women avoid, address and cope with violence. The sessions started on Thursday, May 4 and run through Wednesday, May 19.

Ms. Vicki Kaaz and her middle students at Snowden School collected more than 1,200 books this school year, which will be donated to Poplarville Middle School in Poplarville, MS. Poplarville Middle was severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina last year.

Inspired by the story “Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes” by Eleanor Coerr, Ms. Morgan’s sixth grade students at Craigmont Middle School have decided to sell hand-crafted paper cranes to raise money for cancer research at St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital. With the help of Craigmont’s BETA Club members, the students made 1,000 paper cranes and are selling them for $1 each.

“Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes” is a true story of an 11-year-old girl that approached leukemia and death with an irrepressible spirit. Her story motivated these students to be advocates for terminally ill children.

To find out more about this charity project or to purchase a paper crane, call 416-7780

Craigmont Middle School sixth graders are selling paper cranes to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Outstanding! Ms. Judy Peebles, learning enhancement facilitator at Ida B. Wells Academy, was awarded a $2,500 Teacher Initiative Grant Partnership in April.

Congratulations! Snowden School seventh graders Collins Wheeler and Leslie Ratliff were presented with awards at the Teaching and Learning Academy’s fifth annual Academy Award Technology Challenge ceremony on May 4. The students worked as a team to produce a three-minute video based on a poem by Sonya Weitz. The video projects were part of the seventh grade social studies unit on the Holocaust.

Hats Off to Klondike Elementary School’s CDC/Moderate students for working hard this year to meet the MCS Reads Challenge! Ms. Edwards’ CDC/Moderate class read a total of 129 books this school year, and each student independently wrote or drew something about the books they read. Michelle Boatwright, Jeanysya Harding and Tanisha Mims each met the district-wide challenge of reading 25 books. Ms. Edwards said that although some of the students weren’t able to read as many books, “their tireless effort and enthusiasm towards reading and writing about books was unbelievable.” She treated the class to an MCS Reads party recently to reward them for their accomplishments.

Ms. Edwards’ CDC/Moderate class at Klondike Elementary was treated to a party for working hard all year to meet the MCS Reads Challenge.

Kudos! Keenia Haynes, a student at Ida B. Wells Academy, received a silver medal and a certificate of honor for her book “The Crazy Mouse.” The awards were presented in class last month by Ms. Opanell Rhodes, director of the West Tennessee Reading Association. Haynes is a member of Ida B. Wells’ book club, “Popping With Poetry,” which is coordinated by Ms. Judy Peebles!

Bravo! Snowden’s middle school band and choir both received “Superior” first place honors during out-of-town competitions in April. The “Mighty Sound of Midtown” band received four first place trophies, one second place trophy, seven “Superior” rating plaques and two “Excellent” rating plaques at the Fiesta-val Music Festival in Atlanta last month. The school choir performed in Chicago and earned first place overall, competing against middle and high school choirs from other cities. Eighth graders Keva Dixon and Calley Anderson were named first place soloists in the Chicago competition.

Amazing Job! Five Memphis City Schools students placed in the top three in their respective categories at the 41st State Leadership and Skills Conference sponsored by SkillsUSA. More than 1,200 Tennessee high school students competed at the event in Chattanooga April 24–26.

Courtney Echols, Overton H.S. - Second Place
Jeremy Kincaid, Wooddale H.S. - Second Place
Dana Hood, Overton H.S. - Third Place
Anthony Wilkins, Overton H.S. - Third Place

During the conference, the following MCS students were selected as state officers by their peers to represent Tennessee as national voting delegates June 19-25 in
Kansas City, MO:

James Buchanan, Craigmont H.S. - Treasurer
Whitney Lucas, Ridgeway H.S. - Secretary
Christopher Scales, Craigmont H.S. - Parliamentarian
Johnathan Washington, Ridgeway H.S. - West TN Vice President

SkillsUSA is a national organization of teachers, school administrators, corporations, trade associations and labor unions that support trade, industrial, technical and health occupation training in public secondary and post-secondary institutions. Through SkillsUSA, students in public career and technical programs experience quality leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development training, as well as learn ways to build self-confidence, positive work attitudes and strong communication skills.