Newspaper Page Text
July 27, 2022
iREporter
Page 6B
Mary Persons High School
Pictured, left to right, are, Back row- Tim Conklin, Steve Skinner, Lindsey Lassiter, Assistant Principal Sarah Alford, Brad Webber, Michael Johnson, Bran
don Brock, Assistant Principal Sherandah Strode, Christopher Easterly, Assistant Principal Robert Lindsey, Principal Tammy Marion; Middle row-Reagan
Sanders, Leanne Griffin, Amanda Bernard, Miranda Simmons, Jessica Evans, Katelyn Schneider, Sydney Etheridge, Front row-Mequanita Battle, Sarah
Mimbs, Rosemary Boone, Alan McGough, Tyeisha Colley, Serena Odeh (Photo/Kari Buckindail)
Mequanita Battle will
work in the ACCESS
program as a paraprofes-
sional. She has professional
experience in the insurance
world and plans on con
tinuing her education to
be a teacher. She wants to
work for Monroe County
Schools because of the
environment. Something
special she brings to her
classroom is being a very
positive person and having
a big heart for everyone.
Outside of work her family
is important to her. She
looks forward to helping
prepare students for the
world.
Rosemary Boone will
teach special education
ACCESS. She has taught
special education, 4th
grade English language
arts/social studies and 2nd
grade. She says she fell in
love with Monroe County
Schools when she student
taught at K.B. Sutton and
T.G. Scott. She has lived in
Monroe County for years.
Something special she
brings to her classroom
is the understanding that
students don’t learn from
people they don’t like and
valuing the relationships
she forms with students.
Outside of teaching she
loves spending time with
her family, whether at
home or at the river, beach,
pool or mountains. She
also is reading novels by
Colleen Hoover. “I am here
to support each student
and their family members,”
she said. “I cannot wait to
work with the students,
families and the comity of
MPHS.”
Jessica Evans will teach
physical education. She
comes to Monroe County
Schools from Lamar
County and South Effing
ham High School. She is
looking forward to being a
Bulldog and excited about
a strong tradition in educa
tion. Something special
she brings to her classroom
is motivation and en
ergy. Outside of work her
husband and children are
important to her. Her mes
sage to the community is
the importance of lifetime
fitness.
Leanne Griffin will teach
9th & 10th grade English
& Language Arts. She
taught for two years in Bibb
County and has moved to
Monroe County “because
of the reported push for ex
cellence & success in both
students and teachers/staffi’
Something special she
brings to her classroom is
her love of Shakespeare and
her passion for all students
to succeed and find a love
for learning.
Away from teaching,
she loves baking, crochet,
playing board games and
spending lazy Sundays
with her boyfriend, Lucas,
and dog, Beulah. She is
dedicated to helping each
child find something they
are passionate about and
helping them incorporate
that into their lives. As she
supports students’ growth
academically and socially,
she loves to come cheer
them on in activities like
sports and theater.
Alan McGough will
teach 10th-12th grade
science. He taught science
(biology, environmen
tal science, forensics) at
Howard High School in
Bibb County for six years
and taught biology and
physical science at Luella
High School for a year and
a half. He attended Mon
roe County Schools K-12,
graduating in 2006. In fact,
since his mother worked at
Mary Persons, he feels like
he grew up in the school
and one of the reasons he
chose to work in education
was that it always felt like
home.
Something special he
brings to his classroom is
being as genuine and hon
est with his students as pos
sible. Outside of teaching,
he enjoys cooking and try
ing new recipes and spend
ing time outdoors with his
fiance and their two dogs.
He tells people in Monroe
County that he is looking
forward to reconnecting
with the community.
Steve Skinner will work
in the ACCESS program.
He has past experience in
ACCESS as a substitute
teacher and wants to teach
in Monroe County to help
students learn, grow and
succeed. Something special
he brings to his classroom
is experience and will
ingness to help students.
Outside of teaching, family
and anything outdoors is
important to him. His mes
sage to the community is
that he’s looking forward to
working with everyone.
Brad Webber will
teach weight training. He
previously taught at Pike
County High School and
moved to Monroe County
Schools because it’s a great
system. Something special
he brings to his classroom
is experience and energy.
Away from teaching, family
and travel are important to
him. He says he is “Excited
to be a MP Bulldog!”
School Meal Prices 2022-2023 School Year
| Breakfast
Lunch 1
$1.40
Elementary
$2.45
$1.70
Middle/High
$2.70
$0.30
Reduced
$0.40
$4.00
Visiting Adults
$5.00
Monroe Co. students tops
in area on 2021-22 tests
Back to School
July 27
Open House at the
schools for students &
families
Back to School Open
House will be Wednesday,
July 27 from 2-6 p.m. at all
three elementary schools
and from 4-7 p.m. at
Monroe County Middle
School. Open House at
Monroe County Achieve
ment Center will be at 5
p.m. At Mary Persons the
sophomore meet & greet
will be from 4-6 p.m., and
freshman orientation will
be at Monroe County Fine
Arts Center at 3 p.m. for
students with last names
beginning A-K and 4:50 for
last names L-Z.
July 28
Community Event with
Malcolm Mitchell
Super Bowl Champ
Malcolm Mitchell is the
motivational speaker at
the convocation for all
school employees at 2 p.m.
and then he will present
“Building Champs through
Literacy” in a free com
munity event at Monroe
County Fine Arts Center,
25 Brooklyn Ave., Forsyth
on Thursday, July 28 at 6
events
p.m.
July 30
Back-to-School Bash
There will be a Back-to-
School Bash on Saturday,
July 30 at Monroe County
Fine Arts Center, 25 Brook
lyn Ave., Forsyth from
8:30-10:30 a.m. Children
who come will receive free
backpacks, school sup
plies and snacks. Come for
games & fun, too.
Aug. 1
First Day of School for
Monroe County Schools
Monroe County Schools led Middle
Georgia in student performance (scoring
developing or higher) in 18 of 19 tested
content areas on the 2021-22 Georgia
Milestones assessments.
Monroe County students out per
formed Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jasper,
Jones, Monroe, Peach, and Twiggs
counties. Students in Monroe County
continue to perform at a high level across
all content areas.
The Georgia Department of Education
released school district performance
on July 23. Monroe County Schools’
students performed at a high level on
the state’s yearly content assessments.
These assessments are given to students
in 19 content areas across grades 3-12 to
monitor student mastery of the Georgia
Standards of Excellence in the core areas
of reading, ELA, math, science, and
social studies.
When compared against the state’s
average score in each tested area for stu
dents achieving developing or higher on
the Georgia Milestones, Monroe County
students exceeded the state average in all
19 tested areas.
“The continued success of our students
on the Georgia Milestones assessment is
a testament to the work our teachers and
instructional leaders are doing each day
to ensure that curriculum, assessment,
and instruction are aligned and moni
tored at all grade levels,” said Supt. Dr.
Mike Hickman. “Our teachers’ prepara
tion and development of lessons that
are engaging, rigorous, and relevant are
really paying dividends for our students.
We are extremely proud of their work.”
According to Schooldigger.com,
Monroe County Schools improved from
2020-21, up one spot to 21st in the state
out of 198 school districts. This ranking
leads all Middle Georgia school districts.
Philadelphia Baptist Church
hosts Back-to-School Bash
Philadelphia Baptist
Church on Highway 42
North held a Back-to-
School Bash on Sun
day July 24, with an
inflatable water slide,
food, fun and games
to celebrate the end of
summer and the begin
ning of the new school
year. Children received
backpacks filled with
school supplies. (Photos
courtesy of Mark Con
nell)