For parents and friends of the Mobile County Public School System

MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 2

The Mobile County Public School System is offering a unique academic or career program for high school students. According to Superintendent, Martha Peek, this is setting a new challenge, “what we are working to accomplish in Mobile County, is to provide all of our students to have a goal to graduate from high school and then move into a college and career, well-prepared.” Signature Academies are currently set up in four different high schools as a path to work-based learning in a specific field or industry. The goal is to implement all high schools with a signature program. By attending a Signature Academy, students will not just graduate with an educational degree they earn college credits and extensive experience in a job field of their choice. Set up to focus around the career fields that are mainly in Mobile and surrounding counties, and reaching students throughout the area-Blount, Citronelle, Mary G. Montgomery and B.C. Rain are the chosen high schools to house the four specialty programs. Selected students can enter into a Health Career; Manufacturing, Industry and Technology; Teaching and Learning; or Aerospace and Aviation program. Students who are accepted into a Signature Academy will receive rigorous, relevant instruction, inside and outside of the classroom; engaging, hands-on activities; real world application of learning; exposure to careers and formation of

business partnerships; and student opportunity to choose pathways based on a wide range of interests. Executive Director of Career & Technical Education, Larry Mouton, feels one of the key points to the success of Signature Academies is the partnerships with businesses and the community. He points out for example, the benefit of Rain High’s Aviation Academy, “through the commitment of business and industries like Airport Authority, and Mobile Aviation College, students will be taught by actual Aviation instructors, and benefit from dual enrollment” states Mouton, “students will be able to receive college and high school credits while attending classes taught by Mobile

Blount High School

Health CareerAccess Program

Citronelle High School

Manufacturing, Industry & Technology

Montgomery High School Rain High School

Academy of Teaching and Learning

Aerospace and Aviation Academy

NEW PROGRAMS

SIGNATURE ACADEMIES

MULTIPLE PATHWAYS TO

CAREER AND COLLEGE READINESS

Blount High School students learning Nursing career techniques in the school’s Health Career Access Program

Aviation instructors, gaining a direct pathway to real employment in high wage, high demand careers.” The application period is now open to apply for these academies. Parents of eighth graders are encouraged to visit the website www.mcpss.com for more information that will assist incoming freshman on the pathway to readiness.

MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 3

Parent volunteer Antonia Duron receives a warm welcome from Burroughs principal, Dr. Julia Nelson

The first thing Mobile County Public School System parent, Antonia Duron, did after moving to Mobile from her native, Houston, Texas was enroll her children into the school system. The second thing she did was to sign up to volunteer. “The staff and principal were so

friendly,” says Duron, “I felt so welcomed and invited to help out in anyway.” Mrs. Duron finds volunteering natural, stating that she watched her working mom juggle a career and successfully participate in her school events. “I want to show my children that I believe in a good education, I feel like when the students see you on campus, they know you care.” With 2 children in the system,

and 1 graduate, she has a lot to care about. She has worked at Burroughs, Dunbar, and Murphy over the years. According to Burroughs principal, Dr. Nelson, Mrs. Duron’s assistance is invaluable. She makes copies for teachers, answers phones in the office, and even helps out with translation for Spanish-speaking parents. “I’m honored to have a school that wants parents around, and the teachers are so awesome.

MCPSS PARENT SPOTLIGHT

UNDERSTANDING STUDENT ASSESSMENTS

COMMUNITY FEATURE

“Volunteering can be as simple as taking 15

minutes of your time on

any day of the week.”

-Antonia DuronParent volunteer

It is also the best way to communicate and know what’s happening in the school.”

The ARMT + (Alabama Reading, Math & Science test) is a criterion-referenced test. It consists of selected items which match the Alabama state content standards in reading and mathematics. The primary purposes of the ARMT is to assess students‘ mastery of state content standards in reading and math; to report individual and group performance, and to report relative strengths and weaknesses of individuals and groups; and to

provide data to study changes in performance.

• Word study skills (Grade 3 only)

• Reading Vocabulary (Grades 3-8)

• Reading Comprehension (Grades 3-8)

• Mathematics Procedures (Grades 3-8)

• Mathematics Problem Solving (Grades 3-8)

ARMT DATES:May 6-14, 2013Grades 3-8 Reading & Math Grades 5 & 7 Science onlyMay 6th & 7th:ReadingMay 8th & 9th:MathMay 10thScience Students should be in school and on time each day of testing. Testing begins promptly at the start of the school day.

DID YOU KNOW?The Mobile County Public School System has a district parent advisory council. It is a group of parents & advocates that serve in an advisory capacity to the Superintendent & Office of Home-School-Community Involvement on parent involvement issues & includes 3 sub-committees: Parent Involvement, Non-Traditional Communications and Partnerships.

MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 4

HAPPENING APPS

WEBSITES, APPS, & MORE

TECHNOLOGY TOOLBOX

Literactive’s Road to Reading is a site geared towards children in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and First Grade who are learning to read. The site: Road to Reading takes the early learner on an interactive journey of exploration. Starting with initial nursery rhymes, it moves through pre-reading activities, alphabet awareness, letter sounds, short vowels, CVC word blending, initial blends, long vowels and all the phonic activities critical for developing early reading skills. To visit Literactive’s Road to Reading, go to literactive.com National Geographic Kids is a site appropriate for children ages 8 - 17 as some videos feature animals stalking and attacking their prey.

According to commonsensemedia.org,National Geographic Kids features educational games, videos, and other activities centered mostly on animals and the natural world. There's also a section that gives readers a virtual tour of different countries, fun facts, maps, and e-cards. Kids can contribute to the site by posting comments (which are moderated), voting in polls, submitting their own photos, and more. Lessons about the importance of taking care of the environment are seamlessly woven into the content.

With a seemingly endless supply of activities, National Geographic Kids can keep kids occupied for hours -- and teach them a lot along the way. Visit the National Geographic Kids website at: kids.nationalgeographic.com and continue the fun of learning at home.

Evernote A digital notebook that allows you to “Remember Everything” by taking text notes, clipping web pages, uploading images, files, and much more. Watch: Why I Love Evernote: A Student’s Perspective on YouTube for more info.

Pirate Treasure Hunt Students join forces with Pirate Jack to find the hidden treasure by using your math and literacy skills to solve eight problems.

BrainPop Featured Movie Students can watch the BrainPop.com daily featured movie and take an interactive quiz.

Motion Math Zoom Students learn about place value and decimals by exploring an interactive number line that makes comparisons to large and small animals.

Dropbox An app used to store and sync documents and files across computers, tablets, and smart phones. Users get 2GB free and can earn up to 16GB by referring friends. Larger plans can be purchased for more space.

MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 5

DEVICE

According to intelfreepress.com, in one Internet minute…●204 million emails are sent●20 million photos are viewed on Flickr●6 million views of Facebook occur●2 million-plus search queries are initiated on Google●1.3 million videos are viewed on YouTube●277,000 people login to Facebook●100,000 Tweets are sent●$83,000 in sales are racked up at Amazon●61,141 hours of music are streamed from Pandora

● 47,000 apps are downloaded● 3,000 photos are uploaded to Flickr● 1,300 people start using a mobile device● 320-plus Twitter accounts are added● 135 botnet infections occur● 100-plus LinkedIn accounts are added● 30 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube● 20 people are victims of identity theft● 6 new Wikipedia articles are published

Technology Toolbox ContributorsAmber Coggin

Technology Teacher, Collier Elementary follow her @ambercoggin

Meredith NationsTechnology Teacher, Robbins Elementary

follow her @mnations8

Burns Middle students successfully piloting the miDevice (also known as Bring Your Own Device) program with the assistance of MCPSS IT staff.

miThe Mobile County Public School System is moving to digital classrooms. miDevice is an initiative that will allow students the use of a personal device at every level of education, under safe and secure methods. Schools participating in the program will allow students to bring any device that can access the web with wi-fi. The use of wi-fi for students and teachers in class can foster innovation in the process of learning and teaching. Through pilot sites and research the Information Technology department has set up a district-filtered network support. The program is option-based and does not mandate students to have or bring devices. This is a parent choice to allow the student to bring a device.

MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 6

INVOLVEMENT

SYSTEM SNAPSHOTS

Mobile Magnet jumps for awarenessMore than two hundred Mobile Magnet students participated and raised $1469.39 for the Jump Rope for Heart Campaign.

Students win big prizes during Nat’l School Breakfast WeekStudents participated in the Cafeteria Nutrition Program’s Breakfast challenge throughout the system. Each student who ate breakfast for a week received a chance to win dvd players, roller blades, laptops and skateboards. Winners were randomly chosen from various schools.

National History Day winners

Congratulations to our Mobile County Public

School System winners-all from Causey Middle, who will go on to participate in the state competition in

April at Auburn University in Montgomery. Each year

participating students from across the United

States, American Samoa, Guam, International Schools & Dept. of Defense Schools in

Europe choose a topic from history that is related

to the annual theme. 

MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 7

Vigor student places in Faulkner State

Computer Fair

Congratulations to Vigor High School

junior, Briana Baldwin. She won 2nd place in

the Individual Multimedia Category at the Faulkner State Community College

2013 Computer Fair.

Students honored for prize-winning Alabama Farm-City posterCongratulations to the Pearl Haskew students who won the Mobile County Poster Contest. Bailey Burrell won 1st place for grades 3-6. Natalie Escalera won 1st place for grades K-2 and Jordan Stallings won 2nd place for K-2. They were honored at a luncheon with The Honorable Sam Jones, Mayor of Mobile.

Pearl Haskew establishes National Elementary Honor SocietyPearl Haskew Elementary School established a chapter of the National Elementary Honor Society (NEHS) and held a ceremony to recognize their most outstanding students. Theodore High School Principal, Ronald Rowell was guest speaker at the event. He encouraged the students to continue their path of academic excellence, make wise choices, and never to give up on their dreams and aspirations.

MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 8

PRE-REGISTRATIONPreschool pre-registration is held Friday, April 19, 2013. Students pre-registering for Preschool must be four years old on or before September 2, 2013.

MCPSS is celebrating its 25th year of teaching Preschool in the Mobile, Alabama area.

The Mobile County Public School System Preschool program is designed to provide a child-centered, developmentally appropriate experience for four year-old children in need of academic support. The program stresses an environment that motivates learning through exploration and discovery. By attending, children will enter Kindergarten ready to learn and succeed. The Mobile County Public School System’s Preschool program is Federally funded. A child must reside in a Title I attendance zone to pre-register. A parent can pre-register a child at any of the participating Preschool sites in the event the school located in their attendance zone is not a Preschool site. However, a parent can only pre-register once, at one site or the child will be disqualified from the program. Transfers are not allowed within the Preschool program.

PRESCHOOL ASSESSMENTThe use of the BOEHM test

of basic concepts is used to assess a child’s eligibility for participation in the Preschool program. It is a “developmental”, not an academic test. The test is designed to measure a child’s knowledge of measures that help children understand and describe the world around them.

ELIGIBILITYREQUIREMENTS• Must be 4 yrs. old on or before

September 2nd.• Must have an original birth

certificate.• Must have a current blue

immunization card.• Must have a social security card.• Must reside in a Title I

attendance zone.• Parent must have a photo ID

and 2 proofs of residence.• Child must qualify based on

BOEHM score.• Parents may register at one

Preschool site, registering at multiple sites will disqualify your child.

PRESCHOOL SITES

Belsaw ......................221-1030Booth.......................824-1740Brazier......................221-1046Burroughs.................221-1077Calcedeaver..............221-1092Craighead..................221-1155Collins-Rhodes........221-1226Dixon.......................824-4314Fonde........................221-1240Grant.........................221-1319Hall............................221-1345Hollinger’s Island.....221-1376Howard....................221-1406Indian Springs..........221-1436John Will..................221-1750Just 4.........................221-1450Leinkauf....................221-1495Maryvale...................221-1810McDavid-Jones.........221-1510Meadowlake..............221-1529Orchard.....................221-1571O’Rourke...................221-1585Robbins....................221-1600Spencer/Westlawn...221-1705Whitley......................221-1737Wilmer......................221-1780

PRESCHOOLEDUCATION

Mission:The ultimate goal of the Mobile County Public School Preschool

program is to aid students in acquiring habits, attitudes,

knowledge, and ski!s necessary to function as successful members of

the school community.

MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 9

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

PARENT CONNECTPublished by the MCPSS

Communications Dept. and

The Office of School, Home & Community

Involvement1 Magnum Pass

Mobile, AL 36618251-221-4000

www.mcpss.com

SCHOOL BOARD OFCOMMISSIONERS

District 1 Mr. Doug Harwell, Jr.

District 2 Mr. Don Stringfellow

District 3Dr. Reginald Crenshaw

District 4Rev. Levon Manzie

District 5Dr. William Foster

SUPERINTENDENTMrs. Martha Peek

The Mobile County Public School System does not discriminate on the

basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual

orientation, or age.

2013 High School Graduation ScheduleMCPSS high school graduation ceremonies, with the exception of 2, are

held at the USA Mitchell Center. A DVD copy of any ceremony is available through the MCPSS TV Studio at 221-3119 or contact

dmcampbell@mcpss.com. All Ceremonies held at the Mitchell Center will be conveniently live-streamed through the MCPSS website.

Friday, May 10th 10:00 a.m. -Augusta Evans (held at the school)

Saturday, May 11th 10:00 a.m.-Citronelle High School (held at the school)

Monday, May 13th 9:30 a.m.-LeFlore High School 1:00 p.m.-Rain High School 5:00 p.m.-Murphy High School

Tuesday, May 14th 9:30 a.m.-Blount High School 1:00 p.m.-Vigor High School 5:00 p.m.-Theodore High School

Wednesday, May 15th 9:30 a.m.-Baker High School 3:30 p.m.-Davidson High School Thursday, May 16th 9:30 a.m.-Williamson High School 1:30 p.m.-Bryant High School 5:30 p.m.-Montgomery High School

ALL MCPSS SCHOOL CAFETERIAS AWARDED NATIONAL RECOGNITION

The Mobile County Public School System’s Cafeteria and Nutrition Program (CNP) is making national news by working to support and improve the health of our children and our community. As part of its effort, healthy items are featured on their menus and physical education and activity emphasized. Their efforts are part of the HealthierUS School Challenge. The HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) is a voluntary national certification initiative for schools participating in the

National School Lunch Program. It supports First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign by recognizing schools that are creating healthier school environments through their promotion of good nutrition and physical activity. Sponsored by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), the initiative encourages all schools take a leadership role in helping students to make healthier eating and physical activity choices that will last a lifetime. MCPSS cafeterias received awards in one of the four levels of superior

performance: Bronze ($500), Silver ($1000), Gold ($1500), or Gold Award of Distinction ($2000), along with an award plaque, banner for each school and the school listed on the Team Nutrition website. The HUSSC application process was led by MCPSS CNP Director, Suzanne Yates.

DID YOU KNOW...Parent Account Management System (PayPAMS) is a safe, easy and secure method to pay for student’s meals online. Through PayPAMS the money will be deposited directly into a child’s cafeteria account.

MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 10

The new Whitley Elementary school building will have more than 60,000 square feet of space designed for

400 students with an infrastructure for more than 500 students. The school will house 21 classrooms, incorporating many special classrooms such as art/music, science, 2 special education classrooms, and a large media center with a reading and media specialist room, computer lab, gym with stage and concession area and a new play court in the

back of the building with basketball goals. Set on the same site as the existing Whitley school, the new Whitley Elementary will be located on the south side of the existing building and face Meaher Street with three new entrances. The construction will be a two-phase project, meaning the new school will be built in Phase I and then a demo of the old school in Phase II. The project has a 14 month construction schedule. Whitley

Elementary began its first academic year in the fall of 1950. During the summer of 1988, the school was relocated to the old campus of Prichard Middle school, at 528 Sipsey Street. The school’s zone was increased to alleviate overcrowding at surrounding schools, thereby more than doubling enrollment. The move allowed Whitley to become a contiguous entity with a definite future and a positive outlook, allowing a better fulfillment of student needs.

SYSTEM GROWTH

The new building to house Augusta Evans School will be located at 6301 Biloxi Avenue, Mobile, Alabama 36608, the site of the old Hillsdale Middle School. The building’s square footage is 7,208 and will have a total of 36 classrooms that includes special rooms or other inclusions: Consumer Science, 2 Sensory rooms, Computer lab, Media, Music/Art, 2 Speech rooms, Physical Therapy, Sewing, Gym, Bead room, Play court and 2 Green Houses. The completion time frame will be 14 months of construction and the estimated completion is November 2013. Augusta Evans opened as an elementary school in 1952. It remained an elementary school up until 1968 when its mission changed from serving general education students to serving children with disabilities.

NEW AUGUSTA EVANS SCHOOL

NEW CONSTRUCTION

NEW WHITLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PAGE 11

SCHOOL CONTACTELEMENTARYAllentown Elementary-Dist. 1251-22-1000

Augusta Evans K-12-Dist. 3251-221-5400

Belsaw/Mt. Vernon Pre-K-8thDist. 3251-221-1030

Booth Elementary-Dist. 5251-824-1740

Brazier Elementary-Dist.3251-221-1046

Breitling Elementary-Dist.5251-865-0900

Burroughs Elementary-Dist. 2251-221-1077

Calcedeaver Elementary-Dist. 1251-221-1092

Castlen Elementary-Dist. 5251-865-6733

Collier Elementary-Dist. 1251-221-1120

Collins-Rhodes Elem.-Dist. 3251-221-1226

Council Traditional-Dist. 4251-221-1139

Craighead Elementary-Dist. 4251-221-1155

Dauphin Island Elem.-Dist. 2251-861-3864

Davis Elementary-Dist. 5251-221-1166

Dawes 3-5-Dist. 5251-221-1485

Dixon Elementary-Dist. 5251-824-4314

Dodge Elementary-Dist. 2251-221-1195

E.R. Dickson-Dist. 2251-221-1180

Eichold-Mertz Elem.-Dist. 4251-221-1210

Fonde Elementary-Dist. 2251-221-1240

Forest Hill Elementary-Dist. 3251-221-1270

Gilliard Elementary-Dist. 4251-221-1820

Grant Elementary-Dist. 3251-221-1319

Griggs Elementary-Dist. 2251-221-1330

Hall Elementary-Dist. 4251-221-1345

Hollingers Island Elem.-Dist. 2 251-221-1376

Holloway Elementary-Dist. 3251-221-1391

Howard Elementary-Dist. 4251-221-1406

Hutchens Elementary-Dist. 5251-221-1420

Indian Springs-Dist. 3251-221-1436

John Will Elementary-Dist. 3 251-221-1750

Just 4 Developmental Lab-Dist. 4251-221-1450

Leinkauf Elementary-Dist. 4251-221-1495

Mary B. Austin Elem.-Dist. 3251-221-1015

Maryvale Elementary-Dist. 4251-221-1810

McDavid-Jones Elem.-Dist. 1251-221-1510

Mobile Magnet School of Math,Science & Technology-Dist. 3251-221-1360

Meadowlake Elementary-Dist. 5251-221-1529

Morningside Elementary-Dist. 4251-221-1540

O’Rourke Elementary-Dist. 1251-221-1585

Old Shell Road Magnet-Dist. 3251-221-1557

Orchard Elementary-Dist. 3251-221-1571

Pearl Haskew Elementary-Dist. 5251-221-1850

Robbins Elementary-Dist. 3251-221-1600

Semmes Elementary-Dist. 1251-221-1630

Shepard Elementary-Dist. 2251-221-1645

Spencer-Westlawn-Dist. 4251-221-1705

St. Elmo Elementary-Dist. 5251-957-6314

Tanner Williams Elem.-Dist. 5251-221-1675

Turner Elementary-Dist. 1251-221-1285

Whitley Elementary-Dist. 3251-221-1737

Wilmer Elementary-Dist. 1251-221-1780

MIDDLEAlba Middle-Dist. 5251-824-4134

Burns Middle-Dist. 2251-221-2025

Calloway-Smith-Dist. 4251-221-2042 Causey Middle-Dist. 5251-221-2060

Chastang Middle-Dist. 3251-221-2081

Clark-Shaw Magnet-Dist. 3251-221-2106

Denton Middle-Dist. 2251-221-2148

Dunbar Creative & Performing Arts Magnet-Dist. 4251-221-2160

Eanes Middle-Dist. 4251-221-2189

Grand Bay Middle-Dist. 5251-865-6511

Hankins Middle-Dist. 5251-221-2200

Lott Middle-Dist. 1251-221-2240

Mobile County Training-Dist. 3251-221-2267

North Mobile County K-8th- Dist. 3251-221-2000

Phillips Preparatory-Dist. 3251-221-2286

Pillans Middle-Dist. 4251-221-2300

Scarborough Middle-Dist. 3251-221-2323

Semmes Middle-Dist. 1251-221-2344

Washington Middle-Dist. 3251-221-2361

HIGHBaker High School-Dist. 5251-221-3000

Blount High School-Dist. 3251-221-3070

Bryant Career Tech Dist. 5251-957-2845

Citronelle High School-Dist. 1251-221-3444

Continuous Learning Center-Dist. 3251-221-2122

Davidson High School-Dist. 2251-221-3084

Faulkner Vocational-Dist. 3251-221-5431

LeFlore Magnet High-Dist. 4251-221-3125

Mary G. Montgomery High-Dist. 1251-221-3153

Murphy High School-Dist. 4251-221-3186

Rain High School-Dist. 4251-221-3233

Regional School-Dist. 2251-221-5454

The Pathway School-Dist. 3251-221-5010

Theodore High-Dist. 5251-221-3351

Vigor High-Dist.3251-221-3045

Williamson High School-Dist. 4 251-221-3411

DEPARTMENTSSchool Board251-221-4387

Superintendent251-221-4394

Academic Affairs251-221-4159 0r 221-4160

Business Operations251-221-4435

Career Tech251-221-4821

Communications251-221-4003

Human Resources251-221-4500

School-Home-Community251-221-5218

Special Services251-221-4218

Student Services251-221-4245

Transportation251-221-5260

2013-14 SCHOOL CALENDAR