Archive for Education

Closing the STEM/CTE Gap: Sam Stalnaker Addresses School Board

December 27, 2011 Education Comments Off

By Lynette Norris
Greene Publishing, Inc.
Sam Stalnaker, former principal of Madison County Central School, addressed the School Board at their final meeting for the year, Dec. 20. Speaking as the new Coordinator for North Florida Career Pathways Consortium that serves the six county area of Madison, Jefferson, Taylor, Lafayette, Hamilton and Suwannee, he stressed the importance of STEM/CTE coursework and the need for getting more high school students into STEM/CTE courses. His presentation explained the Consortium’s purpose and goals, asking school board’s help and support in the Consortium’s effort to close the STEM/CTE gap.

The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) gap he referenced was the difference between supply and demand for employees who are “STEM-capable,” or proficient in such areas.

Florida’s high schools are not graduating enough STEM-capable students to fill the growing demand of 21st century jobs in four different career groups, Stalnaker told the board members. The four major career groups that will be looking for future workers are computer technology, mathematical sciences, engineering/surveying and the natural/physical/life sciences.

According to the 2010 Florida Council of 100 Report, “Closing the Gap,” by the time current high school STEM students graduate from college, 9 out 10 new jobs may be in STEM areas. The Florida K-12 STEM Ed Report Card 2011 estimates that the state will need to fill approximately 411,000 new STEM-related jobs by 2018.

Part of Stalnaker’s mission as Coordinator for the North Florida Career Pathways Consortium is to encourage more students to go into STEM studies in preparation for future employment in one of the four growing career groups. Careers in some of these groups can command as much as $74,000.

“That may turn some heads,” said Stalnaker.

Another gap is the CTE (Career Technical Education) gap, or what used to be known as “vo-tech.”

Stalnaker described CTE as “teaching a skill set for something the student can become certified in and be qualified enough to apply for a job,” using as an example, the job of certified nursing assistant – a student completing the CTE curriculum for certified nursing assistant would be able to sit for the exam and pass, becoming eligible for employment in that area.

“Not all our students want to go to college,” he said. “But all our students need a job.”

There are 16 “career opportunity clusters” in the CTE group, offering certifications in a variety of industries. Stalnaker highlighted several of the clusters that offered opportunities right here in Madison, including: agriculture, food and natural sciences; arts, A/V technology and communications; education and training; health science; information technology; and law, public safety, corrections and security.

Examples of specific jobs included electricians, welders, cosmetologists, equipment operators, drafting, surveying, animal sciences and agritechnology.

He also talked about a curriculum of “foundation knowledge and skills” that would make students more employable, teaching things like getting to work on time, ethical practices, problem solving and working as part of a team.

However, there are some issues, including a lack of knowledge and awareness of the full range of opportunities available through STEM/CTE, both in and outside of Madison. There is a self-perception of CTE, leftover from “vo-tech” days, a perception that needs to be improved and brought more in line with reality. There is a lack of local role models in some career fields that could help students visualize their own goals for the future. There is also a need for more resources for recruiting and training students.

Students who want or need further training in their chosen fields have a choice of several institutions within a 90-mile radius of Madison, including North Florida Community College, Suwannee-Hamilton Technical Center, Taylor Technical Institute, FSU, FAMU, Valdosta State and Wiregrass Georgia Technical College; additionally, students in Madison and Hamilton Counties can pay in-state tuition rates at Valdosta State and Wiregrass.

The Consortium’s mission is to increase awareness of STEM and CTE, creating partnerships between schools and the workforce, improving the effectiveness of current STEM and CTE programs, and increasing the range of choices available to students.

The problem of resources and budgeting is another challenge. Stalnaker is working on getting some grant money and getting advocacy groups and schools to support the Consortium’s goals to reach families and students, closing the STEM/CTE gap, as they prepare students to thrive in a future that is closer than they may think.

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Madison Academy 5th Graders Discover The True Meaning Of Christmas

December 20, 2011 Education Comments Off

By Kristin Finney
Greene Publishing, Inc.
When it comes to celebrating Christmas, people sometimes think that the only reason for the holiday is to get presents and put up decorations. A group of Madison Academy fifth grade students decided to rediscover the true meaning of Christmas this year.
The class began their day in Chapel at school, where they were told the story of the birth of Jesus from Joseph’s point of view. They then traveled to the Madison Nursing Center to sing several Christmas songs and play BINGO with the residents. 
After they left the nursing center the class went to the Court House to give back to the “Angels.” The class took several gifts to put under the Salvation Army’s “Angel Tree.” The students were very excited to give back to those in need, and were happy to know that the gifts were going to other kids on Christmas morning.
To wind up the day, the fifth graders ate lunch at Burger King and had a cookie cake before heading back to the school.The Madison Academy fifth grade class would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

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North Florida Community College announces Dean’s Honor Roll

December 15, 2011 Around Madison, Education Comments Off

MADISON, FL – Forty-five North Florida Community College students have been named to the Dean’s Honor Roll at the conclusion of NFCC’s Fall Term 2011. The Dean’s Honor Roll recognizes outstanding academic achievement at the completion of each semester. Inclusion on the list is awarded to all full-time students who, during fall term, have earned a grade point average of 3.50 to 3.79 on course work of at least 12 hours.

Thirteen Madison County students were among those recognized for academic achievement and named to the Dean’s Honor Roll for Fall Term 2011. They are:

 

MADISON COUNTY

Sarah J. Connell                                Greenville, FL

Katelyn A. Scarboro                        Greenville, FL

Hunter J. Elliott                                 Lee, FL

Tommy R. Miller                               Lee, FL

Nathan K. Williams                          Lee, FL

Brianna L. Browning                        Madison, FL

Kerry E. Gardiner                             Madison, FL

Shontea L. Lewis                              Madison, FL

Zachary T. Norris                              Madison, FL

Huston S. Smith                                Madison, FL

Lizeth A. Vasquez                            Madison, FL

Wendell M. Williams                       Madison, FL

Tammy B. Leslein                             Pinetta, FL

 

 

For information contact the Office of College Advancement, (850) 973-1653 or email News@NFCC.edu.

 

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North Florida Community College announces President’s Honor Roll

December 15, 2011 Around Madison, Education Comments Off

MADISON, FL – Twenty-Nine North Florida Community College students have been named to the President’s Honor Roll at the conclusion of NFCC’s Fall Term 2011. The President’s Honor Roll recognizes outstanding academic achievement at the completion of each semester. Inclusion on the list is awarded to all full-time students who, during summer term, have earned a grade point average of 3.8 to 4.0 on course work of at least 12 hours.

Eight Madison County students were among those recognized for academic achievement and named to the President’s Honor Roll for Fall Term 2011. They are:

 

MADISON COUNTY

Erica S. Brown                    Greenville           FL

Anna M. Finlayson           Greenville           FL

Ryan J. Pricher                   Greenville           FL

Danielle C. Bentley          Madison              FL

Michelle O. Mandziara   Madison              FL

Clay D. Sapp                       Madison              FL

Justin L. Sirmon                 Madison              FL

Kelsey E. Varn                  Madison              FL

 

 

For information contact the Office of College Advancement, (850) 973-1653 or email News@NFCC.edu

 

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A Very Merry Mayberry Christmas at Madison Academy

December 15, 2011 Around Madison, Education Comments Off

By Lynette Norris

Greene Publishing, Inc.

 

Mayberry, that quintessential small American town where many of us sometimes wish we lived, makes the perfect theme and setting for a musical Christmas trip down memory lane, full of nostalgia and childhood memories of Christmases past.

Thursday evening, Dec. 8, the students of Madison Academy did just that with their Christmas musical presentation, “A Very Merry Mayberry Christmas,” taking to the stage at the Van H. Priest Auditorium on the NFCC campus.  The eighth grade class brought back those beloved characters of Mayberry, gathering at the Mayberry Courthouse for a visit with Aunt Bee, Opie, Sheriff Andy, Barney, Goober, Ben Weaver, Mr. Sam and Miss Betty.

Musical performances included the Madison Academy Choir opening with “Merry Mayberry Christmas,” followed by each different grade/class presenting a song and dance of its own, in celebration of the holiday season.  Even “Our ‘Darlin’ Teachers” got in on the act, with a rendition of “Jingle Bells.”

As they treated the audience to other well-known Christmas classics such as “Up on the Housetop” (4K class) who couldn’t help but remember singing those very same songs many years ago, back when we were small, believing in Santa and waiting to hear noises on the roof before we fell asleep on Christmas Eve?

Celebrating the joy of the season was the Fifth Grade Chime Choir with “O Christmas Tree,” the second grade class with “Go Tell it on the Mountain,” the third grade with “Come On, Ring Those Bells,” and the first grade’s “Joy to the World, It’s Christmas.”

The fourth grade brought out the funny side of naughty-or-nice with “I’m Getting Nuttin’ for Christmas” and the 5K class, dressed in chefs’ hats and aprons, sang a song of “Christmas Cookies.”

The 3K class wondered “Donde Esta Santa Claus,” while the seventh graders rocked out to “Jingle Bell Rock.”

Finally, singing of the real reason we celebrate Christmas, the sixth grade performed “God Speaks” and the entire assembly closed with “Silent Night.”

Have a Very Merry Mayberry Christmas.

 

The eighth graders bring Mayberry to life. Standing, left to right: Teagan Dunn (Aunt Bee), Michael McCammon (Andy), Zachery Peterson (Barney), Clay Hall (Goober) and Kyle Rogers (Opie). Seated, left to right, are Dallas Walker (Miss Betty) and Dalton Gramling (Mr. Sam).

Kim Wigham’s first grade class presents “Joy to the World, It’s Christmas!”

The 5K class’s song, “Christmas Cookies,” brings out the chef in everybody (Mary Lu Pfeil, teacher).

 

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All About Choices: Career Day at MCCS

December 13, 2011 Around Madison, Education Comments Off

By Lynette Norris
Greene Publishing, Inc.

It’s all about choices, as several of the career presenters pointed out to the groups of students – not only the career path the students will decide upon in the years ahead, but also the choices they make today while they are young, that will prepare them for those future decisions.

Lt. Ramon Dansey, Officer Patricia Hall and Officer Amanda Smith of the Madison Correctional Institute brought a scale model of the MCI facility to show the children how the prison was laid out and explain the purposes the various buildings served as they described their various jobs at the prison.

In answer to one student’s query about what makes a person choose to “be bad” and end up in prison, Smith replied that often the person does not have an education, and thus lacks the ability and/or good judgment to make wise choices. Dansey, a 17-year veteran with MCI, added that anyone who had ever been in a prison could never work in a prison, one example of how one bad decision in the present could limit choices in the future.

Ralph Campbell, of the Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Division of the Police Department, had the students don a pair of “drunk-vision” goggles and try simple things like catching a ball or walking in a straight line while their eyesight was blurred and impaired.

“Now imagine trying to drive a car like that,” he said, adding that alcohol and drugs could also affect their still-growing bodies in ways that could harm their health years into the future. He also spoke about some of the responsibilities of police and ATF officers in general, and even had one of the children, Devonte Collins, try on the bulletproof Kevlar vest and several other pieces of a police/ATF officer uniform.

Vernon Reddick, retired Senior Master Sergeant, Air Force, talked about learning how to stay on task and stay focused as he described a career in the military.

Jerome Wyche talked about the county’s recycling program and Rusty Smith was on hand to represent Tri-County Electric.

Several emergency service careers were represented in front of the school where Chief Fire Inspector Juan Williams waited beside Madison’s aerial ladder truck and talked to the children about fire safety and what a firefighter’s job was like, while Tinarius Irvin and Mica Taylor represented Madison’ Emergency Medical Service with one of the county’s ambulances; additionally, Chief Clay Phillips represented Brooks County Firefighters.

Shane Wells, Ryan Rowland and Chris Norris were on hand to represent the Florida Forest Service; Alan Huff and Clay Whigham had brought out their airboat for their presentation.

Careers all across to the board were represented, from politics (Renetta Parrish, Tim Sanders) to banking (Willy Gamalero, Renae Wills) to medicine (Dr. Chester Aikins) to law enforcement (Tina DeMotsis) to restaurant management (Will Milton of the Ruby Tuesday restaurant), to name just a few.

It was an enormous undertaking, said Kay Williams, of the MCCS staff, to plan something on such a large scale that involved so many people, but many of the faculty and staff believe it is important to give the students a glimpse of some of the possibilities out there, and give them time to prepare by staying on course and staying in school, things that will help when the time comes to make a choice. If they can see the possibilities in the future, they can see the reasons for wise choices in the present.

Besides, as several students remarked, Career Day was “really fun.” Seeing the new aerial ladder truck, or an ambulance or an airboat up close was a treat for the day, no matter what they may eventually decide to do. But, when they do make that decision, things like career days will have given them a little more information, a little more knowledge, to help them on their way.

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Video Link And Story: Madison County Students Finish 2nd In State Immunization PSA Contest

November 28, 2011 Education, Front Page Comments Off

Video on www.youcalltheshotsflorida.com

Youth PSA Contest Winners Announced
- Florida Youth Competed in Immunization Awareness PSA Contest -

November 28, 2011, Jacksonville, Fla. – Each year in the United States, we lose 1,070 people to meningitis and 4,590 people to cervical cancer caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). In an effort to spread the word about these vaccine-preventable diseases and raise awareness among teens, Brunet-García Advertising sponsored the Florida Bureau of Immunization’s You Call the Shots public service announcement (PSA) contest; inviting youth ages 11 to 18 to produce and enter a 30-second PSA highlighting the importance of HPV and meningitis vaccinations.

Students at Lawton Chiles High School in Tallahassee, created the winning PSA, “It’s as simple as,” and will receive $1,500 in prize money. “Meningitis Vaccine,” submitted by students of Madison County, and “So you think you’re safe,” submitted by students at Grace Episcopal in Orange Park, came in second and third place and will receive $1,000 and $500 prizes respectively. These videos will be featured on www.youcalltheshotsflorida.com and will be submitted for broadcast.

The contest closed October 21, and 10 videos were posted for online public voting on November 7. In the call for votes, Brunet-García specifically targeted social media outlets frequented by teens. A large presence on social networking sites helped make the contest informative and motivational. Over 1,500 votes were recorded.

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PDF: School Board Agenda for Nov. 22 Meeting

November 15, 2011 Education, Front Page Comments Off

School Board Agenda

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Pinetta Celebrates Fall in a Big Way

November 15, 2011 Education Comments Off

By Lynette Norris

Greene Publishing, Inc.

Elephants and tigers, ponies and pigs…and a little choo-choo train made of large blue barrels put on wheels and linked together behind a small tractor.

The Nov. 4 Friday evening Fall Festival at Pinetta Elementary School had a little bit of everything.

Okay, the tiger was a bounce house that looked like a huge friendly cartoon tiger lying on his back, paws in the air, while children bounced on his tummy.  There was only one elephant, but it was real and it was big, waiting for brave souls to climb up on a huge platform and onto his back for a thrilling ride high up in the air.  Next to the elephant were the ever-popular pony rides, where children led their parents amid choruses of “oh, pleeeeese!”

As for the pig, it was a cute little pink pig, about the size of a really, really huge house cat.   During most of the festival, it waited in a small pen and burrowed into a pile of hay, waiting to find out which lucky teacher would win the honor, at the end of the evening, of kissing the pig.  Seriously.

Next to the little piglet’s pen was a tray full of piggy banks, each labeled with a different teacher’s name.  Throughout the festival evening, the children “voted” for the teacher they wanted to see kiss the pig, by dropping coins into the appropriate piggy bank.  At the end of the evening, the teacher with the most money in his or her piggy bank would be declared the winner.

The train ride was another popular attraction that had children lining up to take a ride around the schoolyard and even into a wooded area at the back.  There were cakewalks with lots of cakes for the winners, and lots of games such as the basketball toss and the fishing game and knocking over soda bottles with a baseball.

The smell of grilled hamburgers and hot dogs was everywhere for hungry festival-goers, but the longest line by far was for the funnel cakes.  Amy Kendrick, June Lucas and school principal Beth Moore stayed busy frying funnel cake after funnel cake and powdering each one with fine white sugar, while Moore recounted the story of the Vietnamese potbellied pig that was the longtime official pet for Pinetta Elementary School many years ago, living in a pen at the back of the playground.

At the end of an exciting evening was the moment everyone had been waiting for:  the piggy banks were collected, the money counted, and the winning teacher announced – June Lucas.

Smiling, Lucas stepped forward and climbed up on a picnic table and kissed the little pig right on the snout, not once but twice, amid cheers and applause.

Meanwhile, the sunny late afternoon was now the dark of early nightfall, and the nip in the air from earlier in the afternoon was now a definite chill — perfect fall festival weather.  There was still a glowing dark red band along the western horizon as the parents and children slowly began drifting away from the festival grounds, with their balloons and colorful hats and other prizes.  No one seemed in much of a hurry to leave, especially some of the children.  They had been having too much fun.

Besides, the tiger was still waiting.  Just one more round of bouncing.  Oh, pleeeeese!

For video clips of the festival, check out our web site at www.greenepublishing.com

 

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Pinetta Third Grade Class Gets Creative With Flowers

November 8, 2011 Education Comments Off

By Lynette Norris

Greene Publishing, Inc.

“Doll-EE!  Doll-EE!  Doll-EE!” the children chanted to make sure Dolly Ballard got into the group photo with them at the end of their flower arranging session.

The Pinetta third graders had gathered in science teacher Peggy Ross’s classroom to learn how to put together eye-catching centerpieces to take home to their parents.  Madison Garden Club’s Dolly Ballard was on hand, along with Laura Coleman, Ann Paquette, Jean Fiori and Jackie Kirkland to provide the necessary materials and demonstrate the simple steps for creating something beautiful.  Ballard then showed the children how, by keeping the fern-like greenery as a base, other things besides the yellow flowers they were using, could be added or substituted to change the look of the arrangement for different holidays or different seasons of the year.  They could use a candle, pinecones, different colored flowers, or anything pretty they could find around their house or yard.

“You can do anything,” Ballard told the class.  “You can be creative.”

After the flower arrangement lesson was over, the ladies went out to check on the school’s winter vegetable garden to see how it was coming along.  Ballard and her team also lead the Madison Youth Gardeners and 4-H Club, teaching the children the basics of gardening and growing their own food.

Last month, when the children held their pumpkin-weighing contest on Oct. 13, the patch of bare ground had just been tilled and prepared for planting.  Three weeks later, the seeds the children had sown for carrots, radishes and mustard had made pale green lines of fine, feathery vegetation just above the soil, and the cabbage and broccoli plants were coming along nicely.

Next month, the Madison Garden Club ladies will be back at Pinetta with another seasonal, creative project for the children to make and take home.

 

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Rev. Robert Holmes Hopes To Get Parents More Involved In Public Schools

November 3, 2011 Education Comments Off

By Lynette Norris

Greene Publishing, Inc.

It started out, a simple idea from a recent conversation that Rev. Robert Holmes had with Ben Killingsworth, principal of Madison County High School, after there had been six fights at the school in one week.

But the germ of that idea began many years before that.

Holmes had been an educator for many years before he entered the ministry, teaching seventh grade social studies at Madison County Central School.  One day, a student’s mother came to visit his classroom, and ended up sitting in on all of his classes for the entire day.

“That was the easiest day I’ve ever had,” said Holmes.  “Not one single disciplinary problem the entire day.”

Instead, the students were on their best behavior, and continually shushing each other, because, “we have a visitor.”

The presence of a parent in the classroom had what Holmes described as a “chilling effect” on the usual unruly behavior.

Fast-forward several years, to his more recent conversation with Killingsworth: “An idea – so simple,” had begun to take shape after that conversation, said Holmes.

It blossomed into the purpose behind two meetings held Sunday, Oct. 30.  Rev. Holmes met with the ministers of the Ministers, Deacons and Laymen Training Union, an organization consisting about 20 black churches in Madison County.  Holmes is also the First Vice President of the organization; Rev. Charles Barfield is the President.

In the second meeting, Rev. Bob Knight of Lee United Methodist met with the Ministerial Association, an organization of white churches in Madison, over which he also presides.

The leadership of both organizations has spoken with School Superintendent Lou Miller, who supports their efforts on behalf of Madison schoolchildren.

The two meetings were held Sunday, with the common goal of reaching parents of children in the public school system.  Part of the very simple idea Holmes had envisioned, was the need to get the word out to as many parents as possible via the county’s large network of churches, about the need for many, many, more parents to become involved in the public school system.

“We need them to become involved in their children’s education,” said Holmes, who wanted to emphasize that he meant more than just dropping the children off at school and coming back only when there was a problem.

The schools also need more parents when things are going well.  More parents who could sometimes sit in on a child’s class.  More parents who could sit in the bleachers with their children’s class during school assemblies.  More parents who could lend a hand during science fairs and health fairs.  More parents who could go on field trips.

There are several faithful parents who help out now, but more are needed, said Holmes.  Many more.  Those parents who can come in and visit and get involved when things are going well are a big help in keeping things going well, because, as he pointed out, “when someone’s mom or dad is right there, watching, they (the children) are much less inclined to do devilish things.”

So, the more parents, the better.

Of the meeting Sunday, Holmes stated that he was quite pleased with the results.  All the letters had gone out to all the churches and all the congregations, and Holmes was very encouraged with the response from his own congregation.  Based on the feedback he got from the parents, he feels quite confident that many of them will now be involved, or become more involved, in their children’s education.

He looks forward to seeing more parents stepping up, and to seeing what happens when they put this very simple idea into action, for the benefit of not only their own children but others as well.

Some of the many ways parents can help include: encouraging their child to do his or her best; setting goals and high expectations; supporting the teachers; keeping check of their child’s progress on FOCUS http://portal.madison.k12.fl.us/joomla/ ; reminding the child to be positive and respectful; participating in PTO meetings; and becoming a mentor, tutor or volunteer.

If parents would like to get involved, or more involved with their child’s education, there is a contact person at each school ready to help: Madison County High School, Evelyn Chancy, 973-5061 Ext. 182; Madison County Central School, Lisa Daniels, 973-5046 Ext. 132; Lee Elementary, Cindy Thomas 973-5030; Greenville Elementary, Lisa Davis, 973-5033; Pinetta Elementary, Sandra McDonald, 973-5028; Excel School, Linda McFarland, 973-5054; Project Safe Zone, Jodie Price, Mentor Coordinator, 973-5192.

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Video: Attorney Announces Gov. Scott Has Suspended Board Member Tina Johnson

November 2, 2011 Education, Front Page Comments Off

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Video: Second Part of Nov. 1, 2011 School Board Meeting

November 2, 2011 Education, Front Page Comments Off