School calendars approved for next two years

Madison families can plan trips for the next two years, thanks to school calendars approved at the Madison Board of Education meeting on Jan. 24.

Board member Phil Schmidt said parents will appreciate having the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 calendars available. “(The staff) has done a nice job of mirroring both years for people to make plans,” he said.

Students will start school on Aug. 7, 2012 and Aug. 6, 2013.

Columbia Elementary School Principal Nelson Brown and instructional partner Alyson Carpenter explained the instructional partner project. Columbia started with “affinity maps, which defined the best possible school for teaching and learning,” Brown said.

“We brought in Columbia’s team leaders” including literacy, technology, math, climate and diversity for input, Brown said. “For our teachers, (instructional partnering) is risk-free yet beneficial,” board member Ranae Bartlett said.

At request of the State Board of Education, the Madison board approved an affidavit of Alabama Immigration Compliance, which states that the district will satisfy eVerify requirements for hiring contractors and employees.

The board approved February as Digital Learning Month. “Technology has reached all of us and is a part of our life,” Superintendent Dr. Dee Fowler said. “The state department initiative celebrates innovative teaching and more personalized learning for students.”

Using Twitter in the classroom is one test case for digital learning.

Dr. John Green, principal at James Clemens High School, welcomed Nekeysha Jones as head volleyball coach and physical education teacher.

Judy Bollinger has been hired as interim ACCESS coordinator (Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators and Students Statewide). Anne Davidson retired as ACCESS director in December.

Board member Ranae Bartlett commended Bob Jones High School students Heidi King and Charise Hogan as winners in the Butterfly Project, a Junior League program. Counselor Rosalyn Smith nominated 10 girls who have overcome special hardships to reach personal goals.

The board will meet with local legislators at its annual breakfast in the Bob Jones culinary center on Jan. 27. The board’s next scheduled meeting is Feb. 9.