Principal’s Corner

Dear Families,

It’s winter, 2008, and we’re just heating up at MCMS!  It’s been a great first half of the year!  Although there have been many new exciting learning opportunities and programs at our school, I’d like to highlight just a few.

My Writing Web is a new web-based writing program that is being piloted in the sixth grade.  The program components allow students to practice their writing skills and receive immediate feedback.  Teachers have access to data that identify strength areas as well as areas that need emphasis.

Customtyping.com is a web-based program that we have been using with sixth grade band students.  Our goal is to have the students learn keyboarding skills through independent work several times a week at school as well as at home.

Accelerated Math- this program allows us to assess students’ math abilities and provides information regarding gaps in their mathematical learning.

Math Facts is a program being used for a select group of students who have yet to gain confidence and skills in adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. 

As you will note, many of our newly implemented programs are web-based computer programs.  As we continue to plan for the future of our students, we will continue to grow our technology supports.  We appreciate our very active PTO, which continues to fund our leased portable computer lab.  We also appreciate the support received by our School Board and county commissioners which have allocated the necessary funds to purchase a second portable computer lab.

This year, our entire building has adopted the Positive Behavior Support program, which is a nationally known program with a North Carolina initiative aimed at providing schools with a system of positive student behavior and responsibility. Although we are still monitoring the implementation and “tweaking” our procedures, we feel that our students are responding favorably to the system.  The overall to the program is teaching the specific behaviors we want to see demonstrated in our classrooms.  The behaviors include respect and responsibility.

Thank you for your continued partnership.  If you have any questions or concerns, we welcome your involvement.  Please contact individual teachers, counselors or administrators so that we may better serve your family.

Sincerely,

Sue Kreuser