Monticello School District- "Believing, Achieving, Succeeding"
MONTICELLO SCHOOL DISTRICT MISSION STATEMENT
It is the mission of the Monticello School District to create a safe and secure environment that fully supports all students as learners, all staff as professionals, and all parents, patrons, and community members as vital parts in establishing and promoting education as a life-long learning process.
Vision: Fostering A Community of Lifetime Learners
Sandra Lanehart, Superintendent
935 Scogin Drive, Monticello AR 71655
870-367-4000
Congratulations to the members of the Monticello High School Billie Band for their achievement last night in El Dorado at the Region III Concert Assessment. The band received all superior ratings on stage and superior performance in sightreading. This score, combined with a superior rating in marching assessment, awards them with their TENTH CONSECUTIVE SWEEPSTAKES. A sweepstakes is the highest honor a school band in Arkansas can receive.
Six members of the Monticello High School forensics and debate team competed in the 2019 Arkansas forensics and debate state championship this past weekend in North Little Rock. All six members earned the right to compete by qualifying for the state tournament in various competitions throughout the year. Each of the students was active all year having participated in over half of the qualifying tournaments to which MHS traveled. Daniel Outlaw, our soul debate competitor, was successful in breaking into the quarterfinal round of competition in Lincoln Douglas debate. The duo interpretation team of senior Hope Burmeister and Junior Kalyn Knowles made it to semi finals with their adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie. Kalyn Knowles also advanced to the semi final round of competition in prose interpretation. All members of the state team have earned enough points to be inducted into the national speech and debate association, an honor fraternity for high school students. Even more impressive, Caleb Forrest, Daniel Outlaw, Ariene Thompson, and Michael Underwood are each in their first year of competition. We are so proud of the students who represented MHS and our town with class and dedication in this academic competition.
Congratulations to the MHS Quiz Bowl Team for qualifying to compete in the 4A Championship on April 27th at 8:00 a.m. live on AETN!
The Seark Co-op Jr/Sr Chess tournament yielded two winners for Monticello. Matilda Henris (7th grade) placed 2nd, and Hayden Turner (9th grade) took 1st. Both are Gifted & Talented students.
The Monticello Robotics Club has qualified for the World Championship. These young men partnered with Drew Central to come in as first runner ups in the Arkansas State VEX Robotics Tournament. There were 64 teams (middle school and high school VRC) competing for spots at VEX Worlds! Last year, the state of Arkansas had 276 teams and 460 teams this year! #robomania #proudtobeabillie
Congratulations to Monticello High School Quiz Bowl. We finished 1st place undefeated in the 4A Regional Tournament. They worked so hard and are very deserving. We’re going to STATE!!! And Congrats to Lucas Babst who won MVP. He answered over 90 questions correctly!!!
Six members of Monticello High School FCCLA chapter competed yesterday, February 21 at the FCCLA State STAR Events Competition in Conway. Over 480 FCCLA members from 113 different chapters from across the state competed. Students compete against a rubric to receive a score which rates their project as bronze, siler, or gold. The top two scores out of each event advance to the national competition. This year the National Leadership Conference and STAR Event competition will be held in Anaheim, CA. Below are the events, students and ratings received.
Advocacy - Whitney Wilson - Silver
Chapter Service Project - Emily Haddox and Jada Brown - Silver
Life Event Planning - Felicia Schroeder and RaLyon Shaw - Silver
Teach and Train - Mylynn Holstead - Gold - Advanced to Nationals
Each of these students have decided time, effort, and a lot of work since the beginning of school and had to advance from the district level to make it to state. I couldn't be prouder and hope you will congratulation them when you see them.
Pictured Right to Left:
Whitney Wilson, Mylynn Holstead, Jada Brown, RaLyon Shaw, Felicia Schroeder, Emily Haddox
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Dallas Cathey competed in the Arkansas Regional Braille Challenge at the Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired on February 7, 2019. Dallas placed 2nd in his division. He is a current 4th grader at Monticello Intermediate School. They are tested in four different sessions spanning from 9:00 am to 1:30 pm.
The Braille Challenge is the only academic competition of its kind in North America for students who are blind or visually impaired. Braille Institute developed the Braille Challenge to motivate students to practice and hone their braille literacy skills, which are essential to academic and employment success.
Any blind or visually impaired student in grades 1 – 12 who can read and write braille is eligible to participate in the Braille Challenge. All Contestants are divided into five categories and tested on fundamental braille skills such as reading comprehension, spelling, speed and accuracy, proofreading, and charts and graphs. Contests are proctored by volunteer Teachers of the Visually Impaired and scored locally by volunteer transcribers, based on national guidelines.
MHS Future Business Leaders of America recently attended the FBLA District Leadership Conference in Stuttgart. The following students who are pictured above placed at district and will represent MHS at the state conference in Little Rock:
(Back row left to right) Cole Hawkins, 2nd place in Introduction to Business; Bradley Dallas, 2nd place in Organizational Leadership; Allison Abney, 3rd place in Personal Finance.
(Front row left to right) Ariene Thompson, 2nd place in Introduction to Information Technology, Hannah McDougald, 5th place in Health Care Administration; Abbie Wargo, 3rd place in Word Processing.
Monticello Jr. Quiz Bowl team recently took 1st place in a tournament sponsored by the Southeast Coop. They also placed 1st in the Arkansas Governor's Quiz Bowl Regional Tournament which qualified them to attend the State tournament on February 23rd. Team Captain Teddy Headlee was named MVP. Congratulations! We're proud of you.
kneeling: Jayden Johnson (scorekeeper) and Autumn Smith
standing L to R: Sabina Day, Teddy Headlee (Captain), Dylan Snuffer, Blane Kizer
Coach: Deana Smith
A small group of our MHS Forensics and Debate Team traveled to Cabot for the weekend to compete in the 2019 Cabot Classic. Over 500 students from across the state competed in this tournament, and our team did well. The debate team of Kasey Brown and Daniel Outlaw advanced to the octo-final round of Public Forum debate. Several students advanced to the semi-final round of competition: Hope Burmeister (Dramatic Interp), Kalyn Knowles (Informative Speaking), Ariene Thompson (Original Oratory), and Michael Underwood (Original Oratory). Kalyn Knowles also won 3rd place out of 53 competitors in Prose Interpretation. We are so proud of these kids, so if you see them, give them a high-five or pat on the shoulder!
These students are true winners. They competed all day Saturday at the Drew Central Invitational. They won all day until the last game where they lost in Sudden Death to ASMSA by one question. They came in second place but we are so proud of them. Congratulations Monticello High School Quiz Bowl.
These 11th and 12th grade Gifted and Talented students attended the Arkansas Association for Gifted Education Administrators Youth Leadership Conference on November 27. Olivia White toured the National Center for Toxicological Research, while Kenny Bragg, AnnaMarie Pesaresi, Justin Glauser, and Caroline Groves observed a mock Supreme Court trial and heard from Justice Rhonda Wood. The students also enjoyed performances by the Rockefeller Quartet from the Arkansas Symphony.
Congratulations to MHS members who competed in the District IV FCCLA STAR Events Competition held November 8 in Cabot. These students have been working on their projects since August and the hard work paid off yesterday. They represented MHS and FCCLA well. If you see one of these ladies, ask them about their project. I know they would love to share.
~ Whitey Wilson - Advocacy - Silver Rating - Advancing to State
~ Jada Brown and Emily Haddox - Chapter Service Project - Gold -
Advancing to State
~ Jada Trotter and Jazmin Gomez - Illustrated Talk - Silver
~ Felicia Schroder and RaLyon Shaw - Life Event Planning - Advancing
to State
~ Mylynn Holstead - Teach and Train - Advancing to State
The MHS Band attended the ASBOA Region 3 Marching Assessment last night which was held in the Warren Middle School gymnasium. The MHS Band received 1st division superior ratings from the 3 judges, giving them a 1st division rating overall. This was the 10th consecutive year that the MHS Band has received a superior rating at this assessment.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING GRANT PRESENTATION
The Motor Vehicle Commission awarded $150,000.00 in Education and Training Grant funds to secondary and post-secondary schools from across the state on Monday, April 30, 2018, at 11:30 a.m. during a ceremony held at the State Capitol. Governor Hutchinson spoke to the recipients and presented the grant awards.
Since the program started three years ago, the Commission has awarded nearly $450,000.00 to twenty-two (22) deserving secondary and post-secondary institutions. The purpose of the Education & Training Grant Program is to provide funds for education and technical training in the field of vehicle service and maintenance in an effort to increase the available workforce of service technicians.
For 2018, the Commission carefully selected the following eleven (11) recipients for the 3rd Annual Education & Training Grant Program:
Arkansas Tech Career Center, ASUB/ Searcy Campus, Cabot High School, Gentry High School Conversion Charter, Monticello Occupational Education Center, Northeast Arkansas Career & Technical Center, Northwest Technical Institute, Ouachita Career Center, Pulaski Technical College, University of Arkansas Cossatot, and Waldron High School.
The Education and Training Grant Program was created by Act 258 of 2015 and is operated by the Motor Vehicle Commission.
On April 17, the Monticello Elementary Quiz Bowl team competed against area schools and came away with First Place.
Team members are: Front row, L to R: Zeke Babst, Trey Knight, Zach Akin, Cameron Armbrust.
Back row, L to R: Kaylie Jester, Teddy Headlee, Joselyn Camarena, Madeline Stanley, and Anita Skinner, Coach.
Darrell McDaniel accepts an $8,000 grant from Haas for the 2019 school year. Mr. McDaniel is the Machine Tool instructor at Monticello Occupational Education Center.
The Monticello Occupational Education Center (OEC) recently received a Haas CNC Mini Mill through the Workforce Alliance for Southeast Arkansas that is funded by an Arkansas Department of Higher Education Regional Workforce Implementation Grant awarded to the University of Arkansas at Monticello. Part of the grant’s purpose is to provide opportunities in southeast Arkansas to prepare individuals for a career in the advanced manufacturing industry. Regional manufacturing industry leaders are developing a unified alliance patterned after a Toyota Developed program entitled Kentucky Federation of Advanced Manufacturing Education (KY FAME). Several states now support FAME programs which are an apprenticeship-type work-and-learn experience that can lead to an associate degree in applied manufacturing technology. The new CNC Mini Mill will provide the students at the OEC the opportunity to broaden their knowledge from manual precision machining to automated machining. The Machine Tool program at the Monticello OEC is instructed by Darrell McDaniel. Mr. McDaniel has spent twenty-three years in business and industry at Burlington in the industrial maintenance department and the past fifteen years has taught Machine Tool, the very class he took as a high school student, to Monticello and Drew Central High School students. Mr. McDaniel has a passion for teaching students the trade that he loves so well. The new CNC Mini Mill will add to the program where students will start with manual machining and work their way to the CNC Mill and Lathe. The Director of the Monticello Occupational Education Center, Randy Lay, expressed their appreciation to the UAM College of Technology-Crossett for including the OEC in their partnership efforts to enhance workforce training opportunities in southeast Arkansas through the Workforce Alliance.
These Monticello Senior High students recently competed in the regional Arkansas Governor's Quiz Bowl games in Hamburg. They won four out of five games, earning second place and a spot at the state tournament, which will be held on April 7 in Arkadelphia.
L to R: Hunter Workman (Captain) , Lucas Babst, Tariq Jenkins, LaDeena Kincade (Coach), Bradley Dallas, Kenny Bragg, A'Quan Tyler, Justin Glauser
On March 8, these students participated in the Young Voters Workshop, hosted by the Secretary of State. They learned the history of voting laws, how the electoral college works, and the importance of casting their votes. During a tour of the Capitol, they met Governor Hutchison! L to R picture with Governor: Danielle Batson, Haley Hill, Kasey Brown, Jamya Pinkney, ReNya Vincent, Lily Sadler.
SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNIZED FOR SERVICE IN JANUARY
MONTICELLO SCHOOL DISTRICT joins districts across the state to celebrate School Board Member Recognition Month in January. More than 1500 Arkansas school board members are being honored for their service and dedication to public education.
“Our board members assume a crucial role in representing our students and advocating for public education,” said Mrs. Sandra Lanehart. “We are very proud of our members, and Arkansas School Board Recognition Month is a great time to recognize them and celebrate their accomplishments.”
The members serving on the MONTICELLO SCHOOL BOARD are:
Mr. Thomas W. Maxwell-1 year of service
Mr. Keith Wells, Vice President-8 years of service
Mr. John McClendon-4 years of service
Mr. Curt Preston, President- 7 years of service
Dr. Michael Fakouri-6 years of service
As publicly elected school leaders, Arkansas school board members set policy for their respective districts. Under state law, they are empowered to hire and evaluate the superintendent, oversee district finances, approve the budget, and determine the vision and mission of the district. School boards must also approve the curriculum and ensure the district maintains adequate facilities for teaching and learning.
In addition to their board duties, state law requires Arkansas school board members to earn a minimum of six hours of professional development each year in areas related to their role and responsibilities.
On behalf of the educators and students of this District, we wish to honor these five men for their devotion and care and concern for each student in the Monticello School District. We appreciate their dedication to the District as they tirelessly work to produce the best education for the children of this District.
The 6th grade students in Mrs. Knight’s art class, during the first 9 weeks, chose individual rescued dog by our local dog shelter, 2nd Chancefur Dogs, and created their very own dog portraits. As the process progressed, Mr. Jimmy Orrell visited the classes sharing his career of being an auctioneer and how his online website worked. Also, Mr. Orrell offered a lending hand and posted all of the students’ artwork on his site for a week-long online bidding. Furthermore, he waived his fee so all the earnings could go directly to our local shelter. The students had people buy their artwork from as far away as California and many others being out of town. The students raised $950.00 and donated it to the shelter presenting the check Mrs. Kathy Lou Engelkes. The students learned many interesting facts about 2nd Chancefur Dogs and how to raise and care for animals. They also learned that individuals are not getting their dogs spayed and neutered generating our community having an uprising population of unwanted and discarded animals.
The Monticello Jr. /Sr. Chess Team played February 10 in a regional tournament at the Southeast Co-op.
Players were: (L to R) Hayden Turner, Lucas Babst, Trae Milburn, Ariene Thompson, Justin Glauser, Kenny Bragg, and Hunter Workman.
Hayden placed 2nd in Jr. division, and Lucas took 1st in Jr. division.
Kenny earned 3rd place in Sr. division.
Monticello School District hosted the Region 12 Archery Tournament on Saturday, February 10, 2018. Over 200 students participated ranging from 4th grade to 12th grade. Monticello Middle School came in 1st Place and Monticello Intermediate School had two teams - one placed 1st and the other placed 5th. 1st Place teams are headed to the state tournament on March 2, 2018 in Hot Springs at the Convention Center.
Congratulations to Monticello High School Concert Choir and Madrigals. Both groups earned all Superior 1st Division ratings and a perfect 100% score from one of the judges in both their performance and sight reading at the Region 3 Choral Performance Assessment in Pine Bluff on yesterday. These ratings qualify each group for Sweepstakes in April. Our kids did a splendid job as representatives of the school and community.
Four MHS members were recently selected to the Arkansas All-State Choir. Pictured from left to right: Orelando Carodine, 4th chair Tenor 2- Mixed Choir. Orelando was also offered a full choir scholarship from Henderson State University for placing in the top 5 at all-state. Meghan Shepherd, 12th chair and Evelyn Johnson, 21st chair Soprano 2-Female Chorus. Raymond Carmine, 25th chair-Male Chorus. The All-State Music Conference featured the performances of the state's finest choral and band musicians.
