Friday, December 9, 2011

December 9, 2011

I want to take this opportunity to congratulate everyone on a great first semester. From faculty and staff to students, everyone has worked so hard to put forth their best effort. Around exam time everyone gets focused, but it seems that this year the commitment has been there all along.

I had the opportunity to visit some of the student technology presentations this week and last and came away very impressed with the work our students are doing. Next semester our computer applications’ students will begin “project based learning” where they will utilize technology in both individual and group projects. The skills that they learn in this class will serve them well in their college years and beyond.

I was also very impressed with our new online class “Principles of Personal Finance.” Mr. Barry Coleman has done a magnificent job designing the course and teaching the class. These students now have a basic understanding of how to handle their personal finances. They have learned simple things like spending less than you make – what a novel idea! Are you listening, Washington, DC?

However, I am just as proud of the giving and serving attitude of our students as well. From Samaritan Purse’s “Shoe Boxes for Christmas” to the Interact Club helping Senatobia First United Methodist fill 10,000 meals to help feed the hungry, our students have been involved in looking for ways to serve. Closer to home, Mrs. Meg Woods and the National Honor Society have set up an after school tutoring service, and our kindergarten entertained the residents of Providence Place with Christmas carols last week. Serving others and giving back are valuable lessons learned at school and home, and we are certainly proud of these students and many others who give so unselfishly of their time, talent, and treasure. What a great example these students are modeling for all of us!

In all of this I hope we haven’t forgotten the real reason for this special time of the year. I hope and pray that each of you remember the greatest gift of all Jesus Christ, who came from His eternal home to live and die a sacrificial death for us that we might spend eternity with Him.

From all of us, we wish you a very Merry Christmas. I hope you have a safe and joyful Holiday season!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

October 27, 2011

I hope that you had the opportunity to come to the Harvest Fun Festival Monday night. We had a great crowd on campus and lots of fun, food, and fellowship. Of course we are excited that everyone had such a good time, but more importantly, the Parents’ Club again raised needed money to fund those projects and programs that make our school special.

I want to offer my gratitude to Amy Gordon (this year’s Parents’ Club President) and the entire cadre of Parents’ Club volunteers who set up and worked the various games, served and prepared the food, and coordinated the different events like Bingo and Chrysler’s “Drive for the Kids,” to help make it a such a rousing success. I absolutely love watching all the children (young and old) scurrying about having a great time. I was also very impressed with the students from the National Honor Society, who helped serve the Bar-B-Que and the Interact Club who ran the games out front, as part of their service projects for this year. These young student leaders are learning firsthand that to be an effective leader you must first have a servant’s heart.

So to all those who helped, and all those who attended, a big “Thank You” from all of us at MHS!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

September 14, 2011

As we say in my administrative circles, school is definitely back in swing! My calendar continues to fill with school events ranging from athletic contests to academic events. Our fall sports are underway with football, softball, soccer, and cheerleading. I hope that you will take the opportunity to catch one of the many athletic contests on tap for the month of September and support our Chiefs and Lady Chiefs as they compete for MHS.

Our seniors and juniors will be taking important tests this month with the PSAT and ACT test dates upcoming. Progress reports have been electronically delivered (saving paper and postage) and from all reports Ren-Web is up and going with only a few glitches. Today we have school day pictures for everyone, and the juniors will look at their class rings. Busy, Busy, Busy!

I also hope you had the opportunity to read about the iPads and Macbooks that were featured in the local papers recently. I had the pleasure of watching Mrs. Steward’s first grade and was totally amazed at how engaged the students were with the iPads and how intuitive they were in their operation. Mr. Coleman’s online class, Principles of Personal Finance, as well as his Economics class, were also busy the same week with the Macbooks in the library. I am so appreciative again of the Parents’ Club providing the funding for these technology projects. I KNOW that our students are getting a significant head start when it comes to the technology they’ll be using in college and their careers afterward.

Speaking of the Parents’ Club, please make your plans for the Harvest Fun Festival. It is scheduled for Monday, October 24. As always it will be a great night of food, fun and festivities for the entire family. I hope that you will look for ways to get involved with our Parents’ Club and if you can’t be, support them with your presence and donations.

Until next time, Go Chiefs!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

August 25, 2011

ACT test results were recently released by ACT to school districts and states all over the nation. Unfortunately, as a whole, ACT results for the Class of 2011 across the nation were disappointing with national rates only increasing from 21.0 to 21.1 (0.47%). As a whole Mississippi results fell from 18.8 to 18.7 and Tennessee rates fell from 20.9 to 20.7. Although we are not privy to local results, recent newspaper articles have indicated that local scores are down as well.

On the other hand for the Magnolia Heights Class of 2011, average ACT test results showed a significant increase, rising from 20.7 to 23.5, an increase of 2.8 points (13.5%), in one year. This is a direct result of the hard work of our faculty and our ACT test prep initiative implemented three years ago. Not only have we seen our top scores rise, but we are also seeing our mid and lower quartile scores rise as well. While the top scores of 34 and 33 from our students in the Class of 2011 were truly outstanding, we also saw those students who previously scored in the 20-21 range boost their scores to the 25-27 range, easily qualifying for thousands of scholarship dollars. The Class of 2012 shows even more promise with a top score of 35 already obtained.

This is further evidence of the extraordinary faculty members we are blessed to have at Magnolia Heights and their commitment to achieving our children’s academic promise.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

August 18, 2011

MHS alumni were in the news this morning.

First of all, United States Naval Officer, Petty Officer Stephen Ruhl, MHS Class of 2006, as well as Class President, telephoned News Channel 3 from his carrier, the USS George Washington, in the Pacific Ocean to tell everyone in his home town of Como hello. He was on for about five minutes and talked about his deployment and how proud he was to serve his country. He closed by extending his best wishes to his family, Dr. Forrester and Dee Ruhl, as well as his brothers and sisters Buck and Livie, MHS 8th and 7th graders respectively, Margaret Ellen (MHS Class of 2010 and a National Merit Finalist) who is on her way to Dickinson College, and Jonathan who is also serving our country in the US Navy (currently back from deployment as a medical corps ‘man in Afghanistan). Way to go Stephen! We are all so proud of you and all our men and women in uniform protecting our freedom and standing in the gap 24/7.

Also, Mississippi State football players, Addison Lawrence (MHS Class of 2007) and Cameron Lawrence (MHS Class of 2009) were featured in the Commercial Appeal and Clarion Ledger this morning. Addison has started every game at right tackle since the first game of his sophomore season. He has been selected as pre-season 3rd team All-SEC pick and has already earned his degree in Business graduating last May. Cameron, a two-year letter winner, shared starting duties last year and is projected as a starter this year as an outside linebacker. Way to go guys and good luck this year!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

August 16, 2011

What a great start!

School is off and running. From academics to athletics, school is back in full swing. Our faculty and students are getting back in the routine, and there seems to be a new enthusiasm this year I haven’t felt before. There are lots of smiles, and everyone has a bounce in their steps.

From my visit to the elementary classrooms on Wednesday, to our junior high and high school students moving to and from their classes, everyone was so excited to see their friends and start the new school year.

We are all looking forward to a great year! Please look for ways to get involved. Our parents’ involvement and participation are critical to our school’s success and there are many ways to participate and offer support. From volunteering to assisting in classrooms to helping in the athletic venues, there’s a place for everyone. The Parents' Club (of which all parents are members) needs volunteers and support for their many activities which provide so many needed extra resources for the school. Our athletic booster club, the Chiefs Club, provides the required revenue for our athletic programs. Both clubs need your support, so please volunteer and say “yes” when you are asked to help.

Thanks again for the great start. Go Chiefs

Thursday, July 28, 2011

July 28, 2011

Boy how the summer has flown by. Everyone has been so busy getting ready for the new school year. Teachers and administrators have attended workshops on utilizing technology in the classroom, improving the creative writing skills of our students, how to setup and use RenWeb (our new school management software), as well as many other offsite workshops and classes. Coaches have been running off-season workouts, camps and clinics. School maintenance and custodians have been attending to getting our facilities ready for the fall semester. Finally, our administrators have been busy enrolling new students, reviewing test scores, and setting up back-to-school in-service and activities.
However, even with all that going on, we are still very excited and ready for the new year. As an example, our kindergarten and lower elementary students will return to a new iPad cart with 25 iPads purchased by our Parents’ Club. To that end, teachers have been busy learning about the iPad and how to incorporate it into their classrooms. They are all excited about using the iPad to reinforce learning and give our students a leg up on utilizing this new technology.
Coach Coleman has been busy completing his online training on ‘‘Blended Learning.” This new educational delivery method will combine both online and face-to-face instruction. This blended class will provide a transition for our students as they advance on to college and are faced with required online classes in many of their fields of study. Not only will students learn the mechanics of online classes, the technology, etc, but they will also learn how time management and setting goals for completing tasks work into the completion of the class. He has set up his new online learning website through HaiKu and will be introducing his class to this new way of instruction. His class, “Principles of Personal Finance,” will also give our students valuable insight into how to manage their own personal finances, something so desperately needed in our nation at this time.
The Parents’ Club also purchased a new Macbook cart with 25 Apple Macbook computers. These computers will be used throughout the secondary grades with special emphasis in grades 7 and 8. Each teacher in grades 7 and 8 will have both group and individual technology projects for their students. These projects will be used to challenge the students to work in teams, think creatively and solve complex problems using the same type of technology they will see in their post-secondary education courses.
Indeed, the new school year is almost here and I hope everyone is ready. Many of our students have summer reading to finish; parents have school supplies to buy, and everyone is begining preparations to change from a summer routine back to school routine once again. There is just something special about the beginning of school. Whether seeing old friends or simply a desire to get back in the routine, whether we like to admit it or not, we miss school when it’s not in session.
So mark your calendar for August 10 and we’ll see you then

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

May 22, 2011


This past Sunday we were privileged to honor Mrs. Marilynne Burnside with a retirement reception. For the past 25 years Miss Marilynne has given Magnolia Heights’ students her very best. Her love and devotion for her students was witnessed on a daily basis. Whether comforting a little one who missed their mom, to making sure that everyone was on task, Miss Marilynne was always there. With her kind sweet smile, and the fact that she knew the names of all her students, Miss Marilynne always had a way of making sure you knew you were part of her family – the Magnolia Heights’ family.

Miss Marilynne started her 25 year career at Magnolia Heights as a 4 year old kindergarten teacher. There she, along with Miss Linda (Mrs. Linda Adams), taught the children the love of learning. Reading, writing, arithmetic and yes even recess – would all be worked on each day. By the end of the year, they were ready to graduate to 5K and learn the fundamentals that would serve them well through elementary school and beyond. Each year as she tearfully hugged each one, and most of the time they hugged back – she beamed with pride at how much they had learned and changed. Everyone else could see how much they enjoyed school and loved their teacher.

A few years later, and after many miles back and forth to “the school in Oxford” as she put it (Miss Marilynne is a big Bulldog fan), she earned her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and was named Elementary Principal. She served in that capacity for some 22 years and during her leadership Magnolia Heights’ elementary grew to unprecedented heights. A capital campaign was even undertaken to build new classrooms for the growing enrollment and MHS became a model for others to envy.

She would continue working with her students even in their high school years through golf, a game she dearly loves. She taught the boys, and a few girls, to respect the game and to develop skills that would serve them well – in high school and into their adult lives. She promoted junior golf with the same fervor and devotion used to teach 4 year olds how to read. You see, Miss Marilynne was a teacher and whether golf or reading - Respect, Knowledge and Skill were always stressed, no matter the task.

I had the privilege of both of my boys going through kindergarten and the elementary grades under her leadership. They not only knew they were loved, but would also be asked to give their best effort no matter what the endeavor. And you know – boys will be boys!
It has been said time and again that a true teacher touches the future each day. Hundreds of children will go on to be fruitful and productive citizens because of Miss Marilynne. There are only a few teachers, or for that matter people, that you never forget, and Miss Marilynne is one of those. We wish her well in her retirement and know that she will always be a Chief and will always be loved by all of us at Magnolia Heights.

Miss Marilynne we love you and wish you well – God Bless You….

May 20, 2011

Last Thursday night forty-nine seniors received their diplomas from Magnolia Heights. All forty-nine seniors in the class received a college or university scholarship. The total for all scholarship recipients was over $3 million. Among the forty-nine seniors were two National Merit Finalist and thirteen Mississippi Eminent scholars.

Commencement speaker Samuel Hong, a 2007 Magnolia Heights graduate and a 2010 graduate of Emory University challenged the students and all in attendance with an inspiring address of how God’s grace is always sufficient and how it has impacted his life as he prepares for Emory Medical School and continues his research into defeating Cancer. Sam’s address to the Class of 2011 can be found by clicking this link. We were also honored to have Sam’s parents here from South Korea to hear his address.

What an evening for Magnolia Heights – alumni making a difference in the world and a brand new class ready to begin their quest to be the best they can be. Thank you Sam and good luck Class of 2011!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

May 5, 2011


What a night for our seniors!

Last night was our annual Senior Awards Night. Each year we take a special evening to honor our seniors prior to their graduation. It’s our way of giving special significance to their honors and achievements, but also serves as a challenge to the junior class to accept the mantle of leadership for the upcoming school year.
What a year our seniors have had academically! Eleven students earned Mississippi Eminent Scholar status (29 or above on ACT), two students were named National Merit Finalist, and a dozen were selected for honors’ programs at colleges and universities across the nation. The average ACT for the class was over 23 (a true average because all MHS students - all 49 of the seniors - must take the ACT). There are 49 students in the Class of 2011 and all 49 received a college scholarship! Over $3.5 million in scholarship dollars were offered to the Class of 2011! What a testament to their hard work and their parents’ sacrifice to afford them a Magnolia Heights education. And what a testament to the outstanding job of Mr. Keith Godbold, Director of College Admissions, and the entire Magnolia Heights faculty, staff and administration.

It was truly a great night for everyone and congratulations Class of 2011! 

Thursday, April 28, 2011

April 27, 2011

As many of you know after 25 years of faithful and dedicated service to MHS, Mrs. Marilynne Burnside has announced her retirement at the end of the school year. Over the past few months we have been soliciting and accepting applications for her position as well as completing interviews.
I am pleased to announce that Mrs. Allyson Mitchell will assume those duties for the 2011-12 school year. Mrs. Mitchell has been with Magnolia Heights for the past 15 years as a classroom teacher, guidance counselor, and admissions director. She has a total of 23 years in education with her first three years in the Desoto County public schools. She then served five years at Woodland Presbyterian School in Memphis prior to her employment at Magnolia Heights in 1995 as a 4 year old kindergarten teacher.
She received her B.A. and her Masters in Educational Administration from The University of Mississippi. She also received an endorsement in counseling from Ole Miss in 1996.
I am excited about Allyson coming onboard as our new Elementary Principal. I know that she brings a wealth of experience to the position and as a Magnolia Heights faculty member and parent, knows our story, our legacy, and our promise to be the best we can be as we continue to provide the best education available in our region.

Congratulations Allyson!

Thursday, April 21, 2011

April 21, 2011

I want to congratulate our State Science Fair students and those who participated in the Mississippi Economic Summit.
For the 14th consecutive year (and 19 out of the last 20 years) MHS was selected by the MAIS State Science Fair as a School of Excellence, just falling a few points short of the overall championship this year. Congratulations to Mr. Bob Dees, Mrs. Martha Goodwin, Coach Carrie Dever-Boaz and Mrs. Jennifer Williams on a job well done. There were 33 projects entered and MHS students earned 15 wins. There were 7 first place winners, 5 second place winners, and 3 third place winners. MHS also won Best of Fair in Class V.
At the Mississippi Economic Council Economic Summit, Barry Coleman’s MHS teams gave an outstanding account of themselves as well.
The International Economics Summit was an interactive convention of high school teams that assume the role of a specific nation's economic advisers. This is a learning experience for high school and university students on globalization, international relations and economics. At the Summit, student teams, representing the nations of today's complex world, competed for scarce resources, formed strategic country alliances, debated global issues, invested in long term development projects, interacted with global economic institutions, and to stabilize and advance the global economy.
There were over 80 teams at the summit divided into 3 categories: Developed Nations, Developing Nations and Less Developed Nations. Each school was given 3 countries, one in each category. The countries given to MHS were Israel (Developed Nation), Hungry (Developing Nation), and Peru (Less Developed Nation). Israel and Hungary finished 3rd in their categories and Peru finished 2nd (one point out of first). Hungary and Peru were two of only 4 teams to score 100% on the geography quiz and Israel was one of 6 finalists in the debate as well as winning the costume judging for the entire summit. For more information please go to the link on the MHS website.
We are being told that to succeed in the future, in a global economy, students will need to think creatively, work in teams, and solve complex problems. They may be solving problems for jobs that don’t even exist today. MHS is developing these skills in our students not only through science fairs and economic summits, but also in many other areas as well. It is, and always has been, our mission and purpose to prepare our students for college and the world to come.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

April 14, 2011

There are several curriculum changes being planned for next year that have me very excited. I think it goes without saying how important it is that as a school we continue to evaluate our curriculum and programs on an annual basis. This process includes being guided by mandates from accreditation agencies (SACS, SAIS, and MAIS), assessments from colleges and universities, along with insights of parents and alumni, as to the preparedness of our graduates, as well as making sure that MHS stays at the forefront on any educational or technological advances.
As an example, this past year our sixth-grade math program was replaced with the new Prentice-Hall math curriculum. Because of its rigor and content, with more algebra and geometry, as well as more critical thinking skills, we are now looking at moving it to grades four and five next year. This will help bridge any gap that might exist between elementary math and pre-algebra in the seventh grade.
At the secondary level next year we will begin requiring our tenth-grade students to take a personal finance class. Called Principles of Personal Finance, this will be a blended class with much of the work done online. There will be some class time each week devoted to face-to-face contact with the teacher, as well as guest speakers from the area of personal finance from time to time. Mr. Barry Coleman will teach the class and will focus on making sure our students have an understanding of budgets, spending, saving, planning for retirement, as well as many other principles that seem to be lost on the upcoming generation. The online component will help prepare our students for online courses in college. Many colleges are now moving some of their freshman-level courses to an online educational delivery system.
In technology we are moving keyboarding from ninth grade to the fifth and sixth grades. Presently, by the time our current ninth graders take keyboarding, many of them have already acquired poor typing habits that are difficult to break. By moving keyboarding skills into the elementary grades, not only will we help prevent the development of bad habits, but we will also provide additional computer time to teach our students project-based learning as well.
We are hopeful that in the not-too-distant future that we will have a cart of laptop computers for grades 5-8 and a cart of i-pads for pre-kindergarten and lower elementary that can be used in those areas. Have you ever watched a kindergarten student on an i-pad, i-phone or i-touch? It is unbelievable how skilled they are and the things they can make them do!
As I said earlier, at the secondary level, keyboarding will be dropped and one credit of computer will be added. The first class, taken in the ninth grade, will be Computer Applications I. This class will center on the application of popular word processing, spreadsheet, and PowerPoint presentation programs. A new class, Computer Applications II, will then be required in the tenth grade. It will be a project-based learning class where students will create projects utilizing technology. There will be individual project assignments as well as group projects. Students will not only be graded on the technology content, but also on communications skills, both written and oral, presentation, and teamwork. This is consistent with what many college classes are requiring of students enrolled in their courses.
In the seventh grade, block will be replaced by a semester of Intro to Foreign Language. Students will study Spanish and other languages to prepare them for the languages they will be taking in grades 9-12.
Much research has been done on what kind of mind will be required in the workforces of the future – a workforce that will compete in a global economy, a workforce that must be prepared to speak a language other than English, a workforce that must be able to work in teams, a workforce that must be on the cutting edge using technology, a workforce that is creative, and, finally, a workforce that includes being good stewards of the resources that God gives us.
It is our intention to continue to augment our basic “reading, writing, and arithmetic,” with knowledge and skills that will put MHS students in a position to succeed. Alan Williams, of Teammates Matter, told our students a few weeks back that “success is preparation meeting opportunity.” It is our mission to prepare our students for the opportunities they will indeed face in the world of tomorrow.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

March 31, 2011

For the past two and a half days, Magnolia Heights hosted a Peer Review Team from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) as part of the school’s re-accreditation process. The visiting team, comprised of teachers and administrators from Mississippi, Tennessee, and North Carolina, toured the campus, visited classrooms, interviewed students, faculty, trustees, and parents, checked the school’s compliance with standards, and validated the school’s 5-Year School Improvement Plan.

The committee unanimously recommended re-accreditation and left very favorably impressed with Magnolia Heights, its students and faculty, and the level of educational excellence fostered at the school.

SAIS has 338 member schools from 11 southeastern states, the Caribbean, and Latin America, making SAIS one of the largest regional independent school associations in the country.  SAIS represents over 180,000 students. SACS is part of AdvancED. AdvancED is the world’s largest education community, serving more than 27,000 public and private schools and districts across the United States and in 69 countries that educate over 15 million students.

This validates what we already know: that our students are receiving an outstanding college preparatory education that will indeed prepare them for the rigors of college and life beyond, and is recognized by peer educators from schools across the region as such. I want to thank everyone who participated in the process and particularly to thank Allison Burris and her School Improvement Committee.

Well Done!!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

March 23, 2011

Once again I have the privilege of bringing you up to date and congratulating our students and faculty on their outstanding accomplishments.

Mr. Bob Dees and Mrs. Jennifer Williams took 26 MAIS District Science Fair winners from Magnolia Heights (only Class IV and V, grades 9-12) to the International Science Fair Competition at Ole Miss yesterday. MHS was the only private school represented. Among the public schools participating were Oxford High School, Southaven High School, South Panola High School, as well as several DeSoto County Schools and many other public schools across North Mississippi. At the awards ceremony 23 of the 26 MHS projects placed and were awarded medals. Of the 23 projects receiving an award, 13 were invited to participate in the state-wide public school competition next week in Starkville. Jake Austin Smith’s project, “Expired Pharmaceuticals: Fact or Fallacy” was selected as one of the “Best of Fair” projects and is an alternate to attend the International Science Fair in Los Angeles this summer, and Zach Shackelford won $200 from Intel for his project’s excellence in computer science!

One of our secondary faculty members, Mr. Barry Coleman, was honored last night as “Tate County Educator of the Year” by The Tate County Economic Development Foundation. Mr. Coleman has taught history and economics at MHS for the last 9 years. He is the first MHS teacher to achieve “Master Teacher” certification from the state of Mississippi. He has written for the AP Economics exam and was instrumental in the development of the state-wide economic curriculum. He is currently developing a personal finance course that will be required of all MHS 10th graders beginning next fall. As a testament to his dedication and excellence in the classroom, the MHS Seniors of 08, 09, and 10 chose him as the teacher that most influenced them at Magnolia Heights. Way to go Coach Coleman!

It’s always great to see our students and faculty receive the credit they so richly deserve for the job they do day in and day out. Way to Go Chiefs!

Monday, March 7, 2011

March 7, 2011

It’s amazing how fast the school year is passing. We are already quickly approaching spring break. Registration for next year is well underway with alumni registering this week and new students beginning March 21. Where does the time go? The spring sports are well underway; achievement tests are just around the corner; everyone is so busy; and yet MHS students continue to make headlines with their achievement.
In District Science Fair competition at Kirk Academy last week, MHS students dominated the awards ceremonies with 37 ribbons out of a possible 54. These students will now advance to the International Science Fair at Ole Miss March 22 and the MAIS State Science Fair April 6. Congratulations go to Mr. Dees, Mrs. Goodwin, Coach Carie, and Mrs. Williams and all the MHS students who have worked so hard on their projects. Good luck at the State and International Fairs!!
Spiritual Emphasis week is underway this week. Today Jason Cook, former Ole Miss football player and Campus FCA Director at Ole Miss spoke. Tomorrow, Alan Williams of Teammates First will speak. Alan’s book Walk-On: Life from the End of the Bench is his personal story of life as a walk on basketball player at Wake Forrest University. The message of his book, fighting for something greater than self, has led him to a career in motivational speaking.  Wayne Hill of the Senatobia First United Methodist Church will speak Wednesday and John Ingstrom, North Mississippi FCA Director, will conclude on Thursday. As always you are certainly welcome to attend any or all of the sessions. We begin at 8:15 and are usually done by 8:45.
Although the students will begin their spring break after classes on Thursday, our teachers will meet with over 250 other teachers from all over MAIS District 1 on Friday at MHS. Alan Williams will deliver the keynote address. He will be followed by Neill Hitchcock of Apple Computers who will demonstrate the educational opportunities of using Apple’s I-Pad in the classroom.
I hope everyone has a safe and restful spring break!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

February 22, 2011

Service and Achievement

Over the last couple of weeks MHS students have demonstrated once again not only how academically gifted they are, but also how willing they are to give back to the school and community.

Each year the MAIS (Mississippi Association of Independent Schools) sponsors among many activities, a state spelling bee, art contest, and science fairs.

Last week the local winners of the MHS spelling bee participated in the district spelling bee at Oxford University School. Lindsey Axthelm won 1st place in the 4th grade and Zach Hollingsworth won 3rd place in the 5th grade at the MAIS District I Spelling Bee. Elementary art contest winners were also posted and MHS had many district and state winners (names will be released at a later date).

As an example of service, the Interact Club helped with the State AAA basketball tournament and all our varsity and junior high players served as team host. Our Broadcast Journalism class helped WI-FI Sports broadcast all the games live on the Internet. Five members of the Interact club helped the Senatobia Rotary Club with their quarterly Blood Drive. Talk about sacrificial giving!

Even our alumni are making news. Sam Hong, a 2007 MHS graduate who lived as an exchange student with MHS faculty member Mrs. Fay Hurt, received early admission to Emory Medical School in Atlanta. Emory Medical School is one of the top medical schools in the United States. Sam turned down offers from other schools including Vanderbilt Medical School to remain at Emory where he has been working in their cancer research center as an undergrad.

When you think about service, you can’t help but also remember the scores of parent volunteers that help make our school what it is today. This past Thursday evening a great time was had by all and thousands of dollars were raised for Magnolia Heights. The Parents' Club under the leadership this year of April Lipscomb, hosted “Catfish in Como.” Lori Puryear Barrett chaired this year’s event and, along with her committee, provided a fun night for all in attendance. The auction and dinner will provide needed funds for those extra items not in each school budget. Over the years the Parents’ Club has donated funds for technology purchases and upgrades, classroom supplies, teacher start-up money, helped with major purchases such as school buses, and provided delicious food and snacks for teacher appreciation and other meetings hosted by the school. We are forever indebted to our Parents’ Club and the numerous ways they serve the teachers and students of MHS each day.

Service and achievement – integral parts of the tradition of excellence at Magnolia Heights School. Way to go!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

February 8, 2011

Yesterday was a great day for MHS seniors Margaret Ellen Ruhl and Colby Ruth Holden. They received notification that they were named National Merit Finalist!
Of the 1.5 million entrants, some 50,000 with the highest PSAT/NMSQT® Selection Index scores (critical reading + mathematics + writing skills scores) qualify for recognition in the National Merit® Scholarship Program. Of those, 16,000 are chosen as National Merit Semi-Finalist. From those 16,000, the top students are named finalist. All of us at MHS are so proud of Colby and Margaret Ellen and wish them both well as they move on to the next stage of their lives.
Also congratulations are in order for MHS senior Mac McDonald. Mac signed with Coach Ricky Woods and Northwest Mississippi Community College on national signing day. Mac played quarterback and safety for Coach Cliff Young’s Chiefs. He was named first team all North AAA Conference and selected to play in the MAIS All-Star game where he was selected as the MVP on offense for the North team.
This is an exciting week for MHS. We will be hosting the State AAA Division 2 basketball championships. Games will begin Tuesday and Wednesday at 4:00PM, with the semi-finals and championships on Friday and Saturday. The girls’ semi-final and championship games will begin at 1:00PM, and the boys’ at 6:00PM.
The teams involved will include MHS, Lee Academy from Clarksdale, Pillow Academy from Greenwood, Washington School from Greenville, Heritage Academy from Columbus, East Rankin Academy from Pelahatchie, Copiah Academy from Gallman, and Oak Forrest Academy from Amite, Louisiana. I hope that you will make plans to come out and see some great basketball. Also a first, all games will be broadcast live via the internet. You can catch the games by clicking the following link http://www.wfsports.com/?page_id=767.
I hope you get a chance to see the elementary artwork displayed in the Baker Hall corridors. Artwork form Mrs. Andrea Ludwig’s elementary art classes are on display. I know you will enjoy it as much as I have!
Please don’t forget our Spring Fund Raiser, “Catfish in Como.” Tickets are still available in the elementary office. Please help our Parents’ Club as they raise funds to support MHS and its students.
Finally, thanks to all of you who participated in the annual MHS magazine drive. Magnolia Heights will receive 40% of all sales. Even though the drive is over, you can still order or renew your magazines online and the school will still receive credit. Just follow this link http://www.gafundraising.com and enter our account number 1263383, the student’s name and begin shopping.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

February 2, 2011

This past Monday night I was reminded again how special our school is.

As evidence of this, the Board Development Committee allocated some $4000 toward the purchase of classroom extras. These are items that we might not be able to purchase out of regular tuition funds. The items ranged from enrichment software to help kindergarten students who are sight-based readers augment their reading fundamentals, technology for classrooms (projectors, screens, etc.), digital protractors for math, to dry-erase geometric marker boards, as well as many other items. These supplies were purchased by your gifts and my gifts to the Annual Fund. In the past 4 years well over $100,000 has been raised by Allison Burris and the school’s development office. Even though this is significant, even more significant is the fact that 40 cents of every dollar raised goes towards the school’s growing endowment which is now over $100,000. This endowment will be used to supplement the school’s educational goals when it reaches maturity in the not too distant future. Although the endowment’s principal cannot ever be spent, interest on the account can and will be when funds in the account reach guidelines set by the Board of Trustees and the Board Development Committee.

I was also reminded of this by the planning efforts of our Parents’ Club. On Thursday, February 17, they will host Catfish in Como. This will be a live and silent auction devoted solely toward raising money for the school. The Parents’ Club over the years has been so faithful, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase needed items for the school. For the past 15 years they have been responsible for the purchase of computers for our computer labs ensuring that the elementary and secondary labs get new computers every three years. Over the years they have helped with the purchase of school busses, new curriculums, as well as providing each teacher with start-up money each August toward the purchase of classroom enhancements.

Without lifelines like these and the many volunteers that who them work, we could not offer what we have today. When you see Allison Burris and Sheila Brownlee from the MHS Advancement Office, thank them for their work with the Annual Fund and when you see April Lipscomb, this years’ Parents’ Club President, Lori Puryear Barrett, Chair of the Catfish in Como fund raiser, or any of the other officers and committee chairs of the Parents’ Club, tell them thanks and that you appreciate their time and effort. Or better yet get involved – give to the Annual Fund and support and attend Catfish in Como. I know I will…

Monday, January 31, 2011

January 31, 2011

In my first blog, I told you that one of the goals of my Blog was to promote what’s going on at MHS. Our teachers are always on the lookout for ways to help reinforce the principles taught in the regular classroom.
Last week Barry Coleman, senior high history and economics teacher at Magnolia Heights, was invited to attend the International Economics Summit hosted by Mississippi College in Clinton. The two day workshop focused on an upcoming state-wide economics competition involving public and private schools across the state. According to Coach Coleman there will be more than 50 teams participating in this event.
To prepare for the summit, the teams will be learning about fundamentals of free enterprise, global resources, trade barriers, tariffs, geography, and many other topics as they relate to international economics. Each school will have three teams which in turn will represent three countries – one wealthy, one poor, and one developing. The students will formulate economic policy for each country and then compete on a global stage with other schools across the state. The heart of the summit is trading among nations. Each nation will seek trade partners, form alliances, work through trade barriers, and help poor and developing nations as they develop their economies.
The project began as a university project at Boise State University (http://www.econsummit.org) and is currently in many states nationwide.
In addition, Coach Coleman is currently working on developing a curriculum on principles of personal finance that may be incorporated into the MHS curriculum in the very near future. There continues to be a great need for education in this area particularly as it relates to developing a budget, living within your means, giving and saving. We are preparing our students for the rigors of college life and beyond, but curricula in all schools seems to be lacking with regard to personal finance. In this day and time it’s almost a matter of national security that we get our personal finances in order so that we can get our nation’s finances back on track as well.
Our students will soon be adult citizens of a global economy. It is our hope that programs such as the International Summit and studying principles of personal finance will give them an advantage as they take the mantle of leadership in our community, state and nation.
Congratulations and thank you, Coach Coleman, on a job well done!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

January 27, 2011

Most of us have gone kicking and screaming into this technological age. However, many do embrace technology and the instant communication it provides. Our students are much more comfortable with it than we are. It’s been said that when it comes to technology, most of us are like immigrants in a foreign land, digital immigrants, while our students are digital natives easily navigating the technology landscape. What about Google? 1.2 billon searches each day. If we need to know – we Google it!
To that end, I am creating a “Headmaster’s Blog.” This will allow me to update you with what’s going on at the school. We have so many things to be proud of and have many programs that are truly on the cutting edge of education. For example, many of you know that we have made a conscious effort over the past two years to be more intentional about our ACT test preparation. I’m sure you have heard that we have 14 students who have made 29 or above on their ACT - qualifying them as State of Mississippi Eminent Scholars. You might even have heard about our two National Merit Semi-Finalists, Colby Ruth Holden and Margaret Ellen Ruhl. But what you haven’t heard is the remarkable number of other students who have seen their ACT scores increase an average of 2-3 points, which in turn will garner even more scholarship dollars for them upon their graduation.
We also have many student-led clubs that are participating in service and leadership projects. Interact and SADD have been and are currently involved in community service projects ranging from contributing money to worthwhile projects like the “Heifer Project” to donating blood for the Senatobia Rotary Club Blood Drive to name just two of many.
There are so many exciting things going on at MHS and rather than wait for a newsletter, this Blog will let me communicate to you in a timely manner. Some of the blogs may be shorter than others, some longer, but each one will give you informative up-to-date news about the school and its programs. Be sure to click on the follow link so you’ll be the first to know when a new blog has been posted.
I am looking forward to this opportunity to keep you up-to-date with our news and dip ever so gingerly into the technology ocean.