BHS Induct Elementary Honor Club Students

Congratulations to Brantley School students who were inducted into the Honor Club this week!  In order to be invited, a student in grades 4-6 must be working on grade level and maintain a cumulative average of 90 in all academic subjects: reading, language, math, social studies, and science, each semester.  After the ceremony, guests and students enjoyed a reception in the school's cafeteria. Thank you to those who sponsored the event and kudos to the students for their outstanding performance in the classroom. 

Officers for the 2013-2014 school year seated on the front row from left to right:  Tucker Kilcrease, Chaplain; Brieahna Reaves, Reporter; Ethan Weed, Treasurer; Madison Stewart, Secretary; Elleigh Layton Vice-President; and Emory Bush, President.

Wikibrains

A new beta tool called Wikibrains is making global waves among innovative students as it encourages out-of-the-box thinking. The online, digital brainstorming platform lets users connect with ideas from around the world on specific topics.

For instance, type in the word “literacy” and the map takes you to multiple topics related to literacy, such as “new literacies,” “Common Core,” and “Unesco Confucius prize for literacy.” After choosing “digital literacy,” the tool then takes you to more ideas specifically on digital literacy, such as the “digital divide.”

Read More:New Free Digital Tool

Go to the site:  Wikibrains

Federal Shutdown and Schools (From AASA Blog)

As you know, Congress failed to get its act together, the federal government is now shutdown, and there are implications for schools.

As we continue to open our school doors (students show up whether or not the federal dollars do), here is a rundown of the most common questions asked:

• What do schools need to know? When it comes to public education, there are three federal agencies that we work most often who operate programs that impact schools: US Education Department, US Department of Agriculture, and FCC (Federal Communications Commission). Each has released its shutdown plan. Linked below is a quick blurb regarding the short-term impact.
• USED: October 1 payments for programs will go out (Title I, II & VI and IDEA (special education))
• USDA: School lunch and school breakfast programs would be unaffected in the initial shutdown.
• FCC: The E-Rate program will be unaffected in the shutdown, as the processing of payments is handled by USAC, not the FCC.

• How will a short-term shutdown impact schools? In addition to the summary above: Grant processing for Race to the Top, Investing in Innovation and Promise Neighborhoods will lapse until the shutdown is over. Other grant programs that do not have any leftover money will be unable to incur new obligations until the funding crisis is resolved. If the shutdown lasts longer than a week, there will be a backlog in the distribution of funds via both competitive and formula grants later in the year because most Department staff will remain furloughed and unable to make up the time lost.   Could this affect our 21^st Century Programs?  IDK

• How will a long-term shutdown impact schools? A long-term shutdown would essentially eliminate the ability of federal agencies like USED and USDA to maintain cash flow to school systems. This limit on cash flow harms schools districts, but especially those whose overall budget is heavily reliant on federal dollars.

• How did we get here? Congress failed to complete its annual work to complete the appropriations process (which would fund the federal government). Typically when this happens, Congress adopts a Continuing Resolution, which allows the federal government to remain open by level-funding agencies. This Congress was unable to reach such an agreement. The House is focused on trying to pair CR decisions with efforts related to the Affordable Care Act. The Senate prefers a ‘clean’ CR, one that addresses only annual funding. The gridlock resulted in this shutdown.

• How does this get resolved? The shutdown will end when Congress reaches agreement on a proposal to fund the government. While this is an absolute possibility, it is obviously not an absolutely reality. The CR discussion has become political fodder, similar to the debt ceiling in 2011, and a seemingly narrow discussion (what is the overall approach to keeping the government open) has been tied to other more policy-laden discussions (how to fund/delay implementation of the Affordable Care Act).
• How long will this go on? Is it likely to repeat? This shutdown could last as long as a few weeks. It could be over in a day, but that seems unlikely. The likelihood of a repeat shutdown will depend on if Congress adopts a short-term CR or a long-term CR. A short-term CR makes it more likely that we find ourselves once again at the verge of a shutdown, especially if the end of the CR is anywhere near the debt ceiling discussion. Some say to prepare for a shutdown that could run until the middle of October.

• How does this relate to the debt ceiling issue? The conversation about annual appropriations (including the CR) is separate from that of the debt ceiling. They overlap, in this instance, in terms of timing. The last time there was contention in the raising of the debt ceiling, there was a threat of shutdown which was averted at the last minute through the Budget Control Act. The decision to raise the debt ceiling was coupled with efforts to curtail spending and address the debt/deficit, and triggered sequestration. While the debt ceiling is theoretically separate from the annual appropriations process and the shutdown, the reality is that the longer the shutdown carries on, the more likely it is that the call to provide funding gets linked with the debt ceiling.

The debt ceiling question will become critical in the middle of October. At this point, it is projected that the federal government will hit its debt ceiling October 17. The shutdown means that spending will be somewhat suppressed, so it is likely the actual date of hitting the ceiling will be pushed back a few days. It doesn’t change the reality, though, that there are very real consequences for not addressing the debt ceiling that are beyond those related to federal shutdown. For schools, a downgrading of the nation’s credit score could have implications for districts’ ratings.

The CR discussion is part of what could be a ‘perfect storm’ of federal funding discussions with potentially devastating impacts for the nation’s schools. The confluence of the lack of a CR, the shutdown, and the debt ceiling could completely eradicate the economic stability that has taken hold, pushing the country back toward another recession.

LHS Band Receives ALL ONES!

The Luverne Tiger Marching Band traveled to Rehobeth High School to perform this past weekend. Five judges considered the following: 

1. Band (Marching Technique)
2. Band (Music)
3. Color Guard
4. Percussion
5. General Effect (everything)

The LHS Band received a Superior Rating (1's) from all five judges. After the students performed the show on the field, they were taken into the gym, where judge Dr. Chris Walker spoke to the kids directly in regards to what they needed to work on and what they were doing well. 

Great job band and job well done Mr. Chance!

LHS Band in the Midst Celebrates Superior Ratings

U.S. Government Shutdown Explained

Congress failed to agree on a spending bill for the fiscal year starting October 1, 2013, resulting in the first government shutdown since 1995. According to the Congressional Research Service, this is the 18th time the federal government has shut down as a result of a failure to agree on an annual appropriations bill. Most shutdowns have lasted only a few hours or a few days. The most recent shutdown, in 1995, lasted three weeks. What happens when the federal government shuts down? When the government shuts down, federal agencies must generally suspend operations and furlough their employees. However, there are significant exceptions for government functions that promote national security, or protect human life and property. As a result, a shutdown doesn't impact certain essential functions like the military, law enforcement, TSA, air traffic control, border patrol, emergency and disaster assistance, food safety, foreign embassies, prisons, and federal medical care (among others). A shutdown also doesn't impact federal entitlement programs (like Social Security and Medicare) that aren't funded by discretionary annual appropriations. Funding for these programs is considered mandatory, because the legislation creating the benefit obligates the government to make payment. So benefits under these programs continue uninterrupted, and the employees who administer those benefits are generally exempt from furlough. Finally, some agencies are funded by multiple year appropriations. Even though these agencies don't yet have any funds appropriated for the new fiscal year, they may still have funds remaining from prior appropriations, which they can use to continue operations until those funds run out. So what does a government shutdown mean to you? What you can do during the shutdown: Receive and send mail--the post office is an independent agency unaffected by the budget process Buy insurance through one of the new health insurance Exchanges Receive your Social Security and Medicare benefits, or apply for new benefits Get a passport or visa--but only until the State Department's available funding runs out (during the 1995 shutdown, 200,000 U.S. applications for passports went unprocessed) Conduct business with the United States Patent and Trademark Office--but only until the USPTO's available funding runs out Receive unemployment benefits and food stamps Get an FHA or VA mortgage Receive medical care at a veterans hospital Use the federal court system--but only for about 10 days What you can't do during the shutdown: Stop paying taxes--the IRS will continue to process electronically submitted tax returns, but if you're being audited, you'll get a temporary reprieve Get taxpayer assistance from the IRS Get a small business loan Go to a national park, zoo, or museum--if you're already overnighting in a national park, you generally have two days to leave Get a paycheck, if you're a federal employee--unless you're the president, a member of Congress, or in the military; however, in the past workers were paid retroactively after a new appropriations bill was passed If you need more information, most government agencies have posted their shutdown contingency plans on their websites.

CCBOE Receives PASS Grant

The Alabama State Department of Education has chosen Crenshaw County Public Schools as one of the state's recipients of the Preparing Alabama Students for Success (PASS) grant.  Mrs. Polly DuBose was the author of the system's grant that will be used primarily to improve our graduation. Congratulations CCBOE and Mrs. Polly DuBose on the award of $20,000!

First Lady Dianne Bentley Visits HHS

Mrs. Dianne Bentley, wife of Governor Robert Bentley, visited Highland Home School on Thursday, October 3.  Mrs. Bentley visited primary classrooms and then read a book entitled Otis the Tractor to preschool students.  Mrs. Bentley donated the book to the HHS library. Mrs. Bentley also discussed Alabama facts with the preschool students.  Yours truly took the opportunity to advocate to Mrs. Bentley the need for additional preschool funding, as the Office of School Readiness is subordinate to the Governor's Alabama Department of Children's Affairs and not the Alabama State Department of Education.  Lastly, Mrs. Bentley addressed all fourth grade students in the school's auditorium. Mrs. Bentley was accompanied by Assistant Ms. Heather Hannah and Security Person Mr. Chris Hines. Thank you Mrs. Morgan Cook for inviting Mrs. Bentley and thanks to the the administration, faculty and students for representing Crenshaw County in such a positive manner.

Mrs. Tiffany Fussell's Preschool Class

Mrs. Bentley Discusses Alabama Facts

Superintendent Randy Wilkes, Mrs. Dianne Bentley,
Assistant Principal Morgan Cook, Principal Randy Fullington