SMART Signs Resolution

On Tuesday, May 13, 2014, SMART Alabama signed a resolution with the Crenshaw County Public Schools to provide an instructor for its industrial engineering class.   The industrial engineering class is one of five classes posed for Crenshaw County students via its new career technical center in the fall of 2014. Verbal commitments to assist with this instructor have also been issued by Don Wong, LLC and Silla LLC. The  industrial engineering class's curriculum will contain the following topics:— work ethic, application/interview skills, working with diverse colleagues, basic math skills, Korean language, Korean culture, tool identification skills including pneumatic and hydraulic tools, industry language (i.e. acronyms- TQM: total quality management, terms such as parts per million and Lean Manufacturing), inspection skills, and other skills/applications.

Crenshaw County Public Schools will: utilize industry colors used throughout classroom; utilize industry decals and insignia; create dual enrollment opportunities, as it can, create a simulated work place; provide a facilitator; provide a pool of job-ready applicants for SMART; and offer pre-employment training for SMART after school hours.

Seated- Superintendent Randy Wilkes and Vice-President Hug (Raymond) Heo.  Standing:  CEO and President of the Crenshaw County Economic and Industrial Authority Robyn Snellgrove, Manager Jay Ha, Assistant Manager of Employee Relations Amy Kelly, Human Resources Officer Ruth Ryan, and General Manager Gary Sport

Superintendent Randy Wilkes and General Manager Gary Sport Hold Resolution that reads:  

RESOLUTION

SMART, LLC, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CRENSHAW COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

WHEREAS, Stamp Metal American Research Technology (SMART) Alabama is Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, LLC’s principal body frame parts supplier; and

WHEREAS, SMART currently employs 700 team members building body frame parts of the Sonata sedan and Elantra compact car at the SMART Alabama plant; and

 

WHEREAS, SMART is growing together by providing a safe place to work and establishing our position as a recognizedtechnological and quality leader in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Crenshaw County Public Schools has the highest graduation rate of any county-school system in Alabama for the 2013-2014 school year; and

WHEREAS, career and technical education programs of the 21^st century link rigorous academics, technical knowledge, real-world experiences and college-level experiences to help students develop workplace skills valued by employers and better prepare them for post-secondary education and challenging careers; and

WHEREAS, the Crenshaw County Board of Education recognizes a need to create a supply of job-ready applicants who can meet ever-changing workforce needs; and

WHEREAS, the Crenshaw County Board of Education recognizes the need to support and grow the local economy; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, regarding the Industrial Engineering course to be offered at the Crenshaw County Career Technical Center, that the Crenshaw County Board of Education agrees to enter into an agreement with the SMART Alabama to utilize SMART colors, decals and insignia throughout the classroom, to create dual enrollment opportunities to the greatest extent possible, to create a simulated work place, to provide a facilitator, to provide a pool of job-ready applicants, and to offer to SMART the use of facilities for their use of pre-employment training; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the SMART agrees to enter into an agreement with the Crenshaw County Board of Education to provide an instructor on a rotational basis for an Industrial Engineering course at the Career Technical Center; and any equipment and supplies that SMART deems necessary to enhance the Industrial Engineering course.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be placed in the administrative offices.

Done this 13^th day of May, 2014.

Members Observe Superintendent Wilkes and
Vice President Heo signing Resolution

The Crenshaw County Public School System is most appreciative of SMART Alabama's willingness to become our partner.  The advantages to our students, Crenshaw County, and SMART are numerous.  We look forward to a long and prosperous relationship.

Kiwanis Recognized Crenshaw County Honor Students

The Luverne Kiwanis Club honored senior students at a recent luncheon at the Luverne Church of Christ.  Each of these students have maintained a 90 or higher average, grades 9-12.  This was the largest group ever served by the Kiwanians.

Kelsey Laine Hall – Valedictorian, Peyton Nicole Hill – Salutatorian, Hannah Keighlan Barron, Taeshia Shanice Johnson, Wesley Lavon Person, Jr., Dominique, Nicole Caldwell, Aaron Ely Hall, Thomas Matthew Hammett-Hudson, Stefan Xavier King, Brandon Dallas Grantham, Coy Allen Messick, Tamara Angelica Tuck, Adam, Clark Kilcrease, Sarah Elizabeth Driggers, Haley Elizabeth Adams, Akia Kianna Pitts, Kimberly Dawn Penn, William Andrew Stone, and Raven Denesha Davis

Valedictorian- Jonathn Phillips, Salutatorian- Sarah Best, Maitlyn Barton,  Tanisha

Brundidge, Brianna Hebert, Kyler Henderson, Christopher Hudgens, Brittany Hurley, Heather Juez, Madison Lancer, Janesha Lawson, Dylan McCardle, Miranda Nichols,  Adrienne Pouncy,  David Rogers, Jessica Sexton, Christian Stovall, Jonah Vitollo, and Sarah Wood

Valedictorian- Mallory Lauren Jones, Salutatorian- Amanda Fang, Charles Lucas Boyd, Virginia Lois Allison, Jon Hayden Sanders, Daniya Simone Foster, Alaina Rachel Bagents, Morgan Brooke Taylor, Elizabeth Nicole Sipper, Taylor Daniel Grant, Nicholas Trey Johnson, Derrius Rameel Reed, Shaniya Breana Foster, Shakia GeorNae Brantley, Amber Nicole Burnett, Marquise Jamayl May, Gonzalo Zaragoza, Zachary Robert Pouncey, Elaina Dale Baugh, Jasmine Danielle Means, Daniel Elliott Jones, Daidreanna Danielle Marsh, Lekevia Hayes, TraQuez Ontario Watkins, LaBrittany Abreonia Tyson, Randal. Ray Sipper, Jenna Catherine Sims, T’Yanna Jocelynn Alexandriaa Walker, Ashley Nicole Gorey, Zane Carter Jones, Lucinda Elise Pinckard, and Myesha Denise Foster

What To Do When the Cow Won't Moo

Please, a round of applause for Luverne School's First Graders as they did a remarkable job performing "E-I-E-I Oops!"  A large crowd enjoyed the barnyard actors' attempts to make  the farmer's cow m-o-o-o-o, and, alas, it did!  This was the 31st First Grade Play.  All proceeds from the performance were given to the Elaine Goodwin Scholarship that is given annually to a deserving senior LHS student.  The 4-year scholarship is renewable.  

At the conclusion of the PTA Meeting, retired teacher, Mrs. Penny Perdue, recognized the First Grade teachers and gave a gift and special recognition to Ms. Judy Wilson, who is retiring this year.  

Great job all!

Special Thanks to these teachers:  Mrs. Shea Simmons,
Mrs. Lisa Lawrence, and Ms. Judy Wilson

Weather Gives Us More Opportunities

Yours truly seldom missed school growing up, unless I was sick, which was not very often. Once my parents kept me home to sain a catfish pond that had lost its oxygen. (Ok, so I am not sure if sain is a word or spelled correctly but I do know that you must drain a pond first to run a "sain" net through....and Dr. Google cannot help me with this because he is not nearly as sophisticated and likely never wore sain boots eather....sorry I digress).  On this occasion, we had to break ice to enter...boy I wish I were at school on that day.  Now, Mrs. Wilkes on the other hand, she never missed school...that's right, never, from kindergarten through her senior year, she never missed a day.  Instead, she got sick and injured on holidays....how timely.  I guess we both loved school so much that we decided just to stay in it.  

There are days that we all need to miss,  maybe not all of the day, but come in later or leave earlier. Monday afternoon,  I worked the phones of the superintendents on either side of us and agreed with District 3 President that we should wait until 5 AM and participate in a phone conference, then decide when or if to go to school on Tuesday.  I then alerted the principals of that decision.  That night, I worked until 10 PM at the office making sure that we were prepared for whatever would come in the morning.  I set-out jeans, a button-up along with my trusty Dexters- that can't be destroyed.  We watched the weather until about 11 PM and then it was lights out, flash lights by our bedsides.  The weather woke us around 1:30 AM, only 3.5 hours earlier than predicted. Hmmm...I wondered, how long will this stick around?  EMA called at 4:01 AM and stated that round one had passed and there might be a round 2 later in the afternoon.  To make sure that we were in the clear, I waited until 5:28 am to notify the principals and the transportation supervisor that we would have a normal day.  That afternoon, many schools did let out early, though we did not, as there were no storms between the Florida and Tennessee lines.  

Every year, people ask to get out early to travel to lengthy away extracurricular events.  The response is that while this might help 30% of the schools' population, it causes 70% to find child care or take off from work. The same would be true for a late start.  Most would either have to find child care or take a half of day of leave from work.  

The bottom line is: When it is SAFE to go to school, we will  go to school.  When it is not safe, we will not go to school.  

Preschool Applicants

We had 72 applicants submit complete preschool packets by last Friday.  We are still accepting packets, though they are not eligible for the drawing that will be held May 28, 2014, at 10 AM, at Central Office.

Summer Reading and New iPad Covers Coming Soon

We are excited about our new summer reading program and the fact we are buying new covers for the mini iPads.

The summer electronic textbooks will be sent to each student via email and students will download per included instructions.  The reading list is as follows:

• 12th- Pygmalion- Free
• 11th- The Great Gatsby- $3.99
• 10th- Tuck Everlasting-  $3.99
• 9th- To Kill a Mockingbird- No ebook available at the moment. Harper Lee agreed to let it be released electronically and will be available on July 8.  
• 8th- The Boy in the Striped Pajamas- $4.99

New iPads for the 9th grade have been ordered.  Senior iPads will "roll down" to the 8th grade. Parent/student meetings, just as last year, are being scheduled for this summer.

The new mini iPad covers is the  Survivor from Griffin Technologies.    This cover has been military tested and is comparable to the OtterBox.

Before students leave for the summer, the IT Department will visit the classroom and assist students with replacing the covers.  To state the obvious, iPads will go home with the students this summer. At a yet-to-be determined time (summer), the electronic core textbook downloads for the 2014-2015 year will be sent to students via email.  As with the summer reading, the students will download and thereby issue themselves textbooks.  

Thanks to the IT Department of CCBOE for their effort and diligence!