Jr. Beta Tours Old and New Capitols

Here are SLE Jr. Beta students who toured the state capitol building this week. The Honorable Bennett Malone met with the students to orient them to the workings of the legislative process.

Students also stopped off to tour the Mississippi War Memorial.

 Finally, students toured the Old Capitol Museum.

Senate Passes Charter School Bill

The Mississippi Senate has passed a bill encouraging Mississippians to create charter schools. You can read the bill by clicking on this link:

http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2010/pdf/SB/2200-2299/SB2293PS.pdf

The thing I don't see is where it solves anything! If you can't provide the funding to adequately support our current public schools, why is the state encouraging us to pull students and funding from our public schools to start charter schools? If you have comments, thougts, or links to answers on the web, please post them here.

MECA Conference 2010

Here's a picture of Mrs. Holleyman and me at the 2010 MECA conference. Several others from Leake County also atteneded. The conference showcases the latest in the application of technology in education.








We met at the Jackson Conference Complex.

I am always inspired when I attend conferences like this. Dr. Tim Tyson here really blew my mind telling us what schools, teachers and students in other parts of the country are doing to implement web 2.0 technology in the classroom. His lecture will be availabe on the web next week, and I'll try to post the link on this blog so everyone can see it.

Mr. Ladner Meeting Slated for Thursday, Feburary 11

FROM Mr. Ladner:
I am sorry for the confusion of the mistake I made on the first notice of the meeting on March 11, 2010.

The meeting will be on Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 6:30 P.M. at CES (Weather permitting).
I am sorry for the conflict with our Basketball teams in district tournament play. I wish all of them success. It is hard to schedule anything this time of the year without a conflict. This is an important meeting to share timely information with the public.
Thanks for your understanding and support.
Monte Ladner

Free Stuff Via the Web

There was the neatest and most informative presentation at Monday's MECA conference about free educational tools teachers and parents could get from the web. I've created a Google document that will allow you to access the presentation. If you are interested in it, please email me or leave a post. Thanks, JH.

School Meeting at CES for All Parents and Teachers

Please see the message below from Leake County Superintendent Monte Ladner, and help inform the community of this meeting. Thanks, JH.

I ask for your help in promoting a county wide meeting concerning our schools. We will have a public meeting to address concerns of our schools. Topics will include Testing, Budget, technology and needed community support.

WHAT’S THE TEMPERATURE OF OUR SCHOOLS?

TESTING

BUDGETS

TECHNOLOGY

Leake County School District Superintendent of Education, Monte Ladner,
will address these concerns and how we may help our children succeed.
Thursday, February 11, 2010, 6:30 P.M.
Carthage Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room
Hwy. 16 W.
Carthage, MS

Students View Stars

SLE students and parents were treated to a chance to star gaze through powerful telescopes provided by the Rainwater Observatory this week. More than 50 parents and students turned out to see Mars, the moon, Orion and other constaleations.

Rainwater Director Jim Hill and his assistant Ed Faughn gave a lecture for the fifth and sixth graders.

Mr. Hill gave several demonstrations including how to figure the distance from the earth to the moon.

The evening was sponsored by the SLE PTO.