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Marion School District Newsletter

Home of the Marion Patriots

Marion SchoolDistrict NewsletterHome of the Marion Patriots

MSD Parent Survey

MSD Families:


Choosing a school for your children is a very big decision. We sincerely appreciate your selection of our schools as the best option for your child’s future.


If you've not had an opportunity to fill out our survey please take a moment to provide some information that will help us continue to provide the best services possible to you and your student.


All responses are completely anonymous. Responses to anonymous surveys cannot be traced back to the respondent. Your participation in this survey is voluntary and your answers are appreciated.


https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/msdparentsurvey

Quote of the Month

Education is the key to success in life, and teachers make a lasting impact in the lives of their students.


Solomon Ortiz

Jobs for Arkansas Graduates (JAG) at Marion High School Awarded Grant

The new JAG program at MHS was awarded $25,000 grant from Entergy Arkansas, LLC. JAG is an affiliate of Jobs for America’s Graduates, Inc., which is a national school-to-work program that focuses on project-based learning and includes Governor Hutchinson among the Board of Directors.

JAG has 125 programs in Arkansas school districts and ranks second in the nation for scholarships received by JAG students (over $10 million was received across programs last year). With personalized skills development facilitated by JAG instructors, and interaction with local businesses and various career options through internships and service learning projects, JAG students receive a non-traditional approach to becoming career ready. The MHS JAG program equips at-risk youth with the skills needed to transition successfully to careers or college, addressing critical workforce needs, closing skills gaps and creating a competitive advantage for local communities.


Pictured L to R

Sonja Wright-McMurray - Associate Director for Career and Technical Education, Career Readiness/Work-Based Learning, Elmer West - Director of Human Resources, Marion School District, Jenny West - JAG Specialist, Marion High School, Governor Asa Hutchison, Janice Robinson - Career Readiness and Special Projects, Janelle Duray - Sr Vice President for Jobs for America's Graduates, Mary Perkins-Jacobs - JAG Specialist, JA Fair High School, and Danny Games - Director of Business and Economic Development for Entergy Arkansas, Inc.

Arkansas Greyhound Kennel Association supports Team Patriot by donating BIG to St. Jude

A BIG thank you to the Arkansas Greyhound Kennel Association for presenting TEAM PATRIOT with a check for $1500 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital! This year- the Fred Leonard Hometown Showdown is giving back! Emily Hall, MHS School Improvement Specialist, has been charged with being the captain of TEAM PATRIOT for our Hometown Showdown Game Day Giveaway! Our goal was to raise up to $2500 for St. Jude while we celebrate our Patriots and TEAM PATRIOT has surpassed their goal by giving over $2700 and the total continues to grow.


GO PATRIOTS!!


Pictured L to R

Fred Leonard - State Farm Hometown Showdown , Robert Thorne - Arkansas Kennel Association, Linda Robinson & Emily Hall of Team Patriot, Tyler Ginn - First Community Bank, and Grandon Gray - MSD Foundation

MSD Campus Security Empowers Students with New Student Protect App by John Evans, Director of Campus Safety MSD

Marion School District‘s Campus Safety Dept prides ourselves in being proactive and taking every precautionary measure to keep our students, parents and faculty safe. While it is our primary function to assume your child’s safety, we encourage students, staff and our MSD community to share our efforts and responsibility. I encourage the Marion School District Community to download our new safety feature MSD Student Protect. Student protect is a very impactful app that will allow our MSD community the ability to report security related issues and or tips with complete anonymity to our team. The technology will also enable our staff and students to make one touch 911 geo tagged emergency calls. Users will also gain the ability to receive instant alerts. Please take the time to download this app to your device. Each tip will be taken and treated respectfully. Join us in our continued efforts to keep our campuses, and ultimately our MSD Community safe, If YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.

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Lunch and Learn with Reading Horizions

MSD Facilitators hosted a Lunch and Learn with Reading Horizons representatives Shantell Barrett and Rudy Bennett. Their goal was to share the benefits of the essential framework of explicit systematic & sequential reading instruction. Your love and support mean the world to MSD!
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NEW After School Meal Program Introduced

Introducing our new after school meal program. MSD food service will serve meals M-F 4:30-6. Free dinner meals are for children 18 and under only and must be accompanied by an adult! The program starts today. Dinner will be served at the Marion High School Cafeteria.
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Locals sharing the love to MSD!

First Baptist of West Memphis delivered goodies to every campus and the central office to show their love for the MSD faculty and staff.

Patriots Promote Smiles

MSD received at $2500 grant from Delta Dental to help provide our transitioning students with dental supplies. PATS and Delta Dental want to ensure students are provided supplies to practice good oral hygiene. We want our kids to keep smiling year round.

#DeltaDental

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What's Happening At MHS

MHS students are busy tickling the ivories in the NEWLY offered PIANO CLASSES! Talent oozes from the more experienced students, and novice students make picking up the basics look as easy as 1, 2, 3! Not only is playing the piano a worthy endeavor, it is ESSENTIAL to students pursuing a degree in music. FREE PIANO LESSONS are also offered through the CLC after school program Monday’s & Wednesday’s 3:30-5:30.
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What's Happening At MJHS

Arkansas First Tech Challenge Rookie Grant | Awarded $1225

The Marion Junior High School Robotics team received the Arkansas First Tech Challenge Rookie Grant for the 2019-20 Sky Stone season. This grant will cover the items they need to compete this season in Arkansas. The grant will cover team registration to Arkansas ($300), an FTC Tetrix competition set ($532), Control & Communications Set#2 ($249), & a Rev Hub ($129). This Arkansas grant award is valued $1225.

This grant was made possible by the DEKA Foundation, one of the leading research and development companies in the country and is the birthplace of some of the most innovative and life-changing products of our time. In 1989 DEKA founded FIRST to build the next generation’s workforce. Founder of DEKA, Dean Kamen says "FIRST is more than robots. The robots are a vehicle for students to learn important life skills. Kids often come in not knowing what to expect—of the program, nor of themselves. They leave, even after the first season, with a vision, with confidence, and with a sense that they can create their own future."

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Great Things Happening to MSD Student Bryce Wolford

The Marion Patriots Athletics Network would like to recognize one of our proudest Patriot supporters, Bryce Wolford!

Last week, Bryce participated in the Miracle League All-Star game in Sioux City, Iowa.

A note from Robin Miller Wolford:

"The Miracle League chooses players with Special Needs all over the world and we were so honored that Bryce was chosen to represent the Miracle League of Crittenden County. We had the major support from The West Memphis Boys and Girls Club, MYSA, Diamond Astro's baseball team, Fenter Physical Therapy, Jody Fenter and Julie Roeder among other friends and family who made it possible for us to attend such a Wonderful event. This was such a FUN and Memorable time for Bryce that he and his parents will never forget."

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GREAT THINGS THAT HAPPENED THIS MONTH AT HCGC

HCGC House Reveal Welcomes it's New Students

All new students discovered who their house team will be for the duration of their HCGC career. The students and staff had a lot of fun sporting their house colors. Each house was given the opportunity to explain to newcomers what each house represented...

Emberheart: known for compassion, understanding, generosity, vision, dependability, & guidance.

Finchfeather: known for friendship, humor communication, creativity, harmony & joy

Grizzeldash: known for courage, leadership, responsibility, charisma, passion, resourcefulness

Oakrivet: known for integrity, honest, strength, patience, wisdom, & persistence


Remembering 9/11

Prior to learning about 9/11, HCGC sixth graders shared things they thought they knew to be true about the events of September 11, 2001 and questions they have. Instead of the usual pen to paper KWL chart, the students shared their thoughts in their digital global classroom with partner schools in Illinois and Japan.


Grandparents Day Lunch

Grandparents came far and wide to eat lunch with their sweet students at HCGC on September 6th. Some grandparents even stayed to read stories to students afterwards.

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GREAT THINGS THAT HAPPENED THIS MONTH AT MST

MST Coffee with Counselors

The MST counselors, Lydia Archibald and Jessi Durmeier, held an event called Coffee with Counselors. Their goal was to inform MST parents of their school counseling program. They explained who they are and what they do as professional school counselors. They also invited Jessica Trippe from Mid-South Health Systems to speak to parents about services MSHS provides that go beyond the duties a school counselor can offer students and their family. To see more about Mrs. Archibald and Ms. Durmeier's counseling program at MST, go to their webpage at www.bit.ly/mstcounseling and to see the services Mid-South Health Systems provide go to www.mshs.org.


STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS

#teamMST

These students have earned our first Student Spotlights of the school year!

*Madden Rippard was nominated by Ms. Ezekiel for participating in class, being well behaved, practicing manners, and attending school regularly!

* Madison Hoard is constantly providing a good example of how to be a good school citizen. She follows the MST way and also all classroom expectations! As a leader of Gryffindor house, she keeps her group on task and focused, even when challenges arise. She was the very first student to clip to the teacher those first few weeks of school.

*Aveion Miles was nominated by Ms. Barnes because of the smart choices he’s been making and for reaching goals established between him and his teacher!

Way to go, Students! You’ve made your teachers so proud and set a wonderful example for other MST students to follow!


Mrs. Weimer reads to students while they wait

Bus running late, no problem when you have a principal who loves reading almost as much as she loves her students. MST principal, Ali Weimer, reads books aloud to help entertain her students, as they wait on their bus to arrive. #ONEpatriotONEcommunity #creatingtheFUTURE #weLOVEourkids

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GREAT THINGS THAT HAPPENED THIS MONTH AT VPA

GO Jim GO at VPA

Today at VPA, the students and staff cheered as Jim Jaggers and his team stopped at Marion's VPA magnet to let our students know what a GREAT job they did in raising $1334 for Le Bohnor Children's Hospital.


VPA Drama Club

VPA is over the moon to announce the members of the VPA Drama Club! They cannot wait to watch these student grow through a deeper appreciation of drama and theater! Congratulations to all! #teamVPA #SettingtheStageforSuccess

See full list HERE


2019-2020 VPA ALL-STAR CHOIR

Congratulation to the members of our VPA All-Star Choir! The school year is officially underway and the halls are filled with the sound of SINGING! We are so proud of you! #teamVPA #SettingtheStageforSuccess

See full list HERE

Dear Patriot Nation

Just wanted to provide a few updates.

1. The last day to order the commemorative Fred Leonard State Farm Hometown Showdown 2019 t-shirts and other commemorative items is Wednesday, September 18th. Our goal was to pre-sale 400 shirts. For every shirt sold, the Marion School District Foundation gets (in my Eddie Murphy voice) HALF!!!! See Linda Robinson for orders, purchase at JRK Printing, or log onto: https://store.jrkprinting.com/store/product-view.html/103/30553

2. Mark your calendars for the Fred Leonard State Farm Hometown 2019 Media Day presented by Weems World Foundation. Media Day will be Tuesday, September 24, 2019 at ASU Mid-South at 1pm.

3. Don’t forget about the St. Jude Game Day Give Back: http://fundraising.stjude.org/goto/TeamPatriot

4. I need all of Patriot Nation to invade the tailgate area. I know it’s on the WM side, but so what!!!! We have Andre Coleman with ServiceMaster Facilities Maintenance, Linda Wilson Of Dominion World Outreach Ministries, Tyler Ginn Of Premier Bank and others hosting tailgate tents. Don’t be a stranger. A lot of cool things going on! We appreciate your support.

Regards, Grandon Gray

MARION FALLS TO PARKVIEW by Tyler Bennett

The Marion Patriots (1-2 overall) had their opportunities to get a win over the Parkview Patriots (1-1), but Marion was not able to take advantage of their chances. Any one of Marion’s three turnovers in Parkview territory could have made a difference in the 28-24 loss.


Read Full Story HERE

LADY PATS STUN RAMS by Tyler Bennett

The Lady Pats (9-2 overall, 4-0 5A East) kept their undefeated conference record alive after going the distance with the Paragould Lady Rams (7-3, 2-2) last Thursday. Marion had not even won a set at Doc Paynter court since 2016, but the five-set victory seemed to take some weight off of coach Lisa Beasley’s shoulders.


Read Full Story HERE

MARION SWEEPS SEARCY by Tyler Bennett

Marion volleyball (8-2 overall, 3-0 5A East) made quick work of the Searcy Lions (2-6, 0-3), sweeping them out of Patriot Volleyball Gymnasium on Tuesday night. The Pats used a total team effort to defeat the Lions in a night where coach Lisa Beasley said the team showed that they are continuing to grow.


Read Full Story HERE

PATS FALL TO YELLOWJACKETS by Tyler Bennett

The Marion Patriots (1-1 overall) did not have enough offense last Friday to overcome the running game of the Wynne Yellowjackets (1-0). All of the Jackets 290 yards came on rushing plays, keeping the Patriot offense off the field for long periods of time.


Read Full Story HERE

Marion Patriot Athletics
Check us out on the web or download our new app.

Share The Good Stuff

If there are good things happening in your classroom or building, we want to hear about it. Here are a few examples:
  • Exciting field trips
  • Guest speakers
  • Interactive lesson plans
  • Students or staff with remarkable personal stories
  • Favorable academic data
  • College signings, academic scholarships
  • Planned professional development


Send your good stuff with pictures and/or video to Jonnett Gammill at jgammill@msd3.org or Tyler Bennett at tybennett@msd3.org

NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS

Marion School District Newsletter will be disseminated monthly. If you would like your news included in the next edition, please shoot an email to jgammill@msd3.org with "newsletter" in the subject line. When submitting news, keep in mind the 5 W's: who, what, why, when, and where. Attach photos and video with your copy.


The deadline to submit information is the 21st of each month.