Text Box: Magnolia Public Schools Community Newsletter                                                                                  Fall 2001 Text Box: Magnolia School District Seeks Millage Increase Magnolia Public Schools is seeking a 2.6 mill increase to bring the total district millage to 29.6 mills, still well below the state average millage of 32.21.  A 15-member facilities review committee began touring the district’s five schools in January.  During the tours, committee members assessed needs at each of the campuses.  Following completion of the tours, the committee met to narrow down and prioritize projects.  The committee also met with financial analyst, A. V. ‘Buster’ Beardsley III of the firm Raney & Beardsley, Inc. before making their recommendation to the school board.  The millage increase and restructuring of existing bond issues is needed to fund almost $6 million for the five projects recommended by the committee.  Projects recommended by the facilities committee include:     Erecting and equipping: * Magnolia High School multipurpose facility (including a gymnasium) * Magnolia Junior High School & Central Elementary School gym (shared facility) *   East Side Elementary School multipurpose building     Renovating and refurbishing: *    Magnolia Junior High School north wing   (old science building) *     Magnolia High School band hall  The most costly of the five proposed projects will be a multipurpose gymnasium at the high school.  The current high school gym was built in 1960.  It will remain in use as a ‘practice gym’.  “We don’t have enough room for all our athletes to practice.  Currently, in the fall, the basketball players have to go to church gymnasiums to practice while the girls are playing volleyball in the high school gym,” stated Dr. John H. Moore, superintendent.  Renovation of the existing gym was considered, but the cost of renovating was almost as much as the cost of building a new gymnasium. Text Box:   Text Box: Magnolia Junior High School cafeteria and band hall were constructed in 1996 following the last school millage increase in 1994. Text Box: MJHS Sets Criteria for Promotion Recognizing the importance of a sound secondary academic foundation during the transitional seventh and eighth grade years and continuing through the ninth grade year, criteria has been developed to enhance the probability of all students at Magnolia Junior High School to achieve academic success and to earn the initial credits toward high school graduation. Students in seventh and eighth grades must be successful in the four core courses of mathematics, English, science and social studies.  Students in ninth grade must earn two credits from the required subjects.  All students must earn one of the two passing scores in mathematics.  A free summer program in mathematics and English will be offered to enable all students to fulfill the criteria.    “We must have high expectations of all children.  Students will always rise to it, if you set a high expectation for them,” stated superintendent Dr. John H. Moore.  Text Box: PATHWISE Mentoring Plan Developed Each school district is required by the Arkansas Department of Education to have a mentoring plan.  The Pathwise mentoring program is a positive approach to the induction and retention of new teachers.  Beginning teachers are assigned a trained mentor during their first year of teaching to provide ongoing guidance and support.  The state grant which funds this training program compensates the mentors and provides resources for the beginning teachers.  A mentor will be selected and trained from each of Magnolia Public Schools’ campuses.  One first-year teacher will benefit from this program during the 2001-2002 school year. Text Box: Scholarships Exceed One Million Dollars MHS seniors of 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 have exceeded One Million Dollars in scholarships awarded each year.  44% of MHS 2001 graduates earned more than $1.3 million to assist in furthering their education. Text Box: Millage Campaign Public Forum - August 28 - MHS Gym - 7:00 pm