Alabama native, educator, and activist Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Those words were echoing as the AdvancED group of nine educators from around the nation presented a report to the Montgomery County Board of Education to announce they were recommending Montgomery Public Schools be granted system-wide accreditation. AdvancED is the umbrella organization for the many school accrediting organizations including the Southern Association...

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Park Crossing High School Zone Proposed MONTGOMERY, ALA – Park Crossing, Montgomery County Schools’ newest high school, is on schedule to open to students this August. Superintendent Barbara W. Thompson provided a look at the proposed attendance zone for the new school at today’s Montgomery County School Board meeting. “We are very excited about Park Crossing’s opening,” said Superintendent Thompson. “The school’s design will have a college campus...

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We have bright students in every Montgomery County Public School. The next several articles will feature a few of them.  We start with three special recognitions of some of those students who have been tapped by national organizations for their exceptional academic accomplishments: National Merit Semifinalists, National Achievement Semifinalists, and National Hispanic Scholars. And this year, just like most, MPS has more of these recognitions than any other public or private school in our...

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  The Montgomery Advertiser has published that they have received allegations of grades being changed without justification within the Montgomery Public Schools.  We have not been provided any substantiating evidence of this allegation and certainly have no knowledge of such.  However, the board, administration and the public need to know if there is any validity to these allegations.    Academic integrity is critical to the teaching and learning process. MPS does...

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Many of you who are now parents and grandparents remember your early school days where chalk still reigned supreme in the classroom. As an elementary student many of us remember the most advanced technology in our school room was a film strip or perhaps on rare occasions a 16mm projector that worked about half the time. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians recently donated $1 million to Montgomery Public Schools. We decided to use this generous donation to purchase technology. We researched various...

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USA TODAY's Weekend publication has a wonderful artilce on getting ready for school. It is a great read and full of practical information. Please take a few moments to read it by clicking here.  (You must open this article to click on the link.)

Standing back and taking a good honest look in the mirror is a good thing. However, if you really want to evaluate yourself, inviting external experts in to evaluate your work is even better.  That is what Montgomery Public Schools is doing as we move forward in our work toward district accreditation. While all MPS schools are already accredited, district-wide accreditation is a desirable goal for all school systems. In May of 2013 a group of educators representing AdvancED will be in Montgomery....

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Each year U.S. News and World Report names the top high schools in the nation. For the past few years that list has included schools from Montgomery County – the only school system in the River Region to have schools to receive that distinction. This year four of MPS schools made the list – and one, Loveless, was named the top high school in Alabama. Loveless Academic Magnet Program, Brewbaker Technology Magnet High, Booker T. Washington Magnet High and Carver High School all made...

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Most of you woke this morning to find there was a threat of severe weather. Systems to our north delayed the start of school due to the threat but Montgomery County did not. There were two reasons for this; our consulting with the weather service and EMA staff, and the fact that our buildings are often the safest place for students. In fact, we work as a team with the National Weather Service, the Montgomery Emergency Management Agency, city and county governments, local law enforcement and...

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It is the week before our Winter break and students and staff are both excited about the coming holidays. That was evident during my visit to Capitol Heights this week. But thankfully the anticipation of the break has not reduced the teaching and learning that is going on in our schools. Principal Dr. Patrick Cain and the staff at Capitol Heights are a dedicated group of educators who care about their students. I hope you will join me at tonight's (Tuesday Dec. 13) free concert by our high...

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Beginning this week I will take a few minutes to write a short blog about the previous week – a journal of sorts. This past week was very busy with our Tuesday evening board meeting and parent meetings at Lee High School and Brewbaker Middle School. I also visited Lee High School again as well as Bear Elementary School and Capitol Heights Middle this week. The board and I held a retreat last week that I believe was very productive. It was an opportunity to learn from the Alabama Association...

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AYP - it is another label in the alphabet soup of educational jargon. Most non-educators, and some educators, don't understand fully its meaning or why school systems are judged by it. In its simplest form, AYP stands for Adequate Yearly Progress. It is a measurement of student performance set by each state to fulfill a federal mandate. The ultimate goal is that every child performs at or above "grade level" in reading and math by 2014. The number of goals a school or school system...

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WELCOME TO ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR! This is an electrifying time for students, teachers and parents as we begin another year full of promise. This year is going to be especially exciting with a number of important changes including advancements in programs to improve student achievement, and restructuring and improved efficiencies in the Central Office. One of the initiatives we began last year seems to be very successful - the implementation of uniforms district wide. Uniforms are nothing new. Many...

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The latest round of proration and the unveiling of Governor Bentley's budget proposal are devastating Alabama's schools.  In less than two years we have lost about $37 million in state funding - that does not include the governor's new proposal to further reduce the funds we use to maintain transportation and pay utilities. The outlook for education's immediate funding future is bleak. We are experiencing a financial crisis. And, unfortunately, that is not the first time a...

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A school is a place where teachers teach and students learn. It can be an old building with a single bare light bulb and a simple chalkboard, or a new shinning cathedral to learning with state-of-the-art technology. And while teaching and learning can take place anywhere, studies indicate that children perform better when their learning environment is designed for that purpose. About five years ago, Montgomery Public Schools launched a comprehensive facilities study, known as the DeJong report,...

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There are so many good things happening in Montgomery Public Schools, and so many wonderful people working to help students, it is impossible to highlight each one. However, in an attempt to give recognition to some of our unsung heroes, I created a Principal of the Month award.There is no doubt that principals are the heart of every school. A strong, caring leader can make the difference in the lives of children. They motivate teachers and support staff, focus students on learning, and involve...

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I marvel at the talents of our students. They sing, dance, write, play act, paint and celebrate life through the arts.Recently, I attended the BTW Showcase at the Davis Theatre. I asked principal Quesha Starks to have a student write something about the event. I am pleased to offer this as a description of the Showcase through the eyes of a student.BarbShowcase 2010: Inspire Arts . . . Revive EducationBooker T. Washington Magnet High SchoolClassified as one of U.S. News and World Report's...

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Dear Parents & Community Members:       It seems like the school year just began and we are already preparing for the winter break. We have had a very productive and busy year thus far with the opening of two new schools.  We are looking forward to the completion of the remodeling of Dalraida Elementary School. We are ahead of schedule for the new school buildings for Carver High School and Bellingrath Middle; both are slated to open next fall. Kudos...

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The Montgomery County School Board has approved four primary goals for the district for the coming year. The goals are part of our strategic plan and are, in my view, the most pressing needs in our system. The goals are: Expand Student Learning Options and Educational Success.Enhance Professional Learning and Attract and Retain Quality Teachers, Staff and Administrators.Improve Organization, Finance, and Information Systems Efficiencies and Effectiveness.Strengthen Community Development,...

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One of the best things about being superintendent is getting the chance to visit schools and interact with students. Recently, I had the opportunity to read The Very Hungry Caterpillar to students at T.S. Morris during Jumpstart's Read for the Record. The experience reinforced how critical it is that our children master the skill of reading. According to an article on Educationportal.com, 50 million Americans cannot read beyond a fourth or fifth grade level, and still another 42 million...

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