News Blog - Marion Community Schools

Highlights

News for Marion Community Schools

Online registration open; in-school registration set

Posted: May 13, 2013 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

Starting Tuesday, May 14, 2013, Marion Community Schools’ online student registration will be open for the 2013-14 school year.

Parents who wish to use online registration can do so through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. (Any parent who does not already have a PowerSchool account set up must first contact his or her child’s school to get login information.)

Parents can use the online registration system to register their child or children for any MCS school. Each child must be registered separately.

Online fee payment will also be available.

MCS is also working to make in-school registration more convenient for families. On July 22 and 23, 2013, registration will be open at all MCS schools from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

With our universal registration system, parents can register all of their children, from kindergartners through high schoolers, with one visit to one of their schools.

However, all schools will also be open for school visitation during that time, so families and students can go explore their buildings even if they’ve already registered online or at another school.

One exception to universal registration is for those students who have never before been registered with Marion Community Schools. Those families must register at their home school. (For those first-time registering families who are not sure which school their elementary student will attend, our online tool Infofinder I features a search-by-address function.)

Also, Marion High School students registering for Tucker Career and Technology Center programs should do so at Marion High School during the regular registration times on July 22 and 23. Students from other county schools registering for Tucker can do so from 8 to 11 a.m. and 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. July 22, 23, 24, and 25 at Tucker.

Kindness Rally puts positive change in the spotlight

Posted: May 10, 2013 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

MARION (May 10, 2013) — Acts of kindness - and the positive change they can spark - were on prominent display at the Marion Community Schools Kindness Rally.

Marion High School's Bill Green Arena was packed for the first-of-its-kind event. Carnival games, including a bounce house, obstacle course, dunk tank and more, offered fun for all ages, and fair food, balloon animals and face painting added to the festive atmosphere.

The highlight of the evening, though, came during the Chain Reaction Ceremony, when kids from all seven MCS schools carried paper chains that wrapped around the floor of the arena, signifying individual acts of kindness that have been done in their schools this year. It was a visual representation of the effect that those kind acts can have on individual lives, schools, and the whole community.

McCulloch Junior High School students carry the paper chain representing acts of kindness done in their school during the Chain Reaction Ceremony at the Marion Community Schools Kindness Rally on May 9, 2013, at Marion High School. To see more pictures from the event, click here.

Also featured at the ceremony were MHS JROTC cadets, along with musicians from MHS and McCulloch Junior High School, speakers from MHS's FOR TAXII club, as well as district administrators.

Marion Community Schools hopes the focus on positive words and actions will help people remember that they can have a real impact on their world every day, even with a small, simple act of kindness.

MCS employees honored for 35 years of service

Posted: May 09, 2013 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

Marion Community Schools would like to congratulate and thank the following employees for their 35 years of service to the school system:

Gail Ball, who has been a bus driver for 35 years.
John Butcher, who is president of the Marion Teachers Association and has worked as a teacher at Frances Slocum, Clayton-Brownlee, Allen and Kendall elementary schools, and is currently teaching READ 180 at Kendall.
Deb Butts, who served as an elementary teacher for 31 years at Southeast Elementary School, until its closure, then at Allen for one year, then the last three years at Justice Intermediate School.
Kent Cocking, who is currently a counselor at Marion High School, previously served as a counselor at Tucker Career and Technology Center, and was a science teacher at Justice and Jones middle schools.
Deb McDonald,who served as a teacher for hearing-impaired students at Washington Junior High School, Kendall and Riverview elementary schools, Justice Middle School, and Marion High School, and as an elementary teacher at Justice and Riverview.
Ron Nichols, a special education teacher.
Deborah Russell, a speech and hearing teacher who has helped students at Riverview, Frances Slocum, Southeast, Center and Kendall elementaries and at Marion High School.
Jane Sauer, who has taught at Martin Boots, Southeast, Allen and Kendall elementary schools
Joy Shivers, an educational assistant at Justice Intermediate School, and previously at McCulloch Middle School and at Southest and Thomas Jefferson elementary schools, and who worked for many years as a secretary at McCulloch.
James Sonnefield, who was a physical education teacher at Justice Middle School for 28 years and has spent the last seven years at Marion High School.
Denise Stanley, who has been a physical education teacher at Southeast, Center, Kendall, Lincoln, Frances Slocum, and Riverview elementary schools.
Judith Warner, who has worked at Clayton-Brownlee and Allen elementary schools in many capacities, including educational assistant, library assistant, Title I educational assistant, MTA aide and recess monitor.
Darrell Wisser, who has spent 35 years teaching art at McCulloch Junior High School, then in its transition to a middle school and then back to a junior high again.

On May 8, 2013, the MCS School Board honored MCS employees with 35 years of experience: Jane Sauer, Judith Warner, Denise Stanley, Deborah Butts, Ron Nichols, Joy Shivers, John Butcher, Deborah Russell, Lori Longenecker-Babb, Darrell Wisser, Kent Cocking, James Sonnefield, Debra McDonald, and Gail Ball. Also pictured are MCS Superintendent Steve Edwards, along with School Board members Cathy Moritz, Scott Murphy, Pam Hutchison, Harry Hall, Aaron Vermilion, Greg Kitts, and Katie Morgan.

Carter, Sirk, Seeler earn Mary Clark Hanley Teaching Excellence Award

Posted: May 09, 2013 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

The Mary Clark Hanley Teaching Excellence Award, initiated in spring 2000, has become known as a symbol of excellence and a coveted award in Marion Community Schools' elementary buildings, with teachers who have received the honor displaying their plaques with pride.

The Hanleys had the good fortune to be successful financially and wanted to give back to those individuals, communities, and institutions that have contributed over the years to their success. Mr. Hanley’s mother was certainly on that list, inspiring him educationally to be the best he could be, and that is why they named this award in her honor.

The award, set up through the Community Foundation of Grant County to memorialize her name and her commitment to education and to promote excellence in teaching, is given annually to three outstanding elementary teachers in the MCS system, and it includes a prize of $1,000.

This year there are five nominees, one from each of the MCS elementary schools and the intermediate school. Nominees were selected by their respective principals. The winners were selected by the interim director of human resources, the assistant superintendent, and an elementary principal, as requested by the Community Foundation.

The nominees are an exclusive group that personifies excellence. The 2012-13 nominees are:

Kara Carter, Allen Elementary School
Diana Dollar, Frances Slocum Elementary School
Leah Sirk, Kendall Elementary School
Deborah Seeler, Riverview Elementary School
Laurie Gates, Justice Intermediate School

The three winners are Kara Carter, Leah Sirk, and Deborah Seeler. Marion Community Schools congratulates these excellent teachers and thanks them for the work they do every day, and the difference it makes in our students' lives.

On May 8, 2013, the MCS School Board honored nominees for the Mary Clark Hanley Teaching Excellence Award for 2012-13: Laurie Gates, Justice Elementary School; Deborah Seeler, Riverview Elementary School; Diana Dollar, Frances Slocum Elementary School; Leah Sirk, Kendall Elementary School; and Kara Carter, Allen Elementary School. Carter, Sirk and Seeler were named winners of the award. Also pictured are MCS Superintendent Steve Edwards, along with School Board members Cathy Moritz, Scott Murphy, Pam Hutchison, Harry Hall, Aaron Vermilion, Greg Kitts and Katie Morgan.

Board honors outstanding teachers, employees, math champs, JAG winner

Posted: May 09, 2013 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

Dozens of students and teachers were honored by the Marion Community Schools Board of School Trustees during its May 8, 2013, meeting.

Those honored were:

Nominees for the Mary Clark Hanley Teaching Excellence Award for 2012-13: Laurie Gates, Justice Elementary School; Deborah Seeler, Riverview Elementary School; Diana Dollar, Frances Slocum Elementary School; Leah Sirk, Kendall Elementary School; and Kara Carter, Allen Elementary School. Carter, Sirk and Seeler were named winners of the award. Learn more here. Also pictured are MCS Superintendent Steve Edwards, along with School Board members Cathy Moritz, Scott Murphy, Pam Hutchison, Harry Hall, Aaron Vermilion, Greg Kitts and Katie Morgan.

Justice Intermediate School students who placed in the top 100 out of more than 3,000 students participating in the Sumdog math competition in the northeast Indiana Region: Austin Guess, Robert Diaz, Joey Sutton, Kaeli Wert, Emily Phillippe, Kayla Dubuque, Zoe Tucker, Kaleb Starr, and (not pictured) Alexis Crader, Jaelyn Cruzan, and Hannah Patel. Learn more here. Also pictured are MCS Superintendent Steve Edwards, Justice Intermediate School Principal Melissa Richards, along with School Board members Cathy Moritz, Scott Murphy, Pam Hutchison, Harry Hall, Aaron Vermilion, Greg Kitts, and Katie Morgan. (To download a print-quality version of this photo, click here.)

Chevis Weaver, a Marion High School senior, who earned first place at the state Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) competition in the category of employability skills - job interviewing. Learn more here. Also seen in the picture are Superintendent Steve Edwards, board members Cathy Moritz, Scott Murphy, Pam Hutchison, Harry Hall, Aaron Vermilion, Greg Kitts, and Katie Morgan, along with MHS JAG instructor Jenita Hurst.

Marion High School senior Ashley Douglas, who won second place out of 55 students in a Chinese language competition for article recitation. Learn more here. Also pictured are Superintendent Steve Edwards, board members Cathy Moritz, Scott Murphy, Pam Hutchison, Harry Hall, Aaron Vermilion, Greg Kitts, and Katie Morgan, along with MHS Chinese teacher Kayla Hsu.

Members of the MHS JROTC Raider Team: Colton Johnson, Michael Walters, Kyle Franks, Tommy Swaggert, Moara Armagh, Abbrielle Sell, Wyatt Todd, Jessenia Trujillo, Jacob Johnson, David Bilbee, Devon Tarlton, James Franks, Brooke Johnson, Noland Stewart, Joziah Miller, Tyler Mackessy, Abbi Swafford, Carissa Albertson. The team earned several top finishes recently at a regional competition featuring teams from Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan. Learn more here. Also pictured are MCS Superintendent Steve Edwards, along with School Board members Cathy Moritz, Scott Murphy, Pam Hutchison, Harry Hall, Aaron Vermilion, Greg Kitts, and Katie Morgan.

MCS employees with 35 years of experience: Jane Sauer, Judith Warner, Denise Stanley, Deborah Butts, Ron Nichols, Joy Shivers, John Butcher, Deborah Russell, Lori Longenecker-Babb, Darrell Wisser, Kent Cocking, James Sonnefield, Debra McDonald, and Gail Ball. Learn more here. Also pictured are MCS Superintendent Steve Edwards, along with School Board members Cathy Moritz, Scott Murphy, Pam Hutchison, Harry Hall, Aaron Vermilion, Greg Kitts, and Katie Morgan.

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