The Monroe High School cell phone policy will officially be part of the student handbook for the 2008-2009 school year.
The policy was put in place for the 2007-2008 school year, but was not included in the handbook. But it will be next year, MHS Principal Mark Burandt said.
The policy strictly prohibits using cell phones during school hours. The only exception is during the students' lunch period in the M-Room. Putting the phone on vibrate and checking messages is not acceptable - nor is using phones as a calculator, clock, camera or any other reason a student could claim it was being used for. The policy advises students to turn off phones and leave them in a locked locker.
For the first offense, cells will be confiscated and returned by the office at the end of the day and parents will be notified. For the second offense, the office will keep the phone for three school days or until a parent comes to retrieve it. Ditto for the third offense, but the student also will get detention(s). Future offenses will result in an in-school meeting and a meeting with parents.
Prior to this school year, the school used an informal policy and did not have the stepped disciplinary outline, Burandt said.
The policy is undoubtedly necessary. I've witnessed and heard from parents about students who are extremely adept at texting anytime, anywhere. Imagine a classroom teacher trying to keep an eye on the activities of 20 students and 20 cell phones and deliver some kind of meaningful instruction - surely an impossible task.
The policy was presented as an information item to school board members Monday. It wasn't without some debate, as some board members suggested the policy also prohibit using camera cell phones in a locker room or in other inappropriate ways. MHS Assistant Principal Mike Brukwicki, however, was against adding any particulars - students will find a way around it if the policy is too detailed. Better, he said, to make it a flat prohibition: Cell phones can't be used for any reason at any time except during lunch. Period.
• • •
Jeff Bakken, lead teacher at Monroe Alternative Charter High School, will be running 33 miles from near Paoli to Monroe on Tuesday, May 27, to honor this year's graduating class and the late Dan Bauer.
This is the eighth year Bakken, a seasoned runner with more than 60 marathons under his belt, has made the early-morning distance run. He started by running 20 miles for 20 graduates, but has upped the ante since then.
He plans to start on the Madison side of Paoli sometime around 3 a.m. Because of an injury this winter, he's opting to run on the level terrain of the Badger State Trail instead of Wisconsin 69 as he has in previous years.
That should put him in Monroe with time to shower and get to school. He will be teaching that day, but admits he'll be limping around.
"I'm not 20 anymore," he said.
But it's worth it to him because of the excitement it generates for the kids.
"They kids always seem really proud," he said. This year, six or seven graduates will be joining him for the final mile.
This year's run also will serve as a memorial to Bauer, who was the founding vision behind the alternative school.
"Helping kids was his life's dream" Bakken said. "Without his dream, a lot of kids wouldn't be graduating."
• • •
John Mulhall retired from the Monroe School Board last month after serving for six years. He had been on the school board for a six-year stint previously, and also served as an alderman on the Monroe City Council. Mulhall had a knack for livening up proceedings, as evidenced at his last school board meeting. After saying a few words and accepting a gift from the school board, Mulhall departed the room - but not before flashing his colleagues a peace sign with his hand. Or was that a V for victory?
• • •
Listen for a Monroe woman on the radio this week - Barn Quilt co-chairmen Lynn Locken and Kris Winkler will be interviewed by Pam Janke (the Farm Babe). The interview will be broadcast from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday on WTDY AM-1670.
Locken and Winkler, who helped start the project, will be discussing the Barn Quilt project and the upcoming Green County Breakfast on the Farm, which will feature a barn quilt at the event May 31.
• • •
Susie Hillison is looking for a copy of this year's MHS ReVue. Hillison is looking for a copy of the entire show on tape, either Friday or Saturday's performance. If anyone can help her out, please call the MHS office at 328-7118 or Hillison at 328-2310 or cell 558-9797.
The policy was put in place for the 2007-2008 school year, but was not included in the handbook. But it will be next year, MHS Principal Mark Burandt said.
The policy strictly prohibits using cell phones during school hours. The only exception is during the students' lunch period in the M-Room. Putting the phone on vibrate and checking messages is not acceptable - nor is using phones as a calculator, clock, camera or any other reason a student could claim it was being used for. The policy advises students to turn off phones and leave them in a locked locker.
For the first offense, cells will be confiscated and returned by the office at the end of the day and parents will be notified. For the second offense, the office will keep the phone for three school days or until a parent comes to retrieve it. Ditto for the third offense, but the student also will get detention(s). Future offenses will result in an in-school meeting and a meeting with parents.
Prior to this school year, the school used an informal policy and did not have the stepped disciplinary outline, Burandt said.
The policy is undoubtedly necessary. I've witnessed and heard from parents about students who are extremely adept at texting anytime, anywhere. Imagine a classroom teacher trying to keep an eye on the activities of 20 students and 20 cell phones and deliver some kind of meaningful instruction - surely an impossible task.
The policy was presented as an information item to school board members Monday. It wasn't without some debate, as some board members suggested the policy also prohibit using camera cell phones in a locker room or in other inappropriate ways. MHS Assistant Principal Mike Brukwicki, however, was against adding any particulars - students will find a way around it if the policy is too detailed. Better, he said, to make it a flat prohibition: Cell phones can't be used for any reason at any time except during lunch. Period.
• • •
Jeff Bakken, lead teacher at Monroe Alternative Charter High School, will be running 33 miles from near Paoli to Monroe on Tuesday, May 27, to honor this year's graduating class and the late Dan Bauer.
This is the eighth year Bakken, a seasoned runner with more than 60 marathons under his belt, has made the early-morning distance run. He started by running 20 miles for 20 graduates, but has upped the ante since then.
He plans to start on the Madison side of Paoli sometime around 3 a.m. Because of an injury this winter, he's opting to run on the level terrain of the Badger State Trail instead of Wisconsin 69 as he has in previous years.
That should put him in Monroe with time to shower and get to school. He will be teaching that day, but admits he'll be limping around.
"I'm not 20 anymore," he said.
But it's worth it to him because of the excitement it generates for the kids.
"They kids always seem really proud," he said. This year, six or seven graduates will be joining him for the final mile.
This year's run also will serve as a memorial to Bauer, who was the founding vision behind the alternative school.
"Helping kids was his life's dream" Bakken said. "Without his dream, a lot of kids wouldn't be graduating."
• • •
John Mulhall retired from the Monroe School Board last month after serving for six years. He had been on the school board for a six-year stint previously, and also served as an alderman on the Monroe City Council. Mulhall had a knack for livening up proceedings, as evidenced at his last school board meeting. After saying a few words and accepting a gift from the school board, Mulhall departed the room - but not before flashing his colleagues a peace sign with his hand. Or was that a V for victory?
• • •
Listen for a Monroe woman on the radio this week - Barn Quilt co-chairmen Lynn Locken and Kris Winkler will be interviewed by Pam Janke (the Farm Babe). The interview will be broadcast from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday on WTDY AM-1670.
Locken and Winkler, who helped start the project, will be discussing the Barn Quilt project and the upcoming Green County Breakfast on the Farm, which will feature a barn quilt at the event May 31.
• • •
Susie Hillison is looking for a copy of this year's MHS ReVue. Hillison is looking for a copy of the entire show on tape, either Friday or Saturday's performance. If anyone can help her out, please call the MHS office at 328-7118 or Hillison at 328-2310 or cell 558-9797.