Madison County Schools celebrate EL students – MadRapp

At the regular monthly
meeting of the Madison County School Board in November, Assistant
Superintendent Cathy Jones, Ed.D., presented to board members an instructional
report about Madison’s English Learner (EL) students.

EL Family Picnic

The second EL Family Picnic,
held at Hoover Ridge on October 19, was planned by Caitlyn Racer, Coordinator
of ELL Services, and the amazing EL students in Madison schools.

The younger students voted on
the food, prizes, and games (especially the Pinata, which once again proved a
great hit. The high school EL students planned and implemented the event, from
writing directions for the games, to distributing the invitations, to budgeting
funds and buying the food.

The event was well attended
and much enjoyed. Racer will present a summary of Madison’s EL programs,
including our bilingual book program, at the State conference later this year.

Jones reported that in 2013,
Madison had 4 EL students. In 2018,
there were 15 EL students, and the school system has close to 40 EL students
today.

Employee of the Month – Nancy
Gennaro

Wetsel Middle School’s Nancy Gennaro (right) is Madison County’s employee of the month.

William Wetsel Middle School
Principal Andrea Wilson introduced Nancy Gennaro as the Employee of the Month,
noting that her dedication is inspiring. She is committed to helping our
special education students succeed.

Senior of the Month – Devon
Barden

Madison County High School
Principal Betty Jo Wynham introduced Devon Barden as the Senior of the Month,
praising him as an exceptional individual who exemplifies this year’s focus on
Innovation.

Barden is a junior member of
the Madison County Fire Department, passing his Hazmat certificate and
participated in maintaining the fire lines at the Quaker Run fire. He is also a
skilled photographer who took the insurance photos for the fire at Rose Park
United Methodist Church and is the photographer for the school yearbook. He is
also a game designer, interested in military history.

MCHS senior Devon Barden (left) was introduced to school board members as the senior of the month.

[Editor’s Note: Barden is
also a photo-journalist with The MadRapp Recorder and The GreeneJournal,
covering principally the sports beat but also human-interest stories.]

Middle School SCA “Pink” Day

Wetsel art teacher and
Student Council Association (SCA) sponsor Anna Mann introduced eight SCA
members who participated in “Pink” Day on October 26. The SCA had decided to
raise funds for the Martha Jefferson Breast Cancer Center, and each SCA member
spoke about what it meant to them to raise $1,170 at the Pep Rally.

The Budget is finally balanced
for FY24

Superintendent Anna Graham announced
that the General Assembly had finally passed this year’s state budget, allowing
the administration to balance revenues and expenditures for the current school
year.

Although the General Assembly
did not pass a 1% raise for the full year as proposed earlier in the budget
season, they did pass a 2% raise effective January 2024. State funds were also
approved at a lower level in FY-24 than in the previous fiscal year, leaving a
shortfall that was partially covered by a previous Madison County set-aside of
$144,192 in contingency funds, with the School Board approving the request of
these funds from the County Board of Supervisors.

Madison County public schools
will also be receiving $509,270 from the new State program called ALL in
Virginia, which addresses Attendance, Learning Loss, and Literacy. Madison will
use these funds to pay for tutors and one behavioral specialist.

School Board Members’ Reports

Board member Charlie Sheads Jr.
commented on the school visit two weeks earlier, noting that having an
interactive scavenger hunt was a great idea.

Board vice-chair Chris
Wingate praised the cleanliness of the schools, commending the
behind-the-scenes work of the janitors.

Board member Karen Allen
commended the schools for supporting the community with events such as Veterans
Day and helping the firefighters at the Quaker Run fire.

Board member Greg Martz
celebrated the accomplishments of the teachers in producing the study guides
that come home with the students’ homework.

Board chair Nita Collier
attended the PREP meeting a few weeks ago and reported on the change in
location of the PREP office in 2025, from Ivy Creek School in Albemarle County
to possibly Rockfish River Elementary School in Nelson County.

Student representative
Jessica Cropp reported on the following activities:

• High school students
  collected 200 sports drinks to send to the firefighters at Quaker Run.
• High school students held a
  Veterans Day haiku competition.
• The powderpuff game is
  scheduled for Nov. 16, where junior and senior girls play flag football,
  cheered by the boys in the stands.
• CNA students created an event
  where they took blood pressure and other vital signs checks.

Superintendent Graham
commented that the students’ behavior at Veterans Day events was exemplary. Students
at the presentation of the colors at the primary school and elementary school
were so respectful and engaged. Graham also noted that information on the new
program “Madison Reads” sponsored by the DOI committee is going out, asking for
volunteers to be taped reading a favorite book that can be viewed many times in
the future.