Macon County School employees met Wednesday morning at Booker T. Washington High School to honor retiring co-workers. Thirty employees were honored with a breakfast retirement ceremony, with Superintendent Jacqueline A. Brooks presiding.
While we munched on a delicious breakfast, prepared by Child Nutrition, we were treated to a musical selection by Rev. Curry, Melinda Curry and Mrs. Karen Tatum. Rev. Curry and his sister have been singing together a long time, because the harmony was beautiful. Mrs. Tatum accompanied on piano.
Presentations were made to retirees by the Education Association of Macon County, Support Personnel of Macon County, Schools of Macon County, Family and Friends, Organization and Agencies and the Macon County Board of Education.
The program ended with another musical selection, a reading by Dr. Brooks and remarks be School Board Members.
Some videos were too large to upload to the school system web site. To view all the videos, please visit this link.
Special Called Board Meeting
May 29, 2012
5:00 p.m.
Transportation Center
1. Educational Services
a. School Calendar 2012-13
b. Change in Venue for Administrative Retreat 2012 - from Tuscaloosa to Tuskegee
2. Business Services
a. Budget Amendment
3. EXECUTIVE SESSION
4. Personnel
a. Superintendent's Contract
b. Retirements
c. Non-Renewals
d. Catastrophic Leave
e. Extended Contracts
f. Substitutes
g. Transfers
Any Other Matter that May Need to Be Brought to the Attention of the Board
Commencement Exercises took place at Notasulga High School on Thursday, May 24, 2012.
Present were school board members, Superintendent Dr. Jacqueline Brooks, parents, friends and two special graduates, Mr. Willie Wyatt and Mr. Anthony Lee.
Mr. Lee and Mr. Wyatt were seniors in 1964 and integrated Notasulga High School. The school was destroyed by fire before graduation ceremonies. In a move spearheaded by Superintendent Brooks, Principal Sullen and Dr. David Wilson of Auburn University, Mr. Wyatt and Mr. Lee participated in Commencement Exercises. A third classmate, Mr. Robert Judkins, passed away some years ago. Congratulations to the 2012 graduating class of Notasulga High School!
Photographs courtesy of Mr. Leon Frazier.
The Graduating Class of 2012 at Notasulga High School will have two slightly older members joining them in their upcoming Graduation Ceremonies. Mr. Anthony Lee and Mr. Willie Wyatt will participate in a graduation ceremony that had been delayed nearly 50 years.
Thanks to the coordinated efforts of Dr. Jacqueline Brooks, Superintendent, Ms. Brelinda Sullen, Principal of Notasulga High School and Dr. Mark Wilson, Director of Civic Learning Initiatives at Auburn University, Anthony Lee, Willie Wyatt and Robert Judkins (now deceased) will receive their official diplomas from Notasulga High School.
In a celebratory event at the Tuskegee Human and Civil Rights Multicultural Center in Tuskegee Al, a diverse audience heard living history, as Attorney Fred Gray recounted the genesis of the effort to desegregate the public schools in Alabama. Attorney Gray spoke of the challenges facing the legal effort and the strategy to overcome those challenges. Amazingly, Attorney Gray's presentation was interrupted by a note calling him away to a case in progress!
The audience was treated to a first-hand account by Willie Wyatt, who told of the trials suffered by the students and their families and the surprising turn of events, including the burning of Notasulga High School. No one spoke as everyone strained to hear every word Mr. Wyatt spoke.
Dr. Mark Wilson, presented an actual audio recording of the events surrounding the initial attempt to desegregate and the violence that occurred. It was shocking to say the least to hear the violence in actuality and jeers from the angry mob, almost 50 years in the distant past.
A question and answer period followed, with questions and comments from members of the audience. It was interesting to note that former would-be classmates were also present in the audience, who were in support of desegregation.
Civil Rights Legend Amelia Boyington Robinson, who was involved with the Selma to Montgomery March, and author of Bridge Over Jordan was also in attendance..
For more information and captions on the photographs, find us on Facebook, the Macon County School System.
On Monday, May 14, the 4th, 5th and 6th grade students at Deborah Cannon Wolfe were treated to a unique lesson in Ecology, via Paul Cash, Eco-Magican. Ecology, Learning and Entertainment were combined in a science lesson thru magic, thanks to the talents of Mr. Paul Cash!
In co-ordination with Ms Kay Stone, Outreach Program Administrator at Auburn University, Mrs. Jean Schely, Science Teacher at DCW and Mr. Mason McDade, principal, students were treated to a lesson in Ecology, disguised as a Magic Show!
The Macon County Board of Education is playing a pivotal role in sharing and reshaping the history of Macon County, evidenced by the historical account of Anthony Lee, Willie Wyatt, and Robert Judkins, who faced discrimination head on as they attempted to integrate the schools of Macon County in the 1960s (The Tuskegee News, February 23, 2012).
Now, nearly 50 years later, a celebratory event to honor and officially award high school diplomas to Anthony Lee, Willie Wyatt, and a representative for Robert Judkins (now deceased) from the Macon County Board of Education stems from a collaborative and ongoing project between the Community and Civic Engagement Initiative in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University and the Tuskegee Human and Civil Rights Multicultural Center to document and preserve citizen memories related to the desegregation of public schools in Macon County.
The public is invited to attend at 2:00 p.m., May 23, 2012 event with Lee and Wyatt, who will recount their experiences from the 1960s. Participants will also hear recently discovered audio recordings of ABC News correspondent and journalist Paul Good, which includes a first-hand account of the violence and an interview shortly thereafter with the mayor of Notasulga. The lawyer that represented the students in the lawsuit is local and famed Attorney Fred D. Gray, Sr.
Scheduled Events at Deborah Cannon Wolfe School for the month of May.
1.) May 14th Auburn's Environmental Institute will be presenting an Environmental Magic Show. (10:00)
2.) May 11th End of year class presentations. (9:00 am)
3.) May 17th Honor's Day Program. ( 9:00 am)
4.) May 18th Field Day. (12:30 pm)
5.) May 25th Promotion Day Program. (9:00 am)
The Calendar of events at Notasulga High School for the month of May have been posted.
the Eagles Nest at Booker T. Washington High School was setting for the Superintendent's Annual Excellence Awards Banquet, held on May 3, at 6:00 PM.
Hosted by Dr. Venesia McClaney, the theme for 2012 was Home, School and Community. The attendees feasted on a delicious meal while the George Washington Carver Elementary Music Students sang (and played violins) music from Porgy and Bess.
Parents of the Year, representing each of our schools, .were recognized, followed by recognition of our students' academic achievements. Macon County is truly blessed with students capable of competing on a national level! Teachers of the year were introduced and awarded for their efforts, although our childrens' success is reward enough. Our community leaders were honored with expressions of appreciation, rounding out the evening. If you didn't get a opportunity to attend, it was a very inspiring evening of fellowship with our parents, students, teachers, community leaders and administrators. A joyful spirit of unity filled the room. Everyone went their separate way with renewed vigor!
Macon County School Students learned about making healthy relationship choices at a workshop held at Tuskegee University Center for Bioethics. During a bold and sometimes boisterous workshop, students from Deborah Cannon Wolfe, Tuskegee Institute Middle School and Tuskegee Public learned how decision-making affects outcomes...especially involving choices to have sexual relations. Abstinence is the only way to completely prevent teenage pregnancy. Read all about it here.