The Nashville Symphony has signed on as an official partner of Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Industry Magnet High School's Academy of Entertainment Management! This means students in the Academy will have even more opportunities to learn from the pros, and soon! First up, students will receive applied lessons on any instrument, free of charge, thanks to One Note One Neighborhood and W.O. Smith School of Music. The lessons will be taught by a member of the Nashville Symphony. March 24, The Nashville Symphony will hold a Career Day for select students. The group will get a behind the scenes look at the technical aspects of a production on any given night at the Symphony. In addition to these outstanding learning opportunities, the Symphony will provide new instruments to the school's marching band; send players to the school for concerts, sectionals, and teaching opportunities; and a variety of other learning opportunities!

There's been a lot of focus lately on Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) programs both here in Nashville and nationally. In fact, three new STEM magnet schools will serve Metro students next year. For an example of how STEM programs are engaging students and building bridges between subjects, we turn to Overton High School Technology & Engineering teacher John Marshall. Mr. Marshall has a quite literal example of the "bridge building" that happens in STEM programs.

Kenton Wesby, Madison Middle School, and Tanisha Wesby, Goodlettsville Elementary, have been invited to serve on the SECME National Advisory Council and as SECME Master Teacher Mentors throughout 2011-12. SECME has served as a key source of professional development for teachers, grades K-12, who focus on science, technology, engineering, and math - also known as STEM courses. According to a news release issued by SECME, as Master Teacher Mentors, the Wesbys will expand the role of SECME Master Teacher beyond the Summer Institute as Professional Learning Community Mentors. They will assist other teachers

Four Metro students have qualified to compete in the 2011 Tennessee Geogrphic Bee! Students in grades four through eight competed at the school level in order to qualify. These four winners had to not only best their fellow students in a school geography bee, they also had to take a written geography test from the National Geographic Society and score highly enough to qualify for the state competition.

LP Pencil Box and some Metro teachers are benefiting from the talents and generosity of a local artist. Franklin watercolorist Gail McDaniel presented nearly 6,500 in grants to more than a dozen teachers from Davidson and Williamson counties, as well as to the LP Pencil Box, which provides free educational supplies to area schools and teachers. More than 1,400 was given to teachers in Nashville and will be used to buy art supplies for students at Nashville School of Arts, East Literature Magnet, and Sylvan Park Paideia. Another 2,400 was given to LP Pencil Box. The money is raised through the "Students and Friends of Gail McDaniel" program, which has hosted an arts fundraiser for eleven years running. A big thank you is due to Gail McDaniel and all of the donors that have made this possible! Gail McDaniel (center) surrounded by the recipients of her award grants.

Tonight the Board will discuss the 2011-12 operating budget. They will also consider the Director's Evaluation and talk about the upcoming Youth Safety Summit. Click here for a full agenda. <a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=0d0f172c39">Board of Education Meeting - March 8, 2011</a>Don't forget about the public hearing on the budget being held on Thursday, March 10, 2011. The public is invited to speak, but must register in advance. Click here for details.

On the evening of March 1, 2011, four new members were inducted into Nashville Public Schools Hall of Fame for their contributions to our schools and the community. The annual event is hosted by Nashville Alliance for Public Education, a key supporter of MNPS. Since its inception, Nashville Alliance has raised 25 million to advance student achievement in key academic areas such as math, science and music. Congratulations to the following, and thank you for your continued support of Nashville and MNPS.Charles E. Davis, 2011 Distinguished Alumni Award Inductee Former NBA star and founder/CEO of the Charles Davis Foundation McGavock High School, 1976 James H. Fyke, 2011 Distinguished Alumni Award InducteeFormer Commissioner of TNDepartment of Environment and Conservation andformer Director of Metro ParksDuPont High School, 1957 Shirley A. Zeitlin, 2011 Distinguished Alumni Award InducteeNationally established realtor and CEO of Zeitlin & Company, Realtors®West End High School, 1952 Orrin H. Ingram, Nelson C. Andrews Distinguished Service Award InducteePresident & CEO of Ingram Industries, Inc.Chairman, Ingram Barge Company and public education advocate

Bordeaux Enhanced Option School is celebrating “Read Me Week” and “National Nutrition Month” March 7-11, with several special guests! First, Chef David Owens, author of “The Adventures of Brocklee and The Little Chef, will host an assembly Monday, March 7, at 9 a.m. He will read, discuss and demonstrate tasty nutritional recipes and facts to the student body. Chef David will return Tuesday, March 8, for a follow-up presentation at 5 p.m., for a demonstration and discussion with the parents in regards to community health. The Bordeaux EOS library will be open Tuesday night from 5 - 7 p.m., for parents and students to purchase books. A special section will be open for students to create their own books!

Tuesday, March 8, all students and families interested in applying for one of the three new STEM Magnet schools - Hattie Cotton for elementary grades, Bailey for middle grades, and Stratford for high school grades - are invited to attend a STEM Magnet Showcase Night. The evening will consist of an overview of MNPS's six new thematic magnet schools, unique features of the STEM Magnets including a partnership with Vanderbilt University, hands-on demonstrations, and special displays be each of the three schools. Guests will be able to speak with students, staff and Vanderbilt representatives about the unique programs and partnerships. The presentation begins at 5:30 p.m., at Stratford High School.

Ms. Weaver, French teacher at Martin Luther King Jr., Academic Magnet School, has been accepted into the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF) Future Leaders Fellowship Program in Montreal, Canada, which will be held in July and takes place immediately prior to the AATF’s annual convention. Weaver, who was nominated to the program by the Tennessee Chapter of the AATF, will work with future leaders from other chapters throughout the United States on ways in which to provide effective leadership on both a regional and national level. Weaver has been a member of the AATF since 2004 and is currently President Elect of the Tennessee Chapter.

From Academy Teacher of the Year to Academy Partnership of the Year, several MNPS teachers administrators and business partners associated with The Academies of Nashville have been nominated for awards in the inaugural Academies of Nashville Award Ceremony! The ceremony will be held in May and hosted by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. Click here to read the Chamber's blog with a full list of nominees.

Check out the latest issue of MNPS Report Home. The publication offers helpful test-taking tips, information about highly qualified teachers, district and school AYP status, two upcoming Parent University conferences, and much more!

Now through March 31, applications for the 2011-2012 Saint Thomas Science Scholars Program are being accepted! This is a great opportunity for students enrolling in Healthcare Academies through The Academies of Nashville. PENCIL Foundation works with Saint Thomas to select students through an application process. Through this program, students are exposed to several different career options in the industry and have the opportunity to talk one-on-one with hospital staff. If selected, students participate in six hands-on, interactive sessions at the hospital. These are Saturday sessions held throughout the school-year so students must have their own transportation.Student eligibility:Currently enrolled in honors science class in 9th gradeSuccessfully completed Honors BiologyInterested in learning about careers in healthcareDemonstrate a curiosity about scienceCommitted to attend 6 Saturday sessions at Saint Thomas Hospital during the school yearClick here for an application.

For the full meeting agenda, click here. <a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=c627a95c2d">Board of Education Meeting - February 22, 2011</a>

Metro School's Department of Exceptional Education will be hosting a School to Community Transition Fair for exceptional education students. The fair will be held Monday, March 28, from 4 - 7 p.m., at Martin Professional Development Center. Students and their families will have access to more than 50 vendors, including representatives from state and local agencies and community service agencies. Guests will learn about post-high school options including employment, adult living, community service, post-secondary education and recreational activities. Open publication - Free publishing - More metro schools

Approximately 70% of adults with disabilities are unemployed in the U.S. These individuals are highly dedicated, talented, and genuinely want to work. And now, many of them are thanks to the strong partnerships formed through the MNPS Exceptional Education Department's Community Based Transition Program. This program has opened the door to internship opportunities, work-based training, and even gainful employment. But the students aren't the only ones who benefit. Check out the video below for an in-depth look at the power of community-based transition programs. A special thank you to the students and teachers who allowed us to tag along (with cameras) on their busy days, as well as the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, Holiday Inn-Vanderbilt, Airport Marriott, the United Methodist Publishing House, Skyline Medical Center, Martin Professional Development Center, and the MNPS Customer Service Center for not only opening their doors to our students and staff, but for participating in this video.

Student filmmakers! Here is your chance to flex your creative muscle and to help make your schools safer. MNPS is changing its approach to bullying. We've more clearly defined what is considered bullying and beefed up out reporting and investigation practices. The next step to any good change in policy is to spread the word. That's where we need your help.We want your ideas for videos to build awareness and encourage students to report bullying incidents. Following the guidelines posted at the bottom of this page, submit your video to the Anti-Bullying Taskforce. We'll sift through and pick a standout to serve as our primary PSA on the website!Your video should accomplish three things: Show what bullying is. Pushing and shoving? That's bullying. Harassing text messages at school? That's bullying. Name calling and threats on Facebook? That's bullying. Show as many forms as you please. Feel free to include the phrase "This is Bullying." Encourage students to report bullying in whatever way is safe and comfortable. Particular importance should be placed on the new text message reporting system that is under heavy consideration. Don't worry about including the phone number. We'll take care of that later. Feel free to include the phrase "Here is Help." Have fun and be creative! We want to see what you can do! Be as inventive and as fun as possible. Use whatever format and style you want. Just remember your audience: fellow students. Of course, no contest is complete without rules and a deadline, so here they are: Five minutes or shorter, with preference given to videos under three minutes. No obscenities, threatening language, or otherwise inappropriate material should be included. Use common sense. Inappropriate material will not be considered or tolerated. If you have students in your video, include a list of first and last names for every student. Any student featured in a video must have their parents sign a media permission form. Unsure if you have one? Check with your main office. Your video will be used by the MNPS Communications Department in many potential forms: online, television, presentations, group meetings and any other form that we see fit. Deadline: March 15, 2011, at 4:30 p.m. You may post your video to YouTube or another video sharing site. Send links to these videos to MNPSCommunicationsOffice@mnps.org You may also submit your video on DVD or CD and send it to the following address: MNPS Communications2601 Bransford AvenueNashville, TN 37204 Questions? Ask MNPSCommunicationsOffice@mnps.org We hope that you take advantage of this great opportunity!

To help students and teachers have ample time to prepare for spring testing, MNPS is moving the TCAP testing window back. Originally scheduled for April 11-15, TCAP testing for students grades 3-8 will now be held Wednesday, April 13 - Wednesday, April 20. Parents, please also remember that Monday, Feb. 21, will now be a regular school day. Originally planned for professional development, the district calendar committee voted to use this day to make up lost instructional time.

Meri Kock, a school counselor from Hillsboro High School, has been named one of the top ten school counselors in America. Kock is one of more than 230 elementary, middle, and secondary school counselors nationwide who were nominated for the School Counselor of the Year award. The award, which is presented by the American School Counselor Association, honors the professionals who devote their careers to serving as advocates and often lifesavers for the nation’s students. Open publication - Free publishing - More mnps

During the 2008-09 school year, Smithson-Craighead Academy was placed on probation by the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools for failing math. Now, thanks to new practices placed in the curriculum to increase TCAP scores and working diligently, Smithson-Craighead now is in “Good Standing” with the Office of Charter and Private Schools for making AYP for the 2009 -10 school year! Today, students, staff, parents and community members gathered for a big celebration and a kick off for the new year of Math in Motion and Read to Race. At the end of the celebration, top-achievers from each class hopped in their race cars and hit the gas! To meet AYP, every classroom included weekly data analysis to assess student progress and provide remediation and acceleration. Teachers held weekly team meetings to brainstorm, implement and evaluate daily practices. Literacy, numeracy and technology coaches assisted teachers with innovative methods to promote skill mastery. Students met in study groups and even used TCAP practice tests for review. Weekly math and reading challenges were held in class to motivate the students for the upcoming test. Teachers and assistants relied on each other to ensure that every student was learning and engaging in classroom instruction for making AYP.

Several MNPS performance groups performed during the 2011 Keep the Music Playing All-Stars Concert, which was held Tuesday, Feb. 1, at 6:30 p.m, at the Schermerhorn Symphony Hall. This concert was in appreciation to the CMA for providing Metro Schools with instruments and music through its Keep the Music Playing Program that has donated more than 3 million in musical equipment to Metro Schools. The schools invited to perform include: Croft Design Center Full Orchestra Jones Paideia Choir – “Super Stars” DuPont Tyler Middle School Advanced Band Duet – Luke Bryant (country artist and emcee) and Sam Hunter (guitarist from Nashville School of the Arts) Nashville School of the Arts Jazz Ensemble Pearl-Cohn High School Choir Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet School Full Orchestra Special guests who will be in attendance at the concert are: Dr. Jesse Register, Director of Metro Schools Mayor Karl Dean Luke Bryan, Country Music Star Pam Garrett, Executive Director of Nashville Alliance for Public Education Steve Moore, CEO of CMA Alan Valentine, President/CEO of the Nashville Symphony

Roughly 13,000 of the MNPS's 78,000 students will change schools this school year. This high level of mobility, due in large part to family relocation, can have a significant impact on student achievement levels as it forces students to get accustomed to a new school, new teachers, and new classmates. It also can create difficulties for students if the new school is on a different learning pace than the first school attended. The district has adopted tier-level pacing guides to minimize the fluctuation in instruction, but each class must go at a pace that benefits the students.But guess what? Even if the family moves outside of the zone, the student does not have to switch schools mid-year. MNPS is proud to offer families a Continuity Option; i.e., the opportunity to stay at the current school even if you move out of zone. The continuity option can be used for the remainder of the school year, or even as long as it takes for a child to finish that tier.For example, if a 5th grader at JT Moore moves to Antioch, he or she can choose to finish the school year at JT Moore. The student can even choose to stay at JT Moore all the way through the 8th grade. In 9th grade, he or she would enroll at the school of zone, or utilize Open Enrollment or the annual magnet and optional school lottery. The issue of mobility is one that is often foreign to small rural school districts, but one that is very real to MNPS. Of the 13,000 students who will change schools this year, less than 1,800 will utilize the Continuity Option. To read more about mobility rates, the impact on student achievement, and ways MNPS is addressing the issue, check out today's article in the Tennessean, Nashville Schools Tackle Student Mobility.

Hillsboro High School has been granted authorization for its Middle Years Programme (MYP), a version of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme designed for 9th and 10th grade students. This authorization will enable Hillsboro to offer a full MYP and IB Diploma Programme (DP) pathway for students entering Hillsboro from JT Moore and West End middle schools, both of which are also MYP authorized. “This authorization is significant not only for Hillsboro High School,but for our entire cluster,” said Dr. Terry Shrader, principal of Hillsboro. “We will now be able to offer the IB Middle Years program for students grades 5-10 in partnership with our authorized IB feeder middle schools. This designation will provide unlimited possibilities for the students in the Hillsboro cluster and continues our vision of creating an international high school at Hillsboro. It’s very exciting.” The full release is below. Open publication - Free publishing - More mnps

Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools will hold a press conference to discuss the release of the 2010 Report Card by the State Department of Education. Information regarding the district’s status, the impact of higher state standards, and the impact of the May 2010 flood on testing will be discussed. The press conference will begin at 2:45 p.m.Live-blog opens at 2:30 p.m. &amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=f9a5aeb82f"&amp;gt;Report Card Press Conference&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

Leaders in nine communities across the U.S. have signed on to a District-Charter Collaboration Compact, an initiative to highlight new ways that public charter schools and traditional public schools are working to provide high quality education for all students. Cities committed to the Compact include Baltimore, Md., Denver, Colo., Hartford, Conn., Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Minn., Nashville, Tenn., New Orleans, La., New York City and Rochester, N.Y. In response to requests by school districts and charter school leaders for such a collaboration, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has supported the development of public agreements in cities where the traditional district schools and public charter schools are eager to work together to share best practices and provide all children in their communities with a public school education that prepares them with the skills and knowledge to succeed in college and the workforce.View full release below.

A big shout out to Hume-Fogg Magnet Academic High School for being nominated for the presitgious 2011 Blue Ribbon Award. Hume-Fogg was nominated as a High Performing School. It currently ranks among Tennessee's Top 10% in academic achievement. Hume-Fogg is one of six schools in Tennessee nominated for the national recognition. Only one other was nominated as a High Performing School. Winners will be announced in the fall of 2011.

Don't be left out of important messages and information - make sure your contact information is up to date!Whether you're a parent, employee or both, it is vitally important that your school knows how to reach you. There are school, cluster and district-wide callouts; important letters home; newsletters; books; grades; score sheets - an endless number of pieces of information that need to find their way home to you!Please take the time to call your school, review that their information for you is correct and make any needed changes. You can find complete contact information for your school on our School Lists. If you are an employee, you can find official Human Resources forms for changing your personal information on the HR website.Thank you for taking a few moment to get this done - and for everything you do to support Metro Schools!

Click here for more information on the new standards. &lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=3b49617bc5"&gt;Live Chat with Dr. Paul Changas to Understand Tennessee's New Academic Standards&lt;/a&gt;

The Tennessee Department of Education recently announced that Tennessee has been awarded nearly 35 million in a Teacher Incentive Fund Grant. The 34.9 million will be used to support student academic achievement by providing highly effective teachers and administrators. Specifically, the grant will help fund new teacher- and principal-evaluation based pay programs. To read the full release, click here.

Did You Know? The MNPS Food Services Department will serve more than 6.5 million lunches and 2.3 million breakfasts during the 2010-11 school year. MNPS cafeterias incorporate healthy alternatives – like high-fiber, wheat crust pizza; low-fat turkey-meat corndogs; and low-sugar flavored milks - into the lunch line. Most students gobble these healthier versions up as quickly as they would gobble the unhealthy alternatives. All MNPS meals are planned by a registered dietician, and many of the healthier items are even taste-tested by students prior to serving. Funded under the National School Lunch Act and Child Nutrition Act, the Food and Nutrition Services program at Metro Nashville Public Schools is an extension of the educational programs of the school system. The MNPS food services team takes great pride in offering tasty and nutritious meals to our students, as well as educating students and parents on the importance of nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle. One way the department will do this is by offering monthly food tips, the first of which focuses on protein. Remember Popeye’s love for spinach? And the bulging biceps he immediately grew after downing the leafy, nutrient-rich greens? While slightly exaggerated, this is a great example of a primary benefit of healthy eating; it's good for the body. Spinach, you see, is an excellent source of iron and protein, among numerous other vitamins and nutrients. Protein specifically is necessary in building and maintaining all body tissues and muscles. It is also an important ingredient for enzymes, hormones and fluids of the body. Food sources of protein are lean meat, poultry, fish, seafood’s, eggs, milk, dry beans, peas, nuts, and yes, spinach! Cereals, breads, vegetables and fruits also provide some protein.Next month, the mineral your body can't do without.

Great news, Nashville! Metro Schools has created a new tool for students, parents, and prospective families in deciding which school best fits the family and child's needs. The Parents' Guide to Public Schools is full of information to help guide you through your child's education. Individual school profiles, district maps, helpful enrollment tips, facts and figures regarding the school system, opportunities for advanced academics and extracurricular activities, and many more topics will be covered in the guide.