FREE walk-in vaccination clinics will be held at Monroe Middle School (August 19, 8 am - 3 pm) and Monroe High School (August 23-26, 8 am - 1 pm). See flyers for details.
MPS COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics - August 2021
MPS COVID-19 Vacunación - Agosto 2021
 |
 |
Monroe Virtual High School announced the first semester Honor Roll for the 2020-2021 school year. Congratulations to all of the MVHS honor roll students!
MVHS Honor Roll 2020-21 First Semester
Monroe High School announced the first semester Honor Roll for the 2020-2021 school year. Congratulations to all of the honor roll students!
Check out the Winter 2021 issue of our newsletter -- We Are Monroe.
View the issue in flip format at: https://online.fliphtml5.com/lvhob/buiv/
OR as a downloadable PDF at:
https://www.monroe.k12.mi.us/files/page/5370/We_Are_Monroe_Winter_2021.pdf
The Monroe Public Schools Board of Education approved bids for the district’s first bond-funded construction projects at their February 9th meeting. Combined, the projects total nearly $11 million in capital improvements for MPS schools and facilities.
Jerry Oley, Executive Director of Operations, said the project list approved in February was the largest building package work he has been involved with during his two decades in the district.
Monroe voters passed a $59 million school bond in May, 2020. Over the next 5 years, the bond will upgrade the safety and security at every school in the district and fund critically-needed capital projects including HVAC.
The first projects funded by the bond revenues are expected to begin this summer, with preliminary work starting even sooner.
New secure entries, restrooms, and fire alarms are scheduled for Custer and Riverside elementary schools, and extensive work will take place at Monroe High School including a mechanical system/chiller, generator, restrooms, ceilings, lighting, flooring, and paint. Cafeteria air conditioning and new PA systems with security tie-ins will be installed at every elementary school in the district.
“It’s an aggressive approach,” Oley stated. “We will have a lot of projects taking place this summer. We have a lengthy list of improvements throughout the district that are going to take four or five years. Every building at some point will be getting some upgrades.”
“This marks a milestone in our bond journey together,” Superintendent Dr. Julie Everly stated.
“I would love to take this opportunity to thank our community for supporting our students and our school district. The bond was widely supported, and it was born out of needs identified in facility assessments. Monroe Public Schools has been looking at these projects for years. The community who lives here today made this happen.”
Dr. Everly thanked the team from Monroe Public, Kohler Architects, DECA Engineers, and Clark Construction who came together to work on the bond.
The $11 million project list includes $5,981,000 with Monroe Plumbing and Heating, which means work for local residents after a hard pandemic year.
“I’d like to celebrate that we have close to $6 million of the projects going to a local vendor,” Dr. Everly said. “That is something that I know always means a great deal to our Board, Administration, and community. I can’t think of a better package to launch this important work with.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The full list of approved bid contracts is below:
$216,200 from Spieker Company for Bid Category 01 - Concrete
$339,200 from Spieker Company for Bid Category 02 - General Trades
$372,600 from Spieker Company for Bid Category 03 - Selective Demo
$5,981,000 from Monroe Plumbing & Heating for Bid Category 04 – Plumbing and HVAC
$2,054,325 from Brint Electric for Bid Category 05 - Electrical
$175,980 from Ideal Contracting for Bid Category 06 – Structural Steel
$160,348 from WM Molnar for Bid Category 08 - Roofing
$495,000 from Commercial Flooring of Toledo for Bid Category 09 – Carpet, Tile, and Resilient Flooring
$205,845 from GV Painting for Bid Category 10 – Painting and Wall Coverings
$432,980 from Pontiac Ceiling & Partition for Bid Category 12 – Metal Studs, Drywall, and Ceilings
* Spieker Company provided a Combined Bid Discount of $19,900.
$208,272 Construction Related General Conditions fund
$728,950 Construction Contingency fund
The total Bid Package approval is not to exceed $11,350,800.
The Home Builders Association of Monroe has appointed Tom Bell to its Board of Directors. Bell teaches the construction trades program at Monroe High School and launched the innovative Trojan Build projects which involve MHS students building entire homes from the ground up.
The HBA promotes the housing industry through education, advocacy, and professional development. The local chapter is committed to growing the skilled trades workforce and supports efforts to bring young people into the building trades.
“The HBA has been very involved in Monroe High School’s construction trades program,” President David Swartout stated. “Inviting Tom to be part of the Board was a natural next step.”
“Tom is the only construction trades teacher to be appointed to an HBA Board in the state of Michigan,” Swartout noted.
Bob Polk, an HBA past president who recently passed in November, played an important role in connecting the two organizations. “Bob met with me in the planning stages for the first Trojan Build and served on our advisory committee,” Bell shared. “He also worked with students over the years to bring their work to the Expo.”
For the past three years, Monroe High School has showcased the Trojan Build at the HBA Show. The booth also featured drawings from the HBA Student Design Competition and a silent auction of student work. In 2019, the Association co-sponsored a fall fundraiser with Monroe Public Schools to benefit a new HBA student chapter.
The appointment is expected to be mutually beneficial, leading to increased collaboration and opportunities. “Tom will be an integral part of HBA going forward,” Swartout said. “We want to help young people move forward in the industry and get involved in community organizations, not just HBA but also the Chamber of Commerce and the Better Business Bureau.”
The HBA wants young people to understand both the opportunities available to them and the pitfalls to avoid, such as accumulating huge student loans. “You can’t obtain a license if you have issues with credit,” Swartout said. He stressed the importance of letting students know they have options. “There are alternate routes to a successful career,” he asserted. “You can make a good income in the trades without college. Or you can choose to attend community college. You don’t have to take on huge debts.”
Bell enjoys teaching and appreciates the opportunity to pass on his skill and expertise. He began framing houses in high school and had 20 years of trades experience when he was hired at Monroe Public Schools five years ago. Bell spent 12 years in home construction before moving to commercial carpentry where he worked on high-profile construction projects including Tiffin Hospital, Wood County Hospital, Bowling Green State University dormitories, and shops at Fallen Timbers and Franklin Park.
Understandably, Bell is proud of the full-house Trojan Build program he researched, developed, and leads. MHS students frame, add roofing and siding, set windows and doors, trim, do drywall, lay flooring, and build cabinets. Bell coaches his students on life skills as well as technical skills to help them gain and keep employment. “I try to tell them what they need to know and share my life experiences,” Bell summarized.
Bell shares the HBA’s commitment to guide and mentor and is eager to work with the Board. “I look forward to working with HBA leaders to strengthen the skilled trades in southeast Michigan and expand local opportunities that will benefit area builders, our students, and the Monroe community,” Bell said.
“We are proud of the work Mr. Bell is doing in our schools and our community,” Superintendent
Dr. Julie Everly said. “We value our partnership with the Home Builders Association and appreciate
their support which has contributed to our construction program’s success. We welcome the opportunity for additional collaboration.
Two Monroe High School seniors have received National Merit honors through the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program.
Emma Scznsny and Jackson Taft are being recognized for their performance on the 2019 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The test was administered to over 1.5 million juniors around the nation. Emma scored in the top 2% and has been named a National Merit Commended Student. Jackson scored in the top 1% and has been named a National Merit Semi-Finalist.
National Merit students are honored for demonstrating exceptional academic promise. Emma will receive a Letter of Commendation, and Jackson has the opportunity to advance in the scholarship competition. Finalists will be announced in March.
The scholastically-talented seniors are actively involved at Monroe High School and in the community. Jackson is a Monroe Trojan varsity swimmer and three-time state finalist. He has been an A-relay member for MHS and the Southeast Michigan Aquatic Center and has also participated in SST and GTAC swimming. Jackson is Secretary of the C.A.L.C. club, a past Trojan Mentor, and a member of Saint Michael Church. Jackson’s academic aptitude has also earned him a High Achieving Talented Student award. His volunteer work includes the Orchard Center High School food drive, Half Marathon check-in, St. Paul’s Soup Kitchen, and food distribution at Forest Elementary. Jackson plans to study business at the University of Michigan. He is the son of John and Christina Taft.
A two-sport athlete, Emma is a varsity soccer and basketball player whose leadership activities include Drama Club President and Quiz Bowl Team Captain. Emma is a 2018 AP Scholar with Honor, a 2019 AP Scholar with Distinction, and a member of the National Honor Society. Outside of school, she has competed with Monroe United Travel Soccer and danced at the Peg Harris Studio. Emma has served as a volunteer coach for CYO soccer and sports camps at Monroe High School, Monroe County Community College, and Holy Ghost Lutheran School. As an active member of the Holy Ghost Lutheran Youth Fellowship, she has participated in many service projects. Emma plans to attend a 4-year university. She is the daughter of Teri and Mike Scznsny.
The MPS music teachers collaborated to create musical holiday greetings via Zoom. You can listen to their rendition of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” at: https://tinyurl.com/ycu2p7ko