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The W welcomes MPB Family Fun Day

Author: Webmaster

The W welcomes MPB Family Fun Day

Published: 19 April 2024
Written by Webmaster
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Categories: Education News and Resources, Education Updates, Educational Support

Monday, April 15, 2024

by Robert Scott

Mississippi University for Women’s Center for Education Support, Preservation Society of Columbus, Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, Accelerate MS and Mississippi Public Broadcasting have partnered to bring the MPB Family Fun Day to Columbus.

The event is set for Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in Pohl Gym on The W’s Campus.

There will be a variety of activities for all ages that aim to foster a love of learning and show how it can be fun, as well as offer networking and resources for educators.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for The W’s Center for Education Support to take part in our service and social responsibility to enrich student and family learning. This event brings together a multitude of collaborations that build partnerships to make a difference in our region,” said Penny Mansell, director for the Center for Education Support.

Among the activities are the percussion petting zoo, hosted by MSMS students, which features hands-on experience with instruments such as drums and xylophones. MSMS students will also give a live musical performance during the event.

There will be STEAM activities and logic games. STEAM is short for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. The activities aim to “spark curiosity, foster creativity and ignite a passion for learning with interactive experiences.”

MPB character Ed Said will appear at the event, where he will encourage kids to chase their dreams no matter how big they may seem.

Other activities include digital learning resources, MUW-Excel by 5 Health Fair and many more.

“This family day shines a light on our local culture and hospitality while exposing our children and families to resources and hands-on learning activities. This event is also valuable to our local teachers and schools, who can network with these resources and strengthen the educational practices in their classrooms,” Mansell said.

The event is free to attend, but registration is recommended. To register, please visit education.mpbonline.org.

About The W

Located in historic Columbus, Mississippi, The W was founded in 1884 as the first state-supported college for women in the United States. Today, the university is home to 2,227 students in more than 70 majors and concentrations and has educated men for 40 years. The university is nationally recognized for low student debt, diversity and social mobility which empowers students to BE BOLD.

Be Bold. Tower with Blue.

Over 150 Dedicated Early Educators Gather for the Third Annual CHEER Conference

Published: 19 April 2024
Written by Webmaster
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Categories: Education News and Resources, Education Updates, Educational Support

Columbus, Mississippi – April 13, 2024 – More than 150 committed early educators convened in the Pope Ballroom on Saturday, April 13th, for the third annual CHEER Conference. Hosted on the campus of The W (Mississippi University for Women), the event offered an immersive seven hours of professional development. It celebrated the invaluable contributions of teachers to the Columbus and Lowndes County communities. CHEER, an acronym for Celebrating and Highlighting Early Education Respect, is an initiative sponsored by The W’s Center for Education Support and Excel by 5 of Columbus-Lowndes. This annual event is provided to childcare providers at no cost, thanks to the generous support of grants, local business sponsorships, and community donations.

Distinguished presenters at the conference included Educare Mississippi, Heather Martin, community coach with Excel by 5, Dr. Julie Parker, Mississippi State Professor and Early Intervention Advocate, and statewide resources for early education. Mary Jo Huff, a renowned national speaker, storyteller, author, recording artist, and educator, delivered the keynote address.

Mayor Keith Gaskin, along with numerous Columbus and statewide industry leaders and executives, enthusiastically participated in the CHEER parade, acknowledging and celebrating the remarkable dedication of early educators in the community.

“We must remember that our economy depends on childcare. More than 98% of all professions in Mississippi make more than childcare educators. But these teachers get up every day and work hard in a classroom so parents and families can also go to work,” said Penny Mansell, Director of the Center for Education Support and member of the Mississippi Excel by 5 Executive Board.

“It is past time that we recognize those who go above and beyond to prepare our children to enter school happy, healthy, and with the skills they need to succeed,” said Keith Gaskin, Mayor of the City of Columbus.

Mayor Gaskin also offered two proclamations from the city. He declared Week of the Young Child 2024 and April 13, 2024, as Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day in Columbus.

“High-quality early care and education can help eliminate the effects of poverty, detect and remediate delays, and lead to positive outcomes for children and families so they are more prepared to succeed in school and life,” Gaskin said.

The event’s highlight was the announcement of the annual Early Childhood Educator of the Year finalists and overall winner. All finalists received a $100 gift card, with the overall winner, Rachel Edgeworth from Open Arms Christian Learning Center, receiving an additional $300 for her outstanding dedication and compassion to Columbus and Lowndes County families.

Finalists from the Infant-Toddler Group:

• Ashley Reeves from ABC & Me Christian Preschool

• Panda Fortenberry from Open Arms Christian Learning Center

Finalists for the Early Preschool Toddler Group:

• Alexis Nelson from The Assembly Kids Academy

• Bobbie Sue Green from ABC & Me Christian Preschool

Finalists for the Preschool 3-4 year-old Group:

• Libby Rice from The Assembly Kids Academy

• Rachel Edgeworth from Open Arms Christian Learning Center

Finalists for the Prekindergarten 4-5 year-old Group:

• Cindy Galvez from The Assembly Kids Academy

• Megan Berry from Bright Beginnings Preschool

The Overall Early Educator of the Year for 2024:

• Rachel Edgeworth from Open Arms Christian Learning Center

Following the awards ceremony, the CHEER Conference hosted a community EXCELebration luncheon, emphasizing the profound impact of early educators in shaping young minds and futures.

“These early educators are so much more than some perceive as daycare workers or babysitters; they genuinely are brain architects when they have classrooms with high-quality experiences. Follow the brain research that is everywhere right now. It’s no longer OK to say daycare. They care for the whole child. Their job is the most important one in a child’s life. It’s time we celebrate and cherish their hard work as early educators and teachers,” said Mansell.

The Columbus-Lowndes Excel by 5 coalition will convene for its next quarterly meeting on April 25th at 1 PM in the W’s Education building, room 120. Early childhood supporters are invited.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Anna Wood or Penny Mansell

Center for Education Support Mississippi University for Women

662-241-6386

ces@muw.edu

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Searching for Teacher Assistants

Published: 12 December 2023
Written by Webmaster
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Categories: Education News and Resources, Education Updates, Educational Support

The School of Education is recruiting local Columbus-Lowndes Teacher Assistants for our first Teacher Assistant Day, scheduled February 21, 2024. Local elementary principals are asked to recommend Teacher Assistants who have shown dedication, potential, and a genuine interest in furthering their education. The team with the School of Education will host these local paraprofessionals and discuss our program, educator licensure pathways, scholarship opportunities, and time investment.

We recognize that quality Teacher Assistants are instrumental to classrooms. Many of these aides would make excellent licensed teachers. Our goal at The W is to help support and guide these paraprofessionals by providing personalized resources and support for each stage of our licensure track programs.

For more information, contact:

Anna Wood

Center for Education Support, Mississippi University for Women

ahwood@muw.edu | 662-241-6386

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Full STEAM ahead for future teachers at The W

Published: 12 December 2023
Written by Webmaster
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Categories: Education News and Resources

Wednesday, December 06, 2023

by Robert Scott

Mississippi University for Women’s School of Education is bringing close to 100 high school Educator Prep students to campus to give them a taste of college, with an emphasis on education, in hopes that they come back for more.

“This event is multipurpose and seeks to address several needs in our area.  Our goal is to provide the opportunity for area students to experience a ‘day in the life’ of a W School of Education student.  These high school students will meet and learn from our faculty and staff in a very similar manner to our own students.  Secondly, due to the nation-wide teacher shortage, we feel an obligation to address this concern for local K12 schools and administrators.  By meeting high school students with an interest in teaching and providing them the experience of Future Teacher Day, these students get to learn about the program, the University and the profession,” said Dr. Hope Durst, assistant professor of education at The W.

The Future Teacher Day event will take place Friday, Dec. 8 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is hosted by the Education Marketing, Recruitment and Retention Committee and the Center for Education Support. Students will have the opportunity to meet faculty from the teacher education programs in both the School of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences. The event will feature mini breakout sessions for students to give them a taste of hands-on learning at the collegiate level.

The focus of the sessions, and the event as a whole, is science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) education.

There will be multiple activities presented by W faculty including plant and animal anatomy, Venn diagrams using mathematics, art and literacy and much more.

“The beauty of this second annual event is that area students can step outside the traditional ‘campus tour’ format of a campus visit.  Instead, they participate in engaging sessions with faculty, have a yummy lunch in the cafeteria with our dean and department head and network with support entities from all across campus at our information fair portion of the day. The future of teaching is in the hands of these students we are so excited to meet, and our goal is to equip them with the skills and tools they need to successfully engage students in life-long learning,” Durst said.

Students are attending from multiple area schools including Monroe County, Louisville, Choctaw Central and Amory.

The students will be treated to breakfast when they arrive and then go straight into the breakout sessions. Next, they will take a tour of The W’s campus, have lunch in the cafeteria at Hogarth Dining Center and then finish with cookies and cocoa while attending the campus resource fair in Pope Ballroom.

“We want students to leave with a sense of warmth, hospitality and culture at The W so they return to us as education students,” said Penny Mansell, director of the Center for Education Support.

About The W

Located in historic Columbus, Mississippi, The W was founded in 1884 as the first state-supported college for women in the United States. Today, the university is home to 2,227 students in more than 70 majors and concentrations and has educated men for 40 years. The university is nationally recognized for low student debt, diversity and social mobility which empowers students to BE BOLD.

Be Bold. Tower with Blue.

Mississippi Governor’s School seeking high school scholars, applications due Dec. 15

Published: 28 November 2023
Written by Webmaster
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Categories: Education News and Resources

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

by Robert Scott

Mississippi University for Women is seeking the best and brightest rising juniors and seniors from across the state for the 2024 Mississippi Governor’s School.

Held June 2-15, the two-week residential honors program will bring scholars to The W’s campus to “equip them with an intensive experience to develop their gifts alongside like-minded students,” according to the program’s mission.

Students must meet one of the eight requirements to be considered for the program, which include: Gifted eligibility ruling in Mississippi, composite score of 25 or above on the ACT, selection index of 175 or above on the PSAT, score of 1250 or above on the SAT, documentation of academic aptitude at an advanced level, documentation of creative thinking ability at an advanced level, documentation of leadership ability at an advanced level or documentation of fine and/or performing arts ability at an advanced level.

The program is also free to attend; students must complete the application process.

Interested scholars should act fast, however, as the student application deadline is Friday, Dec. 15.

The idea behind MGS is to offer a collegiate experience to high school students, further preparing them for higher education. The program seeks to bring together a diverse group of students and have them learn from and alongside one another while encouraging self-discovery.

Participating students will earn three college credit hours which can be used at The W or transferred to any university of their choosing.

“For 42 years, MGS has been home to the state’s best and brightest students. Our MGS theme for 2024 is ‘The Changemakers.’ We need changemakers who are primed and ready to embark on this exciting journey!” said Penny Mansell, director of the Center for Education Support at The W.

In 1981, Governor William Winter and the administration at The W established the MGS as a residential honors program. Since its establishment, MGS has served thousands of scholars, providing each with a high-quality academic program.

To find more information about the program and to apply, visit muw.edu/education/govschool.

About The W

Located in historic Columbus, Mississippi, The W was founded in 1884 as the first state-supported college for women in the United States. Today, the university is home to 2,227 students in more than 70 majors and concentrations and has educated men for 40 years. The university is nationally recognized for low student debt, diversity and social mobility which empowers students to BE BOLD.

Be Bold. Tower with Blue.