Latest news with #MadisonCitySchools
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Madison City school leaders and parents react to phones being banned during the school day
MADISON, Ala (WHNT) — The Focus Act will ban the use of cell phones during the school day starting this fall, and while that rule is the same for every school in the state, the guidelines and consequences in place will vary per school system. 'They're not to be even be on that person,' Madison City School Superintendent Ed Nichols said. 'The law talks about placing those in their cars or their lockers, or another designated area. For Madison, it will be their backpack or their purse to meet the law.' Madison City Schools asking for feedback on school rezoning Of course, there are a few exceptions for some students to access their phones. Some of these are for emergencies and individualized healthcare plans. Shari Moore is the mother of three Madison City Schools students. Her son, Clark, is heading into the fifth grade and happens to fall under one of these exceptions. 'He does have type one diabetes,' she said. He has a couple of devices that read his blood sugar.' Keller EMS becomes first ambulance service in Shoals to offer blood transfusions in the field She said they used to be in constant communication with Clark about managing his sugar, but they learned this was actually doing more harm than good. 'What we found out is that it was actually more of a hindrance for him in the learning environment,' she said. 'I wouldn't have thought that going in, but we did put that into practice, and it really was a distraction for him, for his classmates, and for his teacher.' Despite her son falling under the exception, she said she supports the Focus Act, saying it encourages a better learning environment and social skills outside of the classroom as well. 'From what my daughter has told me during lunch, everybody's on their phone,' she said. 'You should be learning those social skills. We are sending you to school to learn those as well as education.' Nichols said he supports the effort of enhancing learning in the classroom, but he wants to make sure the enforcement of the law doesn't take away from the education. 'I don't want teachers and administrators spending time dealing with a new law and all the intricacies of it, and that literally takes them away from focusing on instruction,' he said. 'I'm a little concerned that the reach of it was a little farther, maybe, than it needed to be, but it's the law and we're going to follow it.' The law says school systems must come up with punishments for policy violations by July 1st. Nichols said they are still working on this proposal, but they are thinking it will fall under a 'class two offense,' which will likely result in a suspension or loss of other privileges on campus. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Former Madison City Schools teacher aide charged with willful abuse of child
MADISON, Ala. (WHNT) — A former Madison City Schools employee turned herself in Tuesday on an outstanding warrant for child abuse, police say. The Madison Police Department said Jamie Lynn Schwab was arrested and booked into the Madison County Jail on Tuesday for torture/willful abuse of a child. The department told News 19 that Schwab was a former teacher's aide for Madison City Schools. The charge stems from an ongoing investigation conducted by the Madison Police with the 'full assistance and cooperation of Madison City Schools.' LOOKING FOR THE EXTENDED FORECAST? Click here to learn how to download the Live Alert 19 app MPD said Schwab is no longer employed by the MCS and Schwab was being held on a $5,000 bond, but has since been released. 'As this is an active investigation, we can comment no further on this case,' MPD told News 19. News 19 has reached out to Madison City Schools to comment on this investigation but have not received a response. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Higher security, higher costs: Panic buttons in schools
MADISON, Ala. (WHNT) — With school shootings happening nationwide, there are continued calls on lawmakers to raise security and safety. The latest idea in Alabama: panic buttons. 'It's where, really, time equals lives,' Rep. Alan Baker (R-Brewton) said. 'So that's very important to get that location as quickly as possible, so that's really the intent with this technology.' 📲 to stay updated on the go. 📧 to have news sent to your inbox. That reality is why Baker proposed HB 234, a bill that would require school employees to wear a form of a panic button, whether it is on a lanyard or ID badge. It is a practice already being used in Madison City Schools. 'Every employee has this alarm button,' Madison City Schools Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols said. 'If they press it three times, it alerts the principal, assistant principal, and the nurse that there's an issue. And it will tell them on their phone app or their desk where that issue is. If they press it multiple times, it will lock the school down.' The buttons can be used for a variety of reasons, whether a weapon is detected on campus or a student is having a medical emergency. The latter being something Nichols said has been especially useful during the past two years using the system. 'It has been used a lot for seizures or a student that passes out or are those types of things,' Nichols said. 'So, you know, we feel like it's been a tremendous asset.' But extra security comes at a cost. The school district pays roughly $100,000 a year for the system, a cost that could be a burden on smaller, rural schools. 'To require a school district to spend that money every year, the state needs to find that money,' Nichols said. 'And they need to fund some type of alert system if that's what they want to put in the bill.' The current bill does not include a funding method, but Baker said local and state funds will be available to help. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Parents' concerns rise as efforts to dismantle DOE continue
MADISON, Ala. (WHNT) — Julia Pope is the mother of 10-year-old Gunner and 5-year-old Garrett; both were diagnosed with autism. It's a diagnosis she worried could bring major struggles at school, but she quickly learned of the support Madison City Schools offers. Madison firefighters help deliver baby girl 'I can't go on and on more about both my children's progress in the last year,' Pope said. Her sons receive individualized help at school ranging from occupational to speech therapy. Treatment Julia said helped her boys in the classroom and at home, courtesy of therapists on staff at the school. She said the endless support was helpful, especially with her oldest son Gunner. 'I didn't really have much of a relationship with him because I couldn't communicate with him,' Pope said. 'She changed our lives. She gave me a relationship with my son.' Pope worries the progress she's seen in her boys could stop with the Trump Administration taking major steps to shut down the U.S. Department of Education. Woman works with Alabama lawmakers to make bill prohibiting sex offenders from becoming first responders 'It's all so up in the air right now,' Pope said. 'It's very gray in a world of black and white at the moment, in terms of education. No parent with a child with special needs has been sleeping easily the last few weeks.' Pope added that if parents had to search for treatments and therapies on their own, the costs would quickly add up, forcing some families to forego the process altogether. 'No doubt we're already pretty financially strapped in terms of having to pay for ABA therapy four times a week, every week,' Pope said. 'I know people who have had to remortgage their homes to get ABA therapy for their child. I genuinely don't know what I would do without the support that I received from the school systems. And to think that they could potentially be going away is definitely something to lose sleep over' While Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said funding for programs like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act will stay, Pope said she and other parents aren't convinced it will remain intact. 'It's very disheartening to see,' Pope said. 'And I'm getting a message from a different mom every day being like, have you seen this? Have you seen this? And I'm like, yeah. And it's worrisome. It's worrisome.' Pope started a support group called Madison County Parents of Children with Special Needs, saying parents in this situation are leaning on one another now more than ever. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Teachers of the year honored at Inaugural Golden Apple Gala
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — It was a special night for dozens of teachers in the Tennessee Valley as they were celebrated for earning teacher of the year awards for the 2024-2025 school year. The inaugural Golden Apple Gala was designed to honor the 80 teachers who received the top teacher award from Huntsville City Schools, Madison City Schools, and Madison County Schools. Protests supporting immigrant community underway in Albertville Music from students filled the Von Braun Center's East Hall for the honorary event. The Schools Foundation designed the event, which is a non-profit organization that plays a large role in supporting the three school districts. Former Grissom High School Principal Jeanne Greer serves as the non-profit's executive director. Greer says they plan on making the event a yearly occasion. 'As a former educator, I always felt that I'd love to have something nice for teacher of the year and have the community come in and really support them,' Greer told News 19. 'Our educators of course work tirelessly every day and they're just wonderful people and they really love their students and so tonight is a time to honor them.' Andy Blalock teaches at the Academy for Science & Foreign Language Middle School in Huntsville. Nation's Report Card: Alabama scores still below national average despite growth in 2024 Blalock was among the 80 teachers honored Wednesday night and says impacting student lives is an obligation he doesn't take lightly. 'I'm very humbled and delighted to be chosen as my school's teacher of the year,' Blalock said. 'To me, it means a lot that your fellow educators consider that your making a difference in the student's lives and that's what we're all here for is to nourish education.' All proceeds from the event will go toward supporting the three school districts. If you want to contribute to The Schools Foundation, you can do so here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
