Here’s what’s happening in Mobile County Public Schools this week …

NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALISTS: Four Davidson High students and one Baker High student are among the top students nationwide. On Tuesday, they were named National Merit Semifinalists. They are:

• Khanh Do of Baker High School
• Andres Gonzalez Espana of Davidson High School
• Fouad Hujier of Davidson High School
• Tyler Macon of Davidson High School
• Brayden Sadler of Davidson High School

These scholars are in elite company: They are among just over 16,000 semifinalists nationwide, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, and earned this distinction by being among the highest-scoring students in Alabama on the Pre-SAT / National Merit Qualifying Test. National Merit Semifinalists have the opportunity to compete for National Merit Scholarships, which will be awarded next spring. (Photos of the semifinalists are attached. Raw video that you may edit and use with interviews with the semifinalists is available here:  dmsftp.mcpss.com – /tvnetwork/.)

YOUNG AUTHOR: McDavid-Jones fourth-grader Owen Colter wrote a book titled “Owen Carter: Recruited.” It’s about a fictional boy with ADHD who goes to spy school and finds himself in a world of adventure and high-stakes missions. The book is available on Amazon. Owen loves reading, and he challenged himself to write a story that he would like to read. When he’s away from school, Owen also loves working with small engines. Photo is attached. Let us know if you are interested in interviewing Owen.

ATTENDANCE AWARENESS MONTH: September is National Attendance Awareness Month, and Mobile County Public Schools officials are emphasizing the importance of attending school. Consistent school attendance is crucial for academic achievement and successful learning. Students who consistently miss school have a difficult time keeping up with lessons, building skills, and staying connected. Thank you to our parents and guardians for making sure that students arrive at school on time each day, ready to learn!

Through parent support and the hard work of school officials, MCPSS was recently recognized nationally by Attendance Works for reducing the district’s chronic absenteeism to 12.8 percent.

LEFLORE MAGNET CELEBRATES AP SCHOLARS: LeFlore Magnet High School, Mobile County Public Schools’ only magnet high school, is celebrating the second year of its revitalized Advanced Placement Scholars program. A total of 12 LeFlore students earned top AP scores last spring, more than twice the number from last year. These students will be honored at the school’s Academic Excellence Awards Ceremony in the school’s new theater at 9 a.m. on September 10. To be named an AP Scholar, a student must earn a score of 3 or higher on at least three Advanced Placement exams. The College Board’s AP program allows academically prepared students to take rigorous college-level courses, and they can receive credit from most colleges and universities if they earn a score of 3 or higher on an AP exam, which are graded on a 5-point scale. The AP Scholars program is just one of the many ways that MCPSS prepares its students for success in college and in career paths. District-wide, 369 Mobile County Public Schools students earned top scores on AP exams, a 26% increase from the previous year. The media is welcome to attend the ceremony on Thursday morning at LeFlore Magnet. If you would like to attend, please email Sally Ericson at sericson@mcpss.com 

LEARNING LEADING MAGAZINE: The back-to-school issue of Learning Leading magazine is out! The new issue includes features on AP Scholars, summer internships, new principals and Staff Superstars. Copies are being distributed to all MCPSS schools and to many businesses throughout the region. The award-winning magazine is edited by Mike Herndon and produced by the Office of Communication. (A photo of the magazine cover is attached.)

GAME OF THE WEEK BROADCASTS: McpssTV is broadcasting a football and volleyball game of the week each week. Visit the Mobile County Public Schools’ Facebook page to see which football and volleyball teams are being featured. The award-winning mcpssTV High School Football Game of the Week broadcasts begin at 6:50 p.m.  The live broadcasts may be viewed on Mobile County Public Schools’ Facebook page and mcpssTV’s YouTube channel, as well as on Comcast 15, Mediacom 85, AT&T U-verse 99, and Roku boxes.

COMING UP:

COLLEGE FAIR: MCPSS high school seniors will attend the district’s annual College Fair at the USA Mitchell Center from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15. Our seniors will be able to meet with representatives from more than 30 colleges, universities and workforce training programs, and will also receive help with college and career planning. The Class of 2026 earned a record $1.2 billion in college scholarships, and the Class of 2027 is hoping to bring in even more. (If you would like to cover the College Fair, please email Rena Philips at rphilips@mcpss.com.)