"On Demand" Safety Video Now Online

JACKSON, Miss. -- Attorney General Jim Hood, the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) and Comcast Corp. unveiled a new video teaching children and parents about online safety. The feature was debuted during a news conference at Hood’s office this morning.

The video is available free for all Comcast Digital Cable customers in Mississippi to access at their convenience, day or night, via Comcast’s signature On Demand service, with the ability to pause, fast forward and rewind. It explores the risks associated with the Internet, and teaches parents and guardians how to become involved and take action to protect their children from these risks.

"Predators are using technology to lure children in, and this partnership with Comcast and iKeepSafe helps us use technology for the greater good," said the attorney general. "It is my hope that parents will tap into this valuable resource and arm themselves with the knowledge they need to fully protect their children. I appreciate Comcast and iKeepSafe for using their

resources to help in our war against Internet predators."

The video is also available on the Attorney General of Mississippi’s Web site at

www.agjimhood.com.

"As a leading provider of broadband services in Mississippi, Comcast has a responsibility to ensure customers have the security information they need to enable parents to protect their children from the growing problem of Internet predators,” said Ronnie Colvin, vice-president/general manager for the Comcast Jackson Area. “Through our partnership with ikeepsafe and Hood, we are taking the next step to solidify our commitment to educate customers on Internet safety."

Also at the event, iKeepSafe and Comcast Corporation recognized Hood for his work keeping Mississippi’s children safe and healthy online.

“The Internet Keep Safe Coalition is proud to recognize the efforts of Attorney General Hood who is dedicated to encouraging the youth of Mississippi to have safer, healthier habits on the Internet and addressing issues such as cyberbullying, cyber-ethics and finding balance in their digital lives,” said Amber Lindsay, director of iKeepSafe. “We are also grateful for committed

partners like Comcast who give us additional opportunities and resources to deliver the message of safe and healthy Internet use to children and communities.”

About the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (www.iKeepSafe.org)

The Internet Keep Safe Coalition is a broad partnership of governors and/or first spouses, attorneys general, public health and educational professionals, law enforcement and industry leaders working together for the health and safety of youth online.

The coalition partners include the FBI, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, Reading is Fundamental, and Communities in Schools.

(For a complete list of partners, visit iKeepSafe.org.)

The coalition provides parent tutorials and age-appropriate educational resources, including the Faux Paw the Techno Cat ®Internet safety series of books and animated films for children.

iKeepSafe uses these unique partnerships to disseminate the safety resources to families worldwide, including pilot programs launched during 2008 in China, India and Australia.

About Comcast Corp.

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is one of the nation's leading providers of entertainment, information and communication products and services. With 23.8 million cable customers, 15.7 million high-speed Internet customers, and 7.4 million Comcast Digital Voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.

Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, 10 sports networks operated by Comcast Sports Group and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast's Internet businesses, including Comcast.net (www.comcast.net).

Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.

AG, iKeepSafe, Comcast to Unveil Safety Video

JACKSON, Miss. -- Attorney General Jim Hood will join Internet KeepSafe Coalition and Comcast Corp. to unveil a new Internet safety video.

A press conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 9, at the office of AG Hood, which is located on the 12th floor of the Walter Sillers Building, 55o High Street, Suite 1200. Post media interviews begins at 11:30 .m.

The new video will teach children and parents about online safety, and will be available "on demand."

iKeepSafe and Compast will recognize Hood for his work in keeping Mississippi's children and healthy online.

Question of Knowledge -- Current Events

During early August former President Bill Clinton traveled to North Korea to seek the release of two journalists.

Name the journalists: _____________________________________

Name the media outlet for which they work:______________________

Name the owner of the media agency: __________________________

Name the leader of North Korea: _____________________________

Name the previous leader of North Korea: _______________________

How South Mississippi, State Perform on ACT

Plenty of reports yesterday and today outlined how well, or not, students in the state's southern counties and those across Mississippi performed on the American College Test (ACT) and the Mississippi Curriculum Test 2, the upgraded version of the state's evaluation of student education levels and academic performance.

Access these media links to get the lastest information. As well, check out the Mississippi Department of Education site for information available year round.

Mississippi Department of Education

www.mde.k12.ms.us

Mississippi Curriculum Test, Second Edition

MCT2

Schools Around Jackson County Stand Out on Statewide Tests

www.gulflive/MississippiPress Aug. 11, 2009

www.act.org

www.act.org (Mississippi results)

(wlox.com Aug. 19, 2009)

Mississippi Lags Behind Nation in ACT Scores

www.wlox.com Aug. 19, 2009

Several South Mississippi Schools Excel on Latest State Tests

www.wlox.com Aug. 20, 2009

Teaching Fundamentals Could Improve ACT Test Scores

www.wlox.com Aug. 20, 2009

School Scores Improve

More Students Get Higher Marks on State Tests

www.sunherald.com Aug. 20, 2009

Search Statewide Subject Area Testing Program Scores

www.sunherald.com Aug. 21, 2009

School Rankings

www.sunherald.com Aug. 20, 2009

Proficiency Levels

www.sunherald.com Aug. 20, 2009

Question of Knowledge

Maine became state number _______ on what date? _______________

Question of Knowledge -- Rules

________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

GoodWaytoGo.blogspot.com aims to encourage students in South Mississippi to improve their academic skills, and to maintain those skills through a lifetime of learning. As such, we are offering a little incentive for students to study.

Correct answers to "Question of Knowledge" may earn students academic supplies and/or gift certificates. Awards depend on the difficulty and number of questions.

The first student to respond correctly in our comments section will be declared the winner.

To qualify, participants must be a student at any public, private, parochial, or certified home school located in South Mississippi (consideration may be given to other students across Mississippi and the United States). School attendance and other information must be verified before a gift certificate will be awarded.

Students, after answering the question, must provide name, school and location, principal, e-mail, and home or cell number(s) where you may be contacted.

No award will be made to any student without parental notification. Therefore, students should include parent/guardian name, and home or work telephone number(s).

Students, parents and school officials will be notified prior to any presentation. Question of Knowledge winners will be announced at GoodWaytoGo.blogspot.com

Happy Studies ...

Question of Knowledge

What is the common name for the Aotus lemurinus? ___________________

Support Sought for Back-to-School Rally

Approximately 1,500 students, parents and residents

enjoyed Moss Point School District's Back-to-School

Rally last year. School officials are expecting an even

larger crowd for this year's rally Aug. 14 at Dantzler

Memorial Stadium.

By Myya Robinson

MOSS POINT -- Fun, food, fellowship, and a wealth of information are on the menu for Moss Point School District’s 6th Annual Back-to-School Rally.

The event is set for 5:30 p.m. Aug. 14 at Dantzler Memorial Stadium.

School district officials say last year’s rally was the biggest and best ever with more than 1,500 people in attendance. The rally’s format was expanded in 2008 to include the traditional Meet the Team to introduce high school athletic teams.

“We are so excited to keep this new tradition of having our Meet the Team event coincide with the Back-to-School Rally,” said athletic director Lewis Sims. “It was a huge success last year, and it is going to get better and better.

"Community support and pride is so important for our students. This event is the perfect opportunity for the entire community to come together,” said Sims.

The district is asking for support from local businesses, civic groups, and other organizations to help make the event a success.

Myya Robinson, director of communications, says the district solely relies on donations for the rally.

“This event is free to the community,” said Robinson. “We offer food, games, and door prizes, but this is only possible through donations. We are especially appreciative for the support we’ve received in the past and hope to get even more groups to be a part of this great event.”

District administrators say the rally is a great way to get students and the entire community excited about the new school year. Another highlight is the booths from community organizations and colleges with valuable information to share with students and parents.

Businesses or organizations interested in making a donation, volunteering and/or booth registration should contact Myya Robinson or Grenita Capilla at (228) 474-3399.

Question of Knowledge

Definition aid: French, literally white food.

: noun, adjective.

__________: a dessert made from gelatin or a starchy substance and milk substance and milk usually sweetened and flavored.

__________: an animal (as a clam) with a shell composed of two separate parts that open and close shut.

Question of Knowledge

__________ __________ __________ became the first Gypsy beatified in the history of the Roman Catholic Church.

Question of Knowledge

1. __________ __________ became Britain's first female prime minister in 1979.

2. Her Conservative Party, known as __________, ousted the __________ government in parliamentary elections.

3. She was known (nickname) as the __________ __________.

Question of Knowledge

In February 2007, just hours before bidding was to start, a death in the royal family of the United Arab Emirates postponed the auction of a 575-carat gem known as the largest on the world market -- __________ __________ ________.

Question of Knowledge

The constitutional amendment that prohibits the U.S. Congress from giving itself pay raises until the next congressional term, went into effect _______ _______, _______.

The amendment was number __________.

Welcome to the River City  

Fantasia, Coast Women Talk to Their Sisters

2009 marks the second year the Saving Our Sisters Summit has brought lessons about womanhood, waiting, and what to do with your life to hundreds of teenage girls in South Mississippi.

Fantasia Barrino speaks at teen summit

The goal of the summit, sponsored by radion station WJZD, is to curb the rate of pregnancies and to help teen girls make positive and productive choices about themselves and their futures. The event also provided practical instruction about social graces, decision-making, peer pressure and teen stresses.

This year, Fantasia Burrino, second season winner of American Idol, was the keynote speaker. She related her own experiences that included a teen pregnancy and the hardships she faced after rebelling against parental rules and family advice not to grow up too soon.

Elise's Blog: Let's talk about teen sex

Some 3,000 teenage girls and their mothers attended the summit, according to WLOX reporter Elise Roberts, who gave her own thoughts about the event and her community work to help young girls.

Question of Knowledge

In 1626, Dutch explorer Peter Minuit landed on what is now ____________ ___________.

Question of Knowledge -- Vice President

1. Vice President Joe Biden has two daughters and a son.

True or False?

2. Vice President Biden has a son who serves in the Army National Guard and is stationed in Iraq.

True or False?

3. Vice President Biden was sworn into office before President Obama?

True or False.

Cruising: Sun Vista

In 1999, the luxury cruise liner Sun Vista sank off the western coast of __________________. Nearly 1,100 passengers and crew escaped without casualties.

Question of Knowledge -- Sports

.
.
In March 2006, _________________________ won his fourth Iditarod.

He finished several hours ahead of runner-up ___________________.
.
.

The Opera -- "Pagliacci"

In May 1892, the opera "Pagliacci," by ___________________ _________________, was first performed in Milan, Italy.

Cover of the first edition of Pagliacci published by E. Sonzogno, Milan, 1892.

(Winner: Be the first to answer correctly by date and time.)

Quiz Bowl Challenges Fifth Grade Science Whizzes

By MYYA ROBINSON

Moss Point School District

Are you smarter than a fifth grader? 

Questions asked at Moss Point School District’s Second Annual Science Quiz Bowl will have you wondering just that. 

Fifth graders from all six elementary schools in the district were asked questions based on guidelines from the Mississippi Department of Education. The activity was designed to help prepare students for the State Science Test, which is administered in March.

“The students have so much fun,” said Janice Thomas, assistant superintendent and director of curriculum. “They don’t even realize they are actually studying for the state exam.”

Each school team consisted of five members including a team captain. During the competition, only the captain was allowed to give an answer to the question, but the teams could confer on the answers. Anitiana Brown served as captain for East Park Elementary School.

“It was fun to go against the different schools,” she said with excitement in her eyes. “There were things that we got wrong because we didn’t know them, but we learned them today.”

                                                                                                                                                                                

                                                                   

The team from Orange Lake Elementary was the winner of the competition for the second time in a row. So what was their winning strategy?

“We practiced everyday,” said Shawnee Rogers.

“We worked in groups with flash cards for a week straight,” said Tristan Bouler.

Escatawpa Elementary School placed second, and Kreole Elementary came in third.

“I am so proud of our students,” said Kreole fifth- grade teacher Tenea Lomax. “They worked so hard to prepare.”

District administrators say all the preparation will pay off in the end.

Editorial Changes to Bring Academic Fun to Site

GoodWaytoGo offers an apology

for the break in posts to this blog.

Editorial direction of the content found

here as changed,

and requires a delay in news

and information.

Those changes should be

completed by the end of July (or sooner),

and will provide students

with a better

academic experience.

Thank you for your patience.

Students May Help with Moss Point Main Street

MOSS POINT -- Monica Battle on today said residents working to make Moss Point a Main Street City intend to add youth to the program in the near future. 

"Whatever we are doing is going to affect them immediately ... and it's going to affect them in the future," she said. 

Battle, director of the Moss Point Main Street Development Taskforce, was among city and county residents and officials who attended a ceremony this morning that officially designated Moss Point as a Main Street City. 

The event was held at the Downtown Clock Plaza on Main Street, where officials with the Mississippi Main Street Association and the Mississippi Development Authority spoke during the brief ceremony at 11 a.m. 

Gray Swoope, executive director of MDA, presented Mayor Xavier Bishop with a plaque for the designation.  

Alderwoman Nancy Norvel and Shirley Leroy mingled with the crowd before the ceremony began. Leroy, who has been working to bring the Main Street program to Moss Point, opened the ceremony and introduced Bishop.  

"This is exciting," said Norvel. "Bringing back Moss Point." 

  

Bob Wilson, executive director of the state's Main Street Association, congratulated Moss Point for becoming the only city accepted into the Main Street Program for 2009. He said nine other cities also applied for the designation. 

Moss Point is now one of seven cities in South Mississippi to receive the designation from the Main Street Association.  

"Main Street is about the community and people coming together and representing every part of your city," said Battle.

Moss Point's development taskforce has been working for about a year to earn the Main Street designation. Battle said now that it is official residents working with the taskforce will begin training from the state to implement the program. 

Stimulus Money for Jackson County Schools

According to media reports, school districts across Jackson County are expected to receive from $1.3 million to $3.5 million for low-income students and those with disabilities, which include students who speak English as a second language.

Expected funds:

--$1.654 million for Moss Point

-- $1.318 million for Ocean Springs 

-- $1.410 million for George County 

-- $3.565  million for Pascagoula

-- $2.468 million for Jackson County  

Read details in the Press Register at www.gulflive.com

Architect Hired for Magnolia Junior High

The Moss Point School Board this month hired Bailey Architects to design the renovations of Magnolia Junior High, according to a media report.

The school has been vacant since it was damaged Aug. 29, 2005, during Hurricane Katrina.

About 430 students are now housed at the former Ed Mayo Junior High in the Kreole community.

The board, which met held Feb. 17, also voted to advertise for bids to outsource the district's food service, according a report in the Press-Register.

Read details of the decisions in the Press Register at www.gulflive.com.

NOTE: A school board position that would replace outgoing member Pam Perkins remains unfilled after the Moss Point Board of Aldermen on Feb. 11 decided not to chose either canidate Becky Jolly-Wood or Tenesha Taylor-McClendon.

The officials have reopened the application process for candidates to serve in the five-year term.

Read details at the Press-Register www.gulflive.com

GoodWay On the Go -- Question of Knowledge

This is the first posting for GoodWaytoGo, a blog intended to help students of Moss Point and Pascagoula strive to become their academic best.

While the school districts in Moss Point and Pascagoula already have professional Websites and public relations personnel who highlight the best of their students, GoodWaytoGo hopes to provide challenges -- QUESTION OF KNOWLEDGE -- that will offer immediate reward for academic efforts.

Ocassionally, we will provide articles and information about students and events happening in individual schools, but in general we will focus on academic programs that affect districts overall, including staff of local, state and national officials. Followers of GoodWaytoGo may access links provided on these posts.

GoodWaytoGo may feature events seen at www.mp.k12.ms.us and psd.schoolwires.com and will include original postings. This blog is the companion to the future GoodWaytoGo.net/com.

Academic news and community events will be featured as part of the community of students living in Pascagoula and Moss Point.

(When feasible GoodWaytoGo will showcase happenings at other schools across Jackson County. While this blog focuses on Moss Point and Pascagoula, students from any school district in South Mississippi (and other areas in the future) may participate in the academic lessons and challenges that are part of this student-based blog.)

QUESTION OF KNOWLEDGE

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

GoodWaytoGo.blogspot.com aims to encourage students in South Mississippi to improve their academic skills, and to maintain those skills through a lifetime of learning. As such, we are offering a little incentive for students to study.

Correct answers to "Question of Knowledge" may earn students academic supplies and/or gift certificates. Awards depend on the difficulty and number of questions.

The first student to respond correctly in our comments section will be declared the winner.

To qualify, participants must be a student at any public, private, parochial, or certified home school located in South Mississippi (consideration may be given to other students across Mississippi and the United States). School attendance must be verified before a gift certificate will be awarded.

Students, after answering the question please provide name, school and location, principal, e-mail, and home or cell number(s) where you may be contacted.

No award will be made to any student without parental notification. Therefore, students should include parent/guardian name, address, and home or work telephone number(s).

All information will be verified and students, parents and school officials will be notified prior to any presentation. Question of the Day winners will be announced at GoodWaytoGo.blogspot.com

Happy Studies ... COoolGeeks

We welcome your visits and future participation with GoodWaytoGo.