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Filed under About
Bob Jones, Grissom among magazine’s top high schools in Alabama
Grissom and Bob Jones high schools were again named among the top high schools in Alabama by U.S. News & World Report.
The magazine today released its annual rankings, which aim to show parents which schools best prepare students for college-level work. According to the magazine’s website, it uses state-mandated assessments, as well as schools’ education of their black, Hispanic and economically disadvantaged students, in the rankings.
Students’ performance on Advanced Placement tests and in International Baccalaureate programs, where applicable, is also taken into consideration. The magazine looked at more than 21,000 public high schools from 49 states and the District of Columbia.
Bob Jones was ranked 5th in Alabama and No. 802 in the nation, according to the website. Grissom was ranked 7th in the state and No. 890 in the nation.
Loveless Academic Magnet Program in Montgomery was named the No. 1 public high school in Alabama and 7th in the U.S. It was the only Alabama school to be ranked in the top 300 nationwide.
The No. 2 school in Alabama was Mountain Brook High School, which was ranked No. 378 in the nation.
To see the full list of Alabama rankings, click here.
To learn more about U.S. News & World Report’s annual high school rankings, visitusnews.com/education/best-high-schools.
via Bob Jones, Grissom among magazine’s top high schools in Alabama | al.com.
Filed under Madison County "in the news"
Huntsville to host Association of the U.S. Army’s 2014 Winter Symposium
Redstone-Huntsville Chapter of the Association of the United States Army‘s efforts to land a major meeting has paid off.
AUSA will host its 2014 AUSA Winter Symposium and Exposition in Huntsville. It’s the first time the Rocket City has hosted the meeting, which attracts thousands of military and civilian officials. The symposium is conducted on alternate years with the support from a featured command, normally Army Materiel Command or Army Training and Doctrine Command. In recent years it has been held in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
AMC, based at Redstone Arsenal, will be the 2014 featured command.
In January, the Redstone-Huntsville Chapter hosted AUSA’s Senior Leadership Reception with retired Gen. Gordon Sullivan, president and chief operating officer of AUSA, and retired CSM Jimmie D. Spencer, director for noncommissioned officer and soldier program of AUSA. Local AUSA officials said the event gave them the chance to demonstrate Huntsville’s capabilities in hosting a major event.
“We were trying to show the capabilities we have at places like the Von Braun Center and Davidson Center and hotels to support things like conventions,” Paul Elliott, president of the Redstone-Huntsville AUSA, said at the time.
The visit apparently paid off, as did Huntsville’s large military presence.
“Locating our 2014 symposium in Huntsville, Alabama, with its close proximity to AMC headquarters, will allow us to maximize military, civilian and industry attendance during this period of constrained budgets and limited resources. This is a superb opportunity for their professional development and remains very cost effective,” Sullivan said.
“As a well-respected professional development forum, the Association’s annual winter symposium and exposition will continue to provide an all-important platform for participants to learn about and see not only what the Army needs, but also what industry is developing in the latest and best technologies to arm, equip, sustain and protect our soldiers for the future fight.”
The Redstone-Huntsville Chapter a multiple-year winner of the AUSA Best Chapter Award – has more than 2,600 military and civilian members.
via Huntsville tapped to host Association of the U.S. Army’s 2014 Winter Symposium | al.com.
Filed under Madison County "in the news"
Alabama Residential Report: March Sales Up 6%; YTD Sales up 8%
Alabama home sales up 5.7% from March 2012. Infograph courtesy of ACRE. All rights reserved.
Consistent with where the market closed in January and February, Alabama residential sales in March continued to “steadily” improve, up 5.8 percent compared to the same period a year earlier. Across Alabama in March, sixty-four percent of local markets reported on par or positive sales growth compared to last March reflecting there is still room for more improvement.
Click here to view or print the full report compliments of the ACRE Corporate Cabinet.
Supply: The statewide housing inventory in March was 32,276 units, a decrease of 2.7 percent from March 2012 and 18.6 percent below the month of March’s peak in 2010 (39,6600 units). There were 9.1 months of housing supply (6-7 months considered equilibrium) in March 2013 versus 9.9 months of supply in March 2012, a solid decline of 8.0 percent. March inventory has increased by 2.3 percent over the prior month. This trend is consistent with historical data indicating that February inventory on average (’08-’12) traditionally increases from the month of February by 1.6 percent. In contrast to reports of a looming lack of inventory problem at the national level, Alabama still has plenty of housing supply that has yet to be absorbed. Only 9 of 25 or 36 percent of local markets have single-digit months of housing supply so this is an area where more reduction will be welcome news.
Demand: In March, Alabama residential sales was outperformed by the US market which showed an increase of 10.3 percent from the prior year, according to the National Association of REALTORS (NAR). NAR also reported that the South region sales were up 12.7 percent from last March. Investors accounted for 19 percent of nationwide sales while 30 percent were all-cash sales and 30 percent were first-time home buyers (40% in typical market).
March statewide residential sales improved 20.4 percent from the prior month. This movement is consistent with seasonal patterns and historical data that indicates that March sales, on average (’08-’12), increase from the month of February by 30.0 percent. In comparison, US sales rose .4 percent from last month while the South region also improved by 1.0 percent from the prior month.
Pricing: The statewide median selling price in March was $124,988, an increase of 5.5 percent from last March. Historical data (’08-’12) reflects that the March median selling price traditionally increase from the month of February by 3.6 percent. Nationally, NAR states that distressed homes – foreclosures and short sales – accounted for 21 percent of March sales (13 percent were foreclosures and 8 percent were short sales), Foreclosures typically sold for an average 15 percent below market price in March, while short sales were discounted 13 percent.
Local Results: 16 out of the 25 local reporting associations (64% – this is slightly down from 68% in February) reflect sales gains from last March. In March, sales in metro markets (up 9% from last year) outperformed both midsize markets(up 2%) and small markets (unchanged). All 5 major metro areas representing 70% of Alabama sales have an overall positive year-over-year growth rate of 10 percent.
via Alabama Residential Report: March Sales Up 6%; YTD Sales up 8% | al.com.
Filed under Madison County "in the news"
WhistleStop Weekend
Come have a toe-tappin, barbeque-eatin’ good time and best of all it’s all for a good cause. All proceeds benefit EarlyWorks Children’s Museum and educational programs for area children.
May 3rd & May 4th
Friday – 4pm – 11pm
Saturday – 10am – 11pm
Historic Huntsville Depot
320 Church Street
Huntsville, AL.
Parking is downtown street parking.
Gateways are at the Church Street and Monroe intersections, the Church Street entrance of the Depot and on Meridian Street across from Walker Avenue.
via WhistleStop Weekend.
Filed under Things to do and see:
Madison city/county schools named ‘Banner Schools’
Two Madison schools and a Madison County elementary have been named “Banner Schools” by the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools.
Central School, Horizon Elementary and Bob Jones High were among a dozen winners announced Monday by CLAS, according to news releases from CLAS and Madison City Schools.
The CLAS Banner School awards were begun in 2001 to identify and recognize schools and programs with successful education programs that serve as models for other schools across the state, according to the council’s website. Winning principals and superintendents are honored at an annual luncheon in Montgomery and are presented with a banner to display at their schools.
Central School was honored for its efforts at making students lifelong learners. According to the news release from CLAS, the students give back to the community through several programs that include a soup kitchen donation drive, Jeans for Teens, Christmas dinner donations for needy families and a blanket drive for the homeless.
Each year, Central students also hold a school supply drive for students in Africa, with a school custodian travelling to Africa to deliver the supplies and books. Students help each other as well, through student tutoring and the Reading Buddies and Writing Partners programs.
Teachers volunteer their time each summer to give students a six-week summer reading program, the news release said.
Horizon won for its tutoring program, which takes students weak in reading or math and immerses them in intensive 25-week tutoring sessions. Certified teachers spend 90 minutes a week tutoring the students, who show marked gains in their achievement scores.
Horizon faculty members also engage in “effective best practices to meet the needs of all students,” the district news release said, and students are provided with opportunities to develop and demonstrate leadership skills. One example is Horizon’s HETV morning show, which is designed and produced by students.
Older students also serve as ambassadors at Horizon, monitoring the hallways, working in the car lines and partnering with younger students as “book buddies.”
Bob Jones was recognized for its marriage of rigorous honors and Advanced Placement courses with Alabama’s Career Tech Education clusters, a partnership that attaches students’ core academic skills to real world situations.
CLAS commended Bob Jones High for giving students a schedule that allows them to maximize their time in labs, doing project-based learning, and curriculum guided by student performance data.
The school offers 28 honors courses and 24 AP courses, the news release said. Its medical academy offers students participation in EMT, biomedical and health sciences programs and its engineering academy allows students to create blueprints, price estimates, 3D drawings and formal presentations.
Superintendents David Copeland and Dee Fowler and the schools’ principals will be recognized at a luncheon in Montgomery later this month.
Crystal Bonvillian can be reached at 256-532-2630 or at cbonvillian@al.com.
via Madison city, county schools named ‘Banner Schools’ by education group (updated) | al.com.
Filed under Madison County "in the news"
Huntsville among top 20 cities with strong economic base
Visitors to Huntsville’s Big Spring International Park enjoy the beauty of downtown. (File photo)
Huntsville ranks among the country’s top 20 economically strong metropolitan cities, according to findings released Monday by the economic research firm Policom.
At No. 19, Huntsville is the highest ranking metro in the state with Birmingham coming in at No. 40, Montgomery at No. 98; Tuscaloosa at No. 173; Columbus, Ga./Phenix City, Al. at No. 175; Mobile at No. 221 ; Auburn/Opelika at No. 257; Dothan at No. 289; Florence-Muscle Shoals at No. 302; Decatur at No. 346; and Anniston-Oxford at No. 334. Policom annually ranks 366 metropolitan areas.
Washington D.C. received the highest ranking for the third year in a row.
“The top rated areas have had rapid, consistent growth in both size and quality for an extended period of time,” Policom President William Furth said in a press release. “The rankings do not reflect the latest ‘hotspot’ or boom town, but the areas which have the best economic foundation.”
Policom’s study measured 23 different economic factors over a 20-year period to come up with the annual rankings, according to the firm’s website.
via Huntsville among top 20 cities with strong economic base | al.com.
Filed under Madison County "in the news"
