October 5-9 is Free College Application Week! Many colleges and universities have officially waived their application fees this week to allow Alabama students to submit their applications to their institutions at no cost.
This special day honors the hard-working custodial staff who keep schools, offices, hospitals, and public spaces clean, safe, and running smoothly. We appreciate you!
October is designated as Statewide Parent and Family Engagement Month (historically referred to as Statewide Parent Visitation Month) in Alabama public schools. October 12th has been set aside for Student Data/Parent Night. There will be no school for students on that day.
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
Marion County Schools were honored to welcome Mark and Kym Hilinski, founders of Hilinski’s Hope Foundation, to our schools this month.
Mark and Kym visited each of our high schools, sharing an important message with our students about mental health, connection, and the importance of looking out for one another. Their willingness to share their story and turn their experience into a mission of hope is making a meaningful difference in the lives of young people.
Their message reminds us that every student matters, every voice deserves to be heard, and asking for help is a sign of strength—not weakness.
We are incredibly grateful to Mark and Kym for spending time with our students and helping us continue the conversation about mental health and suicide prevention throughout Marion County Schools.
You are seen. You are valued. You are not alone.
#MarionCountySchools #SuicidePreventionAwarenessMonth #HilinskisHope #MentalHealthMatters
ALSDE - As part of Alabama’s RAISE Act (Act No. 2025-257), we are seeking feedback to help identify opportunities to reduce administrative burden, improve efficiency, and better support schools and students. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey by Friday, September 25. Your feedback is important and will help inform this work. Responses are confidential and will be reported in aggregate only. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe2dTCjlfPLqFzficZPPO3E9I_BC0si9VFmXAxWblM5eCKtAg/viewform?usp=header
These students were recognized in today's board meeting for earning a score of 4.8 or higher on the WIDA ACCESS Assessment and successfully fulfilling all requirements to exit the English Learner Program.
Front Row - EL Students
Edalys Cintron Vega, Jose Cintron Vega, Evelin Rivera-Fernandez, Pedro Torres, Alejandro Tellez, David Sanchez-Ramirez, Kimberly Rivera, Jose Perez Hilario, Michael Lian
Second Row - EL Teachers
Reba Hill, Ana Colburn, Vickie Johnson, Charlotte Howell
Third Row - MCBE Board Members and Superintendent
Mr. Mark Dearen, Dr. Alex Smith, Mr. Tim Bryant, Mr. Daryl Weatherly, Ms. Joyce Fowler, and Dr. Patrick Sutton
Click the link below to sign up for our emergency alerts. The first and second contact for each student is automatically signed up. If you are the first or second contact, you DO NOT need to complete this form. Anyone else who would like to receive calls, texts, and other notifications will need to complete this form no later than September 18, 2026.
https://forms.gle/QmRBQShZDiKEkRnW9
