1.  Andrew ELSAKR

2.  Zack SPISAK

3.  Alex CARTER

The winning words were acquittal and extraneous.

This trio will join the previous three winners--Michael CARTER, Marshall SULLIVAN, and Baty DANIEL--in the Spell-off on December 3.

For reminders, there are two meal plans at MUS: Regular and Plus. The Regular plan, paid either by semester or annually, costs $426 first semester with 78 meals covered, $866 annually with 167 meals. Second semester costs $486 for the Regular plan, but I don’t yet know exactly the final number of meals. It will be a few more as we meet for more class sessions Second Semester. The Plus Plan costs $527 first semester, $1072 annually. Second semester costs $602 for the Plus Plan. Most people purchased either a semester or an annual plan at the fall book sale.

A Regular plan pays for one meat, one vegetable, one side (salad or dessert or chips) and one drink.

A Plus Plan pays for all of the same, plus one addition item of any one category.

The plans cover a finite number of lunches, and each time a subscribing student goes through the lunch check-out line, a meal is deducted. Simple.

U-Cards identify a student as a way of protecting the family’s investment and accounts for the activity.

Now here is where it gets arguably complicated. Students get hungry and exercise their free will according to what signals emit from their tummies. They choose items a-la-carte, independent of and in addition to their subscribed plans. When not paid for in cash, these items are paid for by a separate individual student debit account. No funds transfer out of the meal plan account for a-la-carte purchases. Therefore, when Junior drops by the cafeteria for breakfast or chooses a snack at lunch which falls outside of his plan, his debit card is charged. When a food service cashier says, “You have an additional item,” or, “You don’t have any money,” what they are saying is “Your extra food choice today is in addition to your plan. You have to pay for it or return it.”

If Junior pays cash, case closed. If Junior says, “OK,” then the cashier debits his debit account. If Junior hands the cashier a $20 and wants the money to go on his account, it goes into his designated debit account, and the transaction is recorded. On the off chance that Junior is frugal and desires to eat only the items stipulated on his plan, when notified of his discretion, he will get out of line and return the extra item, get back in line somewhere in the rear of the mob and again patiently await his turn at the cashier.

These accounts run out quickly as a significant number of the boys purchase food a-la-carte. These are the accounts under scrutiny by any parent investigating why their son’s account is being reported as low. The meal plan covered by either the semester or annual payment is not a factor in these discussions. 

So there it is. A-la-carte purchases go against either a debit account which requires constant replenishing, or a-la-carte purchases are paid by cash. It’s kind of like the way one would use a checking account in contrast to a savings account. The debit account acts like a checking account, and it’s function is to satisfy Junior’s breakfast and snack choices outside of his contracted plan. The meal plan is the savings account designed for a set number of lunches which remains untouched in dollars being withdrawn, diminished only by the daily lunch plan transactions Junior initiates. A student has a finite number of meals per semester on the plans, and what he does not use at semester’s end is his loss, so he should be vigilant as he nears the end of each semester.

I hope this helps. Please calls the school’s Food Services Director John Nicholas at 260.1330 or email him at john.nicholas@musowls.org if you have a particular question about your son’s meal plan.

Here's another one, this time from the perspective of high school financial aid. We are quite fortunate at MUS to have such a robust ability to offer need-based financial aid, and while obviously not immune from the tumultuous investment environment, we weathered the storm. Still, MUS is expensive. All independent schools are. Therefore, the value of our unique product and services should be evident in support of your hard-earned money and your family's extra time expended on behalf of our rigorous requirements. 

The significant financial investment into independent schooling as a percentage of a family's annual expenses is unprecedented. A specific, strategic financial plan is essential for at least the next decade if you have a student(s), not that you didn't already know this harsh reality, and as we seek opportunities to help explain and explore the available options, we'll pass along the best of what we find. We're all in this together.

What I enjoyed most about Sunday's article was the tone in which Edward reminisced about his experience as a young person given his leadership role at school. He shouldered the mantle of the job admirably, intuitively sensing both the responsibility and the consequences of his words and deeds. Historically, most of our student leaders are capable of exhibiting similar qualities, and it is no surprise to hear of their future success. Edward is one in a long line of our exceptional student leaders, but he stands out in my mind, and I know many of us share a similar opinion. 

While I could not fully express my appreciation of his abilities then, his work attracted me, and it is satisfying to hear his positive reflection on his time here as a student. As teachers, we want our students to exhibit the sensibilities and satisfaction whereby they can, too, one day reflect upon their lives and sense a continuity running through their studies and relationships first developed on our watch. The big picture is ever present for us, and I know that Edward's instructors are satisfied by his thoughtfulness both while here and as a graduate.

Little Edwards are all around us today, scurrying around these halls, seeking something meaningful to produce, to conquer, to explore. Within our various courses of instruction, our job is to help give birth to as well as to nurture the infantile longings within the hearts and minds of our charges as the boys continue to uncover life and negotiate how to live it. Our's is a noble pursuit, and Edward's gracious responses to the people and instruction here motivate me to encourage more of the same. 

Good heavens, Mrs. Sowell... you're beautiful. Even you, Mr. Mullins. As we sit and surf, Science Olympiad is gearing up for another season of intense academic competition.  The regional competition will be held at CBU on Saturday, February 20, 2010.  Any student who wants to participate will need to available to compete that day.  Also, students should understand that everyone on the team must compete in more than one activity because we only have 15 students to fill 40+ “competition spots.”   So far, the guys are excited about another year of Science Olympiad, and the teachers in the science department are also.  We’re definitely looking forward to working with the students again on this.  If your son is participating in the Olympiad and you have any questions, please email Mrs. Sowell: Analice.Sowell@musowls.org or Mr. Mullins: Wayne.Mullins@musowls.org.

You go, Mrs. Sowell!  

Paxton Dixon

Win Duncan

Will Farnsworth

Peyton Jones

Emerick Lester

Hays Moreland

Rashad Orange

Michael Reddoch

Pierce Rose

Carter Sweat

Gaines Whitington

Ty Wolf

Connor Wright

Eighth Grade team:

Reggie Anthony

David Blankenship

Bailey Buford

Andrew Counce

Renn Eason

Sam Fowlkes

Chris Galvin

Trey Moore

Stephen Pacheco

James Prather

Calvin Scott

Malik Smith

A note from Mr. Haguewood: We remain deeply grateful to Sue Perkins (pictured here surrounded by some of her geography fellas) for teaching Tommy Harrison’s seventh-grade geography classes for the rest of the semester. Sue is an excellent teacher, a veteran of four decades in the classroom--first at St. Paul Catholic School, then Memphis Catholic High School, and then for many years at St. Agnes Academy. Sue is a graduate of Florida State University, and she is married to our Doug Perkins. 

These boys earned this distinction with a weighted GPA of 3.75 for the quarter with no grade below 80, passing PE, with at least satisfactory conduct. Some of these characters had excellent conduct.