One component of the Monroe City Schools / Louisiana Challenge project is the development of community partnerships that facilitate technology/telecommunications knowledge and use within the community.

		Monroe Online Community The MOC project is sponsored by the district as a service to the local Internet community. It is the only site that provides links to the online businesses and organizations located in Monroe/West Monroe and links to information about the community. Community Resource Lists and Workshops Challenge personnel have worked with several community organizations to develop online resource lists and workshops that support their activities and have also identified extensive online curriculum support materials for district and community use. Louisiana Association of Family and Consumer Science Resources The Future is Now! Small Businesses on the Web School-To-Work & Lifelong Learning Community Resource Directory School-To-Work Online Resources Lifelong Learning Online Resources MCS Educational Resources: Vocational Education Parenting on the Web Early Childhood Resources Early Childhood & Parental Involvement Community Resource Directory EPATT (Empowering Parents as Teachers, Too) Online Resources for Parents Ouachita Parish Public Library Parenting Series Resources Ouachita Council on Aging Resources for Seniors OIC Training and Life Skills Resources Monroe City Schools Online Guides and Tutorials Monroe City Schools Educational Resources Holidays on the Highway Showcasing the artistic and creative talents of MCS students while sharing the spirit of the holiday season with the community was the goal of the project. And although the season has ended, it is still available for viewing just in case you need to rekindle that special feeling that only the holiday season brings.
		Monroe/West Monroe Chamber of Commerce MCS and the Chamber co-sponsored the community's first Internet training classes. The district provided facilities and instructors for the project. Northeast Louisiana University NLU serves as the MCS university partner in the Challenge project. Both the Department of Computer Science and the College of Education are involved in numerous technology/telecommunication projects with the district. Novice House Novice House helps parents and their children solve conflicts by bridging the gap through counseling and by teaching better communication skills. Since it is a short-term, shelter-care facility, educational classes are taught and tutoring services are provided. At the suggestion of Mr. John Ross, Jr., a Challenge school principal whose students are served by the Novice House, the MCS Challenge project provided 2 multi-media computers, a color printer, and software for the program. Opportunities Industrialization Center of Ouachita, Inc.(OIC) To assist the OIC with its mission to educate, train, and secure employment for the economically or socially disadvantaged, the MCS Challenge project provided computers and educational software for the students. MCS also created and maintains the OIC home page that promotes its services and provides curriculum-specific online resources. Ouachita Council on Aging Although the OCA has an excellent computer training program in place, telecommunications classes were desired by the members. MCS offered one of its online computer labs and instructors for those interested in learning about the Internet. Classes are held each week and the attendees helped to develop the online resource list found on their home page which was created and is maintained by the district. Ouachita Parish Public Library The MCS Challenge project provided computers for the branch libraries to help extend current services to the community. Instruction in home page development was provided and the district temporarily hosted OPPL's site. This joint effort is of great benefit to the public as the library's catalog and databases are now available online. And don't forget to attend the OPPL Parenting Series!