Bernie, Missouri - Both kindergarten classrooms of Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Galloway have spent the past few months learning about plants during science class.
Through the donations of many community members, the students have been able to learn hands on about pumpkins, gourds, cotton, corn, and sunflowers.
Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Galloway would like to extend their thanks to the following businesses: Melissa and Jason Shelton, Allen Below Farms and Tatum Stone, and Dustin Neeley Farms
Dexter, Missouri - Gavin Miller, Assistant Principal at T.S. Hill Middle School has been named Assistant Superintendent of Dexter Public School effective, Monday, November 7, 2016.
"The Board has been in the process of hiring an Assistant Superintendent for the 2017 school year," commented Rick Williams, President of the School Board. "We had candidates and were narrowing the list down slowly and that list included Mr. Miller."
"Due to the unfortunate circumstances of placing Mitch Wood, Superintendent, on paid administrative leave we as a Board chose to move our selection process up," continued Williams.
Miller graduated from Dexter High School in 1988 and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Evangel University in 1993. He earned his teaching certificate in 1996. Miller went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Education Administration from William Woods University in 2011 and is currently working on a Specialist Degree from William Woods University.
He has 19 years of education under his belt. Two years he taught PE and Business classes at New Madrid County Central and coached football, wrestling, and baseball. He was at Dexter High School for eight years teaching marketing/COE classes, coached football, girls basketball and was High School Athletic Director. He moved away for six years teaching personal finance and computer apps for four years at Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia, Missouri and then finished with two years as Assistant Principal. He worked at the Bernie school district as high school and junior high principal for two years and was then hired as assistant principal at middle school last year.
He is married to Kristin Miller of 13 years. She is a 7th grade science teacher at T.S. Hill Middle School. They have three children, Madelyn who is 20 years old, Maddox age 12, and Jaxon age 7.
Poplar Bluff, Missouri - Poplar Bluff Junior High students concluded their unit on the scientific method with a rocket launch on Thursday, Oct. 27, at Fred M. Morrow Stadium.
Rocket Day was founded several years ago by retired science teacher Vic Clark, who still returns for the occasion to help operate his homemade compressed air launcher. Eighth graders later make qualitative and quantitative observations about the data.
Prior to the event this year, students watched “October Sky,” which was inspired by Homer Hickam Jr., a NASA engineer, who actually wrote a personal letter to the class after teacher Ashley Woolard connected with him via Twitter.
“Best wishes to you and remember, if you never have dreams, they never come true. Aim high,” Hickam stated and included an autographed self-portrait, which he addressed to Poplar Bluff Schools.
Shown in the photo: Makaya Mitchell launches her rocket under the instruction of Vic Clark.
Article and photo submitted by Tim Krakowiak, Communications/Marketing Director, Poplar Bluff R-I School District
Dexter, Missouri - Central Elementary School in Dexter, Missouri has received a grant from Ronald McDonald House Charities to support the school's Accelerated Reader program.
The money received will be used to fund the AR Reward Program and Reading Week at Central Elementary. Students earning their goals will be treated to a variety of treats including pizza picnics at the park, bowling, skating, and Snowcones.
The program develops reading skills, confirms comprehension by computerized testing and offers motivational rewards to students.
The Ronald McDonald House Charities supports non-profit children's programs in the areas of education, health, and social well-being, and the cultural arts.
The local chapter awarded over $250,000 in grants to projects in the tri-state area.
Students in the photo were the top three readers in each of their grades.
Shown in the photo are April Aldridge, English Teacher and AR Program Coordinator and Shane Brumfield, Ronald McDonald House Charities representative; 3rd grade students: Serina Churchill, Landon Annesser, and Cadence Buenaventura; 4th grade students Jake Parker, Ryan Goode, and Adeline Prance; and 5th grade students Gabe Ingram and Camrin Thurston. Piper Freeman was not available for photo.
Poplar Bluff, Missouri - Chartwells School Dining Services announced it has opted to take over the long-standing Backpacks for Friday program for the Bread Shed during the third annual Bright Futures symposium on Friday, Oct. 28, at the Gamma HealthCare Conference Center.
The reinstated program will supply district families in need with food for the weekend beginning on New Year’s Day, according to Food Services Director Dixie Harden. ‘Mule Packs’ is just one of many programs being coordinated under the Bright Futures umbrella that was highlighted at the event.
“With a lever this large, we can move the world,” stated Poplar Bluff R-I Superintendent Scott Dill before an estimated audience of 125, including district personnel, parents, business leaders, church officials and partners in the social services sector.
Run by R-I social workers, Bright Futures Poplar Bluff is a nonprofit that, through community partnerships, helps to meet the basic physical needs of students so they can focus on academics. The district became affiliated with the national organization headquartered in Joplin in 2014.
Each school within the district has a site council that works to identify the specific needs of their studentbody. Council members reported about some of the program successes such as the Red Bookshelf Project organized at Oak Grove Elementary and the free senior photos a philanthropist offered at the Graduation Center.
Lake Road Site Council member Raymond Webb said that he arranged to give a basketball to each student in the Basketball Club, one of many organizations that elementary students could now choose to join during Club Day. “It’s small to some, but to those kids it’s a real big deal,” said Webb, who is the assistant manager at Wal-Mart.
“Intelligence isn’t the obstacle to graduation, life is,” added High School Principal Mike Kiehne, who announced that librarian Marcia Priest has started a Giving Closet with clothing and other items.
“They’re not asking for thousands and thousands of dollars,” noted Eugene Field Site Council member Michelle Shelton, human resources manager at Briggs & Stratton. “They’re asking for little things… It truly does make a difference.”
To learn how to get involved, ‘like’ Bright Futures Poplar Bluff on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BrightFuturesPB.
Shown in the photo: Maclaren Moore of O’Neal Elementary watches an introductory video about the Bright Futures program.
Article and photo submitted by Tim Krakowiak, Communications/Marketing Director, Poplar Bluff R-I School District
