Poplar Bluff Middle School students are creating eBinders, or online portfolios, designed to preserve their best work so they can reflect on what they have learned throughout their educational careers and ultimately utilize on college applications.
The project is being spearheaded by Media Specialist Michele Carmode, who has served in the repurposed librarian position for grades 4-6 since the 2017/18 school year. She has made arrangements to collaborate with instructional coaches at Junior and Senior High so students can continue submitting their learning artifacts in participating classes.
“It is a way to organize a collection of work, a place to reflect on the learning processes, and finally it is a recollection of what students learned for purposes of sharing or studying,” explained Carmode, upon helping a test group of students create templates and personalize their digital Trapper Keepers on Google Chromebooks last week.
In order to make the knowledge visible and be considered an artifact, an object must be lasting, durable and materially present, for example: a photo taken during an activity, a Google Slide presentation, video, essay or work from another application such as Booksnaps or Flipgrip, Carmode continued. “The creation and display of these artifacts allow students opportunities for engagement, revision and feedback, all hallmarks of quality learning design,” she said.
For sixth grade teacher Krissey Whitlock, her favorite aspect about signing up her class is that the internal websites can be used to track progress during student-led parent-teacher conferences. “Students will be able to take ownership of their own growth much faster,” she said. Artifacts uploaded, guided by instructors, will include a reflection piece either written out, as an infographic, or in video format.
Carmode recently became the first Google for Education Certified Trainer in Poplar Bluff among only a few in the region, she reported. With a tenure that spans over two decades in public education, Carmode earned her master’s degree in technology and education from the University of Missouri at Columbia.
She is the “real deal” and an asset to the entire district, according to Middle School Principal Dr. Brad Ownings, who led the effort to evolve his librarian post to meet the needs of Generation Z. “There are tons of articles about how librarians have turned into curators of books, and we need to move on to digital literacy, technology integration and makerspaces,” Owings stated.
Media Specialist Michele Carmode helps a group of students create eBinder templates to collect educational artifact submissions on Tuesday, Sept. 24, in the Middle School Media Center.
Photo and article by Tim Krakowiak, Communications/Marketing Director, Poplar Bluff R-I School District
Chartwells began offering dinner services for free last week at five additional school sites where after school enrichment programs and services such as tutoring, club activities and latch-key are available to all students.
Approved sites under Missouri’s At-Risk Afterschool Program include the Kindergarten Center from 3:55-4:30 p.m., Oak Grove and O’Neal Elementary from 3:50-4:30 p.m., Junior High from 4-4:30 p.m., and Poplar Bluff High School from 5-5:30 p.m
Students participating in athletics or band can receive meals to go, which “is going to touch a lot of lives,” Assistant Superintendent of Business Dr. Amy Jackson reported Thursday, Sept. 19, during the school board meeting. Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill added that the meals would be “nutritionally balanced,” as opposed to vending machine snacks.
Chartwells, a long-standing partner of the R-I school district, received a total of $15,000 in grant funding through No Kid Hungry Missouri in order to purchase backup ovens, as well as warmers and coolers to create the storage space necessary to serve the additional meals.
So far 260 dinners are being served daily by kitchen personnel, officials have recorded. Dinner is already available at Eugene Field, Lake Road and the Middle School for students who participate in ‘power hour’ through the Boys and Girls Club on campus.
“Mom or dad may have to work until 5 or 6,” explained Dixie Harden, food services director. “Now you know your child has had something to eat and you’re not in rush mode when you get home to feed them, because you no longer have to worry about your child being hungry.”
Dinner through Missouri’s At-Risk Afterschool Program, administered by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, is federally-reimbursable under the United States Department of Agriculture since the approved schools serve at least 50 percent of children eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
Following summer school, Chartwells provided children a total of 8,500 meals for lunch and breakfast at Poplar Bluff Head Start and Wheatley School with help from a near $5,000 grant under the same initiative, in cooperation with Family and Community Trust. Meals served throughout July exceeded 10,000 counting those offered through the BGC, Harden reported. Chartwells also sponsors the district Mule Packs program, distributing around 150 bags of nonperishables bimonthly to students in need.
“When you’re in the cafeteria, you can tell when kids are hungry, and to know some kids may not get a meal when they go home [drives] me,” said Harden, noting that dinner is optional if students have arrangements afterward. “I love challenges and am blessed to have the team I have and be able to help in these ways.”
Janice Vincent (forefront) and Angie Kearbey of Chartwells serve hot ravioli to elementary students on Thursday, Sept. 26, at O’Neal.
Photo and article by Tim Krakowiak, Communications/Marketing Director, Poplar Bluff R-I School District
Dexter High School - This listing of weekly activities is a service offered by the ShowMe Times, working in partnership with Dexter High School principal, Alana Dowdy, and DHS Asst. Principal Melissa Hahn for your convenience.
We hope you will mark your calendar and we encourage everyone to support our local students and their activities. The education and growth of young people in our community is the key to everyone's future!If you would like to submit information and a picture of a student and his/her accomplishments, send it to news@showmetimes.com
Monday 9-30-19
Homecoming Spirit Week
Rise & Shine like Gold / Pajama Day
JV Football vs. Doniphan, 5:00 pm
Volleyball vs. Advance, 6:00 pm
Girls Tennis @ Kennett, 4:00 pm, bus 2:30 pm
Drama, Speech and Debate Practice in BECC, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
BETA Club - Fan Cloth Fundraiser
Tuesday 10-1-19
Homecoming Spirit Week
Golden Age of Sports / Jersey Day
Girls Tennis at Notre Dame, 4:00 pm match, bus 2:00 pm
Wrestling Open Gym, 4:15 pm - 5:30 pm
Volleyball @ Leopold, 6:00 pm match, bus 4:30 pm
BETA Club - Fan Cloth Fundraiser
Wednesday 10-2-19
Homecoming Spirit Week
Golden Hour - wear sunset colors (9-yellow/10-orange/11-pink/12-purple)
FFA to SEMO University Farm, bus 7:00 am
Girls Tennis vs. Windsor High School, 4:00 pm
BETA Club - Fan Cloth Fundraiser
Thursday 10-3-19
Homecoming Spirit Week
Golden Girls - dress like a senior citizen
BETA Leadership Summit at SEMO, departure TBD
CCE to Poplar Bluff Manufacturing Day, bus 8:30 am
Student Council Meeting during 6th period
Girls Tennis @ Jackson, 4:00 pm match, bus 2:00 pm
Wrestling Open Gym, 4:15 pm - 5:30 pm
Volleyball vs. Winona, 6:00 pm
BETA Club -Fan Cloth Fundraiser
Friday 10-4-19
FALL HOMECOMING
Stay Golden - Wear HOCO Shirts or anything gold
Homecoming Court Coronation at 6:30 pm
BETA Leadership Summit at SEMO, depart 8:30 am
Pep Rally during advisory (2:30 pm)
Varsity Football vs. Carthursville High School, 7:00 pm
Homecoming Dance - 9:30- 11:30 pm (following game)
BETA Club -Fan Cloth Fundraiser
Saturday 10-5-19
FBLA Leadership Conference at Six Flags, bus 5:00 am
Cross Country at Notre Dame Invitational, bus 8:30 am
Varsity Volleyball at Perryville Tournament, bus TBD
Dexter, Missouri - Dexter High School is excited about the 2019 Homecoming Spirit Week from September 30th - October 4th.
Fall Homecoming Tailgate activities will begin at 4 p.m. at Charles Bland Stadium. Homecoming Coronation will be at 6:30 p.m. with kick-off at 7 p.m. on Friday evening.
This year's theme is Stay Gold!
Monday, September 30th - Rise and Shine like Gold - Pajama day
Tuesday, October 1, 2019 - Golden Age of Sports - Jersey Day
Wednesday, October 2, 2019 - Golden Hour - Wear Sunset Colors
Freshmen - YELLOW
Sophomores: ORANGE
Juniors: PINK
Seniors - PURPLE
Thursday, October 3, 2019 - Golden Girls - Dress like you are a senior citizen!
Friday, October 4, 2019 - Stay Golden - Wear your HOCO shirts or anything GOLD!
Homecoming t-shirts will be distributed after school/during advisory on Thursday.
Dexter, Missouri - T.S. Hill Middle School is excited about the 2019 Homecoming Spirit Week from September 30th - October 4th.
Fall Homecoming Tailgate activities will begin at 4 p.m. at Charles Bland Stadium. Homecoming Coronation will be at 6:30 p.m. with kick-off at 7 p.m. on Friday evening.
This year's theme is Stay Gold!
Monday, September 30th - Hawaiian Day
Tuesday, October 1st - Rapper and Rockers Day
Wednesday, October 2nd - Stay Gold Day - Dress like a soc or greaser
Thursday, October 3rd - Jersey Day
Friday, October 4th - Red and Black Day - Go Bearcats!
