Sponsors of the Jr Beta Club were on hand to light ceremonial candles.
"Our club is a leadership-service organization, and we hope to be of service to our school, community, state, and nation. These three candles, the red, white, and blue are symbolic of our nation and its ideas," state Mrs. Ramsey.
Mrs. Ramsey lit the white candle. "White stands for light, purity, and faith. As members of the Beta Club, we will work to hold to these principles and accept the responsibility of membership."
Mrs. Simmons lit the red candle. "The candle I have lit is red. This color denotes pure love and wisdom and suggests bravery."
"Another objective of the National Beta Club is to encourage fellowship and cooperation. We ask for wisdom and courage to live up to the motto of our club, Let Us Lead by Serving Others."
Mrs. Duncan lit the blue candle. "I light the blue candle, which is symbolic of truth and fidelity. This is essential in expressing loyalty to our nation, but also loyalty to our club and our school."
"The third objective of the National Beta Club is to reward effort and achievement. We students are here today, being recognized for that achievement."
"You will notice that the candles in this group show the colors of The National Jr Beta Club: black and gold. Black symbolizes dignity and seriousness."
"The fourth objective of the National Beta Club is to inspire honesty, which is necessary to be a good citizen. As members of our Beta Club, we intend to grow into more trustworthy members of the student body," stated Mrs. Miller.
Mrs. Dement lit the gold candle. "I represent the members in this club. I lit the golden candle, which stands for warmth, friendship, and faithfulness. We will work to become better citizens in our school, community, and nation."
Mrs. Nancy Langley, school counselor and Jr Beta Club Sponsor Team Leader came to the podium and asked all students to stand and raise their right hand."You have heard an explanation of the objectives of this organization from which you have received invitations. Do you wish to join the Jr Beta Club in the promotion of its goals?"
"Yes, we do!" the students proclaimed.
"Then repeat after me," commented Langley. "I hereby declare that I shall always strive to be honest and truthful at all times to maintain a creditable scholastic record; to be of service to my teachers and fellowmen, to conduct myself in an ethical and moral manner to reflect credit upon my school and community."
After the students were officially inducted, Mr. Kruse spoke the closing remarks.
"New members we welcome you into the Jr Beta Club and to all rights and privileges of membership. You will receive your Jr Beta club pin, certificate, and membership card at a later date."
"We hope you will always be proud to know you were members of a long lasting organization that will remain a big part of T.S. Hill Middle school. Members of a club that will take pride in doing many great things for our school and our community. We look forward to seeing you experience the excitement and fun of the Jr Beta Club Convention on Friday, December 4th in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. To those competing we wish you luck and to our new inductees we say....CONGRATULATIONS!"
Below is a list of Existing Betas. A list of the New Members was in a previous article on the ShowMe Times.
Mr. Gavin Miller, Asst. Principal welcomed everyone and introduced 8th grade student and Jr Beta member Tyler Montgomery to lead the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Keiton Buck lead everyone in singing of our National Anthem and what an amazing job Keiton did.....brought tears to the eyes of many with his rendition of our nation's anthem!
This is the fourth year for the T.S. Hill Middle School Jr Beta program and it has proven to serve a purpose and fill several needs at the school.
The students have sponsored canned food drives, Old School Chili Suppers, hosted formal Winter dances, and worked on several service projects including a flower garden improvement at Southwest Elementary School," commented T.S. Hill Middle School principal Scott Kruse. "They have picked up trash throughout our district campuses, hosted a paper product drive for Mother-to-Mother program, as well as providing an amazing Christmas for area families in need through the support of the Daily Statesman's Operation Santa."
In December of 2014, they ran their first ever Jr Beta candidate. Irene Huang was elected State Jr. Beta President and will preside over their State of Missouri convention on December 4, 2015.
The students were inducted on Friday were invited to join the Jr. Beta Club, not based on a specific skill or talent. They are not selected because of superior athletic ability or musical gifts. It's not a popularity contest!
"This club emphasizes and recognizes students who understand the importance of things like: Achievement, Character, Leadership, and Service," stated Kruse.
Almost 300 students have worked hard in the classroom and are all meeting Honor Roll standards. They must continually focus on their academics in order to remain a member of Jr. Beta.
Jr. Beta students consistently show their teachers and administrators that they understand what it means to do the right thing. Students must represent the school, their club, and their community in only the best ways.
Jr. Beta members are leaders in their school and their community. They set the example and are the role models for other students to emulate and follow. Through the Jr. Beta Club they have the opportunity to be recognized for their positive attitude and efforts.
The Beta Club motto is, "Let us lead by serving others." That's exactly what the T.S. Hill Middle School Jr. Beta Club members do is to lead their school by serving the community and their fellow classmates.
Congratulations to all of the new members as well as returning members of the Jr. Beta Club of T.S. Hill Middle School.
Shown in the photo above are Scott Kruse, T.S. Hill Middle School Principal, Gavin Miller, T.S. Hill Middle School Assistant Principal, and Nancy Langley, T.S. Hill Middle School Counselor showing their support for Miss Kyla Propst with her speech as she will be running for State Jr. Beta Chaplain.
The following names are NEW MEMBERS of the 2015 Jr. Beta Club:
Irene Huang was elected State Jr. Beta President during the 2014 State Convention and will preside over their State of Missouri convention on December 4, 2015. She was elected by more than 3,000 of her peers.
She spoke to a packed gym of teachers, parents, special guests, board of directors, and the entire middle school student class. Below is her speech from the Induction Ceremony.
"Good morning, Betas! How are we doing today? This summer, I learned a little chant that encourages me to stay positive and happy. I would like all of you to do it with me." She explained how the chant went and the participation was overwhelming. The students were really excited to chant and cheer with her.
"Welcome to our annual T.S. Hill Junior Beta Induction Ceremony parents, teachers, sponsors, and my fellow Betas! My name is Irene Huang, your Missouri State Junior Beta President!"
"As you can see, we have a tremendous group of dedicated students at T.S. Hill. This year, we have 294 members in our Dexter Jr. Beta Club. This is the most we have ever had and I would like to congratulate all of you on your achievements. new members, we welcome you to Junior Beta. This club is a wonderful opportunity for each of you to get involved with our school and prepare you for your future."
"Some of you might be wondering what exactly Junior Beta is. Many believe Beta is just a club for kids with good grades or another opportunity for our school to get good publicity. While those things are true, Beta Club also promotes character, develops leadership skills, encourages service involvement, and much more. Overall, it is a great association that encourages students to develop their skills and abilities that they may not have been aware they possessed."
"I am honored to be here, to introduce each of you about the vast amount of things Beta has to offer. I would also like to take a moment to simply thank all of our sponsors. They have invested time in our students to help us reach our academic goals and achieve accomplishments beyond our expectations. Thanks for helping ME to reach MY goals. I am proud member and I love representing our school and organization. Now it's your turn. Remember to carry the torch and maintain your momentum. Remember to tell yourself, "I feel great and I AM great!"
The Board President announced the meeting to begin with the saying of the Pledge of Allegiance.
New Business
A. The Board approved the A+ report as presented by High School Counselors Judy Patterson and Jennifer Miller.
B. The Board approve revisions to the 2015-16 Assessment Plan as presented by Curriculum Director Michele Williams.
C. The Board approved Special Services Director Amy James as Foster Care Coordinator; Homeless Coordinator; 504 Coordinator; Surrogate Parent Coordinator; Federal Programs Director; and Compliance Coordinator of Policy AC (which prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation).
D. The Board approved the Superintendent as Title IX Coordinator.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
Mrs. Williams discussed the District Annual Performance Report (APR).
Mr. Wood discussed MSBA Policies GBEA, BBB, BBBA, BBC, BHA, BHD, DGA, DLC, DLCA, JFH, KL, ACAE, and MCE policy 2115.
A nurse’s report was submitted by high school nurse Linda Milam.
High School Principal Dan Pollock was asked to gather information on National Honor Society and compare it to Dexter Honor Society which the school currently offers. After discussion the board asked Mr. Pollock to gather more information from his faculty and staff for further discussion at the November or December Board meeting.
Administration from Southwest Elementary, Central Elementary, Middle School and High School gave reports on attendance and things going on in their buildings.
In closed session
The Board approved the following additions to the Substitute Teacher list: Whitney Bramlett, Eric Callahan, Lindsey Callahan, Brooke Stoker, Summer Griffin, Mandi Wood and Jeremy Granger.
The Board accepted the resignation of Southwest Elementary custodian Justin Berry, effective immediately.
The Board accepted the resignation of Central Elementary 5th Grade teacher Gale D. Slinkard, effective immediately.
The Board accepted the resignation of High School English teacher Carla Bradley, effective at the end of the 2015-16 school year.
The Board accepted retirement notice of Central Office Secretary Peggy Currie.
The Board accepted retirement notices from Southwest Elementary teacher Debbie Thrower; from Central Elementary Art teacher June Lawrence; from Middle School Family and Consumer Science teacher Shari Stickles; Social Studies teacher Sherry A. Chance and 8th Grade teacher John Stevens, effective at the end of the 2015-16 school year.
The board voted to employ Martin Fortenberry as high school Industrial Arts teacher.
The board voted to employ Whitney Bramlett as Central Elementary teacher beginning Jan. 4, 2016.
The board voted to employ Emily Lucy as Special Services Aide.
The board discussed a formal complaint that was filed with the school. Mr. Wood informed the Board the matter has been turned over to the schools liability insurance carrier MUSIC.
The board discussed the option of contracting out custodial services. Mr. Wood and Mr. Mouser explained the difficulties the district is having finding enough applicants to fill these jobs. Mr. Wood explained the contracted service would not cost the district more monies and would provide them with enough manpower to have a clean environment for the students and staff. The district will post a RFP immediately so that bids can be taken with their goal being implementing services second semester.
The board discussed the district options of baseball and softball facilities.
Dexter, Missouri - Julia Hahn and Brittany Brown, captains of the 2015 Lady Cats volleyball team presented a check in the amount of $5,500 to Scott Kruse, founder of 18 ForeLife.
The money was raised during the team’s annual Hits for Hope volleyball game on October 1st, 2015.
Julia, Brittany and Kendall Adams are senior members of the team and were a part of the very first Hits for Hope game in Dexter. They helped organize and participated in that first event when they were in the 7th grade.
When asked what they like most about participating in Hits for Hope.
“I love playing the game,” commented Julia Hahn. “I always play in honor of Patty May. On a few occasions, myself and some teammates got to deliver love offerings to someone fighting cancer. We didn’t know them. They didn’t expect it. The appreciation they expressed made a huge impact on me. I’ll never forget that.”
“The whole week leading up to the Hits for Hope game is amazing,” stated Brittany Brown. “We do so much more than just play the game to help raise money. The event also raises awareness of Breast Cancer. I have loved being a part of it. It is something I will miss since I am graduating.”
