By Annabeth Miller, SMT Editor
The number is pretty important.
There are 50 states, 50 cents, it’s a “golden number” for anniversaries. Barbie even celebrated her 50th “birthday”!
Today (Monday, Oct. 31) is the 50th day of school for students in the Dexter schools, and the kids in Shannon Putnam’s first grade classroom at Southwest Elementary are celebrating all things 50.
Many of the students dressed right out of the 1950s – complete with “oodles of poodles” on skirts and boys dressed as “Fonzie wannabe”s with t-shirts and cuffed jeans. Putname and Cadet Teacher Evie Dehne even got into the act, sporting poodle skirts of their own.
Throughout the day the students celebrated things in increments of 50 = 50 seconds, 50 jumping jacks, and on and on. They even celebrated with soda floats popped bubble gum!
Photo Above: First grade students celebrated the 50th day of school on Monday - dressing right of the '50's and celebrating all things "50." First grade teacher Shannon Putnam (standing, left) and Cadet Teacher Evie Dehne (standing, right) celebrated with the students Monday morning - showing off in their outfirst right out of the Nifty Fifties! (SMT Photo by Annabeth Miller)
POPLAR BLUFF - Three Rivers student Dustin Hillis has won a $1,000 scholarship after participating in the nationwide “FAFSA Frenzy” program.
“FAFSA Frenzy” is a series of events designed to encourage prospective college students to fill out and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid during the second semester of their senior year of high school.
The most recent “FAFSA Frenzy” took place during February of 2011.
Hillis was selected through a drawing conducted by the Missouri Department of Higher Education in Jefferson City. The Broseley, Mo., resident was one of four students selected from a pool of students from 55 participating Missouri colleges.
Hillis is the son of Kevin and Deborah Hillis of Broseley and is a 2011 graduate of Twin Rivers High School. Hillis is taking general studies courses at Three Rivers.
A good crowd at T. S. Hill Middle School in Dexter for my Creature Feature this week.
Each year around Halloween, English instructor John Stephens likes to show the students the old black and white scary movies from the 1930's to the 1950's. This year wthey watched the original 1939 versions of The Mummy, The Bride of Frankenstein, and The Invisible Man. I
“I think it is important for the kids to see scary movies that are not ‘hack and slash full of blood and guts’ type shows, but those that are suspenseful and ‘jump out at you’ scary,” Stephens said. “We discuss things like how lighting and shadow create mood and how the actors’ actions seem to show fear or insanity and that sometimes a psychological scare is more frightening than a visual one.”
Over the course of the three movies this week, about 105 total students attend. They enjoyed some popcorn, soda, and “a good time was had by all.”
Thanks to SMT Reader & English Instructor John Stephens & to Michelle Cannon for the information and photo
CAPE GIRARDEAU - The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents recently approved incidental fees equal to in-state undergraduate incidental fees for all students enrolled in the totally online Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) degree program.
The Board also approved a $100 per credit hour special course fee for required online nursing courses in the program effective for the spring 2012 term.
Under the new schedule, online RN to BSN students will pay the current incidental fee rate for in-state students of $187.80 per credit hour, $30.70 per credit hour in general fees and $12.50 per credit hour in online course fees.
“These fees are intended to assist in funding the technology infrastructure required for online instruction,” said Kathy Mangels, vice president for finance and administration.
She says nursing has higher than average instruction costs. The $100 per credit hour special course fee is designed to attract and retain quality nursing faculty to teach and administer the program.
Due to changes in Southeast’s current RN to BSN program, the University has seen a steady increase in enrollment from the first online class admitted in fall 2008, Provost Ron Rosati said.
He says the growth is reflective of several curriculum changes implemented, including moving from offering face to face to totally online RN to BSN courses; offering courses in eight-week blocks; and allowing registered nurses to complete all nursing course requirements (25 hours or six courses) in two semesters.
More than 70 registered nurses have been accepted into the nursing RN to BSN online program at Southeast, Rosati said.
A single incidental fee rate for students in an online major recognizes that enrollment is not limited by physical location of the student. It also expands accessibility of the program beyond the geographic boundaries of Southeast campuses, Mangels said. This fall, only five out-of- state students are in the RN to BSN major. The Department of Nursing’s goal is to enroll 60 new students in the major for next spring.
Rosati said most nurses in the United States are prepared at the associate degree level.
“Currently 65.9 percent of RNS do not have a BSN,” he said.
Research shows the majority of these RNS are employed full-time, working 40 to 60 hours per week in health care settings. In 2001, a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services panel called for two-thirds of the nursing workforce to have a baccalaureate or higher degree in nursing by 2010. The effect of advanced education research linking a BSN-prepared workforce and better patient outcomes has been the driving force behind promoting BSN-in-10 legislation, including in Missouri, Rosati said.
POPLAR BLUFF - The Music Department at Three Rivers College will present its annual Madrigal Dinner Nov. 17 and 18 at the Tinnin Fine Arts Center.
A madrigal dinner is a form of dinner theater often held by schools and church groups, traditionally set in the Middle Ages and comedic in nature. The meal is divided into courses, each of which is introduced with a traditional song. A play is performed between the courses and a choral concert concludes the festivities.
Seating for the Three Rivers madrigal will begin at 6 p.m., with dinner to follow at 6:30. After dinner, the music students will perform a comedic play entitled “Who Killed the Kilt?”
The madrigal dinner is a tradition in the Three Rivers music department, going back over 25 years.
"I enjoy the music and pageantry of this historical period, and I’m excited to share it with the students and the community," said music instructor and madrigal director Cindy White.
Tickets are on sale now at the college Business/Financial Services office and the Poplar Bluff Chamber of Commerce for $15 each. Ticketholders will enjoy a meal from Tasteful Creations catering and a variety of musical performances by Three Rivers students, as well as guest artists. A limited number of tickets are available, and must be purchased by Nov. 11.
The funds generated by the dinner will be used to fund the dinner and future musical productions. For more information on other upcoming events at Three Rivers College, please visit trcc.edu.
Photo Above: Three Rivers choral music students are shown performing on campus in Madrigal costumes under the direction of Cindy White, instructor of music. This year’s Madrigal Dinner will be hosted Nov. 17-18; tickets are on sale now.
