Walnut Ridge, AR - Dexter graduate Melanie McKuin has been named to the President's List at Williams Baptist University for the Spring 2020 semester.
The President's List includes those full-time students who achieved a perfect 4.0 grade point average and is a full-time active student.
Williams Baptist University is a private, Christian University in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas.
McKuin is a 2016 graduate of Dexter High School and is the daughter of Barry and Kimmy McKuin.
Dexter, MO - The Dexter Public School Board held a regularly scheduled meeting on June 25, 2020 at 6 p.m. Below are the minutes from that meeting.
Call to Order/Roll Call/Pledge - The Board President announced the meeting is to begin, ascertains the attendance status of all board members present, with the exception of Mr. Herman Morse.
Mrs. Nancy Mayer attended via Zoom. He then leads in the saying of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Consent Agenda: The consent agenda was approved.
Public Comments: There were no public comments made.
Old Business:
A. None
New Business:
A. The 20-21 handbooks for Southwest Elementary, Central Elementary, TS Hill Middle School, and Dexter High School were approved.
B. Athletic training services from Southeast Health were approved for the 20-21 school year.
C. A general fund transfer to zero out the special fund balance was approved.
D. A general fund transfer to the capital projects fund balance was approved.
E. A maximum transportation fund transfer to the capital projects fund balance was approved.
F. The budget for the 20-21 school year was approved.
G. Mr. Rick Willams was approved as the treasurer for the Dexter Public Schools Foundation.
H. Mr. Ben Worley was approved as a member of the Dexter Public Schools Foundation.
Discussion Items:
A. Mrs. James discussed the building attendance and discipline reports from the 19-20 school year.
B. A transportation summary report was given by Mr. Gavin Miller.
C. Mrs. James gave an update on the re-entry plan task force.
D. A summary on the phase II construction projects was given by Mr. Miller.
E. The next board meeting was set for July 21, 2020 at 6:00 pm
In Closed Session:
1. The board approved new employment for the 2020-21 school year:
Christy Josupait - HS Special Services Paraprofessional
Jocelyn Miller - HS Special Services Paraprofessional
Christy Kelly - C Aide
2. The board approved new extra duty employment for the 2020-21 school year:
Lindsay Woods - FB Cheer Coach
Rebecca Parsons - Assistant Girls Basketball Coach
Lloyd Hyten - MS Head Boys Basketball Coach
3. Approve employment of summer school staff: These were left off of the list approved at the last meeting
Marc Thrower - MS Math
Shelly Culp - HS Personal Finance
4. The board approved transfer requests for the 2020-21 school year:
Allison Sneed- From SW Preschool Secretary to SW Building Secretary
Tonya Cato - From C Building Aide to SW Preschool Secretary
Heather Tice - From SW Preschool Aide to SW Title Aide
Casey Williams - From 4th grade to 5th grade
5. The board approved resignation letters from the following individuals:
Melissa Jones - SW Building Secretary
Heather Rice- HS Building Secretary
6. Rescind motion of approval from June 9th special board meeting for the employment of:
Lauren Stidham
Shanna Green
7. The board approved granting permission to Mrs. James for the transfer or hiring of a high school building secretary pending a favorable background check prior to the July board meeting. The urgency in this matter is providing proper training. The new hire or transfer will be formally presented at the July board meeting.
Items at the conclusion of Executive Session
A. None
Three Rivers College has released its Dean’s List for the Spring 2020 semester. The honor is awarded to students taking 12 or more credit hours in a semester, who achieve a grade point average of 3.5 or above. Dean’s List honors are also used at graduation to help determine eligibility for honors or highest honors.
Three Rivers College is committed to contributing to the quality of life in Southeast Missouri with quality, affordable higher education opportunities and community services that support and encourage the economic, civic, and cultural vitality of the region.
Advance - Kassi Bright, Mikayla Mikels
Bell City - Tina Weakley
Bernie - Dena Costin, Katelyn Pulliam
Bloomfield - Jewel Chism, Evan Dowell, Mollie Fields, Zachary Hadley, Tyrah Hartle, Caroline Jones, Harlie Leeper, Ashley Miller, Mason Pulley, Sara Tackett
Dexter - McKenzie Anthony, Brittany Axelson, Johnny Boham, Layla Brown, Cheyenne Burch, Alexander Calonne, Kaylee Carey, Demi Cecil, Katie Cecil, Katie Condict, Phillip Dobbs, Christopher Dye, Rylie Frizzell, Sierra Green, Sarah Grummert, Kaitlynne Hann, Chantel Heath, Casie Layton, Kelsie Lorelli, Jadyn Northcutt, Jesse Pugh, Marsha Richardson, Shannon Smith, Tana Stock, Scott Strickler, Hannah Thurmon, McKinna Tidwell, Bailee Williams
Dudley - Shelby Hobbs, Kaitlee Mayabb, Kayleigh Wilkerson, Cole Yoebstl
Essex - John Gaddis, Matthew Miller
Puxico - Kasen Barnfield, Ashley Clinton, Melissa Manis, Matthew Mitchell, O'Shen Schaefer
Malden, MO - The Bright Idea Showcase took place on Saturday, May 30, 2020 at the Malden Community Center in Malden, MO. The top contestants from five of the contest’s qualifying counties gave an oral presentation of their idea to the panel of judges present. After the presentation of county champion plaques and medals, the 2020 contest grand champion was announced.
Launched in January of 2020, the Bright Idea Contest was created to promote and spark an entrepreneurial spirit in the youth of Southeast Missouri. The central mission is to generate and facilitate paths to success for young innovators. The planned annual contest is open to students between grades seven and twelve in eight Southeast Missouri counties: Bollinger, Butler, Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Scott and Stoddard. Over $26,000 in prize money is available to contest participants. Each county champion receives a $2,000 cash prize and a chance to compete for a $10,000 grand prize at the Bright Idea Showcase. The contest is divided into three stages. The initial entry round requires contestants to draft an essay summarizing their idea. In the second-round, the top five submissions from each county advance and are required to submit a video presentation of their idea. The video submission is then evaluated by a panel of judges who determine the top entry from each participating county. Each county champion receives a $2,000.00 cash prize, and advances to the third and final round of competition. For the final round, contestants give an on-site, oral presentation to a panel of judges at the Bright Idea Showcase.
The contest submission portal was officially opened on January 6th of this year. Over fifty entries were submitted before the first-round deadline on March 1. The top five submissions from each county were selected and announced on March 11. These contestants participated in round two, which required a video presentation of their idea. After a disruption in the original schedule due in part to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the county champions were selected and announced on April 29. County champions are listed below:
BOLLINGER COUNTY: Shiskeet
Judson Mayfield, a twelfth grader from Woodland High School in Marble Hill, MO.
BUTLER COUNTY: EMERGENCY! (911 App)
A team of students consisting of Jeremy Bell, Aaron Johnson, Kristen Laird and Maria Powell from Poplar Bluff High School in Poplar Bluff, MO.
NEW MADRID COUNTY: Anonymous Guidance Counselor
Wyatt McCulloch, a ninth grader from Portageville High School in Portageville, MO.
PEMISCOT COUNTY: The Albox
The Wanna Bees, a team of twelfth graders consisting of Cassie Bryson, Savannah Butler and Vivi Wallace from Delta C-7 High School in Deering, MO.
STODDARD COUNTY: Breathe Easy
Korbin Williams a seventh grader from T.S. Hill Middle School in Dexter, MO.
Judson Mayfield was named the Grand Champion of the 2020 Bright Idea Contest.
Judson was announced as the winner at this year’s Bright Idea Showcase on May 30. Finalists from the five qualifying counties were allotted eight minutes each to present their idea to the contest’s panel of judges. After compiling the scores of each judge, just four tenths of a point separated the top two contestants.
Mayfield, is a 2020 graduate of Woodland High School in Marble Hill, MO. He was named the county champion for Bollinger County after the second round of the contest on April 29. Mayfield’s idea, Shiskeet, is an innovate approach to traditional clay targets or “clay pigeons.”
Instead of manufacturing his targets through ordinary methods, Mayfield has developed a process that utilizes cattle manure as the main manufacturing component. In result, this offers an alternative, environmentally friendly option for clay target shooters. As the grand champion of this year’s contest,
Mayfield received an additional $10,000.00 in prize money on top of the $2,000.00 he received as his county’s champion. Mayfield plans to use a portion of his winnings to further pursue patents and investors for his idea.
Photo submitted.
Three Rivers College recognized more than 40 of its highest performing students with its Annual Student Excellence Awards. Winners were chosen to represent each academic department and career education program, the Three Rivers external locations, honor societies, and major student organizations.
Ryan Bambrough is from Sikeston and is majoring in Literature.
“The Student Excellence Awards are a celebration not only of academic success but of the hard work and commitment of our student body,” said Dr. Wesley Payne, President of Three Rivers College. “The success these students have achieved is not only an indication of natural ability and talent, but also their dedication to putting in the time and doing the work that makes them the standouts of Three Rivers.”
Winners from academic and career programs are chosen by that program’s leadership based on recommendations from faculty members. The leadership of each organization selects student organization, external location, and honor society award recipients.
Three Rivers College is committed to contributing to the quality of life in Southeast Missouri with quality, affordable higher education opportunities and community services that support and encourage the economic, civic, and cultural vitality of the region.
