Bernie, MO - The Bernie Board of Education met in regular session Monday night February 14th.
The Board approved changes made to the current 2021/22 school calendar and approved Calendar A for the 2022/2023 school year.
Program evaluations on Co-Curricular Activities, Discipline and A+ were approved.
The A+ Assurance statement was re-adopted thereby allowing Bernie students who qualify to obtain 2 years of tuition at a Community College or Tech school.
The Board approved the financial statement and paying the monthly bills.
During executive session:
The Board awarded Principal contracts to Tommie Ellenburg and Brad Botsch through the school year 2023/2024.
The Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center held an open house for stakeholders on Friday, Feb. 11, in celebration of its 55th anniversary as a school facility during Career and Technical Education month.
Since the TCC opened in 1967, over 4,500 regional high schoolers have completed programs tuition-free there in addition to at least 500 adult students recorded, Director Charles Kinsey told an audience of community leaders and educators, both current and retired.
“The nation’s skills gap is getting close to a critical state, if not already in disarray [on top of] the global pandemic, and has been fueling a renewed interest in CTE by elected officials and prospective students alike,” Kinsey wrote in a column series being published this month.
The TCC is resultantly experiencing record enrollment, as its sending schools have expanded to 10, including newly-forged partnerships with Dexter Schools and Westwood Baptist. The TCC boasts a graduation rate of 98.3 percent, and a placement rate—alumni entering the workforce, joining the military or continuing their education—of 89.97 percent, according to Kinsey.
“Desirable students have work ethic, show up and are teachable, plus have a base set of skills that make them functional on the job on day one – with minimal training,” Kinsey stated in another installment.
The guests of honor toured the facilities, and learned about the $1.4 million in improvements over the last few years, according to Kinsey’s estimates. In attendance, former director Roger Slayton noted that he was responsible for the grant through the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education that established the east building in 2001, housing the then-new cosmetology program as well as the welding and auto collision repair programs.
Today the TCC also offers auto service technology, building trades, computer graphics & print technology, computer maintenance technology, computer science, culinary arts, health occupations and HVACR. Kinsey, who has dedicated 25 years to CTE both as a student and an educator, pointed out that five of his current instructors are alumni of the TCC, and the remaining six were involved in programs at other schools or else worked in the field.
To become an advisory committee member over one of the programs, or for additional information about the TCC’s various offerings, call 573-785-2248.
Pictured: PLTW computer science instructor Michael Barrett demonstrates a triple-pronged claw created in his class.
Photo and article by Tim Krakowiak, Communications/Marketing Director, Poplar Bluff R-I School District
Bernie, MO - The Bernie High School Student Council will host a Red Cross Blood Drive on Wednesday, February 23rd. The blood drive will be held at the Bernie Community Center at 503 S. Walnut from 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
All donors will receive a $10 gift card from the American Red Cross.
You may still donate after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. Knowing the name of the manufacturer is critical in determining your blood donation eligibility.
The Red Cross follows the highest standards of safety and infection control. For the safety of our donors and staff, the Red Cross will require all those at blood drives and blood donation centers to wear face masks regardless of their vaccination status. Valve face masks are not permitted. Face shields can be worn in addition to face masks but not as a substitute.
Platelets and type AB plasma also needed
Platelet donors and those with type AB blood are also continually needed to help ensure patients receive the lifesaving blood products they need. Platelets – a key clotting component of blood often needed by cancer patients, surgical patients and bone marrow recipients – must be transfused within five days of donation, so donations are constantly needed. Donors with type AB blood are urged to give blood or platelets to restock the plasma supply. Type AB donors have the universal plasma type, which can be given to patients of all blood types.
How to donate blood
The free Blood Donor App – available in app stores by searching for American Red Cross or by texting BLOODAPP to 90999 – not only makes appointment scheduling easy, but donors can also access their digital donor card and be notified when their donation is distributed to a hospital. Donors can also visitredcrossblood.orgor call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood donors in the Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visitredcrossblood.org/RapidPassand follow the instructions on the site.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visitredcross.org or visit us on Twitter at@RedCross.
Bloomfield, MO - The Bloomfield High School celebrated Senior Night on Thursday, February 10, 2022.
Connor Scott is the son of Brooks and Danielle Scott
He is a member of the Basketball Team, Future Farmers of America and Cross Country Team.
His favorite high school memory is running in the state cross country meet.
His future plans are to go to lineman school and move to Florida.
