The 2024 DHS Homecoming Coronation was held at Charles Bland Stadium on Friday, September 6th as the Dexter Bearcat Football Team took on the Sikeston Bulldogs defeating them 48-7.
Liz Bolin was nominated by the Volleyball team.
She is a senior at Dexter High School and the daughter of Chris and Jennifer Bolin.
Liz plays volleyball and is a basketball cheerleader.
She is also a member of the Pep Club, FCCLA, Sr. Beta Club, National Honors Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the HOSA Club.
After graduation, she plans to attend Arkansas State University and major in Occupational Therapy.
Liz is escorted by Houston Neely.
He is a junior at Dexter High School and is the son of Jon and Leslie Neely.
Houston is on the football team and baseball team. He is also a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, FCCLA, Student Council, Sr. Beta Club, and the HOSA Club.
When asked to describe Liz in a few words, Houston said she is kind, smart, and pretty.
The 2024 DHS Homecoming Coronation was held at Charles Bland Stadium on Friday, September 6th as the Dexter Bearcat Football Team took on the Sikeston Bulldogs defeating them 48-7.
Averee Ackman was nominated by the Football Cheerleaders.
She is a senior at Dexter High School and is the daughter of Jonathan and Amanda Guite and Trey and Leslie Ackman.
Averee is a football cheerleader and a basketball cheerleader. She is also a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, FCCLA, Sr. Beta, National Honor Society and Pep Club.
After graduation, Averee plans to attend the Arkansas State University - Jonesboro, majoring in Nursing, and eventually earn her Master's degree.. She then wants to work in aesthetics.
Averee is escorted by Sawyer Rascher. He is a senior at Dexter High School and the son of Ryan and Heather Rasher.
Sawyer is on the football team and track & field team and is a member of the Pep Club and Future Farmers of America.
When asked to describe Averee in a few words, Sawyer said she is very mindful, very classy, and very demure.
“Easier,” “more convenient,” “less time consuming” and “long overdue” were sentiments shared by parents over social media concerning the Poplar Bluff School District’s launch of its online enrollment process this school year.
The streamlined registration system was coupled with the creation of a new district office to assist families, housed in the former Mules Café area of the Administrative Building, approved by the Board of Education in March.
“This new role will address the growing need for accurate record-keeping and streamlined enrollment processes district-wide,” described the memo presented by Aaron Badgley, R-I chief technology officer. “This strategic position will improve data integrity and ensure reporting compliance within our student information systems.”
Later in the spring, Taylor Russom was hired as the district’s very first registrar. Russom, a Poplar Bluff native, transferred internally from the Kindergarten Center, where she had been employed as secretary for the past few years, before which she served in the front office of the Middle School since 2017/18.
“I think one of my favorite parts of my job previously was the enrollment process,” said Russom, who started her new role in June after assisting Kindergarten with early registration on the new system. “I love that you’re meeting brand new people—you are welcoming them into the district. Every registration is completely different, so you don’t know what your day is going to look like or what you’re gonna encounter.”
When Russom began at the Kindergarten Center in 2020, parents and guardians were filling out several pages of paperwork by hand. With some of the information being redundant, Russom said she was able to consolidate the packet to only a few pages. However, caregivers with multiple students at different sites had to visit each building annually in order to verify any changes in demographical data.
“All the buildings did things a little bit differently, but ultimately [the data] is going to the same place, so it’s nice to have a uniformed process,” Russom explained. “Parents are the ones entering the information, so we’re no longer having to scour over the info as closely, when you were second-hand entering it from a sheet of paper, deciphering handwriting.”
Now families can take care of their enrollment or verification from the district website, including uploading copies of documentation such as birth certificates, immunization records and proof of residency, according to Russom. If assistance is needed, appointments may be booked online or over the phone, and generally take less than 15 minutes. For those without access, a public computer station and scanner are available in her office.
School leaders have discussed the increasing need for the position since 2022, but the decision was expedited when the district's SIS vendor informed its clients it had reached the end of its life cycle and would discontinue offering support. The BOE approved Infinite Campus the following year after a committee of 15 stakeholders vetted three proposals. The new platform went live district-wide this school year, including the enrollment component, after the Instructional Technology Department hosted a series of trainings for employee groups.
“Since we were also gonna be utilizing the online registration feature, it has become a lot easier for parents going to one location with one person to talk to,” Russom continued. “My communication with parents doesn’t just stop at new registration either. I’m happy to assist with Parent Portal as much as I can and troubleshoot any account issues they are having.”
To schedule an appointment with Russom at 1110 N. Westwood Blvd., click the enrollment icon at poplarbluffschools.net or call 573-850-0850.
Dexter School Board held their regularly scheduled meeting on August 27th at 6 p.m. They also held the Tax Rate Hearing at 5:50 p.m. Below are the minute notes.
1,2,3. Call to Order/Roll Call/Pledge:
The Board President announced the meeting is to begin, ascertains the attendance status of all board members, with all members being present. The Board President leads in the saying of the Pledge of Allegiance.
4. Consent Agenda: The consent agenda was approved.
5. Public Comments:
6. Old Business:
A. There was no old business to discuss.
7. New Business:
A. The board approved a resolution authorizing a prepayment of $300,000 to the Series
2020 Bonds maturing on March 1, 2028 on March 1, 2026. The board authorized the
Publication of the notice of redemption.
B. The board approved the tax rate for the 2024-2025 school year.
C. The board approved the Contract Paper Group’s bid for copy paper for the 2024-2025
school year. The cost is $33.96 per case.
D. The board approved Select Physical Therapy for athletic training services for the
2024-2025 school year.
8. Discussion Items: The following items were discussed with the board:
A. The annual determination category under Part B, IDEA was discussed.
B. The summer school 2024 report was discussed.
C. The SRO report was discussed.
D. The building reports were provided to the board.
E. The CSIP tracking document was reviewed.
F. The next regular board meeting will be held on Thursday, September 26th at 6:00 p.m.
The meeting was moved due to the Stoddard County Fair.
In Closed Session:
1. The board approved the following substitutes for the 2024-2025 school year:
Noreen Hyslop (office sub only)
Deborah Stogsdill
Kyla Propst
Mattilyn Williams
Kerri Kruse
Felicia Powers (ELL only)
Kylah Hill
Delisa Sitze
Lauren Baugh
Morgan Wilkinson
Substitutes from 2023-2024 were approved.
2. The board approved the following resignations, retirements, and recensions:
Hannah Emery-Building Aide at middle School, effective August 16.
Kris Chamberlain-Assistant Middle School Football, effective at the conclusion of the 2024-2025 school year.
Canasia McBride-Special Services Paraprofessional, effective August 5.
Rebekah McGhee-PK Paraprofessional, effective August 30th.
3. The board approved the following transfers for the 2024-2025 school year:
Tallhenia Ward-From ECSE Paraprofessional to HS Special Services Professional.
4. The board approved the hiring of the following individuals for the 2024-2025 school year,
pending a favorable background check and appropriate certification:
Kiara Terry-Special Services Paraprofessional at Southwest.
Madison Whitehead-Special Services Paraprofessional at Central.
Mindy Ruppel-Special Services Paraprofessional at Central.
Patrick Collier-HS Assistant Wrestling Coach.
Terry Bryeans-MS Assistant Baseball.
Aron Pfeffer-HS Softball.
Eric Sitze-HS Girls Basketball.
LaDawn Barnes- Building Aide at the Middle School.
Melanie Stoelting-Parents as Teachers (critical shortage).
Tara Mouser-SLP at Central (critical shortage).
Denise Counts-Secretary at Central (critical shortage).
Peggy Potts-Special Services Teacher at Southwest (critical shortage).
Jerrica Wood-Special Services Paraprofessional at Central.
5. The board approved the additional duties for current employees for the 2024-2025
school year:
Susan Cooper-A+ Coordinator.
Tonya Keena-A+ Coordinator.
6. The board approved an athletic event pay increase of an additional $10/job.
7. The following items were discussed with the board:
-
Long Range Planning/Bond Issue 2025 Update
-
Donation Procedures-Policy 1470
-
Communications
Items at the Conclusion of Executive Session
-
There were no items to be considered.
The Bernie FFA is proud to announce that Mackenzie Hill and Nathan Stephens, both 2023 Graduates of Bernie, will receive their American FFA Degrees in October. I
Each year, the National FFA Organization honors FFA members who show the utmost dedication to the organization through their desire to develop their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. The American FFA Degree is bestowed upon a select group of students in recognition of their years of academic and professional excellence. This year over 4,800 American Degrees were awarded. Mackenzie Hill and Nathan Stephens, members of the Bernie FFA chapter in Missouri, will be awarded the American FFA Degree at the 97th National FFA Convention & Expo on October 26, 2024.
Sponsored by Cargill, Case IH, John Deere, and Syngenta, the award recognizes demonstrated ability and outstanding achievements in agricultural business, production, processing, or service programs. To be eligible, FFA members must have earned at least $10,000 or earned at least $2,000 and worked at least 2,250 hrs. outside of class time through a supervised agricultural experience (SAE) program in which they own their own business, hold a professional position as an employee, or conduct research.
Recipients must also complete 50 hours of community service and demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities and civic involvement through the completion of a long list of FFA and community activities. Less than one percent of FFA members achieve the American FFA Degree.
After being recognized at the national convention, each recipient of the American FFA Degree receives a gold American FFA Degree key and certificate. The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 1,027,200 student members as part of 9,235 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
PHOTO IS FROM WHEN THEY WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL AT BERNIE.
