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Welcome to The eMule! Here is the latest news of the Poplar Bluff School District to help start your week on the right hoof.
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Outstanding Instructional Leadership
A Poplar Bluff administrator has received state-wide recognition for the positive influence she has had on her colleagues throughout her 23-year career in public education.
Candace Warren, who is serving her first year as
Junior High principal, was one of two educators given the outstanding instructional leadership award during the Learning Forward Missouri conference held Friday through Sunday, March 2-4, at Lake Ozark.
"Leader is not a title, it's someone who can influence people to believe and act, and Candace always had a natural ability to get out in front and do that," said Patty Robertson, assistant superintendent of curriculum. "She asks the right questions, researches, finds answers, reduces anxiety, and (in turn) her people try new things and step outside of their comfort zone."
Having spent the entirety of her tenure in the same building, Warren's teaching career started with eighth grade language arts. She became the department head in 2008. The following year she was named district teacher of the year. Prior to her present post, she served as instructional technology facilitator for four years, working one-on-one with faculty and students.
"Mrs. Warren is especially conscientious of staying abreast of current best practices for herself and to bring back to her staff members," wrote Senior High Instructional Coach Stephanie Kuper in Warren's nomination letter. Kuper continued: "Mrs. Warren pioneered some of the district's current professional development opportunities, including the summer learning institute for all district staff members, offered after school (professional development) opportunities and helped create a one-day district-wide ed camp/conference for personalizing staff PD."
Warren helped revamp the Professional Learning Community model at Junior High, delving deeper into data analysis and using collaborative time more intentionally, she said, "instead of just meeting with an agenda." A data chart is on display in the school lobby, documenting student achievement in core subject areas, as well as tracking discipline and attendance.
Also new this school year at Junior High are several staff committees including process champions, leadership, Missouri Assessment Program, intervention, ICU and scheduling teams. Warren attributes the success she has enjoyed to having a supportive staff that is open to change.
"I just believe in working hard and doing the best you can to make each day better than the day before," Warren said. "Everything I do is to try to help improve the building culture for staff and students.
"It's why I wake up when the alarm goes off," she concluded.
Above: Supported by colleagues (from left) Patty Robertson, Keri Jameson, Julie Carda, Aaron Badgley and Stephanie Kuper, Candace Warren accepts an award through Learning Forward Missouri.
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Thousands of jars of peanut butter collected
The stock room in the Poplar Bluff School District's new food storage facility has never been so full with items for the Mule Packs program, according to food service officials.
A total of 2,638 jars of peanut butter plus hundreds of jars of jelly and boxes of crackers were collected from dozens of businesses and organizations throughout the month of February. The #PB4PB drive was Bright Future's most successful campaign to date, quintupling the relief organization's goal of 500.
"Once again, our community pulled through to take care of our kids that need a little extra attention," stated Carrie Booker, Bright Futures co-coordinator. "While the purpose of the peanut butter challenge was important, I hope everyone had as much fun making the videos/pictures as we did seeing and sharing them! We can't say thank you enough for helping respond to this need."
Rumor has it that grocery stores were sold-out of peanut butter because individuals were buying jars by the case, participants reported. The monthly drive was for community leaders to ask their staff and customers to help build a pyramid of plastic jars. Those who were challenged were asked to in turn challenge others via
creative videos that ended up going viral over Facebook.
The peanut butter will be used to help fill Mule Packs, which are distributed bi-monthly to around 150 families in need. Chartwells School Dining Services took over administering the community program in 2017.
In addition to all the peanut butter, the district recently purchased at a deeply discounted price over 5,000 hurricane relief packages of food items that the Missouri State Surplus Property agency acquired. Superintendent Scott Dill became aware of the opportunity during a state conference at the end of January, and the district decided to seize the moment as the backpack program was struggling to generate enough supplies.
"The majority of our kids are living in poverty, that's just the truth. We have a lot of kids that count on their school meals, and Scott worries whether they have enough to eat over the weekends," explained Rod Priest, assistant superintendent of business. "Our food service vendor through their purchase power and Bright Futures through community food drives pool resources with the school district, because we all share the responsibility of making sure our kids have something to eat."
Above: Food items are sorted for the Mule Packs program at the storage facility on the Middle School campus.
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First time and repeat Junior Beta winners
The Middle School Quiz Bowl team became a repeat first place division one winner during the 15th annual Missouri Junior Beta Convention held Thursday and Friday, March 8-9, at the Black River Coliseum.
Under the tutelage of gifted teacher Donna Barton, fifth graders Kole Bader, Jack Funke, Cyrus Sagharichi and Carson Sittig defeated nine other teams in the written and oral test, qualifying to compete in the National Junior Beta Convention in June in Savannah. They began practicing trivia questions weekly in mid-January.
Also taking first place was sixth grader Eva Richardson for her black and white photography submission in the division two Visual Arts competition. According to Middle School STEM teacher Kim Davis, that is a first in school history. Eva also qualifies to compete at nationals.
Above: Eva Richardson displays her first place photography submission. Also pictured is Middle School Principal Dr. Brad Owings.
Below: (From left) Donna Barton, Jack Funke, Carson Sittig, Kole Bader and Cyrus Sagharichi.
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Athletes of the Month named
The Mules Booster Club has named Taylor Norwood and Tyler Cline of Poplar Bluff High School the February Athletes of the Month, presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.
Tyler, a junior, helped lead the Basketball team to a Poplar Bluff Showdown and District championship, with a seasonal record of 18-9 and a SEMO Conference record of 7-1. He averaged 8.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 2 assists per game, and post season: 11.4 points, 3 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2 assists. In the classroom, he maintains a 9.7 grade point average.
"Tyler has been a joy to coach," Will Durden said. "He works and plays hard every day. He has made great strides in improving the mental and physical areas of his game."
Taylor, a senior, qualified for state in every swimming event this season. She was voted most valuable player for the SEMO Conference. She has been undefeated for four years in all of her individual events for the SEMO Conference meet. She broke the 100 freestyle record for the Mules, along with holding eight other event records. She has been named All-Conference 16 times in her career and All-State nine times, with several honorable mentions. In the classroom, she maintains an 11.0 GPA.
"Taylor displays the highest level of dedication one can give to their sport," her coach Beth Lewis said. "She works extremely hard in and out of the pool. She has been a great addition to the team, and has brought the team to a whole new level of competition."
Above: Booster Club member Brian Taylor presents awards to Tyler Cline and Taylor Norwood on Friday, March 9.
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Board Meeting
The Board of Education will hold its regularly scheduled monthly school board meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 15, in the Administrative Building.
Leadership Day
Eugene Field will hold its fifth annual Leadership Day from 9-11:30 a.m. Thursday, March 22, at the elementary school with the theme, "I Believe in the Power of Yet." Please RSVP by Friday, March 16, by emailing
jennifertaylor
Golf Tourney
The 19th annual Golf Tournament for the Poplar Bluff School Foundation will take place at 1 p.m. Friday, April 27, at Ozark Ridge Golf Course, with lunch being served at noon. To enter a team in the four-person scramble or to became a hole sponsor, call Superintendent Scott Dill's office at 573-785-7751. All proceeds go toward student scholarships and innovative teacher projects!
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On Tuesday, March 6,
the DAR reported a preview story for the MSHSAA Basketball Championships (with a classic Mules photo).
On Wednesday, March 7, KFVS12
reported about our Girls State participants at PBHS.
On Thursday, March 8, the ShowMe Times also
reported about our Girls State students.
The DAR recognized our PBHS Students of the Month.
On Sunday, March 11, the DAR reported about the Missouri Junior Beta Convention, the Imaginary Theatre Company's play series put on for students, the CRC/Fox Radio Spelling Bee, and our National Merit finalist.
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