The Kinders put on a children's Christmas concert for students of both the Kindergarten and Early Childhood Center in the first combined school assembly at the Camp Road campus.

Brian and Terri Kinder of Little Rock performed a selection of their whimsical songs designed to drum up audience participation among students and educators alike for an hour in the morning and afternoon on Tuesday, Dec. 7, in the Kindergarten gym.

“It’s fun and we have a ball,” said Brian following the duo's second act. “We lay our heads down after we do a program, sometimes exhausted, but we never get tired of doing it.”

Prior to the health crisis, the Fredericktown native said he and his wife were booked to perform music from their dozen children’s albums around 275 times per year in schools, libraries, churches, festivals and private parties around the surrounding Arkansas area.

A former music and art teacher for the Little Rock public school system, Brian took an early retirement in 2008 after serving more than 20 years, and began touring full time. He explained that he had gained a reputation for putting on "huge" school concerts, and could no longer satisfy all of the requests coming in during his summer breaks.

Terri, a former X-ray technician, laughed saying she “never dreamed” of becoming a performer when they first began dating. Today she plays an active role at the shows, even lending lead vocals on some of the original songs. According to Brian, the children’s genre allows them to continue to book shows while some of their counterparts in the industry just focus on the studio aspect.

A prolific songwriter, Brian has recorded over 500 songs, according to the biography on his website. His first album in 2002, “A Kid Like You,” contained perhaps his biggest hit, the title track, which remains the concert opener. His most recent release is entitled, “Jelly Beans.” He also has published a Christmas book called “Buck and Ollie,” which he wrote and illustrated.

The Kinders are returning guests at Poplar Bluff Schools, beginning with the Kindergarten Center. Brian reminded Early Childhood Principal JoAnne Westbrook that they performed three times for the preschoolers one school year alone. "We're super fans," Westbrook responded. Kindergarten Principal Jessica Thurston added that incorporating Early Childhood students during such events will allow for a “smoother transition.”

Above: Performing at the Kindergarten Center, The Kinders have the ability through their songs to “bring both young and old together as they laugh and sing, dance and clap along with the music,” their website states.

Below: Students reach for a stuffed snowflake tossed into the crowd during a musical performance put on for preschoolers and kindergartners last week. 

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The Poplar Bluff Middle School has opened up its new playground to provide students with more recreational options, less than a year after installing a pavilion.

To the west of the school on what was formerly Strenfel Stadium, the playfield includes a jungle gym with slides, a swing set, volleyball nets, a set of soccer goals, and a backstop for games such as kickball.

Future enhancements will include another set of soccer goals and several benches along the walking track that was established prior to Dr. Josh Teeter picking up the project when he assumed the role of principal last school year. 

“The kids love it,” Teeter reported enthusiastically. Adding an alternative green space to the enclosed playground constructed on concrete behind the school was needed, he believes, since: “We accommodate such a wide age range of interests, [serving students] from fourth to sixth grade.”

Middle schoolers are dismissed for recess from the lunchroom, explained Teeter, and from there they are split into groups by chaperone depending on whether students want to play basketball or have more room to run on the front addition.

The project has been a collaborative effort both internally and through community partnerships, according to school officials. Fundraising under the PTO, on top of a generous donation from the PBHS Class of 1972, helped finance the pavilion, while much of the playground equipment has come directly out of the Middle School’s budget. 

Meanwhile the R-I Maintenance Department performed most of the site preparation and installation work in-kind, with plans to add an ADA compliant swing out of their own budget as a passion project of Maintenance Supervisor Colt Sievers’ in order to connect a concrete ramp that his crew also helped pour.

“I don’t think I’d be wrong by saying the largest portion of the work on the playground has been accomplished by members of the maintenance staff,” noted Sievers, adding that he is extremely proud of his team as the calendar year comes to a close. “This, like most projects, can be accomplished much more economically if my maintainers can shoulder the workload.”

Above: Middle School students get to test out the new playground space for the first time at recess during the first week of November.

Below: Members of the R-I Maintenance Department spread mulch and later a retaining wall as a final step before letting students enjoy the repurposed playfield.

The Mules Booster Club has named Olivia Kirkman and Nic Brumitt of Poplar Bluff High School the November Athletes of the Month, presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.

Nic, a senior football player, set the single game record in November with 17 catches for 198 yards, scoring 1 touchdown. He made 64 catches for 907 yards in total this season—the fourth all-time best—with 7 touchdowns, and 1 interception on defense, with four tackles. Over the course of his career, he completed 83 catches for 1,128 yards (the 9th highest of all-time), with 10 touchdowns.

He is a “tremendous competitor,” according to his coach David Sievers, who noted that Nic is a multi-sport athlete.

Olivia, a senior swimmer, has hit state consideration cuts in the 50 and 100-freestyle, 100-butterfly, 100-medley relay and 400-free relay thus far this season. She was both a state qualifier and made All-Conference in 2018, 2019 and 2020, and was named conference team champion last year.

“[Olivia] has been involved in the Poplar Bluff swim programs for most of her life, and her dedication shows through her performances,” said Beth Lewis, her coach. “She is very goal-oriented and very versatile to the team. [I’m] very excited to see what the remainder of the season holds for her.”

Above: Olivia Kirkman and Nic Brumitt are presented the Athlete of the Month awards on Thursday, Dec. 9, by Booster Club vice president Brian Taylor.

An annual tradition of the Poplar Bluff School District, R-I administrators recently joined other organizations in the community in assisting with bell ringing to raise funds for the local Salvation Army operation.

AmeriCorps Director Becky Winters, who has served as coordinator for the Butler County Service Unit since 2005, said the strategy is to seek full-day commitments from businesses, churches and other organizations in order to cover the season, which runs from Black Friday to Christmas Eve at Walmart.

Many student groups have also pledged to adopt a day including the Mule Barn, the Mules Football team, Student Council, National Honor Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Stand for the Silent, Beta Club, Future Business Leaders of America, and Family-Career and Community Leaders of America, along with individual educators.

According to Winters, 85 percent of the money raised stays in Butler County. The remaining 15 percent goes into the disaster relief fund, which the community has also benefited from during at least two floods and an ice storm on her watch. Between $30-$40K is raised each year, she said, primarily through pocket change and single dollar bills.

Above: Having paired up for the past 11 years, R-I Maintenance Director Al Ursery and Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum Patty Robertson help raise funds for the Salvation Army on Monday, Dec. 6, at Walmart.

On Tuesday, Dec. 7, the ShowMe Times reported about our All-State Choir and Sight-Singing Bee qualifiers. 

KWOC also reported about our recent PBHS Choir success.

The DAR posted a photo gallery promoting “Elf: The Musical” by the PBHS Drama Club.

On Wednesday, Dec. 8, KWOC reported about student Terrell Causey’s impressive artwork to be on display at the Middle School. 

The DAR reported about our FIRST Robotics meet hosted by PBHS during which the Iron Mules placed second; and recognized Oak Grove for winning the People’s Choice award during the Christmas Tree Forest contest (along with our other successful categories).

On Thursday, Dec. 9, the DAR highlighted our expanded dual credit commitment to our students through Three Rivers with ESSER funding.

KWOC also helped promote “Elf: The Musical.”