|
Welcome back to The eMule! Hope you enjoyed your spring break.
Here is the latest news from the Poplar Bluff R-I School District to help start your week on the right hoof.
|
Sixth annual Leadership Day: This Is Us
Eugene Field presented a student-led program to community leaders and area educators on Friday, March 22, displaying how the leadership skills taught at the elementary school go above and beyond the Missouri Learning Standards.
The sixth annual Leadership Day celebrated the theme, "This is us," as students demonstrated their various roles under The Leader in Me program. Based on Dr. Stephen Covey's best-selling book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," Eugene Field has been following the initiative for several years, ultimately achieving
lighthouse status-the LIM gold standard-in 2016.
"We truly look as this as
the opportunity for our students to become stars," commented Jennifer Taylor, elementary school principal.
During the program, featuring a series of speeches and songs, students revealed how the seven habits such as 'begin with the end in mind' and 'seek first to understand, then to be understood' not only shape every school day, but have overflowed into their personal lives too.
After explaining how individual classrooms create mission statements, third grader Harmony Cornett shared that her family was inspired to similarly define their purpose at home.
"Laughter is the best sound that could ever fill our house," the statement read in part. "Supporting dreams and hopes is always encouraged."
Classmate Abbey Spain won Eugene Field's third grade spelling bee and went on to compete against top spellers at the other elementary schools live on
Fox Radio Network in February. The girl prepared, she said, by writing out all the words on the spelling list 10 times each. Abbey also set a Math-A-Thon goal of raising $200 for St. Jude and exceeded it by over $150. As a reward, she recently was granted the opportunity to visit the children's research hospital in Memphis.
"This was very important to me because I want to be a pediatric nurse when I grow up," Abbey said. "I may even want to work at St. Jude some day!"
The celebration concluded with a presentation of the annual Leader of the Year award to Memorial Baptist Church for maintaining a presence on the Eugene Field Bright Futures site council. The congregation purchased winter coats for the teaching staff this Christmas as well as fabricated
sound panels for the gymnasium to improve the acoustics during Leadership Day and other activities.
The leadership principles not only apply to students, but rub off on the staff as well. Eugene Field maintains a track record of having personnel advance their careers as school administrators, including former teacher Heather Willcut, who was in attendance. In 2017, Willcut became the director of federal programs at Doniphan and agreed that the seven habits played a large part in her promotion.
Jessica Thurston, who was named principal of the Kindergarten Center this school year, spent six years teaching at Eugene Field. While the LIM program is in the process of adapting its curriculum for the early childhood education grade level, Thurston still escorted a team to the event to obtain professional development.
"I took my teachers to Leadership Day so they could observe assessment capable learners and goal setting for our students," Thurston said. "Eugene Field does an amazing job of motivating and empowering their students."
A few other area schools were represented there to explore program implementation in their district. Jennifer Filer, a Middle School counselor at Woodland, commented that one day the Eugene Field graduates will be sitting in the audience as community leaders enjoying a Leadership Day program created by the next generation of students.
Above: Chase Brooks of the second grade introduces the final performance of the GLEEders during Leadership Day.
Below: R-I Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill poses with students at the
EFTV Productions booth prior to the program.
Click
here to view our running photo album, and be sure to 'like' your favorite shots!
|
Lake Road hosts Blue Ribbon Showcase
Lake Road Elementary School hosted its inaugural Blue Ribbon Showcase on Tuesday, March 19, to share with the community the journey it took to achieve the coveted national honor.
A community partner, a parent and an educator joined Principal Erica Weadon in sharing their perspectives on the elementary school's success before the guests, about 50 in attendance, participated in breakout sessions detailing the unique variety of programs in place for students.
"We battle each and every day for our students, and an army has to have a leader," stated Amanda Johnson, fourth grade teacher. "Erica Weadon has high expectations, and in turn we have the same high expectations in the classroom."
The National Blue Ribbon, the greatest honor an American educational institution can achieve, was
awarded by the U.S. Department of Education in October to 349 of the highest performing schools in the country, including Lake Road.
When Weadon took the helm in 2010, she reflected, "a lot more wrangling than teaching was going on," with 400 office referrals documented, a pattern that first had to be corrected in order to
score in the top percentile on the Missouri Assessment Program test for consecutive years. That number presently stands at 38 as the current school year winds down, she reported.
The administrator attributed the refined focus to comprehensive implementation of the school-wide positive behavior support program along with the cultural initiative Capturing Kids' Hearts, which introduced tools such as the social contract to the educational environment.
Andy Moore, parent of fourth grader MacLaren, shared how his daughter is a member of the fishing club, and looks forward to reading by flashlight on Fridays. Moore and his wife Mandy find the student-led parent conferences most "enlightening," he added.
Asked what she likes best about going to school, MacLaren told her father that: "The teachers like our ideas and we get to try it." Moore commented how this climate is what creates "buy-in" from the student body.
David Stewart, the pastor at First United Methodist Church, serves on Lake Road's Bright Futures site council. During a state gathering for the congregation last year, Stewart explained that religious leaders determined the No. 1 way to combat generational poverty is to "make a difference in third grade reading levels."
"My delegation said, 'We already do this,'" Stewart said. The pastor recalled how when he initially accepted his leadership position with the North Main Street church, the membership was helping Lake Road obtain
therapy dog Airial, a black Labrador retriever now 9 years old.
"Spend a few minutes of your day hanging out with these kids here," Stewart suggested to the audience. "It not only makes a difference for them, it makes a difference in our hearts."
Following the program, visitors were given an opportunity to attend multiple sessions in the classrooms overviewing some of the systems in place introduced earlier, plus others including the Rotary Good Habits Store established to help boost attendance. Educators also talked about the Professional Learning Community model used to monitor progress and make common formative assessments.
Weadon took time in the library with the public to elaborate on her vision to expand the configuration to grade six by the 2020/21 school year, and eventually become a STEAM academy that focuses on project-based learning, merging science, technology, engineering, art and math.
Above: Sen. Doug Libla captures a smartphone photo during the Blue Ribbon Showcase to accompany his
testimonial on Facebook.
Below: Students perform a STEM activity for city councilman Ed DeGaris and Rebeca Pacheco, executive director of the Butler County Community Resource Council.
Click
here to view the entire photo album, and please be sure to hit 'share!'
|
Legislators honor Priest with joint resolution
The Missouri Senate and House of Representatives issued R-I Assistant Superintendent of Business Rod Priest courtesy retirement resolutions during the special recognition portion of the school board meeting on Thursday, March 21, in the Administrative Building.
Priest is set to retire in June upon serving 26 years in public education. The lifelong educator will be succeeded by Assistant Superintendent of Personnel, Dr. Amy Jackson.
"A proud graduate of the Poplar Bluff High School Class of 1979, Rodrick Priest leaves his alma mater better than when he came for generations well into the future," stated the House resolution, which was personally delivered by Rep. Jeff Shawan of District 153.
Shawan, who represents parts of Butler County, was accompanied by Rep. Hardy Billington of District 152, which covers the majority of Poplar Bluff. Billington served two terms on the R-I Board of Education, and is credited for approving the decision to hire Priest in 2010 as part of past superintendent Chris Hon's cabinet.
Prior to returning to his hometown, Priest served as superintendent of Thayer, before which he was principal and an elementary teacher at other smaller schools across the region.
"Under Rodrick Priest's management, the Poplar Bluff R-I School District enjoyed the most ambitious building and construction plan in district history, while maintaining safe and thoughtful control over the district's budget," read the Senate resolution, submitted by Sen. Doug Libla of District 25, which also includes Butler County.
Libla was referring to the 2014 levy measure that added over 200,000 square feet of classroom space across campus, completed $2 million below budget under Priest's conservative controls in 2016. The senator publicly endorsed the plan at the time. Shawan came out in support of the buildings plan as well, most notably leading the door-to-door campaign effort.
Besides overseeing the major construction projects, Priest was credited by the legislators for increasing base salaries on an average of 2.19 percent over the past seven years in order to help improve teacher recruitment and retention, plus investing in student technology through the one-to-one laptop initiative.
Above: State Rep. Jeff Shawan (left) reads a retirement resolution from the Missouri House to outgoing Assistant Superintendent of Business Rod Priest.
|
|
|
|
|
Mules Café
The Mules Café will serve fried fish from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, April 5, in the Administrative Building.
Cheerleading Tryouts
A mandatory meeting for students trying out for PBHS Cheerleading is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, in the auxiliary gym at the Hoover Way campus.
Foundation Golf Tourney
The 20th annual Golf Tournament for the Poplar Bluff School Foundation is set to take place on Friday, April 26, at Ozark Ridge Golf Course, with lunch catered by Fishin' Pig served at 11 a.m. followed by tee time at noon. To sponsor a hole, contribute a prize or enter a team in the tournament, contact administrative assistant to the superintendent, Carla Thompson, at 573-785-7751, ext. 9. All proceeds support the Foundation!
|
On Monday, March 18, the ShowMe Times reported about our Black History Month
activity at Junior High; and our IKEA classroom
makeover recipient.
KWOC reported about Assistant Superintendent of Personnel Dr. Amy Jackson being unanimously selected by the Board of Education to
succeed Rod Priest as assistant superintendent of business.
On Tuesday, March 19, KWOC reported about Lake Road's Blue Ribbon
Showcase.
On Wednesday, March 20, the DAR also reported about the inaugural
Showcase.
KWOC reported about PBHS Principal Mike Owen being named administrator of the year for the MASC Southeast District.
On Thursday, March 21, the ShowMe Times reported about our PBHS students accepted in Missouri
Girls and
Boys State; our PBHS Jazz Band
awards during the Moore Jazz Festival; and the Student Choice
program through Chartwells.
The DAR reported about our PBHS students accepted at Missouri Girls and Boys State; recognized our Eugene Field Students of the Month; and honored Kiley Bess and Dominique Hardimon of PBHS for receiving awards at the All-SEMO Conference.
On Friday, March 22, the ShowMe Times reported about our PBHS English students experiencing Shakespeare Festival St. Louis perform "
Macbeth."
The DAR recognized our Moore Jazz Festival winners; and featured the Kindergarten Center on its education page.
On Saturday, March 23, the DAR reported about
Leadership Day; and wrote an editorial about Lake Road's Blue Ribbon honor.
On Monday, March 25, KFVS aired a heartfelt feature on an
assembly held by Junior High for World Down Syndrome Day.
KAIT8 also aired the
segment.
On Friday, March 29, the DAR reported about our PBHS Band and Choir's recent success at the Three Rivers MSHSAA District Musical Festival; highlighted the Boys Scouts' Exploring Club through the TCC; recognized our PBJHS Students of the Month; and featured the Middle School on its education page.
|
Help us grow our list.
Forward this to a friend.
|
|
|
|
|
