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Vol. 9 No. 26
Welcome back to The eMule! Here is the latest news from Poplar Bluff Schools to help start your week on the right hoof.
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R-I earns national recognition from CKH for fifth year |
Three buildings in the Poplar Bluff School District out of 325 campuses across the U.S. have been named national showcase schools under the Capturing Kids’ Hearts initiative.
Lake Road, O’Neal and the Kindergarten Center received the designation from the professional development organization, which trains over 37,000 educators annually. It is the fifth consecutive year an R-I school has earned the prestigious recognition.
"You are to be commended for your commitment to building a safe and caring culture through the Capturing Kids' Hearts processes," wrote CKH Leadership Development Executive Dr. Debbie Emery in an award letter on Friday, April 16. The accompanying press release states: “Capturing Kids’ Hearts is proud to recognize the outstanding educators who have dedicated themselves to making a difference in the lives of our children.”
Considering student needs have been greater during the pandemic, according to Principal Jessica Thurston, the showcase status—a first for the Kindergarten Center—is even more meaningful. The review process, she noted, involved a program official interviewing a panel of parents and students, and talking with staff members on leadership teams, as well as conducting surveys with patrons.
“I view this as our foundational piece—it gives you the blueprint or roadmap—and all the other stuff sort of piggybacks off of it,” Thurston said. “We made it fit all the good things we were doing, and used it as a guide to better those things.”
Like the Kindergarten Center, O’Neal has integrated the CKH cultural piece with its system of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports that the elementary school is engaged in, Principal Dr. Amy Dill pointed out. O’Neal was additionally named a showcase school last year as well as in 2017/18.
“It just adds consistency into the way we approach our [building] expectations,” Dill said. “We try to make everything we do very authentic, and want it to reflect that positive, kind learning environment that our teachers have worked hard to create.”
This is the fourth year in a row Lake Road has received the national honor for implementing the training, which focuses on social-emotional wellbeing, relationship-driven culture and student connectedness, according to the Texas-based Flippen Group.
“It’s about building relationships with students, and meeting the needs of the whole child before we can meet their needs academically,” Principal Rondi Vaughn explained. “It’s not just a stand-alone program; this is truly a part of our vision for our school and our culture.”
CKH was initially piloted alongside the district’s 1:1 laptop initiative during 2013/14 and ultimately went district-wide, continuing to be offered to new teachers. Junior High was also named a showcase school in 2017/18, along with the academic year prior.
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O’Neal students empowered to pen book series |
Second graders of Shannon Miller’s class at O’Neal Elementary have collaborated to author and illustrate a series of non-fiction books on their own initiative.
First, “The Amazing Things About Flowers” was written by Kinsley Huffman, and illustrated by Norah Mattison (the self-described drawer) and Elizabeth Brannum (the colorer). Next, “SOLID: Facts About Crystals” was penned by Makenna Baucom, drawn by Amelia Rousan and colored by Brayden Conover.
“It started with them writing facts on Post-it notes, then paragraphs, then pages, then the books were illustrated,” Miller recalled. “They began researching gemstones, checking out books from the library, and every resource they can think of, and it continued to flowers, and zodiac signs and even pet animals.”
Miller’s classroom library contains a science book entitled “Crystals and Gems” by Joyce Churchill, popular among the class, which the teacher attributes to being the initial source of inspiration. From there, Makenna purchased a similar book at a school fair which actually came with a set of gemstones that she showed to her friends.
The day the original group completed the flora book, they shared their work with school librarian Ashley Robertson, who is presently reviewing options to publish the book or otherwise have it laminated to include on the shelves. Norah, who happens to be Makenna's cousin, utilized the ClassDojo points that she had aquired for being a model student, to present the book to her classmates.
“It makes my heart happy to see them supporting each other and collaborating, self-motivated, on their own terms,” Miller said. “All teachers love to see that energy and enthusiasm, and the [seeds] of a lifelong learner in action, blossoming and growing. There’s no stopping these kids.”
Above: (Left to right) Elizabeth Brannum, Kinsley Huffman and Norah Mattison display their non-fiction book about flowers.
Below: (From left) Amelia Rousan, Makenna Baucom and Brayden Conover hold their informative book, still in progress, about gemstones.
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Layton Sanders earns Dicken Memorial Scholarship |
Poplar Bluff High School senior Layton Sanders has been selected to receive the $500 Kyle Curtis Dicken Memorial Scholarship.
Layton plans to attend Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, where he will study music education, with a goal of becoming a music instructor upon completing graduate school and possibly his doctorate.
The scholarship was established with savings through the college fund of the late Kyle Dicken, who would have graduated with the Class of 2014, according to his grandmother Wanda Dicken. Layton wrote in his application essay that he had heard about Kyle’s love for music, and what a caring individual the sophomore was, and can only “hope that others may see me in the same way.”
“I feel like a school’s music program offers an opportunity to belong for students who aren’t necessarily ‘academically gifted’ or ‘athletically gifted,’” Layton stated.
When looking to make the largest impact, the Dicken family decided to establish a fund for college-bound music majors, which they say otherwise did not exist at the local level.
Contributions to the scholarship fund may be sent to the Community Foundation of the Ozarks at the following address: 425 E. Trafficway, Springfield, MO 65806. Visit www.cfozarks.org for more information.
Above: Layton Sanders of PBHS, pictured with band director Stephen Winters and family representative Wanda Dicken, is the 2021 recipient of the Kyle Dicken Memorial Scholarship.
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Leadership Day: Together We Are Better |
The eighth annual Leadership Day of Eugene Field Elementary, themed “Together We Are Better,” was performed virtually last month.
The student-led showcase demonstrates how Eugene Field exemplifies the habits of The Leader in Me program, under which the elementary school has both achieved and maintains the coveted “Lighthouse” status.
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Graduation
The commencement ceremony for the PBHS Class of 2021 will take place on Thursday, May 20, at the Black River Coliseum.
Summer School
Summer School will run from Wednesday, June 2-Tuesday, June 29 for incoming students, grades K-8. An additional session will be offered for students, grades 1-6, from Monday, July 12-Friday July 30. Click here to complete an enrollment form.
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On Saturday, April 24, Smart Marketing streamed our prom’s Grand March via the PBHS Facebook page.
On Monday, April 26, the DAR published a photo display from the 2021 prom.
On Wednesday, April 28, KWOC promoted our 21st annual Foundation Golf Tournament.
The DAR reported about our ‘Young Minds Change Lives’ scholarship recipients.
On Thursday, April 29, the DAR promoted the PBHS Drama Club production, “Rumors;” kicked off its Teacher of the Year series recognizing Mary Barousse of the Kindergarten Center; and honored our Athletes of the Month.
On Friday, April 30, Legacy Marketing published its area Teacher of the Year video, sponsored by the Poplar Bluff Chamber of Commerce.
The DAR reported about PBHS senior Sierra Sievers signing a National Letter of Intent to play volleyball for Jefferson College; reported about the Chamber’s TOY banquet; and profiled Oak Grove TOY Staci Barker.
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