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Welcome back to The eMule! Here is the latest news from the Poplar Bluff R-I School District to help start your year on the right hoof.
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Welcome to the 2020/21 school year!
The new school year kicked off on Monday, Aug. 24, with a tiered Return to Learn plan, approved by the Butler County Health Department. Big thanks to our parents/guardians for posting around 250 first day of school photo submissions. We missed (y)our students dearly over the past five months!
In addition to seated instruction, the district has for the first time offered a fully virtual option, with about 15 percent of the student population having opted to participate from home. In partnership with Accelerate Education, the learning platform is facilitated by nine full-time Poplar Bluff elementary teachers, plus additional faculty members from Junior and Senior High leading a combination of online and in-person classes. Click here to learn more about the Poplar Bluff Virtual Academy.
Above: Students receive a "Jumanji"-themed greeting from Middle School staff as they enter E.T. Peters Gym.
Below: Amidst the "101 Dalmatians" décor, teaching staff at the Kindergarten Center welcome new and returning students.
Click here to view our first day of school album, and be sure to 'like' your favorite shots from this year!
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Early Childhood Center ribbon cutting
Individuals involved in the beginning stages of the R-I district buildings plan to its completion gathered Wednesday, Aug. 12, on campus to celebrate the last of a string of ribbon cutting ceremonies.
The Poplar Bluff Early Childhood Center has finally gained its "forever home," stated Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill to dozens of planners, business leaders, faith-based partners and education officials-both past and present-in attendance at the Camp Road campus.
The preschool program was initially located in the historic Wheatley School, then moved to the former Kinyon building and most recently Mark Twain, before the new 34,000-square-foot facility was constructed on the Kindergarten Center site, providing students the opportunity to attend school on the same campus from ages 3-5.
The state-of-the-art building, paired with the opening of Mark Twain School on the vacated North Main Street campus, marks the completion of the buildings plan, approved by voters in a single levy measure in 2014, effectively adding over 245,000 square feet of academic space across the district.
Click here to read the complete story about the Early Childhood Center, and learn more about the new nontraditional school for grades 7-12 here.
Above: Hit play on the time-lapse video to see the ECH facility's monthly construction progress from all corners of the property.
Below: ECH students test out the enclosed, outdoor playground assembled on recycled Missouri tire material thanks in part to a state grant.
Click here to view the entire ribbon cutting photo album and be sure to hit 'share!' View our running ECH first day photo album here!
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First virtual back-to-school convocation held
The Poplar Bluff School District's annual back-to-school convocation, a tradition in which the entire staff typically assembles in advance of the new year, was held virtually for the first time on Monday, Aug. 17.
Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill served as the guest speaker, delivering the state-of-the-school address, focusing on the district's return to learn.
"Educationally, socially, emotionally, behaviorally - every way you can be needed by kids is how you're needed right now," Dill told personnel from his office via Google Meet.
Dill wrapped up his pep talk by sharing the "Parable of the Prodigal Son," for its historical context, he noted. A young man leaves his father's estate with an advance on his inheritance in an attempt to carve his own path, while his older brother stays home and continues to work on their field, Dill summarized. When the young man fails, he returns home to be greeted with open arms by his dad.
Dill admitted that he has identified with both children at different times in his life: the young man who tried to make his way in the world, and the resentful brother who stayed the course. But right now, he said, he relates mostly with the father figure, who accepts his children exactly as they are.
"On Monday morning, all of our kids are coming back and we need to rush to meet them where they're at," Dill stated. "We have an obligation bigger this year than any time in our career."
School did not resume following spring break in mid-March, beginning with a district-mandated 'wellness break' in response to the pandemic, followed by the governor's stay-at-home order, extending the closure through the end of the school year in late May. Meanwhile summer school was postponed from June to July, with a reduction in class size to allow for added distancing.
Over the course of the 100 days that ensued without school being held, nearly half a million free meals were served to children by the team at Chartwells and partnering organizations, Dill shared, giving food service personnel an affirmation. Read the full story here.
Maintaining tradition, more than a dozen members of the faith-based community met in the board room prior to the superintendent's speech to pray over the school system. Click here to watch the video via Kingdom News Now.
Above: Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill leads the back-to-school convocation from his office setup in the Administrative Building.
Below: Joined by religion leaders, Northpoint Nazarene Church Pastor Greg Gilberto leads a prayer over Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill in the board room prior to the convocation.
Click here to view photos from our previous convocations held at the Black River Coliseum!
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New staff members receive training #pblearns
A total of 76 new staff members have joined the team at Poplar Bluff Schools, which remains one of the top three employers in the community, despite temporary attrition due to budget cuts in the state formula.
Of the personnel, 35 are certified, 26 - classified and 15 are AmeriCorps tutors, according to administrative assistant Kelly Stewart. Among the certified staff, Aaron Burton has been hired to serve as administrator over Mark Twain School; long-time elementary teacher Rondi Vaughn has been promoted to principal of Lake Road; and Dr. Josh Teeter, former assistant principal of Junior High, has advanced to principal of Middle School, while instructor Corey Jameson has transferred to fill his vacancy.
"We are unafraid to learn here," stated Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill during the new teacher orientation held Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 4-5, in the Administrative Building. "Thank you for choosing Poplar Bluff."
Fara Jones, assistant superintendent of personnel, noted that she conducted many of the interviews virtually during the spring. Jones, who joined the superintendent cabinet in 2019, participated alongside the new teachers in Capturing Kids' Hearts training on Thursday and Friday, Aug. 6-7.
CKH teaches processes in order to increase students' connectedness with both peers and adults on campus, according to the Texas-based Flippen Group, which administers the professional development. Junior High first piloted the program for Poplar Bluff during the 2013/14 school year, and it soon became a district-wide initiative. For the past four years, R-I has had one or more buildings named National Showcase Schools under the cultural initiative.
Above: Joined by district administrators and association representatives, Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill welcomes the new teachers on Tuesday, Aug. 4, in the Administrative Building.
Below: As an icebreaker to the CKH training, Leadership Development Advisor David Johnson informs new teachers that he served for 38 years in the same school district in Northern Florida as a teacher, principal and finally a director.
Click here to view our new teacher album, and please leave them a welcoming comment!
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Bonus: Progress as promised
Above: R-I Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill (left) and his predecessor Chris Hon walk down the 4-year-old wing of the new Early Childhood Center prior to the final ribbon cutting ceremony of the current buildings plan.
Hon, who led the initial charge, commended Dill and his cabinet for completing the phase two projects without borrowing any new money, saving the district over $3 million in projected interest payments.
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Labor Day
School will be dismissed on Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 7-8, in observance of Labor Day, followed by teacher collaboration day. School will resume on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
Virtual College Fair
PBHS, in partnership with the Missouri Association for College Admission Counseling, will host a virtual college fair Sunday, Sept. 13-Thursday, Oct. 8, from 4-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. on Sundays. Please click here to register to select from 175+ free virtual sessions that will cover various college and career topics via individual Zoom links.
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On Tuesday, June 23, KFVS12 shot a news segment about our postponed commencement ceremony.
KAIT8 also aired the segment on the PBHS Class of 2020.
The DAR additionally provided graduation coverage.
On Monday, July 20, the DAR honored regional Teacher of the Year nominee and R-I district TOY Tonya Hill of the Kindergarten Center, concluding its series.
On Wednesday, Aug. 12, the DAR provided multi-media coverage of our ECH ribbon cutting.
On Thursday, Aug. 20, KWOC streamed a roundtable with Butler County superintendents about reopening school. Shoutout to Frankie Casteel and the River Radio crew.
Life Radio reinstated its monthly installment of 'Brittney on the Bluff' featuring Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill overviewing our Return to Learn plan.
On Saturday, Aug. 22, the DAR published our seventh annual Mule Prints magazine. Thanks to the newspaper staff for your continued partnership with our school system!
On Monday, Aug. 24, KFVS12 aired a segment about our new Mark Twain School.
KFVS12 reported about our ECH ribbon cutting ceremony, presented by the Poplar Bluff Chamber.
The DAR provided back-to-school coverage.
On Tuesday, Aug. 25, the ShowMe Times reported about our new Lake Road principal, Rondi Vaughn.
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