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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 week on the right hoof.
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R-I District earns back-to-back Blue Ribbons
For the second consecutive year, a school within the Poplar Bluff R-I District has earned the highest honor achievable for an educational institution in America.
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced Thursday, Sept. 26, that Oak Grove Elementary has been named a 2019 National Blue Ribbon School for its leading academic performance measured by state assessments among 362 public and private schools total and only eight recipients in Missouri.
"We recognize and honor your important work preparing students for successful careers and meaningful lives," DeVos said in a
video message to the honorees. "As a National Blue Ribbon School, your students' success demonstrates what's possible when committed educators partner with parents and community leaders to create vibrant, challenging cultures of learning."
Based on all student scores and those of subgroups, along with graduation rates, Blue Ribbon winners are first nominated as
Gold Star Schools by the state commissioner of education, and third graders must continue to perform at the top level afterward.
During the 2016/17 school year, 86.2 percent of Oak Grove students scored proficient or advanced in English language arts and 72.4 in mathematics on the Missouri Assessment Program test. The following year, the elementary school earned 75.7 percent in English and 84.5 in math. While the current Annual Performance Report will not be released by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education until October, measurable objectives at Oak Grove have been met, education officials confirmed.
"They have worked so hard to build teacher teams that are honest with one another and 100 percent committed to improvement," said Patty Robertson, R-I assistant superintendent of curriculum. "The conversations were not always easy and weekly meetings were a major commitment of time. Classroom teachers, reading teachers, special education teachers and classroom aides all took part in the effort."
Below: The staff at Oak Grove gather at the elementary school on Monday, Aug. 12, in preparation for the 2019/20 school year.
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Free dinner service offered across district
Chartwells began offering dinner services for free last week at five additional school sites where after school enrichment programs and services such as tutoring, club activities and latch-key are available to all students.
Approved sites under Missouri's At-Risk Afterschool Program include the Kindergarten Center from 3:55-4:30 p.m., Oak Grove and O'Neal Elementary from 3:50-4:30 p.m., Junior High from 4-4:30 p.m., and the High School from 5-5:30 p.m.
Students participating in athletics or band can receive meals to go, which "is going to touch a lot of lives," Assistant Superintendent of Business Dr. Amy Jackson reported Thursday, Sept. 19, during the school board meeting. Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill added that the meals would be "nutritionally balanced," as opposed to vending machine snacks.
Chartwells, a long-standing partner of the school district, received a total of $15,000 in grant funding through No Kid Hungry Missouri in order to purchase backup ovens, plus warmers and coolers to create the storage space necessary to serve the additional meals.
So far 260 dinners are being served daily by food service personnel, officials have reported. Dinner is already available at Eugene Field, Lake Road and the Middle School for students who participate in 'power hour' through the Boys and Girls Club on campus.
"Mom or dad may have to work until 5 or 6," explained Dixie Harden, food services director. "Now you know your child has had something to eat and you're not in rush mode when you get home to feed them, because you no longer have to worry about your child being hungry."
Administered by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, dinner through Missouri's At-Risk Afterschool Program is federally-reimbursable under the United States Department of Agriculture since the approved schools serve at least 50 percent of children eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
Following summer school, Chartwells provided a total of 8,500 meals for lunch and breakfast at Poplar Bluff Head Start and Wheatley School with help from a near $5,000 grant under the same initiative, in cooperation with Family and Community Trust. Meals served throughout July exceeded 10,000 counting those offered through the BGC, Harden reported. Chartwells also sponsors the district Mule Packs program, distributing around 150 bags of nonperishables bi-monthly to students in need.
"When you're in the cafeteria, you can tell when kids are hungry, and to know some kids may not get a meal when they go home [drives] me," said Harden, noting that dinner is optional if students have arrangements afterward. "I love challenges and am blessed to have the team I have and be able to help in these ways."
Above: Janice Vincent (forefront) and Angie Kearbey of Chartwells serve hot ravioli to elementary students on Thursday, Sept. 26, at O'Neal.
Below: About 75 students who participate in latch-key or the Boys and Girls Club enjoy free dinner on Thursday, Sept. 26, at O'Neal.
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Librarian helps students create eBinders
Middle School students are creating eBinders, or online portfolios, designed to preserve their best work so they can reflect on what they have learned throughout their educational careers and ultimately utilize on college applications.
The project is being spearheaded by Media Specialist Michele Carmode, who has served in the repurposed librarian position for grades 4-6 since the 2017/18 school year. She has made arrangements to collaborate with instructional coaches at Junior and Senior High so students can continue submitting their learning artifacts in participating classes.
"It is a way to organize a collection of work, a place to reflect on the learning processes, and finally it is a recollection of what students learned for purposes of sharing or studying," explained Carmode, upon helping a test group of students create templates and personize their digital Trapper Keepers on Google Chromebooks earlier this month.
In order to make the knowledge visible and be considered an artifact, an object must be lasting, durable and materially present, for example: a photo taken during an activity, a Google Slide presentation, video, essay or work from another application such as Booksnaps or Flipgrip, Carmode continued. "The creation and display of these artifacts allow students opportunities for engagement, revision and feedback, all hallmarks of quality learning design," she said.
For sixth grade teacher Krissey Whitlock, her favorite aspect about signing up is that the internal websites can be used to track progress during student-led parent-teacher conferences. "Students will be able to take ownership of their own growth much faster," she said. Artifacts uploaded, guided by instructors, will include a reflection piece either written out, as an infographic, or in video format.
Carmode recently became the first Google for Education Certified Trainer in Poplar Bluff among only a few in the region, she reported. With a tenure that spans over two decades in public education, Carmode earned her master's degree in technology and education from the University of Missouri.
She is the "real deal" and an asset to the entire district, according to Middle School Principal Dr. Brad Ownings, who led the effort to evolve his librarian post to meet the needs of Generation Z. "There are tons of articles about how librarians have turned into curators of books, and we need to move on to digital literacy, technology integration and makerspaces," Owings stated.
Above: Media Specialist Michele Carmode helps a group of students create eBinder templates to collect educational artifact submissions on Tuesday, Sept. 24, in the Middle School Media Center.
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Mules Café
The Mules Café, located at 1110 N. Westwood Blvd., will serve from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, fried chicken, a house salad and a homemade roll, a choice of side, dessert selection and a drink for only $7.
Transition Fair
A Transition Fair will be held from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, in the PBHS Media Center for family/advocates of students receiving special education services to learn from community agencies about post-graduation training/job opportunities available in Southeast Missouri.
Collaboration Day
School will be dismissed for students on Friday, Oct. 4, due to teacher collaboration day. Classes will resume on Monday, Oct. 7.
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On Tuesday, Sept. 24, the DAR
reported about the reopening of the Mules Café; our new computer science program at the TCC; Southern Bank's Kid Account sponsorship; and Commerce Bank purchasing T-shirts for Lake Road students.
On Wednesday, Sept. 25, the DAR
reported about Eddie Moss Day at PBJHS.
The ShowMe Times
also reported about Eddie Moss' visit.
On Thursday, Sept. 26, KAIT8
reported about Oak Grove's 2019 National Blue Ribbon award.
KFVS12 also reported about our latest Blue Ribbon School.
5 On Your Side
additionally reported about Oak Grove's Blue Ribbon.
The DAR
reported about Chartwells' dinner service program, and other enhancements to the district's food service operation.
On Friday, Sept. 27, KWOC
reported about our second National Blue Ribbon.
The DAR
published a photo display on its education page from the TCC's successful Car & Motor Show fundraiser.
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