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Close to 1,550 Springfield public high school students are expected to receive their diplomas May 19 and 20 during commencement ceremonies at Hammons Student Center. The five district high schools will hold ceremonies as follows: Monday, May 19 Tuesday, May 20 Bailey Alternative High School will hold a commencement ceremony at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 21, at Bailey school, 501 W. Central St. About 15 students are expected to graduate. A memories assembly will immediately follow the commencement. Springfield Rotary Club North will provide refreshments.
NSBA CELEBRATES OUTSTANDING STUDENT ATTENDANCE The North Springfield Betterment Association celebrated outstanding school-year attendance May 13 for students in 14 north Springfield public elementary schools. About 165 students with 99 percent or better attendance this year attended a party at the Missouri Entertainment and Event Center. The five north-side schools with the most improved attendance are 1: Bowerman, 2: Watkins, 3: Robberson, 4: Bissett and 5) Campbell. NSBA is in its 11th year working to improve attendance at 14 north Springfield elementary schools. CHS STUDENTS THIRD IN ‘WORDMASTERS CHALLENGE’ A group of Central High School 10th grade students took third place out of 610 high school teams from across the country in this year’s WordMasters Challenge. The competition for high school students requires close reading and analysis of different kinds of prose and poetry. The premise is that attentive reading and sensitivity to language are among the most important skills students acquire in school. During this year’s fourth and final meet, Christian Shade was among 11 tenth-graders to earn a perfect score. Classmate Anisha Rimal just missed a perfect score. Spencer Melgren, Marissa Farley, Nick Hugenberg, Jared Gohr and Austin Vinton were among the 196 highest-scoring tenth-graders. DELAWARE THIRD GRADERS SELL ART FOR ISABEL’S HOUSE Third-grade students at Delaware Elementary School are selling their artwork Friday, May 23, to raise money for the prevention of child abuse. The sale is part of a service learning project for the students. The sale is from 12:30 -1:30 p.m. in the front yard of the school at 1505 S. Delaware Ave. Proceeds will be donated to Isabel’s House.
Springfield, MO – The Foundation for Springfield Public Schools will hold its 4th annual “Safe and Sober Prom Night” awards ceremony at 4 p.m. Friday, May 16 in the Assembly Room at Kraft Administrative Center. “Safe and Sober Prom Night” founder Kurt Larson will award $10,000 to Springfield public high schools and their students for their commitments to remaining drug and alcohol free on prom night. “This entire community has joined together to support our students with this program, recognizing that right now, prom to graduation season, is statistically the most dangerous time for our teens,” said Larson. “If we all do our part, these are the kind of tragedies we can control and prevent by raising awareness of the dangers of drugs and alcohol. “ Safe and Sober Prom Night is underwritten by Kurt and Sally Larson of Larson Law Firm, in association with the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools. Over the last month, Kurt gave presentations at 15 local and regional high schools where he spoke to more than 4000 students about the legal and personal consequences of drug and alcohol abuse. Each student was given an opportunity to sign a pledge card, pledging to remain drug and alcohol free. Parents of students were notified of the program by letter and given tips for their part in keeping prom night safe and sober. As incentive for students, schools and their students were offered cash prizes, free t-shirts or wristbands, and bumper stickers. The program has garnered the support of organizations throughout the community. For more information, go to www.SafeAndSoberMo.com
Kuper Kreul has been named the new head football coach at Kickapoo High School, district Athletic Director Mark Fisher announced today. Kreul was an assistant coach at Kickapoo last season. Before that he was head coach at Hampton (Ark.) High School and Cabool and Republic high schools. Kreul led Republic to a Central Ozark Conference title in 1999 and a district title in 2002. Kreul has also been an assistant coach at Fayetteville (Ark.), Bentonville (Ark.) and Marshfield high schools.
KICKAPOO ENGINEERING TEAM PLACES 40TH NATIONALLY The Kickapoo High School varsity Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) team was recently ranked 40th out of 60 teams that qualified for nationals. Kickapoo qualified for nationals after receiving 1st place in its division at the regional competition. Kickapoo was one of only six Missouri teams to qualify for national ranking. The competition consisted of physics students working in teams to cooperatively solve engineering and design problems in a timed testing format. DISNEY STUDENTS WIN BIG IN ‘FIGHT THE BITE’ CONTES
PARKVIEW DECA STUDENTS COMPETE AT NATIONALS Three Parkview High School DECA students were among more than 14,000 competitors who traveled to Atlanta, Ga. April 25-30 for the national DECA tournament. Kaitlin Oxenrieder, Natalie Akins and Ben Haldiman competed in Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making and Leadership Development. For other district news, visit www.springfieldpublicschoolmo.org
Glendale High School’s prom committee recently donated its prom décor to the Southwest Center for Independent Living, which will hold its own prom on Saturday, June 28. The Southwest Center for Independent Living provides services, advocacy and resources for people with disabilities in southwest Missouri. The effort was spearheaded by Glendale special education teachers Kristin Schaumberg and Jamie Rayburn who wanted to give back to the Southwest Center that has provided support and transition services for many of their students. “The Southwest Center was thrilled with the gift and the prom committee was excited to be able to get more use out of the decorations,” Schaumberg said. Glendale held its prom on April 25. Afterwards, fabric, candles, floor coverings and picture frames were saved for the Southwest Center’s prom. Several Glendale special education teachers will volunteer at that prom. The prom committee plans to make the donation annually.
PARNTERS IN EDUCATION RECEPTION TODAY A reception will be from 5-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, at Weller Elementary School to recognize participants in the district’s Partners In Education Program. Partners In Education links businesses and community organizations with schools to develop activities, projects and incentives that enhance learning. Weller is located at 1630 N. Weller Ave. PARKER MCKENNA NAMED ’20 UNDER 30’ IN SPRINGFIELD SPS Human Resources and Benefits Coordinator, Parker McKenna, was recently recognized by GO Magazine as one of Springfield’s “20 Under 30.” “Parker is intelligent, innovative, articulate and community minded,” Human Resources Director Danny Fuller said. “He has worked hard for his education and continues to seek professional development in the human resources field.” The complete list of the ’20 Under 30’ will be published in the May 21 edition of GO, a bi-monthly Springfield publication. ISAACS NAMED COUNSELOR ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR Central High School Principal Everett Isaacs was named the Counselor Advocate of the Year by the Southwest Missouri School Counselor Association at the organization’s spring meeting on May 2. The award is based upon Isaac’s exemplary support and promotion of new and existing guidance and counseling service programs at Central. AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR TEAM TO VISIT WESTPORT A presentation from author/illustrator team Gail Taylor and Don Griffin stressing the importance of writing and illustrating will take place on Thursday, May 15 from 12:30-3:30 p.m. at Westport Elementary School. The event correlates with the celebration of National Children’s Book Week. BAILEY AWARDED MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER GRANT Bailey Alternative High School was recently awarded a $300 grant from the Missouri National Education Association and Staples to help bring motivational speakers to the school and to purchase journals for at-risk students. The grant was written by Mark Gideon, a member of the Springfield National Education Association and a district instructional specialist. For other district news, visit www.springfieldpublicschoolmo.org
Members of the Kickapoo High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter recently qualified for the National Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Ga. June 26-29. The students competed at the 2008 Missouri FBLA Leadership Conference competition April 20-22 in Columbia. The top 10 places were recognized in each event, but only the winner and runner-up advanced to Atlanta. Kickapoo students Bobby Hawn, Clayton Rothschild, Andrew Neill, Bonnie Lyons, Kevin Satzinger, Hunter Auman, Aimee Pong, Emily Wagman, Kyler Temple, Tyler Bruton and Zach Cochran qualified for nationals in various categories. Placing in the top 10 in their events were Glendale students Erin Love, Thomas Fritts, Keith Wine and Yelena Bosovik; Kickapoo students Brooks Lockwood, Nat Thompson, Lauren McCreight and Erin Squires; and Central student Sara Swango.
The Kickapoo High School Physics Club is among 100 high school teams from across the country that will compete in the 2008 Team America Rocket Challenge at the national finals in The Plains, Va. on May 17. Jack Watts, Adam Legg, Quincy Conduff, Kevin Satzinger, Natalie Rooney, Lara Bower, Robert Fess, Tyler Scroggs, Jean Morano, Caleb Collier, Anisul Huq, Jade Johnson, Brooke McMillin and Michael Jahnke qualified April 5 in Columbia. “The contest has provided physics club members an opportunity to apply what they have learned in physics to design, construct, and test a real world piece of engineering in the form of a model rocket,” said Jeremy McMillan, Kickapoo physics teacher and club sponsor. “Ultimately, the team built three different model rockets and conducted several test launches before a successful design was found.” Contest rules stipulate that students design, build and test a model rocket that can fly for close to 45 seconds and soar up to 750 feet without breaking two raw eggs inside the capsule. The KHS club’s qualification flight, which was certified by the National Association of Rocketry, lasted 43.5 seconds. The rocket lifted 760 feet before returning to earth with the eggs intact. The winner of the national contest will receive a trip to the Farnborough Air Show in London, England in July; the top 10 teams will split a prize pool of $60,000.
Jeffrey Thornsberry has been named the new principal at McGregor Elementary School. Thornsberry is currently the principal and instructional services director at Conway High School. He was assistant principal and curriculum director at Webb City High School from 2004-07, taught American history and physical education at Branson Junior High School from 2001-04, and taught eighth grade American history at Logan-Rogersville Middle School from 1996-2001. A graduate of Mehlville High School in St. Louis, Thornsberry received his Bachelor of Science in History and a minor in political science from Southwest Missouri State University in 1996. He received a Masters in School Administration from William Woods University in 2004 and is working toward his Education Specialist at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar. Thornsberry begins working with the district this summer.
Pershing Middle School will host its first “Running for Recess 5K and Kids Fun Run” on Saturday, May 3. The event is designed to encourage healthy exercise programs and family unity. Though the races are being run at Pershing, 2120 S. Ventura Ave., all district students and families are invited to participate. Organizer Patty Petty says she hopes the event encourages families to maintain their own exercise routine and that it becomes an annual community tradition. The 5K begins at 8 a.m.; awards will follow at 9 a.m. The Fun Run begins at 9:30 a.m.; awards will follow at 10:15 a.m. Prizes will be given to the top overall male and female and to the top three finishers in each of the following age groups: 1-10, 11-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70 and 71+. All proceeds will go toward the purchase of new playground equipment at Pershing. However, $3 of the registration cost can be donated to a Parent Teachers Association (PTA) chapter of the participant’s choice. Registrations will be accepted beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday; cost is $20 for the 5K and $8 for the fun run.
Bowerman Elementary School’s annual Family Fun Night on May 2 will be more than a year-end celebration for students, parents and staff. It will also offer important resources for parents. Friday’s event begins at 5 p.m. at Bowerman, 2148 N. Douglas Ave., and will feature an array of fun, games, live music and food. For the first time, the event will also offer parents direct access to community resources many of them may need. Officials representing the Kiwanis Club Shoe Bank, Woodland Heights Neighborhood Association, Caring Communities, Lost and Found, Jordan Valley Clinic and many other organizations will be on-hand. “We know many resources are available in our community and we want to make our parents aware they exist,” said Bowerman Principal Jason Steingraber. He added that a free meal will be provided to parents who get information from at least a half dozen of the organizations.
Bailey Alternative High School will host a 20-year reunion for all former students and employees on Saturday, May 3, from 2-5 p.m. at the school. Pictures from the past 20 years will be displayed and a slide show will be shown. Current staff and students will be on hand to visit and give tours of the school. Missouri Rep. Bob Dixon will lead a 3 p.m. dedication of the school flag. Bailey applies a flexible, innovative curriculum to meet the diverse needs of students who have struggled to succeed in their home school. More than 650 students have graduated from Bailey since it opened, said Linda Jones, district Coordinator of Alternative Programs.
STUDENTS, FACULTY NAMED FOREIGN LANGUAGE WINNERS Two SPS students and Glendale High School teacher Lisa Lilley were recently recognized for their outstanding work in foreign language education and studies. Glendale senior Jennifer Smith was selected by the Foreign Language Association of Missouri (FLAM) to receive the Excellence in Foreign Language Studies award. Kickapoo senior Stephanie Anderson was recognized for her first place entry in the poster/essay contest. Lilley was named the 2008 Distinguished Foreign Language Educator by FLAM. She will be recognized at the fall conference in October. LADY BEARS READ TO WEAVER STUDENTS Four members of the Missouri State University Lady Bears basketball team will visit Weaver Elementary School at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, to read to students and answer questions about the Lady Bears program. Melissa Busby, Tiffany Coppage, Dee Davis and Roxy Stiles will read “J is for Jump Shot” by Mike Ulmer; each Weaver teacher will receive a copy of the book for classroom use. JENNIFER BYBEE TO LEAD CENTRAL VOLLEYBALL TEAM Jennifer Bybee, Hillcrest High School alumna, was recently named the new head volleyball coach at Central High School and will begin coaching at Central this summer. Bybee is a 2001 graduate of Hillcrest and a 2005 graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she was a member of the Missouri Tigers volleyball and track teams. SCHOOL NURSES TO BE RECOGNIZED NATIONWIDE MAY 7 The National Association of School Nurses, Inc. (NASN) has named May 7 as National School Nurse Day. National School Nurse Day was established in 1977 to “foster a better understanding of the role of school nurses in the educational setting”.
Springfield, MO – The Foundation for Springfield Public Schools surprised five Springfield Public School teachers this month with the Turner Family Foundation Reading Awards. The five teachers who received the awards are: Each teacher who received this award received a $2,000 cash award - $1,000 of the award is used for the school’s reading program and $1,000 may be used at the teacher’s discretion. Established by the Turner family of Springfield, the purpose of the awards are to reward teachers who show excellence in teaching reading in the classroom and who instill in children a love of learning and reading.
Springfield, MO – The Foundation for Springfield Public Schools recently named Margaret Butler as the 2008 Linda Luke Librarian of the Year. Butler is the librarian at Cherokee Middle School, where she was surprised with the award in a library full of students, co-workers, family and friends this month. One teacher at Cherokee said, “Margaret’s passion for reading and literacy fuel her concern for each student at Cherokee.” “Margaret is always looking for ways to engage students in reading.” Butler received an $800 cash award and the Cherokee library will receive a $200 cash award. The Linda Luke Librarian of the Year Award was established 11 years ago by the family and friends of the late Linda Luke, a librarian at Hickory Hills and Disney elementary schools at the time of her death.
Bissett Elementary School students Madelyn Southard and Sergio Solis will be rewarded for their perfect attendance during the third quarter of this school year by receiving a new bike from Horace Mann Insurance agent Julie Kudrna at 8 a.m. Tuesday, April 29. An attendance improvement contest organized by Kudrna had Bissett, Robberson and Williams elementary schools compete to see which school could increase student attendance for the quarter by the greatest amount. Bissett won the contest. Southard and Solis won the bikes in a random drawing from a pool of all Bissett students with perfect attendance for the quarter. This is the first year for the program. Kudrna, who is a Partner In Education with Springfield Public Schools, purchased the bikes with the help of Wal-Mart, which gave her a $25 in-store credit. “I believe in our public schools and understand that in order for students to succeed they need to be in school,” Kudrna said. “That was the goal of this contest - to give students a tangible reward for being in school every day.”
The Pershing Elementary PTA will present the Running for Recess 5K and Kids Fun Run on May 3 at Pershing Elementary School, 2120 Ventura. Proceeds will go toward purchasing new equipment for the Pershing Elementary playground. Racers with affiliations with other Springfield Public Schools may designate $3 of their registration fee to the PTA of their choice. The 5K route is through Southern Hills neighborhood and begins at 8 a.m. The Kids Fun Run will be on and around the Pershing school grounds and will begin at 9:30 a.m. Pre-registration for the 5K is $15 and race-day registration is $20. Pre-registration for the Kids Fun Run is $7 and race-day registration is $8. Pre-registration is available at Ridge Runner Sports. The first 100 5K registrants will receive a technical short-sleeved shirt. The first 50 Kids Fun Run participants will receive a cotton short-sleeved shirt. Details and a registration form are available at http://sps.k12.mo.us/perelem/ or contact Patty Petty at 886-3013.
More than 60 fifth year high school seniors from Springfield Public Schools will participate in a graduation celebration at 9 a.m. May 1 at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, 202 S. John Q. Hammons Parkway. The graduating students have been part of a program called Missouri Options which provides an alternative means of earning a high school diploma for students who meet certain guidelines established by the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education and Springfield Public Schools. Students who meet the eligibility criteria may earn a high school diploma after receiving a passing score on the GED and completing other required components of the program. Qualifying students will receive their high school diplomas from Springfield Public Schools this spring. Springfield Cardinals vice president Kirk Elmquist will be the featured speaker at the May 1 celebration. Springfield Public Schools administrators will attend, along with Chamber members. The Chamber’s Looking Beyond High School committee members have volunteered at area Springfield public high schools, working with Missouri Options students on practical subjects such as establishing budgets, preparing resumes, and interviewing for jobs. Those serving on the committee are Chamber members from CoxHealth, City Utilities, Webster and Drury universities, Consumer Credit Counseling, Community Partnership of the Ozarks and First Home Savings Bank.
Robberson Elementary School students will hunt for history along Commercial Street Monday morning during a “Geocache” adventure. Beginning at 11 a.m. fourth- and fifth-grade students will use “Global Positioning System” navigators to hunt or “Geocache” for historic treasures placed or hidden along the street. The hunt will begin outside the historic fire station at 201 E. Commercial St. Students will walk to nearby historic locations on the street looking for small containers or caches’ that hold items symbolizing historic Commercial Street. Students will retrieve the items and replace them with another item. “The purpose is to help kids stay interested in using latitude and longitude to track down objects,” said Robberson fourth-grade teacher Bryan Livingson. “It’s also a fun way to learn about the history of Springfield.” The GPS units were paid for through a grant from the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools. Livingston and MSU professor Dr. Steve Illum wrote the grant. Livingston, Illum and Robberson teacher Sue Dyle spent the past four weeks teaching students about Springfield history and historical landmarks as well as how to navigate with the GPS units.
Kickapoo High School will host a canned food drive to benefit The Kitchen, Inc. on Friday, April 25 from 7:50-11:45 a.m. The 5th Annual A-maize-ing Day at Kickapoo aims to collect 10,000 pounds of canned food goods. The Feinstein Foundation, a national organization fighting to end hunger in America, is matching Kickapoo’s donation with a dollar donation per pound of food collected. At last year’s A-maize-ing Day event, the school collected 6,327 pounds of food and a $69,702, Feinstein donation for The Kitchen. Kitchen volunteers will collect canned food from the school beginning at 1 p.m.
Kickapoo High School’s varsity academic team, which competes in quiz bowl competitions requiring quick recall in a variety of academic subjects, was recently named district academic competition champion and will compete against seven other district champions at the state meet on Saturday, May 3 in Columbia. Members of the academic team are: Yong Kim, Yao Liu, Tara Hammer, Ben Ceaser, Eric Lechliter, Loren Casteel, Lara Bower and April Wefler. Kim and Ceaser were named to the All-District Team at the district competition held April 10 in Branson. The district victory is the first in the history of Kickapoo High School and the first district victory by a Springfield Public Schools team, according to Kickapoo teacher and team coach Phil Hockensmith. Kickapoo was the district runner-up in the 2007 competition. The state competition will be held at Rock Bridge High School in Columbia.
Chase Card Services in Springfield awarded $500 scholarships to 30 Parkview High School seniors Wednesday night for their successful participation in the year-long Chase Leadership Academy. One of those students, Natalie Akins, received a $1,000 scholarship for being the top performer in the academy. This was the seventh year Chase has partnered with Parkview seniors for the academy which begins in the fall and requires students to spend two hours every other week at Chase. Parkview students are mentored by Chase managers and manager trainees who teach life skills (goal-setting, decision-making and interpersonal communications), career skills (networking, team-building) and financial literacy. “I think it’s been a wonderful thing for the students,” said Linda Turk, Chase Community Relations Manager. “It teaches them what they’ll experience in the real working world – to be on time and professional. I think the students enjoy it.” Chase is one of 171 Partners In Education with Springfield Public Schools. Partners In Education links businesses and community organizations with schools in an effort to develop activities, projects and incentives that enrich education and enhance academics. For more information click the Partners link at the bottom of the home page at www.springfieldpublicschoolsmo.org.
Kickapoo High School students will experience the virtual affects of impaired driving when the National “Save A Life Tour” stops at the school Thursday, April 24. The tour will make its first-ever stop at a Springfield public school with an important message on sober driving taught with a multi-media presentation, including big-screen TV’s and a vehicle simulator. Tour officials will speak to students about the program during an assembly from 10:15 -11:30 a.m. in the school gymnasium. The simulator, available to students from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will allow young drivers to get behind the wheel and experience the virtual affects of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Kickapoo school nurse Tammy Holley said she hopes the demonstration sends a strong reminder to students on the importance of driving with a clear head and focused attention. Funding for the $5,250 Save A Life Tour was provided by State Farm Insurance of Missouri.
For the third time in five years, the National Television Academy has honored "HTV Magazine," Hillcrest High School's student-produced broadcast, with a "National Student Award For Excellence," often referred to as the "Student Emmy." Seniors Rachel Miles and Kendra Weatherford earned the honor in the "news" category for an investigative report, "Easy Access." The story revealed how easy it is for teenagers to purchase alcohol online. It aired in January on Mediacom channel 25. Miles, Weatherford and HTV adviser Dave Davis will travel to Chicago May 9 for an awards ceremony hosted by the academy. Hillcrest is the only Missouri school to win the national award since the academy began the "Award For Excellence" program in 2004. Other HTV staff members earned NTA regional honors in the writing, sports, and technical achievement categories. Regional Awards: Writing - Mehleena Edmonds and Alex Tabor for "Whose Video?" Sports - Charles McDonald, Julie Wootton, Kendra Weatherford, Jordan Fielding for "Never Give Up." Technical Achievement, Editing - Kendra Weatherford and Rachel Miles for "Shayna's Story." Honorable Mention Writing, Fran Olive for "Love the Locks." Sports, Lillian Olive, Rachel Miles, Lauren Bishop for "Lessons That Last." A reception will be held in the Hillcrest library at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 7. Media may visit with the winning students. The honored segments will be screened.
The National Science Center’s Mobile Discovery Center (MDC) van will visit the Phelps Center for Gifted Education April 28-May 1 to provide a hands-on science learning experience for more than 1,000 area students. Students from Phelps, Jarrett Middle School and the Middle Years Scholars Program will participate in the presentation, which shows students that studying science, technology and math can be exciting, fun, and beneficial to their futures. The van serves as a theater for video presentations, a classroom for science demonstrations and an exhibition hall for small interactive exhibits. It is manned by U.S. Army military and Department of Army civilian personnel. The MDC program is made possible by a partnership between the National Science Center, Inc. and the U.S. Army. Phelps was contacted by the program manager for the National Science Center. “This is the first time that the Mobile Discovery Center van has come to Springfield, and we are so excited that Phelps was chosen to host,” Pursley said. “The benefit for our students is immeasurable.” For additional information visit www.NationalScienceCenter.org
Springfield Public Schools’ winning entries from the 2008 Language Arts Department (LAD) Fair will be displayed from 8-11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 26 at Nixa High School. SPS had more than 400 winning entries representing 28 district schools and a variety of language arts categories, such as prose, poetry, anthology and art. SPS also had 11 Writers Hall of Fame honorees, a distinction given to only 24 students each year in the 24 southwest Missouri counties participating in the competition. The LAD Fair received 7,028 entries this year from students in 1st grade through high school.
Beth Nickle, a communication arts and drama teacher at Bailey Alternative High School, was named Springfield Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year for 2008-09 during the 15th Annual Teacher Appreciation Banquet Monday night at University Plaza Convention Center. “From the time I was in preschool using the chalkboard on my Winnie the Pooh toy chest to teach my dolls and stuffed animals the alphabet, I have wanted to be a teacher,” Nickle said. “As a third-generation teacher, education not only appealed to my nature, but seemed to be a part of my genetic makeup.” A graduate of Kickapoo High School, Nickle has taught 20 years in the district, all of them at Bailey. “My teaching career has been an amazing journey,” said Nickle. During her years with the district she also worked in pre-college programs at Drury University as a residential assistant and residential coordinator. She is currently Drury’s Director of Residential Living. Nickle is coordinator of the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education South Central Service-Learning Regional Center. She has a Certificate of Excellent Practice in K-12 Service Learning from the University of Wisconsin and the National Youth Leadership Council She received her Bachelor of Arts from William Jewell College with a double major in communication and education. She received a Masters in Education from Drury. The other finalists were: Stephanie Blake, (Parkview High School), Tracy Bruton (Glendale High School), Phil Hockensmith, (Kickapoo High School), Troy Kuchta, (Boyd Elementary School) and Alberta Smith (Central High School). Nickle is now in the running to be named state Teacher of the Year. In being named district Teacher of the Year, she will receive $2,000 for personal use; Bailey will receive another $2,000 for educational enhancements. The award money was provided by Missouri State University. The five other finalists each receive $200 for personal use and $200 for their schools’ educational enhancements. Those awards were provided by St. John’s Clinic. Monday’s banquet was sponsored by the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools.
Central High School senior Shanna R. Nelson was named a National Merit Scholarship winner this week. Nelson plans to study veterinary medicine and will enroll at Drury University next fall. She received the National Merit 3M Scholarship from 3M and is among 26 Missouri students and 8,200 award finalists across the country to receive a National Merit Scholarship this year. “Shanna is an outstanding young lady personally, academically and musically,” said Central Band Director, Chris Rohrbaugh, who taught Nelson for seven years. “She demonstrates leadership and dedication in all endeavors.” Winners are judged to have the strongest combination of academic skills and achievements, extracurricular accomplishments and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Most awards are renewable for one to four years of college undergraduate study and provide stipends of $500 to $10,000 annually. Nelson was among 12 district students (nine from Central, two from Glendale and one from Kickapoo) named as National Merit finalists. Central had a school-record nine finalistsr: Karina Bielecki, Wesley Chao, Xi (Lucy) Chen, Evan Dorshorst, Anna Moseley, Shanna Nelson, Samuel Rowland, Amy Wei and Lindsey Zhang. Glendale was represented by Cole Carter and Alex Brozowski; Kickapoo was represented by Kevin Satzinger.
Springfield Public Schools announces that Brian Hubbard has been named the district’s new Director of Title I programs and Benjamin Hackenwerth will be the new Executive Director of Elementary Education. Hubbard joined the district in 1997. He taught six years at Fairbanks Elementary School and worked five years in communication arts curriculum and as an instructional assistant. He has spent the past two years as McGregor Elementary School principal. Hubbard has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Masters in Educational Administration, both from Missouri State University. Hackenwerth was a teacher and track coach in Ozark before becoming an elementary school principal there five years ago. He has been Ozark’s summer school coordinator and principal for the past three years. Hackenwerth has a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communication from Missouri State University, a Masters in Elementary Education from Drury University and a Masters in Educational Administration from Lindenwood University. He is completing his doctorate this spring from St. Louis University. Hubbard and Hackenwerth will begin their new jobs July 1.
Hillcrest High School is looking for representatives from each of the school’s 50 graduating classes to help welcome back all graduating students during a special 50th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, May 10. Each class representative, with the help of alumni sponsorships, will prepare a registration table for their class featuring pictures and memorabilia. To assist or to sponsor a class registration table, please contact Terry Robinson at 523-8013 or trobinson@spsmail.org Reunion activities will include: tours of the school and new construction by current Hillcrest student council members; a noon lunch provided by the Hillcrest DECA/Marketing team; a welcome from principal Jay Rush; a video retrospective of HTV at Hillcrest from 1989-2008 by Dave Davis; classic yearbooks sales from 1960-2008 and a concert featuring modern music combined with orchestral music directed by Hillcrest orchestra teacher, Lisa Fent. The day will culminate with a reunion dance at 7 p.m. in the east gym. The cost will be $5. Hillcrest opened in September 1958, as the district’s third high school. It was touted during its dedication as, “an attractively designed, aesthetically beautiful and functionally planned edifice in which sound educational opportunities may be afforded for the youth it may serve for many years to come.”
The North Springfield Betterment Association is raising money for its on-going school attendance program by teaming up with Panera Bread on Thursday, April 17. Proceeds will fund a party food, games and prizes for north Springfield students who are showing the greatest improvements in attendance. NSBA is in its 11th year working to improve attendance at 14 north Springfield elementary schools. Each quarter, the association recognizes one class at each school for having the best attendance that quarter. The top five schools to improve attendance from the previous year are recognized at the end of the year. Students who achieve 100 percent attendance are recognized at a May 13 party with food, games and prizes. According to district Attendance Coordinator Becky Morgan, attendance has increased at all 14 participating north-side schools since the association became involved in the effort. From 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on April 17, Panera will donate 5 percent of all general sales and 25 percent of all grilled breakfast sandwich sales to the attendance program. The participating Panera is located at 2535 N. Kansas Expressway. Customers should mention NSBA when placing an order.
Title I Wonder Years Preschool and Pittman Elementary School Early Childhood Special Education students will participate in St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Trike-a-thon during Week of the Young Child April 14-19. The week-long activity will teach children the concepts of riding-toy safety with lessons from book characters Bikewell Bear and Pedals the Bunny. It concludes at 9:30 a.m. Friday, April 18 with a tricycle-riding activity at Pittman, 2934 E. Bennett St. “The goal of the week is to teach our students, just in time for summer, how to safely enjoy riding their tricycles,” said Wonder Years educator Teresa Davison. At the end of the activity, each student will be presented an official “license to ride.” Week of the Young Child is a national initiative aimed at recognizing the importance of early learning and those who are responsible for that learning. Parents, teachers and staff will use the week to raise money for St. Jude.
GLENDALE NAMED MSHSAA LEADERSHIP SCHOOL Glendale High School was recently named a Missouri State High School Activities Association Leadership School for 2007-2008. Leadership Schools are determined by achieving excellence in the promotion of citizenship, sportsmanship, leadership and scholarship through interscholastic programs. JARRETT PRINCIPAL NAMED ONE OF TOP ‘40 UNDER 40’ Jarrett Middle School Principal Marty Marsh was recently recognized by the Springfield Business Journal as a 2008 “40 Under 40” honoree. Marsh will be honored at the April 17 Springfield Cardinals game and the “Main Attraction” awards ceremony May 8 at the Springfield Cardinals’ indoor training facility, 935 East Trafficway. HHS WINS AT MID-CONTINENT COLOR GUARD COMPETITION Hillcrest High School’s Blue Wave Winter Color Guard recently won 1st place in its division at the 2008 Mid-Continent Color Guard Association Competition. The Blue Wave Winter Drum Line from Hillcrest also had an impressive showing at the competition, taking 3rd place in its division. ROBBERSON IN LINE FOR ENRICHMENT GRANT Robberson Elementary School has been recommended for an $8,100 grant to implement the “Robberson Outer Limits Enrichment Program” next fall. The program will offer tutoring, recreation, nutritional guidance along with field trips and team building to help keep students in school and out of trouble. The Springfield Community Development Block Grant was made possible by the district’s continuing partnership with the Springfield-Greene County Parks Department.
Springfield Public Schools Alternative Intervention Middle School (AIMS) students will learn about what happens behind the scenes at Dickerson Park Zoo when the “A to Z” (AIMS to Zoo) Program kicks off Friday, April 18. The A to Z Program is the result of a new partnership between the AIMS program and the zoo. It will allow students to participate in various aspects of zoo operations - including shadowing zookeepers, veterinarians and education staff - to learn more about zoo career options. The April 18 field trip will allow about 24 students in grades 6, 7 and 8 to focus on the different ways zookeepers use math skills in their jobs. Students will use digital cameras and camcorders to record information for research and presentations. “The zoo provides us with the perfect educational learning experience that will help make learning relevant and exciting for students who haven't been successful in a traditional middle school,” said Susan Sneegas, district Instructional Specialist for School Improvement.” Monthly events will occur at the zoo or at schools depending on the weather. When the zoo is closed, its conservation education director, Pam Herd, will bring animals to students at school. The AIMS program helps students who struggle academically work toward their potential in a supportive setting.
Sunshine Elementary School will host a fine arts night at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 14, culminating a year of activities in the school’s unique communication arts and media program CAMP Sunshine. Student talents developed in three of the school’s extra curricular activities – drama, Spanish and choir – will be highlighted. The drama club will perform the play “Stone in the Road” by Kristi Thielen. The Spanish club will present a fashion show depicting action verbs, colors, and other Spanish vocabulary that students have learned. The Sunshine choir will perform songs from the ‘1970s and ‘80s. CAMP Sunshine was designed to enhance the communication arts curriculum by emphasizing learning through creative oral and visual presentation. Sunshine is among only three district elementary schools to offer Spanish to students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The school is located at 421 E. Sunshine St.
In an effort to highlight the importance of fine arts in the classroom, Truman Elementary School will host its 2nd Annual Fine Arts Night at 6 p.m. Monday, April 14. The event, originally scheduled for Monday, Feb. 11, was postponed due to weather. The evening will begin with comments from district Superintendent Dr. Norm Ridder, followed by Truman’s artist-in-residence, Ibiyinka Alao. Alao serves as the United Nations Ambassador for the Arts and taught art to Truman students last fall. The night will include musical performances by third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students including tunes played on Orff instruments, such as Boom Whackers, Rain Sticks, and Thunder Tubes. Orff instruments were first developed in 1928 under the direction of composer Carl Orff. They are modeled after wooden African instruments. Truman is located at 3850 N. Farm Road 159.
Carver Middle School is among only 15 public schools in Missouri named a Gold Star School for 2007-08 and has been nominated for a national “Blue Ribbon” for academic excellence. “I’m thrilled for our faculty and students,” said Carver principal Dr. Dan O’Reilly. “This shows that the years of hard work, focus on achievement and good attendance are paying off. This award has been earned through years of teacher, student and parent effort. It gives us all something to really celebrate.” Missouri schools are eligible to be recognized annually with a Gold Star when they meet one of two standards: 1: Students - at least 40 percent of whom must be from disadvantaged backgrounds - show dramatic academic improvement over the past three years on Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) reading and math tests. 2: Students perform in the top 10 percent of all schools on the MAP. In Carver’s case the award came automatically when the school was recently selected as one of eight Missouri Blue Ribbon Secondary School nominations to the U.S. Department of Education. An announcement on that award will be made next fall. Missouri uses the two eligibility standards listed above to select the national nominees. The top three schools to meet the first standard and the top five schools to meet the second standard are sent to the U.S. Department of Education as Missouri nominees. With about 700 students, Carver is among 10 district schools recently named to the state’s Top 10 list for “Highest Performing” schools. Carver made the list for 2007 MAP test results in seventh grade communication arts. The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will honor Carver and the other 14 Gold Star schools at a reception Tuesday, May 6, in Jefferson City. Each school will be showcased and receive a banner, lapel pins for faculty and staff and an engraved plaque. Last year, Portland Elementary School was named a Missouri Gold Star School for showing dramatic improvement in reading and math testing at a time when its number of free and reduced lunch students rose from less than 55 percent to more than 72 percent.
CAMPBELL PRINCIPAL HONORED AS ‘UNSUNG HERO’ Campbell Elementary School Principal Dr. Jay Anderson was recently profiled on KSMU radio’s “Unsung Heroes” series. Anderson was recognized for what staff members describe as leadership with enthusiasm, kindness and a sense of humor. His profile can be heard at http://www.ksmu.org/webaudio/Sense%20of%20Community/senseofcommunity.asp. MLK HISTORICAL SITE DISPLAYS WILDER LETTERS Letters written to Martin Luther King by Wilder Elementary School third-grade students are being displayed at a temporary exhibit at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta, Ga. The letters were written in January during the week of Martin Luther King Day. Students described why they thought Dr. King was a great man and how they are keeping his dream alive today. The writings will be displayed from April 4 to April 28. PEPPERDINE RECEIVES GRANT FOR WELLNESS EQUIPMENT The Pepperdine Learning Center recently received a $4,934 grant from the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools and the Ozarks Health Advocacy Foundation. The funds will be used to acquire fitness equipment to promote wellness for students in the Pepperdine Academy for Learning Success (PALS) program, (an alternative program for elementary students), Solutions – a secondary alternative program, and for staff. PARKVIEW SENIORS HONORED WITH DECA SCHOLARSHIPS Parkview High School seniors Natalie Akins and Angela Iler were recently honored by Missouri DECA for their contributions to the marketing association. Both students received $1,000 scholarships to continue their education in marketing, management or entrepreneurship at the collegiate level.
Westport Elementary School kindergarten teacher Maribeth Robertson received the final district Starcatcher Award of the school year today from district Superintendent Dr. Norm Ridder. The Starcatcher Award is presented three times each school year to a district employee who demonstrates a commitment to the mission, belief and vision of the district. Robertson has taught 27 years at Springfield Public Schools. She began teaching first grade at Watkins Elementary School, then taught kindergarten at Horace Mann and Sequiota elementary schools. She taught kindergarten at Study Middle School when it included elementary grades. She has been at Westport for the past 14 years. Robertson is known at Westport for having a passion for books and giving without expectation of recognition. She serves on the school’s library advisory committee. “Mrs. Robertson keeps learning and learning to better teach her students who keep getting smarter and smarter,” said Westport principal Dr. Nancy Brake. Starcatcher winners receive an exclusive Starcatcher pin in honor of long-time district educator, Dr. Wanda Gray, a framed certificate and a $50 gift card from the award sponsor, Horace Mann Insurance. “I am just overwhelmed,” said Robertson after receiving the award. “This is such a wonderful honor.”
Bailey Alternative High School will host a 20-year reunion for all former students and employees on Saturday, May 3, from 2-5 p.m. at the school. Pictures from the past 20 years will be displayed and a slide show will be shown. In addition, current staff and students will be on hand to visit and give tours of the school. Bailey uses a flexible, innovative curriculum to meet the diverse needs of students who have struggled to succeed in their home school. Bailey addresses both the academic and personal growth of students to help them become responsible members of society. Students are voluntarily referred to Bailey by their high school counselor. More than 250 district students have graduated from Bailey in the past 20 years, said Linda Jones, district Coordinator of Alternative Programs. “Some of them have gone on to continue their education and are now holding very respectable jobs,” she said. “Bailey has definitely had an impact on their lives.” Those planning to attend the reunion should RSVP the school at 523-2700 by April 30. Bailey Alternative High School is located at 501 W. Central St.
Two Springfield Public Schools will reward their students this week for good attendance and test-taking on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) with the following special events: Williams Elementary School is helping to relieve MAP stress with laughter. On test mornings - March 31 through April 10 – school principal Jennifer Webb and counselor Cynthia Helmig perform a silly “MAP Rap” for students. Webb and Helmig perform their “MAP Rap” for one class at a time between 8:45 and 9:15 a.m. Reporters wishing to cover this event are asked to come to Williams at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 9. “Our intent is to provide support and smiles to our already stressed students,” said Webb. “We want to encourage students to give their best effort and not become overwhelmed with the anxiety associated with testing.” Williams is located at 2205 W. Kearney St. Study Middle School will present local-turned-international band Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, April 10. The band will perform for students who attended MAP testing every day, were on time, and displayed positive attitudes. The concert will be in Study’s auditorium at 2343 W. Olive St.
Springfield Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Norm Ridder will present the final Starcatcher Award for this school year at 1:45 p.m. today at Westport Elementary School, 415 S. Golden Ave. The Starcatcher Award is presented three times each school year to a district employee who demonstrates a commitment to the mission, belief and vision of the district. The Starcatcher Award recognition program began in 2002. Award winners receive an exclusive district Starcatcher pin in honor of long-time educator Dr. Wanda Gray and a framed certificate. The winner will also receive a $50 gift card and breakfast for their entire staff from Horace Mann Insurance agent Julie Kudrna, the award sponsor and a district Partner In Education.
Springfield, Missouri April 7, 2008- North Springfield Betterment Association will feature speaker, Dr. Norm Ridder this Thursday. The meeting, which will be held at the Cox North Fountain Plaza Room, 1423 N. Jefferson, begins at 11:45 a.m. The cost is $7.00 and includes lunch. The public is welcome. Dr. Ridder is the Superintendent of the Springfield Public School District. He will discuss the school district's strategic plan, known as SP5. SP5 is a vision for the school district’s future. It was developed after a year-long series of discussions with and input from the community as well as school faculty and staff. NSBA is a community organization that focuses on positively impacting the lives of children in the 14 North Springfield elementary schools. The North Springfield Betterment Association welcomes membership from any individual, business, or organization interested in the improvement and vitalization of North Springfield.
Springfield Public Schools Board of Education President Kris Callen was recently reappointed by state Commissioner of Education D. Kent King to serve a second term on the state Special Education Advisory Panel. This group provides advice to the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on critical issues that will affect the future lives and education of students with disabilities. Callen also serves on the panel’s executive committee. Callen has served on the Springfield school board since 2003. She has been board president since 2007.
Bissett Elementary School second-grade teacher Autumn Masaoay won tickets for her entire class to see the Harlem Globetrotters play Saturday, April 12 at Hammons Student Center. Masaoay’s 16 students earned the tickets from Springfield radio station 100.5 “The Wolf” by winning a radio contest that asked teachers to explain why their class was deserving of Globetrotter tickets. “Our school has been working hard this whole year to do well on the (Missouri Assessment Program) tests,” Masaoay wrote to the station. “Bissett Elementary School is a Title I school that has students from a variety of backgrounds. … I would love to be able to buy them all tickets to go to the game for their tremendous commitment to school. … I appreciate the consideration … for this great once in a lifetime event.” Station morning DJ Jay Shannon will accompany one of the Globetrotters to Bissett Monday morning at 11 a.m. to present Masaoay’s class with the tickets. Bissett is located at 3014 W. Calhoun St.
McBride Elementary School will take an exercise break from MAP testing with the second annual McBoston Marathon at 1:30 p.m. Monday, April 7. Students in kindergarten through second grade will run a half mile; third- and fourth-grade students will run a full mile. About 150 students are expected to participate. The event is sponsored by the McBride Step Club and McBride physical education teacher Russ Traphagan, who has run the Boston Marathon (thus the school event name McBoston Marathon). Traphagan will run his 10th marathon Sunday in St. Louis. Step Club is administered by the Springfield-Greene County Parks Department and is a partnership between Parks, Springfield Public Schools, St. John’s Health Systems and Kraft Cares for Kids. The program encourages students to walk twice a week and make a variety of healthy lifestyle choices. Since October 1, about 2,000 students in 26 SPS schools have participated in Step Club; more than 1,200 students have walked at least 25 miles. All 26 classes at McBride will be stationed along the race route to cheer on competitors. The race will take place on the half mile course behind McBride, located at the southwest corner of Weaver Road and Golden Avenue. The top boy and girl runner in each division will receive a trophy at the awards ceremony scheduled for 8:25 a.m. Tuesday, April 8. All runners will receive a t-shirt and finisher’s medal.
.Ten Springfield Public Schools were named 21 times to state Top 10 lists for “Highest-Performing” Schools by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Among all Missouri public school districts, Springfield once again had the second largest number of schools to make the Top 10 lists. The lists recognize schools for high performance on the spring 2007 Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) tests. “We are very proud of these schools and of all the sites that made progress on state assessments last year,” said district superintendent Dr. Norm Ridder. “As always these successes are the result of the quality efforts of students, parents, staff and leadership at each site.” District schools that made the Top 10 list are: Carver Middle School – 7th grade communication arts.
The Springfield Public Schools Building Services Department is partnering with volunteers from the Potter’s House student organization and Missouri State University Greek organizations to give 16 district school playgrounds an “extreme makeover” on Saturday, April 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The volunteers, including more than 350 college students and district employees, will prime and paint playground equipment at the 16 sites. Schools benefiting from the effort are Bingham, Campbell, Cowden, Mann, Portland, Rountree, Sherwood, Sunshine, Truman, Twain, Watkins, Westport and York elementary schools; the Shady Dell Early Childhood Center and the Doling and Pepperdine buildings. Landon McCarter, a coordinator from Potter’s House, will work at Portland; the president of Greek Organizations, Mark Sjoberg, will work at Sunshine. Both will be available for media interviews.
More than 45 seventh- and eighth-grade students from Reed and Study middle schools will travel to Memphis, Tenn. Friday, April 4, to participate in a rally and march commemorating the 40th anniversary of the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. District cultural diversity coordinator Dr. Nate Quinn said it will be a good learning opportunity for students, some of whom are unfamiliar with the history of Dr. King and his assassination. Arthur Hodge, Springfield Public Schools attendance advisor, will accompany the students. “Hopefully through Dr. King’s efforts to keep the dream alive, these students will learn something during this historical moment in time,” he said. King was shot April 4, 1968 on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. He was 39. The trip is sponsored by the cultural diversity offices at Springfield Public Schools and Missouri State University.
Robberson Elementary School will welcome back third-grade teacher and U.S. Army 1st Lieutenant Fred Romaine during a surprise assembly at 9 a.m. Friday, April 4 in the school gymnasium. A member of the Missouri National Guard, Romaine served in Baghdad, Iraq for the past year and is among at least nine district employees called to active duty in the past two years. Before being deployed last April, Romaine taught at Robberson for two years. Prior to teaching, he was in the Army full-time for four years during which time he served in Kuwait for two years. He returned to attend college and has been in the Missouri National Guard for eight years. He will be greeted Friday by a performance from past students and Robberson principal Kevin Huffman. The students will ring bells to the “Star Spangled Banner.” Two students will also sing “American Tears” and state Rep. Bob Dixon will speak. This is a surprise assembly. Students are unaware that Romaine has returned. The celebration is open to the public. Robberson is located at 1100 E. Kearney St.
Information and course registration for Springfield Public Schools Fifth Quarter and Artworks summer school classes is now available on the district Web site www.springfieldpublicschoolsmo.org. Visit the “Summer School” Quick Link on the left side of the home page. On-line registration begins April 7. To assist in enrollment and answer questions, the district will offer an open enrollment night for all district students and parents from 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 17 in the Central High School Commons. Summer School begins Wednesday, June 4. Classes will be Monday through Friday until Thursday, July 3. The district will offer summer school at the following sites. Elementary courses will be at Delaware, McBride, McGregor, Pittman, Weller, Watkins and Field from 7:30 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. Middle school courses will be at Carver and Pipkin from 7:30 a.m. to 11:55 a.m. High School courses will be at Central and Kickapoo from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Artworks program is in its 26th year. Artworks is for students currently in grades 3-8. Artworks classes will be held Monday through Friday June 16-27 and July 7-18. Some schools offer summer classes at their site only for students at their school. Check with your school to see if these classes will be offered. The summer school newspaper that lists all courses will be included in the Sunday News-Leader on April 6. Copies will also be available at all schools.
Springfield’s five public high schools are teaming up to raise funds for freshmen as part of Oprah Winfrey’s primetime series, “Oprah’s Big Give.” The district high schools collectively represent one of seven local high school districts competing to raise the most money to benefit their schools through Oprah’s “Change Your School Challenge.” The three school districts that raise the most will win part of $10,000. The winners will be named during Oprah’s Big Give finale April 20 on KSPR-33. “It is very exciting to see students banding together for one cause to help all of our high schools,” said district Superintendent Dr. Norm Ridder. Student leaders and teacher sponsors from Springfield’s five public high schools have met several times over the past two weeks to brainstorm fundraising events that will benefit future freshmen transitions programs. On Thursday, April 3, five Springfield restaurants will donate 10 percent of each purchase to the district. The restaurants are: Pasta Express at 3250 E. Battlefield Road and 3025 W. Republic Road; Fuddruckers at 2920 S. Lone Pine Ave., Panera Bread at 2924 E. Sunshine St. and CiCi’s Pizza at 319 E. Battlefield Road. On Friday, April 4, the district will hold a dance for all Springfield public high school students from 8:30-11 p.m. at Parkview High School. Tickets for “The Big Dance” will be sold at the door for $5. Students must bring a valid school ID badge. On Saturday, April 5, Parkview will hold “Springfield At Its Best” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in its main gymnasium. Cost is $3 per person or $10 for a family of four or larger. The event will include entertainment from members of the band Big Smith, district bands and choirs, an elementary school art show and a silent auction. On the auction block will be golf packages, photography packages, restaurant gift certificates, spa packages, lawn care and floral services. On Sunday, April 6, the Betty Allison Charity Golf Event will be at Rivercut Golf Course. Proceeds from the four-hole tournament will benefit the “Change Your School Challenge” and Champion Athletes of the Ozarks. To sponsor a hole or make a pledge contact Foundation for Springfield Public Schools at 523-0144. Tee time is 2 p.m.
FREMONT TURNS MARCH MADNESS INTO BIG DONATION Fremont Elementary School students recently participated in a March Madness food drive to benefit Ozarks Food Harvest. Nearly 500 canned food goods were brought in to provide groceries for hungry families. CARVER RAISES MONEY FOR LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMA Carver Middle School students recently raised more than $1,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society national “Pennies for Patients” program and they got to see two male sixth grade teachers – Joe Laflen and Todd McLain - dress as women. Students contributed change in a jar for the teacher they most wanted to see dress like a woman for a day. Laflen raised more than $600. McLain, who raised the second highest amount, joined Laflen in a show of support. REED STUDENT’S POEM WINS STATE COMPETITION Reed Middle School student Rachael Dotson recently won first place in the middle school division of the Missouri State Poetry Society’s 2008 Winter Poetry Contest for her poem “Yesterday’s Poem.” Central High School student Amber Rose Bennett received an honorable mention for her poem, “Winter’s Shroud.” Dotson’s poem will represent Missouri in the national Manningham Trust Student Poetry Contest, sponsored by the National Federation of State Poetry Societies. Winners will be notified in mid-May. FORTY ‘FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS’ QUALIFY FOR STATE Students from all five SPS high schools attended Future Business Leaders of America- Phi Beta Lambda’s District Leadership Conference at Evangel University in March. Forty students qualified for the state conference April 20-22 in Columbia. Kickapoo qualified 24 students, Glendale had nine, Central had four, Parkview had two, and Hillcrest qualified one. PORTLAND BENEFITS FROM CHURCH PARTNERSHIP Portland Elementary School and Heartland Covenant Church recently partnered for a 40 Days of Community outreach program. Heartland raised more than $300 in a quarter drive to benefit a before-school reading program for Portland. Heartland also hosted an Easter egg hunt for more than 60 students. On April 5, church members will participate in a spring clean-up day at Portland, painting free throw lines and doing other playground maintenance. For other district news, visit www.springfieldpublicschoolmo.org
Hillcrest High School will welcome back all graduating classes for a special 50th anniversary celebration on Saturday, May 10. Set-up begins at 8 a.m.; registration begins at 11 a.m. Each class representative, with the help of alumni sponsorships, will prepare a registration table for their class featuring pictures and memorabilia. Other activities during the day include tours of the school by current Hillcrest student council members, a lunch provided by the Hillcrest DECA team, a welcome from Principal Jay Rush, a video retrospective and a concert featuring modern music combined with orchestral music provided under the direction of Hillcrest orchestra teacher, Lisa Fent. The day will culminate with a reunion dance at 7 p.m. in the east gym. The cost will be $5. To sponsor a class registration table, please contact Terri Robinson at 523-8013 or trobinson@spsmail.org
Six teachers have been named as finalists for Springfield Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year for 2008. Typically, five finalists are chosen. But because of the quality of applicants this year, judges found it impossible to pare the field of finalists down to five. The finalists are: Stephanie Blake, science teacher, Parkview High School. The finalists will be interviewed Thursday, April 3, by a team of nine judges representing the district and community. The winner will be announced at this year’s annual Teacher Appreciation Banquet on Monday, April 21 at University Plaza Convention Center. The winner advances to the state Teacher of the Year competition. The banquet begins at 6:30 p.m. A reception is from 5-6:15 p.m. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased by calling the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools at 523-0144.
Mark Twain Elementary School Principal Janell Bagwell was recently honored by the Missouri Association of Elementary School Principals as one of 13 Outstanding New Principals in Missouri. The award was presented to Bagwell at a banquet on Monday, March 10 at Tan-Tar-A Resort. Bagwell’s selection was made through letters of recommendation from colleagues in the Springfield school district. Recipients of the award are required to have served as principal for at least one year but no more than three years. Bagwell has been at Twain for two years. This is the first year for the MAESP Outstanding New Principal award. It will now become an annual honor.
Kickapoo High School nurse Tammy Holley was recently chosen by the Missouri Association of School Nurses (MASN) as its Outstanding Services of a School Nurse award winner. Holley will be honored at MASN’s spring conference luncheon April 12 in St. Joseph. Holley has been a school nurse for 17 years and has been employed at five SPS schools. She has been at Kickapoo for 11 years.
Springfield Public Schools announced today that Thomas Tucker will be the new director of district police services and Julie Steiger will be the new principal of Pleasant View Elementary and Middle School. Tucker has been with the police services department since 2002 and been a field supervisor since 2007. Prior to that, he worked 25 years with the federal bureau of prisons before retiring in 2001 as a senior department head with the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield. During that time he was education program manager and served as acting associate warden of programs. Steiger began her career with Springfield Public Schools in 1984 as the remedial math teacher at Pipkin Middle School. She taught math at either Pipkin or Glendale High School for nine years. In 1993, she became a Pleasant View counselor and held that position for 11 years. In 2004, Steiger was named assistant principal at Kickapoo High School where she remained until 2007. She is currently assistant principal at Hillcrest High School. Steiger begins her new job July 1.
Springfield Public Schools’ 23rd Annual ROSE Banquet, a celebration of top high school graduates, is set for Thursday, March 27. The ROSE (Recognition of Scholastic Excellence) Banquet honors top graduates from all five district high schools based on grade point average. The banquet begins at 6 p.m. in the Findlay Student Center on the campus of Drury University.
Dr. Anne Gardner was named “Missouri School Psychologist of the Year” during the recent Missouri Association of School Psychologists conference in Columbia. Gardner “fills a niche on our team of school psychologists that could be filled by no one else,” said her supervisor, Stephanie Davison. “She brings a scholarly perspective to the team.” Previous experience as a classroom teacher provides Gardner with a deep understanding of the issues teachers face daily in the classroom. This influences how she designs interventions, works with staff and prepares for professional development and presentations.
Students from Study and Cherokee middle schools and Glendale and Central high schools will represent Springfield Public Schools at the state Science Olympiad tournament Saturday, March 15 in Columbia. School teams qualified for the state tournament based on their finishes at the Southwest Regional Science Olympiad competition in February at Missouri State University. Study qualified for the sixth year in a row. Cherokee is making its first state trip in at least six years. Central qualified for the second straight year and this will be Glendale’s first trip to state. Teachers and students put in many hours on their projects – both during and after the school day. This year’s state competition will feature demonstrations of catapults, gliders and robotics. It includes studies in oceanography, meteorology, astronomy and biology. |
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Pleasant View Elementary and Middle School Principal Dr. Ron Snodgrass has been named the new principal at Central High School. He begins the job next school year. Snodgrass has been with the district 22 years. He spent his first nine years at Pleasant View teaching science and physical education. He was assistant principal at Jarrett Middle School from 1995-1999, and assistant principal at Hillcrest High School from 1999-2001. He has been Pleasant View’s principal since 2001. Snodgrass received a Bachelor of Science in Education from Southwest Missouri State University in 1986, a Master of Science in Education from SMSU in 1991, an Educational Specialist in Administration from SMSU in 1996, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2003.
In celebration of the Read Across America program, Bowerman Elementary School will hold an “open mic” reading event on March 14 and 28. Open mic will be from 10:45 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. in the school cafeteria at 2148 N. Douglas Ave. Teachers, staff, students and special guests are invited to read from their favorite book and dress up in costume if they wish.
HILLCREST STUDENTS CHOSEN TO ATTEND GIRLS STATE Hillcrest High School juniors Carolyn Brown and Dominica Pigford will attend Girls State at the University of Central Missouri from June 22-28. Brown and Pigford were chosen to represent the Kirby Wilcox Bicentennial Unit 676 American Legion Auxiliary. PHS BASKETBALL SQUAD HONORED FOR SPORTSMANSHIP The boys of the Parkview High School basketball squad were selected as the Springfield Tip-Off Club’s Sportsmen of the Year. The award was presented to Coach Bill Brown and the team’s senior players. Brown is in his sixth year as Parkview’s head coach. FOOD SERVICE DEPARTMENT AWARDED $2,000 GRANT Springfield Public Schools’ food service department recently received a $2,000 grant from the Midwest Dairy Council to continue expanding its innovative school breakfast program. Springfield Public Schools was awarded 2nd place in the Expanding Breakfast Award competition. The award program was launched this year to call attention to the importance of school breakfast options. The district’s food service program is administered by ARAMARK. KHS HOSTS WINTER GUARD AND PERCUSSION FESTIVAL Kickapoo High School will be the site of a winter guard and winter percussion festival beginning at noon on Saturday, March 15. More than 30 guard and percussion units from throughout the area are expected to compete. The Kickapoo “emulation” winter guard is currently ranked 13th in the country. GHS STUDENT HELPS OTC CULINARY TEAM TO VICTORY Glendale junior J.R. Reynolds, a member of the Pro Start Culinary Team at Ozarks Technical Community College, recently helped his team place first in a culinary competition against 27 other teams. The team will compete at the national competition in San Diego in April. PLEASANT VIEW STUDENTS RAISE ‘PENNIES FOR PATIENTS’ Pleasant View Elementary School raised $1,464 in February for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through a ‘Pennies for Patients’ event. Students brought spare change to school to donate to the fundraiser.
Springfield Public Schools received two grants totaling $25,000 from Community Foundation of the Ozarks to support the district's goals of increasing academic achievement and the graduation rate by promoting student attendance. An $11,000 grant will fund a program to increase student attendance at Reed Middle School by promoting positive skills for making the transition from elementary to middle school. The second grant of $14,000 will support the community-wide "BN SCHL" attendance initiative by funding direct mailings to parents and students, promotional banners and advertising and attendance incentives for seven Title I schools. “Schools are responsible for teaching children but schools can’t accomplish this if students are absent,” explained Becky Morgan, SPS attendance coordinator. “A child who misses a day of school misses a day of learning.” The district has set strategic goals of 95 percent student attendance and an 85 percent graduation rate. Last school year, 26 percent of district students attended school 95 percent of the time or less. Elementary attendance is of particular concern because those schools have experienced a four-year attendance decline, according to Morgan. “This is alarming because students develop these habits when they are young and carry them with them into higher grades and ultimately to their jobs,” she explained. Other agencies also received foundation funding to support programs that will directly impact district students. Ozarks Technical Community College received $18,500 for Middle College. East Grand Community Services received $6,750 to provide after-school programs to students at Bingham and Pittman elementary schools. Drury University received $35,000 to provide career-planning opportunities for students at Pipkin Middle School and Central High School.
Springfield public high schools will be well represented at the Missouri state DECA meet March 16-18 at Lake of the Ozarks. Thirty-eight district students qualified. Parkview High School has 22 qualifying students; Hillcrest has five qualifying students; Glendale has five qualifying students; Central has four qualifying students; Kickapoo has two qualifying students. DECA, with more than 185,000 student members across 50 states, strives to enhance the co-curricular education of students with an interest in management, marketing and entrepreneurship. The national DECA competition will be held in Atlanta in April.
Springfield, MO – The Foundation for Springfield Public Schools presented a $4,933.75 grant to the ACE, Solutions and PALS alternative education programs on Tuesday, March 11. The grant awarded by Ozarks Health Advocacy Foundation (OHAF) will purchase elementary and secondary level physical fitness equipment to promote physical health and combat childhood obesity. ACE alternative program is for students on short-term suspension from their home schools. Solutions and PALS alternative programs educate students on long-term or permanent basis.
The Springfield Art Museum will display the works of Springfield Public Schools student artists during a special all-school art exhibit March 15 through April 20 at the 1111 Brookside Drive museum. The museum will host two opening receptions honoring the student artists. The reception for middle school and high school students, parents and friends is 5 p.m. Friday, March 14. The reception for elementary students, parents and friends is 1 p.m. Sunday, March 16. More than 1,000 works of art will be on display during the exhibit. Dr. Bev Rohlf, coordinator of music and visual arts for Springfield Public Schools, says the benefits are great for students involved in art. “Students in the arts are found to be more cooperative with teachers and peers, more self-confident and better able to express their ideas,” she said.
Boyd Elementary School and Central Assembly of God Church will host the school’s first-ever pinewood derby on Saturday, March 8, at the 1301 N. Boonville Ave. church. The event is from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and will include free food and games and free oil changes for widows, single mothers and wives of deployed soldiers. “We’ve got teachers racing against kids and everyone’s really excited,” said Boyd principal James Grandon.” With donations and volunteers pitching in from throughout the community, students sanded, primed, painted and helped assemble nearly 200 light-weight balsa wood cars for the derby. In addition to the fun of the activity, students applied their talents in art, physics and math, Grandon said. Central Assembly is Boyd’s Partner in Education. The partner program links businesses and community organizations with schools to develop activities, projects and incentives that enrich education.
Shady Dell Early Childhood Center invites all family members of attending children to a quarterly parental involvement event at 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, in the Shady Dell cafeteria. The March event, “building with a buddy,” will be a hands-on activity with materials, including wood craft kits and hammers, donated by Lowe’s Home Improvement on Norton Road. Shady Dell officials hope parental involvement nights foster strong student-family relationships. A free dinner will be provided. Shady Dell Early Childhood Center is located at 2757 E. Division St.
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