News Archive - January 2010

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SPS ACTIVITY AND ATHLETIC CANCELLATIONS POSTED

Jan. 29, 2010

Due to inclement weather, Springfield Public Schools has canceled some events and athletic activities. The most up-to-date list of event cancellations is posted at www.springfieldpublicschoolsmo.org.

Following is a current list of SPS activity and athletic cancellation as of 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29:

Springfield school board members recognized for service  

Springfield Public Schools is fortunate to have a dedicated group of volunteers willing to serve on its Board of Education. These public servants are elected by the community and do not receive compensation for the time they devote to the business of the district. The week of Jan. 24-30 is Missouri School Board Recognition Week, sponsored by the Missouri School Boards’ Association. During the Jan. 19 school board meeting, Superintendent Norm Ridder thanked and recognized Springfield school board members Gerry Lee, Tom Prater, Kris Callen, Michael Hoeman, Andy Hosmer, Bruce Renner and Jean Twitty.

 

Updated: SPS students raise funds to help with Haiti earthquake relief

Springfield Public Schools students are finding ways to raise money and collect supplies to assist local charities with relief efforts for families in Haiti who were devastated by the recent earthquakes.

A comprehensive list of Haiti relief efforts by SPS students are listed on the Helping Haiti page on the district web site at www.springfieldpublicschoolsmo.org. Upcoming events include:

Jan. 25-Feb. 16: Weaver Elementary School will sponsor “Hearts for Haiti,” an effort which allows students and staff to purchase paper hearts for 25 cents each.  The hearts will be placed in the halls of Weaver school. The goal is to make a chain of hearts that goes all the way around the building.  All of the money raised will go to Convoy of Hope to purchase food, water and water filtration systems.
 
Jan. 27: David Harrison Elementary School second-graders will assemble hygiene kits to send to Convoy of Hope for distribution in Haiti.  The students will collect and organize the hygiene supplies, and include a note of encouragement.  
 
Through Jan. 29: Boyd Elementary School students will hold a boys vs. girls fund drive to raise money to send to Haiti via Convoy of Hope.  
 
Through Jan. 29: Holland Elementary School students kicked off a "Quarters for the Quake" campaign Tuesday, Jan. 19, in partnership with Messiah Lutheran Church. Through Jan. 29, Holland students will collect quarters and other loose change in their classrooms to help the people of Haiti.  Donations will go to ELCA Disaster Reponse efforts in Haiti. The local Thrivent chapter will match fifty cents for every dollar raised by Messiah Lutheran and Holland.  
 
Through Jan. 29: Watkins Elementary School will collect monetary donations from Jan. 20 through Jan. 29 to support Convoy of Hope's relief efforts. The school's goal is to collect $285, which is $1 for every student at Watkins. 
Feb 1-4: McBride Elementary School will collect donations of hygiene items and loose change to support Convoy of Hope's relief efforts.  
 
Feb. 1-5: David Harrision Elementary School will collect coins to benefit Haiti relief efforts. They will collect pennies on Monday, nickels on Tuesday, dimes on Wednesday, quarters on Thursday, and assorted coins on Friday.  
 
Feb. 1-12: Mark Twain Elementary School will accept $1 donations for students to send "Valentine Grams" to other students. Proceeds will go to Convoy of Hope for relief efforts in Haiti.
 
Ongoing efforts:
Fremont Elementary School is conducting a coin drive and collecting items for hygiene kits to help support Haiti relief efforts.  

Glendale High School
student council and the boys and girls service society are organizing a drive to collect items for hygiene kits.

Mann Elementary School will collect money and donations of items for hygiene kits. Student council members will assemble the hygiene kits. 

Pipkin Middle School student council will collect money during lunch period for Convoy of Hope to purchase water filtration systems for clean water on the ground in Haiti. An MYP school, Pipkin will challenge students to think about what it would be like to have no access to clean water for long periods of time and challenge them to limit their water fountain use at school to see what it would be like for them.

Sequiota Elementary School
fifth-graders are organizing a coin drive to benefit the residents of Haiti. All Sequiota students are asked to bring in coins to donate to the Red Cross. Donation containers will be located in the foyer and in each classroom. In addition, some classrooms are organizing other efforts to support the relief effort.

School board unanimously agrees to extend Ridder's contract

Jan. 28, 2010

Springfield Public Schools Board of Education recently completed its annual performance review of Superintendent Norm Ridder and has extended his contract through the 2012-2013 school year. School board members voted during executive session Tuesday, Jan. 19, in favor of extending Dr. Ridder’s contract.

School board president Gerry Lee cited continuous quality improvement efforts, a successful bond campaign and effective management of district resources during difficult financial times among Dr. Ridder’s accomplishments in the past year.

The review was based on Dr. Ridder’s performance in seven “performance excellence” categories identified as critical for high performing systems: 1) leadership, 2) strategic planning, 3) stakeholder and market focus, 4) measurement, analysis, and knowledge management, 5) human resources, 6) process management, and 7) performance results.

“We are very pleased with his performance and believe Dr. Ridder is guiding our district in the right direction,” Lee explained. “Particularly in these difficult economic times, he is doing an outstanding job of managing our district and making decisions which foster a quality educational system for the benefit our students, staff and our community.”

Ribbon-cutting set for new Hickory Hills school

Jan. 22, 2010

Springfield Public Schools is celebrating the completion of its first green building with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Hickory Hills K-8 School Monday, Jan. 25, at 1:30 p.m. Hickory Hills is the first school in the area to be designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards to achieve LEED Silver status. The 125,000-square-foot school features energy-efficient and sustainable systems which are designed, constructed and maintained to significantly reduce or eliminate negative effects on the environment and occupants.

SPS students raise funds to help with Haiti earthquake relief

Jan. 21, 2010

Springfield Public Schools students are finding ways to raise money and collect supplies to assist local charities with relief efforts for families in Haiti who were devastated by the recent earthquakes.

A comprehensive list of Haiti relief efforts by SPS students are listed on the Helping Haiti page on the district web site at www.springfieldpublicschoolsmo.org . Upcoming events include:

Jan 21: Sherwood Elementary School will hold a "Hats for Haiti" fundraiser. Students and staff may donate money to wear a hat to school on Thursday, Jan. 21.
Jan. 22: Jeffries Elementary School and Pipkin Middle School will hold "Hats for Haiti" fundraisers. Students and staff may donate $1 to wear a hat to school on Friday, Jan. 22, and Friday, Jan. 29. Proceeds will be donated to Convoy of Hope's Haiti relief efforts.  
Jan. 22: Hickory Hills K-8 School will hold a "Hats for Haiti" fundraiser. Students and staff may donate $1 to wear a hat to school on Friday, Jan. 22.
Through Jan. 25: Cherokee Middle School students are collecting funds to support relief efforts in Haiti.
Jan. 26: Rountree Elementary School will host a "Hearts for Haiti" event in the Rountree gymnasium. Students will collect items for hygiene packs to send to Haiti via Convoy of Hope and will collect donations for Doctors Without Borders, whose members are on the ground in Haiti giving medical attention to survivors. A meal will be served from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Entertainment will begin at 6:30 p.m. including performances from local musicians Jody Bilyeu, Nick and Tina Sibley, Rhythm of Rountree and Drew Holt. There will also be storytelling by Johnathan Herbert.
Through Jan. 29: Boyd Elementary School students will hold a boys vs. girls fund drive to raise money to send to Haiti via Convoy of Hope.
Through Jan. 29: Holland Elementary School students kicked off a "Quarters for the Quake" campaign Tuesday, Jan. 19, in partnership with Messiah Lutheran Church. Through Jan. 29, Holland students will collect quarters and other loose change in their classrooms to help the people of Haiti.  Donations will go to ELCA Disaster Reponse efforts in Haiti. The local Thrivent chapter will match fifty cents for every dollar raised by Messiah Lutheran and Holland.
Feb. 1-12: Mark Twain Elementary School will accept $1 donations for students to send "Valentine Grams" to other students. Proceeds will go to Convoy of Hope for relief efforts in Haiti.
Pipkin Middle School student council will collect money during lunch period for Convoy of Hope to purchase water filtration systems for clean water on the ground in Haiti. An MYP school, Pipkin will challenge students to think about what it would be like to have no access to clean water for long periods of time and challenge them to limit their water fountain use at school to see what it would be like for them.
Mann Elementary School will collect money and donations of items for hygiene kits. Student council members will assemble the hygiene kits.
Sequiota Elementary School fifth-graders are organizing a coin drive to benefit the residents of Haiti. All Sequiota students are asked to bring in coins to donate to the Red Cross. Donation containers will be located in the foyer and in each classroom. In addition, some classrooms are organizing other efforts to support the relief effort.
Glendale High School student council and the boys and girls service society are organizing a drive to collect items for hygiene kits.


Central students to perform at Scotland’s Fringe Festival

Jan. 21, 2010

Central High School drama students have been invited to perform at the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2011.

Central's drama program was selected to perform at the festival by the American High School Theatre Festival (AHSTF) to represent the United States among over 1,800 performances of music, theater, dance and comedy. Schools are nominated by state, regional and national theater organizations and university theater professors. Schools are selected based on recent bodies of work, awards, community involvement, philosophies and recommendations.

Central drama students will perform at the festival in August 2011 under the direction of Gretchen Teague.


Bailey to host 9th annual Empty Bowls luncheon

Jan. 14, 2010

Bailey Alternative High School students will host their 9th annual Empty Bowls luncheon to raise awareness of hunger in our area at 12 p.m. on Monday, January 18 at the school located at 501 W. Central St.

Students will provide a soup lunch in hand-crafted ceramic bowls to those who attend. The cost is $10 per bowl and the bowl is yours to keep as a reminder that there are Americans going to bed hungry. All proceeds will be donated to The Kitchen, Springfield's own charity devoted to fighting hunger.


KHS Prairie News to offer live play-by-play of Tournament of Champions

Jan. 14, 2010

Kickapoo High School student journalists will provide live play-by-play video streaming and mobile alerts during the 2010 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions at John Q. Hammons Arena, Jan. 14-16.

Student broadcasters will stream live video of the event at www.khsprairienews.com by clicking on the Tournament of Champions link. If you cannot watch live, you can sign up for mobile updates through the Prairie News Web site or you can follow them on Twitter at www.twitter.com/khsprairienews.

Media Notice: Prairie News welcomes and encourages local media outlets to use its live streaming coverage on their Web sites. All content is professionally monitored by an editorial board and SPS staff. For more information, contact director of new media services Chase Snider at csnider@khsprairienews.com or call at 894-7148.

 

After-school activities at PHS canceled for Jan. 11

Jan. 11, 2010

There will be no after-school activities at Parkview High School Monday, Jan. 11 to allow maintenance crews to repair a water line. Parkview dismisses classes at 2:50 p.m. Water in the building was shut off at 3:30 p.m. today and is expected to be restored to the building in time for classes on Tuesday, Jan. 12.

 

District to have IB authorization celebration Jan. 14

Jan. 11, 2010

Springfield Public Schools will have a come-and-go reception to celebrate the recent authorization of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Program at Pipkin Middle School and Central High School, Thursday, Jan. 14 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Kraft Administrative Center, 940 N. Jefferson Ave.

SPS is now the only district in Missouri offering a K-12 continuum of IB programs to its students. Students can choose to attend the IB Primary Years Program at Rountree, Field or Boyd elementary schools from kindergarten through 5th grade, Middle Years Program at either Central High School or Pipkin Middle School from 6th through 10th grade and they may obtain an IB diploma through the IB Diploma Program at Central in 11th and 12th grades.


SPS students will have no classes Jan. 15 and 18

Jan. 11, 2010

Springfield Public Schools students will have no school Friday, Jan. 15 for teachers to have a professional learning and work day or on Monday, Jan. 18 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

All district offices will also be closed on Monday, Jan. 18 in observance of the holiday.

 

Glendale Flacon Yearbook and Quill Newsmagazine top in nation

Jan. 11, 2010

Glendale High School's yearbook and magazine have both recently won top honors from the American Scholastic Press Association.

The Falcon Yearbook won first place with special merit for their 2008-2009 publication and Glendale's Quill Newsmagazine also won a first place award. The special merit awards are only given to a publication winning first place that has special or outstanding design and content.

Both publications took the top prize among high school and college and university entries nationwide.

 

Williams to have Family Read Night Jan. 14

Jan. 11, 2010

Williams Elementary School will have Family Read Night from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 14.

The event will include activities for parents and students that focus on the benefits of reading aloud and free books for students. Family Read Night is funded by a grant from The Foundation for Springfield Public Schools given to emphasize the importance of reading at home. The grant is being used to provide books and activities for Family Read Nights at Robberson, Williams and Fremont elementary schools. Robberson hosted one in November, 2009.

The Family Read Night theme is winter and activities and books will bring out the joy of snow and put some warmth into winter. The first 225 families will receive a hard cover copy of Lester Laminack's book, Snow Day. The school is located at 2205 W. Kearney St.

 

Ice Bears to read to Westport kindergartners

Jan. 7, 2010

Members of the Missouri State University Ice Bears hockey team will visit Westport Elementary School Monday, Jan. 11, to read to kindergarten classes. The Ice Bears will read “Z is for Zamboni” to students from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

 

PTA hosts reflections showcase

Jan. 7, 2010

The Reflections Showcase, sponsored by Springfield Council of PTAs, is Sunday, Jan. 10, 2010, from noon until 4 p.m. at Battlefield Mall (JC Penney East Entrance).  The event will feature artwork, literature, photography, video, dance and music from students throughout Springfield.  An awards ceremony will be held at 3 p.m.

Reflections, one of the most popular programs of National PTA, encourages students to create works of art in the areas of visual arts, photography, literature, musical composition, dance choreography, and film production as they interpret a theme. 

The Springfield Reflections Showcase recognizes the creative talents of our SPS students as they interpret the theme of "Beauty is . . ."   This year's Showcase features entries of 180 students from 25 schools in the six art categories.

For More information, please contact Alice Lunn, vice president of Springfield Council of PTAs,  at 883-2392 or rolunn@sbcglobal.net.

 

No school for SPS students Jan. 8

Jan. 7, 2010

Springfield Public Schools will not be in session Friday, Jan. 8, which will result in some event and athletic activities to be canceled. An up-to-date list of cancellations is posted at www.springfieldpublicschoolsmo.org.

Following is a list of SPS activity and athletic cancellations as of 5 p.m. Jan. 7:

 


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