News Archive - November 2009

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CHS teacher named ACTFL Teacher of the Year

Nov. 25, 2009

Lisa Lilley, Central High School International Baccalaureate Spanish teacher, was named 2010 Teacher of the Year at the annual American Council for Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Convention in San Diego, Calif. Nov. 20-22. 

Lisa was selected for this honor after being named Distinguished Educator of  2008 by the Foreign Language Association of Missouri at their fall conference last year and Teacher of the Year for the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages at their spring conference last March.

The ACTFL brings together more than 6,000 teachers, administrators, method instructors and students of foreign languages at all levels from across the world each year. There are over 600 educational sessions offered at the event on topics like assessment, culture, curriculum, methods and standards and technology.

Harrison to host Family Math Night Dec. 3

Nov. 25, 2009

David Harrison Elementary School will host Family Math Night Thursday, Dec. 3 at the school located at 3055 W. Kildee Lane.

Students and their families will be given passports to travel through classrooms set up like foreign countries throughout the school. Each country will have a math related theme so families can see what their child is working on in math class.

The event will be from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Media should check in at the school office upon arrival.

Central broadcast students win Pacemaker Award

Nov. 20, 2009

Central High School's "Central Intelligence” was awarded first place for their second consecutive year in the Best of Show category at the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) and Journalism Education Association (JEA) fall convention in Washington, D.C. Nov. 12-15. 

This year’s convention was the largest ever with over 6,400 students from across America, England and Korea competing. C.I. was also awarded its first Pacemaker Award, only given to the top five broadcast media programs in the country, at the convention and received a total of 19 individual student awards. Central students won more awards than any other school in the nation .

Students winning individual awards include:

Superior- Nora Lewis and Grier Gammon for Short Documentary

Superior- Lydia Berns and Mitchell Trafford for Broadcast Package

Superior- Isabel Balla, Sarah Smith and Destiny Pettus for Public Service Announcement

Excellent- Alexa Snodgrass and Alex Scranton for In-Camera Feature

Excellent- Alex Schriver and Maddison McBurnie for Podcast

Excellent- Nate Fairbank and Raleigh Cavero for Broadcast News

Honorable Mention- Halli Bruton for Broadcast Sports, Honorable Mention- Yoonji Kim and Valerie Quirk for Broadcast Feature, Honorable Mention- Caroline Croessmann for Newswriting, Honorable Mention- Andy Wolff for On-Air Reporter, Honorable Mention- Brittany Donnellan for Broadcast Commentary  

Watkins principal to shave head for overall best student attendance

Nov. 20, 2009

Watkins Elementary School Principal Robert Reed will shave his head during the school's monthly attendance celebration at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20.

When Reed became the principal at Watkins four years ago, he promised students that he would shave his head the first time the school received the best monthly attendance. For the month of October, Watkins achieved 95.87 percent attendance. The average for all 36 elementary schools in October was 93.18 percent, with Watkins achieving the best overall attendance.

Reed will surprise students with the announcement of their accomplishment and fulfill his long-standing promise.

SPS received Best Practices in Diversity Award

Nov. 20, 2009

The Springfield Area Human Resources Association presented Springfield Public Schools with the Best Practices in Diversity Award , Thursday, Nov. 19.

Each year, the SAHRA recognizes Springfield businesses for their efforts to advance diversity in the workplace. The award is given to a company that exemplifies the understanding we are stronger because of our differences, and embraces individuals' unique qualities.

District cultural diversity director Dr. Nate Quinn, accepted the award on the district's behalf.

Field students to make donations during Day of Sharing events

Nov. 20, 2009

Field Elementary School has been collecting items for the holiday season for Springfield families in need during their Days of Sharing program this week.

The school has collected personal hygiene items, nonperishable food items and clothing to be donated. Clothing items will be delivered to the PTA Clothing Bank and food donations will be given to Ozarks Food Harvest for their "soul food": backpack program.

The school will have a second Day of Sharing event the week of Dec. 7 for household items for Springfield families the school has adopted. The Field cub scouts will also have a food drive to coincide with the event. Donations can be dropped off in the lobby of the school during the event week.

Robberson students receive new helmets and a lesson on safety

Nov. 20, 2009

Robberson Elementary School kindergarten students were  given new bicycle helmets by Sheryl DoBoer, a certified cycling coach and fitness coordinator at CoxHealth Thursday, Nov. 19.

A total of 41 kindergarteners were fitted with new helmets and DoBoer also spoke to students about bicycle safety.  

Central MYSP students donated food to York families

Nov. 20, 2009

Central High School sixth- through eighth-grade students in the Middle Years Scholars Program donated food to York Elementary School families.

The student council organized a food drive for York as a community service project and promoted it with a contest between the grade levels. The 126 middle school students at Central donated a total of 1,355 nonperishable food items. Students packaged the food for 55 York families and delivered if on Friday, Nov. 13.

H1N1 clinics set for two more Springfield schools

Nov. 20, 2009

Springfield Public Schools has scheduled two  more  H1N1 vaccine clinics.  Clinics will be held Nov. 23 at Weller Elementary School and Dec. 1 at Hillcrest High School.  

Following is the most current list of H1N1 clinics scheduled from now until the end of the year:

Nov. 20 at Watkins Elementary School; Nov. 23 at Bissett, Weller  and York elementary schools; Nov. 24 at Reed Middle School and Williams Elementary School;  Dec. 1 at Hillcrest High School; Dec. 3 at Pittman and Bingham elementary schools;  Dec. 4 at Field and Sequiota elementary schools; Dec. 8 at Pershing K-8 and Wilder Elementary School; Dec. 9 at Hickory Hills K-8; Dec. 10 at Glendale High School; Dec. 14 at Shady Dell Early Childhood Center and Delaware Elementary School; Dec. 15 at Holland and Twain elementary schools; Dec. 16 at Sunshine, Portland and Sherwood elementary schools; Dec. 17 at Jarrett Middle School and Rountree Elementary School; and Dec. 18 at Parkview High School.

Additions and revisions made to H1N1 clinic schedule

Nov. 19, 2009

Springfield Public Schools has rescheduled two H1N1 vaccine clinics. The Nov. 19 clinic at Watkins Elementary School has been moved to Friday, Nov. 20. The H1N1 vaccine clinic scheduled for Dec. 17 at Delaware Elementary School has been rescheduled for Monday, Dec. 14.

The school district has also set dates for vaccine clinics at additional schools. Following is the most current list of H1N1 clinics scheduled from now until the end of the year:

Nov. 20 at Watkins Elementary School; Nov. 23 at Bissett and York elementary schools; Nov. 24 at Reed Middle School and Williams Elementary School; Dec. 3 at Pittman and Bingham elementary schools;  Dec. 4 at Field and Sequiota elementary schools; Dec. 8 at Pershing K-8 and Wilder Elementary School; Dec. 9 at Hickory Hills K-8; Dec. 10 at Glendale High School; Dec. 14 at Shady Dell Early Childhood Center and Delaware Elementary School; Dec. 15 at Holland and Twain elementary schools; Dec. 16 at Sunshine, Portland and Sherwood elementary schools; Dec. 17 at Jarrett Middle School and Rountree Elementary School; and Dec. 18 at Parkview High School.  

Carver Honor Choir to perform at The Mansion Theatre

Nov. 13, 2009

Carver Middle School Honor Choir students have been invited to perform at The Mansion Theatre in Branson Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 2 p.m.

The choir will be performing traditional carols on the grand staircase in the lobby of the theatre. There are 38 eighth-grade students in the honor choir directed by Victoria Kurre.

Gifted sixth-grader received top state award

Nov. 13, 2009

Central High School Middle Years Scholars program student Kathleen Snider was named the Nicholas Green Distinguished Student for the state at the annual National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) annual convention in St. Louis on Nov. 7.

The award recognizes distinguished achievement in academics, leadership or the arts in students in third through sixth grades. Snider received a $500 U.S. savings bond and a NAGC Certificate of Excellence.

The NAGC was established by the parents of Nicholas Green who was killed at age 7 in a drive-by shooting while visiting Italy in 1994.

Delaware hosts 'Title I Reading Night' Friday

Nov. 13, 2009

Delaware Elementary School will host their first "Title I Reading Night" Friday, Nov. 13, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:50 p.m. From 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. there will be family involvement time for parents and students to read together and make bookmarks. There are fun reading activities planned in several classrooms at 6:30 p.m. including specials guests from the Springfield Little Theatre, Springfield Police Department and the Missouri State University basketball team.

This event is for all Delaware families. For information contact Beth Engelhart at 523-3700.

Sherwood first-graders take top prize in state poster contest

Nov. 13, 2009

Heather Youngblood's first-grade class at Sherwood Elementary School won first place in the elementary category of the Governor's Committee to End Homelessness third-annual poster contest.

The class won the top prize among 158 entries with their poster design based on this year's theme, Homelessness: The Reality is in Our Back Yard. The contest was statewide and split into divisions of pre-k/headstart, elementary, junior/middle school and high school. The Sherwood class was awarded a first place ribbon and certificate for their entry and a $20 gift certificate and a book on homelessness awareness.

Youngblood will attend the annual Homeless Awareness Day event in Jefferson City Nov. 19 to represent her class and collect their prize.

Students will not have classes Nov. 25-27

Nov. 13, 2009

Springfield Public Schools students will have no classes Nov. 25-27, 2009. Teachers are scheduled to have a professional learning and work half-day Nov. 25 and Thanksgiving Vacation is Nov. 26-27.

Vaccine clinics scheduled for Hillcrest feeder schools

Nov. 12, 2009

Springfield Public Schools received 2,670 H1N1 vaccines the week of Nov. 9. As of Nov. 12, free vaccinations have been administered to students at 16 Springfield schools.

Vaccine clinics for schools in the Kickapoo High School attendance area began Nov. 11 and should be completed Nov. 18.

Vaccines will be administered at schools in the Hillcrest High School attendance area beginning Nov. 19. Clinics have been scheduled as follows, pending adequate vaccine supplies:

As additional vaccines are available, clinics will be scheduled at schools in theGlendale High Schoolattendance area and Parkview High Schoolattendance area. Parents will receive information from their child’s school when dates are set for clinics.

“It is our goal to administer the first round of H1N1 vaccinations to all students who want it before the winter break begins Dec. 23,” explained Jean Grabeel, coordinator of student health services. “We are optimistic that we will be able to accomplish this if delivery of vaccine continues as expected.”

Parental permission is required for a student to receive the vaccine. Parents will receive instructions from their child’s school about how to obtain a permission form, which must be signed and returned to the school nurse before the scheduled vaccine clinic.

For the most current information about vaccine availability and clinic schedules, parents are encouraged to visit the Influenza Information page.

Study students to do environmental service projects Thursday

Nov. 4, 2009

A group of 60 Study Middle School students will do environmental service projects Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Nature Center, 4600 S. Chrisman Ave., and at Valley Water Mill Park, 2300 E. Valley Watermill Road from 9:30 a.m. to noon.

The service project is a chance to develop and apply effective research skills learned in class. The groups is made up of 6th-, 7th- and 8th-grade students who had good attendance, grades and behavior. Students will document their work and reactions with both video and still cameras.

The project and research and documentation equipment was funded by a "Learning Through Serving" grant from The Foundation for Springfield Public Schools.

 

Kickapoo sisters named state tennis doubles champs

Nov. 4, 2009

Kickapoo High School students, and sisters, Carlee (grade 12) and Mackenzie (grade 10) Rozell won the top prize at the recent MissouriState High School Activities Association state tournament.

The team defeated eight other doubles teams for the state title, four of the matches were won at the district match prior to the state tournament in the end of October. The final winning match was against the St. Joseph team.

This was the first doubles team from Springfield ever to win the class two state title.


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