Central teacher is distinguished foreign language educator
Oct. 29, 2008
Lisa Lilley, Central High School Spanish teacher was named Missouri’s Distinguished Foreign Language Educator for 2008 at the Missouri Foreign Language Association annual conference this month. Lilley was recognized for her leadership among students and teachers at the local and national levels. Lilley also chairs the district curriculum development committee for foreign languages. She is now Missouri’s candidate for the central states foreign languages teacher of the year to be named in March.
Boyd family fun day is Nov. 1
Oct. 29, 2008
Boyd Elementary School will hold a family fun day and book fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1. All are invited to attend and celebrate Boyd’s 100th anniversary. Free drinks and hot dogs will be provided. The day will include a penny drive to benefit a local family whose child was recently injured in a car accident. For more information contact Boyd PTA president Lisa Lynch at 689-4431 or Boyd principal James Grandon at 523-1500.
Middle College will expand programs next year
Oct. 29, 2008
The new Middle College – a partnership between Springfield Public Schools and Ozarks Technical Community College – will expand next year to offer two more programs. Middle College currently offers early childhood or diesel/automobile technology programs to 32 Springfield high school juniors on the OTC campus. Up to 96 students will be served next year with the addition of programs in medical services and manufacturing.
Students who qualify for Middle College are underperforming in the traditional high school setting or have lacked representation or access to higher education. Middle College is one more way the district is responding to public demand for more choices in education. SPS currently offers more than a dozen choice programs for students of all interests and needs. For more information, contact your high school counselor or Dr. LaRaine Bauer, Middle College coordinator, at bauerl@otc.edu or 447-6908.
Central, Hillcrest broadcast students excel in competition
Oct. 29, 2008
Students from Central High School’s Central Intelligence and Hillcrest High School’s HTV Magazine excelled during a recent competition involving 20 schools from Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Both schools competed in the “9-5 contest” that demanded creating an entire show or film in eight hours. Central Intelligence placed first in the broadcast news category; in the film category, HTV Magazine’s “Friday Show” staff won best directing and Bailey Irvine won outstanding actress.
Other Central Intelligence winners: First place, "Haley's Story,” (human interest), Nicole Young and Drew Sampson; second place, "Young Voter Involvement," (news), Felix Chang and Destiny Pettus; third place, "Expression: Use it or Lose it," (public service announcement), Brittany Donellan, Sarah Smith and David Langdon; honorable mention, "Japanese Fall Festival," (human interest), Will Pearson and Raleigh Corvero; honorable mention, (anchoring), M.K. Byrne.
Other HTV Magazine winners: First place, news story, Mehleena Edmonds and Alex Tabor; first place, on-air reporter, Kendra Edmonds; first place public service announcements, Lindsey Hale, Kelton Russell, Chelsea Peebles; second place, stand-ups, Olivia Tinkler and Chelsea Rea; third place, music video, Fran Olive, Rob Lyons, Curtis Thomas and Sarah Skinner.
Groundbreaking set for Hickory Hills School
Oct. 24, 2008
A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28, for the new Hickory Hills School currently under construction at 4650 E. Division St. The $19.6-million project will feature energy-efficient and sustainable systems, making it Springfield Public Schools’ first “green” building.
The 118,500-square-feet school, which will serve grades K-8, is designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification standards which address site design, water and energy efficiency, material use and indoor environment. It is being built on about 22 acres just northeast of the existing Hickory Hills School.
“Green” won’t just be the focus of the physical building, according to Principal Kelly Allison. Hickory Hills teachers are currently working to incorporate sustainable practices into classroom learning. “We will be working to promote student understanding of what it means to ‘live green,’” Allison said.
Students are expected to attend classes in the new building beginning January 2010.
Building services department receives 'facilities masters award'
Oct. 24, 2008
Springfield Public Schools Building Services Department has been awarded the 2008 Facilities Masters Award by the Association of School Business Officials. The Building Services Department was recognized for exemplary facilities management practices and procedures including planning, maintenance and training. For more information, call Jim Dow, interim director of business operations, at 523-0417.
District releases latest update on construction projects
Oct. 24, 2008
The latest quarterly update on construction projects funded by the 2006 bond initiative is now available for inspection. School board member Dr. Michael Hoeman said the updates have been very informative and provide public accountability to district capital construction. View the update.
Tour de Kickapoo part of French week at high school
Oct. 24, 2008
The Kickapoo High School French Club is organizing a host of activities to celebrate National French Week Nov. 5-11, including the Tour de Kickapoo tricycle race Nov. 11 which pits a principal against a member of the student body. The activities are designed to promote the learning of French at Kickapoo and will include music, a French movie night, a French-speaking word day and classroom visits by French speakers from the community. For more information, call Carole Ogden at 523-8500.
Red Ribbon week features BADD assembly at York
Oct. 21, 2008
Members of the Central High School Bulldogs Against Destructive Decisions (BADD) club will present a program to York Elementary School students encouraging them to make healthy decisions about drugs and alcohol.
The program will be from 8-8:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 27, during an assembly at York, 2100 W. Nichols St. The goal is to introduce young students to older students who have made decisions to be drug- and alcohol-free. This event is being held in conjunction with the national Red Ribbon Coalition’s “Red Ribbon Week” which is the last full week of October. The coalition is dedicated to the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse.
Quirkles coming to Weller
Oct. 21, 2008
The Quirkles are coming to Weller Elementary School on Oct. 31. Quirkles are letter-based characters that explain particular science concepts in an easy and fun fashion. Andy Acid teaches about acids. Botanist Burt teaches about plants, and so on. Terri Johnson, a partner in Creative 3 LLC, the Quirkles’ development company, will do experiments with students in Cathy Castillo’s first-grade class at 12:30 p.m. that day. For more information call Cathy Castillo at Weller Elementary School, 523-1900.
CHS speech and debate teams qualifies for 'Pinnacle Society'
Oct. 21, 2008
Last year’s Central High School Speech and Debate team placed in the top rung of National Forensic League chapters nationwide and now qualifies for the NFL’s elite “Pinnacle Society.” The award means Central’s program is teaching essential life skills – communication, research, listening, writing and organization – to a large number of students. In addition, students Daniel Philip, Evan Dorshorst, Lindsey Zhang and Nick Ramsey were named NFL All-Americans for ranking among the top 25 percent of national point leaders. All four graduated last year from Central.
Parkview thespians present 'Working' Nov. 6-9
Oct. 21, 2008
The Parkview High School Performing Arts Department will present “Working” Nov. 6-9 at the school. This musical is based on the book by Studs Terkel that told the compelling stories of everyday workers. The play was recently selected as one of only two in the state to perform at the Missouri Thespian Conference Jan. 8-10 in St. Louis. For information on tickets and show times call 523-9300 or visit www.phstheatre.org
SPS schools participating in 'Kids Voting USA' Nov. 4
Oct. 15, 2008
Thirty-five Springfield public schools will participate in Kids Voting USA, a national non-partisan, non-profit program that allows students in all grades to study portions of grade-specific citizenship activities and accompany a parent or other adult to the polls on Election Day and cast a ballot. On Nov. 4, about 300,000 students from 35 Missouri school districts are expected to participate in the Kids Voting program.
For more information call Teresa Bledsoe, district community relations manager, at 523-0117.
View a list of participating Springfield schools.
Trisha Grassa named BASE program outstanding educator
Oct. 15, 2008
Central High School teacher Trisha Grassa will be honored as the Southwest Center for Independent Living’s Outstanding Educator of the Year during its annual meeting Nov. 14 at University Plaza Hotel. Grassa is being recognized for her outstanding work with the St. John’s Business Associated Student Education (BASE) Program. The award is given to an individual who goes beyond the call of duty to give their students greater opportunities to become active members of their community and lead independent lives. Grassa has been a BASE instructor for 13 years at Springfield Public Schools.
Study Middle School celebrates 60 years with fall festival
Oct. 15, 2008
Celebrating 60 years in west Springfield, Study Middle School will host a fall festival on Friday, Oct. 24. School supporters will use the event to honor the community support shown to the school over the years. At least 33 businesses will participate by volunteering, donating prizes or working in a booth. The festival is from 5:30-8 p.m. at the school. Meal tickets and unlimited game passes are $5 each. For more information call Study principal Jim Harvey at 523-6400.
Annual KHS fall carnival set for Oct. 25
Oct. 15, 2008
Kickapoo High School student organizations will come together Saturday, Oct. 25, to host the seventh annual Kickapoo Ozarks Food Harvest Fall Carnival. The event is from 6-8:30 p.m. in the school student center and cafeteria. Admission is two canned food items (minimum). Preferred items included canned fruit, vegetables, tuna or salmon, and boxed meals like Hamburger Helper, potatoes, bread and cake mix. Last year, the event raised more than 1,600 pounds of food for OFH, which currently provides more than 162,000 meals a year to people throughout the Ozarks.
The carnival will feature pumpkin painting, cookie decorating, fake-your-own-injury, a tattoo parlor, crazy hair, face painting, trunk or treating and a haunted house. Sponsors include Kickapoo’s Future Business Leaders of America, Family Career and Community Leaders of America, National Honor Society, student council, Key Club and others. For more information call Lynn Coffey at 523-8500.
District sees enrollment increase for 2008-2009
October 6, 2008
Total enrollment for Springfield Public Schools is 23,968 students for the 2008-2009 school year. Enrollment increased by 166 students compared with enrollment of 23,802 students in 2007-2008.
Growth in enrollment is particularly evident in several southwest Springfield schools:
Gray Elementary School increased by 31 students;
McBride Elementary School increased by 69 students;
Carver Middle School increased by 37 students;
Cherokee Middle School increased by 53 students; and
Kickapoo High School increased by 40 students.
With an increase of 173 students at the elementary level, four kindergarten teachers were added. The district is requesting a fifth teacher be hired to help address the increase of 120 students who are English Language Learners. The hiring of these additional teachers is important in advancing the district’s strategic objective of reducing student-teacher ratios.
For 2008-2009, the district has 11,315 elementary school students, 5,345 middle school students and 7,308 high school students.
Enrollment is counted each year on the last Wednesday of September and officially reported to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Annual college and career fair is Oct. 7
October 4, 2008
Representatives from 125 colleges and universities, trade and technical schools, the military and financial aid organizations will be present at the Springfield Regional College and Career Fair Tuesday, Oct. 7, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at University Plaza Convention Center. High school students from throughout southwest Missouri are encouraged to attend to learn more about post-secondary education opportunities. View a list of exhibitors.
Annual Kiwanis apple sale under way for shoe bank
October 3, 2008
The 58th annual Kiwanis apple sale is under way. Proceeds support the Kiwanis Club Shoe Bank for Springfield Public Schools at 501 W. Central St. First quality Washington Red or Golden Delicious apples are $50 for a box of 88 or $30 for a half box. Order deadline is Oct. 22. Call 885-9191 or 862-5567.
Last year, the Kiwanis Club of Ozark Empire provided $10,000 to buy more than 800 pairs of shoes for district students. Kiwanis members also volunteer each Wednesday to make sure students get new shoes. Proceeds also fund ongoing projects including the Hillcrest High School Key Club.
Reminder: No school Oct. 3, early dismissal Oct. 24
October 2, 2008
Springfield Public Schools will not be in session Friday, Oct. 3. The day has been scheduled for professional staff learning. Students will also be dismissed two hours early Friday, Oct. 24, for professional staff learning.
Phelps Center hosts second annual trivia night Oct. 10
October 2, 2008
Phelps Center for Gifted Education and its parent organization, Parents and Advocates for Gifted Education, will host the second annual trivia night on Friday, Oct. 10, at 934 S. Kimbrough Ave. A silent auction and concessions begin at 5:30 p.m.; the trivia game begins at 6 p.m. Cost is $10 per participant or $80 for an eight-person table. Students are encouraged to participate with an adult.
Proceeds will benefit the center’s outdoor classroom project. For more information, call Phelps Center at 523-3300.
Gray elementary hosts 'Missouri Day' activities Oct. 15
October 2, 2008
Wanda Gray Elementary School will introduce students to a variety of Show-Me State activities during “Missouri Day” on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the school. The day will include a square dancing hoedown at 8:50 a.m., a 10 a.m. visit to fourth-grade students by state Rep. Charlie Denison, an 11 a.m. art class visit by Missouri artist Alicia Farris, and library discussions throughout the day by Missouri authors Sherry Cook and Terri Johnson.
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