Portland principal selected for 2013-2014

Springfield Public Schools has named Josh Holt as the new principal at Portland Elementary School. Josh comes to SPS from Hollister School district where he served as a middle school principal. In recent years he has also held a variety of positions with SPS.

Prior to joining the staff at Hollister, Josh worked for SPS as a Title I math coach, assistant elementary principal for summer school, fourth-grade teacher and middle school football coach. He has also previously worked for the Strafford R-VI School District.

Josh has a bachelor's degree from Central Methodist University and master's degrees from University of Missouri-Columbia and Missouri State University. He is currently working toward his doctorate at Lindenwood University.

Two SPS elementary school to be recognized for positive behavior support

Portland and Sunshine elementary schools will be recognized for effective and comprehensive implementation of schoolwide positive behavior support at the eighth annual School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Summer Training Institute on June 12 at Tan-Tar-A. Both schools earned a gold level rating.

SW-PBS is a process for creating safer and more effective schools by structuring the learning environment to support the academic and social success of all students. The process supports the adoption and long-term implementation of efficient and effective discipline throughout the school environment. SW-PBS methods are research-based proven to significantly reduce the occurrence of problem behaviors in schools.

Successful schools must demonstrate superior performance in the following areas:

• Use of data to direct instruction, problem solving and intervention efforts
• Creative and engaging recognition systems
• Implementation of SW-PBS throughout the school environment
• Systemic orientation of new students, parents and staff throughout the year
• Active instruction for social and behavioral skills

College-sponsored Merit Scholarship winners named

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced three Central High School students as winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by U.S. colleges and universities.

Officials of each sponsor college select their scholarship winners from among the finalists in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program who plan to attend their institution. These awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship.

Central High School recipients are:

• Andrew B. Cummings, probable career field in political science
• Ellen R. Eisenhour, probable career field in mathematics
• Spenser T. Pulleyking, probable career field in biochemistry

Any child age 18 and under may receive free breakfast and lunch at 10 Springfield Public Schools locations. The program ends when summer school concludes.

Children do not need to be enrolled in summer school to participate but they must be accompanied by an adult. Eligible disabled adults age 21 and under may also qualify to participate in the program.

View the summer school menus. For more information, call 523-1101

Following is the serving schedule for each location: