Welcome to the eMule! Every Monday, we will send you the latest news from the Poplar Bluff R-I School District to help start your week on the right hoof. |
Talented students win a string of state accolades
Poplar Bluff Schools has an especially talented student body this academic year, if the past month is any indicator, having had several teenagers from junior and senior high achieve statewide honors in the arts, music, sports and theater.
"Poplar Bluff is so fortunate to have the talented students we do in our school system, displaying excellence both in and outside of the classroom," R-I Superintendent Chris Hon said. "This is just a sampling of the young people that are going to lead our community, state and even the nation in the future."
Junior high placed in five competitions during the Missouri Junior Beta Club Convention held Nov. 30 at the Black River Coliseum, with eighth graders Tori Travers taking first in the special talent portion of the program and Katie Huskey in quilting, each qualifying to compete in nationals June 15-22 at Mobile, Ala.
Shortly thereafter, high school seniors Lauren White and Darius Sales were named to all-state, White to play English horn for the band Jan. 26 during the Missouri Music Educators Association Conference at the Lake of the Ozarks, and Sales being selected as punter for the top football team.
Meanwhile, senior Austin McWilliams and sophomore Davis Summers of PBHS Thespian Troupe No. 4379 were chosen to perform their award-winning comedy "Greater Tuna" for mainstage Jan. 11 during the Missouri State Thespian Conference in St. Louis, a first-time honor for the district.
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Kindergartners bring Christmas spirit to area nursing homes
The Poplar Bluff Kindergarten Center went Christmas caroling at area nursing homes on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 13-14, after spending class time practicing several songs under the direction of music teacher Fawn Leucke.
[Above] David McKuin of Pennie Ethridge's kindergarten class, one of six participating classes, rings a bell as he leads a group of Christmas carolers down the fourth floor hallway of the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center.
Click here to view the entire album, and be sure to 'like' your favorite photo. |
Police officers surprise preschoolers with gifts
Law enforcement officials from the Poplar Bluff Police Department used extra funds raised for the recent "Cops with Kids" event to purchase Christmas gifts-dolls for girls and cars for boys-which they delivered Tuesday, Dec. 18, to over 250 students at the Poplar Bluff Early Childhood Center.
[Above] Joylee Pfaff hugs Santa Claus while officers Kyle Alcorn [left] and Joe Ward pass out gifts. |
Community leaders discuss rural economy with Missouri legislators
Poplar Bluff R-I Superintendent Chris Hon participated in his second recent roundtable discussion hosted Wednesday, Dec. 19, at Three Rivers College featuring visiting state senators who were learning about how Southeast Missouri has worked together to overcome economic challenges, prior to entering the upcoming legislative session.
Pictured [from left] are: Three Rivers Vice President of Student Success Dr. Angela Totty, Three Rivers Dexter Center Coordinator Bill Hampton, Three Rivers Marketing Director Teresa Johnson, Hon, Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Chris Rushin and Colton's Steak House owner Herman Styles. |
Oak Grove Elementary students help deck the halls at Sandy Hook
Oak Grove Elementary students [from left] Josh Lashley, Maikayla Willis and Brittany Pennington make paper snowflakes in Shelly Tune's fourth grade class Wednesday, Dec. 19, to mail to Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.-per request of its Parent-Teacher Association-to help deck the halls, as educators prepare to continue the school year in an older facility. |
JROTC Change of Command Ceremony
Poplar Bluff High School Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps instructor Maj. Gregory Crites congratulates Cadet Lt. Col. John Hanley, who succeeds Cadet Lt. Col. Tiffany Morris as the commander of the Pvt. Billie G. Kanell JROTC Battalion, during the Change of Command ceremony Thursday, Dec. 20, in the E.T. Peters Gym. |
Victory in defeat for Poplar Bluff Schools
We finished the Clorox 'Power a Bright Future' contest in 21st place out of  1,595 proposals submitted. The winner in our category was a school in Saginaw, Mich., with a population three times our size.
Poplar Bluff was the top school out of 38 in Missouri-beating out cities like Columbia, Jefferson City, Kansas City and St. Louis-which is a real testament to how our community comes together! Altogether, we placed in the 60s out of 2,500 projects! Our former social work intern Chris Martin [pictured to the right], who wrote the grant and pushed it to no end, is owed a major debt of gratitude! We'd also like to thank President Steve Halter of the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce and our media partners including Programming/News Director Brittney McKay at KWOC and Reporter Donna Farley of the DAR for helping to get the word out.
There is one more possible path to victory. A project from the 'explore' category will be chosen to win $25K based on merit as determined by a panel of judges. But whatever the outcome, we just wanted to take a moment and thank everyone for the incredible showing of support! It means a lot to the extremely dedicated staff at the Graduation Center. |
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Winter Break
School will be closed from Dec. 24-Jan. 4. Happy holidays!
Record Release Party
Eighth grader Tori Travers of Poplar Bluff Junior High, an emerging country/pop artist, will be hosting a CD release party from 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 29, at Las Margaritas to celebrate her debut album, which is self-titled. Tori will be performing and signing autographs.
New Year's Day 5K
The Poplar Bluff Vipers 11 and under AAA Travel Baseball Team is having its third annual New Year's Day 5K/one-mile race beginning at 10 a.m. Jan. 1, 2013, at Three Rivers College. Proceeds benefit Lou Gehrig's disease research plus help the baseball team with travel expenses during its season. To register, email Early Childhood Center Speech Pathologist Sharon Burkey at sburkey@pb.k12.mo.us or call 573-718-0462.
Wrestling Tourney
Poplar Bluff will host the 2013 SEMO Conference Wrestling Tournament Jan.18-19, 2013. Schools participating include Poplar Bluff, Cape Central, Dexter, Farmington, Jackson, New Madrid, North County, Notre Dame, Sikeston, St. Genevieve and Windsor.
Cadet Teaching
A new class is being offered next semester at PBHS called 'Cadet Teaching.'
Students looking to take the class need to have completed one semester of A+ tutoring. The student must also have met all the
eligibility requirements of the A+ scholarship. Lastly, the student must be an active member of the FTA Club and, of course, have an interest in the career of teaching, as the assignments are rigorously related to the field. For those interested, contact A+ Coordinator Barbie Hon at 573-785-2248.
Mule Prints
Poplar Bluff Schools is excited to announce our first magazine - Mule Prints - will be released this spring. The district-wide publication written by our communications department will focus on student achievement. The magazine would absolutely not be possible without our new partnership with the Daily American Republic, whose staff will be helping every step of the way. The DAR has also most generously agreed to pay for the cost of printing. The magazine will be available for free at businesses throughout Poplar Bluff, including real estate agencies and the chamber of commerce. |
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On Monday, Dec. 17, KFVS12 ran photos on its website of kindergartners Christmas caroling at area nursing homes.
On Tuesday, Dec. 18, KFVS12 ran a photo release about the 6th annual 'Jingle Jog' at Oak Grove Elementary.
Channel 12 also ran photos of Poplar Bluff police officers delivering presents to preschoolers.
Last for not least, KFVS12 did a segment about Poplar Bluff Schools being proactive when it comes to student safety.
On Wednesday, Dec. 19, KFVS12 ran a photo release about Oak Grove students helping to deck the halls at Sandy Hook Elementary.
Channel 12 also put together a segment about one of our students at the 5th & 6th Grade Center performing random acts of kindness.
The DAR published a letter to the editor from Superintendent Chris Hon about the recent tragedy in Newtown, Conn. |
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