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. |
PBJHS safe room grant jump-starts R-I facilities plan
The Poplar Bluff R-I School District has been awarded a $132,000 federal grant, 75 percent toward the cost of designing a tornado safe room at the junior high.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has set aside another $1.1 million for the construction of the building, funding that will be made available after the construction documents are submitted a year from the phase one approval date of Jan. 29, according to school leaders.
"This is an awesome step forward in keeping our kids safe during the school day," exclaimed junior high Principal Bob Case, "and I'm excited about the opportunity to be able to add classrooms for the projected increase in student population over the next three to 10 years."
A demographics study released last year by Business Information Services-headquartered in Blue Springs-predicts that the district will grow by 625 students over the next decade. The community has expressed support for the school addressing its space issues in the near future, according to a recent public survey conducted by Patron Insight, a Kansas City-based market research organization.
Architect Ben Traxel of Dille & Traxel, an adviser to the school's Long-Range Planning Committee, helped facilitate the writing of the FEMA grant pro bono. Traxel said his firm plans to submit a request for qualifications to design the safe room. RFQs are due March 12 for the school board's review at their regularly scheduled meeting the following week.
"This is the town we grew up in and the school where our kids go, so this is the type of work we really feel fortunate to be able to do," said Traxel, whose company was involved in a smaller renovation of the junior high in recent years, as well as the construction of the state-of-the-art Kindergarten Center on PP Highway.
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Elementary spelling champs determined on the radio
Second and third grade champions from Poplar Bluff R-I's four elementary schools were determined live on the air Wednesday, Feb. 20, during the third annual Fox Radio Network Spelling Bee Championship, sponsored by the Butler County Community Resource Council in collaboration with Three Rivers College.
[Above] Second grader Blake Yarbro of Oak Grove Elementary School just barely edges out second place winner Mariah Deshaney of O'Neal Elementary on the 106th word, a-g-r-e-e-d, while the CRC's Lee Spilberg moderates and Fox Radio News Director Jim Carrier films the event.
[Below] Lake Road Elementary School's Rachel Hill [right] is named the third grade champion by spelling the 32nd word, 'sweater,' correctly while Oak Grove Elementary's Natalie Murphy is hailed the first runner-up.
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Mayas takes over the lunch menu at PBHS
Food from Mayas Mexican Restaurant was served at Poplar Bluff High School on Wednesday, Feb. 20, as part of the Chef 2 School program through which local restaurants partner with Chartwells School Dining Services to occasionally offer students an alternative lunch option.
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PBJHS sending its top spellers to regional bee
[Above] Adeesh Mishra finishes Poplar Bluff Junior High School's annual spelling bee Wednesday, Feb. 20, as the 2013 champion, spelling the word 'resurgent' correctly.
Adeesh, along with first runner-up Wyatt Murphy [left], also of the seventh grade, and eighth grader Seth Parnell [right], the second runner-up, will go on to vie in the Southeast Missouri Regional Spelling Bee at Three Rivers College, the winner of which will head to Washington, D.C. for the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Also pictured is Candace Warren, communication arts teacher. Warren, along with the rest of the English faculty, sent three finalists to the junior high spelling bee, totaling 21 competing students.
[Below] Communication arts teacher Joyce Whitworth came geared up to moderate the spelling bee.
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Lobbying for career and technical education support
Missouri Center for Career Education Region 7 grant coordinator Camille MacDonald, Poplar Bluff High School agriculture education instructor Charles Kinsey and Technical Career Center Director Jean Winston [right, both photos] meet with Rep. Todd Richardson [left, above] and Sen. Doug Libla [left, below], each of Poplar Bluff, on Wednesday, Feb. 13, at the Missouri Capitol to promote career and technical education and discuss a bill coming before Congress involving continued funding.
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ALICE training expanded to elementary school staff
Sgt. Tom Bradley and Lt. Kenny Mayberry of the Southeast Missouri State University Department of Public Safety returned to Poplar Bluff's Kay M. Porter Theater on Friday, Feb. 15, this time to equip elementary faculty-preschool through fourth grade-with ALICE (alert lockdown inform counter evacuate) training. Earlier this school year, Bradley and Mayberry hosted the seminar for R-I certified staff over grades five to 12th.
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Bonus: "Harlem Shake" dance video from Mules Senior Night goes viral
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The Bully Effect
CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360" documentary "The Bully Effect," which will feature a photo from Poplar Bluff's Stand for the Silent chapter, will air at 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28 and 7 p.m. March 3 and 9.
Blood Drive
The Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, March 1, at PBHS.
Science Fair
Several qualifying PBJHS students will compete in the 57th Annual SEMO Regional Science Fair on Tuesday, March 5, at Southeast Missouri State University's Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.
Pancake Breakfasts
The Poplar Bluff Stand for the Silent chapter will host a pancake breakfast from 8-10 a.m. Saturday, March 9, at Applebee's for $5. Proceeds support the student-led anti-bullying organization.
SEMO Sluggers Traveling Softball team, 12 and under, will hold a pancake breakfast fundraiser from 7:30-11:30 a.m. Sunday, March 10, at Myrtle's Place at 109 N. Broadway. The cost is $6. Children three years old and under eat for free. Proceeds go to tournament fees and uniforms. For more information, call 573-429-1959.
Anti-Bully Week
Stand for the Silent founder Kirk Smalley, who was featured in the critically acclaimed movie "Bully," will visit junior and senior high on Thursday, March 28, to wrap up anti-bully week.
Mule Prints
The premiere edition of our district magazine is coming this spring!
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On Monday, Feb. 18, Three Rivers College put out a press release about our College Now dual credit partnership.
On Tuesday, Feb. 19, the DAR reported about Lake Road Elementary scoring in the upper echelon during a national math competition.
KFVS12 ran a release about school officials lobbying on behalf of technical career education in Jefferson City.
On Wednesday, Feb. 20, KFVS12 ran a photo from a regionally qualifying spelling bee at PBJHS.
The SEMO Times ran a series of photos from the Famous Missourians Living Museum at Oak Grove Elementary.
KFVS12 also ran photos from the Living Museum.
On Thursday, Feb. 21, the DAR ran a candid photo of a very special prom invitation.
KFVS12 ran a release about the PBJHS spelling bee.
Kait8 ran a photo release about the Chef 2 School program.
The DAR ran a press release about Poplar Bluff's Stand for the Silent chapter being featured on national television.
On Sunday, Feb. 24, KFVS12 linked the video of Poplar Bluff students doing the 'Harlem Shake.'
On Monday, Feb. 25, the DAR published the list of TCC students who have qualified to vie in the state SkillsUSA competition.
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