The Board of Education accepted the certified results from the April 8 Municipal Election during their monthly meeting on Thursday in the Administrative Building.

The biggest April turnout since 1999, 2,850 citizens votes yes out of 5,076 on the school district's operating levy measure, which will help fund a $49.6 million buildings plan.

Click here to read Superintendent Chris Hon's monthly column, which individually thanks some of the key people who helped throughout the three-year process.

 

First Midwest Bank made a $500 donation to the Poplar Bluff 5th & 6th Grade Center on Monday, April 14, to purchase multiple literature sets for classes.

[From left]: Six graders Justin Crouch and Rondriguez Hopkins; Elementary Library Department Chairwoman Kim Miller; First Midwest Mortgage Loan Officer Mac Crook; and sixth graders Emma Steffan and Savannah Hudson.

 

Three Poplar Bluff High School students placed first in the recent 14th annual Regional High School Art Exhibit. Brionna Phillips won in painting, Savannah Dobbs in three-dimensional and Fantashia Kipper in the fiber categories. Their artwork, along with the runner-ups, will be on display at the Margaret Harwell Art Museum until Sunday, April 27.

[Above]: Fantashia Fipper poses next to her fiber art during the opening reception.

[Below]: Joy Pelton, who won an honorable mention, poses next to her mixed media art. 

 

Three R-I faculty members were recognized on Monday, April 14, during the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce annual Teacher of the Year Banquet at the Poplar Bluff 5th & 6th Grade Center.

PBHS science teacher Gail Karlish [top] was recognized as the secondary grade level TOY; O'Neal second grade teacher Jeanie Isom [middle] was recognized as the elementary grade level TOY; and fifth grade teacher Joan Lack [bottom] was recognized as the middle school grade level TOY. Presenting the awards was Steve Halter, chamber president.

 

[From left]: Emma Cooper, Darian Sales and Trevor Asher placed third in mobile app development during the Future Business Leaders of America state leadership conference Sunday through Tuesday, April 13-15, in Columbia. The juniors will advance to the national competition this summer in Nashville.

Additionally, Tyler Travers, Olivia Hurst and Davis Summers placed eighth in business presentation.

 

About 100 third graders from Eugene Field Elementary School toured the Daily American Republic newspaper office on Thursday, April 10, to gain some background for their weekly story, "The Printer."

[Above]: Circulation Supervisor Molly Reich [right] welcomes the students and discusses the inner workings of her department.

[Below]: Mailroom/Pagination Department Manager Randy Graves teaches the students about the print press.

 

The Poplar Bluff High School Math Club placed in the top percentile among 28 schools in various categories on Tuesday, April 8, during Math Field Day at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.

[Above]: placing second was the Algebra 1 team, which consisted of freshmen [from left] Holden Jennings, Paul Sanders, Rachel Henson and Michael Tubb.

[Below]: Freshman Humza Siddiqui [left] placed second in 10th grade geometry; junior Ben Soeter [center] placed third in open trigonometry; and sophomore Elizabeth Bottorff placed third in non-routine problem solving II.

 

Dozens of Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center students earned medals during the Missouri SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference held Thursday to Saturday, April 3-5, at Linn State Technical College.

[Above, back row from left]: HVAC instructor Ron Hendrick, Ashtin Vaughn, Austin Wall (Computer Maintenance - second place), Trentan Rogers, Michael Alberson and Billy Jones; [middle row]: Computer Maintenance instructor Justin Hager, Chelsey King, Jerrika Hubrins, Josh McMinn, Shania Nelson (Cosmetology - third place), Brooke Moore (Cosmetology - third place), Mandin Schulte (Cosmetology - first place) and TCC Director Charles Kinsey; [front row, from left]: Taylor Henson, Jessica Aubuchon (Screen Printing - second place) , Abby Odom, Dan Parker, David Bequette (HVAC - first place) and Cosmetology instructor Susan Chronister.

Students who placed in the top three not pictured are: Paul Burnett (Vinyl Sign Making - second place), Andrea Cooper (Esthetics - first place), Jacklyn Eagle (Vinyl Sign Making - second place), Emalee Koenig (Esthetics - first place) and Tristin Sherrod (Vinyl Sign Making - second place).

[Below]: Culinary students compete in the Mules Cafe to qualify for states, as local restaurant industry leaders judge their cooking. 

 

During Read Across America Day last month, Three Rivers College children's literature students celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday with the first grade reading class at Eugene Field Elementary School.

[Above]: Under the guidance of Three Rivers Coordinator of Teacher Education Madawn Traxel, Jacob Thurner attempts to pin a green egg on a ham, while fourth grade tutor Haile Hall holds the board.

[Below]: Three Rivers students Holly Spain and Klarissa Webb [forefront] read "The Cat in the Hat" to Teresa Webb's first graders.

 

The Poplar Bluff Mules Booster Club has selected Haylee Dragon and Aaron Vincent of Poplar Bluff High School as the February Athletes of the Month, and Courtney Raulston and Stacy Gipson for March.

[Above, left]: Aaron, a senior, ended the wrestling season with a 21-9 record. He placed fourth at the SEMO Conference, second at the district state qualifier, and went 1-2 at states.

[Above, right]: Sophomore Haylee, a swimmer, qualified for All-Conference in the 100 backstroke, 50 freestyle, 200 medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay. She holds the school record in the 200 and 400 freestyle relay, as well as the 200 medley relay. She holds the 200 freestyle relay record at Jackson Pool, and is the meet record holder in the 100 and 200 freestyle relay.

[Below, middle]: Senior Stacy ended the basketball season with 13.7 points per game, 9.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 3.7 blocks and a 57 percent field gold percentage.

[Below, right]: Courtney, a senior, is a three-year letterman in basketball. She won the defense award and the free throw award, plus was the team co-captain. She was a SEMO All-Conference honorable mention.

Presenting the plaques is Booster Club President Jason Smothers.

 Mule Tracks

FFA Plant Sale

Future Farmers of America will hold their annual plant sale from 7:15 a.m.-3:30 p.m. April 28-May 16 at PBHS. For more information, email FFA Advisor Kathryn Clark at kathrynclark@pb.k12.mo.us.

Foundation Golf Tourney

The 15th Annual Golf Tournament will take place at noon Friday, May 2, at Ozark Ridge Golf Course. Click here if you are interested in sponsorship opportunities or participating in the four-person scramble. Proceeds from the event help fund the Poplar Bluff Public School Foundation scholarship program and other educational opportunities.

Guys and Dolls

Guys and Dolls, the PBJHS spring musical, is slated to take place at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 9-10, in the Kay Porter Theater.

ECC Screenings

Early Childhood Center screening appointments are currently being scheduled for Tuesday through Thursday, May 13-15. For more information, call 573-785-6803.

Spring Concert

The fifth and sixth grade Honor Choir will hold its annual Spring Concert at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, at the 5th & 6th Grade Center. The concert is free and open to the public.

On Monday, April 7, the DAR reported about the Early Childhood Center's Teacher of the Year, Lori Bell.

On Tuesday, April 8, the DAR ran a photo spread from the PBHS Powder Bull Volleyball games.

On Wednesday, April 9, the DAR reported the results of R-I's historic election, as well as announced the winners of the school board race.

KFVS12 aired a television segment about the school's election victory.

On Monday, April 14, the DAR honored Kindergarten TOY, Shelly Johnson.

The DAR also recognized the PBHS Beta Club for making a generous donation to the Animal Shelter.

Lastly, the DAR published a photo of Eugene Field second graders thanking Poplar Bluff voters for approving the buildings plan.

On Tuesday, April 15, the DAR provided coverage of the chamber's TOY banquet.

School & Community magazine published an article about Capturing Kids' Hearts by Instructional Technology Facilitator Candace Warren (p. 30-31).

On Wednesday, April 16, the DAR published Superintendent Chris Hon's monthly column, which reflected on the recent campaign, thanking people who were instrumental.

The Columbia Daily Tribune reported an article about MOREnet's expansion in Southeast Missouri, quoting Media Center Director Jim Thomas.

On Friday, April 18, the DAR ran a photo spread from the PBJHS Earth Day celebration at Wappapello.

1. Enter email address
2. Check 'sports results'