Applications will soon be sent out to Poplar Bluff High School faculty so they can submit requests for mini-grants to the Academic Assistance Group, which will select what field trips, equipment and other projects to fund during its next board meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, in conference room 101 at Senior High.

Established in 1990-according to school records-the AAG is the "booster club" for all academic departments and functions at PBHS. Its mission is to supplement the instructional needs of teachers that may not have been included in applicable budgets, or educational opportunities that may have arisen during the school year.

Last spring, the AAG purchased a wireless buzzer system for the Academic Team, new books for students of the Graduation Center, and partially funded the Freedom Riders' visit to historical places as well as subsidized a fieldtrip to Six Flags so science students can participate in Physics Day.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, in the 5th & 6th Grade Center, the AAG will host its annual Academic Letter Banquet to recognize 188 students for making the A-honor roll, based on accumulative GPA from last school year. The nonprofit holds a Trivia Night every January as its primary fundraiser.

To donate directly to the AAG, contact PBHS guidance counselor Tamara Day by emailing tday@pb.k12.mo.us or call 573-785-6471.

Above: Pictured with Tamara Day [right], Donna Laseter, the mother of PBHS junior Isaac Laseter, was recently elected to succeed Dr. Larry Kimbrow as AAG president.

During the Butler County Relay for Life event on Friday, Sept. 19, at the Black River Coliseum, art and music teacher Fawn Luecke of the Poplar Bluff Kindergarten Center won the "Paint the Town Purple" award in the school category for decorating the center's halls.

Poplar Bluff Schools donated more than $1,000 for the American Cancer Society fundraiser as a result of its "jean day" incentive.

Above: Fawn Luecke [right] is pictured at Relay for Life with Eugene Field third grade teacher Jackie Gilberto, a cancer survivor.

Below: Luecke stands in front of the library in the purple halls of the Kindergarten Center.

Kindergartners who did the best job staying on task in elective classes including art, gym, library and music, plus maintained good attendance, were awarded a traveling trophy on Friday, Sept. 19, under the newly reinstated good behavior incentive program at the Poplar Bluff Kindergarten Center.

Amanda Summers' class won for behaving in art class, Mary Painton's class won in music, Christie Knuckles' won in library, Mary Barousse's - physical education [above] and Susie Rahlmann's students were recognized for outstanding attendance [below].

The Board of Education made a future-minded investment in technology infrastructure that will position Poplar Bluff Schools to have a reliable Internet connection as students create more intensive multi-media projects under the Digital Transformation.

During the monthly meeting on Thursday, Sept. 18, in the Administrative Building, the school board unanimously approved MOREnet's SEMO Fiber Project to build a direct connection to the University of Missouri's network backbone at a reduced price due to a partnership with the Internet supplier and the E-Rate program, which offers schools discounted telecommunications services. MOREnet stands for Missouri Research and Education Network.

The project-to be under way during the first quarter of 2015-will dramatically increase the size of the district's fiber infrastructure, allowing the school system to purchase additional Internet bandwidth, cutting the school's fiber management fee by more than half, according to information R-I Chief Technology Officer Aaron Badgley supplied.

Above: Allen Minor of MOREnet recently surveyed the school bus garage and maintenance shed in an effort to incorporate the departments into the district's network to improve Internet reliability and speed.

The eighth grade science department created a unit on scientific method, culminating with a rocket launch on Tuesday, Sept. 9, at Morrow Stadium.

PBJHS teacher Jenn Nicolini went over the scientific method with the 400 students. Then students rotated to Vic Clark's class to assemble the homemade air launchers out of a motorcycle battery, speaker wire, light switch and irrigation valve. Finally students analyzed the data-the distance achieved-using charts and graphs in Jodie Berry's class.

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