April Newsbreak - Pettis County RV School District

P ET TIS C OUNTY R-V S CHOOL D ISTRICT
Superintendent’s Message…
April 1, 2015
Twenty nine years ago I had the privilege of meeting with Mr. Eldon Kreisel, who
at that time was serving as NW Elementary Principal. The purpose of the meeting
was simple; to introduce myself and express my desire to teach in the District that
I would soon call my home. Fortunately for me, a first grade teaching position
opened up a couple of months later and I was hired to come work for Pettis
County R-V. I will forever be grateful to Mr. Kreisel and Members of the Board
of Education serving at that time for giving me the opportunity to teach and lead
in what I still believe to be one of the best rural schools in the state of Missouri.
In today’s world, schools are often judged solely only data such as test scores, participation rates, win-lose records, etc.., and while I believe data must be considered when evaluating our programs I have always refused to let it define our
school district and this is why. There is no scientific measure of good character,
work ethic, personal integrity, persistence...all of which are equally important in
the development of productive citizens. There is no way to measure dedication of
faculty and staff, parental and community support, a willingness to volunteer,
donate or simply do whatever it takes to help provide a quality educational experience for our kids.
In my opinion, it takes the “whole package” to educate the “whole child “and it is
in this manner that I know our District excels. Over the past twenty nine years I
have seen the vast majority of our graduates either go on to pursue higher education and become gainfully employed, commit to serve and protect our Country,
operate family farms, aspire to teach others, establish themselves as business and
community leaders, become wonderful parents, etc….It is in this evidence that I
will forever judge our school and for which I take pride.
S PECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST :

Northwest High School Graduation will
take place on May 15th at 7:00 pm.
Baccalaureate will take place Sunday, May
3rd at 7:00 pm.


Kindergarten Screening will take place the
afternoon of Wednesday, April 15th and
all day on Thursday April 24th. Please
contact the elementary school for more
information about this event.

During the months of April and May, our
district will focus on the character traits of
patience and service.

100th Anniversary Celebration of
Hughesville/Northwest High: Oct. 3,
2015

Find us on the web @
www.northwest.k12.mo.us
Sincerely,
Sharee Norfleet
Y OU ’ RE
INVITED !
To: Community Reception and BBQ for New Superintendent, Cody Hirschi and Family
When:
Board Candidate Profiles
Name of Candidate: Austin Lea
Austin is a graduate of the Pettis County R-V Schools. He has been married to Sherri Lea for the past fourteen years and has two
children, Libbey, age 13 and Tucker, age 11. Both children attend Pettis County R-V Schools. Austin is a current member of the Pettis County R-V School Board.
Reason for Running for the Board of Education: I enjoy being a member of the Pettis County R-V School Board. Since becoming a Board Member, I have worked hard at making decisions that will improve our District. I offer opinions and make decisions that
I believe benefit the student and teachers, but are not always popular. My goal is to work with administration to provide our students
with the best possible education.
Name of Candidate: Amy Kreisel
Amy attended High School at St. Paul's Lutheran High School in Concordia and State Fair Community College. She is a single
mom of daughter Kinley, who is a freshman at Northwest High School. Amy coached elementary volleyball and basketball and
helped coach summer softball. She is a lifelong resident of the District., member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church and is
involved in 4-H.
Reason for Running for the Board of Education : I want to be mor e involved and lear n mor e about the Pettis County R -V
School District.
Name of Candidate: Kenneth Schuber
Kenny graduated from Pettis County R-V in 1968 and State Fair Community College in 1971. He has been married to his wife,
Virginia for 39 years. Their son Sam, and his wife Liz have two sons, Jackson and Jacob. They have a daughter, Molly, and son,
Chuck, who has three daughters; Hannah, Haley and Kassie. Kenny has been a member of the Board for 10 years.
Reason for Running for the Board of Education: I want to help pr omote better education for the kids of the Distr ict by hir ing
quality teachers and keeping expenses in check,
Name of Candidate: Beth Douglas
Beth is a 1994 graduate of Smith Cotton High School and attended State Fair Community College majoring in business.. She is
married to Shiloh Douglas and they have three very active children. Briley, age 14, is in the 8th grade; Sidney, age 10, is in the 4th
grade; and Bristen, age 5, will start kindergarten in August. Beth is currently the secretary for the PTO and president of the Northwest Music Boosters. This will be her 6th season of coaching T-ball for the Houstonia Athletic Association and has coached girls
softball in the past. She has been an elementary room parent for nine years.
Reason for Running for the Board of Education: I have always been ver y active in the school and tr ied to be involved with
everything I possibly can. I think as a parent it is important to be involved. Being on the Board will give me the opportunity to be
involved in helping to make the best decisions for the students and the District.
Name of Candidate: Jeremy Kiso
Jeremy graduated from Marshall High School. He is married to Andrea Kiso and has two children. Kolby , who graduated from
Northwest in 2010 is currently in the nursing program at UCM. Their son, Colton, is a 7th grader at Northwest.
Reason for Running for the Board of Education: If given the oppor tunity I would like to br ing new ideas and visions to the
District. There are many changes and decisions that need to be made to improve the quality of education we are providing for our
children. As a board member, I will make the best decisions to adopt policies that give the District direction to set priorities and
achieve it’s goals.
School Board Election
April 8, 2014
Northwest Elementary Update
Dear NWE Families and Friends,
As we move forward into the spring, the building is
alive with excitement. It’s been a long, cold winter
and students are getting spring fever. Remind
them to bring a jacket, for the days are still a little
cool and they do go out for recess. I’d like to personally invite you to the Spring Program at the high
school on May 12 at 7:00 p.m.
From all of us at the elementary, have a happy
spring! Please feel free to contact us with any
questions or concerns.
Third Quarter Honor Roll
We are proud to announce the following students made the Honor
Roll during the third quarter of the year. These students have a cumulative percentage of 87% or above!
4th Grade: Shelby Campbell, Monty Cornine, Alissa Coster, Nick
Crosswhite, Sidney Douglas, Blaine Kreisel, Skyler McClure, Matthew Richardson, Dennis Silchuk, Kristen Streck, Isaac Townsend,
Sophie Walbourn, Jackson Weathers, Juliauna Wiskur, Alice
Yatskivskaya, Alex Zaytsev
5th Grade: Ty Hart, Jacqueline Klein, Emanuel Pichinevsky, Gracie
Rice, Elizabeth Sadler, Matthew Slaughter, Aubrey Smith, Joshua
Townsend
6th Grade: Andrei Ciobanu, Dmitrii Cosurco, Venessa Garnik, Emily Gregory, Clayton Hieronymus, Helen Izoita, Megan Knowles,
Cameron Slaughter, Jonathon Slaughter, Jennica Swopes, Savannah
Townsend, Makayla Walbourn, Wyatt Younger-Loesing
April 1, 2014
As the third quarter ended, many of our students
were recognized for their accomplishments. Teachers honored their Kids of Character. Students
were also recognized for Sportsmanship, Citizenship, Academic Achievement, as well as students
who competed in math and spelling competitions and
District Honor Choir. What an amazing group of
children!
Congratulations! You make us Mustang Proud!
Sincerely,
Kim Evans, Principal
Spell A Thon
We kicked off a new fundraiser this year that had students
learning while earning and having some fun in the process.
Maybe you heard about “Billy Bad Guy” , a mean and ornery
Mustang Rustler who came and took our beloved Mighty Mustang, leaving our students with a challenge to spell a collective 12,500 words correctly.
Our students rose to the challenge and spelled 12,573 words
correctly and earned $2,325.30 in the process! Our Mighty
Mustang was returned and Billy Bad Guy left very impressed
with the spelling abilities of our students!
Thanks to our PTO and all who helped make this new fundraiser a success by helping a child practice words or supporting them through your pledges.
Kindergarten Round-Up!
Kindergarten Screening for the 2014-2015 School
Year will take place on April 24 from 8:00-3:00.
If you have a child who will be five years old before
August 1, please call the elementary school office at
660-568-3315 to schedule your child’s screening.
Upcoming Events
April
May
4: Spring Pictures
6: 6th Grade Tour JH
7: Early Out @ 12:30
18: No School
24: Kindergarten Screening
28-May 2: MAP/Stanford
Testing Week
5-9: Teacher Appreciation Week;
BOGO Book Fair
12: Spring Concert; 7 pm @ HS
16: 6th Grade Graduation
19: Kindergarten Graduation
20: Field Day
21: Last Day of School; Early Out
@ 12:30
Family Reading Night!
Northwest Elementary hosted a Family
Reading Night on March 20. Nearly 100 people joined us for pizza and snacks then listened to some great stories shared by guest
readers. Thanks to Officer Curtis Hammonds, Casey Smith, Mrs. Vonderahe and Tim
Barnes for sharing your love of reading with
us!
H IGH S CHOOL N EWS ...
Greetings:
Baseball and softball seasons are here and that means warmer weather is on the way. That also means that school is getting
close to winding down. However, there are many activities and events yet to come before the end of school. One of the most important events is MAP and EOC Testing in April and May. Please stress to your child how important these tests are and that they do
their best on them. Results of this testing are very important to our school’s performance on state reviews. Along with MAP and
EOC testing we have many events coming up including:
April 3rd– Senior Smorgasbord
April 4th – Royals Opening Day
April 16th – Athletic Banquet
April 18th – No School, Good Friday
April 26th – Prom
May 2nd –10th – Senior Trip
May 16th – HS Graduation
May 19th – 8th Grade Celebration
May 21st – Last Day of School
I would like us end an already great year on a high note. It is easy to be distracted with such great weather outside, but we need to
charge ahead and finish strong. Please feel free to come by the school and visit with me or call anytime. I would love to speak with
you.
Greetings from NWES…..Mrs. Castle, Elementary Counselor
“Caring” was our character word for February. To be caring we show kindness or
compassion to others through our words and actions. This is a character trait where I believe
NWES students, staff and community truly excel. Names were placed on the “Grinch”
bulletin board when students were caught being caring to help his heart grow. Our K-6
students also made valentines that were shared with the nursing home in Sweet Springs. On a
larger scale I attended Jessica Kreisel’s Benefit and have been involved in coordinating the
donations for Mary Morris, First Grade Teacher, whose home burned down and have been
blown away with the outpouring of caring and compassion shown to both of them.
“Honesty” is our character word for March. We have discussed how important it is to
tell the truth, not steal and never cheat. Each of us is accountable for our own choices and
none of us are perfect. If you make a mistake, own it, accept the consequences, learn from it
and move on. Next time make a better choice.
In April our character word will be “Patience.” We will begin gearing up for
standardized testing. Please note that grades 3-6 will be completing the MAP test and
grades 1-2 will be taking the Stanford the week of April 28th – May 2nd. Please try to
schedule any outside appointments around this week so that your student will be in
attendance. If you have a child who will be five years old by August 1st, please call the school
and get them signed up for Kindergarten Screening which will be held on April 24th.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. I can be
reached at school or by email at jcastle@northwest.k12.mo.us.
America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education Grant Opportunity
America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education is a locally focused initiative to strengthen math and science education in rural America. Sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, the program allows farmers to nominate a public
school district to compete for a grant of either $10,000 or $25,000. The Pettis Co. R-V School District has
been nominated to apply for this grant and plans to submit a proposal that will enhance our science programs
and technology at the elementary school.
Our grant proposal will be scored based on merit, need and community support. In order to show this
support, we are asking all eligible farmers living in Pettis County to nominate our school! The more farmers
who nominate a school district, the more it demonstrates community support and strengthens the school district’s application. In order to nominate our school you must be 21 years of age or older and actively farming
a minimum of 250 acres of corn or soybeans. In addition to these requirements, you can not be a seed dealer
or spouse of a seed dealer. If you, or someone you know, are eligible to nominate Pettis Co. R-V for this
grant, please do so before the deadline of April 6, 2014. The nomination process is very easy! You can complete this process online at GrowRuralEducation.com, call 1-877-267-3332 or contact the school at 660-8270772 and we will be glad to mail you a nomination form. Thanks to District Patron, Patty Wood, for bringing
this grant opportunity to our attention and to the Pettis County Farming Community for your assistance and
support as we pursue this grant opportunity!
N OTES
FROM THE HEALTH ROOM ...
Parents of incoming (8th) grade students for the 2014-2015 school year:
Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) vaccine is required for all incoming eighth (8th)
grade students if the child has completed the recommended childhood DTaP/DTP vaccination series and has not received a Td booster within the past two (2) years. If your
child has received the TD booster or Tdap, within the two year period, send proof to
the school.
Proof will be required by the first day of school, 8/20/14. If you have any questions, contact Chris Smith (660)568-3315 mornings, or (660)827-0774 afternoons.
Any 8th grade student that does not bring proof by 8/20/14, will not be allowed to attend classes on 8/21/14.
Also there are times that students receive immunizations that are not required for school attendance.
Be sure to inform the school health office, so the information can be listed on their shot record. That
way in the event that your child transfers out of district or when they enroll in college we have current info to pass on.
High School Counselor’s Corner
The end of the year is quickly approaching and we still have a lot to do!
Important Dates and Information:
 Our 8th grade students will be participating in the Smarter Balance Field Testing in English Language Arts March 31- April 4th.
This test is computer based and will not be for a grade.
 MAP testing for grades 7- 8 will be April 28- May 2nd. Scores for testing will be passed out during Parent/Teacher conferences
in October with grade cards.
 EOC testing for high school students will be May 12th-16th. These scores will also be available during Parent/Teacher confer-
ences.
*A students attendance at school, a good night’s rest and nutritional meals are key to a
successful testing experience!
7th Grade Orientation will be held for students and parents on April 10th @ 6:00
9th Grade Orientation will be held for student and parents on April 10th @ 7:00
ACT:
Registration: May 9th Test: June 14thth
*Reminder to parents who have a student taking dual credit classes next year- they must have taken the ACT prior to starting classes!!*
Scholarships Applications Due Dates:
* Seniors need to be checking their mailboxes daily!
Range Line Church and Central Missouri Electric: April 1st
NHS Alumni: April 3rd
Bothwell Hospital, AFA, Sedalia Fire, Fitzgibbon Hospital and Central Mo AG: April 4th
Pettis County Farm Bureau and ADK: April 11th
Kiwanis Club: April 12th
American Legion: April 20th
Pettis County Cattlemen: April 25th
Wouldn’t YOU like to LEAVE a Legacy?
Please consider purchasing a leaf on behalf of your graduating class or your family, your children, in memory of a loved one, etc… Not only will the
purchase of leaves fund this special project, it will continue to support the Northwest Alumni Scholarship Program.
Price per Leaf: $50
*Individuals can also contribute lesser amounts to put toward the purchase of
their graduating class’s leaf or the class of a family member
Order Placed by:
Name: __________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________
________________________________________________
Phone:__________________________________________
Email:___________________________________________
The “Giving Tree”, which will be beautifully crafted out of heavy
metal and displayed near the high school cafeteria for public viewing, will represent within its roots the five school communities
which consolidated to form Pettis County R-V. It is the committee’s
desire that the personalized, hand-made metal leaves of this three
dimensional project represent each of the one hundred graduating
classes as well as others who wish to leave a legacy with our school
district.
Please indicate your choice of wording or designation of graduating class in the
spaces below:
Please make checks payable to the Northwest Alumni Association (NWAA) and return this form along with your check to:
Northwest High School
ATTN: 100th Anniversary Project
16215 Hwy H
Hughesville, MO 65334