District Newsletter

Kindergarten screening dates for FY2009-10 Willard Central/Willard North: May 4 & 5 Willard East/Willard South: May 7 & 8

Parents should call the school the student will attend for an appointment after Spring Break. Children who will be attending Orchard Hills will be screened at Willard South and Willard Central. Mrs. Rhonda Bishop, Orchard Hills Principal, will be attending screenings at Willard South and Willard Central, to greet her new students. Please bring the following items with you to the screening: immunization records, proof of residency, social security card, birth certificate. All kindergartners are required to have an eye exam before entering kindergarten.

Willard Central: 831-4440 Willard East: 742-4639 Willard North: 742-2597 Willard South: 862-6308

Make-up days will be scheduled as follows: March 23 First Day of Spring Break April 13 Monday after Easter

District Office Redistricting is complete! Last week the Willard Board of Education voted to finalize the newly established boundary lines for elementary schools. This project began several months ago and resulted in untold numbers of planning hours for administrators and directors. Dr. Royal and I hosted eight community meetings, working hard to keep the community informed during the process. We also listened to concerns and relayed those to the Board of Education. I believe it will be several years until any adjustment to the boundary lines will be required. All buildings have room to grow. The decision to drop Willard North and Orchard Hills below 300 was intentional. At the current time there are few homes under construction, however we all know this housing drop will not last forever. Orchard Hills contains several inactive subdivisions. At the point when the economy begins to grow these subdivisions will once again begin to build homes for new students. Willard North was dropped below 300 to provide additional room for Willard Intermediate School. It does not take a crystal ball to predict that 3-4 years from now we will most likely be formulating a plan to relieve crowding at this building. I am certain that we were not able to please everyone in this process, however I will tell you that we did listen to everyone! We recognize that the community is the life blood of a school district. Willard is fortunate to have tremendous elementary schools. Every building has its own unique personality while at the same time the common focus is always centered on young people. The new attendance boundaries are on the district web-site. We will be sending out specific communication to all families in the near future. I would like to thank the following people for a job well done in this huge district effort! Dr. Janell Royal Assistant Superintendent Matthew Young Computer Technology Specialist Forrest Owens Director of Transportation Kara Crighton-Smith Elementary Principal Melinda Miller Elementary Principal Rhonda Bishop Elementary Principal Shane Medlin Elementary Principal

Have a great Spring Break! Kent

Dr. Kent E. Medlin Superintendent of Schools

Director of Special Services Willard North, Special Services and teacher Tammy Murray are extremely proud of Braxton B. for earning his special award of horse-back riding this past Tuesday. Braxton, who works on a behavior incentive program through Ms. Murray, determined earlier in the year his goal was to ride a horse, and ride he did! Coach Bills and Coach Gold, who are part of his incentive plan, brought him to ride Penny, our mare, and it was quickly discovered Braxton is a natural at riding! What a fun time it was for all of us as we walked and walked and walked and walked............... along side him and leading Penny! (It seems Coach Gold's plan was for him to just get use to sitting in the saddle for a few minutes this first venture and progress to riding in later visits, but Braxton had other plans)! He is eager to continue working toward his next outing and I bet we will be seeing him on Penny again soon! Thank you Ms. Murray, Coach Bills, and Coach Gold for helping Braxton achieve his goal.

Special services would like to wish all staff and students a wonderful, restful break. We hope your days are filled with fun and sun! Sandy Gold, Director of Special Services

Willard High School This week Willard FFA hosted Area Leadership contests in the HS commons and classrooms. The high school turned into as sea of Blue and Gold as 30+ schools attended the event wearing thier FFA gear. Classrooms were converted into testing areas for FFA members to demonstrate their knowledge and skill multiple FFA leadership categories. The Willard FFA team placed many students within the top qualifiers. Earl Pummill and Chad Cook both received thier State FFA Degrees, while Austin Reade advanced to district level in Public Speaking, and state level in Treasurer Book. Jennifer Williams, Alex Smith, Anson Smith (second place), and Bradley Rummel (third place) all received awards in different record book categories. Many other honorable mention awards were collected by the Willard FFA Team. Dana Kimmons and Steven Prewitt head up the FFA program for Willard. The Willard students and sponsors hosted a fine event, and competed well with area schools. We look forward to hearing more from the FFA Team as they compete throughout the spring. Stewart Pratt, Principal

Willard Middle School The Middle School would like to wish everyone a Great Spring Break!! Tom Merriott WMS Asst. Principal

Willard Intermediate School What a day to be a part of WIS! Our student council kicked off our "Pay it Forward" initiative with a building wide assembly today. If you are not familiar with this concept or have not seen the 2000 movie here is the basic idea: do something you would not normally do to help someone else but they cannot pay you back, they instead must pay it forward to someone else. They in turn do the same for someone else and the "good deed" is potentially passed on indefinitely. The goal of this is to make our schools, homes, and community a more positive place one kind act at a time.

Today each student received a "Pay it Forward" bracelet to help remind them of what they are now a part of which they can then give to someone else. Although participation is completely voluntary we hope each student chooses to be a part of this. Our student council developed, implemented, and funded this entire plan. We want to thank each of its members for allowing us to be a part of it! Thanks also to our student council sponsors that have put so much time and effort in to make this possible!! Tom Davis, Principal

Willard Central Elementary Mark your calendars now for the Willard Central PTO Carnival on Saturday, May 2nd from 3:00-5:00. It looks to be a wonderful event filled with exciting games, activities, dunking booths, inflatables, food, fantastic themed baskets to raffle off, and a live auction that will include a family vacation package to Disneyland in Florida. Our PTO has been working overtime on this wonderful evening and we are still collecting items for the themed baskets if you would like to contribute. Patrons can contact our school office, classroom teachers or PTO members about items for the baskets.

Friday afternoon, we celebrated our students hard work from the 3rd quarter at our Terrific Tiger Celebration. Thanks again to our Student Council, Mrs. Gromer and Mrs. Miller for their hard work in putting on a great show!

WC students and teachers have been working hard and we are looking forward to Spring Break starting next Tuesday. We will see everyone on Monday at school for a snow make-up day. Have a safe and relaxing spring break. Shane Medlin, Principal

Willard East Elementary OVER $5,000 and still counting!!! Willard East EXCEEDED our goal of $4,000 for our 1st ever Read-a-Thon!!! Principal Miller has to sit on the roof with purple hair and read ALL DAY! We will be sure to let you know when that date is scheduled so you can drive by and wave, and bring Starbucks of course:):) This has definitely been an exciting fundraiser that we will do every year! I am a little worried about the challenges the kids come up with but it is always for a good cause.

Pizza Party Monday - The top money raisers in each classroom will celebrate with Principal Miller on Monday during a pizza party! After Spring Break the classrooms who met their reading goals will be able to choose from a list of extra privileges. 75% of the class had to reach their goal in order to choose an extra activity to participate in.

Spring Conference Wrap-up: This week Willard East teachers are wrapping up their Spring Conferences. These were informal conferences and not required. Many parents have scheduled face-to-face conferences while others have held phone conferences. Our goal is to always keep open lines of communication. Spring Conferences were suggested in the fall and we feel it is important to touch base one more time before the end of the school year. Our teachers are great at keeping parents informed so I must compliment them again for going that extra mile with Spring Conferences. If were not able to attend or missed your conference time, please call your child's teacher and he/she will be happy to set something up for you.

MAP Flap - The MAP test is coming! The MAP test is coming! This is an exciting time for us because our students actually get excited about this. They have been preparing for this their entire elementary career and look forward to all the extra privileges that go along with MAP testing. This year's skit will be even better than last year. Join us before MAP testing for the Willard East version of "MAP Idol!" You will not want to miss this. We do need your help with a few supplies: small packages of Kleenex, gallon size Zip-lock bags, plain #2 pencils, and post-it notes. These are extremely important for the success of our students on this important test. We would greatly appreciate any donation you would be willing to make.

School is in session Monday...then ENJOY YOUR SPRING BREAK!!! Melinda Miller, Principal

Willard North Elementary The last week before Spring Break has been very busy! On Wednesday we had our monthly Super Tiger. The Drum Core from the High School entertained us during the celebration. We loved it! Thank you to Mr. Chapman and the group of students who came over to play for us!

The 2nd grade students performed their music program Thursday night. It was yet another great performance by our talented students. Students were Singing in the Rainand having a great time. Thank you Mrs. Reed!

Kindergarten authors decorated the halls this week with all their wonderful writing. If you are at North, please take the time to see the wonderful stories that these authors have created.

We will be having a Pizza Inn Night starting at 6:00 p.m. 3rd and 4th grade teachers will be serving pizza to hungry students and parents. We are continuing to raise money for our MAP incentive. Come and join us for a slice of pizza pie.

Reminder for next weekwe will be in school on Monday, March 23rd. This is a snow make up day. Please remember that it is also an early out Monday, and we will be dismissing at 3:00.

Upcoming Events: March 23 Make up snow day March 24-27 Spring Break March 30 Pizza Inn Night

Principals Rhonda Bishop and Angela Stevens

Willard South Elementary I want to thank our FACT and Communication Arts Cadres for doing a wonderful job with our Sock Hop on Thursday evening. We had a great crowd in attendance. I know that everyone enjoyed the music, dancing, games, pictures, tropical decorations and snacks. We have a couple of talented teachers and parents who can do the Electric Slide and Macarena! I might have to recruit these people for future motivational assemblies at school. On Friday, we celebrated our 3rd quarter Tiger Pride Assembly. Congratulations to all of the students for receiving awards and working hard! *Don't forget that we will have school on Monday, March 23rd. Kara Crighton-Smith, Principal

For information on the Willard Children's Charitable Foundation, please contact Judy Craig at 742-2506 or Dr. Kent Medlin at 742-2584.

Willard Parks and Recreation (417)742-2262 <http://www.cityofwillard.org>www.cityofwillard.org

Kevin McDonald: Director Courtney Wendel: Sports Coordinator Brandon Eckhardt: Recreation Specialist

Willard's Annual Easter Egg Hunt When: Saturday April 4th Where: Willard Recreation Center (meeting inside the large gym) Time: 9:00am Who: 0-3 may hunt with an adult, 4-6 may hunt by themselves & 7-12 hunt by themselves What: Meet the Easter Bunny, get your face painted, hunt for eggs, play games and much more!!

Blood Drive: 9:30am - 12:30pm on Saturday April 4th at the Willard Recreation Center. For eligibility check out <http://www.cbco.org>www.cbco.org.

www.willardparks.com:

Please visit our website at <http://www.willardparks.com>www.willardparks.com and take part in the online opinion poll.

Missouri State Bears: Willard Parks & Recreation presents The Missouri State Bears Mens Basketball Team and Coaches on Saturday April 25th from 10:00am - 12:00pm. Come meet, take pictures and get autographs from the players and coaches. The event is free to attend and will be held at the Willard Recreation Center in the Murray Community Room. Don't miss this great opportunity to meet collegiate athletes in person. For more information please contact (417)742-2262.

Spring Clean Up: Saturday March 28th, 2009 at the Willard Recreation Center from 8:30am - 3:00pm. The following items will be accepted: Washers & Dryers, Stoves, Water Heaters, Air Conditioners, Tin, Fence Wire (rolled up), Auto Parts, Auto Batteries, and Bicycles & Aluminum. NO WOOD, LUMBER, TIRES, OR GARBAGE will be accepted. The Spring Clean up is provided as a community service for the Willard citizens.

Gym Closing: The Willard Recreation Center gym will be closing April 6th - 10th. The gym is getting resurfaced.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Movie in the Park: Friday May 22nd at Jackson St. Park at 9:00pm (Kung Fu Panda) Willard Outing to the Springfield Cardinals Game: June 4th

Willard Rummage Sale: Willard Parks and Recreation will be hosting a Rummage Sale on Saturday, April 25th from 8:00am - 1:00pm. Cost for a booth space is $15 and $2 for table. Call (417)742-2262 to reserve your booth. This is a huge yard sale (but indoors of course)!!

Spring Break Camp: Willard Parks and Recreation will be hosting a Spring Break Camp for grade K - 6th from March 24th - March 27th at the Recreation Center. The fee to attend is $17.00 per day or $68 for the entire week. Camp hours are 7:00am 6:00pm. Registration forms are available online at <http://www.willardparks.com>www.willardparks.com and are available at the Recreation Center.

Grant Update: Willard Parks and Recreation has applied for the playground surfacing grant in the amount of $5000 from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Willard has applied for a 2nd grant in the amount of $5000 from the Kansas City Royals.

Willard Parks and Recreation will be notified this month if awarded a US Soccer Foundation Grant.

Summer Camp Registration: May 1st -15th Willard Parks and Recreation will be providing summer camp for children who have completed Kindergarten thru completion of 5th grade. Session 1 camp will run May 26th - June 26th. Camp hours will be 7:00am - 6:00pm Monday through Friday. Campers will need a lunch brought to camp each day. 2 daily snacks will be provided. Daily activities , camp shirts and field trips are included in the tuition fee. Tuition fees are $95 per week (prepay weekly- no prorated weeks are available). First week of camp is $76 due to Monday, May 25th being a holiday. If entire session 1 tuition fees are paid in full, there is a $5 discount per week. Registration forms are available at the Willard Recreation Center.

Freedom Fest: Preparation has begun for Freedom Fest 2009. This 4th of July Celebration will be held Saturday July 4th. Visit <http://www.willardparks.com>www.willardparks.com in the coming months for details.

Scout Project: Thank you to Willard High Student Dale Hamilton for agreeing to construct two new signs for Jackson St. Park. Dale will be constructing these signs in the coming weeks. This project is so Dale can obtain his Eagle Scout.

Willards First Triathlon: Willard Parks and Recreation in conjunction with Ridge Runner Sports will be hosting our first Triathlon on Saturday June 20th beginning at the Community Building. The Triathlon entitled the Frisco Runaway Triathlonis $40 to participate. The race includes running, swimming and biking through and around Willard. Registration forms are available at the Recreation Center.

Scholarship Program: Thank you to a Willard Park Board Member for donating $105 to the Sports Scholarship Program. To date, a total of $210 has been raised for the sports scholarship program. If you would like to obtain information about the Sports Scholarship Program please call (417)742-2262.

Conco Quarries Donation: Willard Parks and Recreation would like to thank Conco Quarries for donating $5000 to the Willard Parks Department. The donation will help fund family friendly events in 2009. Thank you Conco!!

Project Playground: Willard Parks and Recreation wishes to thank everyone who helped make the silent auction that was held Saturday February 28th very successful. Close to $1000 was raised. This event kicks off Project Playground. More fundraising events will be planned throughout this year to raise funds to purchase and install a new playground at Willard's Highline Soccer Park. Thank you!!

KenKarJu-Ruy 2009: Register now for KenKarJu-Ryu martial arts. This family oriented art focuses on courtesy, respect, self-discipline, self-defense, self-improvement, physical fitness and FUN! Classes are offered on Mondays and Thursdays from 6:30pm 7:30pm at the Willard Community Building for anyone ages 7 and up. The fee is $50 for the entire eight week session. Registration forms are available at the Recreation Center.

Session 1: 1/5 - 2/26 Session 2: 3/2 - 4/30 Session 3: 6/1 - 7/23 Session 4: 8/3 9/28

Session 5: 10/5 11/23

Childrens Dance Classes:

Register now for Childrens Dance. Hurry, spots are limited.

Creative Dance: Ages 3-5: Classes on Tuesday Afternoons

Ballet and Tap: Ages 5 & up: Classes on Tuesdays & Thursdays

Jazz: Ages 9 & up: Classes on Tuesdays

Classes are 8 weeks. The fee is $50 - $65. Registration forms are availability at the Recreation Center. For more information please call Ms. Patrice at 818-3659 or 833-8631

Beginner Belly Dancing: Willard Parks and Recreation will be offering Belly Dancing Classes. All adults are eligible to attend. The cost is $40 per participant. This program is a 5 week session and will be held on Wednesdays from 7:00pm 8:00pm. Spots are limited. Registration forms are available at the Recreation Center.

Session 1: 1/14 - 2/11 Session 2: 2/18 - 3/18 Session 3: 4/1 - 4/29 Session 4: 5/6 - 6/3

Spring Sports Registrations: Sign up Now: Spring Soccer Registration: March 2nd March 31st Spring Soccer is for grades pre-k 8th. The fee to participate is $35. Games: April 25th May 30th (Saturday games)

Flag Football Registration: March 2nd 31st Flag Football is for grades 1st 8th. The fee to participate is $35. Games: April 25th May 30th (Saturday games)

Spring Volleyball Registration: March 2nd 31st Spring Volleyball Registration is for grades K 8th. The fee to participate is $35. Games: April 28th May 26th (Friday games)

Competitive Baseball Registration: March 2nd March 31st Competitive Baseball Registration is for 3rd 6th grade. The fee to participate is $200 for in town teams and $225 for out of town teams.

Competitive Soccer Registration: March 2nd 31st Competitive Soccer Registration is for U8 U13. The fee to participate is $200 for in town teams and $225 for out of town teams.

April Sports Camps: In April, Willard Parks and Recreation will be hosting 3 sports camps instructed by the Willard High School Athletic Department.

Camp: Soccer Location: Highline Soccer Park Day/Date: Saturday April 18th Times: K thru 2nd grade 9:00am - 12:00pm & 3rd thru 6th grade 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Camp: Volleyball Location: Willard Recreation Center Day/Date: Saturday April 25th Times: K thru 2nd grade 9:00am - 12:00pm & 3rd thru 6th grade 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Camp: Flag Football Location: Highline Soccer Park Day/Date: Sunday April 19th Times: 1st thru 6th Grade 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Kevin McDonald Director of Willard Parks and Recreation 133 N State Hwy Z PO Box 187 Willard, MO 65781 (417) 742-2262 fax - (417) 742-6868

_________________________ Bob Andrus, Technology Director Willard R-II School District

Kindergarten screening dates for FY2009-10:

• Willard Central/Willard North: May 4 & 5
• Willard East/Willard South: May 7 & 8

Parents should call the school the student will attend for an appointment after Spring Break. Children who will be attending Orchard Hills will be screened at Willard South and Willard Central. Mrs. Rhonda Bishop, Orchard Hills Principal, will be attending screenings at Willard South and Willard Central, to greet her new students. Please bring the following items with you to the screening: immunization records, proof of residency, social security card, birth certificate. All kindergartners are required to have an eye exam before entering kindergarten.

• Willard Central: 831-4440
• Willard East: 742-4639
• Willard North: 742-2597
• Willard South: 862-6308

Make-up days will be scheduled as follows: March 23 First Day of Spring Break April 13 Monday after Easter

District Office

I recently attended an educational leadership conference and had the opportunity to hear a session on technology by Ian Jukes. Dr. Jukes is a college professor from a university in Canada. Technology in the classroom has been a continual effort in the Willard District as well as districts throughout the country. I remember when I was taking graduate classes in the early 1990's one of the classes focused on technology/media in the classroom. We had to learn how to thread 16mm projectors and run slide projectors. Many of us laughed because we were no longer using this type of equipment. VCR's and TV's had taken their place in the classroom. Now we are wondering how to transfer all those VCR movies over to DVD or Digital. It has only been 10 years since I was a principal at a high school that had the goal of placing one computer in every classroom with Internet access. At that time we thought that goal may take years to achieve. It was difficult to forecast that we can now buy a personal computer for 25% of what we paid in 1995. One statistic that was given at the conference was that Computer Science Majors will learn information during their Freshman and Sophomore years that will be obsolete prior to graduating from college. Needless to say we have no idea what to expect in two, five , or even ten years. The conference changed much of my thinking toward technology. Dr. Jukes explained medically how children's brain's are now wired differently than ours. What does this mean??? Basically those of us that are from the generation of the Baby Boomers were raised in black and white. (Not only black and white TV but also only 3 channels and if the President was on Saturday morning you missed all your weekly cartoons!) We see, read, and learn in black and white. Conversely children today learn in color. Children have been raised on 50+ TV channels, a computer at home with the Internet, cell phones that do more than personal computers 5 years ago etc... Dr. Jukes refers to them as Digital Natives because they have grown up in a world of digital input. Our generation on the other hand is referred to as Digital Immigrants. Digital is kind of like our second language. Therefore if we are still trying to teach Digital Natives the same way that we learned as Digital Immigrants a learning gap will exist that will inhibit the process. This week the district will be presenting the yearly Technology Plan to the Board of Education. We are aggressively working on a plan to bridge this gap. Needless to say "Old Dogs will need to learn New Tricks" if our goal is to be effective and efficient in teaching.

Have a great week!

Kent

Dr. Kent E. Medlin Superintendent of Schools

Director of Activities

It's time to put some Tigers in here that sometimes don't get the recognition they deserve. Congratulations to the Willard High School Thespians and Crew! Readers Theater and One Act placed 1st in MSHAA District Theatre and will be performing at State on April 24th-25th. One Act Cast: Amber Alcorn, Paula Jo Branstetter, Elizabeth Kreiger, Margaret Moore, Lindsey Stokes, Christine West, Chase Ridgley, Sean Scott, Michael Stoll.

Readers Theater Cast: Nancyann Adams, Joseph Adams, Blake Andrews, Kyle Bird, Bethany Bumpers, Travis Burbee, Brandon Compton, Rebecca Farr, Kelsey Gilmore, Miranda Greene, Nathan Halle, Garrett Holle, Tyler Inglett, Breigh Jusino, Hannah Masters, Dakota Paris, Samantha Reid, Mark Rose, Doug Seeley, Jacob Stoll, Clint Unruh.

All District Readers: Brandon Compton and Sam Reid All District One Act Amber Alcorn, Paula Jo Branstetter, Elizabeth Kreiger, Margaret Moore, Lindsey Stokes, Christine West

Also, last week Willard had the honor of hosting the Class 2 Sectional basketball games. The Miller boys and the Sparta girls advanced with victories and both teams won their quarterfinal games on Saturday advancing to the Final Four. I would like to thank everyone responsible for making last Wednesday a GREAT night!

Spring sports are getting closer to game time! The first baseball game is Monday, March 23rd at Tom Greenwade Field vs. Aurora.

It's Good To Be A Tiger! Jeff Staley, Director of Activities

Special Services

I had back surgery the end of January, so I was away from work for a month. During this time my cohorts (Sandy Gold, Amy Stroder, Shannon Roberts, Susie Thieman, Kelli Akers, Aubrey Knight, and Melissa Baker), took care of my workload. They arranged and sat through meetings, helped with paperwork (which we have an overabundance of), kept up with 504 plans, and so much more. They worked with the Special Services Staff at the Intermediate Building and at Central to make sure all deadlines were met. The Special Services Staff at those two schools, including counselors, worked very hard to complete reevaluations, initial evaluations and IEP's, and did so willingly. I am so thankful to work with these individuals. They make coming to work worth it, even though there is much to be done!! I sincerely thank everyone for doing so much to keep me from worrying, and taking care of my buildings while I was gone. Janet Turner, Process Coordinator

Willard High School

The Communication Arts department hosted the Language Arts Day Fair (LAD Fair) this weekend. Schools from Southwest Missouri submit student literacy work. The LAD Fair involves area students in grades 1-12, which entries are grouped into 80 categories such as, prose, poetry, journals, documented essays, personal opinion, drama and art. Southwest Missouri students submitted over 5,000 pieces of student literacy work. David Harrison, a local children's author, was in attendance along with several college professors. Teachers from area schools are the backbone to the LAD events, and some judges came considerable distances to such as Jefferson City and Winona to participate and assist in the event. The LAD Fair also awarded scholarships, WHS student Anna Mattenon received a $1,500.00 scholarship for her work. It was a great event for literacy , with some amazing submissions from students. Stewart Pratt, Principal

Willard Middle School

Greetings from Willard Middle School. As we head toward Spring, and more importantly, Spring Break, the activity level around here remains high. Today (Friday) we paid tribute to Pi day, which celebrates the mathematically important number 3.14 (March 14th). As you know, this magical number of Pi actually goes on for 100's of digits, and the challenge for our students was to memorize this number for as many digits as possible. The winners get to throw a pie in their math teacher's face, and the overall winner mashed a cream pie into the face of our principal, Mrs. Sims. The big winner was Greg Hamilton, who went to the 260th digit of Pi! To give you an idea of what he did, try memorizing the phone numbers of about 40 people, all seven digits, and repeat them in alphabetical order. WOW! He must have really wanted to throw that pie.

Another neat thing that took place this week was a group of 14 students from WMS going to Linn, Mo. and competing in the MO-NASP State archery tournament. Overall, our team took 2nd place, and the top 5 scorers from Willard were Jordan Vitzthum, Harrison Puckett, Tim Talboys, Cannon Gammil, and Logan Mattix. We congratulate the members of the archery team, and their coach Ms. Francka on their success. Finally, we want to wish the WMS 7th and 8th grade bands good luck as they travel to Marshfield this Saturday (3/14) to compete with other bands from the area and show what they can do as both individuals and as a group. This is a big day for the band, and we are so proud of this group and wish them well. Thanks for checking in with us, and have a good week. Tom Merriott WMS Asst. Principal

Willard Intermediate School

12 students from WIS are the proud owners of new digital camcorders from our 3rd quarter iChoose assembly on Friday. These students exemplify the "above and beyond" mind-set that the program is built around. Way to go! Thanks to all of our sponsors that have made this program possible!

Several pieces of our new playground equipment are in and plans are currently in the works to get them installed. Be looking for this to happen in the near future. Our PTO has made this plan a reality and WIS is very appreciative!

Students received their 3rd quarter grade cards this week. Please take some time to go over this with your student and contact us if you need more specific information. Many parents have found the building and classroom blogs helpful in knowing what is happening at school. Check out our building blog at http://wisdavis.edublogs.org/

A reminder that school will be in session on Monday 3/23 as another of our make up days. Tom Davis, Principal

Willard Central Elementary

Spring is in the air. Correction. Spring was in the air just long enough to get the hopes up of students and teachers alike that warmer days were around the corner. Despite the swing in weather this week from 70s to 30s, learning has been a constant at WC. We have just started the 4th quarter stretch of the year and students are deep into new learning and units of study. 1st grade shared their learning from music class this last quarter with a wonderful program on Thursday evening.

Here is what we are looking forward to in the coming weeks at WC:

March 17th PTO Carnival Meeting 6:00

March 17th Boundary Line Meeting at Willard East 7:30

March 20th Terrific Tiger Celebration 2:45

March 23rd Snow Make Up Day School in Session

March 24th-27th Spring Break

Have a great week and think spring! Shane Medlin, Principal

Willard East Elementary

Read-a-thon EXTENDED!!! - As of last night we had only collected $2,400 toward our $4,000 goal. Today was supposed to be our last day to collect money but we have extended it a week in order to hopefully meet our goal. The students LOVED this and we plan to make it an annual event. Please feel free to stop by and see our bookworm that stretches down our main hall. Thank you Karen, Toni, and Michele for creating this wonderful addition to our event. Our worm even crosses the ceiling.

District Art Show - Last night our very own art teacher Michele Mathers hosted the District Art Show for her first time. I was unable to attend due to a sick child of my own but heard great things. This art show makes its way around the district every year to display our student's awesome artwork. You would be amazed at how many talented artists we have at the elementary level. Good job Miss Mathers!

MAESP Conference - This weekend the other elementary principals and myself will be attending the Missouri Association of Elementary School Principals conference at the Lake of the Ozarks. I think that the other principals in our district would agree with me when I say that we have some of the best teachers and programs in the state. It is always nice to have our hard work validated.

Spring Conferences - Something new at Willard East this spring are informal Parent/Teacher conferences. This week and next week our teachers will be available one evening to conference face to face with you or over the phone. This is just an informal way to touch base before the end of the year on your students progress. If you are not sure when your child's teacher will be available please call our office. Again, these are informal and meant to be easy on everyone's schedule. Melinda Miller, Principal

Willard North Elementary

Willard North has been bustling with activities this week. The 3rd grade program was "Oceans of Fun" for parents and friends who attended the performance. It was an amazing show with sharks and sea horses singing and dancing. It was nothing short of a Broadway performance. Thank you to Mrs. Reed, the 3rd grade students and teachers, and everyone who helped behind the scenes to put on such a wonderful show.

A school boundary meeting was held on Tuesday night at the Willard North library. Dr. Medlin and Dr. Royal presented and answer questions for parents. We had a great group of parents attend. We are looking forward to the opening of Orchard Hills Elementary to Willard Schools.

Students from all over the district were recognized for their talents in art at the Youth Art Show hosted by Willard East Elementary Thursday night at 7:00. Students honored from North were:

Kindergarten Addalyn Adamson

1st grade - Jessica Baird

2nd grade - Finn Wartick

3rd grade -Timberlyn Barnett

4th grade - Christian Smart

School-wide we are getting ready for the big Wild West Carnival on Friday night. We have over 20 games to play with fabulous prizes. Carnival will be from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm Friday the 13th at Willard North Elementary. It's going to be a GREAT time! Come join us! Principals Rhonda Bishop and Angela Stevens

For information on the Willard Children's Charitable Foundation, please contact Judy Craig at 742-2506 or Dr. Kent Medlin at 742-2584.

Willard Parks and Recreation (417)742-2262 <http://www.cityofwillard.org>www.cityofwillard.org

Kevin McDonald: Director Courtney Wendel: Sports Coordinator Sherry Bowen: Front Desk Programmer

Spring Break Camp: Willard Parks and Recreation will be hosting a Spring Break Camp for grade K - 6th from March 24th - March 27th at the Recreation Center. The fee to attend is $17.00 per day or $68 for the entire week. Camp hours are 7:00am - 6:00pm. Registration forms are available online at <http://www.willardparks.com>www.willardparks.com and are available at the Recreation Center.

Missouri State Bears: Willard Parks & Recreation presents The Missouri State Bears Mens Basketball Team and Coaches on Saturday April 25th from 10:00am - 12:00pm. Come meet, take pictures and get autographs from the players and coaches. The event is free to attend and will be held at the Willard Recreation Center in the Murray Community Room. Don't miss this great opportunity to meet collegiate athletes in person. For more information please contact (417)742-2262.

Willard's First Triathlon: Willard Parks and Recreation in conjunction with Ridge Runner Sports will be hosting our first Triathlon on Saturday June 20th beginning at the Community Building. The Triathlon entitled the Frisco Runaway Triathlon is $40 to participate. The race includes running, swimming and biking through and around Willard. Registration forms are available at the Recreation Center.

Scholarship Program: Thank you to a Willard Park Board Member for donating $105 to the Sports Scholarship Program. To date, a total of $210 has been raised for the sports scholarship program. If you would like to obtain information about the Sports Scholarship Program please call (417)742-2262.

Gym Closing: The Willard Recreation Center gym will be closing April 6th - 10th. The gym is getting resurfaced.

Scout Project: Thank you to Willard High Student Dale Hamilton for agreeing to construct two new signs for Jackson St. Park. Dale will be constructing these signs in the coming weeks. This project is so Dale can obtain his Eagle Scout.

Project Playground Auction Success: Thank you to everyone who helped make the first fundraising event for Project Playgrounda success. A Silent Auction for Project Playground was held on Saturday February 28th from 1:00pm 7:00pm at the Willard Recreation Center. Close to $1000.00 was raised through the fundraiser. The goal of Project Playground is to raise $12,000 to purchase and install a playground at Willard's Highline Soccer Park. If you are interested in donating money to Project Playground please call Kevin (417)742-2262. Thank you again to everyone who helped make the auction a success.

KenKarJu-Ruy 2009: Register now for KenKarJu-Ryu martial arts. This family oriented art focuses on courtesy, respect, self-discipline, self-defense, self-improvement, physical fitness and FUN! Classes are offered on Mondays and Thursdays from 6:30pm 7:30pm at the Willard Community Building for anyone ages 7 and up. The fee is $50 for the entire eight week session. Registration forms are available at the Recreation Center.

Session 1: 1/5 2/26 Session 2: 3/2 4/30 Session 3: 6/1 7/23 Session 4: 8/3 9/28 Session 5: 10/5 11/23

Children's Dance Classes: Register now for Childrens Dance. Hurry, spots are limited.

Creative Dance: Ages 3-5: Classes on Tuesday Afternoons

Ballet and Tap: Ages 5 & up: Classes on Tuesdays & Thursdays

Jazz: Ages 9 & up: Classes on Tuesdays

Classes are 8 weeks. The fee is $50 - $65. Registration forms are availability at the Recreation Center. For more information please call Ms. Patrice at 818-3659 or 833-8631

Beginner Belly Dancing: Willard Parks and Recreation will be offering Belly Dancing Classes. All adults are eligible to attend. The cost is $40 per participant. This program is a 5 week session and will be held on Wednesdays from 7:00pm 8:00pm. Spots are limited. Registration forms are available at the Recreation Center.

Session 1: 1/14 2/11 Session 2: 2/18 3/18 Session 3: 4/1 4/29 Session 4: 5/6 6/3

Spring Sports Registrations: REGISTER NOW!! Spring Soccer Registration: March 2nd March 31st Spring Soccer is for grades pre-k 8th. The fee to participate is $35. Games: April 25th May 30th (Saturday games)

Flag Football Registration: March 2nd 31st Flag Football is for grades 1st 8th. The fee to participate is $35. Games: April 25th May 30th (Saturday games)

Spring Volleyball Registration: March 2nd 31st Spring Volleyball Registration is for grades K 8th. The fee to participate is $35. Games: April 28th May 26th (Friday games)

Competitive Baseball Registration: March 2nd March 31st Competitive Baseball Registration is for 3rd 6th grade. The fee to participate is $200 for in town Teams and $225 for out of town teams.

Competitive Soccer Registration: March 2nd 31st Competitive Soccer Registration is for U8 U13. The fee to participate is $200 for in town teams and $225 for out of town teams.

April Sports Camps: In April, Willard Parks and Recreation will be hosting 3 sports camps instructed by the Willard High School Athletic Department.

Camp: Soccer Location: Highline Soccer Park Day/Date: Saturday April 18th Times: K thru 2nd grade 9:00am 12:00pm & 3rd thru 6th grade 1:00pm 4:00pm

Camp: Volleyball Location: Willard Recreation Center Day/Date: Saturday April 25th Times: K thru 2nd grade 9:00am 12:00pm & 3rd thru 6th grade 1:00pm 4:00pm

Camp: Flag Football Location: Highline Soccer Park Day/Date: Sunday April 19th Times: 1st thru 6th Grade 1:00pm 4:00pm

Please contact us if you have any questions.

Kevin McDonald Director of Willard Parks and Recreation 133 N State Hwy Z PO Box 187 Willard, MO 65781 (417) 742-2262 fax - (417) 742-6868

Kindergarten screening dates for FY2009-10:

• Willard Central/Willard North: May 4 & 5
• Willard East/Willard South: May 7 & 8

Parents should call the school the student will attend for an appointment after Spring Break. Children who will be attending Orchard Hills will be screened at Willard South and Willard Central. Mrs. Rhonda Bishop, Orchard Hills Principal, will be attending screenings at Willard South and Willard Central, to greet her new students. Please bring the following items with you to the screening: immunization records, proof of residency, social security card, birth certificate. All kindergartners are required to have an eye exam before entering kindergarten.

• Willard Central: 831-4440
• Willard East: 742-4639
• Willard North: 742-2597
• Willard South: 862-6308

Make-up days will be scheduled as follows: March 23 First Day of Spring Break April 13 Monday after Easter

If we miss one more day, we will make it up on Tuesday, March 24. Any additional days will be made up the last week of May.

District Office

Last night at a special session of the Board of Education a major step forward in the process of redistricting occurred for the Willard district. In superintendent circles, redistricting discussions rank about the same on the list as staff infections, snow days, building lock-downs, and budget crisis. Redistricting will never be an easy process, however I believe it can be successful. Early in this process, criteria was developed to help us to have a direction toward a successful product. 

• First, honor the tradition of the neighborhood school concept.
• Second, balance schools on the basis of enrollment, free and reduced lunch percentages, Title Services, etc...
• Third, all students living South of I-44 would attend either South or Orchard Hills Elementary School.

I believe we have been successful achieving our criteria in our tentative plan. This plan was presented to the Board of Education last night in a special session. Two options were presented to the BOE. One of the two plans was chosen with a minor adjustment. All BOE members present as well as administrators are in full agreement.

It is the hope of the BOE to make a final decision regarding redistricting prior to board reorganization. I agree that it is not fair for new board members to be faced with this level of decision when they have not been a part of the entire process. Dr. Royal and I will be presenting the plan four times at each of the elementary schools. This presentation will allow community patrons to see the plan and ask questions regarding the process. Patrons will be able to attend any of the boundary meetings in order to provide multiple opportunities. The plan will be discussed at the March meeting of the BOE. The BOE can decide to make a redistricting decision at the March meeting (3-19-09) or table the decision for a special meeting prior to school board member reorganization.

Community meeting times are as follows and are built around programs and meetings that the buildings already have scheduled.

• Willard South 7:30p.m. Tuesday March 10th
• Willard Central 7:30p.m. Thursday March 12th
• Willard East 7:30p.m. Tuesday March 17th
• Willard North 5:30 p.m. Tuesday March 10th

Flyers will be going home with kids today and all parents will be called this weekend by School Messenger. Maps of each elementary boundary will be posted next week.

I am optimistic about the process and the end result!

Have a great weekend! Spring is almost here!

Kent

Dr. Kent E. Medlin Superintendent of Schools

Director of Activities

Not too much to report at this time but, as usual, our tigers are continuing to work hard and earn honors! Spring sports has began and everyone is enjoying being outside for a change. Baseball, track, and girl's soccer all report good numbers and have high expectations for their seasons. Middle school softball had their inaugural tryouts and it was a resounding success with 21 girls being chosen to represent Willard in the first season.

A special congratulations to the following girls on being named Academic All-State in softball: 1st Team - Stephanie Sechler, Morgan Ulesich, Mia Young, and Rebecca Skinner 2nd Team - Rachel Rhoten, Kelsey Scott, and Kayla Powers These young ladies are what Willard athletics are all about. They excel both on the field and in the classroom!

A few updates on facilities. The new soccer storage/press box building is well on its way and with some more good weather will be completed very soon. Track has received a brand new discus throwing pad and cage as well as a new shot put pad and two new practice pads. The baseball scoreboard is receiving a facelift. The painting is finished and we are waiting for the arrival of the new decals. It's going to look sharp when completed.

Don't forget, we are hosting the Class 2 Sectional basketball games Wednesday, March 11th with the boy's game starting at 6:00pm and the girl's game starting at 7:45.

It's Good To Be A Tiger! Jeff Staley, Director of Activities

Special Services Special Services would like to thank and recognize social worker, Chrysta Forrest, for providing an in-service for our paraprofessionals entitled "Homelessness in our Community- A Problem We Need to Solve". Twenty of our paraprofessionals were educated on statistics and facts pertaining to the growing population and learned how homelessness impacts the educating of students who are homeless. We were reminded of the disadvantages for elementary students who cannot stay caught up in school due to mobility connected to homelessness and to high school students who "couch-surf" by staying at different friends' homes each night. Additional information included how the "typical" homeless stereotype has changed from single men with alcohol problems to families facing hard times. This important presentation ended with the "Everyone Counts" survivor game where participants experienced obstacles most homeless confront daily. We appreciate Chrysta for increasing awareness of this societal and educational issue and for the many, many ways she assists struggling families and students with her resources. She truly makes a difference in many students' lives. Sandy Gold, Director of Special Services

Willard High School The high school counseling department and staff have been working on course offerings and scheduling students. It is hard to believe we are at the close of the 3rd Quarter, and working on the 09-10 school year. A big thank you to all the parents who have taken time to assist their students in course selections and career pathways in this process.

As you attend the HS campus or activities you may notice a new face. Jeremiah Tscherny ( pronounced Chern - knee ) began as our new district SRO replacing long time SRO Larry Alexander. Larry, who had been with the Willard R-II school district for 8 years, retired in December. Mr. Tscherny comes to us from Greene Co. Sheriff's department and we are excited about having him aboard our district. Willard school district has two SRO's, along with Officer Tscherny, Officer Glenn Cozzens heads the district SRO team. We appreciate the partnership with the City of Willard and Chief Tom McClain, and the assistance they provide with our SRO program. Stewart Pratt, Principal

Willard Middle School

Hello from Willard Middle School. Spring break is still two weeks away, but judging by the temps outside in the 70's, spring itself may have made an early appearance. Having this kind of weather is great for many reasons, but it especially is nice for our students involved in spring sports, such as track and softball. Being able to actually practice outside is a huge advantage for these kids, and makes the coaches smile as well. Unless you have been in charge of 80+ middle school students and trapped in a gym, you really can't appreciate how great it is to have nice weather this time of year. Also, the band is preparing for contest in Marshfield on the 14th. I had a chance to drop in on them this week, and they really sound great. If you haven't heard them play, take advantage of the opportunity next Saturday, and you will see why we are all so proud of our bands here at Willard. Finally, we are going to have a 3 on 3 basketball tourney, and board game competition this Tuesday after school. It will be from 2:35 to 4:00, and we encourage any student who would like to get involved to contact Mrs. Olson, Ms. Francka, or Mrs. Miller to sign up. Enjoy the great weather, and we'll see you next week. Tom Merriott Asst. Principal

Willard Intermediate School

Congratulations to 5th grader K. Raby for winning our building spelling bee. He survived the classroom, team, grade level, and building competitions to earn this honor. He will represent WIS later this month at the area wide KY3 spelling bee. We wish him good luck!

As many of you are already aware, the Willard North and WIS choirs will be performing at the Springfield Cardinals game on Saturday April 25th at 2:00. Everyone is invited to join us at the game that day. Our music teacher, Mrs. Morris, is coordinating the sale of these tickets. Students were given order forms last week. Ticket price is $7 and orders need to be in by Friday March 13th. We would love to see you there!

A reminder that 3rd quarter ends Monday the 9th. Grade cards will go home with students on the 12th. Our 3rd quarter iChoose reward assembly will be on the 13th.

Don't forget to set your clocks forward for Daylight Savings time. Tom Davis, Principal

Willard Central Elementary

WC enjoyed a wonderful week of activities for "Read Across America Week". We celebrated reading and authors in several ways. We celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday with birthday cake on Monday. On Tuesday, Dr. Medlin came to read to our students during Community Time. The students enjoyed him reading Yertle the Turtle, but were disappointed to find out that Dr. Medlin was not my dad or even my grandfather. J On Thursday, the WHS Drama Team came and performed excerpts from the Show-Me Readers Book Selections. These students, under the direction of Mrs. Chappell, were the hit of the week and our students loved seeing some of their favorite books of the year acted-out by some of Willard's finest. The rest of the week was filled with crazy socks, green day and hat day as well as lots of green eggs and ham to eat. A special thank you to the Communication Arts Cadre for planning such a fun week!

As we look ahead to next week, mark your calendars for the PTO meeting on Monday, March 9th at 6:00pm and Thursday, March 12th at 7:00pm for our 1st grade music program. Have a great weekend, enjoy the beautiful weather and remember that WC is Wild About Learning! Shane Medlin, Principal

Willard North Elementary

Who's Who at Willard North? - Dr. Suess kicked off our Read Across America week. From Green Eggs and Ham in Kindergarten, green gooey oobleck in first grade, to mystery readers in second grade. We all enjoyed getting out a good book and reading. The High School Thespians also performed for us on Thursday. Students saw the books they read in library come to life and dramatized by these talented students.

McTeacher Night

A big THANK YOU to all the parents that came out to support Willard North at McTeacher Night on Tuesday night. We had a great time, and it was a lot of fun seeing families and visiting outside of the school setting.

EVENTS FOR THE UPCOMING WEEK: End of quarter is Monday, March 9th Grade cards sent home on Thursday, March 12th Wild West Carnival PTO fundraiser 6:00pm to 9:00 pm

Principals Rhonda Bishop and Angela Stevens

Willard South Elementary

Read Across America Week-This week we celebrated Read Across America Week. We had several activities planned throughout the week including wearing stripes, hats, all school read, guest readers in the library, and a visit from Cat in the Hat. I would also like to give the WHS Theater Department a BIG THANK YOU for an amazing production of the 2008-2009 Show-Me Reader and Dr. Seuss books on Thursday, March 5th at Willard South. I appreciate your energy and message to other students to continue learning and reading!

Student Council March Against Hunger 2nd-17th-The Willard food pantry is extremely low on food and the need in our community is increasing. To do our part, Willard South is having a food drive. Boxes will be placed in front of the office for the duration of the drive. If we collect 2000 pounds of food the Willard South staff will be green from head to toe on Tuesday, March 17th! Student Council will keep track of the weight of the food. You can help by sending in peanut butter, jelly, soup, canned ravioli and spaghettiO's.

Next Week: 3/9-End of 3rd Quarter 3/10-PTO mtg at 6:00 and 1st grade music program at 2:30 and 7:00 3/12-3rd Quarter report cards go home with students

Kara Crighton-Smith, Principal

For information on the Willard Children's Charitable Foundation, please contact Judy Craig at 742-2506 or Dr. Kent Medlin at 742-2584.

Willard Parks and Recreation (417)742-2262 http://www.cityofwillard.org

• Kevin McDonald: Director
• Courtney Wendel: Sports Coordinator
• Sherry Bowen: Front Desk Programmer

New Willard Aquatic Center: Willard's New Aquatic Center will be officially opening in a few months. Please look over the new information below pertaining to the pool.

Daily Admission Prices: Ages 3 12: $3 Ages 13 & Older: $4 Senior Citizens: $3

Season Passes: Depending on Official Open Date May 23rd - September 7th June 8th - September 7th

Ages 3-12: $75 Ages 3-12: $70

Ages 13 & Older: $90 Ages 13 & Older: $85

Senior Citizens: $75 Senior Citizens: $70

Family Pass: $180 (up to 4 people) Family Pass: $175 (up to 4 people)

Additional Family Member(s): $15 Additional Family Member(s): $15

Hours: Monday Saturday: 11am - 6pm Sunday: 1pm - 6pm Mon, Wed, Fri Night: 6pm - 8pm

Rental Prices: U 75 People: $100 per hour 76 150 People: $125 per hour 151 plus people: $150 per hour

New Recreation Specialist: Willard Parks and Recreation has hired a new Recreation Specialist. The Recreation Specialist will be in charge of the new Aquatic Center. The new person's name is Brandon Eckhart. Brandon began his duties on March 2nd, 2009.

Tot Time: Willard Parks and Recreation is offering Tot-Time for toilet trained youths ages 3-5. Sessions will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00am 11:00am at the Recreation Center. The fee is $55 per month. Tuition dues are at the beginning of each month. Registration forms are available at the Recreation Center.

Scholarship Program: Thank you to a Willard Park Board Member for donating $105 to the Sports Scholarship Program. To date, a total of $210 has been raised for the sports scholarship program. If you would like to obtain information about the Sports Scholarship Program please call (417)742-2262.

Missouri State Bears: Willard Parks & Recreation presents The Missouri State Bears Mens Basketball Team and Coaches on Saturday April 25th from 10:00am 12:00pm. Come meet, take pictures and get autographs from the players and coaches. The event is free to attend and will be held at the Willard Recreation Center in the Murray Community Room. Dont miss this great opportunity to meet collegiate athletes in person. For more information please contact (417)742-2262.

St. Patrick's Day Dance: Willard Parks and Recreation will be hosting a St. Patricks Day Dance at the Willard Recreation Center on Friday March 13th from 8:00pm 10:00pm. All That Music DJ Service will be DJing the event. Admission to attend is $1 to benefit Project Playground or a canned good item to benefit the Willard Food Pantry. All ages are welcome to attend. Concessions will be available and you can enjoy punch and cake courtesy of the Willard Parks Department. Don't miss this exciting event as Willard Parks and Recreation presents the first ever Willard St. Patrick's Day Dance. For more information call 742-2262 or visit <http://www.willardparks.com>www.willardparks.com.

Sponsorships: Thank you to Conco Quarries for donating $5000 to the Willard Parks Department for family friendly events in 2009. And thank you to Cox Health for agreeing to sponsor the 2009 Willard Parks Fall Program Guide.

Gym Closing: The Willard Recreation Center gym will be closing April 6th - 10th. The gym is getting resurfaced.

Scout Project: Thank you to Willard High Student Dale Hamilton for agreeing to construct two new signs for Jackson St. Park. Dale will be constructing these signs in the coming weeks. This project is so Dale can obtain his Eagle Scout.

Willard's First Triathlon: Willard Parks and Recreation in conjunction with Ridge Runner Sports will be hosting our first Triathlon on Saturday June 20th beginning at the Community Building. The Triathlon entitled the Frisco Runaway Triathlon is $40 to participate. The race includes running, swimming and biking through and around Willard. Registration forms are available at the Recreation Center.

Spring Break Camp: Willard Parks and Recreation will be hosting a Spring Break Camp for grade K 6th from March 24th - March 27th at the Recreation Center. The fee to attend is $17.00 per day or $68 for the entire week. Camp hours are 7:00am 6:00pm. Registration forms are available online at <http://www.willardparks.com>www.willardparks.com and are available at the Recreation Center.

Freedom Fest: Preparation has begun for Freedom Fest 2009. This 4th of July Celebration will be held Saturday July 4th. Visit <http://www.willardparks.com>www.willardparks.com in the coming months for details.

KenKarJu-Ruy 2009: Register now for KenKarJu-Ryu martial arts. This family oriented art focuses on courtesy, respect, self-discipline, self-defense, self-improvement, physical fitness and FUN! Classes are offered on Mondays and Thursdays from 6:30pm 7:30pm at the Willard Community Building for anyone ages 7 and up. The fee is $50 for the entire eight week session. Registration forms are available at the Recreation Center.

Session 1: 1/5 2/26 Session 2: 3/2 4/30 Session 3: 6/1 7/23 Session 4: 8/3 9/28 Session 5: 10/5 11/23

Children's Dance Classes: Register now for Children's Dance. Hurry, spots are limited. Creative Dance: Ages 3-5: Classes on Tuesday Afternoons Ballet and Tap: Ages 5 & up: Classes on Tuesdays & Thursdays Jazz: Ages 9 & up: Classes on Tuesdays Classes are 8 weeks. The fee is $50 - $65. Registration forms are availability at the Recreation Center. For more information please call Ms. Patrice at 818-3659 or 833-8631

Beginner Belly Dancing: Willard Parks and Recreation will be offering Belly Dancing Classes. All adults are eligible to attend. The cost is $40 per participant. This program is a 5 week session and will be held on Wednesdays from 7:00pm - 8:00pm. Spots are limited. Registration forms are available at the Recreation Center.

Session 1: 1/14 - 2/11 Session 2: 2/18 - 3/18 Session 3: 4/1 - 4/29 Session 4: 5/6 - 6/3

Sports Registrations: Spring Soccer Registration: March 2nd - March 31st Spring Soccer is for grades pre-k 8th. The fee to participate is $35. Games: April 25th - May 30th (Saturday games)

Flag Football Registration: March 2nd - 31st Flag Football is for grades 1st - 8th. The fee to participate is $35. Games: April 25th - May 30th (Saturday games)

Spring Volleyball Registration: March 2nd - 31st Spring Volleyball Registration is for grades K-8th. The fee to participate is $35. Games: April 28th - May 26th (Friday games)

Competitive Soccer Registration: March 2nd - 31st Competitive Soccer Registration is for U8 U13. The fee to participate is $200 for in town teams and $225 for out of town teams.

April Sports Camps: In April, Willard Parks and Recreation will be hosting 3 sports camps instructed by the Willard High School Athletic Department.

Camp: Soccer Location: Highline Soccer Park Day/Date: Saturday April 18th Times: K thru 2nd grade 9:00am - 12:00pm & 3rd thru 6th grade 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Camp: Volleyball Location: Willard Recreation Center Day/Date: Saturday April 25th Times: K thru 2nd grade 9:00am - 12:00pm & 3rd thru 6th grade 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Camp: Flag Football Location: Highline Soccer Park Day/Date: Sunday April 19th Times: 1st thru 6th Grade 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Please contact us at (417)742-2262 if you have any questions.

Kevin McDonald Director of Willard Parks and Recreation 133 N State Hwy Z PO Box 187 Willard, MO 65781 (417) 742-2262 fax - (417) 742-6868

_________________________ Bob Andrus, Technology Director Willard R-II School District