District Newsletter

Willard R-II Central Office

Two of the four construction projects which were funded by the Bond issue last year have been completed. The gym addition at South Elementary has given the kids more room for physical education activities. Lori Ferguson actually has an office and storage room for equipment. She looks like one happy P.E. teacher when you go see her kids in action! The locker rooms are complete and we have had great comments from our athletes, coaches, and community members, at the complete package of the new stadium complex. The Agriculture Building is nearing completion. The FFA students, teachers and Mr. Pratt are working together for a grand opening ceremony. Classes should be moved in and in full swing by Christmas. Orchard Hills is quickly taking shape. Outside block walls are nearing completion on the west wing and an additional mason crew is being added next week. It will be a beautiful building. Pictures of the projects are included below. Please click on the links to view the pictures.

http://www.willard.k12.mo.us/co/IMGA0305.JPG Willard South http://www.willard.k12.mo.us/co/IMGA0303.JPG Willard South Gym http://www.willard.k12.mo.us/co/IMGA0306.JPG Orchard Hills Elementary http://www.willard.k12.mo.us/co/IMGA0311.JPG Orchard Hills Elementary http://www.willard.k12.mo.us/co/IMGA0313.JPG Orchard Hills Elementary http://www.willard.k12.mo.us/co/IMGA0315.JPG Orchard Hills Elementary http://www.willard.k12.mo.us/co/IMGA0286.JPG Locker Rooms http://www.willard.k12.mo.us/co/IMGA0289.JPG Ag Building http://www.willard.k12.mo.us/co/IMGA0295.JPG Ag Building http://www.willard.k12.mo.us/co/IMGA0298.JPG Ag Building

WCCF is having their second annual Harvest Gathering on November 8th. An antique and pie auction will be the main event of the evening with proceeds donated to the foundation. I have arranged for pie and cake donations but am in need of antiques donated for the auction. I am requesting that all staff members look in their closets, basements, attics, and barns to find that antique item that you are willing to part with for a great charity organization. This may be a nice vase or end table or even an old piece of jewelry. Steve West will professionally auction all items to the crowd. I have asked National Honor Society to help get the word out so that we can have a great sale. Please contact Sherri at the District office if you need help with moving any large items. The foundation will be offering a receipt of value for any donated items which is tax deductible. I am personally donating a beautiful old pump organ that my wife hates to dust. When I asked her about something to donate it did not take her long to point out something that she has been ready to part with for some time, and there is no better time than now!

Every dollar from the auction will benefit Willard Kids!

Have a great weekend! Kent

Dr. Kent E. Medlin Superintendent of Schools

Director of Operations

Indian Summer is definitely upon us and I hope you take the time to get outside and support the Tigers as they prepare to represent our community in district play!

Forget the cool Fall weather, the soccer tigers are on fire. Despite a 3-2 overtime setback at Carthage on Tuesday, the tigers responded with a resounding 5-1 victory over Rogersville last night to open the Willard Fall Soccer Classic. First round play will resume tonight with games starting at 4:00. The tigers will play their semifinal match on Saturday at 10:00am. 3rd place game will be at 12:00 with the championship game to follow. They will then resume COC play by traveling to Nixa on Monday, host New Covenant on Tuesday, and travel to Bolivar on Thursday.

The football tigers will look to get on track as they travel to Republic tonight in a key COC showdown. The tigers will then host Neosho next week in their last game before district play. That will also be Homecoming! Our own SGA will be sponsoring a bonfire on Thursday night as well as a homecoming parade on Friday afternoon with all Fall athletes , clubs, and organizations participating.

Congratulations to the volleytigers on their impressive victory over COC foe Webb City on Tuesday! The girls lost a close one to Republic last night but are playing good volleyball as they head into more COC play next week as they host Ozark on Tuesday and will travel to Nixa on Thursday.

Congratulations to the golfing lady tigers on their 2nd place finish in the COC tournament on Thursday. The girls were nudged out by Republic but defeated Branson, Ozark, and Nixa along the way. A special congratulations to C. Robinson and C. Goodwin on earning All-Conference honors. The girls will be competing in the district tournament this Monday. Good luck ladies!

Congratulations to the marching band for taking 3rd place honors out of the 28 bands in attendance at the Webb City Marching Band Festival last weekend. They will be performing in Lawrence, KS this weekend before unveiling their new uniforms next week at Homecoming!

The softball tigers are winding down their regular season as they travel to Ash Grove tonight and to Hillcrest next Tuesday. The girls will then start district play next Thursday in Carthage. Good luck ladies!

A huge tiger congratulations to the WHS choir as they had 3 students earn All State Honors! They are: B. Lawley, L., Sloan, and S. Scott. In addition to the All State honors, Willard had 14 students earn All District Honors. They are: C. Robinson, N. Adams, L. Thedell, B. Lawley, H. Masters, M. Williams, A. Lechner, L. Sloan, M. Bolton, S. Scott, B. Compton, Z. Nilsen, B. Lyons, and D. Raby.

Those tigers you see running on the trail or in the football grandstands are the cross country tigers. They have been putting in the miles in preparation for the COC and district meets. They will participate in the Reeds Spring Invitational on Tuesday. On a special note....Congratulations to Coach Giboney and Coach Hession on their successful completion of a marathon last weekend in Iowa. I can't even imagine!!

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

Director of Special Services

Special Services would like to send a big "thank you" to bus drivers and bus paras on the special education routes. These people help our students get each day off to a great start with their kindness, compassion, caring, and, even laughter. From our early childhood 3 year-olds to our high school students receiving special transportation, each is treated with regard and respect and given excellent treatment. In the past two weeks, I have received comments from parents expressing their sincere gratitude and thank you's. And, as I visit with some of the drivers and paras, I also am grateful and impressed with how well they know each child and their needs. Hearing their stories, both humorous and serious, has been an reminder of how important each member of our team is to student success.

Special transportation staff include: drivers Marge Beckham , Sharland Cotter, Dean Flanner, Lisa Helmick and Don Vess. Bus paras are Jim Berry, Steve Bradley, Richard Cotter, Teresa Herren and Judy Ruckman. Thank you all for the work you do with our special needs students.

Thank you also goes to Coach Phil Wickwar for the Partners in Strength donation given to our department. The donation will be used toward motor equipment for students with special needs. Thanks Phil! Sandy Gold, Director of Special Services

Willard High School

I was visiting classrooms and stepped into Ms. Butler's 3rd hour Physics and watched students in the lab area working on an acceleration experiment. Listening to the conversations of students as they worked in teams to setup their equipment reminds me of the importance of communication and critical thinking skills our youth need to be competitive in the job market. Ms. Butler used the lab setting to ensure that students read, heard, and visualized the topic being presented. The class also provided a format for collaboration with others, analysis of the problem, and a teamwork approach to solutions. This process is vital in the adult workplace and what better way to prepare our students that to put them in real world situations in the classroom. Although every student was not successful in the lab, the setting and the lesson provided an opportunity for students to learn and grow. Our staff is committed to challenging students to develop and improve communication and problem solving skills. Stewart Pratt, Principal

Willard Middle School

This week at the Willard Middle School finds us moving into October, the leaves turning colors, and the air turning cooler. Where has summer gone? The teachers and administrators enjoyed a great day last Friday at Ritter Park, where we had a guest speaker and several other activities designed to help focus our attention on what matters most in our business, which would be the kids we are blessed to have under our care. Time was spent reflecting on how we can better serve those kids, and help each other to be the best educators that we can be. Saturday brought a fantastic conclusion to a great deal of hard work by many people, and we enjoyed a huge turnout for Growl Nite 08. The total amount of money raised for this project exceeded $5,500, and we again thank all those who had any part in this activity. Tuesday, the OHHS club held the 3rd annual Support Our Troops Rally, which took place in front of Murfin's after school. Many people stopped by and showed their support, and countless others gave a "honk of approval" as they passed by. Next week we invite our students to come join the party as we have a Tiger Tail Gate gathering before the home 8th grade football game. There will be food and drinks available, so bring $3 and be a part of a fun evening with your friends. That same night (Tues), the science club will welcome a group of students from Drury University, who will be putting on a magic show called Ooey, Gooey, Slimey, which will show the amazing attributes of polymers. Don't miss that one! First quarter is quickly coming to an end, and we encourage you to encourage your kids to finish strong, so we have great things to talk about when we see you on parent-teacher conference night at the end of the month. Thanks for checking on us, and have a great week. Tom Merriott Asst. Principal

Willard Intermediate School

I want to take the opportunity in this week to recognize the hard work and extra time that the staff at WIS have put in to make all of our plans for this year a reality. It is very easy to overlook the individual efforts of the teachers in our building when things are running smoothly. I have been guilty of this myself. I know that a great school and district do not happen by accident! It is the intentional efforts of our teachers on a daily basis that make our school a great place for students and I am blessed to play a role in it.

Here are a few of the initiatives and programs our teachers have taken on this year: -Professional Learning Communities - 3rd year -Missouri Reading Initiative - 1st Year -Revisions and updates to curriculum based on state assessment (MAP) scores -DRA testing - assessment of each students reading ability -iTime - New reading strategies class -Acuity testing - preparation for our state assessments -Classroom blogs - to help communication with parents -Terrific Tuesdays - positive contacts with parents -After school activities and clubs - Running club, cooking club, class clown club, tutoring, etc.

The next time you see a teacher tell them "thanks" for all they do! Tom Davis, Principal

Willard Central Elementary

WC has been Wild About Learning this week as we celebrated with our Accelerated Schools kick-off assembly. We had a special visit from the Croc Hunter to see how animals show the 3 Accelerated Schools principles in the wild: empowerment with responsibility, unity of purpose and building on strengths. After the assembly, students received their Accelerated Schools t-shirts purchased by our PTO and we met in front of the school to take a picture of our entire school showing unity of purpose. It was a great day and I would encourage you to ask your students to explain these principles to you.

We also kicked off our Mr. Zs PTO fundraiser this year. Thank you for supporting our PTO as we raise money to provide items like our Accelerated Schools t-shirts, materials that support classroom instruction, and playground equipment. Order forms are due back to school by Oct. 14th and orders will be delivered on Nov. 14th to WC for pick up. As always, please remember that students must sell with an adult and your support is greatly appreciated.

As we look ahead to next week, please join us for McTeacher Night at the McDonald's on West Chestnut and West Bypass on Tuesday evening, October 7th from 4-8 pm. Teachers will help serve you as we raise money for our all-school family book club like we did last year with The Tale of Desperaux and our MAP Test Success activities.

Have a great weekend and remember, Willard Central is Wild About Learning! ~ Shane Medlin, Principal

Willard East Elementary

This week Willard East celebrated Custodian's Day! John, Cindy, and Nolan work tirelessly to keep our school looking bright and clean for learning. Today our 3rd graders are enjoying a field trip to the Frontier Theater in Marshfield , MO.

The Flap about MAP: This week I met with each grade level to dissect our MAP scores in order to write school improvement goals. Each district and school in the state must create a Comprehensive School Improvement Plan. The teachers and I discussed trends that we have seen over the years and brainstorm some solutions. We are still processing this information but our reports will be available for School Board review at the November meeting. Willard East students continue to meet state goals we are proud of our teachers and students.

Acuity Testing: For the next 2 weeks Willard East 3rd and 4th graders will be participating in Acuity testing. This is a testing program that assesses student knowledge on the Missouri Grade Level Expectations. Students take this test 3 times a year. The Fall and Winter test assess GLE knowledge and the Spring test is a "predictor" test to predict how students may perform on the state test. Teachers use this information to guide their instruction and better prepare students for state testing.

Fund raiser: Willard East fund raiser ends this week. We hope you are able to support our schools. Melinda Miller, Principal

Willard North Elementary

For the past two weeks Willard North has been practicing bike safety in PE! The students have been so excited about the unit and getting a free bike helmet! Thanks to MO DOT for sponsoring the grant that has allowed this to occur in our schools! The fourth grade landform projects have been turned in this week! All the projects look fantastic! I am looking forward my "Willard Weekend" with football on Friday and the band competition at KU on Saturday. Go Tigers!!! Rhonda Bishop, Principal

Willard South Elementary

Fall is in the air! The cooler weather is bringing lots of exciting events to Willard South. Last Saturday, we held our annual garage sale. We had a tremendous turnout and raised $800. This money will be used to help numerous families throughout the district with various needs. On Tuesday, October 7th our kindergarten families will enjoy our family fire safety night. Our PTO will kick off their fall fundraiser on Thursday, October 9th at 2:15 with an assembly. 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 Park Board News

Willard Parks and Recreation Under New Management: The City of Willard has hired Kevin McDonald as the new Parks and Recreation Director and Courtney Wendel as the new Sports Coordinator. Kevin and Courtney bring many new ideas and have over a dozen years of experience.

Movie in the Park: The Parks Department would like to announce our first ever Movie in the Park on Saturday October 18th at 6:45pm. Come join us at Jackson St. Park next to City Hall and enjoy watching MONSTER HOUSE and E.T. The event is free to attend. Bring your family, friends, lawn chairs and blankets. Come hungry and leave happy as we will be selling hot-dogs, hamburgers and many Halloween treats!

Safe Halloween: The Parks Department would like to invite you to attend Willard's Annual Safe Halloween Festival. This year's festival will be held Saturday October 25th at 5:45pm at the Willard Recreation Center. Major changes have been made to make this year's event the best ever!

Competitive Sports: Sign up your teams for competitive basketball. Registration for league play starts October 6th.

Recreational Sports: Basketball and Cheer Registration has been extended through Saturday October 4th at 12:00pm. Fees are $35. Register and come experience the new Willard Basketball League. For ages Pre K - 6th grade.