PLEASANT HILL R-III SCHOOL DISTRICT
The
Winter 2009
CONNECTION
The for Grandparents Day
Choirs perform
Grandparents Day was held at the Pleasant Hill High School on Tuesday, December 8. One hundred
sixty three grandparents enjoyed a morning of activities and were treated to snacks and a visit with Santa.
Parent / Teacher Conference survey
Inside this issue:
R-III Board sets filing dates
2
“Once Upon a Mattress”
2
Annual Performance Report
2
Rooster Alerts
2
BOE presents TrackMakers
3
District prepares for snow days
4
Red Ribbon Week
4
Military Care Packages
4
Kindergarten Search
4
CC State Competition
4
Parents as Teachers
4
Attendance Lines
4
PTO Holiday Shop
4
Bulletin Board Flyers
4
An exit survey was given at the Parent/Teacher
Conferences on October 19 – 22. District-wide
there were 434 responses collected. Assistant
Superintendent of School Improvement, Dr. Becky
Gallagher, commented, “We appreciate the
parents who took the time to complete the survey
following Parent/Teacher conferences. The results
of this annual survey are shared with the Board
of Education, the administration, and with staff. The
survey results are utilized to continue to improve
the connection between school and home, as
each building’s leadership team uses the data to
enhance the building’s improvement plan.” A
summary of the results is provided below.
98% of the parents from the Primary, Elementary
and Intermediate Schools agreed newsletters
were very important.
Technology
91% have a computer with internet access.
96% have access to email.
93% have accessed the District website at:
www.pleasanthillschools.com several times or
weekly and 91% believe the information on the
website is useful.
Parent Teacher conferences
99% of respondents rated conferences as a
positive, worthwhile event.
School Climate
96% of respondents feel welcome at the school
facilities.
97% of respondents felt that teachers in the
district really care and hold high expectations for
student learning.
Communication
96% agreed that the automated phone call
system was an effective means of communication.
82% felt communication on an ‘as needed’ basis
was the best.
District Climate
89% believe the district earned a letter grade of
an “A or B”.
96% believe the district has steadily improved
over the last 5 years.
Page 2
The Connection
R-III Board sets Annual Performance Report (APR)
has worked extremely hard to ensure students
filing dates
For the fifth consecutive year, the Pleasant
Resident taxpayers who are interested
in filing for the Pleasant Hill R-III Board of
Education may do so in person in the District
Central Office at 318 Cedar St., Pleasant
Hill, MO, from December 15, 2009, through
January 19, 2010. Office hours are 8:00
A.M. – 12:00 P.M. and 1:00 P.M. – 4:00
P.M. The office will be closed from December
21, 2009, through January 1, 2010. Filing
will continue until 5 P.M. on January 19,
2010. Filing will not occur on weekends or
days in which the district is closed due to
inclement weather.
Two seats are up for election. Each seat
is for a three-year term. To be eligible for
the Board of Education, an individual must
be a citizen of the United States, a resident
of Missouri for one year preceding the
election, a resident taxpayer of the school
district, and at least 24 years of age.
“Once Upon a
Mattress”
Students at the Pleasant Hill High School
presented “Once Upon a Mattress” in November. The cast consisted of Corey Todd,
Cheyann Dillon, Daniel Kiger, Jamie Spencer,
Jesse Yost, Brandon Alesi, Noah Dayson,
Alyssa Lally, Mysti-Ane’ Pierce, Katie Lane,
Summer Kirchoffer, Cassidy White, Rachel
Lauve, Tasha Finnegan, Sara McCoy, Dalton
Rucker, Patrick Shands, Cole Watson, Nick
Glendenning, Julianne Smith, Brianna Jackson, and the Pit Band under the direction of
Ms. Melody Alford.
The casts of 1971 and 1983 were honored
with a reception after the performance on November 13.
The Pleasant Hill R-III School District does
not discriminate on the basis of race, color,
national origin, gender, disability, or age in
its programs and activities. The following
person has been designated to handle
inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination
policies: Assistant Superintendent, 318
Cedar Street, Pleasant Hill, MO 64080, 816540-3161.
Hill R-III School District has received a
PERFECT score on the preliminary Annual
Performance Report (APR) released from the
Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education. This annual report is based on MAP
scores, ACT scores, percentages of students
enrolled in advanced and vocational courses,
graduation rates, college and career placement,
and attendance. Overall, these results provide
evidence that the District is consistently providing
students the best learning opportunities in their
continuous effort to increase student
achievement.
Pleasant Hill R-III School District received a
MET in each of fourteen (14) areas assessed
by the Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education as part of the District’s
Annual Performance Report.
Districts earning a MET in at least 13 of 14
areas including all MAP standards, receive the
designation ‘Distinction in Performance’. Despite
possible misconceptions, it is not an easy feat
for a District to earn a PERFECT score on the
APR. Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Becky
Gallagher, stated, “Improved student
achievement does not occur by chance. It takes
a planned, systemic, and concerted effort on
the parts of many stakeholders. Our entire staff
are provided all necessary ingredients to be
successful both during their school experience
and upon graduation.”
Annual Performance Report
MAP Grades 3-5 Math
Met
MAP Grades 3-5 Comm. Arts
Met
Met
Met
MAP Grades 6-8 Math
MAP Grades 6-8 Comm. Arts
EOC Algebra I Math
EOC English II Comm. Arts
ACT
Advanced Courses
Career Education Courses
College Placement
Met
Met
Met
Met
Met
Career Education Placement
Met
Met
Graduation Rate
Met
Attendance Rate
Met
AYP Sub-Group Achievement
Met
Rooster Alerts
The Pleasant Hill R-III
School District is continually
striving to improve
communication between the
school and parents. You
may sign up to receive
Rooster Alerts on your cell
phone or email. This service will enable school
personnel to notify parents by sending a text
message or email within minutes for emergency
information, school closings, early dismissals
and event reminders. To sign up please visit
the District website www.pleasant
hillschools.com and click on ‘rooster alerts’.
Please check your cell phone plan for any
text message fees your wireless provider may
charge. This service is sponsored by the
Pleasant Hill Bank.
Rear Door Evacuation
Durham School drivers and students from
the Pleasant Hill School District participated in a
rear door evacuation at the Pleasant Hill
Intermediate School recently. Students grades
K-6 were instructed on emergency evacuation
techniques, general school bus safety and
proper entry and exit of the bus.
Winter 2009
Page 3
Board of Education presents MAP / EOC Trackmakers
The overall purposes of a recognition
program are to build individual self-esteem,
improve individual performance, retain quality
employees, enhance individual and corporate
pride, and provide reinforcement and reward
for achievement toward the mission of the
organization. With these purposes in mind,
the Pleasant Hill R-III Board of Education
established a TrackMaker Recognition
Program several years ago.
This Fall, 395 students at the Elementary
School, Intermediate School, Middle School
and High School who earned ‘Advanced’ level
on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP)
and End of Course (EOC) exams last spring
were presented TrackMakers by the R-III
School Board.
Earning TrackMakers at the High School
were: MAP Communication Arts: Scott
Blann, Trevor Burge, Douglas Bybee, Rachel
Casteel, Noah Dayson, Jenna Greenwood,
Blake Greufe, Joseph Griffith, Shannon Haws,
Taylor Hayes, MaryBeth Hertzog, Elizabeth
Jerabek, Jamie Kelly, Ericka King, Summer
Kirchhofer, Rachel Lauve, Justin Longmeyer,
Brittani Lugenbeel, Elisabeth Mansfield,
Mallory Miller, Brandon Norris, Nathan
Osterberger, Nicole Patterson, Mysti Ane
Pearce, Anna Prewitt, Jacob Randle, Adam
Reeves, Dylan Ross, Brad Smith, Gregory
Troiani, Charlotte Williams, Abigail Yoder and
Lonnie Yost. Those earning EOC TrackMakers
were: Samantha Baker, Collin Boyd, Brett
Clement, Kaylee Cline, Landon Fischer, Jared
Gipfert, Hannah Guffey, Mary Haight, Melanie
Humphrey, Heather Martin, Joey Moore, Ryan
Moran, Paige Norris, Bailey Page, Taylor
Parris, Jordan Powell, Julianne Smith, Andrew
Snow, Logan Stroburg, Colten Stucker, Ethan
Tucker, Shasta Venegas, Tierney Woods and
Hannah Wouters. Mathematics:. Earning
MAP TrackMakers were: Scott Blann, Taylor
Bonnesen, Trevor Burge, Douglas Bybee,
Rachel Casteel, Alex Coday, Noah Dayson,
Jacob Denney, Matthew Gray, Blake Greufe,
Elizabeth Jerabek, Jamie Kelly, Joel Ketchum,
Erika King, Summer Kirchhofer, Rachel Lauve,
Kailtlin Long, Justin Longmeyer, Brittani
Lugenbeel, Kaylee Mathiason, Hannah Meyer,
Mallory Miller, Tyler Miller, Nicole Patterson,
Jacob Randle, Adam Reeves, Dylan Ross,
Brad Smith, Ryan Spangler, Gregory Troiani,
Coleton Watson, Charlotte Williams and Lonnie
Yost. Earning EOC TrackMakers were:
Amanda Crawford, Nikki Sherwood, Taylor
Bonneen, Douglas Bybee, Blake Greufe,
Ericka King, Justin Longmeyer, Brittani
Lugenbeel, Kaylee Mathiason, Hannah
Meyer, Tyler Miller, Jacob Randle, Adam
Reeves, Dylan Ross, Gregory Troiani
and Lonnie Yost. Science: Earning MAP
TrackMakers were: Taylor Bonnesen,
Trenton Burdette, Trevor Burge, Douglas
Bybee, Rachel Casteel, Jacob Denney,
Joseph Griffith, Justin Longmeyer, Tyler
Miller, Brandon Norris, Mysti Ane Pearce,
Adam Reeves, Gregory Troiani and
Lonnie Yost. Earning EOC TrackMakers
were: Carl Emanuel, Mary Haight, Nathan
Harris, Joshua Hastings, Paige Norris,
Aaron Orpin, Jonathan Randle, Bret
Smith, Andrew Snow, Logan Stroburg and
Tierney Woods.
Earning MAP TrackMakers at the
Middle School were: Communication
Arts: Kacey Breitbach, Katie Brenton,
Alexis Caraker, Haley Cash, Zachery
Cohen, Kaylea Dennis, Tristan Dooly,
Hannah Dustman, Brady Franklin,
Kenton Hanifl, Bailey Heublein, Heather,
Hughes, Alexander Hurd, Kiahla
Kirchhoff, Erica Loney, Mariahe Long,
Rainey Madison, Josh Moore, Haylee
Newport, Allison Novak, Alisha Price,
Haleigh Rottinghaus, Hannah Shinn,
Mackenzie Snyder, Bailey Strain, Jenny
Toler, Trevor Young, Courtney Bakken,
Nicole Beard, Brogan Bellamy, Riley
Bonnesen, Renee Edenburn, Tyler
Evans, Kyle Feeler, Karlee Garrison,
Spencer Homan, Brianna LaForte, Drew
LaForte, Jacob Lauve, Joseph Madison,
Kayla McDaniel, Elijah Mijares, Nicole
Nulsen, Caitlin Rash, Cassy Reeves,
Thomas Schaefer, Lewis Sharp, Kaytlinn
Snoderly, Molly Takacs, Kevin
VanDevelde and Olivia Woodruff.
Mathematics: Justin Bell, Kacey
Breitbach, Alexis Caraker, Haley Cash,
Zachery Cohen, Benjamin Dobson,
Tristan Dooly, Hannah Dustman, Matthew
Gully, Kenton Hanifl, Heather Hughes,
Alexander Hurd, Erica Loney, Mariahe
Long, Emily McKee, Josh Moore, Haylee
Newport, Allsion Novak, Kristin Orpin,
Nathan Phillips, Alisha Price, Cody Pullen,
Haleigh Rottinghaus, Mackenzie Snyder,
Bailey Strain, Kathryn Wertz, Nathaniel
Whitlock, Braxton Williams, Trevor Young,
Austin Yount, Allie Zahn, Rebekah
Anderson, Christopher Barzilla, Lance
Bevan, Garrett Bolden, Riley Bonnesen,
Kaylene Bramwell, Dillon Davis, tyler
Evans, Austin Hiler, Spencer Homan, Jacob
Lauve, Joseph Madison, Remington McCrea,
Elijah Mijares, Nicole Nulsen, Justin Orpin,
Aubrey Purnell, Jake Richcreek, Thomas
Schaefer, Lewis Sharp, Molly Takacs,
Makenzie Voorhees, Tiffany Werts, Zachary
Winkler and Olivia Woodruff.
Earning MAP TrackMakers at the
Intermediate School were: Communication
Arts: Ethan Baker Arbuckle, Fiona Bolte
Bradhurst, Donna Borer, Haley Burge,
Rachel Dustman, Michaela Emond, Kaley
Hays, Ian Heinrich, Kylie Heublein, Jason
Hudlemeyer – Kennedy, Hannah
McCommon, Kirsten Medearis, Christian
Moreno, Austin Rash, Fernanda Sierra,
Drake Sivils, Racheal Snyder, Christina
Waddle, Abigail Welther, Courtney
Wesemann, Colleen Wouters, Luella Yoder,
Brylea Burkhart, Kaycee Clements, Malynn
Creighton, Christian Durst, Garrison Fields,
O’Tillia Jerabek, Cheyenne Long, Jacob
Longmeyer, Marley Moran, Brianna Shuler,
Sienna Smith, William Stanley, Madolyn
Swinney, Margaret Waddle, Jacob Watson,
Bailey Wileman and Joshua Young.
Mathematics: Kevin Aguilar, Fiona Bolte
Bradhurst, Donna Borer, Rachel Dustman,
Lauren Larkins, Caleb Long, Kirsten
Medearis, Christian Moreno, Courtney
Wesemann, Josie Cotter, Malynn Creighton,
Christian Durst, Cheyenne Long, Jacob
Longmeyer, Emilee Nulsen, Brianna Shuler,
Margaret, Waddle, Jacob Watson and Joshua
Young. Science: Phillip Bledsoe, Dalton
Burge, Chance Coday, Malynn Creighton,
Christian Durst, Garrison Fields, O’Tillia
Jerabek, Cheyenne Long, Jacob
Longmeyer, Caleb Melton, Marissa Paris, Levi
Phipps, Nathaniel Ryan, Brianna Shuler,
William Stanley, Jacob Watson, Anna Whitlock
and Joshua Young.
Earning MAP TrackMakers at the
Elementary School were: Communication
Arts: Carly Barker, Mackenzie Beaman,
Matthew Blair, Acelyn Brattin, Levi Cohen,
Michael Denney, Joseph Dryer, Jordan
Hamlin, Dominic Hemme, Makailyn
Hernandez, Eric Humphrey, Nicholas Ryan,
Trent Wilson, Jacob Wood, Michael Wright
and Gennavieve Wrobel. Mathematics:
Carly Barker, Levi Cohen, Jordan Hamlin,
Joseph Heinrich, Dominic Hemme, Skyler
Kirchhofer, Jack Marconett, Nicholas Ryan
and Rylie Willson.
District prepares for inclement weather
Pleasant Hill R-III School District
encompasses approximately 75 square
miles. During inclement weather, road
conditions usually vary widely from one
area to another. This sometimes makes for
a difficult decision on whether to close or
delay school. Last year the District
developed snow routes for use when
necessary.
A snow route is a modified bus route
that generally runs on main roads rather
than side streets or through neighborhoods
where driving a school bus may not be
possible during severe weather. Snow
routes will be used when main roads are
clear enough for safe travel but side roads
are not as clear. If snow routes are in effect,
some students will have to catch their bus
at alternate stops. On snow route days,
to avoid confusion, students will be
returned after school to their snow
route stops regardless of changes in
the weather. Although snow routes were
never utilized last year we intend to have
them available for use in certain situations.
The decision to use snow routes, cancel,
or delay school is made by 5:30 am. The
district will then contact the emergency notification
center who contacts TV broadcast stations. RIII families and staff members will also be notified
by ADT, the recorded phone service. Parents
are urged to provide schools with updated
information for any phone numbers that change
throughout the year. Please note that school
closing information will not appear on the district
website.
Attendance must still be taken on these days
but we encourage parents to use their best
judgment in deciding if they should bring their
children to a bus stop or school. We also
encourage inexperienced school age drivers
to ride with adults or on the bus during this time.
These situations disrupt family schedules and
we appreciate your patience during severe
weather conditions. We recognize the
importance of having children in school on a
regular schedule with quality learning time, but
be assured our top concern is always the safety
of students and staff.
Dismissals for unexpected circumstances will
be made up in the following order: May 21,
Jan. 18, Feb. 15, Mar. 31, Apr. 1 and May 24.
Days cancelled in excess of six will be added to
the end.
Kindergarten Search
Red Ribbon week
The district participated in Red Ribbon Week recently. Pictured above is
the Primary School staff on “It’s Groovy
to be drug free” day.
Military Care Packages
Several classes and groups recently
sponsored a Military Care Package
Drive for 13 soldiers who are currently
serving overseas and stateside.
We need your help to plan for the
2010-2011 school year enrollment. If
you have a child, relative or neighbor who
will enter kindergarten next fall, please
call 987-9200. Children must be 5 on
or before July 31, 2010 to enter
kindergarten. If you would like to
schedule a screening appointment for
your child, please call 987-9200.
Screening appointments will be held
March 15, 2010 through March 25, 2010
between the hours of 8:00 am and 3:00
pm at the Pleasant Hill Primary School.
Kindergarten enrollment will occur
during screenings.
State Competition
Nine cross country runners
competed at State in November.
Those participating at State were
Ross Bruns, Drew Snow, Matt
Gibbins, Junior Ruckdeschell, Carl
Emanuel, Armando Moreno, Robbie
Haffner, Taylor Livingston and Taylor
Tribble.
Parents as Teachers
Parents as Teachers is a program
for parents with children ranging in age
from prenatal to kindergarten. The
program is designed to offer
developmental information to parents.
PAT knows that the most important
teacher in your child’s life is you. Our
goal is to work together with parents
to guide your child through the most
critical stages of brain development,
which are the early years.
Parents as Teachers offers home
visits, yearly screenings, monthly
calendar of events and activities, story
hours, and fun-filled night group
meetings for you and your child. This
program is free to all parents with
children in the Pleasant Hill School
District. Upcoming PAT events include
Christmas Time, Dads and Kids Only
Activity Night, Kindergarten Round-Up
and a fun filled Messy Night.
If you would like more information
on how to join this program contact
Parents as Teachers at 987-9200.
Attendance Lines
To report an absence, please call
one of the following numbers.
Primary School - 987-9201
Elementary School - 987-9202
Intermediate School - 987-9203
Middle School - 987-9204
High School - 987-9205
PTO Holiday Shop
Over 150 kids visited the Holiday Shopping
on Saturday, December 5 at the Primary
School. Parents and students enjoyed hot
chocolate, cookies and popcorn while they
waited.
There were 19 A+ students, 12 IS Student
Council members and 8 parents who volunteered to help.
Bulletin Board flyers
The R-III School District will post approved
informational flyers from not-for-profit organizations on the District website. Please call Vickie
Carter, 540-3161 for more information.