THE
BLUE JAY
NATION
“Proud Past, Bright Future”
VOLUME 2
ISSUE 4
SCHOOL YEAR 2013-2014
June 2014
1:1 Technology
Initiative Update
Hard Work Does Pay Off in the End
Many of us have been told that we must work hard to get
ahead in life. This year has been all about this concept
within the classrooms of the Jefferson R-VII School District when it comes to educational technology. During our
second year of being a full pre- K-12 school district, our
students and staff continue to blaze a trail to improve the
overall educational opportunities for every child within
the District.
An Early Start is the Key to Success
Our Parents as Teachers (PAT) program jumped on board
with the use of new technology to help parents prepare
future Blue Jays for the upcoming elementary experience.
These professionals are expanding the awareness of the
technology in education to our district parents with huge
success. Kindergarten classrooms used new 1:1 technology for the current school year to provide for individual success in the learning process.
Students were not
just reading books but using the technology to design and
write their own books. Math and science concepts were
introduced in such a way to offer interactive engagement
for students to comprehend new materials. Amazing accomplishments given these children were just 5 years old.
Every Student Has the Same Educational Opportunities Because of the New Technology
Grades 5-12 also used 1:1 technology during the current year to enhance the learning process for all students.
Whether it was Communication Arts, Social Studies,
Math, Science or the Arts, our students gained knowledge
in a manner that was never available to every student at
the same time in all classrooms. Students and staff have
committed to a change in the way that learning will take
place going forward which allows information to be gathered and shared at an alarming rate. Learning can now
take place anywhere and at any time across our District.
Moving Forward to Expand the Opportunities
The Jefferson School District will be completing technology additions for grades 1-4 during the upcoming
summer. This work will complete the Jefferson R-VII
1:1 Technology Initiative for all grades K-12. With the
completion of this initiative our school district will have
revolutionized the educational process for our students.
This will allow for a 21st Century educational platform
to expand and enhance the sharing of knowledge between
students and staff.
Professional Development of Staff Plays a Large
Role in the Process
During the course of the current school year the District
conducted numerous professional development events to
train teachers and support staff to use the new technology. Ongoing training will be offered during the upcoming
school year to expand and enhance opportunities for all
grade levels in our District.
Photo courtesy of Cheekwood Photography
Jefferson R-VII Seniors Aim High
The Class of 2014 ended a great High School Career with the tossing of the caps at their graduation ceremony on
Tuesday, May 20th, in front of a large crowd at Jefferson High School.
The four class officers, Cole Lankford, Sydney Henson, Kaylee Morrison and Claire Welker spoke at graduation and
Maddie Marlow was selected to give the Student Address. The class selected former science teacher, Derek Smith,
to give the honorary speech and read names at the ceremony.
Many were recognized for their accomplishments including Top Ten Percent, Military Service, A+, College Prep
Certificates, Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude and Summa Cum Laude. Congratulations to the Class of 2014!
SUPERINTENDENT’S MESSAGE
Are We There Yet?
We have successfully completed our second year as a Kindergarten through 12th Grade
School District and we are still travelling forward. The Class of 2014 was provided the
opportunity to complete college credit while completing their senior year of high school.
Kindergarten and 5-12th grade students also lead the way with our 1:1 Technology. “Are
we there yet?” Sit back and wait till you see what the Jefferson R-VII School District
is planning! The 2014-2015 School Year will bring with it the completion of our K-12 1:1 Technology Initiative
Program. The addition of new equipment will allow every Jefferson R-VII student to have individual access to
a computer device. An expanded curriculum about the District will continue to be the focus moving forward to
ensure educational excellence for every child. Education is a journey not a destination so we are not there yet. As
a District, our staff and students will continue to be the driving force to accomplish new goals in the coming school
year.
Mr. Clint Johnston, Superintendent
Page 2
The Blue Jay Nation
Jefferson High School Class of 2014
Tyler Adams-Dunn
Marisa Alford
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; Missouri State University – Provost Scholarship; Kevin Epperson Shelter Insurance Scholarship; Jefferson R-VII PTO Making a Difference Scholarship
Honors: Summa Cum Laude; Red Cross Red Cord Recognition; College Prepara-
tory Certificate; National Honor Society Member; George Washington Carver Top 10%
Cody Bailey
Andrew (Brock) Boeckstiegel
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; Hannibal-LaGrange University – Achievement Resi-
dential Scholarship, HLG Grant, Men’s Baseball Scholarship
Conor Bourisaw
Marianna (Kaitie) Carlton
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; Lindenwood (St. Charles) Grant/Scholarship
Honors: Cum Laude; National Technical Honor Society; Red Cross Red Cord Recognition; National Honor Society Member
Logan Carney
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; University of Missouri (St. Louis) – Academic Scholar-
ship
Honors: Cum Laude; Red Cross Red Cord Recognition; College Preparatory Certificate; National Honor Society Member
Shayne Cathcart
Danielle Coleman
Johnathan Courtway
Crystal Daugherty
Shane Diebold
John Duerr
Nicholas Firestine
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship
Shae Fisher
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; Wesley UMC Scholarship
Honors: Cum Laude
Grace Fraser
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; Central Methodist University – Founders Scholarship, Music Scholarship
Honors: Magna Cum Laude; Red Cross Red Cord Recognition; National Honor Society Member; George Washington Carver Top 10%
Derek Gremminger
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship
Madison Gurlin
Sam Henderson
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship
Honors: Eagle Scout
Sydney Henson
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; Southeast Missouri State University – University Scholarship,Residence Life Leadership Award; Kevin Epperson Shelter Insurance Scholarship; National Honor Society Blood Drive Scholar-
ship
Honors: Magna Cum Laude; Senior Class Treasurer; Red Cross Red Cord Recognition; February Rotary Student of the Month; College Prepara-
tory Certificate; National Honor Society Member
Jacob Hill
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; Southeast Missouri State University – President’s Scholarship, Residence Life Leadership Award
Honors: Cum Laude; Red Cross Red Cord Recognition; October Rotary Student of the Month; College Preparatory Certificate; National Honor Society Member
Courtney Hoke
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; Lindenwood University (Belleville) Grant for Ice Hockey
Sam Holtz
Ciara Horn
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; The Jefferson County Veterans Memorial Scholarship; Tye & Scott Edwards Memorial Scholarship
Honors: Cum Laude; National Technical Honor Society; College Preparatory Certificate
Haley Hose
Austin Humphres
Ryan Johnston
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; First State Community Bank – William H. Cooper Leadership Scholarship
Honors: Cum Laude; May Rotary Student of the Month; College Preparatory Certificate; 2014 U.S. Army Reserve National Scholar Athlete; 2014 MSHSAA Award of Excellence
Courtney Jordan
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; Jefferson County Association of Educational and Office Professionals Scholarship (J.C.A.E.O.P.)
Honors: Cum Laude; March Rotary Student of the Month
Kristen Keeney
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; Missouri State University – Dean’s Scholarship; Jef-
ferson R-VII PTO Blue Jay Dollars Scholarship; National Honor Soci-
ety Scholarship
Honors: Magna Cum Laude; Red Cross Red Cord Recognition; December Rota-
ry Student of the Month; College Preparatory Certificate; National Honor Society Member; George Washington Carver Top 10%; 2014 Jefferson High School Senior Female Athlete Award
June 2014
Cameron Kleine
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; University of Memphis – Non-Resident Scholarship, School of Music Scholarship by Rudi. E. Scheidt School of Music, General Scholarship
Honors: Cum Laude; College Preparatory Certificate; Bright Flight Scholarship Top 5%
Abrielle (Abbie) Lalumondier
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship
Honors: Cum Laude
Cole Lankford
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; Hannibal-LaGrange University – HLG Grant, Men’s Baseball Scholarship, Presidential Resident Scholarship; Jefferson R-VII MSTA/NEA Scholarship; Brenda Preston Memorial Scholarship
Honors: Magna Cum Laude; Senior Class Secretary; Red Cross Red Cord Rec-
ognition; April Rotary Student of the Month; National Honor Society Member; 2014 Jefferson High School Senior Male Athlete Award
Saad Malik
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship
Honors: Magna Cum Laude; College Preparatory Certificate; 2011 Sophomore Pilgrimage Representative
Brennen Manns
Scholarships: US Army GI Bill
Madeleine (Maddie) Marlow
Scholarships: Better Business Bureau Student of Ethics Award; Bright Flight Scholar-
ship, VFW Voice of Democracy
Honors: Magna Cum Laude; Student Council President; Rita Williams Spir-
it of Student Council Award; Red Cross Red Cord Recognition; Na-
tional Honor Society Member; George Washington Carver Top 10%; Bright Flight Scholarship Top 3-4%; 2013 Missouri Girls State Repre-
sentative; 2011 Missouri Scholars Academy Representative
Laine Martin
Aaron McInerney
Scholarships: University of Missouri – Mr. & Mrs. John Brown Memorial Scholar-
ship, Charles A. Hoyt Scholarship; US Army Reserve GI Bill
Honors: Cum Laude; College Preparatory Certificate
Marc McWhorter
Dalton Messmer
Kaylee Morrison
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; Board of Trustees Mahler Family Endowment Honors Scholarship; National Honor Society Scholarship
Honors: Magna Cum Laude; Senior Class Vice President; Red Cross Red Cord Recognition; College Preparatory Certificate; National Honor Society Secretary; National Honor Society Member; George Washington Carv-
er Top 10%
Alison Moses
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship
Honors: Cum Laude; College Preparatory Certificate
Lee Murphy-Wolff
Dylan Nahlik
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship
Caleb Oppermann
Megan Ouhl
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; Drury University – Presidential Scholarship, Women’s Swimming Scholarship; American Red Cross Scholarship; Kevin Ep-
person Shelter Insurance Scholarship; Chamber of Commerce Scholar-
ship; National Honor Society Scholarship
Honors: Magna Cum Laude; 2014 Daughters of the American Revolution nominee from Jefferson High School; Red Cross Red Cord Recogni-
tion; September Rotary Student of the Month; College Preparatory Certificate; National Honor Society President; National Honor Society Member; George Washington Carver Top 10%
Nathan Parris
Kenneth Pearson
Nicholas Peery
Carlotta Pietrucci
Honors: Cum Laude; Foreign Exchange Student Recognition
Larrann Pippin
Tyler Prater
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; Fire Fighters Association of Missouri Scholarship; US Army National Guard GI Bill
Honors: Cum Laude; 2014 Optimist Youth
Page 3
Dylan Rapp
Afton Ray
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship
Honors: Cum Laude
Alexis Reese
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; University of Missouri – Chancellors Award Schol-
arship, Bright Flight Scholarship, Legacy Award
Honors: Magna Cum Laude; Red Cross Red Cord Recognition; College Preparatory Certificate; National Honor Society Member; George Washington Carver Top 10%
Miranda Roberts
Scholarships: The Festus/Crystal City Elks Scholarship
Honors: Cum Laude
Deiyden Rushing
Daniella Schatzberg
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship
Honors: Cum Laude; College Preparatory Certificate
Bailee Settle
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; Asbury University - President’s Scholarship, Volley-
ball Scholarship, Christian Ministry Scholarship
Honors: Magna Cum Laude; Red Cross Red Cord Recognition; College Preparatory Certificate; National Honor Society Vice President; National Honor Society Member
Sarah Tabor
Honors: Cum Laude
Nathan Todd
Dylan Vandiver
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship
Honors: Cum Laude; College Preparatory Certificate
Tristen Walsh
Honors: Cum Laude; College Preparatory Certificate
Caitlyn Wehner
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship
Honors: Cum Laude; College Preparatory Certificate; 2014 MSHSAA Award of Excellence
Claire Welker
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; University of Missouri – Excellence Award; The Festus/Crystal City Elks Scholarship, The Elks National Foundation 2014 Legacy Award; Jefferson R-VII PTO Blue Jay All The Way Scholarship; National Honor Society Scholarship
Honors: Magna Cum Laude; Senior Class President; Red Cross Red Cord Recognition; November Rotary Student of the Month; College Pre-
paratory Certificate; National Honor Society Member; George Washington Carver Top 10%; 2013 Missouri Girls State Representative; 2014 U.S. Army Reserve National Scholar Athlete; 2014 St. Louis Post-Dispatch Scholar Athlete
Samantha Westhoff
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; Jefferson College – Music Department Scholarship; Wal-Mart Stores of Jefferson County Scholarship; Ron Sikes Music Scholarship; Jefferson R-VII PTO Jo Ellen Murphy Memorial Schol-
arship
Honors: Cum Laude; Red Cross Red Cord Recognition; January Rotary Stu-
dent of the Month; College Preparatory Certificate; National Honor Society Member
Charles Wilkes
Honors: Cum Laude
Andrew Wood
Jared Yglesia
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship
Honors: Eagle Scout
Jordan Yglesia
Scholarships: A+ Scholarship; Jefferson College – Music Department Scholarship
Honors: Cum Laude; Eagle Scout
Page 4
The Blue Jay Nation
Track
High School Spring Sports
(Becherer, Keeney, Brown, Null). The 4x400 team earned 4th place in the
State meet and set a new school record of 4:07.87. “As the season winds
down I am extremely proud of my athletes. We wanted to bring more events
to State and win Districts with the girls’ team, which we did exactly that. We
had really hoped to bring a few male athletes along with us to State this year,
but we fell short of that goal. As our program grows we will be replacing
more senior athletes, which will be tough, but our kids seem to understand
their roles and have risen to the challenges set before them.” - Coach Fallert
Baseball
The boys team made great strides this year. We moved kids around to find their
best position on the team. They broke numerous records throughout the season
and some more than once. They broke a total of 10 Records - 4x8, 4x4, 110H,
300H, Discus, Shot, Pole Vault, High Jump, mile and 2 mile. They also had one
heck of a met at Kelly finishing 4th overall - that was 3 men down - because
of a broken foot, illness, and a planned vacation. Colton Kassen led the boys’
team with overall points for the season and was the only male athlete to qualify
for Sectionals where he placed 7th in the 2 mile and set a new school record of
10:41.28.
The girls team had another amazing season! In their regular season meets, they
took home three 1st place plaques, one 2nd Place plaque, and one JV 1st place
Team Plaque. In Conference, they took 4th only losing to powerhouse schools
Festus, Hillsboro, and DeSoto. Then they moved on to SWEEP Districts bringing
home our 1st District Track Win and they surprised us all with a 2nd place finish
at Sectionals! Every female athlete who participated in Districts this year placed
in the top 8 spots earning points toward the team victory. At Sectionals the girls
competed in 15 events and pushed 9 of those through to State. Sectional athletes
include Alyssa Becherer, Maddie Brown, Courtney Eisenbeis, Hilah Fish, Macy
Hill, Kristen Keeney, Mackenzie Null, Ashley Perry, Bailee Settle, Ellie Steller,
Claire Welker, Holly Welker, and Caitlyn Wehner. This year more events qualified for State than in 2013. Jefferson was represented in 9 State events: Shot &
Discus (Wehner), 100M & 400M (Perry), 1600M (Becherer), 3200M (Keeney),
4x200 (Perry, Fish, Null, C. Welker), 4x400 (Null, Fish, H. Welker, Perry), 4x800
The 2014 Jefferson High School Baseball Team took another step forward
for the program this spring. The Blue Jays set a program record for wins by
going 17-9 and won the first boys conference title in any sport in the schools
history by winning the JCAA Small School Conference title going undefeated
in conference play. The Blue Jays led all county schools in runs per game and
their 17 wins was tied for the most among all county schools. In addition to
winning the conference title, the Blue Jays finished 4th in the challenging 12
team Valle/Ste. Genevieve Opening Day Tournament, won the Fredericktown
Wood Bat Invitational for the second time in three years, and competed for a
district championship for the second time in three years. The Blue Jays had
several post season honors, including 7 All Conference players including the
Conference Player of the Year Brock Boeckstiegel, 6 All District players and
1 Dream Team Member. The Blue Jays are also proud of the four seniors who
have signed to play college baseball next Fall. -Coach Koenig
Mastadon Art & Science Regional Fair Recognition
The 3rd-5th grade ECP students worked hard to complete their science fair projects for the Mastodon Art & Science Regional Fair despite the many snow days and
schedule changes. They tested: different recipes to make healthier drinks, made an electromagnet, found the best combination to make a lava lamp, tested which
drinks affected heart rate more, used play dough as a conductor for lights, and checked cell phones for the amount of radiation leakage between brands.
2nd place: Catryn Cattoor & Colby Ott; Kyle Lintzenich
3rd place: Jack Hueter, Jeremiah Chipps & Nate Ruble; Peyton Cattoor, Peyton Weiler & Hannah Wigger
4th place: Bryce Shepard, Saylor Bennett & Nate Bernatow; Andy Bernatow & Matthew Glass
Certificates for scoring in the top 250 projects: Kyle Lintzenich; Catryn Cattoor & Colby Ott
Mastodon State Historic Site Winner Display: Kyle Lintzenich
In addition to the ECP science fair projects, Telegraph Intermediate and Danby-Rush Tower Middle School were represented with several parent entries in both art
and science in the Mastodon Art & Science Regional Fair.
1st place: Peyton Weiler-art
2nd place: David Hollenberg- art; Alex Hollenberg- art; Tristan & Jackson Wyciskalla-Webb - science; Tristan Wyciskalla-Webb -art
Art division award 3rd-4th grade: Peyton Weiler
Viking Art Gallery Show: David Hollenberg; Tristan Wyciskalla-Webb; Alex Hollenberg
Mastodon State Historice Site Winner Display: Tristan & Jackson Wyciskalla-Webb
Myrtle Award for best science or art project involving wood-Trophy: Tristan & Jackson Wyciskalla-Webb
Executive Director’s Award- Trophy: Tristan & Jackson Wyciskalla-Webb
June 2014
Page 5
Kindergarten Graduates
Eighth Grade Graduates
Band Program Enjoys a Successful Year
JHS Concert Band
The 2013-2014 school year has been a very successful one for the Jefferson R-VII Band
program. Currently, there are over 200 students in grades 5-12 enrolled in the band program. Students at every level have enjoyed a high level of accomplishment.
Telegraph Intermediate: With over 50 students enrolled in 5th grade band, over 40% of
the band completed the Band Karate! method. To complete Band Karate!, students must
have successfully completed 31 performance and written assessments over the course
of the school year.
JHS Jazz Band
Danby-Rush Tower Middle School: In the fall, six 7th/8th grade students auditioned
and were selected to the All-District jazz band. In addition to those students, three were
selected to participate in the All-District concert band. Claire Ackerman (8) auditioned
and was selected to the High School All-District Band! At the Windsor Middle School
Music Festival, sixteen students, in grades 6-8, completed as soloists and earned a superior “I” rating. Emma Shephard and Rose Carter became charter members of the 6th
grade Wall of Fame by performing 12 tetrachords from memory in under a minute. Sydney Labruyere (8) became the second musician to earn a spot on the Danby Band Wall
of Fame by performing all 12 major scales from memory in under a minute.
Jefferson High School: Five students earned a spot in the All-District Jazz Band. Five
students earned a spot in the All-District Concert Band. Cameron Kleine was named to
the All-State jazz band roster Honorable Mention distinction. Twelve students represented JHS in the Jefferson County Honor Band. Seventeen students earned Excellent
“II” ratings at MSHSAA District contest. Twelve students earned Superior “I” ratings at
MSHSAA District contest. Eleven students earned Excellent “II” ratings at MSHSAA
State contest. In addition to the individual awards, the Jefferson High School Concert
Band earned a Superior “I” rating for the fifth year in a row.
Middle School Jazz Band
At our recent band banquet, the following students were recognized for their individual
achievements.
Samantha Westhoff: Ron Sikes Music Scholarship
Jack Henderson: Outstanding Freshman
Dietrich Plyler: Outstanding Sophomore
Megan Perry: Outstanding Junior
Carson Bourisaw: Most Improved Jazz Musician
Lauren Beckham: Most Improved Musician
Madeleine Marlow: Espirit de Corps
Cameren Rineberg: Director’s Award
Chloe Morrison: Director’s Award
Grace Fraser: Patrick Gilmore Award
Tyler Prater: John Philip Sousa Award
Cameron Kleine: Louis Armstrong Jazz Award
Page 6
The Blue Jay Nation
Update from Jefferson High School
Employee Service
Awards
Nicole Barton - 5 years
Lauren Blackmon - 5 years
Wayne Donjon - 5 years
Jason Dreyer - 5 years
Belinda Hammer-Scherle 5 years
Michael Hermann - 5 years
Ross Koenig - 5 years
Robert Kuehnle - 5 years
Laura Licare - 5 years
Ashleigh Nagel - 5 years
Jaime Naucke - 5 years
Angela Pemberton - 5 years
Tessa Peterin - 5 years
Holly Pope - 5 years
Suzanne Richardson - 5 years
Derek Scroggins - 5 years
Amanda Trask - 5 years
Theresa Williams - 5 years
Sheri Doyle - 10 years
Amy Manns - 10 years
Yvonne Henderson - 10 years
The Class of 2014 ended on a strong note at Jefferson High School. Four students, Cameron Kleine,
Maddie Marlow, Alexis Reese and Dylan Vandiver earned a spot in the Academic Hall of Fame by scoring a 30 or higher on the ACT. The senior class accumulated over $800,000 in scholarship money earned
to attend an institution beyond High School.
Several senior students took full advantage of the Jefferson College/Jefferson High School agreement
that allows Jefferson Students access to college credit at $70 per class, the first agreement between any
High School in Jefferson County to have this option. The seniors alone accumulated 320 hours of college credit to add to their college transcript.
The Class of 2014 had many accomplishments during their time at Jefferson including the field of Art,
Band and Choir, Athletics and Academics. The staff and I are appreciative of their time at Jefferson and
we wish the Class of 2014 the very best in their future endeavours.
One other individual that deserves recognition is Mrs. Suzanne Richardson. Mrs. Richardson is leaving
her position as High School Counselor to accept an administrative position in the Bayless School District. Many in the Jefferson Community knew her for her strong relationships with students and parents. Behind the scenes, Mrs. Richardson worked tirelessly to develop
many of the academic programs that our student body will benefit from as they advance toward their careers. My sincere appreciation
to Mrs. Richardson for always placing the interest of the student first.
David Haug, Principal
Update from Plattin Primary
May always seems to pass us by so quickly! It’s a month full of testing, reflections, planning and
celebrating. We started the month off by celebrating our teachers and staff during Teacher Appreciation Week. We can’t thank our staff enough for the nurturing environment that they build for our
students and their dedication to the success of your children. We celebrated that student success with
Kindergarten and Preschool graduations. One of the best things about our graduations is knowing that
we are not saying goodbye to these kids…we get to teach them for a few more years. Even though our
2nd graders don’t graduate, they are the ones moving beyond the doors of Plattin Primary. It’s been
an honor to see them grow and learn each year and I continue to take a vested interest in them as they
transition to Telegraph and beyond. One of my highlights of every year is going into Telegraph to visit
my former students. I hope they carry with them our motto, “Follow the Blue Jay Way,” well past their
Plattin days. Our biggest celebration for our students is our Plattin Field Day; a day full of fun, sun,
bouncing, togetherness and ice cream! This year we had our largest supporters of parents and volunteers join in the fun day. They helped make it a memorable day for our students. The end of the year
is always bitter-sweet for me. I can’t deny that I enjoy the summer and break, but I do have to admit
that I miss the kids and teachers that fill our hallways every day. As we close out this year, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t
ask all of you to read with your kids this summer and encourage them to read. A little story before bedtime is all it takes! Enjoy your
summer and we look forward to welcoming everyone back in August!!
Tina Basler, Principal
Jim Almany - 15 years
Tina Basler - 15 years
Katie Boyer - 15 years
Corine Duepner - 15 years
Janet Kocher - 15 years
Craig Wilson - 15 years
Cindy Wrigley - 15 years
John Spradling - 20 years
Thank you for your
service to the District!
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June 2014
Page 7
Update from Telegraph Intermediate
I hope this summer finds you well with vacations, relaxation, and family-time. We’ve wrapped up another fantastic year at Telegraph, and look forward to coming back for more fun in August.
Good luck to all our former fifth grade students who are making the transition to Danby. We have enjoyed your time in our building, and look forward to the bright futures for each of you. A special welcome also goes out to our students and parents of incoming third grade students. We are excited to have
you as part of the Telegraph community.
As we move forward, our goal will be to further define what the Telegraph community looks like, acts
likes, and lives like. Our creed is simple; Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, and Kindness. The hard
work, planning, and fun we have is because we know that by working with and for one another makes
everyone stronger as a whole.
We have begun preparing our 3rd and 4th grade classrooms for the completion of the district’s 1:1 initiative. Our 3rd grade rooms will be provided with Chromebook laptops while each of our 4th grade rooms
will have Chromeboxes. With the inclusion of these new devices, we will continue to expand our technology programs such as further
implementation of the Acellus and Moodle software as well as ongoing assessments through Accelerated Reader, STAR Enterprise, and
Study Island.
When we return in August, please welcome Mrs. Michelle Fuller to the Telegraph team as our new Special Education Teacher. She
comes with an extensive background in education, special education, and counseling. She’s eager to start, and we are eager to work
with her.
Summer Program
Recognitions
Missouri Boys State Blaise Torrence
Missouri Girls State Chloe Morrison & Bailey
Waller
Chamber of Commerce
Leadership in Practice
- Ashley Bates
Missouri Scholars
Academy - Ellie Steller
It all kicks off on August 11 with our annual Open House event. Telegraph’s Open House will be from 6:30-8:00pm, and we would
like all parents who arrive early to wait inside the gymnasium for a special welcome from the Telegraph staff. The first day of school is
August 13! See you soon!
Registration
Dates/Times
Gabriel R. Cervantes, Principal
Update from Danby-Rush Tower Middle School
In closing yet another school year, it is important to reflect upon all the accomplishments of our students as well as show appreciation to the faculty and staff for another job well done.
As educators it is our job to ensure the success of all students who enter through the doors each day.
It is my belief that the single most important factor that contributes to the success of our district is the
fact that we are staffed with caring and devoted individuals. Not a day passes without my thankful
reflection upon my good fortune in working at a school filled with such dedicated adults. I admire their
sense of direction and purpose to set goals and see them accomplished. They welcome challenges and
see learning as a joy and not a duty by learning new things and always striving to improve themselves.
Thank you to the faculty and staff for passing these traits on to our students throughout this school
year.
As we wrap up another successful year at Danby Rush-Tower Middle School, I would like to take this
time to say good-bye to our 8th grade students and to wish them well as they enter into high school. All
of our students have worked very hard over these past ten months and have learned many new things to
aid them academically. What they have learned was the result of many factors, not the least of which was their effort in studying, writing, practicing, and the hours they put into classes, activities and discussions. Now that the school year has drawn to a close, I hope
your children realize that their learning will continue, for all of life is a school, and we learn by everything we do. It is my sincere wish
for you and yours that the summer may hold many wonderful and enjoyable experiences. Have a great summer.
Cindy Holdinghausen, Ed. S.
Open House Times
Open House will be held on Monday, August 11th at the following times:
Preschool from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Plattin from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Danby and Jefferson from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Telegraph from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Danby Middle School
August 5th - 8 am to 11
am for returning 7th and 8th
graders
August 5th - 12 pm to 3
pm for new students and
6th graders
Jefferson High School
August 5th
Seniors 7:30 to 9 am
Juniors 9 to 10:30 am
Sophomores 10:30 to noon
Freshmen 1:30 to 3:30 pm
Senior Wall
Composite Pictures
July 24th 9 am - 5 pm
APPOINTMENT REQUIRED
Page 8
The Blue Jay Nation
“Take Me Out to
the Ballgame”
Members of the Student Character Summit attended the Cardinals vs Diamondbacks baseball game on Wednesday, May 21st, 2014.
The Jefferson R-VII School District received
Cardinal Baseball Tickets to attend the evening game and was able to treat 31 Jefferson
R-VII Character Summit Students. During the
past school year these students, most chosen
by their peers, were part of a select group to
meet with Mr. Johnston, Superintendent of
Schools, and Deputy Shane Frazier, SRO, to
discuss ideas to improve our school district.
During each summit meeting every student
was engaged and contributed to ideas to make
Jefferson R-VII School District a better school
for everyone. Their dedication and sincerity
in the program did not stop because the summit meetings ended, these students continued
to carry their desire for a better school with
them throughout every day and were constantly looking for ways to make a difference for
everyone. In appreciation for all their hard
work and the time they have given to this program these students enjoyed a night at Busch
Stadium with Mr. Johnston, Deputy Frazier
and several chaperones and volunteers. It was
an awesome night enjoyed by everyone. We
especially enjoyed learning the next morning
that our Cardinals won – in the 12th inning after we left!
District Calendar 2014-2015
1st Semester
2nd Semester
August 7
New Teacher Workday
January 1 - 2
No School - Christmas Break
August 8, 11, 12
Workdays
January 5
Workday - No School
August 11
Open House
January 19
No School
August 13
School begins
February 2
Workday - No School
August 29
Workday – No School
February 16
No School
September 1
No School – Labor Day
March 5
End of 3rd Quarter
October 9
End of 1st Quarter
March 6
Workday - No School
October 10
Workday - No School
March 19
Early Out; Parent/Teacher Conf.
October 23
Parent/Teacher Conferences
March 20
No School
October 24
No School
April 2 - 6 No School
November 26
Early Out
May 12
Early Out; Last Day of School
November 27-28
No School – Thanksgiving Break
December 1
Workday – No School
December 19
End of Semester 1
December 22 – 31 No School – Christmas Break
JHS Expands College Credit Partnership With Jeff Co
Jefferson High School is one step closer to offering a full Associate of Arts Degree to high school students. Composition I, Composition II, Calculus, Pre-Calculus, Psychology, US and MO Government and US History I will all be offered to high school students through the dual credit partnership. The students must meet the eligibility criteria for Dual
Credit courses to enroll. Any student participating is offered discounted tuition from Jeff Co along with 1/3 the cost of
tuition covered by JHS. Students with a composite score of 27 or higher on the ACT are offered the course at no cost
as long as the final earned grade is an A or B. JHS plans to add one course to this plan each school year and eventually
offer an AA Degree alongside the high school diploma.
Jefferson R-VII School District
1250 Dooling Hollow Road • Festus, MO 63028 • Administrative Offices (636) 937-7940
Mr. Clint D. Johnston, Superintendent
Karen Kappel, Special Ed Coordinator
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Drew Null – President
Kelly Becherer – Vice President
BOARD MEMBERS
Jason Dowd • Jon Eisenbeis • Stephen M. Floyd • James Jackson • David Welker
Peggy Krenzke - Secretary
Lori Wolk - Treasurer
The Jefferson R-VII Board of Education meetings are the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m.
in the library in the High School. Visitors are welcome!
High School
7 Blue Jay Way
David Haug, Principal - 933-6900
Jason Dreyer, Athletic Director
Suzanne Richardson, Counselor
Jamie Naucke, Nurse
Middle School
1250 Dooling Hollow Road
Cindy Holdinghausen, Principal - 937-9188
Kim Tessaro, Counselor
Kim Sanders, Nurse
Intermediate
1265 Dooling Hollow
Gabe Cervantes, Principal - 937-6530
Jared Marshall, Counselor
Patti Govero, Nurse
Primary
2400 R-7 School Road
Tina Basler, Principal - 937-7170
Jared Marshall, Counselor
Jennifer Becker, Nurse