What’s news Mr. G?

The project I write about today actually was completed last school year (06-07) in Mr. Larry Neuburger’s creative writing class. His students planned the project and carried it out as a class activity. After attending numerous educational technology meetings and reading about the power of these kinds of projects on learning, I am convinced we as educators need to present students with more learning experiences with projects similar to the one that resulted in the short film from DTP Productions. Yes, they even named their production team–DTP, as in Duck Tape Productions. They had fun with it, did some quality writing, learned more about local history, and perhaps most importantly, worked collaboratively to create a quality product. Great job Mr. Neuburger and DTP! Yes, I am happy with my decision to let you leave school for a few hours to complete this project.

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/ehyzt_3Ni5U" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

I ran across this video at a conference and wanted to share it with you all. Let me know what you think about it. It has certainly made me think about some things.

Download Video: Posted by mcleod at TeacherTube.com.

I hope everyone is having a great summer. Although this summer has been busy around the high school it’s still not the same as when school is in session. Unbelieveably, it will only be a few weeks until we start the new school year. Several changes will greet students when they arrive on August 23rd. For instance, several classrooms have received a much needed makeover this summer. The computer lab in the high school, along with Mrs. Whittaker’s and Mrs. Leeper’s rooms have new tile flooring. The band room and the JH hallway also have new tile. In addition, the high school boys and girls bathrooms are going to look like brand new with a complete remodel of these facilities. Less noticeably, the high school is getting a new roof. Our roof has been in bad shape and has leaked terribly so the new roof is expected to solve a lot of problems.

 Here are a couple of other items of info:

• Athletes in fall sports must have a physical completed to begin practicing. All high school fall sports begin practice August 6th.
• All students who park in the high school lot must be signed-up with the office. You will need your license plate number and the make and model of your vehicle. It costs $3.00 for a parking tag for the entire school year.
• Don’t forget to vote in the election August 7th. The new elementary school is on the ballot.

Friday evening was the annual Miller FFA Banquet. At 7:00 pm, over 300 people crowded into the high school gymnasium for the event to celebrate the accomplishments of our students over the past year. The gym was decorated with much FFA regalia, and although it was hot, it could’ve been much worse. The evening started with a great meal which included barbecue brisket and pulled pork, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, salad, rolls, and apple pie. Wow, it was really great! After enjoying the delicious meal, the program began. A great benefit of FFA is the leadership skills students learn through setting goals, organizing events, and carrying out projects. Certainly, students were very impressive in leading the program at the banquet. They were very effective and well-prepared in their speaking parts, and they clearly demonstrated the talent and leadership we want to develop in our students. Of course, the credit should go to Mr. Whittaker and Mr. Shepherd for the excellence they have consistently produced in the Miller agriculture programs. Throughout the evening many students were recognized for their successes. It is only through their hard work that the Miller FFA Chapter continues to be one of the great programs in Missouri as well as in the nation.

Also this weekend the Miller baseball team was in action as they hosted the Miller Baseball Tournament. After defeating College Heights handily on Friday evening, the team played the Mt. Vernon JV on Saturday morning. The Mt. Vernon JV surprised the higher seeded ball team from Hurley sending them to the losers bracket after the first round. The Miller varsity handled the Mt. Vernon JV team in the semi-finals but fell to the varsity Mt. Vernon team in the tournament championship. It was a great day for baseball and the tournament was a great success. Of course, our players and coaches were disappointed with the championship game loss. We really had some chances to blow the game open, or at least take command, but several stranded base runners and a few mistakes in the field and on the bases resulted in the narrow loss. Still, our baseball boys have a great chance at winning their district and moving on into state competition.

The district track meet was also Saturday in Springfield. Although I haven’t heard the complete results, I did get an update indicating several of our athletes advanced to sectionals next Saturday. I understand Taylor Rivera, Samantha Hendrickson, and Lynetta Wood all did well in their events on the girls side. I’ll update this page when I get the final results.

We are still awaiting word from Jefferson City on the end of our school year. A bill has passed both the House and the Senate that would forgive six days of school missed due to the January ice storm. However, the governor has yet to sign the bill. Apparently, Governor Blunt would not sign the bill because it contained a stipulation excluding the Nixa School District. The Nixa superintendent had spoken publicly against the measure. So, we are left with two options. If the bill is passed into law, our last day of classes will be May 18. But, if the bill is not passed, our last day will be May 24. Either way, regular summer school will begin May 30.

We are gearing up for the end of school, and it is a very busy time of year. Just this weekend, our FFA Chapter attended the state convention, baseball played in a tournament at Ash Grove, and we had our National Honor Society induction ceremony.

The FFA state convention was a great success. Our FFA program continues to be among the very best not only in this area but at the state and national levels as well. In fact, the meats team proved this is true by winning state!!!! They have now qualified to compete at the national convention later this year. Our other teams did well also. Mr. Whittaker indicated our poultry team finished fourth overall. The complete results are available on the home page of the district website.

The baseball team had a beautiful day for a double-header in the Ash Grove Tournament. The team won both games with ease and finished 2nd overall in the tournament.

Finally, we had our NHS induction ceremonies at the high school this afternoon at 1:30. Actually, NJHS was also part of this ceremony. Thanks go out to Mr. Jentsch and Mrs. Johnson for organizing this event. Congratulations to all inductees on their accomplishment. We are very proud of your academic excellence!

We were very excited today to receive $1000.00 from the Miller Assembly of God for the effort to help Mindy’s family with medical expenses. Of course, this means a bunch of people are going to be running around with shaved heads, including yours truly. I want to complement all of our students for helping out but especially the Senior Class. They have been awesome in their desire to take care of one of their own.

NOTE CORRECTION: I originally posted the gift for Mindy’s family was from the Christian Church.

End of School

The dates for the end of school are still not finalized because state lawmakers have not announced how many days, if any, will be forgiven as a result of the ice storm. We do know, however, that graduation will be May 12 at 7:00 pm.

MAP Testing

This year’s MAP testing will begin April 9 and continue for some students through April 26. Although the test window covers three weeks, students will not be testing every day for the entire period. See the district website for the complete testing schedule.

During MAP testing, we ask that parents ensure their students are eating well and getting plenty of rest. Please encourage your child to do his or her best on MAP. All students are expected to NOT BE ABSENT during MAP testing unless it is an emergency situation. Thank you for your support.

Summer School

We will be sending information to you regarding summer school as plans are finalized. Similarly to last year, we will offer credit recovery opportunities for high school students and enrichment for junior high students.

Bond Issue Election

Voters will decide on Tuesday, April 3^rd the future of a new elementary school for the children of the Miller R-2 District. Please remember to take time to vote!

Parent Teacher Contact

Although we are not conducting formal parent/teacher conferences at the close of 3^rd quarter, I want to encourage parents to contact your student’s teachers if you have a concern about progress. Of course, I also expect teachers to contact parents when a student is having problems learning. In fact, all teachers were to log hours of parent contacts at the end of 3^rd quarter. If you didn’t hear from your student’s teacher and would like to visit with he/she, call the high school office at 452-3271 to visit with the teacher by phone, or you may send an email through PowerSchool. If you need more information about how to use PowerSchool, give me a call. I would be glad to help you.

Fund Raiser for Mindy Hollister

The Senior Class has taken the initiative to raise money to help Mindy Hollister’s family cover medical expenses. Mindy is a member of the Senior Class and is set to graduate in May. She was recently diagnosed with cancer. Several students, a teacher, and I have agreed to shave our heads if $1000.00 is raised to help the family with their needs.