Farmington school board hears reports on progress

PROTECTED CONTENT

If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.

Username

Password

Login

Lost your password?

Username and Password Help

Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.

Email

Submit

← Back

The Farmington R-7 Board of Education heard several informative presentations given by members of the Washington Franklin Elementary School’s Character Council when it met in regular session Feb. 20 at Truman Auditorium.

Character Council

Washington Franklin Elementary School Principal Heather Weiss and Dean of Students Crystal Vandiver brought student members of the school’s Character Council to address the board.

Laylani Chaisson said, “The famous prime minister Wilson Church Hill once said, ‘I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught.’ I feel this way sometimes as a fourth grader. I enjoyed my four years at Washington Franklin, and I love being on Character Council. The staff at Washington Franklin have been really great. Math is currently my favorite subject. Miss Henry and Miss Moreland have done great. Miss Jenkins, in second grade, is still my favorite teacher. I love lunch and recess. Library is my favorite special class I love where we have maker space. I wish I could stay at Washington Franklin forever.”

Ava Wohlschlaeger said, “Washington Franklin is one of the best schools because of all the clubs like Sunshine Club and Character Council. I love Sunshine Club because I get to help pick up trash and make the school look better. Character Council is so fun because we get to decorate the school and we got to be in a parade. The teachers are so nice and helpful; I don’t know what I would do without them. The students are so nice, and if you need help, they’re willing to help you.”

Brock Johnson said, “The actor and songwriter George Jessel once said, ‘The human brain starts working the moment you’re born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.’ Like all the kids, I like recess and lunch. My favorite special classes are PE and Library; I like to do the moving and building activities. We are currently learning fractions in math and non-fiction text features in English Language Arts. We are doing a research project on the 13 colonies in social studies. I like fourth grade, but my favorite grade was second because we got two recesses and didn’t switch classes.”

Aibrian Sullivan said, “Washington Franklin is one of the best schools.  It is a very welcome, loving school. As an example, if you pass a teacher in the halls in the morning, they always try to greet you. Most students are very helpful in WF. We are always trying to make our school clean and presentable for our guests, employees, and students. Character Council is a very big help in our school building. One of my favorite things with me being in Character Council is whenever the little ones look up to me. Sometimes they will stop me in the halls and tell me they want to be in Character Council when they grow up.”

Heartland Hero

Principal Weiss announced the Heartland Hero for February.

“We have a profound sense of gratitude and admiration for someone who has shown remarkable generosity in supporting our educational endeavors,” she said. “It is my honor to recognize Sabrina Byrd and her entire family, who have donated a book to every student at our school for more than six consecutive years in memory of their parents, Wayne and Joyce Byrd, who began this long ago.”

Sabrina Byrd accepted the award on behalf of her family. She said the tradition was started by Wayne and Joyce Byrd when her now 29-year-old daughter was in pre-kindergarten, so the legacy has been long, and the family intends to see it continue in tribute to them.

Weiss said, “The impact of such a contribution like this cannot be overstated. Each book represents not only a resource for learning but also an invitation to explore new worlds, ideas, and perspectives. This gift has enriched the academic experience of countless students, fostering a love for reading and a thirst for knowledge. Beyond the tangible gift of a book, Sabrina and her family have provided a message of support and encouragement to every student by investing in their education. The Byrd family has sent a clear message that their potential is valued and that they have the power to shape their futures through learning.

“It is through such acts of generosity that our school community is strengthened, and our shared values of education, empathy, and community are upheld. On behalf of all the students, teachers, and staff at Washington Franklin, we want to express our heartfelt appreciation for Sabrina and her family. Their generosity has made a lasting impact on our school, and we are immensely grateful for your continued support. We look forward to continuing to work together to create a brighter future for our students.”

Insight Program

The school district’s director of communication, Mindy Southern, gave a presentation on the district’s newest initiative.

“I’m here to present the Black Knight Insight program, something that will start next August and is open to our community,” she said. “The Black Knight Insight program is a way for people who work or live within the Farmington School District to learn about the inner workings of the district.”

Southern said 25 to 30 people will be selected from the application pool, which closes April 30, and there will be a program offered each semester so that two groups will have exposure to the areas planned for them to learn about. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, cannot be a current student in the school district, and must either work or live within the Farmington School District. They will be notified in May if they have been selected to participate.

Asked by a board member about the inspiration for the program, Southern said, “I don’t want to take credit for it. It’s not an original idea. I saw another school district had done this, and they called it ‘Citizens in Schools.’ I called that school district, and they’ve shared some of the resources and the things that they’ve done. They had a big success. They had their first cohort graduate in December and have started another one, so they were really pleased. It’s one of the best things about not being the first group to do it. We can learn from their mistakes and successes.”

Publicity about the program has begun in the district, and Southern said anyone interested in the program can reach out to her by calling 573-701-1300 ext. 2188 or by email at msouthern@farmington.k12.mo.us.

“I’ve been on the radio with Mark Toti, she said. “Dr. Gibbs has been presenting at local civic organizations. I presented at the Farmington Regional Chamber of Commerce’s monthly business luncheon last week. We are also starting with social media, and it’s now a pop-up on our website. We are asking people to spread the word.”

PAT Program

District Assistant Superintendent Shana Turner and Truman Learning Center Principal Kim Johnson gave a brief presentation on the Parents as Teachers Early Childhood Education Program (PAT).

Turner introduced the PAT staff members and recognized them for the continued investment of their time and talents in the intervention program that began as one of four pilot programs in 1981. They are Kelly Reichart, Lori Lindsey (who wasn’t able to attend), Lori Will, Charlotte Hopkins, Kim McCain, and RayeLynn Sutherland.

Turner said that the FSD PAT team is “hands down, one of the best in the state, and probably the country. They provide support and encouragement to parents. Our goal is those crucial years in early life to really help kids, and that’s what the mission is. There are lots of reasons why we want our families to participate in our Parents as Teachers program,” she said. “We offer screenings for our families in the community, so if a child may have some developmental strengths or even some weaknesses, then they can be identified.

“Family visits are personalized to fit the family’s needs and concerns, and we always bring activities that are appropriate and just share those with the families so that they can learn. PAT offers resources and support to families that are linked to the community and often can be a sounding board for families.  Maybe their child’s having trouble sleeping, or they’re not really eating or potty training. They offer support to families that need that. One of the best things about this is it’s free.”

Turner said the group connections are her personal favorite activities held at Truman. She said they foster a sense of familiarity for families so when the time for preschool or kindergarten arrives, parents and students don’t face a new environment or new faces.

She said that because of Parent Nights and play dates on Fridays, relationships are being built between families as they get acquainted while taking part in the activities held there.

Superintendent’s Update

Superintendent Dr. Kyle Gibbs shared highlights from his monthly district update and noted that this content will soon be available monthly in printed form and mailed to each family in the FSD.

At the high school:

– Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) has three members going to state competition in March: Cynthia Crisp, Xitlali Martinez, Alondra Martinez.

– On Feb. 9, nearly 450 guests, parents, and student and adult volunteers attended the “Night to Shine” special needs prom, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. The event was a cooperative effort with New Heights Church of Farmington and, according to Gibbs, was “a tremendous success where everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.” He also noted that this is the 10th year of Night to Shine. The event was held in 56 other countries, all 50 United States, six continents, and more than 720 churches from around the world.

–  HOSA, Future Healthcare Professionals, had eight students compete in the Missouri HOSA State Qualifier. Out of those eight, the Public Service Announcement team of Niyah Hayward, Clare Maloney, Cayman McIntyre, and Rachel Reeves made it to the top 10. They will be competing in Rolla at HOSA State with their 30-second public service announcement on Fentanyl. The top three at state move on to internationals in Houston this summer.

–  Students performed well at the Future Business Leaders of America District Leadership Conference, with numerous students placing in first through fifth place. Several qualified to represent Farmington at state competitions.

At Lincoln Intermediate:

– Students made “Valentines for Veterans” for the L. Norman Rigdon Veterans of Foreign Wars Post to be delivered to veterans in hospitals and care centers.

At Jefferson Elementary:

–  Student Elis Wideman was celebrated by students and staff with a welcome back celebration. He was seriously injured in a vehicle accident in the fall.

–  Brain Pop has been great. Mrs. Pulliam and Mrs. Armstrong were able to co-teach in a way that students were able to learn academic vocabulary relating to social studies standards incorporating pictures and definitions.

–  District Learning Walks were positive and productive. Teachers appreciated the feedback.

–  Charger Champs enjoyed making Valentines for local nursing homes and Valentine’s treat bags for the teachers.

At Washington-Franklin:

–  Food can goals were met with over 3,500 items donated.

–  Data Quadrants have been created with strong collaboration and implementation.

–  Positive comments were made about the Career Ladder.

–  The Title 1 program is specifically identifying and trying to fill in more learning gaps and begin goal setting for final growth opportunities.

–  100/101 Days of school for the first and the second grades went well.

At Roosevelt Elementary:

–  Students are looking forward to an author’s visit in April and the upcoming book fair, art show, and Cosmic Palooza.

–  The Behavior Expectations Workshop went well. Students were able to practice routines again post-break.

–  Full bags of food are going home again on weekends with students in need. Ms. Rokan was appreciated for doing the weekly pickup.

At Truman Learning Center:

– Parents have reported that several teachers are creating lessons that the students are really enjoying and making learning fun.

– Some ideas have been implemented to improve morale.

– Teamwork on the pre-k side has increased collaborative efforts to increase student engagement. ECSE and CWC teams are excelling in collaboration.

At the Dayse Baker Learning Center:

– Students are staying on track with their classes without continued prompting and are setting personal meaningful goals for themselves.

– The students are working hard each week to help pack food for the CTA Cares program. They put thought and effort into each bag. Truman gets lighter bags, and middle and high school get the meals that need to be prepared.

– District learning walks were a positive experience in our building and for our students.

– The Missouri Option Program continues to set students on the right track for graduation. Several students have already tested this semester.

Other Business

In other business, the board approved the following:

– The agenda with the addition of Surplus Equipment to the consent agenda

– The minutes from the Jan 23 meeting

– 2023D policy updates

– Regular bills for February 2024

– Dec. 1 First Child Count report

– The January membership report

– PAT and Early Childhood Education program review

– Surplus equipment report

The meeting adjourned to a closed session for discussion of personnel issues.

The next regular meeting will be at 5 p.m. on March 19 at the Truman Auditorium. The public is welcome to attend any regular meeting, with the exception of closed-session items that are presented after the open session has adjourned.

Lisa Brotherton-Barnes is a staff writer with the Daily Journal. She can be reached at lbarnes@dailyjournalonline.com.