Key News
Harrisonville Schools E-newsletter - December 18
Board of Education approves district goals
At this month’s meeting, the Harrisonville Schools Board of Education approved four goals recommended by a strategic planning committee made up of community members, staff, parents and students. The goal areas include life-ready graduates, high quality staff, financial stability and community.
The committee developed the goal areas after several meetings at which they looked at district data and results from the district’s Blueprint survey. Superintendent Paul Mensching shared financial and demographic information with the group in September. At the October meeting, the participants reviewed survey information and completed a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis. Then in early December, the committee developed the goal areas.
With approval of the goal areas by the Board of Education, the district administrative team will begin to put together the district’s strategic plan which will include strategies and action plans. The plan will guide the district’s work over the next five years.
Board of Education candidate filing
Filing for Harrisonville School Board of Education candidates began Tuesday at the Administrative Offices, 503 S. Lexington. Some of the requirements for candidates for the Board of Education are as follows: must be a citizen of the US, a resident taxpayer in the Harrisonville Cass R-IX School District, and at least 24 years of age. Candidates must have lived in Missouri for at least one year preceding the election. For a full list of candidate requirements, go to http://harrisonvilleschools.schoolwires.net/Page/98
Filing closes on January 21 at 5 p.m. Offices to be filled are three (3) three-year positions. Board members whose terms expire are Chris Bell, Bing Schimmelpfenning and Nancy Shelton.
The Board election is April 7, 2020.
Harrisonville Highlights hits mailboxes
The print version also includes a list of Community Education classes available this spring through Cass Career Center. The classes will be posted at this website soon - https://www.harrisonvilleschools.org/domain/60#calendar2135/20191216/month.
Wildcats Give Back
Harrisonville Middle School recently presented a check for over $1,600 to the Veterans Community Project. The students participated in an annual fundraiser around Veterans Day and for the past several years, they have donated to the VCP. The Veterans Community Project KC includes VCP Village, located at 89th and Troost in Kansas City, Missouri, which is a community of 49 tiny houses for homeless veterans.Students and staff held a coin war competition between their 4th hour classes. Coins counted positively while bills counted against the total in the jar. The winning class was Mrs. Streit’s and they are pictured with a representative from the VCP. The total donation was $1,662.50.
McEowen Elementary School students & staff raised nearly $400 for Pajammin' for Gannon - a fundraiser for local families with children battling cancer. Students & staff could pay $1 (or more) and wear PJs one day last week.
Harrisonville High School National Art Honor Society students painted various holiday designs on the windows of different businesses around the square. NAHS students worked with the design committee for Love the Harrisonville Square. Love the Square held the Christmas kick-off event on December 7, which had many different activities on the square including the lighting of the Mayor's Christmas Tree and the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus. On December 5, a group of NAHS members spent their afternoon prepping for this event by painting the windows of different businesses around the square.
Harrisonville High School broadcast students, in partnership with the Harrisonville Police Department, created a series of promotional videos for the 2019 Shop with a Cop fundraising campaign. Check out the full length production below that includes all the videos in the series.
Fantasia celebrates 40th year with another successful event
Students in grades 4-8 had the opportunity to take enrichment classes at the 40th annual Fantasia event on Dec. 7 at Harrisonville High School and Cass Career Center.
Each class was one hour and students could enroll in two. Classes offered this year and the teachers included Flags, Amy Wilson and HHS color guard; Hanging Horticulture, Jason Dieckhoff and agriculture students; Perler Beading, Megan Baxter and Sherry Roe; Spanish, Maria Derner; Goop It Up with Dr. Roseann Hoffman and Science Club members; Hapkido, Alex Puckett and Hapkido academy students; DYI Birdfeeder, Catie Compton; Art/Calligraphy/Stationery Set, Rachel Henderson; Japanese, Bill Filer; Worm Dissection, Martha Schroeder; Henna Design, Kaci Story; Acting Up, Beth Keith and drama club students; Dance, Dance, Dance, Jenny Rhony and Silver Sensations; EMT Training, David May and EMT students; Step Up to the Challenge, Chandra Kelly and CSI students; Freezing Fun with Liquid Nitrogen, George Frees; Candy Container Craft, Carol Coffey; Music Makers, Kip Mathew and Music Makers; Cooking, Kayla Schuhler and Alex Sheldrake; and Fire Science with Bill Shaumeyer and Fire Science students.
Fantasia was presented by HATS, the Harrisonville Academically Talented Students program, and organized by HATS Facilitator, Laura Frees.
Cass Career Center hosts 8th graders
Harrisonville Middle School eighth graders spent a half day visiting the Cass Career Center on December 11. Beginning next year, the students will be able to take a variety of classes offered at the district’s career and technical school. The students had the opportunity to visit each program at the school and current students talked to the eighth graders about the classes.
Students from Belton will visit CCC in early February.
Thank You
January #My42 Challenge with Berryville, AR
We've been challenged! Bright Futures Berryville (AR) who also celebrates #My42 Days each month has issued a friendly challenge. We're going to see which community has the most Bright Futures support based on photos submitted of people wearing our shirts on the January 28th #My42 Day. If you do not have a shirt, be sure to order one today so that you're ready for our January event!
Shirts can be ordered by calling Paige at 380-2727, ext. 1221 or emailing her at paige.welhoff@harrisonvilleschools.org. Shirts are only $10/each.
Bright Futures Harrisonville encourages everyone to show their support for the initiative by purchasing and wearing our #My42 shirts on the 4th Tuesday of each month.
Holiday Store event provides shopping for all children
Bright Futures Harrisonville hosted the sixth annual Holiday Store on Saturday, Dec. 7. The Holiday Store is an event at which any school-age child can shop for presents for family and friends.
The store is made possible through donations from the community of “inventory” for the store, high school and middle school student volunteers who act as personal shopping assistants, and a local 4H group who provides the gift wrapping services.
“This is a perfect example of what Bright Futures is all about,” said event co-chair Deb Welhoff. “The community comes together to support our children with donations for the store and students ‘work’ the event as shoppers and gift wrappers to give back to their community.”
Children purchased tickets to the store for 25 cents per ticket and each item in the store was one ticket. The children shopped with their assistant and chose if they wanted their presents wrapped or if they wanted to take wrapping paper home.
Event co-chair Tina Graef said, “This event is definitely one of my favorite things we do. The smiles on the children’s faces - both shoppers and volunteers - is what the holiday season is all about.”
The Holiday Store took place at the Harrisonville Middle School cafeteria. Parents waited in the gym for their shoppers so as not to see their gifts.
For more information on Bright Futures Harrisonville, visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BrightFuturesHarrisonville.
HHS Bright Futures Council hosts De-stress Day
The high school Bright Futures council hosted a first-ever event on Friday. The De-stress Day took place in the auxiliary gym during students' advisory/lunch period. Students enjoyed “destressing” stations including yoga (provided by Real Yoga); chair massages (provided by Schroeder Chiropractic); coloring, board games, & puzzles; a rest & relax area; photo booths (including Santa); and a therapy dog area. The entire event was put together by volunteers and everything was donated.
Points of Pride
- Congratulations to the HHS Students of the Month for December - Tatum Kelley & Bryce Jenkins. Read more about them here.
- Congratulations to Cass Career Center director's secretary Linda Highley on her retirement! She celebrated with staff, family & friends on Friday during a reception at CCC. During the event, Superintendent Paul Mensching presented her with a token of appreciation for her years of service to our district.
- Congratulations to HHS senior Meadow Vassar who signed her letter of intent to play softball at Southwest Baptist University.
- Congratulations to Harrisonville High School senior Landen Laizure who was named All-State Honorable Mention Band, trumpet during auditions in Columbia on December 7.
- Congratulations to the girls' and boys' basketball teams on bringing home hardware from their first tournaments of the season. The Lady Cats took 2nd place, while the boys won the consolation bracket (5th place) in the Summit Christian Academy Tournament.
- Congratulations to HHS students Caroline Ocheskey who placed 3rd in Prose, Noah Collins who took 8th in Dramatic Interpretation, and Elizabeth Allen who took 9th in Poetry at the Truman High School tournament.
Congrats to Wildcat football player Jace Reynolds who was named to the MaxPreps Missouri All-State 2nd Team AP (All-Purpose).
Congratulations to the following football players for earning All-District Honors: Brodie Rogers, Jacob Poisal, Keegan Rowe, Trevor Campbell, Colby Knowles, Jace Reynolds, Carson Crowley and Brice Percival.
Congratulations to senior Brodie Rogers earning OL 3rd Team All-State from Missouri Football Coaches Association.
Congratulations to senior Evan Filer and juniors Kobe Norris & Monte Schroeder on being honored at the Missouri Soccer Coaches Association All-State banquet. Filer earned Academic All-State and Class 3 All-State 2nd team and Norris & Schroeder earned Class 3 All-State Honorable Mention.
Congratulations to boys wrestlers Brayden Talley for 2nd place at 138, Kale Weber for 3rd place 152, Trevor Campbell for 5th place at 195, Mason Gaddie for 7th place at 160, Carson Miller for 7th place at 195, Braeden Elifrits for 9th place at 126 in the Pleasant Hill Tournament.
Congratulations to girls' wrestling team who brought home four first-place finishes, four second-place finishes, and two third-place finishes from St. Joseph Central. The girls had a record of 28-12 on the day with 20 pins.
- Congratulations to the award winners from Harrisonville Early Childhood Center for November. Read more here.
Congratulations to the cast of HHS's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream! The cast includes Brooklyn Fools as Cobweb; Garrett Brown as Demetrius; Clinton Howser as Egeus; Virgil Shaddox as Francis Flute; Caitlyn Costner as Helena; Breezy Semler as Hermia; Halle Keeney as Hippolyta; Caleb Baker as Lysander; Libby East as Moth; Cathy Wade as Mustardseed; Noah Collins as Nick Bottom; Michael Schuhler as Oberon; Sophia Sparks as Peasblossom; Lydia Newman as Peter Quince; Dawson Carr as Philostrate; Gael Rios as Puck (Robin Goodfellow); Lauren Burlingame as Robin Starveling; Micah Cheek as Snug; Jacob Allen as Theseus; Kinsley Brannon as Titania; Jacob Miller as Tom Snout; Cody Carson, Morgan Kampe, Kal Landstrom, Kylie McGee, Vaelen Taylor as the Court Attendants; Alexis Balducci, Laney Brown, Shari Cook, Katie Fitzgerald, Katie Semler, Amber Taber, Victoria Wise as the Fairy Court. Performance dates are Jan. 23-25 at 7 p.m.
- Each week, HHS students and coaches/sponsors are featured on the Sonic Locker Room Radio Show. The show airs on Mondays at 4:45 p.m. on 1030 AM or you can listen to archived shows online at www.soniclockerroom.com. This week's show features Wildcat wrestling.
- The district's Art in our Community program seeks to recognize our students for outstanding work in the visual arts. Several area businesses are participating in this program including Country Club Bank (S. Commercial location), the Cass County Public Library, Community Bank of Harrisonville (291 Hwy), Commerce Bank, Brick House Coffee Bar & Eatery, Schroeder Chiropractic, the Chamber of Commerce, and the District’s Administrative Office Lobby and Board of Education Room (503 S. Lexington). Artwork is rotated monthly and is posted on the district Facebook page - www.facebook.com/HarrisonvilleSchools.
HHS December Students of the Month
Linda Highley's Retirement
Meadow Vassar Signing
Photos from Around the District
Special Visitor
Fun & learning at HES
Real Life Experience
Harrisonville High School students gained valuable work experience thanks to the generosity of community members. The students enrolled in the fall semester Personal Finance class participated in mock interviews with volunteers from local businesses.
Each student had a 20-minute mock interview. They were required to dress in formal work attire and were asked a series of questions an individual might see during a typical job interview. The students received immediate feedback on their interview at the end of the interview.
Holiday Fun
Ten Harrisonville High School and Harrisonville Middle School students traveled to the Kauffman Center on Monday, December 2 to participate in Tuba Christmas. The students spent the morning practicing and then performed a concert. Harrisonville students who took part included
Kaden Turner, Steven Overbay, Weston Coppedge, Kyle Malkmus, Alex Sheldrake, Michael Dahn, Arianna Darling, Chris Naylor, Kayden Feathers, and Sarah McNeece.
Board of Education
December Board of Education Meeting
The Board held its meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. at the district's Administrative Offices, 503 S. Lexington. Agenda items included:
- Approval of strategic planning committee's goal recommendations (see above)
- Recognition of HHS Students of the Month for December - Tatum Kelley & Bryce Jenkins
- Approval of the 2018-19 audit as presented
The agenda for monthly meetings are posted the Friday before and full minutes from each meeting are available here.
Videos of past meetings are available at this link - https://www.harrisonvilleschools.org/Page/940.
Supporting Our Own
Dec. 18 - McEowen Spelling Bee, 1:30 p.m.
Dec. 19 - McEowen 4th grade winter program, 6 p.m., Performing Arts Center
Dec. 19 - McEowen 5th grade winter program, 7 p.m, Performing Arts Center
Dec. 20 - 1/2 day for students
Dec. 20 - HES Awards Assembly, 10 a.m.
Dec. 23 - Jan. 6 - Winter Break
Jan. 7 - Classes Resume
Community Events & Flyers
Check out our Community Flyers page on the website - click here. This page is updated regularly and current flyers are linked below.
- HES- WInter/Spring Young Rembrandts. Tuesdays Feb. 4- April 28 4:10-5:10p
- McEowen-Winter Young Rembrandts Art Classes Tuesdays Feb. 4- April 28 4:00-5:00pm
- Underground Readers - Dear Evan Hansen. Thurs. Jan. 9th 3:30pm. Teen Program (6th-12th). CCPL
- Get A Clue @ The Library Teen Program (6th-12th) Thurs. Jan. 16th 3:30pm CCPL
- Create A Gift! Teen program (6th-12th) Thurs. Dec. 19th- 3:30-5:00pm. CCPL Supplies Provided
- Happy Noon Year! Kids to age 5 New Year's Celebration! Dec. 31st 11am - 12:15pm CCPL
- Intimidated by the Internet? Internet Basics. January 7th at 10am. CCPL
About Us
Email: jill.filer@harrisonvilleschools.org
Website: www.harrisonvilleschools.org
Location: 503 South Lexington Street, Harrisonville, MO, USA
Phone: 8163802727
Facebook: facebook.com/HarrisonvilleSchools
Twitter: @HvilleSchools