Fulton Focus
For the parents and patrons of the Fulton School District
March 18, 2016
A message from the Superintendent
Dear Parents and Patrons,
As you read this note, we are entering the last quarter of the academic year. Thirty-eight days of school remain which for your students and their teachers will seem to be a very long time! Of those thirty-eight days, six weeks are five-day weeks, which will be filled with student assessments, celebrations, field trips, and other end of the year activities. However, just because the year is ending, it is no time for students or teachers to let down or slide.
The past couple of weeks have been exciting at FPS!
At the Board of Education meeting March 9, 2016
*Ten student athletes were recognized as Academic All State Champions in their respective sport.
*Hornet Logo Contest semifinalists were Garett Ballard, Jonah Preston and Gabby Deville. In total, 32 designs were submitted.
*The Fulton Board of Education selected Gabby Deville’s Hornet Logo design as our new Hornet, it will be displayed soon.
This week was Academic Week at Fulton High School. Two Hundred Twenty-Six students
qualified for a variety of activities.
Every day in every classroom students are recognized for doing their best work, staying on task and contributing to positive classroom and building atmosphere.
Finally, as mentioned below Mrs. Houf, FMS Principal was selected by her statewide peers as the Missouri Elementary Principal of the Year. She will be competing in the national competition this fall.
Ask your student what has been exciting in their classroom and life. Perhaps the upcoming Spring Break will be a good time to relax and help your student prepare to complete the school year doing their very best academic work!
Thank you for sending great kids for us to work with!
Sincerely,
Jacque A. Cowherd, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Congratulations to Beth Houf!
Beth Houf, principal at Fulton Middle School in Fulton, MO, has been selected the 2016 Missouri Distinguished Principal by the Missouri Association of Elementary School Principals (MAESP). Houf was one of 12 principals from MAESP districts around the state who were honored March 12 at a reception and banquet at Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach. The event was held in conjunction with the annual MAESP Leadership Conference.
Ms. Houf completed her undergraduate work at the University of Missouri and the University of Hawaii on Oahu, and later earned her master’s and specialist degrees from the University of Missouri. She began her teaching career in Jefferson City and then moved to Fulton Public Schools in 2002.
In 2006, Ms. Houf was selected to be a part of the DESE Select Teachers as Regional Resources (STARR) program. The two-year program provided intensive professional development from leading educational researchers and practitioners. She spent a full year outside the classroom, leading personalized, professional development at more than 40 schools throughout her region. Her experiences with the STARR program illustrated that the success of a school hinged on the effective practices of school leaders. When a principal position opened in her district, Ms. Houf knew that this was the next step in her journey.
Ms. Houf began as the principal of McIntire Elementary in 2008-2009. Two weeks before her first day, she learned that McIntire was designated as a school in improvement. The stakes were high, morale was low, and the task was daunting. Houf was convinced the only way to reach the improvement goals was to work with all stakeholders—educators, administrators, students and families. Together, they developed goals, created action plans, established systems of success, and set the norm of high levels of learning for all. The hard work paid off and McIntire Elementary became one of the first schools to be removed from
the state improvement list. McIntire has since been recognized as both a Missouri Exemplary PLC School and an award-winning PBIS school.
In 2015, Ms. Houf was appointed the principal of Fulton Middle School. Together, she and her staff are promoting and living the mission of Educating, Empowering and Engaging all Learners at Escalating Levels. Ms. Houf is also a leader outside her school as a facilitator for the DESE Leadership Academy and active in her local, state and national principal associations. She is currently co-authoring a book, Lead like a PIRATE with Shelley Burgess.
Ms. Houf will join more than 50 other recognized elementary and middle level school principals in Washington, D.C. in October for the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) National Distinguished Principals Recognition Program.
For more information, contact Dr. Michael L. Schooley, Executive Director, Missouri Association of Elementary Principals (MAESP) headquartered in Jefferson City, Missouri. mschooley@maesp.com
Join the Letters to Sailors Campaign
McIntire Elementary needs your help! The students and staff have teamed up with Savannah's Soldiers, a non-profit organization that is sending letters to sailors and soldiers that are deployed. Watch the video and read the article from the Fulton Sun for more information.
password: rcp2015
2016 Academic Week
Monday, March 14, kicked off the week with the Banquet. Carol Robertson, faculty member of FHS, spoke on behalf of the faculty. Student speakers included: Trenton Clines, Senior; Mary Hinchie, Junior, and Gabriel Luebbert, Sophomore. The parent speaker was Nancy Brandt, mother of senior, NaShayla Brant.
Tuesday, March 15, included an Ice Cream Social complete with all the toppings! Students were given a little free time to visit with one another and indulge in a banana split!
Wednesday, March 16, the students loaded buses and went to the Busy Corner Cafe for breakfast.
Thursday, March 17, found the students and sponsors headed to Kansas City for the field trip. Steam Boat Arabia and Arthur Bryant's were on the agenda. The students went in style on charter buses provided by the Fulton Foundation! Thank you to the Fulton Foundation for your support of Academic Week.
Friday, March 18, on the last day of a wonderful week the students were given an open lunch.
The Fulton Board of Education congratulates the FHS Academic Week students. These students have attained a 3.75 GPA for 3 consecutive semesters or more.
Thanks to Tia Draffen for the wonderful pictures of the week!
Carol Robertson, Faculty Speaker
Gabriel Luebbert, Sophomore Speaker
Mary Hinchie, Junior Speaker
Trenton Clines, Senior Speaker
Nancy Brandt, Parent Speaker
Ice Cream Social
Information on the Go!
Bus Inspections
Important Dates
Friday, March 25- April 1--No School Spring Break
Tuesday, April 5--Board of Education Election
Wednesday, April 13--Board of Education Meeting
Monday, April 18--MAP Testing Begins
Friday, May 6--MAP Testing Ends
Thursday, May 19--Last Day of School (Dismiss 2 hours early)
Friday, May 20--FHS Graduation
Wednesday, June 1-Tuesday, June 28--Summer School
Fulton Public Schools
Email: ksnethen@fulton58.org
Website: www.fulton58.org
Location: 2 Hornet Drive, Fulton, MO
Phone: 573-590-8000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fulton-Public-Schools-298183414812/
Twitter: @FPSHornets