Ruess Roundup - March 5, 2024
March 5, 2024
March 5, 2024
Today is the 120th school day (out of 171 student attendance days). The 3rd quarter is coming to an end and will conclude tomorrow, March 6th, 2024. We have completed 70% of the 2023-2024 school year.
Any further unexpected school closures due to weather will be an Alternate Method of Instruction (AMI) remote learning day. As of today the final student attendance day for the school year will be Friday, May 24th, 2024.
Mark your calendars: School will NOT be in session Monday, March 25th-Friday, April 1st for Spring Break. Student will return on Tuesday, April 2nd. There will also be no school on Monday, April 8 for the eclipse.
CELEBRATIONS
School Board Recognition Month
March is School Board Appreciation Month and Festus R-VI would like to thank our School Board for their leadership, guidance and many hours they volunteer their time looking out for the best interest of our school district. Board members are (from L to R): Josh Martin, Doreen Berezowski, Marcus Shepherd (resigned February 15, 2024), Rich Fadler, Mike Wolk, Brent Abrams, Doug Wendel.
SUMMER SCHOOL
The summer school dates are set. Summer school will be held from Thursday, May 30 - Thursday, June 27. There will be no school on Wednesday, June 19.
STATE ASSESSMENT
Per DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) ALL school districts will be required to administer the 2023-2024 state assessments (MAP/EOC). Despite the many opinions about the relevance of administering state assessments it is our state accountability measure and a regulation we must abide by. The state testing window that has been established is April 1st - May 24th, 2024. Currently each school attendance center is determining their specific testing window. As always, 3rd-8th grade will administer the ELA and Math Grade Level Assessment while 5th and 8th Grade will administer the Science assessment, and grades 9th-12th will administer the required End-of-Course (EOC) assessments for: Algebra I, English II, Government, and Biology. R-VI will also administer the optional assessments for English I, American History, Algebra II and Physical Science.
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION FOR THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR
GRADUATION
Graduation has been set for the Class of 2024. An initial date is set for Tuesday, May 21st, 2024 at Tiger Stadium. However, in the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved to Wednesday, May 22nd, 2024 (at Tiger Stadium). If inclement weather occurs again on Wednesday, May 22nd the ceremony will move to Jefferson College with limited seating.
SCHOOL BOARD VACANCY
The Board of Education has a vacancy due to the resignation of member Marcus Shepherd last month (see picture above). The Board is required by law to fill vacancies created when a board member leaves office prior to the end of an elected term. The board is responsible for appointing an eligible person to fill the vacancy until the next April election, at which time a candidate will be elected to fill the remainder of the term, if any, or the new term. If you are interested, please complete the entire application. If selected, your service will begin immediately after you are sworn in and will continue until the person elected in the April 2025 election is sworn in.
The application packet can be picked up at the Roy Burnside Administrative Building. It outlines the eligibility requirements and application questions. All information provided will be subject to public disclosure under Missouri Sunshine Law. Application packets are due to Dr. Nicki Ruess, Superintendent of Festus R-VI School District, on or before March 22nd, 2024. At that time, all applications will be provided to the Board of Education for their review and discussion of the appointment will take place at the March Board of Education meeting held on Thursday, March 28th, 2024.
If you have any questions please contact Dr. Nicki Ruess at ruessnicki@festusedu.com or 636-937-4920.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
As you are well aware there are many legislative bills being filed and discussed during this legislative session. Many of these bills have a direct impact on public education. I will be more than happy to speak personally with any individual or group and provide specific information in regards to the proposed bills. It is important to know the facts and be informed about the topics that will likely have widespread impact for Missouri public schools.
NOTEWORTHY
National Merit Scholarship Finalist
Senior Jimmy Wacker. He has been named a National Merit Scholarship Finalist. He is one of just 15,000 students in the country to be named a Finalist. He could learn next month if he is one of 7100 students who are named National Merit Scholars.
State Champion
Junior Mya Hairston won the state wrestling championship in her weight class last month. Mya pinned all four of her opponents at the state meet. She is the first ever girls state wrestling champion at Festus. She is pictured with wrestling head coach Jarad Shepard (right) and assistant coach Steve Holt.
Douglass School Celebration
On February 21, the Festus School District celebrated the history of the Douglass School in our community. During the day, social studies classes talked with students about the Douglass School history. At that evening's basketball games, Douglass artifacts and articles were on display in the lobby and alumni and families were recognized before the Varsity game. The Tiger basketball team wore throwback Douglass Trojan uniforms for the game.
Douglass Cooperative School was the school for African-American students from Jefferson County to the bootheel from 1939-1959.
Social studies teacher Mr. Matt Gurnow talks with students about Douglass School.
The bell from Douglass School.
Wearing throwback Douglass Trojan uniforms.
Middle School Choirs
Kindness Counts
The Intermediate School wrapped up a successful Kindness Counts month of February. All month long, students were encouraged to recognize students and staff who treated them with kindness, by writing it down and displaying it on the "Great Wall of Kindness" in the Intermediate School lobby. Kindness posters were also on display on every classroom door to recognize acts of kindness in the classroom.
The Great Wall of Kindness
Kindness messages
Classroom door kindness poster
Teddy Bear Collection
Elementary school students donated 111 teddy bears and stuffed animals to a drive organized by 1st grader Dominic Gibson and his family. Dominic has battled neuroblastoma 3 times in his short life, and is currently in remission. He wanted to give back to the hospital that has helped him through many trying times. He and his family are passionate about spreading awareness of childhood cancers. They donated the bears to St. Louis Children's Hospital.
Dominic with his mother Melanie and 3rd grade brother Vinny.
Bagging up the bears
Delivering the bears to St. Louis Children's Hospital.
MARCH HEALTH NEWSLETTER
Every month, Mrs. Amy Horrell, the Coordinator of Staff and Student Wellness has been sending a health newsletter. To cut down on the number of messages you receive, Mrs. Horrell's monthly newsletters is included as part of my newsletter. You can read it below.