Salem R80 School District

Sullivan Marching Festival

September 26, 2016 -- On Saturday, September 24th the Salem Marching Blue participated in the 29th Annual Sullivan Marching Festival. The 49 member band performed their 2016 competition show “eMOTIONS.” The performance was well received and the band placed third in their class, missing a spot in the finals round by less than 3 points. Salem High School senior Maddie VanDien won the drum major caption for her outstanding performance. Maddie comments, “Even though we didn't make finals, it was still a great performance. I am so incredibly proud and thankful for the band that I have. I couldn't have won the drum major caption without them.“ The Marching Blue take the field next at Parkview High School on Saturday October 1st at 10:45 a.m. The band is directed by David Schatz, and assisted by Lori Beasley. Kelsey Schatz is the Color Guard director.

Salem Upper Elementary Read-Out

September 23, 2016 -- Salem Upper Elementary students earned a Read-Out last week for their positive school behavior. Students earned Tiger Tickets by being safe, respectful and responsible. As a result of earning enough tickets, they were rewarded with a Read Out celebration. Teachers took their students outside to areas around the school grounds and students read their books and enjoyed the sunshine.

Salem Upper Elementary
Remembering 9/11

September 20, 2016 -- Mrs. Letchworth’s 5th graders brainstormed the word “PATRIOT” and wrote adjectives that would describe it. They finished up the lesson with a Web Quest called “September 11, 2001”. Our students don’t have any memories of that day other than those created in classrooms and what they see on television, so this lesson was very important to understanding what our country went through and how we have persevered.

William Lynch Staff Hero of the Month

September 9, 2016 -- Mary Beth Knueven is the William Lynch Elementary Staff Hero of the Month. Mrs. Crocker, William Lynch Elementary Principal, described Mrs. Knueven as a dedicated teacher that helps fulfill the mission of William Lynch Elementary. She helps ensure that all students become safe, respectful learners by serving on the Positive Behavior Support Team. She has served as a mentor to countless teachers, both formally and informally. Mrs. Knueven has raised her own children and created a loving home for many foster children over her years. Her bright smile and sunny outlook brighten everyone’s day around her. Mrs. Knueven will put aside her own to-do list to listen to other people’s issues and help them with their problems. According to first grade teacher Amy Major, “Mary Beth jumped right in to give us the information we needed to get our students the proper interventions. It helped our year and their year start out so much more smoothly.” Mrs. Knueven is always willing to do whatever it takes to make William Lynch Elementary a great place for kids to learn and students to work. Mrs. Knueven is a great example of the talented and dedicated staff at the Salem R-80 School District. We are fortunate to have her on our team.

It’s a Grand Event!

August 31, 2016 -- William Lynch Elementary will be celebrating Grandparents’ Day by inviting our students’ grandparents or other special adult to join us for refreshments and an open house on Friday, September 9 from 4:30-5:30. Students must be accompanied by an adult to attend. Our students will be leading their special adult on a scavenger hunt around the building, and they are sure to find some fun surprises along the way!

School Pictures

Salem Middle School and High School Pictures will be Wednesday, August 24, 2016. Picture packet information will be sent home with students on Monday, August 22, 2016.

Upper Elementary and William Lynch Elementary pictures will be Tuesday August 23, 2016

Salem R-80 School District Tax Rate Hearing Notice

A hearing will be held at 5:50 p.m., August 18, 2016 at the Salem R-80 Administrative Office, 1409 West Rolla Road, at which time citizens may be heard on the property tax rates proposed to be set by the Salem R-80 School District, a political subdivision.

The tax rates are set to produce the revenues from the property tax required by the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2016. Each tax rate is determined by dividing the amount of revenue needed by the current assessed valuation. The result is multiplied by 100 so the tax rate will be expressed in cents per $100 valuation. Click Here for Details

Upper Elementary Students and
Staff Members of the Month

Back row: Tammy Sellers, Brayden McColloch, Carilee Ball Front: MaKiyah Mullins, Gavyn Green and Jadyn Barnes

Upper Elementary Art Show

Back row-Olivia Wisdom, Landon Lawson, Brayden McColloch Middle row-Heather Easter, Hannah Easter, Logan Sutterfield, Blake Edwards Front row-Aurora Melton, Landon Lawson, Trethan Richter

May 11, 2016 -- The Salem Upper Elementary held its annual Art Show on April 29th. With over 300 students and families, the evening was a huge success. The following are the winners:

Grade 2:
Honorable mention: Lawson Davis
3rd-Heather Easter
2nd-Alex Roberts
1st-Autumn Soucie

Grade 3:
Honorable mention: Eve Paine
3rd-Ryker Major
2nd-Ayla Wood
1st-Logan Sutterfield

Grade 4:
Honorable mention: Neely Leathers
3rd-Sierra Briggs
2nd-Trae Westrich
1st-Matthew Pratt

Grade 5:
Honorable mention: Hannah Easter
3rd-Will Gearhart
2nd-Brayden McColloch
1st-Olivia Wisdom

Principal’s/Counselor’s Choice:
2nd grade-Titan Shepherd and Brooklyn Houston
3rd grade-Blake Edwards and Caleb Ayers
4th grade-Trethan Richter and Aurora Melton
5th grade-Hunter Teague and Landon Lawson

SALEM R-80 SCHOOL DISTRICT APPROVES
GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND REFUNDING
WITH A NET SAVINGS OF $511,592
(Superintendent Pleased with Strong Support of Local Banks and Timely Services from L.J. Hart & Company)

April 26, 2016 -- At a regular meeting of the Salem R-80 School District Board of Education on April 14, 2016, a refunding bond resolution was approved that established a final terms committee for the purpose of setting the final interest rates on the refunding bonds. That committee was comprised of Dr. Bernie Sirois, President of the Board of Education, John McColloch, Superintendent of Schools and Larry J. Hart, President and CEO of L.J. Hart & Company. On April 25, 2016 the final terms committee agreed to lock in the interest rates for the $3,900,000 General Obligation Refunding Bonds at an average interest rate of 2.13%, compared to the Series 2013 Bonds which carry an average interest rate of about 4.07%. The final rates are less than the previously projected level of 2.35% and resulted in another $102,815 of interest savings. The District reduces the future interest expense by $511,592 over the remaining seventeen years of the bonds. This $511,592 is to occur each year as the Refunding Bond principal payments are nearly identical to those of the Series 2013 Bonds according to the municipal bond underwriter, L.J. Hart & Company. Mr. McColloch, expressed enthusiasm and support for the refunding option selected by the Board of Education. “This plan takes advantage of the extremely low interest rates in the market by reducing our future interest expense, while still preserving considerable flexibility for the District in the future for a no tax levy increase general obligation bond issue if that becomes a priority,” Mr. McColloch remarked. The Series 2016 Refunding Bonds were offered to local investors as part of the L.J. Hart & Company marketing process with great success as the Town and Country Bank, Progressive Ozark Bank and the Bank of Salem each respectively purchased amounts of $725,000, $690,000 and $470,000 for a total of $1,885,000. Mr. McColloch also expressed gratitude to L.J. Hart & Company for its excellent service in monitoring the municipal bond market and bringing the refinancing opportunity to the District’s attention with researched data and prompt professional responsiveness to the District’s questions. “It is easy to understand why the firm has developed an excellent reputation within the Missouri public education community.” Mr. McColloch stated.
The Board President, Dr. Bernie Sirois, pointed out that the $511,592 of interest savings for the Series 2016 refunding is not all the District may realize due to the Series 2016 Refunding Bonds having a call feature in 2021 at no penalty. “If interest rates are lower in 2021 or later, we can take advantage of that. Meanwhile we are locking in these levels that are much lower than they were with the Series 2013 Bonds,” stated Dr. Sirois. Brad M. Wegman, Assistant Vice President with the L.J. Hart & Company prepared the refunding proposal and explained how it can fit into the long range plans of the District and mentioned three significant factors making the Series 2016 refunding possible were the lower interest rates than in 2013, the fact that the Series 2013 Bonds are subject to prepayment on March 1, 2018 at no penalty, and the District’s ability to participate in the State of Missouri’s Direct Deposit Program. This program makes it possible for the District to receive a “AA+” rating from Standard & Poor’s Corporation on the refunding bonds. Mr. Wegman complimented Mr. McColloch for his prompt and thorough preparations to supply the data necessary for the rating application and official statement, as well as the Board of Education for their foresight in making the Series 2013 Bonds callable in five years.
The refunding bond proceeds are deposited into an escrow account which consists of U.S. Treasury Securities and pay the interest on the refunding bonds through March 1, 2018. The closing for the Series 2016 Refunding Bond issue is to occur on May 31, 2016 with the prepayment of the Series 2013 Bonds taking place on March 1, 2018. Several board members commended Mr. McColloch and L.J. Hart & Company for developing the attractive refunding plan. “It is wonderful to be able to save $511,592 of our taxpayers’ money with the refunding and receive such a terrific level of support from the Town and Country Bank, Progressive Ozark Bank and the Bank of Salem” stated Dr. Sirois. The legal documents to complete the issuance of the bonds were prepared by John W. Brickler, Esq. of Spencer Fane LLP in its role as bond counsel for the District.

Band Announcements and News

April 14, 2016 -- Congratulations to the Salem Band for receiving all Exemplary 1 Ratings at their MSHSAA State Festival on Friday April 1, 2016. The band performed a prepared concert for a panel of 3 judges which all gave them the top rating they could receive. They also received a top for their sight reading performance on a piece they have never played before.

From Left to Right: Abby Payne, Joseph Schott, Kristen Pike, Brandon Pike, Laura Benowitz, Hayden Gotchal, Jessica Medley and Jacob Stacy.

Students also participated in the Solo & Ensemble Festival over the weekend and 8 students will move on to compete at the State Music Festival on April 29, 2016.

The band's next performance will be their Spring Concert on May 6 at 7:00pm in the High School Gymnasium.

Upper Elementary Family Reading Night

April 12, 2016 -- On Thursday, April 7th, Salem Upper Elementary hosted Family Reading Night with a delectable theme; a book tasting! Teachers decorated tables based on specific authors, series, themes, or genres. Students and family members viewed and sampled the variety of tasting selections. With the help of family, students filled out menus describing their favorite servings of books! We had over seventy-five students and their families in attendance.

The picture attached is 4th grader Rory Dahms and his father viewing a table to decide on their tasting.

April 8, 2016 -- The Salem R-80 School District will once again be holding summer school. Summer school this year will start on May 31st and end on June 17th. Summer school is open to all students in Dent County, regardless of where they attend during the regular school year. Transportation, however, will only be available to students that reside in the R-80 district. Enrichment summer school is available for students who will be entering kindergarten through 6th grade next year. The staff is currently busy planning a number of activities that are both fun and educational. Core subjects are taught with games and other exciting activities. Students will also participate in non-core enrichment activities that build skills. Older students have the opportunity to participate in some civic projects for the community. Lunch is served and free to all students in grades kindergarten through 6th. Drawings will be held to give away prizes for students who attend summer school. Enrollment forms for elementary summer school are available at the offices at William Lynch Elementary and Salem Upper Elementary. At the high school level, the district will offer Credit Recovery and Driver’s Education. Credit Recovery is available for students who have fallen behind on their credits. This is an opportunity for students to complete a class online to recover some credit toward graduation. The district will also offer Driver’s Education for students that are nearing the age of 16 and preparing to become licensed drivers. The first week of Driver’s Education will be classroom activities at the high school. The next three weeks will be spent driving so students can reach the required number of hours behind the wheel. The Credit Recovery and Driver’s Education classes have limited spots and interested students need to sign up with the high school counselor as soon as possible. More information regarding summer school can be found by calling the school at 729-6642.

Summer School Dates

STATE MUSIC FESTIVAL, Large Vocal Ensembles: Concert Choir

April 7, 2016 -- The Salem High School Concert Choir received Outstanding (2) rankings at State Music Festival in Union, Mo., on March 31, 2016. The choir was judged on sight singing and numerous music techniques, including intonation, tone quality, diction, rhythm, note accuracy, phrasing, and stage presence. The choir is directed by Elaine Russell.

Superintendent Update
Staff Spotlight by John McColloch

March 21, 2016 -- The Salem R-80 School District is full of extremely talented, caring, and dedicated staff members. From teachers to custodians to bus drivers to cooks, this district is very fortunate to have the people in place that it does. Once a month I am going to spotlight a different staff member from the Salem R-80 School District. These people go above and beyond the call of duty on a daily basis for our kids and deserve recognition.
This month I would like to recognize Lanie Schafer. Mrs. Schafer is a 2nd grade teacher at Salem Upper Elementary. She has been teaching for 12 years. Prior to teaching in Salem, she was a 1st grade teacher in Rolla. Our community was fortunate to have her return “home” to Salem and continue her teaching career. Laine Schafer makes learning fun. She engages her 2nd grade students in lessons that they will remember and gain information from on a daily basis. Her bubbly personality shows through in her students, as they always have smiles on their faces. Her students are always moving and going.
Mrs. Schafer is a prime example of the dedicated staff found at Salem R-80. As I pass through the hallways of the Upper Elementary, I see firsthand the compassion she has for her students. I know our children are in good hands when they enter Mrs. Schafer’s classroom. A special thanks to Mrs. Schafer and all the dedicated staff at Salem R-80.

Upper Elementary February
Teacher and Students of the Month

Back row: Mrs. Laine Schafer (teacher of the month) and Olivia Wisdom (5th grade student of the month) Front row: Kendra Morrison (3rd grade student of the month), Alylah Robertson (2nd grade student of the month), and Rory Dahms (4th grade student of the month)

Ad design winners for The Salem News

Pictured back row left to right are: Sally McColloch (art teacher), Neely Leathers (5th grade), Dillon Odom(2nd grade). Pictured front row left to right are: Alex Roberts (3rd grade), Olivia Hensley (4th grade).

Teacher Spotlight by John McColloch

September 23, 2016 -- This month’s spotlight focuses on Krystal Sims. Ms. Sims is a special education teacher at the Upper Elementary and has worked for the district since 2009. Salem Upper Elementary Principal Melanie Wisdom describes Ms. Sims as a teacher that goes above and beyond to be her students’ best support in her classroom and in their educational journey. Ms. Sims remains patient and calm and smiles at the end of the day no matter what she has faced. She works very closely with the 3rd grade team to meet all the requirements needed to ensure the success of her students every day. Ms. Sims is very active with Special Olympics and even jumps into a frozen lake in the winter during the Polar Plunge to raise money for our special athletes. Ms. Sims is a dedicated and talented teacher and the Salem R-80 School District is fortunate to have her on our team.

Salem High School Jacket Order Day!

September 30th Friday
11.00am-12.30
Gymnasium Lobby
$75.00 Deposit required
Price sheets in the Principals Office

Buoyancy, Density, and Matter

September 21, 2016 -- The past week during RTI, Mrs. Blankenship and several fourth graders participated in a STEM challenge. The students were challenged to build a flotation device from given materials. The device had to keep an action figure afloat for one minute. It was a great time of learning about buoyancy, density, matter, and what floats!

2016 ACT Award Winners

2016-17 Marching Blue

September 8, 2016 -- The Salem High School Band is off to a great start for the 2016-2017 marching season. The Marching Blue consists of 49 members, 22 of those taking the field for the first time. Even with it being a young band, the band looks to have another successful year. Senior drum major Maddie Van Dien says “We get better and better each day because of the dedication from all of our members, especially the underclassmen. This year is going to be great for the band and everyone that supports us.” The music for this season’s field show competition was commissioned and composed exclusively for the Salem Marching Blue by Randall D. Standridge. The piece is entitled “Emotions” and includes four parts. Each part represents one of four emotions; joy, sadness, fear or anger. Within the original work are familiar melodies including Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” theme songs from “Inside Out” and “The Walking Dead” and Coldplay’s “Fix You.”
The Salem Marching Blue performs many times throughout the year including 4 competitive marching festivals. The band is under the direction of David Schatz with help from Assistant Director Lori Beasley, and Color Guard Director Kelsey Schatz.

Another Year Off to a Great Start

John McColloch
Superintendent

August 26, 2016 -- With a week and a half of school under our belt, the Salem R-80 School District is off to a great start. Early enrollment is up with 1437 students currently enrolled in preschool through 12th grade. The district enrollment at this time last year was at 1354 students. The biggest increases in enrollment over last year have occurred at the Upper Elementary with an increase of 44 students and at Salem High School with an increase of 40 students. We currently have 266 students at William Lynch Elementary, 349 students at the Upper Elementary, 226 students at the middle school, and 596 students at the high school. The preschool program for our young tigers at William Lynch Elementary continues to expand and currently serves 65 students ages 3 and 4. The Dent County Developmental Preschool also continues to grow while serving students from the entire county. Fall activities are in full swing. Football, softball, volleyball, cross country, cheerleading, middle school girls’ basketball, band, and choir are busy practicing and participating in competitions and events. The teams and the co-curricular activities have experienced early success and we look forward to an entertaining and competitive fall season. As we dive deeper into the school year, I would like to ask that you stay in contact with your child’s teachers. Communication between school and home is an extremely important aspect of a child’s education. Education is a team effort between school staff and parents. I know our students are going to accomplish many great things this school year and I am looking forward to a very productive 2016-1017. Please feel free to contact me at the district office at 729-6642 with any questions, comments, or concerns.

August 19, 2016 -- The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will host a series of regional meetings in September and October. The department has selected Salem as a regional meeting site. The meeting is scheduled for September 19 at 6:00 pm at the Salem Upper Elementary Cafeteria. Salem Upper Elementary is located at 1601 Doss Road. The regional meetings are an opportunity for the department of education to receive feedback from stakeholders on what Missourians think matters most in public education. Missouri Commissioner Margie Vandeven, as well as other officials from the department, will be in attendance. Administrators, teachers, parents, students, and community members are encouraged to attend. Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MORegionalMeetings. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education can be followed on Twitter (@MOEducation), on Facebook, or more information can be found at www.dese.mo.gov.

Superintendent's Update

1st Day 2016 Middle School

Salem Upper Elementary Spring Musical

May 17, 2016 -- On Thursday, May 5th the Tiger Choir from Salem Upper Elementary School presented a Spring Show. The event was held at the Salem High School Gymnasium and featured 115 students in grades 3-5. The show began with the 4th/5th grade choir members performing their festival songs, “Catch a Falling Star” and “The Rhythm of Life.” The remainder of the show consisted of a mini-musical entitled “Makin’ the Band” featuring popular songs from the 60’s through 90’s. Students sang, performed choreography, narration and delighted all those in attendance. The choir is directed by Lori Beasley and accompanied by Christy Leathers.

Safe, respectful learner contest winners from William Lynch Elementary music department. Mrs. Steelman's class!

Upper Elementary Collaborative Art

April 12, 2016 -- The Salem Upper Elementary students that went to the Art room for RTi time created a collaborative art piece. We watched videos about Post-It note art and decided to create our own piece. Each student, grades 2-5, as well as SUE staff were asked to draw something random on one Post-it note and write a sentence about how they show respect on another one. A student favorite was the sunflowers drawn by Mrs. Evans and cartoons drawn by Isaiah Connell. Students offered many tips on showing respect including walking in the hallway and not tipping back in your chair. Mrs. McColloch and Mrs. Rensch hung the notes together to spell the word RESPECT in the hallway.

Upper Elementary Tiger Choir
at Tri-M Choral Festival

April 12, 2016 -- On Friday, April 8th the Tiger Choir from Salem Upper Elementary School performed at the Tri-M Choral Festival in Strafford, Missouri. The two day festival drew elementary, middle school and high school choirs from all over the state. The Tiger Choir consisted of 53 students in grades 4 and 5. They sang two pieces, “Catch a Falling Star” arranged by Greg Gilpin and “The Rhythm of Life” arranged by Roger Emerson. The choir was evaluated on nine areas of vocal performance and received a 1 (Superior) rating and trophy. The choir is directed by Lori Beasley and accompanied by Christy Leathers.

Middle School Book Fair!

Come visit the Middle School Scholastic Book Fair! April 12th-15th Before school until 8:00am After school until 3:30pm Tuesday and Thursday evening from 5:00-7:00pm You can also order online: Click Here

STATE MUSIC FESTIVAL, Large Vocal Ensembles: Chamber Singers

April 7, 2016 -- The Salem High School Chamber Singers received an Exemplary (1) ranking with a standing ovation at State Music Festival in Union, Mo. on March 31, 2016. The choir was judged on numerous music techniques, including intonation, tone quality, diction, rhythm, note accuracy, phrasing, and stage presence. The Chamber Singers are next heading to a National Music competition in Chicago, April 20-24. The choir is directed by Elaine Russell.

Johnson finishes 2nd in State
Advances to Nationals

March 29, 2016 -- Irvin Johnson, Salem R80 Middle School 6th grader shooting at the state MONasp Archery Tournament held at Lake Ozark on March 18, 19, 2016. Irvin finished 2nd in the state after a “shoot-off” with another student. Irvin qualified to shoot at the National meet in April in Louisville, KY as an individual. He and the Salem Middle School team qualified as a team and will be competing in Lousiville to hopefully return to the World Competition scheduled for June in Myrtle Beach, SC. This would make the third consecutive year of qualifying for World if the team is successful in Louisville.

New Immunization Clarification

March 23, 2016 -- The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services have clarified the immunization requirement for students entering 12th grade.
Age 16 is the key factor here. If your child has had a meningitis immunization since they have turned 16 years of age, then they are up-to-date with this new immunization requirement. If your child has NOT had a meningitis immunization since turning 16 then the requirement is: they must have one before school starts in Aug. 2016, if they are going into 12th grade. This immunization may not be “in progress” to enroll in the 2016-17 school year.
The state of Missouri immunization requirements beginning 2016-17 school year now states students entering 8th grade must have 1 meningitis immunization and then, after turning 16 years of age, they must have another one. This will give them a total of two meningitis (MCV 4) immunizations when they graduate from high school.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call Sherri Reichard, LPN @ 573-729-6641 or Salem R-80 nursing supervisor, Lynda Cheatham, RN @ 573-729-6611.

Special Olympic Basketball

March 11, 2016 -- On March 9th, the Upper Elementary, Middle School, and High School Special Olympics attended the area Basketball Conference at Laquey, MO. All athletes placed Gold or Silver.

4th/5th Grade Quiz Bowl Tournament

Team A (1st place): Back: Nat Melton, Ben Snider, Brayden McColloch, Levi Stoner, Brianna Mischke, Miles Skaggs Front: Matt Pratt, Neely Leathers, Wyatt McCall, Giddeon Shelby, Marvin Aspinwall, Wyatt Patrick

Team B (2nd place): Back: Olivia Wisdom, Eli Brakensiek, Christopher Harris, Lawson Petty, Bryce Stewart, Will Gearhart Front: Haiden Sanders, Marshall Gollaher, Paige Brandt-Sells, Caroline Pryor, Abby McBride

March 11, 2016 -- The Salem Upper Elementary hosted the Dent County 4th/5th Grade Quiz Bowl Tournament on Tuesday, March 8th. Teams from Oak Hill R-1, Green Forest R-2, Northwood R-4, and Salem Upper Elementary represented their schools with sportsmanship and knowledge. After a long night of competition and through a double elimination round, the two teams from Salem Upper Elementary took 1st and 2nd place. The entire group of 4th/5th grade students from these schools should be proud of themselves and we thank their coaches for dedicating so much time to preparing them.

*As always, thank you for showing the great things our kids are doing in the newspaper and on the Salem R-80 website.

Upper Elementary Ecosystem Research

March 7, 2016 -- The Salem Upper Elementary 4th grade students recently researched specific ecosystems of their choice. With the research, students discovered specific animals, plants, landforms, and interesting facts. After students found all the needed information, they put their knowledge and creativity to use in creating ecosystem dioramas. The students worked extremely hard and deserve all the praise for their work!

Poetry and Pastries with Parents

March 4, 2016 -- William Lynch Elementary will host Poetry and Pastries with Parents on Tuesday, March 8th from 7-8 am. Parents can come and enjoy breakfast and poetry with their children before school. Parents can contact the office at 729-6611 with any questions.

Senior High School

Middle School

Upper Elementary

William Lynch Elementary