Waynesville Career Center

For Teacher Appreciation Week, we invited families to share how their child’s teacher is making a positive impact—and the response was incredible! Thank you to everyone who took the time to send in kind words. Here is our first set for Wednesday morning. (We’ve included highlights from some of the longer notes.) Coach Rowland makes PE fun for his students. My students enjoy learning new games and practicing for special events throughout the school year with Coach. Ms. J-G (Johnson-Gonzales) is an amazing music assistant program teacher! Her kindness & encouragement have helped my daughter find her voice & grow in confidence this year. Thank you for making music fun, meaningful, and something she looks forward to. Ms. Mason, you help Voices students find a way for their voice to shine brighter. Thank you for growing a love for music! Mrs. Underwood went out of her way to challenge my son and provide activities and resources, so now he is completing work three grades above his level. She is wonderful to work with as she took my concerns and quickly helped initiate services that were needed outside of the classroom. Ms. Tami and Ms. Sonja have been so amazing all year for our daughter. We have watched her absolutely blossom. Her confidence levels have soared. She jumps out of the car every morning without looking back. These two have helped prepare her to start kindergarten next year. Coach Wise is such a positive role model for the young men on his baseball team. He provides support and positive feedback, providing words of encouragement when the boys need it most. He often expresses to them that he believes in them both as individuals, as well as the team! My daughter loves having a teacher (Mr. Rideout) who is eager to learn and teach! She (Mrs. Stockfisch) is always showing how much she cares for the students. My son has felt seen, cared about, and loved by her. He’s had a wonderful year and I know she is a huge part of that. She’s also great with communication! I believe Mr. Hyatt has played a huge role in my son’s growth. He loves how Mr. Hyatt is always engaging with them including at recess. It’s great seeing a teacher with so much energy, and care for his students. She (Mrs. Hetzler) makes accommodations I would never dream of asking someone to make for him and that speaks volumes to how well she knows and loves him! His verbally expressed communication is limited but being able to ask if he wants to see her and having him pop up out of a morning funk is just about the highest form of flattery he can offer. Ms. Smith is very kind and compassionate. She works hard with Justin and he comes home talking about how much he loves her. East elementary has been such a wonderful school for us! On a field trip there are photos of (Ms. Sabine) just allowing my son to be completely himself and naturally curious about his surroundings. I really appreciate her leaving room for him to just be! Ms. Connely has truly stepped in as an extended mother figure—she is patient, holds my son accountable, and, most importantly, believes in him. As a single parent now, I take great comfort in knowing he is set up for success under her guidance. May God continue to bless you as you do what you do best. My son is always excited to go to school. Loves his teacher (Mrs. Wilking) and classmates. Mrs. Stockfisch provided consistent support and communication. The highlight for me this year was watching my son actively reading again to compete in the ReadBowl 2025. He met his goal and was recognized as one of the top 25 readers in his school. Thank you, Mrs. Podwoski, for not only advocating for all my babies since forever ago, but always keeping their best interest the main focus of all educational goals and always working with my babies as if they were your child. Grateful, thankful and extremely blessed to have had you as a part of our journey!! Mrs. Gage has been an incredible teacher. Whenever my child feels unsure or nervous, she responds with patience and kindness, never showing frustration. She’s always encouraging and truly puts in the effort to help every student understand. My daughter has improved in so many ways in both her reading and math. We are extremely satisfied with Mrs. Wells and the dedication she has to her students. She speaks very highly of Mrs. Wells and looks forward to going to school every day. I don’t interact with her often, but seeing her (Ms. Ash) and having her recognize whose mom I am was really special. I appreciate that she knows my kiddo well enough to recognize me too! Thank you all (Hedgehog Bus Route) for working hard to make sure my kiddo is content on the bus. He’s gone from rarely wanting to ride to being sad on days he isn’t on there!

Please note: This is NEXT YEAR'S calendar! The first day of school for the 2025-26 school year is Aug. 18. The 2025-26 School Year Calendar is at https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4597/WRV/5126636/25-26_School_Year_Calendar.pdf

For Teacher Appreciation Week, we invited families to share how their child’s teacher is making a positive impact—and the response was incredible! Thank you to everyone who took the time to send in kind words and stories. We’ll be sharing several of these messages each day this week. (We’ve included highlights from some of the longer notes.) I can honestly say Mrs. Sinclair’s patience, kindness and love for teaching has changed both of children’s lives. I couldn't imagine anyone else getting my girls through kindergarten. She leaves a positive impact on the students and parents. She (Mrs. Butler) goes out of her way to make sure she truly understands a student and is able to find a way to help motivate them. She has had my son this year and last, and was his case manager last year. She has gotten through to him when others couldn’t. She’s truly amazing! Mrs. Montgomery excels in building relationships with her students. My student feels cared for and loves coming to school each day. Mrs. Montgomery also incorporates hands-on learning experiences and emphasizes the importance of reading each day. Ms. Morris is my daughter’s amazing 5th grade teacher! Her kindness, patience, and dedication have made a difference. Thank you for creating a space where she feels seen, supported and inspired to grow. I believe these gentlemen (Waynesville Middle School band instructors) are making positive impacts on everyone they teach. This is literally one of the best school bands I've ever heard. I've never been so impressed by a school band. My daughter is more excited about school and life in general because of this opportunity. Mrs. Lane is very involved with the parents and has great communication skills. I know my child is in good hands with her. She is also one to give praise to the children and the parents, which I appreciate because sometimes it’s nice to hear you’re doing great or that your child is doing great. I have two students at Thayer and they both have developed a love of art through Mrs. Erlewine's art classes. My students love to come home and share about their art projects and as a parent, I love being able to see what they are completing through the Artsonia app. My daughter’s specific words yesterday were, "I wish I can take Mrs. Fuentes to 5th grade with me!" Thanks for loving my daughter and making her actually want to be at school. You have such a nurturing and comforting impact on her life and she expresses it every day! Huge thanks to Jessie at the front desk—you’re the heartbeat of the school! Your welcoming smile, calm energy and willingness to help do not go unnoticed. Thank you for being the first friendly face we see and for holding it all together behind the scenes. My son has been having trouble listening and paying attention and these 2 (Henson and Johnson) have been amazing with him this year. He can't stop talking about how much he loves them. She (Mrs. Harne) is there for my son when he needs to be comforted and always gets him his snacks. She also loves my son's smile and hugs him whenever she can. Mrs. Beauchamp brings her love of reading to all the students at Thayer. She provides engaging lessons in the library and is very helpful in finding exactly the right book for her students. My students enjoy visiting her library weekly and bringing home books to share with us! I appreciate Mrs. Williams for all the realness she serves to these spunky 4th graders. She is a rockstar and I love the patience and humor with the kids. Mr. Thorpe engages with his students on such a personal level, that it drives them to do well in class. He meets them where they are as a person and connects with them, which makes my child WANT to be there. My son says he is fun in class and makes them laugh while teaching. Mrs. Diedrich is not just an educator; she is someone who cares about her student's growth and success. She is patient, kind and explains concepts that make an impact on them. She inspires them. She is very much appreciated each and every day. Thanks for the patience and kindness you (Mrs. Brand) have shown! Our daughter loves you very much we are so grateful for you! Mrs. P. (Pimentel) has been a vital asset to my daughter's success this school year. She has gone through rough times and Mrs. P. ALWAYS goes above and beyond to help ensure she is safe, heard and helped. She is one of our favorite people! Shoutout to our incredible LEAP teacher Ms. Morris—you make all the difference! Thank you for your dedication to your students where they are and helping them grow with confidence! Mrs. Taylor makes learning about music fun and exciting. She is always bringing in new music and techniques for her students to try. My students have really enjoyed practicing and performing their grade level concerts this year. As a parent, I have also enjoyed the variety and engagement of the after school music concerts.

For Teacher Appreciation Week, we invited families to share how their child’s teacher is making a positive impact—and the response was incredible! Thank you to everyone who took the time to send in kind words and stories. We’ll be sharing several of these messages each day this week. (We’ve included highlights from some of the longer notes.) Ms. Godwin has been amazing for my son! She knows how to keep him grounded and focused on working hard! Mrs. Thornburg has made a challenging year for our little learner a good one. We moved mid-year and relocated to MO from SC. The progress our little learner has made in math is amazing. Thank you so much! Mrs. Tillott is my son's favorite teacher this school year. She makes it a point to encourage him to apply himself to his fullest, and she recognizes his potential as a gifted writer and reader. She has made him want to strive for better this school year, and onward into high school! My child has not told me the art teacher's name but comes home excited about the class and projects every week. We are lovers of arts and crafts in our household and it has been refreshing to see the teacher helping our little learner to foster growth in her artistic skills. Mrs. Babb has helped my Kindergartner to meet her fullest potential this school year. She has grown her into a confident reader. She loves each of her students, and never fails to embrace their unique attributes. She (Ashlee Hetzler) goes above and beyond for her students, and she cares about each one personally. Mrs. Brand always has a positive attitude and is also very encouraging towards her students. She has offered tutoring to her students and my daughter has improved so much this year and loves going to school even more. I have never encountered a more dedicated educator and he (Mr. Phinn) is a blessing! My son struggles with math and writing and Mr. Phinn has helped him so much. He is a master of differentiation! He has helped my son grow socially/emotionally and has been a wonderful role model. Ms. Koch will never know how much of a difference she has made in my child's life. My daughter has been through a lot and it was hard to even get her to school until she started FFA. Ms. Koch has consistently believed in my daughter so much that now she has more confidence and enjoys going to school. Mrs. Harrison is an amazing SPED teacher; she works hard to help all her students be successful at school. She is patient, kind, and loving. My student knows her room is a safe place when they need a break from the regular classroom. Mrs. Harrison builds strong relationships with her students. Mrs. Curran and Mrs. Romero have gone above and beyond to build relationships with my child. He requires substantial support and they always meet his needs. Academically he has grown and prospered this year. In the past he has had several office referrals, but they have worked with him and taught him strategies to be successful. Mrs. Vogtman made every single day special for her class. My daughter was challenged and inspired by being in her class. Most weeks she was sad to see Friday come because that meant no school for two days. Mrs. Vogtman is everything I could want in a kindergarten teacher. These two (Ms. Carr and Ms. Stephanie) are rockstars in my child's eyes. As my child's first teachers, these two have made an enormous difference in her confidence, skills and knowledge. They not only teach but encourage, love and guide their little ones and set them up to succeed. Mrs. Groves has helped my daughter come out of her comfort zone. She has pushed her academically, but also in her confidence and curiosity. Her encouragement and understanding doesn't go unnoticed. She is very much appreciated by our family! Mrs. T. Smith has always been kind, thoughtful and respectful both with us as parents and with the children as well. She truly is making a difference in the children’s lives and teaching them to be good human beings. She even made it a point to get to know my son who is very shy. She (Sabine Reed) has made such an impact in my daughter's life in such a little amount time. She is so understanding of her needs. Ms. Cooper shows endless support and commitment towards child development and education. My child constantly expresses how amazing his teacher has been throughout the school year. Mrs. Lund works very hard to build relationships and teach her students. My student has grown so much in their reading, writing and math skills this school year. They can write complete sentences and form paragraphs, read with fluency, and completes addition and subtraction. Mrs. Lindenmayer has been amazing at communicating with home and helping to support our son in all of his needs. He always leaves school with something positive to share and is excited to learn. Mrs. Oxendine has supported our son with his reading and he enjoys seeing her each day! We are grateful for all that she does!

Some Waynesville R-VI buses are running late this morning (Tuesday, May 6, 2025), due to a shortage of drivers. In addition, a couple of the tablets that power BusQuest, our online bus system, are not working. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Waynesville R-VI will host a Kindergarten Kickoff at 5:30 p.m. on May 2, 2025, at the Parker Educational Center. This is for parents of students who will be going into kindergarten this fall. Future kindergartners are welcome to attend as well. Please see the flyer for more details or call 573-842-2092. #wayschools

There will be no school in the Waynesville R-VI School District on Friday, April 18, 2025. All offices will be closed on April 18 as well.

Waynesville JROTC finishes 2nd in Nation The Waynesville High School Drill Team took 2nd overall in the nation at the Rocky Mountain National Invitational Drill Competition in Denver on Saturday, April 12, 2025. “Our cadets don’t just show up—they compete with purpose, precision, and pride,” said Command Sgt. Maj. (Ret.) Steven Tetreault, JROTC instructor. “We've built a reputation for excellence, and that’s something our entire community can be proud of." Waynesville’s JROTC has ranked in the top 3 in the nation during the past three years. "Over the last three years, this team has shown true perseverance—finishing 3rd, then 2nd, and now 2nd again at the Rocky Mountain Drill Nationals,” Tetreault said. “That kind of consistency doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built on hours of practice, strong leadership and a deep commitment to each other and the standard we set. This team has made its mark, and the legacy they leave behind is something special." More than 50 teams from throughout the United States competed at the national competition. "Placing second at the Rocky Mountain Drill Nationals is a testament to the hard work and relentless drive of our entire team, but especially to the leadership of our eight seniors,” said Command Sgt. Maj. (Ret.) Steven Tetreault, JROTC instructor. “They’ve set the standard, led by example, and built a legacy that will inspire future cadets for years to come. This achievement belongs to every one of them." The results at Nationals are as follows: - 2nd Place Overall. - 1st Place Unarmed Regulation. - 1st Place Unarmed Quad Exhibition (Annalyse Rivera, Tiare Fau, Teyla Byrom, Addison Smith). - 1st Place Individual Drill Down (Peyton Stuart). - 2nd Place Armed Exhibition Solo (Lord Torres). - 3rd Place Armed Division Overall. - 3rd Place Armed Quad Exhibition (Aubrey Ellison, AustinBailly, Aiden Rivera, Trevor Skyles. - 3rd Place Unarmed Dual Exhibition (Peyton Stuart, Addison Smith). - 4th Place Unarmed Overall Division Overall. - 4th Place Armed Exhibition Dual (Aubrey Ellison, Max Jorgensen). “We are extremely proud of this team, our cadets, and this program,” said Col. (Ret.) Charles Williams. “We thank the class of 2025 for their leadership. We will miss them.”

To show support for military children, please wear purple on April 15 for Purple Up Day.

Monday night! 6 p.m. WHS Auditorium Officer David Gomez – a nationally renowned speaker – wants the community to know how to protect children from becoming victims online. Gomez will speak at 6 p.m. Monday, April 14, 2025, in the Waynesville High School Auditorium. This event is free of charge, open to the public

Thank you to all of our volunteers. Waynesville R-VI's volunteers were recognized for their dedication and support in every area from classroom assistance to extracurricular activities during the Annual Volunteer Banquet on April 8, 2025, at the Waynesville Career Center. Waynesville Mayor Sean Wilson served as the keynote speaker. Volunteers were recognized by their building leaders, along with the Partners in Education (military units who volunteer with our schools), WayConnect Mentors, Partners on Patrol, PTO volunteers, the Community Based Instruction classes, Snack in a Pack volunteers and donors, and other district volunteers. The President's Volunteer Service Awards were awarded for those with more than 100 volunteers, including AmeriCorps members. (AmeriCorps is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism.) The Partners in Education (PIE Partners) that were recognized, included the following: DENTAC & MEDDAC & GLWACH, WECC 31st Engineer Battalion, East Elementary 84th Chemical Battalion, Freedom Elementary 2-10 Infantry Battalion, Partridge Elementary 1-48th Infantry Battalion, Thayer Elementary 35th Engineer Battalion, Thayer Elementary Air Force 368th Training Squadron, Wood Elementary 795th Military Police Battalion, WSGC 701st Military Police Battalion, WMS, Parker Education Center US Navy Detachment; Alternative Education Program 787th Military Police Battalion, WHS / WCC Receiving special recognition were WayConnect Mentors, Snack In A Pack, Stephanie Peace’s Community Based Instruction (CBI) classes and Jade Jones and Jill Kelly. Superintendent Hilary Bales presented the President’s Volunteer Service Awards as follows: Bronze 100-249 Volunteer Hours Ingrid Sundquist (101+ Volunteer Hours) Kathy Mellecker (119+ Volunteer Hours) Donna Brashear (120+ Volunteer Hours) Memrie Schrump (221+ Volunteer Hours) Whitney Worley (125+ Volunteer Hours) Mary Hoare (129+ Volunteer Hours) Sheree DeWitt (148+ Volunteer Hours) Nina Bergmark (193+ Volunteer Hours) Silver 250-499 Volunteer Hours Pamela Tetreault (390+ Volunteer Hours) Angela Brown (250+ Volunteer Hours) Lastanton Neal (250+ Volunteer Hours) Gold 500 or More Volunteer Hours Jade Jones (2745+ Volunteer Hours) Jill Kelly (2126+ Volunteer Hours About the President’s Awards In 2003, the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation founded the President’s Volunteer Service Award to recognize the important role of volunteers in America’s strength and national identity. This award honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action, too. The PVSA has continued under each administration, honoring the volunteers who are using their time and talents to solve some of the toughest challenges facing our nation. Led by AmeriCorps and managed in partnership with Points of Light, this program allows Certifying Organizations to recognize their most exceptional volunteers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the value of volunteer time to be $28.54 per hour, and through their service, Americans invest billions in their local communities – to say nothing of the immeasurable impact volunteers have on others and the character of their communities. Presidential recognition is a tremendous honor. Even though our volunteers do not seek recognition, their example can deliver a powerful message that encourages others to take action.

The community is invited to attend the Community Salute to Service at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in the Waynesville High School gym. This event is free and open to the public. The Community Salute to Service will recognize high school students from throughout South Central Missouri who are joining/attending any branch of the U.S. military, National Guard, Reserves, an ROTC program at a college/university and/or a military academy. This event is open to high school students from throughout Missouri who meet the above criteria. Those being recognized are asked to scan the QR code below or go to https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2AMKIf1LQ4BYGglWIBOFniMxznYc91zNaEm-HVHK1GBHCQw/viewform?usp=sharing, fill out the brief form and then arrive at 5:30 p.m. in the Lecture Hall on April 30.

Officer David Gomez – a nationally renowned speaker – wants the community to know how to protect children from becoming victims online. Gomez will speak at 6 p.m. Monday, April 14, 2025, in the Waynesville High School Auditorium. This event is free of charge, open to the public and is being sponsored by: · Pulaski County Opioid Committee · City of Waynesville · Four Rivers Community Health Center · Waynesville RV-I Foundation Gomez will share what he has learned as a law enforcement officer who has operated multiple undercover social media accounts to arrest predators and track down missing children. He will also speak about the dangers of social media, normalization of drugs in social media, and the influence of drugs and alcohol on the youth population. You can find Gomez educating others on YouTube, giving a Ted Talk, positively influencing youth in his hometown, and traveling the country helping youth (and parents) make better choices about digital devices and drugs and alcohol.

USO volunteers, Kelly Brownfield of the USO, and St. Robert Culver’s Owner Shawn Morris helped serve custard sundaes at the Waynesville Career Center on Monday, April 7, 2025, in celebration of April being the Month of the Military Child. Each year the USO Missouri partners with Culver’s to give away custard sundaes to students and staff in Waynesville R-VI School schools in celebration of the Month of the Military Child. About 60 to 70 percent of all Waynesville R-VI students are military impacted.

Officer David Gomez – a nationally renowned speaker – wants the community to know how to protect children from becoming victims online. Gomez will speak at 6 p.m. Monday, April 14, 2025, in the Waynesville High School Auditorium. This event is free of charge, open to the public and is being sponsored by: • Pulaski County Opioid Committee • City of Waynesville • Four Rivers Community Health Center • Waynesville R-VI Foundation Gomez will share what he has learned as a law enforcement officer who has operated multiple undercover social media accounts to arrest predators and track down missing children. He will also speak about the dangers of social media, normalization of drugs in social media, and the influence of drugs and alcohol on the youth population. You can find Gomez educating others on YouTube, giving a Ted Talk, positively influencing youth in his hometown, and traveling the country helping youth (and parents) make better choices about digital devices and drugs and alcohol.

Officer David Gomez – a nationally renowned speaker – wants the community to know how to protect children from becoming victims online. Gomez will speak at 6 p.m. Monday, April 14, 2025, in the Waynesville High School Auditorium. This event is free of charge, open to the public and is being sponsored by: • Pulaski County Opioid Committee • City of Waynesville • Four Rivers Community Health Center • Waynesville R-VI Foundation Gomez will share what he has learned as a law enforcement officer who has operated multiple undercover social media accounts to arrest predators and track down missing children. He will also speak about the dangers of social media, normalization of drugs in social media, and the influence of drugs and alcohol on the youth population. You can find Gomez educating others on YouTube, giving a Ted Talk, positively influencing youth in his hometown, and traveling the country helping youth (and parents) make better choices about digital devices and drugs and alcohol.

Officer David Gomez – a nationally renowned speaker – wants the community to know how to protect children from becoming victims online. Gomez will speak at 6 p.m. Monday, April 14, 2025, in the Waynesville High School Auditorium. This event is free of charge, open to the public and is being sponsored by: • Pulaski County Opioid Committee • City of Waynesville • Four Rivers Community Health Center • Waynesville RV-I Foundation Gomez will share what he has learned as a law enforcement officer who has operated multiple undercover social media accounts to arrest predators and track down missing children. He will also speak about the dangers of social media, normalization of drugs in social media, and the influence of drugs and alcohol on the youth population. You can find Gomez educating others on YouTube, giving a Ted Talk, positively influencing youth in his hometown, and traveling the country helping youth (and parents) make better choices about digital devices and drugs and alcohol.

Summer School registration is now open online! For more details and to sign up your student, click here https://www.waynesville.k12.mo.us/o/wrv/page/summer-school. Please note that you should register your student for the grade they will be GOING INTO this fall. Partridge and WHS students, please note the locations of your summer school.

SAVE THE DATE: 6 p.m. April 30 Community Salute to Service The community is invited to attend the Community Salute to Service at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in the Waynesville High School gym. This event is free and open to the public. The Community Salute to Service will recognize high school students from throughout South Central Missouri who are joining/attending any branch of the U.S. military, National Guard, Reserves, an ROTC program at a college/university and/or a military academy. Those being recognized are asked to scan the QR code, fill out the brief form and then arrive at 5:30 p.m. in the Lecture Hall. This event is open to high school students from throughout Missouri who meet the above criteria.

There will be no school in the Waynesville R-VI School District March 17-21, 2025, for Spring Break.