
In addition to their protective glasses, WHS students received Culver’s custard sundaes from the USO in celebration of April being the Month of the Military Child as they entered Tiger Stadium to view the eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024. With parental permission and through special glasses, Waynesville High School and Waynesville Career Center students viewed the moon passing in front of the sun, learned facts about the eclipse and heard a few dad jokes.
Each year, the USO delivers custard sundaes to Waynesville R-VI students and staff in the district’s 11 schools. The custard honors the resilience and sacrifices of those whose families serve. A special thanks to the USO volunteers for delivering and handing out the treats both to students outside and inside WHS and Culver’s for the custard sundaes.
The community is encouraged to wear purple for the Month of the Military Child on April 15, which is Purple Up Day. #wayschools











Six Waynesville High School students attended the 2024 Missouri Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) State Leadership Conference.
The four WHS students who competed at the conference came home with medals as follows. Sommer Freesmeier and Faith Bohrer earned a silver for their chapter service project display. Skylar Ringo earned a silver medal in the leadership and Rachel Scobee earned a bronze medal in event management. In addition, Luke Crader and Fatima Diallo attended as WHS representatives.
Students, advisers and guests from 187 schools attended the FCCLA Conference, March 17-19, 2024, at Margaritaville Lake Resort and Conference Center in Osage Beach.
Almost 1,600 delegates from across the state represented more than 8,600 members of Missouri FCCLA. The conference centered on the student-developed theme “Missouri FCCLA: Out of this World” representing how Missouri FCCLA members are launching their leadership to new levels.
About 800 students participated in 81 competitive STAR Events – Students Taking Action with Recognition. Events include Entrepreneurship, Culinary Arts, Job Interviews, Chapter Service Projects, Event Management, Early Childhood Education, Sports Nutrition, and many others. More than 180 students and teams advanced to national competition, which will take place June 28-July 3, 2024, in Seattle, Wash.
Students also were able to attend workshops on leadership development, community service, career preparation, and healthy living. Exhibits from Missouri colleges, universities, and vendors were also present at the conference. Student voting delegates elected the 2024-2025 Missouri FCCLA State Executive Council and raised money for our state outreach project benefitting LOVEtheLOU.
FCCLA is unique among student organizations because projects and events--such as the State Leadership Conference--are planned and run by its student members. This prime focus of Missouri FCCLA, youth-centered leadership, helps members develop those and skills for life such as planning, goal setting, problem-solving, decision-making, and interpersonal communication—necessary in the work place and in the home. #wayschools




Snack In A Pack will host an all day fundraiser Monday, April 8, 2024, at Buffalo Wild Wings.
The coupons listed show Williams Early Childhood Center however they can be used by all Waynesville R-VI students and families. All proceeds will go to our district wide Snack in a Pack program. #wayschools



Waynesville's JLAB (JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl) Academic Team has qualified for the JLAB National Championship for the first time.
Waynesville JLAB team members are Nathaniel Copeland, Marissa Esquivel, Joseph Mendiola and Julian Vassallo.
The Waynesville JROTC team was one of three teams that qualified from the more than 300 programs in the 3rd ROTC Brigade that includes Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota.
Nationally, there are more than 1,700 Army JROTC programs.
The JLAB Academic National Championship will take place from June 21-June 25, 2024, at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
The students were recognized during the Waynesville R-VI Board of Education meeting on March 28, 2024.
CUTLINE:
Waynesville JLAB team members Nathaniel Copeland, Marissa Esquivel, Joseph Mendiola and Julian Vassallo are pictured with Dr. Trish Adkins, assistant superintendent of instructional services.


From our Athletic Office:
JV/V Baseball at Camdenton has been cancelled
Coed Track at Marshfield will play as scheduled
Freshman Baseball vs. West Plains will play as scheduled
JV/V Girls Soccer vs. Hillcrest has been rescheduled for Thursday, April 4, starting at 5 p.m. at Tiger Stadium
Non-mandatory practice at the discretion of coaches will be held today
*Activity busses will not be available #wayschools

No school on Wednesday, April 3
There will be no school in the Waynesville R-VI School District on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, due to anticipated continued power outages at some of our schools. There will be no online instruction due to internet outages.
Water, Warmth, and a Meal
Free meals for students and their families will be served from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Waynesville High School, East Elementary and Partridge Elementary. (RSVP below.) We invite you to park your vehicle, come inside, eat lunch, warm up and fill up your water containers. We ask that at least one adult accompany children under age 12. The meal options will include chicken patty, grilled cheese or chili. Please let us know how many from your family will be coming by filling out the Google Form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeTemTRkSFgDXhxTEw-TyzjNwiTyD18U1V5XOcd9ycsklabOg/viewform before 9 a.m. Wednesday so we can plan accordingly. The Waynesville R-VI School District extends a special thank you to OPAA! for working with the district to make this possible.
Additional support
If you are struggling and need help, please call your child’s school so we can provide assistance.


Katie Pritchard, a Waynesville High School graduate and standout athlete, will become the head Waynesville High School girls basketball coach, Waynesville Middle School athletic director and serve as a teacher in the Waynesville HS Health and PE Department, effective July 1, 2024.
“I look forward to returning to my roots – this time as a coach of the Tigers,” Pritchard said. “I think that a lot of players dream of going back to their alma mater to coach one day and I’m fortunate enough to have the opportunity of a lifetime.”
“Coach Pritchard has a proven track record of success on the court as both a player and coach, but far more importantly, she helps athletes reach their potential both on and off the court,” said Cory Ace, director of MSHSAA activities & athletics. “Her philosophy of developing students into good citizens aligns with our philosophy.”
Pritchard graduated from WHS in 2008 and was an outstanding athlete in both basketball and soccer. She has coaching experience at both the high school and collegiate levels. At Lewis University, she was a graduate assistant for their girls basketball program. Pritchard was also an assistant basketball coach for the Drury Lady Panthers from 2014-18. From 2018 to present, she has served as the girls head basketball coach at Marshfield, leading the Lady Jays to a 3rd place finish at State.

From our Athletic Office:
All athletic events today April 2, 2024, have been canceled. #wayschools

There will be no school in the Waynesville R-VI School District today (Tuesday, April 2, 2024) due to widespread power outages and downed tree limbs in the area.
For those students who were scheduled to go to Jefferson City today to the State Capitol for the kickoff of the Month of the Military Child, the trip will be made. If you are able to safely make it to your school this morning, please plan to arrive at the time that was previously scheduled. Students who are able to make the trip will need to be picked up at their schools at 2:15 p.m.

From our Athletic Office:
The following events have been rescheduled due to impending weather;
COED JV Track at Marshfield has been rescheduled for April 3
Boys Tennis versus Salem has been rescheduled for April 23
C Team Baseball at Rolla is TBD
#wayschools

April 1-5 is Disability Acceptance Week


Nathan Wilking, a senior at Waynesville High School, has been named the Rotary Student of the Month for March 2024. His parents are James and Sara Wilking.
Wilking was selected to represent the word “integrity.” His nominator stated, “Nathan is a student that is remarkably dependable. Although he participates in a significant number of extracurricular activities, he is a student that I can count on to get things done. He shows up ready to work, never complains, is attentive, and asks questions when needed - and is always willing to help his peers when asked to. He is one of my strongest students and one that I will miss when he graduates.”
Wilking is an outstanding student who carries a 4.19 grade point average, ranking in the top 5% of his class, and has a 97.54% attendance rate for all four years of high school. He is involved in the National Honor Society, Freshman Mentor Program, and A+. On top of the extracurricular activities, he is involved in during the school day, he also runs cross country and plays tennis. Upon graduation, Wilking plans to attend Kaskaskia College where he received a two-year full-ride tennis scholarship. His plan is to become an architect. #wayschools



Attention WHS seniors!


The Waynesville R-VI School District will offer Summer School May 30-June 27 for students entering grades K-12. There will be no summer school on June 19 in observance of Juneteenth.
For summer school, students register for the grade level they will attend in the fall.
Information on summer school programming is available on the district’s website at https://www.waynesville.k12.mo.us/Domain/1831. (Students who will be entering grades K-9 this fall will be bringing home paper copies of the brochures and registration forms later this week. High School students can pick up a paper copy of the form in the HS office. You can also print a copy of the forms from the webpage.) Please contact your student's school if you have additional questions.
Again, the link to Summer School forms is https://www.waynesville.k12.mo.us/Domain/1831.


From our Athletics Office:
Today's (March 25, 2024) tennis match vs. West Plains at Waynesville is cancelled.

On March 14-16 , 2024, delegations from WHS and WMS traveled to Carthage, Mo., to attend the Missouri Association of Student Councils 76th Annual State Convention. Carthage High School hosted the event and planned three days of team-building activities, discussion forums, a charity event and guest speakers to inspire young leaders. WHS and WMS students in attendance had a chance to network and share ideas with peers from around the state. The energy at convention is palpable and students return energized to end the school year while starting to plan for the upcoming school year.
WHS Student Government Association is sponsored by Joshua Mize with assistance by Nancy Swick. WMS Student Council is sponsored by Kayla Atchison with assistance by Angela Rougely-Garcia #wayschools





WHS students participate in Polar Plunge,
raise funds for Special Olympics
A group of Waynesville High School students participated in the 2024 SOMO Polar Plunge - Columbia on Saturday, March 9, 2024.
This annual event is a fundraiser for the Special Olympics of Missouri. This year's group of plungers from WHS consisted of students from Student Government Association and the CID classes. The week leading up to the plunge students held a penny war fundraiser at lunch in addition to fundraising individually. In total WHS's 10 participants raised $1837 for the Special Olympics. The top fundraisers from the group were Aaron Littleton with $512 and Mackenzie Henderson with $355.
The 10 WHS students and staff who participated were: Emma Stark, Citlali Arzabala, Danika Em, Kaden Crone, Mackenzie Henderson, Mackenzie Workman, Wyatt Carter, Aaron Littleton, and teachers Stephanie Peace, and Nancy Swick. #wayschools





Waynesville High School students, staff and district leaders spoke with Missouri elected officials in D.C., including Sen. Eric Schmitt, and their staff about the importance of Basic Impact Aid. Waynesville R-VI Superintendent Hilary Bales is also pictured with Congressman Mark Alford. #wayschools




All 3/19 baseball games have been canceled.
Other baseball updates include:
C team:
No game 4/17 vs. St. James
No game 4/23 vs. St. James
Added game 4/30 vs. Houston at Bandy Field starting at 4:30 p.m.
JV/V:
Rolla game 4/25 moved to 4/24 #wayschools