Waynesville High School

The Waynesville High School Counselors Newsletter for April 2025 is available at https://secure.smore.com/n/6z2mb.

From our Athletics Office: Several athletic events/contests for Friday, April 4, and Saturday, April 5, are cancelled. This includes the following: - Lebanon Track & Field Cancelled 4/4 - Girls Soccer at Parkview SW Shootout Cancelled 4/4-4/5 - W.I.N. (6th-8th grade) Flag Football Cancelled 5/5 _____________________________________ Additionally, activity buses will not run tonight, 4/4. There will be no Middle School Practices, 4/4. _____________________________________ Only WHS baseball will practice at the high school until 4:45 p.m. 4/4

All events for Friday April 4th and Saturday April 5th are cancelled. Track & Field @ Lebanon Cancelled 4/4 Girls Soccer @ Parkview SW Shootout Cancelled 4/4-4/5 No Middle School Practices 4/4 Only Baseball will practice at the HS until 4:45 PM 4/4 W.I.N. (6th-8th grade) Flag Football Cancelled 5/5 *Activity buses will not run tonight April 4th.

April 6-12 Athletic Event Schedule

Two Waynesville High School senior athletes have officially committed to competing in Track and Field at the collegiate level. Lenayah Thomas has signed with Kentucky State University, while Madison Roberts will join Quincy University. The signing ceremony took place at Waynesville High School on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. #wayschools

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.

Current 5th and 6th Grade Boys Basketball Development & 3 vs. 3 Camp April 14, 21, and 28 Register here: https://forms.gle/QdMvbknUgH9Wg828A Camp will begin at 6:00 PM and end at 7:30 PM at the Waynesville High School Gym (enter at the gym entrance). The cost is $30 per participant. Payment should be made at My School Bucks https://www.msbtickets.com/Athletics/event/tom4zlcj Our Camp will consist of individual & direct instruction along with 3 vs. 3 competition. Parents/guardians will need to drop off their camper(s) at the Waynesville High School Main Gym entrance by 5:50 PM and pick their camper up no later than 7:40 PM. Camp will be led by Waynesville Basketball coaches and players. Any questions please contact Head Basketball Coach Anthony Caruso acaruso@waynesville.k12.mo.us or Athletic Director Cory Ace - cace@waynesville.k12.mo.us

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.

Current 5th and 6th grade Basketball Development & 3 vs. 3 Camp April 14, 21, and 28Camp will begin at 6:00 PM and end at 7:30 PM. The cost is $30 per participant. Register here: https://forms.gle/QdMvbknUgH9Wg828A Registration ends April 11th, 2025 Payment should be made at My School Bucks https://www.msbtickets.com/Athletics/event/tom4zlcj Our Camp will consist of individual & direct instruction along with 3 vs. 3 competition. Parents/guardians will need to drop off their camper(s) at the Waynesville High School Main Gym entrance by 5:50 PM and pick their camper up no later than 7:40 PM. Camp will be led by Waynesville Basketball coaches and players. Any questions please contact Head Basketball Coach Anthony Caruso acaruso@waynesville.k12.mo.us or Athletic Director Cory Ace - cace@waynesville.k12.mo.us

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.

Braylin Scott, a senior at Waynesville High School, has signed to play football at William Woods University. His signing was held at WHS on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. #wayschools

Hall recognized as District's Teacher of the Year Sam Hall was recognized with a standing ovation from the audience for being named the 2024-2025 Waynesville R-VI School District Teacher of the Year on March 24, 2025, during the Board of Education meeting. Courtney Long, executive director–secondary, and Mike Henson, executive director-elementary, presented Hall with a plaque. Hall is the teacher for the Missouri Options program at Waynesville High School. A retired Marine, Hall has taught in the district for 8 years. He has been responsible for approximately 70 students graduating from WHS in the past three and a half years. He works with students preparing them for the Hi-Set assessments and helping to make sure they meet all graduation requirements. The District Professional Development Committee designed and implemented the selection process. Hall will represent Waynesville in the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Regional Teacher of the Year process over the summer. The regional winner will represent the region in the Missouri Teacher of the Year process.

Fourteen Thespian students were recognized for receiving Excellent and Superior ratings at the Missouri State Thespian Competition during the Waynesville R-VI Board of Education meeting on March 24, 2025. The following Waynesville High School students were recognized by Courtney Long, executive director–secondary: • Alexandra Kelley - Excellent rating, Scenic Design • Josie Andreasen and Hailey Sansom - Excellent rating, Hair & Makeup Design • Hailey Sansom - Excellent rating, Stage Management • Eli Prather and Maleah Johnson - Excellent rating, Acting Duo • Madi Waugh, Natalie Lockwood, Montara Owens and Payton Rushing - Excellent rating, Acting • Aeris (Liam) Kim competed - Excellent rating, Acting Monologue • Mycha Humphrey - Excellent rating, Costume Construction • Teegean Duke and Addison Bowling - Excellent rating, Musical Theatre Duet Solo • Citlali Arzabala - Superior rating, Musical Theatre Solo Performance

Vernon to become head WHS principal Brian Vernon, the head principal of Waynesville Middle School, will become the head principal of Waynesville High School, effective July 1, 2025. He will fill the vacancy created by Dr. Jason Whitt who is returning to the Kansas City area to be closer to family. “I’m excited for this opportunity to build on their success and lead future growth,” Vernon said. Vernon is committed to student success and fostering a positive school culture. He has served as the head principal at Waynesville Middle School since 2019 and has experience at the elementary, middle and high school levels in the Waynesville R-VI School District. He began his career as a middle school S.A.V.E. teacher, then became a PE teacher at East Elementary and later at Waynesville Middle School. Prior to his current role, Vernon served as an assistant principal at Wood Elementary and Williams, Waynesville High School and Waynesville Middle School. Vernon holds a bachelor’s in physical education from Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Mo., a master’s in educational administration and an educational specialist both from Lindenwood University, St. Charles, Mo. He is a 1998 graduate of WHS.

Thirteen students who are members of Beta were recognized for placing at the State Beta Convention at the Waynesville R-VI Board of Education meeting on March 24, 2025. The following Waynesville High School students were recognized by Courtney Long, executive director–secondary: • Don Cing - 1st place Biomedical • Siessa Kpessokro - 2nd place French • Kaydence Long - 4th place French • Serina Chen - 2nd place Math • Mason Thompson - 1st place Math • Elyssa Scarborough -1st place Psychology • Logan Giles - 4th place Psychology • Elaine Wu - 1st place Social Studies • Kyle Wilking - 1st place Social Studies • Carter Pondrom - 1st place U.S. History • Kimora Godwin - 5th place Speech • Citlali Arzabala - 3rd place Performing Arts Vocalist • Evelyn Carrol - 5th place Painting Pictured are Beta Co-sponsor Dawn Wilking, Mason Thompson and Beta Co-sponsor Tabitha Guzman.

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.

Waynesville High School will host a Spring Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at WHS. Egg hunts begin at 10:40 a.m. on the throws field at Waynesville High School. as follows: 10:40 a.m. Age 3 and under / pre-kindergarten - kindergarten 11:00 a.m. 1st - 2nd grade 11:20 a.m. 3rd - 5th grade The throws field is located on the east side of the WHS campus, near Tiger Stadium and the tennis courts.

Weekly Athletic Schedule March 24-29

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.

WHS StuCo earns Silver Award The Honor Council Committee of the Missouri Association of Student Councils is pleased to announce that Waynesville High School Student Council has been awarded the Missouri Association of Student Councils Honor Council Silver Award. Awards were presented at the 2025 MASC State Convention held at Poplar Bluff High School. Waynesville High School Student Council was recognized for its involvement at the local level, involvement in South Central District Student Council and involvement at the state level. Only 66 student councils in the state of Missouri met the criteria for the award. The honor is based on an application submitted by each school. Criteria are established to honor those councils that have a comprehensive program in promoting student activities and student leadership. Activities include school service, school spirit, community service, student and teacher recognition and leadership training activities. Student Councils and student leaders make a positive contribution to their schools and help to create a positive educational climate. “We congratulate Waynesville High School for providing an atmosphere where students and Student Council can play a vital role in your school,” stated Honor Council Chair Jane Perrica in her letter. “Thank you to the Student Council advisors/sponsors for providing many opportunities for Student Council members to develop leadership skills. We also wish to recognize the principals and superintendents for supporting their student leaders in all of their endeavors.”