Russellville board changes eighth-grade graduation

RUSSELLVILLE, Mo. - Eighth-grade evening graduation ceremonies have ended at Cole County R-I Schools, which elected to convert to a school-day awards ceremony.

Russellville middle school staff surveyed area schools and discovered 12 of 16 already have eliminated the event.

Historically, the eighthgrade graduation recognized a milestone, especially for students who were going on to the workforce. Today, state law requires students to attend school until age 17.

A survey of this year's eighth-graders revealed they would prefer an assembly for their accomplishments during the school day.

Following a closed session, the board accepted the resignations of Susan Buckingham, Scott White and Kate Lootens. The board hired Leslie Mueller as the special services administrator and voted to employ all of the non-tenured teachers for the 2013-14 school year.

Phase IV of the new track installation, including bleachers, has been completed.

Soon the board will initiate the final phase, construction of a building for concessions, restrooms and storage. This project is slated to be complete by spring 2014.

The track is open to community use and many have taken advantage of the amenity. However, the board requests that the public use the outer three lanes.

In other reports, the board learned:

• Summer school has been set for 8 a.m.-3 p.m. June 3-14.

• Russellville High School students of the month for March are Ryan Gartner, son of Mike and Jackie Gartner; Harley Waggoner, daughter of Tracy Waggoner; Mackenzie Matheis, daughter of Steve and Cindy Matheis; and Jamie Webster, daughter of Elizabeth Webster.

• Russellville Elementary School students participated in the Show-Me Conference Elementary Principals' Knowledge Bowl recently at Lincoln University. The sixth-grade team earned the school's first first-place award and the fourth-grade team placed third.

• Students from Russellville Middle School who placed at the Show-Me Conference Math Contest include: Klara Stiffler, first place in basic math; team of Cory Minor, Collin Maharas, Stacie Schollmeyer and Austin Garrison, first place in word problems;Garrison, second place, and Schollmeyer, fourth place in decimals; Minor, second place, and Stiffler, fifth place in fractions and mixed numbers. Eighth-grader Schollmeyer also won the algebra I category.

The board next will meet at 6:30 p.m. April 16, to fulfill the law requiring reorganization within 14 days after April elections.