Archived News - Poplar Bluff School District

Lake Road, Junior High nationally recognized

04/26/2018

Lake Road and Junior High have been selected among only four schools in Missouri and 123 in the United States as national showcase award winners under the Capturing Kids’ Hearts, program officials have announced.

Several TCC students to compete nationally

04/24/2018

The most in recent memory, 11 Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center students placed in the Missouri SkillsUSA contest held Thursday through Saturday, April 5-7, at the State Technical College of Missouri in Linn.

Poplar Bluff’s Math-A-Thon efforts reach $1M milestone

04/24/2018

Poplar Bluff R-I has raised over $1 million for St. Jude since the 1988/89 academic year when the school system first became involved in the Math-A-Thon fundraiser.

PB Connect: Teachers share best practices

03/27/2018

Time is built into the academic calendar for teachers to align curriculum horizontally and vertically between classrooms, and PB Connect is a day dedicated to sharing best practices among school buildings.

‘I Believe in the Power of Yet’

03/27/2018

MAP scores and attendance at Eugene Field have increased while discipline referrals have gone down over the past several years, but perhaps more importantly, students are graduating the elementary school with tools to succeed in life.

PBHS StuCo advisor named top in Missouri

03/20/2018

A Senior High teacher of 13 years has received statewide recognition for her impact advising not only the Poplar Bluff student life organization, but student councils throughout Missouri over the past several years.

Outstanding Instructional Leadership

03/13/2018

A Poplar Bluff administrator has received statewide recognition for the positive influence she has had on her colleagues throughout her 23-year career in public education.

Thousands of jars of peanut butter collected

03/13/2018

Grocery stores were selling out of peanut butter because individuals were buying jars by the caseload in support of the Mule Packs program, #PB4PB participants recently reported.

Professional play series put on for students

03/07/2018

The children’s play series presented by the Patrons of the Arts wrapped up on Friday, Feb. 23, exposing some students to theater for the first time.

Oak Grove nationally recognized for student success

02/27/2018

Oak Grove earned national recognition for achieving the largest gains in the state for closing the achievement gap among student groups, according to Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education officials.

Making IT Happen

02/27/2018

Two district employees who work together to enhance student engagement received regional recognition in the field of educational technology integration at Poplar Bluff Schools.

Read More about Homegrown talent

R-I works to strengthen Professional Learning Community

06/19/2017

Building leaders from Poplar Bluff R-I participated in a Professional Learning Community Institute this summer in order to continue to ensure an emphasis is being placed on utilizing data to drive classroom instruction.

Behavioral incentive program leads to student success

06/16/2017

The Poplar Bluff School District has recently earned a string of national and state honors for carrying out multiple character-building initiatives in an effort to improve academic performance.

Poplar Bluff joins Missouri Model Districts

06/05/2017

Poplar Bluff R-I was among 21 school systems in the state invited to participate in a three-year initiative expected to shape the design of MSIP 6, the accountability system used to accredit public education institutions in Missouri.

Students decide what is taught for a day

05/31/2017

Poplar Bluff Junior High School educators figured out a sure-shot way to tap into the intellectual curiosity of students – let them decide what to learn.

Largest graduating class in decades

05/31/2017

A total of 340 students graduated from Poplar Bluff High School on Thursday, May 25, at the Black River Coliseum – the largest graduating class since 1980, according to district records.

Building Trades program completes house

05/23/2017

The final touches are being made on the 38th house constructed by the Building Trades program of the Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center.

Downtown Poplar Bluff supplies tower gardens

05/03/2017

Downtown Poplar Bluff Inc. delivered the last of 10 tower gardens, valued at approximately $9,000 total, to the R-I school district on Monday, April 24.

Education commissioner, legislators honor PBHS student

04/25/2017

Poplar Bluff High School senior Hamiz Mirza was among 15 select students to receive the Missouri Award for Outstanding Achievement in Citizenship on Monday, April 17, in Jefferson City.

Junior High, O’Neal named national ‘showcase’ schools

04/25/2017

O’Neal Elementary and Poplar Bluff Junior High are among 53 school campuses out of over 10,000 to be named national showcase schools by the Flippen Group for topnotch implementation of the Capturing Kids’ Hearts program.

Lighthouse school shines at Leadership Day

04/11/2017

More than 100 area business associates, educators, pastors, social service workers, legislators and media members participated in the fourth annual Leadership Day at Eugene Field on Friday, April 7, at the elementary school.

Students present almost $48K to St. Jude

04/11/2017

Top fundraising students presented a check to St. Jude in the amount of $47,748 on Friday, March 31, during a field trip they were awarded to the children’s research hospital in Memphis.

PBHS freshman nominated for Spirit of Sport award

03/27/2017

Poplar Bluff High School freshman Savannah Hicks was Missouri’s nomination for the National High School Spirit of Sport Award for returning to the basketball court just six short weeks after open-heart surgery.

National Technical Honor Society chapter started

03/21/2017

The Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center inducted its first set of students in its newly established National Technical Honor Society chapter on Thursday, March 9, at the High School.

Teacher, student receive regional VFW honor

03/21/2017

Area VFW leaders visited Poplar Bluff Junior High on Thursday, March 9, to recognize social studies teacher Kathy Beck for being named the regional patriotic teacher of the year under the organization’s Citizenship Education program.

Meet Kenny Carpenter, Middle School SRO

03/14/2017

Poplar Bluff R-I’s newest school resource officer, Kenny Carpenter, completed his introductory presentations with the sixth grade last week at the Middle School.

WWII vet visits American history class

03/14/2017

World War II veteran Cloyd Cook, a recipient of four Bronze Star Medals, spoke to advanced American history students about some of his early involvement in helping to stop Nazi Germany and Japan over 70 years ago.

Second grade leaders visit with legislators

02/28/2017

Eugene Field Elementary was recently selected among 15 public schools in Missouri to showcase to legislators its highly successful programming.

Student Safety Patrol established at Middle School

02/16/2017

A new group of student leaders has emerged at the Poplar Bluff Middle School this year with the relocation of the campus on Victory Lane.

Meet O’Neal Elementary’s 10-year-old librarian

02/07/2017

The following questionnaire is precisely how 10-year-old Bailey Williams filled out her successful “application for co-librarian” to land a job in the O’Neal library one year ago.

Autism ambassador opens up to students

02/01/2017

Poplar Bluff Junior High School students had a chance to view the world from another lens last week.

Teachers draw inspiration from one another

01/24/2017

What began as a technology camp to share digital resources to upper grade level faculty has expanded to become a district-wide conference with a total of 133 breakout sessions, ranging from STEM exercises to yoga in the classroom.

District launches new mobile-friendly website

01/11/2017

On New Year’s, Poplar Bluff Schools launched a brand new district website with information and interactive features most popular to over half a million yearly visitors, based on Google analytics.

First ‘lighthouse’ school in Southeast Missouri

12/20/2016

Eugene Field has achieved lighthouse status under The Leader in Me program, joining only a dozen other schools in Missouri and less than 250 world-wide that have met the prestigious benchmark.

The Giving Closet

12/06/2016

Poplar Bluff High School students in need of an article of clothing, a personal hygiene product or a classroom supply now have a discrete place to go directly on campus to seek relief.

Read More about Teacher Words Matter

District awarded $250k to add full-day preschool program

08/05/2015

A $250,000 grant has been awarded to Poplar Bluff Schools to add a preschool program that will further help serve the needs of the community in getting district children school-ready.

Construction crews prepare for school year

08/03/2015

School administrators are frequently required to wear multiple hats in the education business – this summer in Poplar Bluff it has mainly been the hard hat.

Community leaders break ground on future High School

06/05/2015

More than 75 supporters celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for Poplar Bluff Schools’ new high school, the impetus of the district buildings plan, on Thursday, June 4, at the present site of the 5th & 6th Grade Center.

Community leaders celebrate Middle School groundbreaking

06/03/2015

More than 60 community members attended the groundbreaking for the Poplar Bluff Middle School on Tuesday, June 2, at the current Senior High campus.

Soeter completes 100-book challenge

05/12/2015

Poplar Bluff High School senior Ben Soeter is the first student in three years to read 100 novels and earn a $1,000 scholarship via the Designing Women Foundation’s Charlie Classics reading program.

Junior High groundbreaking kicks off buildings plan

03/24/2015

About 50 supporters came out on Friday, March 20, to celebrate the groundbreaking for the Poplar Bluff Junior High School addition, which will include a FEMA safe room and nine new classrooms, among other renovations.

Bright Futures program spotlight: Sole Providers

11/04/2014

For the past eight years, sneakers to be distributed to students in need across campus have magically appeared in the mailroom of the Administrative Building, it would seem.

It takes a Poplar Bluff (not just any village)

04/15/2014

We are heartened by the confidence the public has instilled in our buildings plan. As a community, we feel this is our greatest achievement since the four laning of U.S. 67 (admittedly we may be a little biased re: the importance of education). We fully intend to deliver safer schools and a better learning environment for our students.

School board brings historic facilities plan to the voters

01/20/2014

“Our kids. Our community. Our future,” read the signs held up by several supportive citizens in attendance before a long-sought resolution was passed to place the R-I school district’s facilities master plan on the ballot.

Cheerleaders gain national prestige in unprecedented time

01/19/2014

Poplar Bluff High School reinstated its Competition Cheer Squad just this past spring and by summertime, the cheerleaders were named state champions for the first time in school history.

Adult Education Center moves to former hospital site

12/16/2013

The Poplar Bluff R-I School District’s Adult Education & Literacy program has a new home, thanks to a pact recently forged with the hospital.

Assembly connects students with those who served

11/15/2013

The annual Veterans Day Assembly at the 5th & 6th Grade Center is in good hands, it was apparent on Monday, Nov. 11.

School gears up to ‘pink-out’ Poplar Bluff

09/23/2013

What began as a school-wide fundraiser was declared an official Poplar Bluff holiday last year, when $14,000 was generated for the United Cancer Assistance Network.

Elementary schools add walking tracks with $30k grant

09/16/2013

Healthier MO Communities completed its most significant investment to date last week in the Poplar Bluff R-I School District—the installation of walking tracks at each of the four elementary schools.

Library partners with school in digital transformation

08/19/2013

More than 500 Poplar Bluff Junior High students took advantage of the public library’s sign-up offering last week during laptop deployment.

Teachers work to refine classroom culture over summer

06/27/2013

Simultaneous professional development workshops for Poplar Bluff R-I staff are taking place this week, both of which center on emboldening students to reach their maximum potential.

School opens up long-range planning to community

06/10/2013

In a recent survey the community expressed support for combatting Poplar Bluff Schools’ increasing enrollment, and now community members have stepped up to help develop a sustainable solution.

Hon champions digital transformation

04/17/2013

A forward-thinking decision was made during the March school board meeting that will revolutionize the way students learn at Poplar Bluff Schools.

PBJHS safe room grant jump-starts R-I facilities plan

02/25/2013

The Poplar Bluff R-I School District has been awarded a $132,000 federal grant, 75 percent toward the cost of designing a tornado safe room at the Junior High.

School Foundation grants $7K for innovative projects

02/07/2013

The Poplar Bluff Public School Foundation awarded about $7,000 to finance two educational endeavors, each of which is designed to give students—from elementary age to adults—the 21st century skillset needed to be successful.

Exercising the brain: Educators work to improve grades through physical activity

01/29/2013

Researchers studying the relationship between good health and academic success continue to fund projects Poplar Bluff R-I educators are coming up with to increase the physical activity of students.

Student earns college degree before high school diploma

01/21/2013

A Poplar Bluff student has managed to complete her associate degree requirements before receiving her High School diploma, as a result of a partnership forged last school year with Three Rivers College.

Art project helps student ‘stay connected’ with her military father

01/14/2013

When Poplar Bluff Junior High art teacher Mary Ivie introduces her packing tape sculpture segment each school year, students come up with all types of ideas for objects to replicate, from their own arm holding a football to an entire motorcycle.

State report provides overview of progress being made

01/07/2013

The District Report Card for Poplar Bluff Schools has been made available by the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education for the public to compare our most recent performance data and demographics with state averages.

Poplar Bluff students win a string of state accolades

12/20/2012

Poplar Bluff Schools has an especially talented student body this academic year, if the past month is any indicator, having had several teenagers from junior and senior high achieve statewide honors in the arts, music, sports and theater.

State grant program prepares faculty for digital transformation

12/10/2012

An innovative state grant program that was successfully piloted here over a decade ago helped lay the fundamental groundwork for the proposed one-to-one digital transformation at Poplar Bluff Schools, according to administrators.

Fourth graders play key role in teaching younger students math

11/30/2012

Earlier this school year, Eugene Field Elementary School fourth grader Maraleigh Buss entered Kelli Spitze’s first grade classroom and asked the teacher whether her students did their math homework.

TCC students save district money, gain employability

11/26/2012

For years students at the Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center have gained experience applicable in the job market working on projects right here in the school district.

School partnership with BGC extends to Lake Road Elementary

11/07/2012

New data is showing that the average daily attendance at the Boys and Girls Club of Poplar Bluff has increased by nearly 200 students over last year, thanks to the long-standing partnership with Poplar Bluff Schools.

Laptop pilot program engages students like never before

11/02/2012

When school board member Alana Robertson began as a teacher at Poplar Bluff Schools over three decades ago, there was not a single computer in the building let alone her classroom, the retired educator recalled.

Students exercise their voting power, officials pay close attention

11/01/2012

With Election Day around the corner, area officeholders have their eyes on Poplar Bluff Senior High to get a sense of how Butler County is going to vote come Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Therapy dogs play key role in well-being of students

10/22/2012

Earlier this semester, a student at the Poplar Bluff 5th & 6th Grade Center went into the guidance counseling office crying so intensely she could not get out the words to convey what was wrong.