Archived News - Poplar Bluff School District

Students perform a STEM activity for city councilman Ed DeGaris and Rebeca Pacheco, executive director of the Butler County Community Resource Council.

Lake Road hosts inaugural Blue Ribbon Showcase

04/02/2019

Lake Road Elementary School hosted its inaugural Blue Ribbon Showcase on Tuesday, March 19, to share with the community the journey it took to achieve the coveted national honor.

Legislators honor Priest with joint resolution

04/02/2019

The Missouri Senate and House of Representatives issued Poplar Bluff Assistant Superintendent of Business Rod Priest courtesy retirement resolutions during the special recognition portion of the school board meeting on Thursday, March 21, in the Administrative Building.

David McKuin of the Poplar Bluff Middle School receives a salon quality hair treatment.

TCC partners with Scouts to explore trades

03/21/2019

The Boy Scouts of America has partnered with the school district to provide students a hands-on opportunity to explore programs offered at the Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center that they may later be interested in pursuing.

Meagan Bader of Ozark FCU helps students navigate a newly created budgeting app.

Reality Fair teaches budgeting to students

03/06/2019

More than 60 Poplar Bluff High School students signed up to participate in the fifth annual Reality Fair to learn about money management during an event similar to a poverty simulation held Wednesday, Feb. 27, at Three Rivers College.

Students learn about the Tuskegee Airmen, black military pilots during WWII, from Vietnam veteran Alan Johnson.

Seventh grade students tour Garfield Street landmarks

03/06/2019

Poplar Bluff Junior High seventh graders toured Wheatley School, Rattler’s Grocery and Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church—all of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places—to learn about the cultural significance of the landmarks within the community.

Lake Road Principal Erica Weadon; Title I Director JoAnne Westbrook; teachers Katelyn Campa and Paula Bradley; Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum Patty Robertson; and teachers Abbey French, Martha Henry and Shiela Boyles.

Lake Road nationally recognized for top MAP scores

02/12/2019

For the second year in a row, Poplar Bluff R-I has had an elementary school receive national recognition for exceptional student achievement on the MAP test.

Kathy and John David Pattillo, and John Holland

VFW honors Poplar Bluff teacher with state award

02/12/2019

An American history teacher at Junior High received a statewide honor through the VFW Citizenship Education program for her efforts co-teaching the ‘I’m A Citizen, Too’ summer enrichment class.

Noah Shirrell, Nathan Mays, Tony Curnutt and Jarryn Anderson

PBJHS teacher receives $5K boost for new robotics class

02/05/2019

A Poplar Bluff teacher has been awarded a $5,000 Learning & Leadership grant through the NEA Foundation to receive professional development to help enhance a new robotics program at Junior High.

Lifelong Mule spearheads distinguished alumni project

01/15/2019

Wesley Lewis is a true mule. Since he is the person who coined the term, he owns the right to define it.

Computer science program approved at TCC

01/15/2019

The Technical Career Center has been green-lighted to start a computer science program, after the governor chose Poplar Bluff High School as his backdrop location to sign House Bill 3 into law.

Holiday bike donation program

01/07/2019

Thirty bicycles were given away to students at Eugene Field prior to the holiday through a newly forged partnership between Academy Sports + Outdoors and the Poplar Bluff Police Department.

Teacher Gretchen Pendley tests out a digital microscope during freshman advisory.

Foundation funds $3.5K in teacher grants

12/19/2018

The Poplar Bluff School Foundation recently funded two ‘innovative educational projects’ valued at more than $3,500 so students can collect data for NASA and participate in group activities using digital microscopes.

Extreme math class captures student interest

12/11/2018

Six graders were issued surgical masks and latex gloves upon entering math class on Thursday, Dec. 6, at the Poplar Bluff Middle School.

Misty Dodson and staff display the regional award.

District regionally honored for student advocacy

11/07/2018

The Poplar Bluff School District was named the 2018 Community Collaborative Program of the Year for its partnership with Family Counseling Center Behavioral Health to help meet the needs of students that extend beyond academics.

Governor signs legislation at Poplar Bluff High School

11/01/2018

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed the STEM Education and Computer Science Bill into law during a school-wide assembly held for the occasion on Tuesday, Oct. 30, at Poplar Bluff High School.

Chartwells personnel are recognized during school board meeting.

Chartwells receives national recognition

10/23/2018

Poplar Bluff’s school dining service has received national recognition within its company for forging numerous partnerships and giving back to the community.

Breakfast of Champions

10/23/2018

Student advocates stressed the importance of investing in the next generation of leaders during the fifth annual Bright Futures breakfast symposium held Friday, Oct. 19, at the Holiday Inn.

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.