This is a continuation of a monthly series from NEE. We are looking to share the accomplishments, creativity, and good news of our partner districts based on schools’ social media activity. Our hope is to spread positivity and bring even more attention to the amazing work happening in NEE schools.  

The summer months bring unique and special experiences to our member schools.  While there is a great deal of learning taking place during summer school, it’s the unique and fun events that have caught our eyes.  From a crossing guard retiring after five decades to a student-athlete earning all-American honors for the first time, our member schools have much to be proud of.  Please enjoy this sample of happenings at NEE member schools:    

  • After five decades on the job, Ms. Sandra Bellew retired from her post as crossing guard for Mill Creek Elementary (Independence School District). The students sent her off in style with banners, flowers, and letters.  She will most assuredly be missed. 
  • Sedalia Middle School Principal Brett Hieronymus and head custodian Dave Quigley unlocked some of the school’s past, opening a locker designated 50 years ago as the school’s time capsule. The locker, located across the hall from the school’s main office, was prepared June 1, 1973, by the first eighth-grade class to graduate from the building when it served as Sedalia Junior High. Check out what was inside! 
  • It turns out that another school revisited the past in recent days. Members of the Excelsior Springs School District Maintenance Department located and retrieved a time capsule from the original 1951 Lewis Elementary. Items found included letters from the board secretary and the superintendent, a proposed conceptual drawing of the school, a Clay County State Bank bag in which the documents were stored, a copper box in which the bag was stored, and a 1951 Lewis Elementary building cornerstone block.   
  • After two days of driving, FFA students from King City R-I were ready to start agricultural tours in Idaho and Oregon.  After seven days, these same students had traveled 3000 miles through seven states and spent more than 60 hours on a school bus. They collected countless memories and learning experiences. Their “Idaho Agricultural Adventure” was a huge success! 
     
  • The Grasslands Evaluation FFA Team from Mt. Vernon R-V Schools are national champions!  Congratulations to these students and their sponsor for earning this prestigious honor. 
  • Dr. Gwyn Weathers and high school students from Harrisburg R-8 School District traveled to Spain this summer. The group spent three days in Madrid and three more days in Barcelona. The photos show the group at the airport right before departure and at Plaza de España in front of statues depicting Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quijote, and Sancho Panza. 
  • Ceci Duncan, a soon-to-be senior at Fox C-6 School District, was selected to perform in the 2023 All-American D-Day Band.  She auditioned with students from across the country.  As musical ambassadors to France, the All-American D-Day Band performed the ceremonial music for the commemoration and wreath-laying ceremonies at the Brittany and Normandy American Cemeteries and Memorials. In the historic village of Sainte-Mère-Église, the band performed in the International Salute to Liberation and led the D-Day Memorial Parade. 
  • Members of the murals class at Savannah R-III School District completed a sea mural at Minnie Cline Elementary school this summer.  The largest mural the class has ever completed features sea creatures painted in colors assigned to each grade level in the school. This was a great way for this class to give back to the school and community.  
  • Alyssya Rameriz and Brooklyn Diggs from Sarcoxie R-II sang the national anthem at a recent Springfield Cardinals game!  Congratulations to these young ladies for this honor and for representing their school so well. 
  • Students in a summer school Legos class at Grain Valley Schools learned all about the differences between the dams built by beavers and those constructed by their human counterparts. They then used Legos to build their own dams and test how well they worked. 
  • Students at Raymondville R-VII School District had an amazing summer school experience at Ha Ha Tonka State Park and Echo Bluff.  They even found time for some ice cream treats.  Others at Raymondville were busy running a lemonade stand, raising money for a new sandbox. 
  • In addition to Math and ELA, summer school students at Stockton R-1 School District learned about rockets, water play, dinosaur fossils, outdoor sports, crafts, cooking, and much, much more.   
  • Summer enrichment students at Sedalia School District tie-dyed shirts and wrote a cursive work or phrase on them to show off their newly acquired skills.  What a creative way to practice the art of cursive writing. 
  • Softball players at Macon County R-1 School District finished weekly practice with a little fun and games.  The girls could swing anything but a bat while hitting and catch with anything other than a glove when playing defense. 
  • Osceola School District’s BBQ team (The Muddy River Smokers) split into two teams for state and national events. The Grillmore Girls took 6th and the Smoke-N-Hot Butcher Boys earned 4th at nationals. They will come back together as one squad as they prepare to compete against adult teams at the American Royal in Kansas City. 
  • A pair of Liberty North student-athletes recently earned prestigious honors.  Avery True was named a 2022-2023 All-American swimmer by the National Intercollegiate Swim Coaches Association, the first ever from Liberty North. She earned the honors in both the 200 and 500 Free. Megan Hinnenkamp was selected as the Missouri Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year! She is the first soccer player in LNHS history to receive this recognition.  
  • And finally, summertime also means preparing for the new school year and one of the most common signs of this is a freshly waxed floor.  Spokane R-7 shared progress being made in one of their buildings.  A big shout out to all custodians for the work done to get ready for the return of students! Kirksville R-3 School District also has a new floor, this one in the gym.  They are showing off their district vision statement in a very public arena. 

There is so much to celebrate as we prepare for the upcoming school year!  We want to recognize all NEE schools for the work administrators, teachers, support staff, and students are doing every day. Watch for our next post coming in September as we highlight the start of another great school year! 

The Network for Educator Effectiveness (NEE) is a simple yet powerful comprehensive system for educator evaluation that helps educators grow, students learn, and schools improve. Developed by preK-12 practitioners and experts at the University of Missouri, NEE brings together classroom observation, student feedback, teacher curriculum planning, and professional development as measures of effectiveness in a secure online portal designed to promote educator growth and development.