This is a continuation of a monthly series from the Network for Educator Effectiveness. We 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 month of March is always an exciting time of the school year. Winter activities are replaced with spring events while teachers and their students begin thinking of warmer days and outdoor fun. March also has several important dates that schools recognize and celebrate, including: 

  • Youth Art Month 
  • School Board Appreciation Month 
  • Read Across America Day (March 2) 
  • Missouri STEM Day (March 3) 
  • School Social Work Week (March 3-9) 
  • Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day (March 4) 
  • National School Breakfast Week (March 4-8) 
  • Missouri School Read-In Day (March 8) 
  • Pi Day (March 14) 
  • As noted, March celebrates art in our schools. Check out some of the artistic prowess on display at Charleston R-I, Smithton R-VI, Caruthersville, Jefferson County R-7 , Superior Public Schools, Sedalia, St. Joseph, and Eldon. 
  • Some classes can truly be a matter of life and death. Science students from West Plains learned “Hands Only CPR” and are now equipped with life-saving skills. 
  • Arapahoe-Holbrook, Newtown-Harris, Ravenna and Sweet Springs celebrated Read Across America Day in fun and unique ways.  
  • Talented teachers and students filled the air with tunes during a lunchtime open mic event at True North International School. They plan to continue this activity bi-weekly.   
  • Daring individuals from Houston picked a day that was not 70 degrees to dive into a very cold Piney River. The Tiger Polar Plunge raised funds that will support the district’s new Special Olympics team. 
  • You cannot say enough about the dedication of the people who keep our school buildings and grounds in great shape. Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day was celebrated by many schools including Smithville, Dunklin R-5, Mexico, Sturgeon, Clever, and Warren County R-3.  
  • Social workers play a vital role in helping students meet academic, social and emotional challenges During the first week of March, districts like Moberly and Carl Junction recognized these important staff members. 
  • Creativity in action! Students from Lee’s Summit are utilizing new spaces to develop construction projects and robotic inventions. 
  • Talent was on display at Lone Jack during what has become the favorite evening of the school year. 
  • It’s important to hear from all stakeholders when big decisions are made. Here, students from Republic provide input as the district prepares to build a new intermediate school. 
  • Working with a common goal in mind, students at Ravenna recently created a mural in their building entitled “The Art of Community!” 
  • Students and educators from Goodman Elementary, part of the Neosho School District, were featured in a TV news story which stressed the importance of tornado safety. Goodman Elementary has been rebuilt since being hit by a tornado in 2017. 
  • On a recent visit to the University of Iowa, Park Hill’s Addison Bjorn recently rubbed shoulders with Caitlin Clark, the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I basketball history. 
  • It’s not every day that you go on a job tour and combine it with a little rock climbing, but that’s exactly what students from School of the Osage did earlier this month. 
  • When a person thinks of STEM, “science” comes to mind. At Grain Valley, the “S” might also stand for “snake.”  
  • Schools celebrated Pi Day in different ways. Students from Laredo R-VII made pies for the celebration, Melinda Mathews from Sturgeon R-V readied food for her classes, and students from True North International School competed to throw pies at their teachers. 
  • The folks at Cowgill R-VI may have the right idea. The competition is tough, but this looks like the best “March Madness” bracket ever!  
  • Take a minute to check out these preschool students from Osage County R-II as they signed their letters of intent to become Linn Wildcats. 

There is so much going on in our member schools during March, and it is great to put a spotlight on some of these activities. While we can’t highlight everything, we do want to recognize all our outstanding schools for the work administrators, teachers, support staff, and students are doing every day. Watch for our next blog coming in April as we continue to celebrate NEE schools. 

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.