Bishop, Willie J. Curry, and the Shekinah Tabernacle Ministries donated 10 turkey dinners on November 25, 2024. #wayschools
Thayer Elementary staff members welcomed Superintendent Hilary Bales and Dr. Jamie Goforth, assistant superintendent of personnel services, on Nov. 19, 2024.
Bales shared information about the district’s future plans to rebuild Pick Elementary on Fort Leonard Wood. It is currently #76 on the federal PSMI Priority List. If funds become available as anticipated, PSMI would provide an 80-20 match, and the projected rebuilding could begin as early as the 2027-2028 school year.
Thayer staff members learned about the plans while enjoying treats provided by Bales during the Super Session. “I appreciated their engaging questions and positive attitudes,” Bales said.
Afterward, Dr. Jamie Goforth, assistant superintendent of personnel services, led staff in a communication activity.
Williams Early Childhood Center and Parker Educational Center staff learned more about the district’s future plans and upcoming major events on Nov. 18 during the Super Session with Superintendent Hilary Bales. To show her appreciation for staff members, Bales provided treats and a drawing for prizes for staff. The sessions provide an informal opportunity to engage with staff and to answer any questions that they may have. Dr. Jamie Goforth, assistant superintendent of personnel services, led staff in a communication activity. #wayschools
Thayer Elementary's Student Lighthouse Team wanted to give back to the community by collecting canned/non-perishable items for the Armed Services YMCA Food Pantry on Fort Leonard Wood throughout the month of November. The Thayer community showed their ability to synergize with stakeholders by collecting and donating 1,873 items just in time for Thanksgiving.
"We are so proud of our school and our ability to show that Waynesville R-VI is truly a place where the orange and black unite with the red, white and blue!" said Thayer Principal Robyn Justice.
There will be no school in the Waynesville R-VI School District on Nov. 25-29, 2024. We wish all of our families and our community a Happy Thanksgiving!
AmeriCorps recognized in national newsletter
Waynesville R-VI’s AmeriCorps program was highlighted in the November 2024 issue of the nationwide AmeriCorps newsletter.
The newsletter stated the following, “The Waynesville AmeriCorps Program provides academic support through tutoring, mentoring, service-learning, and enrichment, with fitness and wellness support, to students in the Waynesville, Saint Robert, and Fort Leonard Wood Communities in Missouri. More than seven out of 10 of the students supported are military-connected children whose parents predominately serve at Fort Leonard Wood. AmeriCorps members help lead Club TIGER, an afterschool program that lets students explore and develop their talents, while gaining critical thinking skills for learning through the delivery of high quality, hands-on, project-based programs in a variety of content areas. During the 2023 – 2024 school year, 45 members served in the Waynesville R-VI School District with about one-third of those members being high school seniors serving in after school programs and summer school.”
The Waynesville High School bands performed their holiday concert in front of a full house on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in the Waynesville High School Auditorium. #wayschools
Waynesville High School student Eric Glover was presented the Fort Leonard Wood student of the Month award for representing selfless service on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, by LT Col. Steve Martin. #wayschools
Both the Waynesville Middle School choir and band held their fall concerts on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, in the Waynesville High School Auditorium.
Wood Elementary students enjoyed several activities during Love of Reading Week Nov. 12-15, 2024. Their activities included:
- DEAR (dropping everything and read) time in the library
- creating Lego designs during Legos and literacy
- 5th grade students working with prefixes, suffixes and base words as if they were doctors. Test tubes were matched to form words and “broken bones” fixed to match definitions
- After reading Will Hubbell’s book “Pumpkin Jack” in October, students enjoy watching Jack and his sister Jill change
Waynesville R-VI Superintendent Hilary Bales recognized Bridget Plummer for being named the Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation Employee of the Year on Fort Leonard Wood through its Peer-to-Peer Awards Program for FY24. MWR has an awards panel that votes on all the nominations and Plummer was selected to receive the award. Plummer serves as the School Liaison Officer, Child & Youth Services Division.
Superintendent Hilary Bales presented Jennifer O'Donnel of Uptown Children's Academy with the Community Recognition Plaque for November 2024 during the Waynesville R-VI Board of Education meeting on Nov. 18, 2024. O’Donnel was recognized for donating St. Louis Blues tickets for an academic week fundraiser and for serving as the president of the LEAP Parents Association. #wayschools
Student Leadership Team members for the 2024-25 school year were recognized by Superintendent Hilary Bales during the Waynesville R-VI Board of Education meeting on Nov. 18, 2024. Students provided input to board members and district leaders during this month's study session.
The following students were selected by their building administrators to serve on this team:
WSGC Representatives:
Andrea Baker
Abigale Buckley
Cove Cornforth
Penelope Johnson
Amir Martin
Adrian Vega
WMS Representatives:
Madisyn Alvarez
Andi Cunningham
Cole Denham
Myron Johnson
Omari Lewis
Nidhi Patel
WHS Representatives:
Danely Aguilar
Renae Alailima
Carter Bansemer
Oliver Bulmer
Selena Charbonier
Kaden Crone
Ethan Esguerra
Haylee Fort
Kimora Godwin
Daniel Hightower-Henton
Ace Long
Withney Martinez-Ayala
Taylor Miller
Sunshine Moua
Tre'Von Reed
Mason Zamora
WCC Representatives:
Lane Cargill
Kinlee Cochran
Brode Evans
Keegan Graves
Alaura Hardwick
Jayla Hong
Alezair Lazzara
William Tabor
Antonio Villalobos
To celebrate Love of Reading Week (Nov. 12-15), Waynesville Middle School 7th and 8th graders visited the library for a book-tasting activity. The goal was for every student to find a book they will read from cover to cover. #wayschools
An ambulance was dispatched to Waynesville High School at approximately 9:50 a.m. today (Nov. 19, 2024) to treat an individual student with a medical condition. A parent/guardian has been contacted and will decide what, if any, further medical treatment is necessary.
U.S. News and World Report has named all elementary and middle schools in the Waynesville R-VI School District as the Best of the Best.
All (East, Freedom, Partridge, Thayer and Wood Elementary Schools) have earned the 2025 Best Elementary Schools badge and all middle schools (Waynesville Sixth Grade Center and Waynesville Middle School) have earned the 2025 Best Middle Schools badge.
The rankings for elementary and middle schools were released on Nov. 14, 2024, and the announcement was made by Superintendent Hilary Bales at the Board of Education meeting on Monday, Nov. 18.
"We are so proud of our students, teachers and staff for their accomplishments and for once again earning these badges," Bales said. “It takes everyone – our staff, our students and our supportive community -- to achieve this level of excellence.”
The schools have earned the right to have a U.S. News and World Report badge for being among the top 40 percent of all elementary and middle schools in Missouri. Waynesville High School also has been named in the top 100 high schools in the state; the district is waiting to hear the 2025 badge announcement for high schools.
Waynesville R-VI students participated in a Special Olympics bowling tournament on Nov. 15, 2024, at Daugherty Bowling Center on Fort Leonard Wood. FLW leaders stopped by to present medals and deliver encouraging words. Pictured are Sally Beck, wife of Maj. Gen. Christopher Beck; Vanessa Arzabala, wife of Command Sgt. Major Jorge Arzabala; and the event organizers Shauna Smith, district special education coordinator, and Dr. Elizabeth Washington, executive director of student services, from the Waynesville R-VI School District.
Freedom Elementary celebrated Love of Reading with guest readers, who were accompanied by a "bear."
East Elementary students participated in a daily "Masked Reader" guessing game as part of their celebration of Love of Reading Week. Each day they listened to a video of a staff member reading a book. Students then completed a Google Form guessing which staff member was the "Masked Reader." Winners received a free book of their choice along with other prizes. Students and staff were also encouraged to wear their "Love of Reading" shirts on Thursday. #wayschools
SkillsUSA and the Waynesville Career Center is hosting the 5th annual Daddy Daughter Dance Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in the Waynesville Middle School gymnasium. Tickets are $20 per individual and registration closes Dec. 9, 2024. For more information please contact mclutts@waynesville.k12.mo.us or sstrubbe@waynesville.k12.mo.us. #wayschools
