Waynesville R-VI School District

Waynesville High School and Freedom Elementary students were recognized during the May 20, 2024, Waynesville R-VI Board of Education meeting for their work being displayed in Jefferson City. Missouri’s First Lady Teresa Parson selected artwork created by sophomore Brianna Brown-Myrick for the 2024 Missouri Governor’s Mansion Award. The painting will hang in the Governor’s mansion until March 2025. Avery Walker’s artwork was one of 34 chosen across the state of Missouri for the Senate Exhibit gallery. Senator Brown chose the fourth grader’s work to represent our senate district and her work will be on display until March 2025. Several Freedom Elementary students were recognized for having their art on display during Youth Art Month on the third floor of the rotunda at the Capitol in Jefferson City. They included Cove Cornforth, Ezekiel Techur, Amaryah Martinez, Emma Cottrell, Isabella Munoz, Zander Clopton, Emma Lofgren and McKenna Cain. The students are pictured with Dr. Trish Adkins, assistant superintendent of instructional services.

Waynesville R-VI Superintendent Hilary Bales praised East Elementary staff members for preparing students for their future, especially through their efforts to broaden and deepen the implementation of Leader in Me this year. #wayschools

The Waynesville Middle School Student Council was recognized during the Waynesville R-VI Board of Education meeting on May 20, 2024, for earning the Missouri Association of Student Councils Gold Honor Council Award. This award honors those councils that have a comprehensive program in promoting student activities and student leadership. Activities include school service, spirit, community service, student and teacher recognition and leadership training activities. The following students were recognized: Cassandra Hays (President) Brooklyn Stephens (Vice President) Everley Beal Madalyn Bennett Andrea Boda Akaylah Calhoun Paige Johnson Kensley Jones Evelyn Kelley Cecilia Perez Katlyn Zamiska The students are pictured with Waynesville R-VI Superintendent Hilary Bales.

Waynesville R-VI Superintendent Hilary Bales recognized longtime radio personalities Gary Knehans and Marv Luten for their many years of service to the school district and presented them with the 30th and 31st district coins, respectively, during the Waynesville R-VI Board of Education meeting on Monday, May 20, 2024. “I want to thank both of you for your coverage, inspiration and encouragement of our students, teachers, staff and administrators,” Bales said “You have made a profound difference in the lives of many.” Knehans worked for more than 60 years and Luten more than 40 years at KJPW, KFBD and KOZQ. “Gary, yours has been a guiding voice filling the airwaves with local news,” Bales said. “We owe a debt of gratitude to you for your diligence, excellence and journalistic integrity. You turned our weekly Educator’s Shows into programs that not only touched our community, but also resulted in several broadcasting awards for your efforts.” “Marv, your name has become synonymous with sports broadcasting in our community,” Bales said. “Through the years, there were many late nights and yet, your voice would still ring out first thing the next morning. Thank you for providing a platform for young athletes to shine and for being an integral part of our community’s sports culture.” They received a standing ovation when they were presented with the coins. “Their unwavering commitment to serving our community – particularly our students and sports enthusiasts – has not only informed and entertained us, but has also strengthened the bonds within our community,” Bales said. #wayschools

Do you play the piano? Waynesville R-VI is seeking a piano accompanist. Apply online at https://www.applitrack.com/waynesville/onlineapp/.

A meeting for PARENTS of students who plan to try out for the Waynesville High School Football Team will be held at 6 p.m. tomorrow (May 21) in the WHS Lecture Hall, which is located on Tiger Stadium side of the building. For more info, contact kbarkley@waynesville.k12.mo.us.

Parker Preschool hosted their second annual graduation ceremony May 16, 2024. Williams Early Childhood Center will host their preschool graduation on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, starting at 5:00 p.m. at Waynesville High School. #wayschools

Waynesville Middle School's Advanced Percussion Band traveled to Williams Early Childhood Center and Partridge Elementary to perform for Williams' AM session and Partridge's entire student body on Thursday, May 16, 2024. A special thank you goes to Vic Firth and Zildjian for again providing free giveaway items, as well as to Rick Vernon for driving the equipment trailer.

William Austin, a senior at Waynesville High School, has been named the Fort Leonard Wood Student of the Month for May 2024 for representing the Army value of responsibility. Austin’s parents are William J. and Melissa Austin. #wayschools

Waynesville High School's Class of 2024 returned to Freedom Elementary on May 16, 2024, to reminisce about their elementary school days in the Waynesville R-VI School District. #wayschools

Tiger Preschool hosted their annual graduation in the Waynesville High School Lecture Hall.Tiger Preschool is a temporary preschool run by high school students each spring who are enrolled in the child development II class. The preschool applies their knowledge of the characteristics of play and developmental growth of three, four and five-year old children as they plan and prepare lessons for the preschoolers in Tiger Preschool. #wayschools

Graduation will be INSIDE Waynesville High School will move its graduation inside due to the threat of possible isolated thunderstorms tonight, Friday, May 17, 2024. All ticket holders – of both orange and black tickets – will be admitted to the gym. Please note that the gym will be at capacity and overflow may be directed the WHS Auditorium where graduation will be broadcast live on the screen. This accommodation of the 8 tickets per graduate is being made possible due to the last-minute addition of extra seating, rearrangement of the band and the size of this graduating class. This may not be something that the district would be able to accommodate every year. A huge thank you goes out to Dr. Whitt and the district maintenance team.  ______________________________________________ Waynesville High School’s Graduation for the Class of 2024 will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 17, 2024. Waynesville Career Center video production students will provide live coverage of the event on: · Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/340913438445587/ · YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSXOdbtsTAM

Students and their parents from the Waynesville Career Center culinary arts program hosted an appreciation dinner for Chef Jon Dye, the program's instructor, on May 15, 2024. Superintendent Hilary Bales spoke during the event that was organized entirely by parents and through community support. #wayschools

WHS athletes to have home-stadium advantage at Sectionals on Saturday Waynesville High School athletes will have a home-stadium advantage at Sectionals on this Saturday, May 18, 2024, when WHS hosts the Track and Field Class 4 & 5 Double Sectionals at Tiger Stadium. Sectionals are open to the public. Admission is $8 per person. Events are scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. Both WHS teams finished in 3rd Place in District Competition at Northwest Cedar Hill High School on Saturday, May 11. “We had a great showing at Districts and have quite a few kids moving on to Sectionals and all with a great chance of moving on to the State Meet,” said Mike Rawlings, head track and field coach. The WHS athletes listed below all placed in the top 4 and will be competing at Sectionals: 1st Place 100 Brandon Howard 800 Tyrell Phinn Long Jump Jonathon Hedrick 110 Hurdles Jayzen Blake 2nd Place Triple Jump Jonathon Hedrick Pole Vault Carl Gervacio 4th Place 300 Hurdles Jayzen Blake 4 x 400 relay Tyrell Phinn, Steven Skelton, Rayshawn Fowler, Averial Williams 1st Place 200 A’Nyyah Tollison 2nd Place 4 x 100 relay A’Nyyah Tollison, Lenayah Thomas, Lexi Bigelow, Madison Roberts 100 A’Nyyah Tollison 3rd Place 400 Nalyjah Madison 300 Sonte Keys 4 x 200 relay Lenayah Thomas, Lexi Bigelow, Nalyjah Madison, Miniya Jackson 4th Place 100 Sonte Keys 200 Nalyjah Madison Triple Jump Emelia Vega Pole Vault Destiney Oster

A decision about whether or not Waynesville High School's graduation will be held inside or outside will be made on or before 2 p.m. today, Friday, May 17, 2024. Graduation will be broadcast live beginning at 7:30 p.m. on · Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/340913438445587/ · YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSXOdbtsTAM

Dashayla Bean, a junior at Waynesville High School, has been named the Rotary Student of the Month for May for representing the word “responsibility.” Her parents are Dash and Shantella Bean. Bean is an outstanding student and carries a 4.13 grade point average, is ranked in the top 5% of her class, and has a 97% attendance rate. She is involved in track, NHS, FBLA, FCCLA, S2S and SGA as the junior class vice president. She plans to become a physician's assistant. Bean’s nominator stated, "Dashayla is the first student I think of when I think of the trait responsibility. She is my most dependable student—the one I can count on to help me in any situation. Dashayla is prepared daily and always working on assignments. When she finishes my work, she pulls out work from anatomy or another class and continues to work hard and study to get ahead. Dashayla has a goal to maintain straight A's in all her classes this school year, and she will definitely hit that goal, but she doesn't stop there. She continues to keep working so she can achieve her dreams of going to college to become a physician’s assistant. Dashayla is quiet, but definitely one her peers look at as a leader by example. She is involved in track, BETA, SGA, NHS, and many other activities. Dashayla doesn't use the excuse of being gone for these activities to slack in class, she actually uses them to fuel herself in achieving higher standards and always gets all assignments prior to her being gone. She is definitely a role model for responsibility." #wayschools

The annual district elementary track meet for 4th and 5th graders was held on May 10 and the Waynesville Sixth Grade Center’s track meet was held May 14. "I am proud of all of the students who qualified for the district meet," said Mike Rawlings, head track and field coach. "They had good times and results for their ages and I am grateful for our elementary coaches who help prepare our young athletes. We have a great program and it all begins at the elementary level." 6th Grade boys earning 1st place were as follows: 4 x 200 relay – Team Epic 4 x 100 relay - Team Epic 55 meter – Brady Newberry 100 meter – Kaden Mitchell 200 meter - Antoine Haggard 400 meter – Amare Walker Triple Jump – Javionn Rhodes Long Jump - Amore Walker Shot Put – Michael Stone 5th Grade boys earning 1st Place were as follows: 4 x 200 relay – Freedom Grey 4 x 100 relay – Partridge 55 meter – Jamar Robinson East Blue 100 meter – AJ Lee Thayer 200 meter – Kieran Prebla Freedom Orange 400 meter – Morris Bradley – East Green Triple Jump – Roland Drexler – Wood Long Jump – Hudson Wells – Freedom Grey Shot Put – Jarvis McLemore East Green 4th Grade boys earning 1st place were as follows: 4 x 200 relay – Partridge 4 x 100 relay – Partridge 100 meter – Owen Weiguilt Freedom Grey 200 meter Steven Phinn East Green 400 meter Owen Weiguilt Freedom Grey Long Jump – Jaysaun Presley East Blue Shot Put Devin Lewis East Green 6th grade girls earning 1st place were as follows: 4 x 200 relay – Team Spectacular 4 x 100 relay – Team Tremendous 55 meter – Rayven Clark 100 meter – Judith Holmes 200 meter – Kayla Bengstom 400 meter – Payton O’Bryant Triple Jump – Payton O’Bryant Long Jump -Zi’Yonnah Lawson Shot Put – Misa Charfauros 5th grade girls earning 1st Place were as follows: 4 x 200 relay – Freedom Grey 4 x 100 relay - Partridge 55 meter – Tara Robinson Freedom Grey 100 meter – Avery Anderson Partridge 200 meter – Cove Cornforth Freedom Grey 400 meter – Carson Pimentel East Blue Triple Jump – Jillian Linde Partridge Long Jump – Avery Anderson Partridge Shot Put – Raquel Joseph East Blue 4th grade girls earning 1st Place were as follows: 4 x 200 relay - Wood 4 x 100 relay – Freedom Orange 100 meter – Jordyn Bush – Freedom Orange 200 meter – Kayte Dye – East Green 400 meter – Aubrey Ross – Freedom Grey Long Jump – Kayte Dye – East Green Shot Put – Jessicah Njwguna – East Blue #wayschools

Shoes from the Heart grants "instant access" to shoes by installing shoe closets in schools across Missouri. With the help of local sponsor Lisa Ellis, owner of Next Home Realty, Shoes from the Heart installed a shoe closet at Waynesville High School, donating 24 pairs of new tennis shoes on May 9, 2024. #wayschools

Waynesville High School’s Graduation for the Class of 2024 will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 17, 2024. Waynesville Career Center video production students will provide live coverage of the event on: · Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/340913438445587/ · YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSXOdbtsTAM If any technical difficulties occur during the broadcast, please note that the video of graduation will be posted to YouTube after it concludes. Ticket information Tickets are required to attend the graduation ceremony in person. · Graduation inside = 5 tickets* · Graduation outside = 8 tickets* *If graduation is held inside, then each graduate will have five orange tickets to give to their guests. Orange ticket holders will be able to attend both inside and outside graduation. Only those guests with orange tickets may enter graduation if it is held inside. If graduation is held outside, each graduate will have three black tickets in addition to the orange tickets to issue to their guests. Black tickets may be used to attend outside graduation only. All individuals age 2 and up will need a ticket for graduation. Graduates will be issued their tickets following Passing of the Torch and Graduation practice on Thursday. Parking lot opens at 5:30 p.m. The WHS parking lot will open at 5:30 p.m. Gates and/or doors will open at 6 p.m. WHS graduating seniors are encouraged to park at the Waynesville Career Center to allow their guests to park closer to the stadium. No parking is allowed along G.W. Lane Street. Seniors should arrive at 6 p.m. Graduating seniors should arrive on or before 6 p.m. for their ceremony. They will enter WHS through the main entrance, go to the cafeteria and be directed to their designated waiting area. #wayschools

No credible threat at this time We have received information from local law enforcement regarding an alleged threat that was made by a Waynesville Middle School student on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Local law enforcement officers are investigating and have identified the author of the alleged threat. Law enforcement officials say there is no credible threat; however, appropriate discipline and safety procedures are being implemented both within the school and through law enforcement channels. All threats are taken seriously and the safety of our students and staff is our first priority. As always, the Waynesville R-VI School District is fully cooperating with the law enforcement investigation. Please understand, due to the nature of this situation, we are unable to release additional details. Our goal is to be transparent and to keep you informed and yet stay within the confines of the law. All Waynesville Middle School students are safe and school is functioning as normal. Our primary objective is to ensure students continue to feel safe and additional support through the school counselors is available to any student. Please join the district in discussing the role of social media in making our schools a welcoming and safe environment for all. Should you have questions or concerns, please contact your child’s building principal. #wayschools