The Waynesville R-VI School District will offer Summer School June 1 - June 29 for students entering grades K-12.
For summer school, students register for the grade level they will ATTEND IN THE FALL.
Information and registration links are at https://www.waynesville.k12.mo.us/o/wrv/page/summer-school
If the link does not work for you, please copy and paste this link into your browser: https://www.waynesville.k12.mo.us/o/wrv/page/summer-school
Details:
Waynesville R-VI School District Summer School will be in Session June 1 - June 29. Summer school classes will not be held on Friday, June 19, as we will be observing the Juneteenth holiday.
Both breakfast and lunch will be free during summer school.
For summer school, students attend the grade they will enter in the upcoming 2026-27 school year.
Open enrollment for summer school registration closes on Tuesday, April 7. Registrations received after April 7 will be accepted on a space available basis.
Waynesville Middle School students entering grades 7-8 will be at Waynesville High School for summer school due to cafeteria updates at WMS.
Freedom Elementary students will be at East Elementary for summer school due to HVAC upgrades at Freedom.
WHS raises $5,000 for Special Olympics
Waynesville High School students and teachers have raised more than $5,000 for Special Olympics through a variety of fundraising efforts, including participating in the Polar Plunge on March 7, 2026, in Springfield.
Through the variety of efforts and private donors, WHS was the top fundraising school at the Polar Plunge event.
The WHS Polar Plunge team consisted of members from Student Government Association (SGA), Tiger Buddies and the Community Based Instruction (CBI) class.
Polar Plunge is an annual fundraiser for Missouri Special Olympics that WHS has participated in for several years. Nine students and a teacher plunged into the chilly waters at the Ski Shack on a brisk 44-degree morning “freezin' for a reason.”
Students have raised funds for Missouri Special Olympics through the following fundraising efforts:
· In January, SGA held a student-staff volleyball game, raising $1,572.
· The junior and senior class SGA officers and representatives raised $194 during the month of February.
· Tiger Joe, ran by the students in the CBI and transition 3 classes, raised $337.
· The CBI class along with Tiger Buddies raised $305 selling hat tickets during Neurodiversity Awareness week.
· The plungers themselves through the support of community and family donors raised $2,989.
Bohrer is one of 15 FCCLA semifinalists nationwide for Member of the Year
Faith Bohrer, a member of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) at Waynesville High School, has been selected as one of 15 semifinalists nationwide for the 2025-2026 Member of the Year Award, presented by the U.S. Army. Bohrer is being recognized for outstanding leadership, academic excellence, and a strong commitment to service.
Bohrer has earned recognition for strong competitive events achievement, including Gold Awards in Professional Presentation and Job Interview, while using student voice to advance mental health advocacy. Through outreach that
has reached more than 3,000 students across Missouri, Bohrer demonstrates a clear commitment to service and peer support. As Waynesville Chapter president, Missouri FCCLA vice president of public relations, and founder of
a districtwide CTSO Leadership Academy that connects more than 500 students, Bohrer has built programs that expand leadership opportunities far beyond a single chapter.
The FCCLA Member of the Year Award, presented by the U.S. Army, is the highest recognition an FCCLA Member can achieve. The award honors one exceptional student among FCCLA’s more than 260,000 members who demonstrate outstanding leadership, a commitment to FCCLA’s mission, and the U.S. Army’s core values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage.
The top 15 semifinalists have advanced to the second round of evaluation, with the top five finalists to be named in April following the interview process. Each of the top five finalists will receive a $1,000 cash prize, and the national recipient will receive an additional $2,000, for a total award of $3,000. The top five finalists will also be announced and recognized on stage at the 2026 National Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., where the FCCLA Member of the Year will be announced live during a general session.
About FCCLA
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is a national career and technical student organization that prepares students for careers that support the family through family and consumer sciences (FCS) education.
About the U.S. Army
The U.S. Army, the oldest and largest branch of the U.S. military, is a force dedicated to serving the American people, protecting national security, and supporting peace and stability worldwide. For more information about the U.S. Army, visit www.army.mil.
CTA to host Meet the Candidates on Wednesday
Waynesville CTA will host Meet the Candidates Night at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 25, 2026, in the Parker Educational Center, 909 U.S. Route 66 in Waynesville.
The candidates for the Waynesville R-VI Board of Education are Layne Lercher, Mike Rawlings, Richard Oxendine and Andy Anderson.
CTA will host this forum as an opportunity for voters to learn more about the four individuals who have filed for School Board. CTA will ask each candidate the same questions and they will have a set period of time to answer each question.
Three seats, each for a three-year term, are scheduled to be filled in this election. The election date is Tuesday, April 7.
The forum will be broadcast live on Facebook Channel 12 Tiger TV:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/events/27086091167647359/?rdid=3rm6YgbBpfB5WnZo&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1K3vHHanQL%2F
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/live/F-lbkN-K07Q?si=i1b1tPkFLEKMS_ex
Waynesville R-VI will host a Kindergarten Kickoff at 5:30 p.m. on May 4, 2026, in the Waynesville High School Auditorium.
This is for parents of students who will be going into kindergarten this fall. Future kindergartners are welcome to attend as well. Snacks will be provided.
Future kindergartners and their parents will learn about preparing for a successful school year and:
· Kinder Kamp
· Enrollment
· Summer School
· Transportation Information
· Required Immunizations
· Food Service
· Volunteer Opportunities
· After School Programs
For more information, please contact Student Services at 573-842-2092 or studentservices@waynesville.k12.mo.us.
There will be no school in the Waynesville R-VI School District on March 16-20, 2026, for Spring Break. District offices will be closed on March 19 and 20.
Egg hunts will be held at Waynesville High School as follows:
• 10:10 a.m. Pre-kindergarten
• 10:25 a.m. Kindergarten
• 10:40 a.m. 1st Grade
• 10:55 a.m. 2nd grade
• 11:10 a.m. 3rd grade
• 11:25 a.m. 4th grade
• 11:45 a.m. 5th grade
There will be games and prizes and concessions.
Waynesville High School’s Rhythm Nation Dance Team will host its first Dancing With the Stars … Rhythm Nation Edition at 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 27, 2026, in the WHS gym.
Teachers and students will take the floor together in a fun and competitive dance showcase, all while raising support for the program.
Tickets are required. General tickets are $10 each. Floor seats are $20 each.
Audience members will play an important role in the competition by helping select the Fan Favorite Award winner. Each paid ticket includes one free vote, and during the event guests can cast additional votes for their favorite dance team. Every $1 donated counts as one additional vote. Audience members will be able to vote using cash or a card (a QR code will be displayed during each team’s routine).
Concessions will be available throughout the evening, and guests will also have the opportunity to participate in a silent auction featuring a poster from each competing dance team.
“Come cheer on your favorite team, enjoy a night of fun performances and help crown the first WHS Mirror Ball Champion,” said Rhythm Nation Coach Cat Poole.
Richmond “Noah” Forte, a senior at Waynesville High School, has been named the WHS Rotary Student of the Month for March 2026.
Forte’s nominator stated, “What truly sets Noah apart is his outstanding communication skills and impressive range of soft skills—including adaptability, collaboration and problem-solving — that allows him to excel in any role or responsibility placed before him. He approaches every task with professionalism and a positive attitude that inspires those around him. Beyond the classroom, Noah selflessly volunteers his time through SGA-sponsored initiatives and actively participates in community service projects, demonstrating a genuine commitment to making a difference both inside and outside of school. Noah embodies the very definition of a well-rounded leader, and there is no doubt that he is most deserving of this honor.”
Forte carries a 3.5 grade point average and a 100 percent attendance rate for his senior year. He is a Student Government Association representative, a member of the Waynesville High School Tiger Pride Marching Band for the last four years and is on the yearbook staff. He is currently the WHS Library Technical Intern and helps new students with their Chromebooks and repairs Chromebooks as needed.
Forte’s future plans are to attend the University of Houston to study music technology or marketing.
The Waynesville R-VI School District set a record number of achievements in a recent statewide art contest for the MAEA Show Me Art Coloring Book. The following earned recognition:
· 5 schools
· 6 visual art teachers
· 15 art students
· 2 special recognition awards (Back Cover Design Winner and 1st Place Middle School)
Waynesville R-VI visual art students contributed to 17 percent of the artwork in the MAEA Show Me Art Coloring Book, Celebrations & Festivals; 6th edition.
Students were asked to research, synthesize and create an engaging line-drawing based on the theme: “Missouri Celebrations and Festivals,” and then write artist statements about their art. The drawings were collected and curated into a 186-page coloring book.
In being accepted, these art students are now published artists:
· Olivia Davis, grade 5, Thayer Elementary
· Mina Figueroa, grade 5, Thayer Elementary
· Jayce Taylor, grade 4, Thayer Elementary
· Isabella Mendoza, grade 4, Thayer Elementary
· Kyndal Osborne, grade 5, Freedom Elementary
· ZaRiya McCaster, grade 5, Freedom Elementary
· Fiona Qui, grade 4, Freedom Elementary
· Emiyah Glover, grade 5, Wood Elementary – Back Cover Design Winner
· Ezekiel Mason, grade 4, Wood Elementary
· Mya Klontz, grade 7, Waynesville Middle School
· Mayzee Magoo, grade 8, Waynesville Middle School
· Ellery Earnest, grade 8, Waynesville Middle School
· Arianna Haslim, grade 8, Waynesville Middle School - 1st place Middle School
· Roxanne Acklin, grade 9, Waynesville High School
· Kimari Stuart, grade 12, Waynesville High School
The following visual art teachers participated in this statewide collection of artwork: Jamie Erlewine of Thayer Elementary, Christina Biart and Allyson Uhles of Freedom Elementary, Megan Neuman of Wood Elementary, Asilea Edwards of Waynesville Middle School and Amy Rushing of Waynesville High School.
The coloring book may be purchased on Amazon LINKED HERE. (If the link does not work, please copy and paste this link into your browser https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GNS5D75Z?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_MPSZHAKP3T3M59XDATM2_2&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_MPSZHAKP3T3M59XDATM2_2&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_MPSZHAKP3T3M59XDATM2_2&bestFormat=true ).
MAEA uses 100% of the proceeds go back to Missouri students for the MAEA Future Visual Art Teacher Scholarship.
Fire officials were called to the Waynesville Career Center at approximately 12:55 p.m. today (March 10, 2026) for smoke in the culinary arts area as a result of bacon burning.
All students and staff remained safe. The district is grateful for the swift response of our local fire department.
Jazz Band to perform at WCC on April 9
The Waynesville High School Jazz Band took 4th place overall in the Missouri State Jazz Band Festival in Springfield, Mo., on Feb. 21, 2026.
“The ensemble represented Waynesville High School with professionalism and excellence, earning an impressive 4th place overall finish among the jazz bands in attendance,” said Director of Bands Jared Sabatasso. “Their performance reflected both their musical preparation and their commitment to artistic growth.”
In addition to the group’s success, several individual members were recognized for outstanding musicianship in their solo performances:
· Aliyah Bowers for her performance on tenor saxophone
· Jack Gasek for his work on drum set
· Juliet Piper for her trumpet and flugelhorn solos
· Kayden Wass for his trombone performance
“These recognitions highlight the exceptional talent within the ensemble and the dedication each student brings to their craft,” Sabatasso said. “We are incredibly proud of these individual accomplishments and equally proud of the Waynesville High School Jazz Band as a whole.”
Community members are invited to hear these talented musicians perform at their upcoming home concert at 6 p.m. April 9, 2026, in the Waynesville Career Center lobby.
Three Waynesville High School student groups – FCCLA, HOSA and the WHS Girls Basketball Team – came together to raise $1,672.45 for the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks during the Pink Out game on Feb. 9, 2026. Students from these groups recently delivered the funds to the foundation.
"It started with us deciding that we wanted to do a Pink Out game as a team, and I immediately thought of partnering with the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, because they have worked with some of my family members in the past,” said WHS Senior Lauryn Lercher, who helped lead the effort.
To raise breast cancer awareness, the team annually wears their pink jerseys.
“We wanted the game to be more than just us putting on pink jerseys - we wanted it to be about the community coming together for a bigger cause than just us,” Lercher said. “The Breast Cancer Foundation was an immediate choice because all the money raised comes back into Pulaski County to help breast cancer survivors, and those affected by it, in the community that made the night the success that it was."
Students pictured left to right are Reese Wilson, Lela Burnham, Lauryn Lercher, Kendall Cobb and Aubrey Fields. These students represented the groups (FCCLA, HOSA and the WHS Girls Basketball Team) that raised $1,672.45 for the Breast Cancer Foundation.
The adult will determine what, if any, further medical treatment is necessary.
The individual's parents have been notified and will determine what, if any, further medical treatment is necessary.
Love of Reading Week is continuing across the Waynesville R-VI School District through Friday, March 6, 2026. Throughout the week, students have enjoyed special visits from guest readers who volunteered their time to share their love of reading.
A few of this week’s guest readers include Col. Glaspell, Col. Ramskugler, School Board President Janel Rowell, School Board Member Aaron Pondrum, Pfc. Solomon, and St. Robert Mayor James Breckenridge. Additional photos from Love of Reading Week will be shared throughout the week.
