Waynesville R-VI School District

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

The Waynesville High School Tiger Pride Marching Band, Color Guard and Waynesville JROTC Tiger Battalion were among the groups participating in the Veterans Day Parade hosted by the Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. #wayschools

Eight Waynesville High School students are state bound in swimming. #wayschools

Brayden Weigelt, a senior at Waynesville High School, has been named the WHS Rotary Student of the Month for November 2024. He is the son of Zachary and Amy Weigelt. Weigelt is involved in soccer, track, cross country, theatre, Beta Club, National Honor Society, Freshman Mentor Program and Student Government Association. His nominator stated, “Brayden is a hard-working student. He is involved in soccer, cross country, theatre, outside activities, and taking a full load of courses. He puts forth 100% into each and every thing he does. He is always smiling and encourages others around him. He is very respectful and does everything asked of him. He doesn't ask for any recognition and yet deserves so much for how hard he works. As a lead in our fall production, he was able to balance everything and still shine. I appreciate everything he has done." Weigelt carries a rigorous academic load. He has taken nine Advanced Placement courses, so far scoring a qualifying score on all of his assessments. He has a SAT score of 1470 and a GPA of 4.234. He plans on pursuing a career in civil engineering. As of today, Purdue University is the front runner for him to attend. #wayschools

Three Waynesville High School students have been named to the Missouri All-State Choir for 2025. They are as follows: Citlali Arzabala - 1st Alternate William Figueroa - 2nd Alternate Addison Bowling - Honorable Mention The Waynesville High School Choir was also recognized as part of the top 10 of Missouri Central District Choirs.

WCC culinary arts team takes 3rd at World Food Championships Waynesville Career Center culinary arts students received 3rd place in the bacon category in the World Food Championships – the highest a WCC team has ever placed in the international professional food competition. The announcement was just made this evening, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, at the event in Indiana. Led by the Culinary Arts Instructor Jon Dye, Waynesville High School students Antonio Villalobos, Emily Shempert and Alex Allen took 3rd with their dish American Bacon Bombs, which is described as a celebration of all things American: bacon, steak, habanero and jalapeño peppers, horseradish and American honey topped with fried onions. “They had some big obstacles and worked as an amazing team. I am so proud of not only how our students placed, but how they represented our community,” said Chef Dye. “They met professional chefs from around the world and had a once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity.”

Formation for the Waynesville JROTC Tiger Battalion was held on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at Waynesville High School. More than 200 students participate in the JROTC program. Cadet Lt. Col. Nathaniel Copeland, Tiger Battalion Commander, and Cadet Command Sgt. Maj. Kaden Crone, Tiger Battalion Command Sergeant Major, spoke to their fellow cadets during the event.

Andre Morse, a sophomore at Waynesville High School, has been selected as a delegate to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders to be held on June 25-27, 2025, just outside Boston, on the University of Massachusetts Lowell campus. The congress is an honors-only program for high school students who want to become physicians or go into medical research fields. The purpose of this program is to honor, inspire, motivate and direct the top students in the country interested in medical careers to stay true to their dream and, after the congress, to provide a path, plan and resources to help them reach their goal. Morse’s nomination was signed by Dr. Mario Capecchi, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine and the Science Director of the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists to represent Missouri, based on his academic achievement, leadership potential and determination to serve humanity in the field of medicine. During the three-day congress, Morse will join students from across the country to · hear Nobel Laureates and National Medal of Science recipients discuss leading medical research · be given advice from Ivy League and top medical school deans on what to expect in medical school · witness stories told by patients who are living medical miracles · be inspired by fellow teen medical science prodigies · learn about cutting-edge advances and the future in medicine and medical technology “This is a crucial time in America when we need more doctors and medical scientists who are even better prepared for a future that is changing exponentially,” according to the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists. “Focused, bright and determined students like Andre Morse are our future and he deserves all the mentoring and guidance we can give him.” The academy offers free services and programs to students who want to become physicians or go into medical science. Some of the services and programs the Academy offers are online social networks through which future doctors and medical scientists can communicate; opportunities for students to be guided and mentored by physicians and medical students; and communications for parents and students on college acceptance and finances, skills acquisition, internships, career guidance and much more. Based in Washington, D.C., and with offices in Boston, Mass., the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists was chartered as a nonpartisan, taxpaying institution to help identify, encourage and mentor students who wish to devote their lives to the service of humanity as physicians and medical scientists. For more information visit www.FutureDocs.com. #wayschools

This month’s #TeacherProudTuesday shout-out goes to Katherine Schmidt, a teacher at East Elementary. From the multiple nominators, we chose this quote, “Being a military child can be challenging; frequent transitions can cause academic regression, but having a supportive teacher can make all the difference. Mrs. Schmidt's nurturing approach and dedication to her students clearly shine through, creating a safe and encouraging environment for learning. The fact that my child feels excited and confident about her education is a testament to Mrs. Schmidt's ability to inspire and uplift her students, particularly those with unique needs identified in an IEP. It's wonderful witnessing how her affirming words and passion for teaching are helping my child grow and thrive academically. I have noticed a new level of confidence and drive in my child. This foundation of support will undoubtedly have a lasting impact, and for that I am extremely thankful!” To nominate a Waynesville R-VI teacher for #TeacherProudTuesday, please complete the form at https://forms.gle/CGYYJiuAvyvSwQhs6.

There will be no school in the Waynesville R-VI School District on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in observance of Veterans Day.

Waynesville Career Center culinary arts students have advanced to the finals at the World Food Championships in the bacon category today (Nov. 9, 2024). In this round, they were awarded the ACF Judges’ Selection. Their entry was Fly Over State Ravioli, which is described as follows: Pumpkin pasta formed into a toasted ravioli, filled with a pumpkin, bacon, brown sugar and walnut mixture with a brown butter pumpkin spice maple sauce. Garnished with a bacon Parmesan crisp, and candied walnuts and bacon bits.

The smell of bacon announces that three Waynesville Career Center students are beginning their first round in the World Food Championships in Indiana this morning (Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024). Led by Chef Jon Dye, Waynesville High School students Antonio Villalobos, Emily Shempert and Alex Allen are competing in the bacon category against profesional adult chefs in this international event. The WCC culinary arts program was invited back to this year’s competition by earning a Top 10 finish last year in Texas.

Waynesville High School inducted 60 new members into the National Honor Society on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. Leading the ceremony were the 2024 NHS Officers: Drew Fidler - Co-President Ethan Rothmel - Co-President Sienna Zuber - Secretary Renae Alailima - Public Affairs Officer Nysa Alvarez - Social Chair The following WHS students were inducted: Senior: 1. Alexis Bennett 2. Ethan Esguerra 3. Kaitlynn Dirck 4. Lord Torres 5. Ayden Gerber 6. Peyton Stuart 7. Asia Frazier 8. Lenayah Thomas 9. Evan Beck 10. Mackenzie Workman 11. Montara Owens 12. Elijah Wooden 13. Thomas Romulo S. Walters Junior: 1. Aubrey Fields 2. Kaitlyn Sullivan 3. Kyle Briner 4. Wyatt Glaspell 5. Braden R. Hays 6. Arianna Newkirk 7. Markell Carter 8. Alexis Good 9. Zetalyn Mansapit 10. Emilee Williams 11. Zachary Cooper-Dwyer 12. Haley Emmett 13. Breanna Bednarik 14. Grey Landreth Sophomore: 1. Siessa Kpessokro 2. Ivan Velasco 3. Levi John Kriebs 4. Christie Bennett 5. Vung Ciin 6. Harley Atchison 7. Andre Morse 8. Hannah Ussery 9. Faith Bohrer 10. Jazlene Brown 11. Makenzie Carter 12. Brooklynn Lercher 13. Tiana Harper 14. Payton Rushing 15. JeCir Johnson 16. Roselyn M. Long 17. Zhoe Linen 18. Hailey Sexton 19. Joe Telebrico 20. Collin T. Box 21. Darrell Rodriquez 22. Wyatt Carter 23. Kayla Stuckey 24. Kaleyah Buttner 25. Riley Dunkel 26. Juliet Rose Piper 27. Christian Campbell 28. Deon Wold 29. Brady Allen Harpel 30. Alayna Beels 31. Dakota Nix 32. Cambria Lee Wilcox 33. Samantha Powell