Tiger Tails March 28, 2014

Published by the Waynesville R-VI School District March 28, 2014 Collaboration in the extreme 9th grade center project promotes 21st Century skills, connections Many rooms in the new WHS Ninth Grade Center have a unique back wall. The walls are huge white boards that fold away to create one classroom where there had been two. In this inaugural year for the center, nine teachers and their students joined together in an interdisciplinary project that parted the walls, both literally and figuratively. Ninth grade language arts, social studies and science teachers joined together to help students make General visits with important connections and answer important questions about WHS. JROTC students In October, language arts students MG Leslie Smith, Maneuver began reading the novel “Orphan Train” Support Center of Excellence and by Christina Baker Kline. The book tells Fort Leonard Wood commanding the story of Vivian, a first-generation general, spoke with about 350 immigrant who, with other “orphans,” JROTC students at Waynesville High travels on a train from the east coast to School on Wednesday. a new life in the Midwest. Historically, Dressed in their cadet uniforms, in the early 1900s, several charitable students listened and responded as organizations gathered children who’d the commanding general engaged lost parents and shipped them west. them in conversations about their futures, The protagonist faces and overcomes Army values, the challenges that everyone multiple obstacles as she carves out a faces and the importance of listening to meaningful life in America. the advice from those who care about you, As reading of the novel progressed, including your parents, aunts, uncles and your the same students were busy in their non-commissioned officers. geography class, Smith credits, in part, his success to the studying the effect NCOs who helped shape his career path. Smith of immigration could have chosen a very different path, as on the culture and others from his Atlanta, Ga., neighborhood did. development of North Smith pointed out, however, that everyone can America. On an succeed despite the challenges they face. agreed day, the walls between language JROTC students had to think on their feet as MG Smith questioned them about what the Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity Continued on page 2 and personal courage mean. WHS students to perform musical The Waynesville High School a strange plant whose food of choice is Theatre Department and Thespian human blood. Troupe 1669, with the help of the music Ticket prices will be $7 for adults, department, will present the theatrical $6 for staff and students, and $5 for musical, Little Shop of Horrors, on children under 10 years of age. All April 10, 11 and 12 at 7 p.m. and April performances will be in the Waynesville 13 at 2:30 p.m. high school theatre. The musical – described as a comedy, The book and lyrics are by Howard horror, rock musical – is about Ashman; music is by Alan Menken; Seymour who works at a run-down and the musical is based on the film by florist and dreams of being with Audrey, Roger Corman. the shop assistant. One day he discovers Collaboration Continued from page 1 arts and geography classes parted, and students began work to answer an important A+ tutors question: How does the constant influx of “immigrants” into our community affect Waynesville High School? How, if at all, do we differ from other schools with more static populations? Students proposed a number of predictions, based on the transitional honored nature of the student population and the influence of many students’ military Student leaders and their faculty backgrounds. Social studies teachers gathered the predictions, reviewed them, and sent mentors from more than 20 Missouri the most promising ones to their colleagues in the science department. high schools gathered in Columbia Under the guidance of their physical science teachers, ninth graders then reviewed for statewide meetings at the first-ever the predictions and refined them to create valid hypotheses that could be tested. Missouri Congress of A+ Tutors. Science teachers forwarded the agreed-upon hypotheses to language arts teachers, who Charles McNeal, Darnell Rodriguez, constructed student surveys that would determine whether the hypothetical effects of Shy Nix, Haley Settle, Andrew Lieb, immigration on WHS were reality. and Izzy Switzer and their faculty Finally, students randomly surveyed approximately 10 percent of the current student mentors Bonnie Brainard and Jodi body. The results validated several hypotheses and refuted one. All results listed below Jones represented Waynesville High refer to students who answered the surveys. School at the event. Hypothesis one: If the students of WHS are of different cultures, then the student Student delegates and professional body will be accepting of the cultural differences. educators represented thousands of The result: Fifty-four percent of ninth graders and sixty-nine percent of upperclassmen Missouri high school students who said that students at WHS are either pretty much or very accepting of cultural give over 2,000,000 hours of help each differences. year to struggling peers, encouraging Hypothesis two: If the student enrollment of WHS continues to regularly them to stay in school and succeed. A+ transition, then students will find it difficult to establish meaningful and lasting tutors become role models for younger peer relationships. students who need them. The result: Eighty-eight percent of ninth graders said that it was somewhat or very The Waynesville representation difficult to establish those types of relationships. Seventy-one percent of upperclassmen shared a presentation reached the same conclusion. on the Tiger Joe Hypothesis three: If the enrollment transition of military students at WHS Coffee Shop at continues, then the extra-curricular activities groups at WHS will experience WHS. The students difficulty in maintaining team cohesiveness. presented a Power The result: Sixty-seven percent of ninth graders said that cohesiveness was normal for Point, and shared any school or higher than most. Seventy-nine percent of upperclassmen said the same details about Tiger thing. Joe as a fully functioning coffee shop Hypothesis four: If the positive relationship between Waynesville, St. Robert, inside Waynesville High School that and Fort Leonard Wood continues, then patriotism will be a high priority for the offers a hands-on work environment school and community. for students with special needs. They The result: Students from all grades agreed nearly unanimously that the relationship also explained how the A+ Tutors between communities is either pretty good or excellent. Sixty-seven percent of ninth assist students in transitioning to graders said that patriotism was a higher priority at WHS than at other schools. Fifty- post-secondary employment. Other eight percent of upperclassmen agreed with that. More than seventy percent of students educators and students that attended in all grades agreed that patriotism is a higher priority in our communities than in the presentation were encouraged to most places. implement such a program in their Teachers and students in the Ninth Grade Center will continue to “part the walls,” as school. they gain insight into the connections that power 21st century learning. WHS Baseball players hosted their first home game of the season on March 25, with Dr. Judene Blackburn, superintendent, throwing out the first pitch. Top right, Coach Scott Turner explains the plan for the youth players to throw baseballs to the WHS players. Players presented Dr. Blackburn with an autographed ball. The Color Guard members are Peter Oberwager, Jonathan Coach Brian Vernon’s 10 and under Tigers threw pitches to Gerspach and Donovan Dunaway. the high school player who plays their position. Adventure Leadership Camps offered for grades 4-12 A summer filled with activities awaits Transportation: Bus transportation will Adventure Leadership Camp for Waynesville students. In addition be provided; however, no special bus Grades 4-6 to Summer School on June 2-27, service is provided on extended days or Adventure Leadership Camp is a Adventure Leadership Camps and the overnight campout. hands-on outdoor adventure and I-STEM-21 camps will be available. character development experience that Last week, the I-STEM-21 camps Adventure Leadership Camp for will prepare students for their future. were promoted; this week Adventure Grades 7-8 Students will establish leadership skills Leadership Camps are highlighted: Adventure Leadership Camp is through such activities as obstacle a hands-on, outdoor adventure and courses, team building, land navigation, Adventure Leadership Camp for character development experience that rock climbing, outdoor skill building, Grades 9-12 will prepare students for their future. and character lessons. Activities are Adventure Leadership Camp is Students will establish leadership skills subject to change. a hands-on outdoor adventure and through such activities as canoeing, When: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. July 7-11 and one leadership development experience that camping, leadership lessons, high evening cookout and parent event will prepare students for their future. ropes course, community service, team Location: Freedom Elementary Students will establish leadership and building, and geo-caching. Activities Transportation: No bus service is character skills through such activities are subject to change. provided for Adventure Leadership as canoeing, camping, high ropes When: 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. June 16-20 Camp. course, team building, geo-caching and with one overnight campout Fee: Sliding scale activity fee will community service. Students will be Location: Waynesville Middle School apply for each camp session based on given opportunities to be in leadership Transportation: Bus transportation will lunch status. Full price lunch: $50; positions throughout the camp. be provided in the mornings; however reduced lunch: $40; and free lunch: $30. Activities are subject to change. arrangements will need to be made for Financial assistance is available.

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