This fall, the Renaissance Committee of Adair County R-II School has unveiled a new contest called "Academics Alive". Students, as a class, may compete for the status of "Class of the Year". The purpose is to encourage students in grades 7-12 to improve attendance and grades as well as decrease tardies and discipline referrals.

In this year-long contest, students can earn points for their class in a contest that allows them to compete for Class of the Year. Points are earned for regular attendance, no tardies, attending tutoring sessions,

Achievement Test Scores, and GPA’s. Points are lost for discipline referrals and deficiency slips. Classes that meet or exceed their established goal, will earn the status of Class of the Year. All classes making Class of the Year will earn a pizza party at the end of the year. The class with the most points per student will earn a class trip. The trip will be limited to one day and must meet with the approval of the administration.

For more information, visit the guidance website at: http://brashear.k12.mo.us/dept/guidance/.

Once again, Goals 2000 is providing funding for before- and after-school tutoring in the elementary and high school buildings. In the elementary, Mrs. Kinsel, Mrs. Stephens, and Mrs. Thomas are working with groups of students who have been recommended on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

In the high school, tutoring is available before and after school and is provided by Mrs. Bradley, Mrs. Chambers, Mrs. Hoover, Miss Ralph, Mrs. Watson and Miss Wood. Tutoring is available to all students and each of these teachers post a calendar on their door notifying students of their availability. There is a master calendar in the gym that is updated on a weekly basis. High school students may earn points for the Academics Alive Contest and, so far, have accumulated over 4000 points.

and

the Brashear Tiger Athletic Boosters

are pleased to invite you to a

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

for the Brashear High School Gymnasium Floor on

Thursday, October 8, 1998,

at 7:00 p.m.,

in conjunction with the

Parent-Teacher-Student Association Meeting.

Your contribution and your enormous support

have made this project a success,

and it would indeed be an honor to have you in attendance.

The Adair County R-II Library Media Center has a website that is designed for students, teachers and patrons of the school district. Check our URL at

http://brashear.k12.mo.us/dept/library. If you have something you feel would add to this community-wide effort, please feel free to contact Denise Brown, Library Media Specialist.

The library media center is open to the students and patrons of the district from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and evenings by appointment. If you are a parent/patron wishing to use the library for the first time, the best time to visit is from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.

As the winter season approaches, we are reminding parents and students to listen to the local media stations to check on "early dismissals" and/or "no school" bulletins. This information will be given to KTVO television, KIRX radio, KTUF radio, KRXL radio, KRES radio of Moberly, and KMEM radio at Memphis. These sources will present dismissal information as soon as possible after decisions are made.

Almost every child begins school with a sense of excitement and adventure about learning. For many children the excitement lasts a lifetime. For others, it is short-lived. They soon begin to complain, "I don’t like school" or "I hate reading." If this happens, what should a parent do? How can a parent make a child like school and love learning?

Unfortunately, we can’t make children like school any more than we can make children learn. But we can help our children want to like school. And if we do that, they may find learning enjoyable and school a pleasant place to be.

The first step in helping children want to like school is to show genuine interest in their school work. This includes sharing and discussing the examples of work that are brought home from class. It also includes talking over the learning experiences our children have at school. We simply must sit down with our children and review the successes and the bright spots of each school day. And we need to emphasize those things that are the most positive, things they have done well even though they may be limited in number. If we do, we will help enhance their self-confidence.

It is vital that we show enthusiasm for learning itself, and not simply for what students are expected to learn. The reality is that our children are seldom more enthusiastic than we are about learning. When we believe that attendance at school is very important and communicate that attitude to our children, they will believe it is important too. When we let our children know that trying to learn is important, and when they see us continue to learn, they will believe it is important as well. We must make certain our children know precisely what they are expected to learn. When children are unsure about what they are expected to learn, the task seems overwhelming to them. When they know exactly what is expected, their studies seem much more manageable.

We will be stressing the importance of good writing this year. One of the ways we will be doing this is by identifying and recognizing what is positive and expressive in all student writing. Our message is that student writers can succeed and that they learn most efficiently by identifying and building upon their strengths: in ideas and content, voice, organization, sentence fluency, word choice, and the conventions of good writing. Our teachers will be teaching these traits and clarify, through many examples, how all must work in harmony to capture the moment. Who knows how much is possible once we help young writers to fully recognize what it is they do well and give them the tools they need to write and revise with ever growing expertise?

Each year The Anthology of Poetry, Inc. publishes selected works from children in kindergarten to seniors in high school. Timeless Wisdom by Ashlee Erwin was published in the 1998 edition of the Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans. Ashlee is a junior this year. Amber Baringer, a seventh grader, had Leaves published when she was 11.

I was so pleased when Tabitha Saner shared a collection of her written work entitled Impressions of The Mind with me. She had completed this work last year for English 10 under Carol Chambers.

We are proud of our students and their accomplishments. Please let them know you appreciate the hard work they do. We know that once children want to like school, chances are very good that they will find that learning is enjoyable and that school is a great place to be. If we continue trying at school, and you keep trying at home, we can reach our objectives.

Dr. Joyce Montgomery

Pursuant to the requirements of state law 162.997-999-RSMo, the State Board of Education is required to appoint a surrogate parent as such time as it becomes evident that a child with a disability does not have a parent or a person acting as a parent to participate in matters dealing with the provision of special education. For purposes of surrogate parent appointment, "parent" is defined as a biological parent, a guardian, or a person acting as a parent of a child including, but not limited to, a grandparent, a step parent, or a foster parent with whom the child lives. The term does not include the State if the child is a ward of the State. The term does not include a person whose parental rights have been terminated.

The local school district is given the responsibility to determine when a child with a disability who requires special education and who resides in the District is without a parent. The District must notify the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education of the need to appoint a surrogate parent. Training for persons serving as surrogate parents will be provided by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the District.

If you are interested in volunteering to serve as a surrogate parent, more information can be obtained from the Districts’ surrogate parent contact person - the person responsible for the District’s special education program.

The following businesses have purchased yearbook advertising for the 1998-99 school year. We appreciate all of the support that these businesses give to our school. A big thank you to the following yearbook students for their hard work in promoting these ads: Sara Collop, Amanda Fisher, Cassie Combs, Misty Schilling, Derick Garr, Jaimee Mountain, Casey Housman, Craig Clark, Josh Hettinger, Eric Clark, Sonya Darnell, and Jami Claybrook.

The Car Spa - Sonic - Galloway Lumber - Wal-Mart - J. Grgurich Excavating and Trucking Service - Tires and Tailpipes - Spanish Curl - Custom Muffler - Buck Bros. Sunny Slope - D & J’s Enterprise II - Frick and Cundiff, Attys. - Bogie’s - Gary’s Super Shell - SunBrite Laundry and Linen Service - Truman State University - Northeast Regional Health Systems - Pro Tech - Standard Register - Thousand Hills Dining Lodge - Pickell Abstract - Jones Bros. Service Station - Ice House: B&H Petroleum - Collins Rentals - Northtown Café - MFA Oil Gary Clark - Travis Noe Funeral Home - John’s Precision Cycle - Heetco - Kirksville Area Vo Tech - Heilig-Meyers Furniture Store - Harris Auto Service - Roger’s Trucking - J C Penney - Baltimore Bagels - Century 21 Insurance - Days Inn - Sears: Donnie Wheeler - Maxine’s Back to Nature Health Food Store - Whitney Harrison Insurance - Judd Motors - LaPlata State Bank - Hair Clinic II - Dairy Queen - Heartland Nurses Registry - Ratliff Reed - Nemo Trader - Hunters Banner Tire - Hy-Test Inc. - Pepsi-Cola Memphis Bottling Co. Inc. - Rider Drug - Fred Collop: American Family Ins. - Northeast Missouri State Bank - LaPlata Nursing Home - LaPlata Pharmacy - Century 21: Dean Adkins - Brown’s Shoe Company - American Family Insurance: Bill Mangini - Hollister’s - Simpson Printing - Shelter Insurance: Jerry and Betty Thomas - Brashear Community Bible Church - Kirksville Farm & Home - Mark Twain Telephone - Citizen’s Bank of Edina - Hudson Rimer Funeral Home - Terry Novinger Tractor & Combine - MFA Feed Mill - Paragon of Family Hair Care - Farr, Hickman, & Slavin, Attys. - Joyce’s Styling Hut - TK Security Storage - Sydenstricker Farm & Lawn, Inc. - Loren Hatfield Body & Frame - Scofield Body & Frame - Sunspot Tanning - Sunspot Cruise Agency - Noel’s Studio - H&S Auto Sales - Gene’s Small Engines - The Blue Room - Express Depot of Edina - Brashear Ag - Brashear Meat Processing - Edina Farm Shop: Alan Dixson and Jim Hamm - Little Jess Ford/Chrysler - Willowbend - Traveler’s Hotel - Wooden Nickel - W.L. Martin, Optometrist - Mercantile Bank - Edna Campbell’s Bookstore - Pasta & More - KLTE: Bott Radio Network - Tri-Rivers Planned Parenthood - Ponderosa - ASAP Graphics, Inc. - Kirksville Daily Express and Crier - Bank Midwest - Marino, Phillips and Early Clinic - Bank of Kirksville - Stone Creations - Joyce Otten, Associate Circuit Judge - Spark’s Cleaners - Gardner Collier, Inc. - Michael W. Mulford, VIP Enterprises - House of Jesus - Aileron’s - Davis-Playle and Fohn Funeral Home - Team Dannco - Uptown Café - Platz Barber Shop - John W. Gillum, C.P.A. - Daniel’s and Taggart, C.P.A. - Harrelson’s Radiator Repair - Ray Klinginsmith, Attorney at Law - Jerry L. Hamman, D.O. - Coe Ann Hardwick, Chiropractor - Bill Murrell, Recorder of Deeds - Bob Giovannini, Adair Co. Assessor - Lori Smith, Adair Co. Treasurer - Donald Riley, Dentist

Breakfast each day includes cereal, milk, juice or fruit. New regulations mandate the main entree for the day must be placed on each tray (designated by * in daily menu).

Thursday: French toast/Turkey & noodles*, cottage cheese, corn, peaches, brownies

Friday: Ham/Burger on bun*, tater rounds, peas, fruit, cookie

Monday: French toast/Chicken patty*, corn, beets, fruit, cookie

Tuesday: Donut/Spaghetti*, meat sauce, lettuce, fruit, brownies

Wednesday: Burrito/Roast beef*, mashed potatoes, gravy, peas, fruit

Thursday: Burrito/Mr. Ribb*, baked potato, green beans, fruit

Friday: NO SCHOOL

Monday: Waffle/Garlic cheese bread*, green beans, hominy, fruit, cake

Tuesday: Biscuit with jelly/Turkey & noodles*, cottage cheese, peas, fruit, brownies

Wednesday: Breakfast pizza/Tacos*, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, fruit, pudding

Thursday: English muffin/Ham*, potatoes, corn, fruit, jello

Friday: NO SCHOOL

Monday: Biscuits/Chicken fingers*, carrots, slaw, fruit, jello

Tuesday: Pancake/Beef tamale pie*, green beans, hominy, fruit

Wednesday: Donut/Pizza*, corn, beets, fruit, cake

Thursday: Scrambled eggs/Turkey*, gravy, green beans, fruit, hot rolls

Friday: Ham/Burger on bun*, tater rounds, carrots, fruit, cookie

Monday: Toast/Turkey ala king*, corn, beets, fruit, brownie

Tuesday: Waffle/Shaved ham on bun*, green beans, hominy, fruit, jello

Wednesday: Muffin/Nachos*, lettuce, tomatoes, fruit, cookie

Thursday: Biscuit & gravy/Chicken nuggets*, corn, spinach, fruit, cake

Friday: French toast/Beef stew*, corn bread, beans, slaw, apple crisp