FAREWELL...

In my wildest dreams, I never thought this time would come - leaving Chillicothe High School.

The past few years have been filled with some remarkable memories, many accomplishments, and other areas where I could have done a better job. I will always have the memories of the most supportive community in the country and some very special kids.

From the skydivers at the football games, the excitement of Jam the Gym and Worlds of Fun, and Seniors painting their parking blocks, it was always a time of joy and a little sadness. All in all, it was a great time.

The High School made some tremendous strides, and the students and faculty have been rewarded with a Blue Ribbon nomination and just recently were awarded a Gold Star. The hours of preparation for MAP certainly paid off for everyone. Thanks again to everyone for all their efforts.

Dignity, class, and respect were our guidelines; and these students have grown and prospered in this light. Chillicothe High School students take a back seat to no one.

New adventures and new challenges await and maybe even another old house to fix. I am ready for the challenge and have gained strength from the spirit and pride of Chillicothe High School.

Go Hornets!

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Gold Star - We Won!

Congratulations to all the parents and students of Chillicothe High School. We won!

The High School was notified this past Friday that we had been selected as one of 13 schools in the state of Missouri to be named a GOLD STAR School. In checking past records, I believe that this is a first in Chillicothe High School history. The list of thank yous and "great job" could go on forever; obviously our Administration and Board of Education for their support. I could say thanks to these marvelous teachers for day and days; our custodial staff, the cafeteria ladies, and the nurses have been great. Of course, the lion's share of the credit goes to our wonderful students. They have embraced the intricacies of the MAP test and all the associated strategies that make this battery of tests such a challenge. Great job by all - you really are the best, and now it is not just my words, but the choice of the State Department of Education.

On another huge positive note, our Junior Senior Prom was an enormous success. Mrs. Thurman and the Junior class turned the high school into a incredible venture into New York Nights. Prom night will live in their memories forever, and these memories will be of a first class presentation and lots of fun.

The Project Prom held at the YMCA was also a fantastic success. Lisa Daugherty and Angela Peterson, along with a host of parents, worked diligently in gathering prizes, making food, and organizing a night of first class entertainment, not to mention a big loss of sleep (the party concluded at 5 in the morning).

As we nudge closer to the end of school, let me remind all the parents that our teachers are still actively involved in providing the best of educational opportunities. There will still be homework and papers to write. With all the different functions that take place this time of year, we sometimes forget that we still have school in session. I would encourage you to make sure your students are on time in the mornings and prepared to receive a full days instruction. Stay involved in your students education.

Go Hornets!

Kicking Off MAP C-T Photo by Laura Schuler Musician Marty Breeze of Lee's Summit, Missouri, played for the entire Chillicothe High School student body on Thursday, March 25, at the Gary Dickinson Performing Arts Center. According to CHS principal Bob Levy, the musician played a variety of songs for about an hour and urged the students to "do the right thing." The event was held to encourage the students to do well on their MAP tests. MAP testing began Monday, March 29, and goes through April 21.
	Jammin' in the Gym... C-T Photo by Butch Shaffer A record number of fans "jammed the gym" for the Chillicothe girls' game against Cameron, which was also Senior Night. During the evening, school officials organized a "flight for cash." A Chillicothe 8th grader was the first fan who successfully flew a paper airplane into the hornet can and received a $100 cash award. The Chillicothe girls beat the Lady Dragons 56-23.

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Prep Talk

In early December, I received a letter from the United States Department of Education informing us that Chillicothe High School had been nominated for the No Child Left Behind/Blue Ribbon Schools Award. My first reaction was this is going to be a task to fill out numerous forms and then receive a certificate in the mail from the government. Much to my surprise and delight, the next day I received a letter from Dr. King at the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education informing us that we indeed had been nominated for this prestigious award and gave us instructions on how to proceed in the nomination process.

The No Child Left Behind/Blue Ribbon Schools Award is a federal program that recognizes high performing schools and schools that have achieved dramatic academic improvement while serving a large proportion of disadvantaged children. Those schools nominated also made adequate yearly progress in 2003 and met other federal guidelines. Of particular significance, Chillicothe was one of eight schools nominated in the state of Missouri; and of these eight schools only three were high schools. The other five were Junior High or Middle Schools. Adding to the prestige is that there are 912 High School and Middle School/Junior High Schools in the state. To be one of eight, and more particularly, one of three high schools, speaks volumes for the performance of our students and the quality work of their teachers.

There are a number of reasons for this high level of achievement. First and foremost has been the support of our Administration and School Board. We have been blessed with leaders who have embraced the significance of the MAP test and the steps necessary to achieve this high level of performance. Our students have been incredible in their grasp of the intricacy of the MAP testing procedure and their desire to excel; obviously it has worked for them as our scores are among the best in the state.

The lions share of the credit goes to the high school faculty. They have worked diligently to revise curriculum, develop creative new strategies to enhance learning, and overcome the lack of State funding to perform a seemingly impossible task and do so at such a high level. I would be remiss if I did not mention the dedication of the department chairs who meet with me regularly and at each meeting I give them more MAP related tasks. John Musser, Science: This department made significant strides last year in their MAP results. Mary Pat Whiteside, Language Arts: This department has been in the top 10 most improved the past two years. Deanna Morgan and Nancy McGuire, co-chair the Math department: They too made dramatic strides in last year’s testing. Mike Lair, Social Studies: Despite the hardest version of the MAP I have seen, Mike and his staff scored above the state average. Not to think that only the core areas are subject to the MAP challenge, our fine arts, physical education and business departments played a huge role in supporting the MAP effort by incorporating MAP strategies into their daily classroom work. One group that has exceeded all expectations is the ladies of the special education department. Brenda Block chairs this group of talented professionals; each of these teachers has grown in their role with our students. I would love to tell you that the high school accomplished this lofty status by ourselves, but the ladder of success starts at Dewey School and works its way up to the grade schools to the middle school and finally to the high school. Many thanks to the administrators and teachers at each of these buildings for their laying the foundation for our students to excel on this very difficult battery of tests.

What a great week at Chillicothe High School. If you see one of our students or teachers on the street, pat them on the back for a great job and their dogged determination to be one of the best schools in the state. 

Go Hornets!!

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