Fire Safety Week

KES students practiced fire drill procedures and enjoyed a visit from the Western Taney County Fire Department. The firefighters taught the students about the importance of having a home fire escape plan, changing batteries in the smoke detectors, what a firefighter looks like in full uniform and to "stop, drop and roll." The students toured the fire truck, used the siren and sprayed the fire hose.

Pumpkin Patch

First grade students enjoyed beautiful weather and a wonderful day at McKenna's Pumpkin Patch just north of Branson. The fall fun included a hayride, hay maze, a barn slide and more. The owners at McKenna's were complimentary about the way our kids conducted themselves. After a picnic lunch, the students ventured to the park at the Rec Plex for climbing, swinging and more!

Ronald McDonald Show

Ronald McDonald was on hand at KES on Thursday, October 9 putting on a fantastic show entitled, "You're the Star!" Students were encouraged to feel good about themselves and their talents, looking forward to the future when they can be anything they want to be!

McTeacher Night

KES students and families enjoyed McTeacher Night on Tuesday, October 7. Faculty members were on hand to visit with the community and "work" at McDonald's. The event netted $390.91. McDonald's donated 20% of the sales for that evening between 4:00-8:00.

Students and families enjoy fall-themed STAR time

KES held its quarterly STAR (Stay Today and Read) time on Wednesday, October 1. The students enjoyed fall-themed reading and reading-related activities until 5:00 when parents came to join them for family reading time. The purpose of STAR time is to promote the importance of family reading in terms of student reading progress and reading enjoyment for all. A Target Store Grant provided a free book for each child in attendance!

2008 Media Awards

The Kirbyville Elementary Express received the 2008 Media Award for outstanding reporting of news in education from the Missouri State Teachers Association in the category of school building newsletter. Mrs. Gaines Principal's Page also received the same award in the category of school building web pages.

KES receives $3000 Target Store Grant

Kirbyville Elementary School is currently providing several successful efforts to encourage family reading. Last year's Target Store Grant allowed us to expand these services by giving books to students to build their own personal libraries as they participate in our current programs. The books were both incentives to increase participation and resources for the students to have appropriate reading materials at home with their families.

Thanks to the new Target Store Grant, the expanded number of books provided to students will continue into the 2008-09 school year. Students will earn one new book of their choice each time they attend "STAR" or "Stay Today and Read", and will earn a free book of their choice at four benchmarks along the way during the “BLAST Books/Literacy: A Super Time” at-home reading program. Additional Scholastic books will be provided to students for summer reading packets as well for our "Splash Into Summer Reading" program. This continuation of the program improvements made through our previous Target Store Grant will provide an additional incentive for students to participate, but more importantly, will help to remove the barrier of lack of reading materials at home for low-income students. The lack of reading materials at home has been an ongoing concern for many families and is a cause for non-participation in at-home reading programs for some students. Also, at the lower grades, finding books that students can read themselves available in retail outlets is a challenge. The school, through educational materials outlets, will find books at beginning reading levels for the students who need them.

The more you read, the better you read. The better you read, the more you read. Thank-you, Target for supporting our efforts to build better readers.

Thank-you, Springfield-Greene Co. Library District and MO-PIRC

The Missouri Parent Information Center, working in conjunction with the Springfield-Greene Co. Library, provided each first grade student in Taney County Title 1 schools with the gift of a book. The Kirbyville first graders were very excited to receive their very own copy of a Junie B. Jones book, by Barbara Park. Junie B. is an inquisitive, lovable and often mischievous first grade student who finds herself in all sorts of adventures and misadventures. The book is definitely at a first grade interest level, but in most cases is a read-aloud selection at this point in the year.

Included with the book was information for parents about literacy and some tips to make family reading enjoyable. The purpose of the gift was to encourage families to make reading together a regular habit.