Share a note of thanks to a teacher, student or any employee by emailing communications@spsmail.org

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Partner thanks CHS students

I wanted to pass along the story of a great partnership between Central High School's Basic Practical Arts class and the American Cancer Society.

The past four years, this group has helped the American Cancer Society put together thousands of Relay For Life team and participant packets. This year, they put together 15,780 individual packets for over 25 Relay events across southern Missouri. There were five insertions in each packet and then a bundle of 15 packets were inserted into the team captain packet. The group began in October and completed the project in early February.

This is a huge task that simply can't be done by our staff. Without this group, we would not be able to have our packets ready in time for our teams to begin raising money. The 18 students were supervised by teachers Leanna Jackson and Andy Lebinski.

Please extend our thanks through any internal or external avenue you deem appropriate!

- Ashley Hill, American Cancer Society, High Plains Division

Roses & Thorns

Springfield News-Leader, March 4

A ROSE: We would like to give a rose to McBride Elementary School Principal Dr. Bret Range. We appreciate the great role model he is to our children. We appreciate his willingness to perform in the school talent show last week -- multiple times. We appreciate his commitment to each child's education both inside and outside the classroom. We feel fortunate to have such an outstanding principal.

- Shawn and Joella Shanklin, Springfield

Roses & Thorns

Springfield News-Leader, March 17

A ROSE: To the Springfield Symphony for the wonderful concert for the Rountree community on Sunday, March 1 at Rountree Elementary School. It was thoroughly enjoyed by the many people who attended and was very much appreciated. Thank you Springfield Symphony!

- David Martin, Principal, Rountree Elementary School

Teacher, parent gives props to Carver faculty

Dear Carver faculty members:

I have seen some amazing things going on at Carver lately for which I wanted to take a moment and give thanks and praise to you.

First, thank you so very much to the fantastic mathematics teachers who have provided extra tutoring to seventh graders after school on Mondays and Wednesdays for the past four weeks so that students will be successful on the MAP test. Your extra efforts will pay off for Carver, Parkview and Kickapoo students in the future. As a teacher at Parkview, I thank you profusely for enriching their mathematical foundation in middle school. Thank you also to everyone involved with getting buses arranged for students to be taken home. That was an outstanding perk to this extracurricular program that, as a parent, was highly appreciated.

Thanks also to Mrs. Justice for the phenomenal orchestra concert last night. It is obvious that she is passionate about what she does and thoroughly enjoys her profession. She knows exactly how hard to push the kids so that they are learning music theory and performance simultaneously at the far reaches of their potential. She has set the bar very high, and obviously knows her content pedagogy well in order to achieve her goals with her students. I am always impressed at the new techniques the students have learned with each successive concert and grade level. Again, the respective high schools have much to look forward to in the way of musicians.

In addition, thank you to the science teachers. As a science teacher myself, it is great to see my daughter coming home sharing with me content mastery that will eventually be seen again on the science end of course exams in high school. Again, you all are establishing the foundation for science. She has thoroughly enjoyed her classes both this year and last.

Lastly, thank you to all the wonderful faculty members who have responded in the past two weeks to my request for student recommendations for the Parkview cheerleading and dance teams. We take those recommendations VERY seriously, and I appreciate your precious time. It is important that students realize that their behaviors have consequences. We, as educators, are here to teach both content and decorum. The latter, I feel, "takes a village" as Hilary Clinton once wrote. All of your additional comments were very helpful in determining which girls should be chosen as represenatives of Parkview, though I know it is time consuming to do so.

Stephanie Blake - Carver parent and Parkview High School science department head and cheer/dance choreographer.

Thanks, Coach Ratcliff

Coach Ratcliff: Thanks for everything you helped me with last semester! I consider myself truly blessed to have gotten my placement in Reed (Middle School) and with you. It is nice to observe a teacher who genuinely cares about each student that walks through those doors. …”

- Kayla Schweiss