October Pirate Post

Hello Everyone! This is Dr. Rogers with an update on the important work that continues to take place across the Crane R-III School District!

This month we were proud to recognize Ms. Kenzie McGlothlin, one of our exceptional first-grade teachers, and Mr. Joe Brown, a talented high school social studies teacher, as our Teacher Proud Tuesday honorees. These spotlights give us the chance to showcase the incredible individuals who make public education so impactful.

Our October Teacher of the Month is Mrs. Erica Back, another outstanding first-grade teacher. Mrs. Back will be honored at the upcoming Table Rock Lake Chamber of Commerce Luncheon in November. This is a well-deserved recognition of her hard work and commitment to our students.

Academic Happenings: Both the elementary and junior high/high school are working hard, finishing up our first quarter of the year. The high school staff is preparing to embark on the important process which we would love feedback from all our community members regarding traits and skills that graduates of Crane R-III should possess. If you would like to provide your feedback, please go to the following link to answer three questions. If you prefer, you may also call me or Mrs. Tara Mease, the high school principal, at 417-723-5300 ext. 907 or 904. We would be happy to record your responses over the phone. The link is https://tinyurl.com/CraneGrads

Board Meeting Updates: At this month’s Board of Education meeting, we were honored to welcome Mr. Tyler Laney, former Superintendent of Crane. Mr. Laney shared valuable insights regarding the state’s upcoming revisions to the school funding formula currently in development. He also announced a generous contribution he had made during his tenure where he donated his unused sick leave pay and compensation received while serving as Interim Elementary Principal to establish the Crane Educator of the Year Scholarship. In addition, Mr. Laney expressed his pride in Mr. Shannon Lasiter, one of our board members and a Crane graduate, who continues to make a positive impact on students through his work as a teacher at the Table Rock Career Center. Beyond Mr. Laney’s visit, the board addressed several items of district business. Members voted to postpone selecting bids for the fencing around the track in order to compare costs between full installation and materials-only options, with the possibility of utilizing community volunteers to help reduce expenses. The board also voted against a proposed addendum due to the higher than anticipated cost to have the contractor pour a concrete “apron” around the track, which would have created a maintenance-free area between the track and the surrounding fence. The meeting concluded with an update to the district’s Petty Cash policy, ensuring practices and policies align.

Track Updates: As many of you have likely noticed, concrete has been poured for the entire track and field events. The contractor will begin working on the all-weather surface that will cover the concrete sections. We are hopeful for a mild November and December so work can progress, however, if the rain and cooler temperatures persist, the track will not be completed by winter. While the weather is beyond our control, we appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding. We are confident, once finished, our track will be top-of-the-line!

This past week, the district was fortunate to receive an offer of excess dirt from the Stone County EMS construction project. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Chris Vaught Construction, Vaught Construction, and Crane Youth Sports for their part in hauling the dirt from the EMS site to our track, at no cost to the district. In addition to transporting the material, they also cleared brush and removed several trees on the northwest side of the track, helping to create a smoother, more gradual slope in that area. Our own Les Essary, Transportation Director for Crane R-III, then used the district’s skid steer to expertly level and spread the loads of dirt. We are confident these improvements will enhance the overall layout and appearance of the track area.