GAINESVILLE R-V SCHOOL DISTRICT
SEPTEMBER 2026 - DISTRICT NEWSLETTER
"QUALITY LEARNING TODAY FOR TOMORROW"
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
"Our Bulldog mission is to build a foundation for life-long success by providing a high quality education in a safe, healthy, inclusive, and respectful environment."Website: www.gainesvillebulldogs.com
Location: 422 Bulldog Drive, Gainesville, MO, United States
Phone: 417-679-4200
DISTRICT-WIDE CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER 23: See You at the Pole
SEPTEMBER 25: Teacher In-Service
OCTOBER 14: FCA Fields of Faith
OCTOBER 16: Parent-Teacher Conferences
SPECIAL OLYMPICS
ACADEMICS
HS SCIENCE
FACS
BAND
The Gainesville Marching Bulldog Band participated in the Seymour Apple Festival Parade on Saturday, September 12, 2026. Way to go Band!
BULLDOG ATHLETICS
CROSS COUNTRY
The Gainesville Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs Cross Country teams traveled to Alton on Wednesday for their second race of the season, and once again came home with plenty to be proud of.
The boys competed against runners from 12 schools and brought home their second straight team championship, finishing first with 41 points. East Carter was second with 47, and Van Buren finished third with 58.
Aiden Thome led the Bulldogs with a 4th-place finish in 18:12, followed closely by Archer Luna in 5th at 19:01 and Cayden Emrick in 7th at 19:05. Corbin Dees finished 13th in 19:56, Zaiden Rodrigue was 17th in 20:04, and Danny Mason finished 23rd in 20:22.
Zyler Rowland finished 44th in 24:00, Hunter Gott was 47th in 24:28, Dallin Sunday finished 54th in 26:06, Brycen Martin was 55th in 26:17 and Bryar Swartz finished 62nd in 28:56.
The girls competed against runners from 9 schools and put together another solid team race, finishing 3rd overall with 57 points behind East Carter and Twin Rivers.
Jessica Suit had another great day and successfully defended her Alton Invitational title, making her the back-to-back girls champion with a winning time of 21:26. Isabelle Workman finished 17th in 26:04, Calla Cochran was 23rd in 27:36, Sierra Jarvis finished 29th in 29:27, Arabella Veach-Lane was 30th in 29:46, Payton Eslinger finished 31st in 30:10, Anna Klessig was 33rd in 30:31 and Jazlynn Wittkofski finished 36th in 31:12. Mallory Simpson finished 44th in 38:22 and Emma Klessig was 46th in 42:39.
One thing we continue to stress with these student-athletes is that mindset matters. During these early-morning race-day meetings, we talk about race strategy, how to respond when things get hard, because it always does, how to handle pressure, encourage each other, and how to stay focused when their bodies and both start telling them to back off.
That stuff matters.
The boys are now two races into the season with two team wins. That is something to be proud of, but it’s early in the season, and there is a lot of work still to do. But we are starting to see what can happen when everybody buys in and understands that cross country really is both a team and an individual sport.
The girls continue to show a lot of toughness. A third-place team finish and a back-to-back individual championship is a pretty good day, but we know there is more in the tank and room to grow. That is what makes this part of the season fun. We aren’t supposed to be at our best yet.
We race. We learn. We go back to work. We get better.
No Grit. No Grind. No Greatness.
#mindsetmatters #thebulldogway
Submitted by Coach Gary Emrick & Coach David Murphy
HS FALL BASEBALL
Baseball is currently 8-2 on the fall.
We are young and continuing to improve each and every game.
Our team is holding a .335 avg with 84 hits, 16 2Bs, 5 3Bs and 4 HRs. Pitching wise, we have 6 guys we rotate around consistently and 5/6 have tallied 6+ innings on the mound. We have a total of 100 K's on the mound and hold a team ERA of 4.029.
Offensively, I am extremely impressed with our group. Obviously our biggest area of improvement needs to be on the mound and defensively. But as we grow and mature, I expect to see the improvement from our boys.
Submitted by Coach Blake Hobbs
HS VOLLEYBALL
The Gainesville High School volleyball team is on a roll! With an impressive 11-2 record for varsity and 8-0 record for JV, the Lady Bulldogs have established themselves as a team to watch as they charge through the season.
From powerful serves and aggressive attacks to relentless defense and clutch plays, Gainesville has been bringing energy and intensity to every match. The Lady Bulldogs have shown that success is about more than talent—it takes communication, trust, preparation, and a commitment to playing for one another.
The team’s impressive start is a testament to the hard work happening behind the scenes. Long practices, competitive drills, and a determination to improve have translated into exciting performances.
But the Lady Bulldogs aren’t satisfied yet. With the second half of the season ahead, Gainesville is focused on continuing to sharpen its game, compete with confidence, and make a strong push toward the postseason.
The momentum is building, the competition is heating up, and the Lady Bulldogs are ready for what comes next! Come out and support Gainesville High School Volleyball as we continue our pursuit of a successful season. We will be hosting the Pink Out game against Dora on October 6, starting at 5:30. We would love your help to “paint the gym pink” in support of a local community member currently battling breast cancer.
Submitted by Coach Heidi Gaulding
JH GIRLS BASKETBALL
JH Girls Basketball: Competing with Heart
The JH girls basketball team started the season strong, picking up their first win against Bakersfield. Since then, the girls have faced some tough competition that has challenged them to work hard, learn from each game, and continue improving.
Although the team currently sits at 1–4, the scoreboard doesn’t tell the whole story. The girls have shown determination and a willingness to compete, even when facing some of the stronger teams on their schedule. Each game has given them an opportunity to gain experience and find ways to get better.
The team continues to show improvement, such as becoming a better press breaking team, learning to rebound strong, and improving their defense. Most importantly, the girls have continued to fight through every game and support one another along the way.
With plenty of basketball still ahead, the JH girls will continue working on their skills, learning from their challenges, and growing together as a team. The tough competition they’ve faced early in the season will only help them as they continue to develop and improve.
There is still a lot of season left, and the girls are ready to keep working, keep learning, and keep competing!
With two competitive games coming up this week against Seymour and Alton, the girls will have a chance to build on what they’ve learned and continue working toward another win.
JH BOYS BASKETBALL
The Gainesville Junior High Boys Basketball team are off to a good start to begin their season. Both the A and B teams are working hard and improving daily.
The boys are back in action next week taking on Seymour on Monday, September 21 at home.
A Team Record: 5-0
Gainesville 37 - Bakersfield 24
Gainesville 47 - Fordland 10
Gainesville 52 - Mansfield 33
Gainesville 44 - Dora 26
Gainesville 40 - Sparta 28
B Team Record: 4-1
Gainesville 12 - Bakersfield 13
Gainesville 42 - Fordland 10
Gainesville 37 - Mansfield 10
Gainesville 39 - Dora 1
Gainesville 50 - Sparta 16
Submitted by Coach Lance West
JH CHEER
CLUBS AND GROUPS
FFA
The Gainesville FFA Greenhands and Chapter Officers traveled to the Area 13 Leadership Conference on Tuesday, September 15th.
FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES
The FCA group has been busy planning Fields of Faith which will be held Wednesday, October 14th and See You at the Pole which will be held Wednesday, September 23rd at 7:15 am in front of the high school. The community is invited to attend both events. Pancakes and sausage will be served at See You at the Pole.
JUNIOR HIGH STUDENT COUNCIL
Jr high students interested in serving on student council had the opportunity to give a short speech to their classmates. Each student shared what they enjoy most about our school and discussed ideas they have for making it school an even better place. This activity gave students a chance to practice leadership, public speaking and support while encouraging them to think about how they can make a positive difference in their school community.
JH STUCO 2026-2027
President Owen Hogan
Vice President Reese Estes
Members:
Brody Cooper
Denton Hambelton
Lillian Lynne
Dante Thome
Devyn Walker
Libby Miller
Tate Eslinger
SENIOR CLASS
Some senior class members blew up several balloons for the dart booth at Hootin' n' Hollarin'.
YEP - YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM
Gainesville Bulldogs have been working hard to prepare and distribute food bags and supplies around the district this week. Special thanks to Morrison Fertilizer for the use of their equipment to unload the Convoy of Hope shipment! #BulldogsServe
PRESCHOOL
KINDERGARTEN
We have had such a wonderful start to our kindergarten year! The first few weeks have been
filled with excitement, new friendships, and lots of learning. We have been busy getting to know
one another, learning our classroom routines, and practicing how to be kind, respectful, and
responsible members of our classroom family.
One of our biggest goals during these first few weeks has been helping students feel
comfortable, confident, and excited about school. We are learning how to share, take turns,
follow directions, and work together.
Last week, students learned about primary and secondary colors. They explored how primary
colors can be mixed together to create secondary colors. Through hands-on activities, students
mixed colors and observed how new colors were formed. It was a fun and exciting way to learn
about color mixing and creativity!
1ST GRADE
First Grade is Off to a Great Start!
We have had a wonderful start to the new school year in first grade! Our students have been busy learning classroom routines, building friendships, and getting back into the swing of learning. We have spent these first few weeks practicing expectations, working together, and creating a positive classroom community where everyone feels welcome and ready to learn.
Along with lots of reading, writing, and math, we have enjoyed getting to know one another and showing our school spirit. Hat Day was definitely a favorite!
We are excited about the year ahead and look forward to watching our first graders learn, grow, and gain confidence. It is going to be a great year in first grade!
2ND GRADE
We have had a wonderful start to 2nd grade!!
We spent the first week of school learning classroom and school procedures and expectations. We also spent some time getting to know one another. Students were able to fill a paper bag with 3-5 items that told us All About Them and then present it to the class.
We had a lot of fun putting a Collaborative Poster together! Each student got to color two different “puzzle pieces” and then we worked as a class to put our masterpiece together!
We also read Chrysanthemum and learned that before we speak we need to think and be smart because it’s hard to fix a wrinkled heart.
We have had some fun doing spelling and grammar practice — by writing on our desks! The kids thought this was pretty cool.
Finally, we enjoyed getting to listen to music and clap along during our Bluegrass Day in the gym. We are ready for Hootin and Hollarin!
I think we’re off to a pretty great start in 2nd grade!
3RD GRADE
In Reading, we are finishing up a poetry study. Students completed anchor charts in their interactive notebooks that discussed the Elements of Poetry and Figurative Language. They read multiple poems by the same poet, then worked as groups to compare and contrast the meanings of the poems. In Language Arts, we are using the new ClassCraft slides in our HMH Into Reading curriculum for a daily letter/sound identification and word blending review - I can tell this is already helping students tremendously!
In Math, we recently finished our Topic 2 study that focused on the patterns found within multiplication. We were thrilled with not only assessment scores, but with seeing student confidence in class. We are implementing “Timed Test Tuesdays” where students know that each Tuesday they will take a 2 minute, 20 question quiz over a set multiplication skill. We have assessed over x0, x1, and x2 so far, with x5 next week. In my class, 17 out of 19 students are considered “Multiplication Masters” by missing less than 2 on all of the given tests.
We have been so excited to see the students’ STAR assessment scores and cannot wait to help build upon the skills they have in place. Mrs. Lundry and I are so excited to continue being a team and working together to help our students grow academically and personally. It’s always a great day in 3rd grade!
4TH GRADE
Fourth grade is off to a great start, and we have been busy learning, exploring, and having fun! Our scientists have been diving into the scientific method, learning how scientists ask questions, make observations, form hypotheses, conduct experiments, and use evidence to draw conclusions.
We have recently moved on to learning about body systems, and the students have been especially excited to discover how the different parts of our bodies work together. One of our hands-on activities had students creating a model of a finger to demonstrate how muscles, tendons, and joints work together to help our fingers move. They enjoyed building their models and then testing them to see the science in action!
It has been wonderful to see students ask questions, collaborate, problem-solve, and make connections to the world around them. We are looking forward to all the learning and adventures still to come this year!