TOMAHAWK TRIBUNE

The Meramec Valley R-III School Board is committed to excellence in governance and leadership. The Board of Education meets on the third Wednesday of each month. Find Board News at www.mvr3.k12.mo.us.

What a memorable year in MVNation! Our students and staff accomplished so much, and there are countless moments worth celebrating. Take a look back at all the highlights from an incredible school year. Wishing everyone a fun, relaxing, and safe summer!

The District is incredibly proud to announce that 43 Arrow Academy students successfully earned their high school diplomas this year through our specialized alternative pathways.

Arrow Academy truly makes a difference in our community by providing flexible, supportive environments that empower students to cross the finish line.

By the Numbers: Pathways to Graduation

• 30 Students graduated via the Missouri Option Program.

• 2 Students graduated with the support of our seated Alternative Program.

• 11 Students successfully utilized additional tailored district pathways.

Why This Matters

These alternative programs are vital to the MVR-III mission. By actively reducing dropout rates, Arrow Academy ensures that students who are at risk of falling behind receive the individualized support they need to graduate and emerge fully prepared for work-ready success.

At the latest meeting, the Board of Education announced it will not move forward with a school bond initiative originally considered for the upcoming August ballot. Instead, the District is launching a comprehensive community engagement campaign to better understand the priorities, needs, and perspectives of local residents.

To guide this effort, the District has partnered with Discovery Works Collaborative, an external consulting firm specializing in public opinion research and community engagement.

The upcoming initiative will focus on gathering direct feedback through several collaborative channels, including:

• Targeted panels featuring parents, staff members, and community stakeholders.

• Community-wide survey being designed to give residents a voice in the district's future planning.

This year was nothing short of historic for #MVNation, and it is all thanks to the incredible dedication, passion, and hard work of our phenomenal staff!

From classrooms to competition fields, they provided a safe, supportive, and joyful environment where students could laugh, learn, work hard, and shatter records.

Academic Excellence & Bright Futures

• $4.6 Million: A record-breaking amount in scholarships earned by our graduating class!

• Top-Tier Scholars: 5 students scored a 30 or better on the ACT!

• A+ Honors: 72 outstanding students earned their A+ honors.

• 11 high school seniors graduated with their associate's degree, along with their high school diploma

• 16 graduates are committed to play collegiate sports.

• 34 graduates have committed to attend trade schools.

• 4 graduates answered the call to serve our country & enlisted in the military.

PLTW Distinguished Schools Award: Received by Pacific High School, Riverbend, Pacific Intermediate, and EVERY single one of our elementary schools! Your commitment to project-based learning is officially elite.

2026 National School of Character: Robertsville Elementary has been named a 2026 National School of Character!

2026 State School of Character: Coleman Elementary has been named a 2026 State School of Character!

These honors, awarded by Character.org, recognize schools that demonstrate a strong commitment to developing a positive school culture, ethical leadership, and character growth among students.

Character.org recognized 290 Promising Practices worldwide this year. This designation honors schools and organizations that successfully bring character to life and align with one or more of Character.org’s 11 Principles Framework for Schools.

Within MVR-III, Coleman Elementary School earned one National Promising Practice recognition, Pacific High School earned three recognitions, Zitzman Elementary School earned one recognition, and the district earned an overall recognition for its “Bridging the Future” practice.

To learn more and view the full list of honorees, visit Character.org.

Dear MVR-III Families,

As we transition out of the regular school year, we are incredibly excited to kick off our Summer Discovery summer school program! The program will run daily from June 1st through June 30th, and we can't wait to see our students there.

To help support our community, we are also thrilled to offer free breakfast and lunch for all children ages 18 and younger. These meals will be served Monday through Friday at all of our summer school locations.

Looking Ahead: We Need Your Voice! Later this June, the Meramec Valley R-III School District will launch a community-wide survey for all stakeholders and voters. We are asking for your valuable feedback on our next steps in Long Range Master Planning. Specifically, we want your thoughts on making critical facility repairs to our current schools and the construction of a new middle school.

Please be on the lookout for this survey next month—your input is vital to our district's future!

We wish you all a wonderful, relaxing, and safe summer!

Riverbend Middle School received a special visit from the KMOV Surprise Squad after students spent several trimesters focused on the importance of gratitude and appreciation for others!

Watch the broadcast from Thursday, May 21 at kmov.com.

The Meramec Valley R-III School District was recognized at the St. Louis Community College School District Awards for its successful dual enrollment program. Represented by Dr. Quinn Flexsenhar, the district earned recognition for having the highest average savings per dual enrollment student at nearly $12,762 each, while also helping students collectively save between $200,000 and $500,000 in college costs.

Through a partnership with St. Louis Community College, the district’s Early College Program allows up to 12 juniors each year to earn an associate degree while still attending high school. The district pays tuition costs, leaving families responsible only for books. This year, 11 Pacific High School seniors graduated with both a high school diploma and an associate degree.

Zitzman Elementary students, staff, and community members came together to celebrate an extraordinary milestone—surpassing one million minutes of reading through Beanstack!

With a final total of 1,017,496 minutes and counting, the achievement represents far more than time spent with books. It reflects a shared commitment to learning and growth!

Pacific High School track and field athletes delivered stellar performances at the Missouri State Track and field championships, highlighted by a historic, record-breaking performance from McKenna Lay.

Lay dominated the throwing events, capturing the State Championship title in the Javelin with a monumental throw of 49.32 meters. Her mark sets a new Missouri girls' state record. Lay also proved her versatile strength across the board by earning impressive third-place finishes in both the Discus and Shot Put events.

In the running events, Maddie Rush turned in a strong performance for Pacific, placing 10th in the state in the 300-meter Hurdles.

Distance runner Ben Smith also represented the school well on the state stage, with two races. Smith earned a 10th place finish in the 1600-meter run and secured 12th place in the 3200meter run.

Congratulations to these outstanding athletes on capping off their seasons among the very best in Missouri!

One year ago, Meramec Valley R-III teamed up with Southwest Foodservice Excellence (SFE) to transform school dining. Thanks to this partnership, our cafeterias have seen incredible, student-focused improvements over the past year, including:

• Fresh-Scratch Cooking
• Monthly Menu with Variety
• Student-Led Feedback

Because of this first-year success, the Board of Education officially approved a new 5-year contract with SFE.

To ensure our students continue to have safe and reliable transportation, Meramec Valley R-III is proactively addressing an aging portion of our bus fleet.

As part of the 2026-27 budget planning, the Board of Education approved a solicitation to purchase five high-quality used buses (one large and four small).

By utilizing capital funds and securing competitive financing through a local bank, the district is maximizing budget efficiency. The total purchase will not exceed $385,000, keeping student safety our top priority while remaining fiscally responsible.

DHELC is now enrolling for preschool at Doris Hoffman, Nike Elementary, and Coleman Elementary!

MVR-III is offering full-day and half-day preschool sessions, providing a nurturing and engaging early learning experience for young learners.

Program highlights include:

• Free for families who qualify based on household income

• Tuition Available

• Eligibility for children who are 3 to 5 years old

Our preschool program is designed to support social, emotional, and academic growth while building a strong foundation for kindergarten and beyond.

Spots are open! To start the enrollment process, contact the Doris Hoffman Early Learning Center at 636-271-1464.

Summer School - June 1 to 29

District Closed (No School) - June 19

Back to School Bash - August 1

2026-27 Open House Events:

August 17 - Riverbend Middle School

August 18 - Pacific High School/ Arrow Academy/Doris Hoffman Early Learning Center

August 19 - Coleman/Nike/Robertsville/Zitzman

August 20 - Pacific Intermediate

Help us make a difference in the lives of our over 3,000 Pre-K through 12th grade students. Start the process of finding your home in #MVNation today!

Learn more about these opportunities and apply today at http://bit.ly/JOINMVR3.