The Weekly Update #4

Working together with our community, teachers, and students, we’ve created a shared vision for what it means to be a Branson Pirate.

Our Portrait of a Pirate highlights the important skills and character traits every student will build from pre-k through graduation. It’s our promise to help every Pirate grow into a confident, capable, and caring graduate—ready for college, a career, or the military.

Now more than ever, students need learning experiences that combine strong academics with the real-world skills and mindsets that help them succeed after graduation.

The Portrait of a Pirate helps students learn deeply, build important life skills, and connect what they do in school to their future goals. It also supports the district’s plan to prepare every student to be college-, career-, and life-ready.

This newsletter seeks to provide a bridge from our school to our wider community.

"Our Portrait of a Pirate defines the skills that unite every learner from their first day in Pre-K to their walk across the graduation stage." - Mrs. Poor

Finding ways to change and move forward in any situation.

This trait highlights being flexible, responding well to change, trying new roles, and adjusting to feedback and different situations.

Actively listening and sharing thoughts, feelings and ideas with others.

This means thinking clearly, expressing ideas, listening to others, and working in teams

💬 First-grade Pirates show strong communication skills as they listen, share, and retell their favorite stories!

Branson High School’s 2nd Annual Cultural Exchange Day was a wonderful success, thanks to the support of the Branson Chamber of Commerce & Taney County Partnership. Our J-1 students and BHS Spanish students had a fantastic time connecting, sharing, and celebrating different cultures together. This event was led by BHS Spanish teachers Carrie Clark and Stephanie Ortiz.

Six members of the ADAPT Club attended the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) Leadership Conference, joining over 4,000 participants from around the nation to promote substance use prevention. They engaged in workshops, planning sessions, and networking events. A special congratulations to Mya Crowther, who won first place in the CADCA Youth Talent Show for her vocal performance!

💙 With compassion and community spirit, our partners at Tradehome Shoes helped ensure CRE students had the shoes they needed to start the year strong.

Showing care and respect for the thoughts, feelings, and cultures of others.

Compassion means caring for others, respecting their experiences and feelings, recognizing diversity, and acting with kindness and empathy.

Students earning the AP Capstone Diploma and AP Seminar and Research Certificate have shown exceptional critical thinking skills by tackling real-world problems through in-depth research, analysis, and communication.

Using reasoning to solve problems and make wise decisions.

This trait involves analyzing information, solving problems, asking questions, and applying knowledge in meaningful ways.

Students at CRI were recognized by their classroom teacher for showing integrity in the classroom. Way to go, girls!

Doing the right thing even when know one is watching.

This means being honest, owning one’s choices and actions, sticking to ethical principles, and earning trust through consistent behavior.

Never giving up.

This trait involves continuing to try, showing grit, overcoming setbacks, learning from mistakes, and staying committed to long-term goals.

This newsletter is a collaborative celebration of what makes Branson shine — our people! Each month, we’ll highlight Pirates making a positive impact both in and out of our schools.

We invite our community members, families, and local businesses to help us recognize students you see every day — in your neighborhoods, workplaces, parks, and throughout our town — who demonstrate Portrait of a Pirate values.

With your nominations and support, we can continue to celebrate the skills that last a lifetime—critical thinking, compassion, communication, integrity, adaptability, and perseverance—building a stronger community and a brighter future for all our Pirates.