Maries County R 2 School District

Welcome back to the new school year! We are looking forward to an amazing school year.

We would like to welcome our new staff to Maries Co. R 2.

Terin Hollis, Special Education Director
Biance Stocks, High School PE
Tara Mace, 1st Grade
Nick Halbrook, 5th Grade
Abbygale Halbrook, 2nd Grade
Alesha Shockley, High School ELA

Transportation 573-859-3800 ext. 1600

Belle Elementary 573-859-3800 - Option 3

Bland Middle School 573-859-3800 Option 4

Belle High School 573-859-3800 Option 2

Special Education 573-859-3800 Option 5

Additional information can be found on the district website at mariesr2.org.

2025-2026 Required Notifications

Each year we are required to share specific notifications with parents and the community. If you have any questions about the documents, please contact the Administration Office at 573-859-3800.

Eligibility for Free and Reduced Lunch. This provides information about the income eligibility for families to qualify for free and reduced meals. Children from families whose current income is at or below the chart are eligible for free-reduced price meals. This was mailed to all homes with the application. : https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/2045/Maries_R_2/4532982/Income_Eligibility_Criteria.pdf

For more information about free and reduced price meals, please contact Beki at 573-859-3800.

Public Release for Free/Reduced Lunch: Attached is the link to the Public Release, Form F: https://5il.co/3ne0s

This was mailed to all homes with the application.

ESSA Complaint Procedures for Federal Programs. This link provides information about how to file a complaint about any of the programs that are administered by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA).:

https://5il.co/w1lg. This information is also contained in your building handbook.

LEA Parent and Family Engagement Policy. This is part of the Federal ESEA program requirements. It provides parents and families with information about the Title 1 program policies, procedures and evaluations : https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/2045/Maries_R_2/4897834/LEA_Parent_and_Family_engagement_Policy_Title.pdf

School Parent and Family Engagement Policies. There is one document for Belle Elementary and one document for Bland Middle School. These are part of the Federal ESEA requirements. They are available at the following link: https://www.mariesr2.org/page/title-i

Title One Schoolwide Program Plan: These plans provide information about the Federal ESEA programs opportunities for students and what each Title 1 plan will consist of in the specific building.

Belle Elementary School Link: https://5il.co/2y641

Bland Middle School Link: https://5il.co/2y644

Special Education Public Notice.

All responsible public agencies are required to locate, evaluate, and identify children with disabilities who are under the jurisdiction of the agency, regardless of the severity of the disability, including children attending private schools, children who live outside the district but are attending a private school within the district, highly mobile children, such as migrant and homeless children who are wards of the state, and children who are suspected of having a disability and in need of special education even though they are advancing from grade to grade. (more)

August 19 - First Day of School

August 22 - FFA Back to School BBQ (HS)

August 22 - PAT Ice Cream Social

August 26 - Tax Rate Hearing 6:55 Admin Office

August 26 - August Board of Education Meeting 7:00 Admin Office

September 3 - Athletic Booster Club Meeting 5:30

Please visit the Event Page on our website for all athletic events.

Meal Prices for 2025-2026

Middle School and High School Lunch: $2.10

Middle School and High School Breakfast: $1.20

Second Lunch: $2.00

Adult Breakfast: $1.50

Adult Lunch: $3.10

Link to District Wellness Plan: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/2045/Maries_R_2/4889805/Wellness_Plan_2024-2025.pdf

Beginning with the 2025-26 school year, Missouri law (Senate Bill 68 https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/pdf-bill/tat/SB68.pdf pages 62-64) prohibits students from using or displaying electronic personal communication devices from the beginning until the end of the school day, including, but not limited to, during instructional time, meal times, breaks, time between classes and study halls.

The majority of our students have already been following this policy. However, procedures will look different in each building.

The law defines an "electronic personal communications device" as a portable device that is used to initiate, receive, store, or view communication, information, images, or data electronically. Prohibited devices include, but are not limited to, cell phones, smart watches, smart glasses, wireless earbuds/headphones, tablets, and personal laptops. All student phones and devices will now need to be stored for the entire school day. In each school building that will look a little different and more details will be communicated on how that looks by each building principal. More details regarding enforcement and consequences of violating the district’s electronic devices policy will also be communicated directly from building principals.

Exceptions to the policy may be granted on an individual basis. Please contact your building administrator for more details.

We look forward to your support as we implement these new policy/procedural changes.

For additional building specific information about this new law:

Middle School

High School - see email sent from Mr. Haslag

Belle Elementary is participating in a Free Breakfast and Free Lunch program for the current school year 2025-2026. This alternative is referred to as the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). If your children attend Belle Elementary, breakfast and lunch will be available to them at no charge. Household applications for free and reduced price meals will not be collected. However, if you have children in Preschool, Middle School or High School, we still need you to complete a Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications for your other students.

The school breakfast and lunch that we serve follow U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines for healthy school meals. Meals will be served to all Elementary students at no charge regardless of the eligibility status per household applications.

If you have any questions about the program, please feel free to contact Beki at 573-859-3800.

As a school district and community: we commit…

● To make student learning needs the priority and to ensure students are learning.

● To maintain high expectations and continuous learning to improve the educational experience for our students. ● To provide a safe, nurturing positive learning environment for our students.

● To provide, attract and retain quality teachers and staff

● To implement the education of our children as a collaborative community responsibility

Priority Goal 1: All students will graduate college, career and life ready.

Priority Goal 2: Maries Co. R 2 Schools will provide resources to support, attract and retain quality staff.

Priority Goal 3: Maries Co. R 2 Schools will promote community and parent involvement in support of the programs and academic performance of students in the district with a focus on the whole child/family.

Priority Goal 4: Maries Co. R 2 Schools Board of Education and Administration will conduct school business in an ethical, legal and transparent manner.

The district's CSIP plan can be found at this link: CSIP Plan

For additional information abour our Continuous School Improvement, please visit our website. https://www.mariesr2.org/page/continuous-school-improvement