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.

Board of Education Candidate Filing Opens Tuesday, December 9th

Meramec Valley R-III School District will soon begin accepting declarations of candidacy for the Board of Education. Three seats are up for election in the General Municipal Election on April 7, 2026, as the terms of board members Dianna Meyer, Amanda Nemeth, and Matt Trower are set to expire.

Filing will take place beginning Tuesday, December 9, 2026, at 8 AM. Candidates must file in person at the MVR-III Administration Office, located at 126 North Payne Street in Pacific, MO.

School Board Member eligibility requirements can be found at bit.ly/MVR3BOE. For any questions regarding the filing process, please contact Board of Education Secretary Shelly Jacquin at (636) 271-1400.

As we wrap up the first trimester, we are so proud of the amazing student growth and learning taking place across MVNation! The District is focused on progress towards our new strategic goals of increasing academic achievement, fostering a positive school culture, boosting parent and community engagement, and improving student attendance.

We are thrilled to report that we've seen great momentum and much success in these areas during our first trimester. There has been much to celebrate from our exciting fall sports season, a spectacular fall musical production, many student clubs and activities at each school, and our memorable homecoming festivities. Everyone's support and participation in our Meramec Valley R- III events directly reflects our goal of a positive school culture and shows our students finding success, purpose, and valuable learning opportunities. We look forward to building on this great foundation as we head into the second trimester!

The Meramec Valley R-III School District has joined a coalition of Missouri school districts, public service entities, and individual plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging Section 137.1055, RSMo, a new law created through Senate Bill 3 that imposes inconsistent property tax credit schemes across the state.

The law establishes differing property tax credit systems for counties throughout Missouri, creating a patchwork of rules that threaten the stability of local funding for essential public services. It divides counties into arbitrary categories—some subject to a tax freeze, others to a cap, and others excluded entirely.

Meramec Valley R-III is uniquely affected because it spans three counties, each treated differently under the new law. As a result, taxpayers within the same school district face different rules, creating confusion and unfair disparities.

Although MVR-III supports meaningful tax reform and relief, such reform must be equitable and sustainable. To that end, we emphasize three key priorities:

1. Collaboration with lawmakers: Schools and public entities should be part of the discussion to help legislators understand the impact of proposed reforms.

2. Replacement funding: If personal property taxes are eliminated, the state must establish a clear and reliable funding source to replace lost revenue.

3. Equity across counties: Any property tax reform should be applied fairly and consistently to all Missouri counties.

Our district is committed to advocating for fair and consistent funding that supports both taxpayers and the students we serve. We believe a balanced, statewide approach is the best path forward.

On November 7, Pacific High School was proud to host the Student Council District Meeting as part of the @Missouri Association of Student Councils fall events!

Students from across the region are gathering to grow their leadership skills, connect with peers, and learn from inspiring workshops and roundtables. 💡

Our school district is dedicated not only to the academic success of our students, but also to their mental and emotional well-being. We are excited to announce that all school counselors and nurses in the district were trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA). The nationally recognized program equips adults with the skills to confidently and compassionately support adolescents aged 12-18.

YMHFA is a training program that teaches participants how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges in young people. Knowing how to offer initial support is vital, as statistics show that one in five teens and young adults lives with a mental health condition, with 50% of all mental illnesses beginning by age 14.

By investing in this training, our district is creating a more supportive environment where students feel seen and heard. This commitment to Youth Mental Health First Aid training is part of the district's ongoing effort to ensure every student has the support they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom.

The Meramec Valley R-III School District (MVR-III) is excited to announce the adoption of Beanstack, a dynamic new digital platform designed to boost student reading engagement and foster a lifelong love of books.

Beanstack is a highly acclaimed reading tracker and challenge software that makes logging reading time fun and rewarding. Students can easily record the books and minutes they read, earn virtual badges, and participate in fun, district-wide reading challenges.

While the platform has been integrated into schools, the primary goal of this initiative is to encourage and track reading for every child. MVR-III recognizes that reading success starts with reading at an early age in the home, and Beanstack is built to support this.

The platform is designed to include parents, siblings, and students of all ages in the reading journey. Whether logging minutes for a preschooler, an elementary student, or even a high schooler—the focus is on making shared reading a fun, consistent, and competitive habit outside the classroom.

This new tool underscores MVR-III's commitment to making reading a continuous, shared experience for the whole community. Beanstack is partnered with the Scenic Regional Library to help with the engagement reach.

Every school day matters! Consistent attendance is one of the strongest predictors of academic success for students of all ages. When students miss school, they miss valuable learning time, classroom discussions, and opportunities to build relationships with teachers and peers. Regular attendance helps students stay on track with lessons, develop strong study habits, and gain the skills they need for future success in college, career, and life.

Families can support good attendance by establishing daily routines, scheduling appointments outside of school hours, and communicating with the school if challenges arise. Together, we can help every student show up, learn, and thrive.

The Meramec Valley R-III School District recognizes the challenges that result from school being canceled due to inclement weather. As such, we want to share some information to keep you informed about our district's procedures for school closings and delays due to weather.

In the case of inclement weather:

1. The district administration will make a decision as soon as they can. In general, school officials will not cancel school based on a forecast. However, there are occasional instances where decisions could be made when inclement weather appears to be inevitable.

2. When possible, the decision to cancel school may be made the night before, usually by 9:00 pm. However, in most situations, a decision isn’t made until the following morning. An early morning decision is typically made by 5:00 a.m. A decision to cancel school will be shared in the following ways: automated phone call, email, text notification through our mobile app, district social media sites, and local news television stations.

3. The district has a 2-hour late start option. This option would generally be used if the weather forecast indicates the conditions present in the early morning hours will be temporary and improved weather/temperatures are expected.

As we look ahead, we ask that all parents:

1. Create a plan for unexpected school closures and share the plan with your student. School cancellations due to weather are unavoidable and will happen at some point.

2. Please watch our district website, mobile app, and social media pages for information related to school closures. We will post periodic updates about the decision making process. We will not respond to questions submitted on social media asking if we plan to have school.

3. Recognize that snow itself rarely closes school. Snow in the forecast is not our primary concern. Rather, safety, visibility, road conditions, ice build-up, and the status of plowing are more important issues to consider. In addition, the capability of our staff to safely travel to school and for our maintenance department to clear sidewalks and parking lots have a large impact on our ability to have school.

As always, the highest priority for our district is the safety of our students and staff, for whom we will always err on the side of caution. We appreciate your understanding as we focus on doing what’s best for kids.

We are thrilled to announce and share the four Core Values that will guide our students, staff, and district community moving forward! These values represent the fundamental beliefs and principles that will shape our environment, drive our decisions, and inspire all of us to reach our highest potential.

Our new Core Values are:

• Learning

• Integrity

• Perseverance

• Community

These values are more than just words—they are the foundation for a positive and successful school experience for everyone and were created with the support of the Strategic Planning Committee.

What Each Core Value Means:

Learning

We are committed to…

• Being curious and asking questions to solve problems

• Providing a safe and high-quality learning environment

• Setting individual goals and having a growth mindset

• Showing up ready to learn

Integrity

We are committed to…

• Being good role models in our community

• Being responsible for our actions even when faced with challenges

• Providing opportunities for reflection and growth

Perseverance

We are committed to…

• Trying new things and pushing through when things are difficult

• Demonstrating our ability to adapt and improve

• Using mistakes to reflect and get better

Community

We are committed to…

• Ensuring students, staff, parents, and stakeholders have a voice

• Taking care of the things we have

• Having a sense of belonging and building positive relationships

• Valuing shared purpose and meaningful work

• Collaborating to support and help each other

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