Willard Central teachers love to make learning fun, active and engaging for students.  This week they went above the call of duty to make instruction meaningful and exciting for students.  4th grade students completed their economics study with a Market Day in which each student collaborated to provide a good or service to sell to their fellow classmates.  Students earned money for good attendance, getting their work in and for good behavior, then were ready to spend their earnings in the student created market place purchasing things such as snow-cones, renting video games, chocolate covered strawberries, manicures and pedicures, face painting and much much more.  This hands-on day provided students with applicable understanding of supply and demand, money management, and marketing an item.  Meanwhile the 3rd grade students are busy researching and working on their living museums of famous inventors and scientists.  This interactive project literally brings science and history to life as students transform themselves into these famous individuals. 

As we look ahead to our last week of school, we will have our Field Day on Thursday, May 24th.  On Friday, we will be concluding our year with our 4th Quarter Terrific Tiger Celebration at 9:00.  Don’t forget our early dismissal at 12:40.

Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for helping keep Willard Central “On Track for Success.”

 Shane Medlin, Principal

Teacher Appreciation Week was celebrated this week.  Thanks to the many efforts of our PTO, WC Teachers were spoiled with little goodies everyday this week, words of encouragement, the royal spa treatment, and a great luncheon on Friday.  Thank you to Mrs. Bull and the other PTO parents for helping set up all of these activities to recognize and pamper our teachers. 

At our Community Time on Monday, we recognized the WC Teacher of the Year and Staff Member of the Year.  Mrs. Shannon Roberts was honored as our Teacher of the Year for her positive attitude, professionalism, and contagious energy.  Mrs. Roberts is a Special Education Teacher who does amazing things as she works with students with autism.  Mrs. Michelle Miller, our BASE aide, was recognized as our Staff Member of the Year for her helpful and positive attitude.  Mrs. Miller collaborates with teachers and supports students from kindergarten to 4th grade.  She is ready and willing at a moments notice to help in any situation.  WC greatly appreciates these fine educators and their hearts for students.  Congratulations on this much deserved award.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the WC PTO Carnival last Saturday.  It was a great day full of fun and excitement.  Thank you to the PTO for their tireless efforts in setting up such a great event!  We are blessed to have such wonderful parent support.

As we look ahead, WC will have their Field Day on May 24th.  Our 4th Quarter Terrific Tiger Celebration will be at 9:00 on Friday, May 25th.  We will dismiss early on this last day of school at 12:40.  Please join us as WC is “On Track for Success” for a wonderful end to a wonderful school year.

Shane Medlin, Principal

With the NBA Playoffs in full swing, I have something thing to keep my interest as I stay up late working.  As Marv Alberts and Steve Kerr relive some of the greatest moments and teams in NBA history, the 6 Chicago Bulls’ Championships in the 1990’s come up often.  Besides Michael Jordan, one of the main reasons for the Bulls’ success was Phil Jackson’s Triangle Offense.  When their team worked together, this 3 pronged approach provided options and support that made the Bulls virtually unstoppable. 

Willard Central is blessed to have the triangle offense of Parents/Community/Teachers to ensure student success.  It has been wonderful to watch the flawless execution of the ”Willard Central Triangle Offense” this week.  Tuesday evening was our Family Science Night hosted by the WC Science Cadre.  Local businesses related to the science field along with students and teachers from all grade levels flooded our gym to learn some amazing and interesting facts and perform experiments.  The evening was a wonderful event with about 500 people in attendance.  

Tomorrow, Saturday, May 5th, this Triangle Offense will be in full swing again with the WC PTO Carnival from 11:00-2:00.  The Community has so been generous with their resources and our PTO parents have been working tirelessly to ensure an amazing time will be had by all.  There will be food, entertainment, games, inflatable equipment, a dunk booth (manned by teachers, custodians and yours truly), a car show and AMAZING raffle baskets.  Please plan to join us as we raise money to enhance the technological resources of students at Willard Central. 

It is amazing to see the wonderful things that happen for kids when Parents, Teachers and the Community work together to support them.  Our students are blessed to be part of such a supportive school community!!  We are our own dynasty in the making.

Willard Central is “On Track for Success!!”
Shane Medlin, Principal

Willard Central had a wonderful week celebrating student learning as we completed our MAP testing.  I would like to thank the students and teachers for all of their hard work during this process.  Our students took their time on the test and gave their best efforts! 

This week we also celebrated Administrative Professional’s Day.  Thank you Ms. Janet and Ms. Sherry for all of your work taking care of the Central Team!!  We appreciate you so much!!

Along with the festivities of Administrative Professional’s Day,  we celebrated the hard work of the Kindergarten students as they performed their music concert, “Nature Walk”.  These students did a wonderful job in their afternoon performance for our school and at the evening concert!  It has been amazing to see their growth this year!

As we look ahead to next week, please plan to join us for our Family Science Night on Tuesday, May 1st from 5:30-7:00.  Local businesses related to the science field will have booths set up.  Students will also have science experiments and activities on display as well as telescopes for sky gazing.  Dr. Medlin will be here to share information about the zero tax increase bond issue on the June ballot at 6:15.  If 150 students attend Family Science Night, you will want to come back to Central on Wednesday morning as I will be lying in Madagascar Hissing Coaches to reward their turnout. 

You will also want to come on Saturday, May 5th for our PTO Spring Carnival and Car Show.  We will have AMAZING baskets to raffle off, a car show, games and prizes, giant inflatables, a dunk booth and great food!!  Proceeds from the carnival will go towards improving and increasing technology resources for the students of Willard Central.

Join us for a great week filled with learning, fun, a roach covered principal and water-logged principal in the dunk booth.  I love my job!!   

Keep “On Track for Success!”  Shane Medlin, Principal

Willard Central is “On Track for Success” with the MAP.  We completed the Mathematics portion of the MAP this week with only 1 student absent out of the entire 3rd and 4th grade!!  The students did an amazing job and gave their BEST effort.  As we look ahead to next week, we will take the Communication Arts portion of the test on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  We are confident our students will do just as well next week.

Besides enjoying our Celebration of Learning MAP test, Willard Central celebrated the birth of 2 healthy future Willard Tigers this week.  Mrs. Roth, our librarian, welcomed Barrett Evan into their family on Monday.  Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Robinson, had her first child, Carter Brookes on Wednesday.  Both moms and baby boys are doing well and we are thrilled for their little bundles of joy!

Please plan to join us for our Outdoor Classroom Workday on Saturday, April 21st from 8:00 to 12:00 as we build a tree nursery, do some spring cleaning/weeding and enjoy the beautiful weather together.  Then make plans to enjoy our Kindergarten concert on Thursday, April 26th at 7:00.  Thanks for staying “On Track for Success” with Willard Central and have a great weekend.

Shane Medlin, Principal 

This week we celebrated being “On Track for Success” in many ways.  Tuesday night, we recognizedour students’ hard work with nearly 600 WC Family members at Fine Arts Night.  Artwork was displayed by each student and grade level musical performances were shared.  Thank you to Mrs. Bailey and Mrs. Chatman for all of their hard work in making Fine Arts Night such a wonderful event.  I would also like to thank all of the teachers who helped serve refreshments and to Mrs. Roth for hosting a successful book fair in the library.  Today we celebrated the accomplishments of our students with our 3rd quarter Terrific Tiger Celebration.  We also used this opportunity to reinforce the Accelerated Schools Principle of Building on Strengths.  To do this, Bob the Builder (Mr. Nichols) and Wendy (Mrs. Appleby) helped finish building our brick wall of student and staff strengths. 

As we look ahead to next week, please join us for our Test Success Assembly on Friday afternoon at 2:30.  We will relax a little and laugh a lot as we get ready for the upcoming MAP test. 

Happy Good Friday and have a great Easter weekend!

Spring, learning and excitement are in the air at Willard Central.  Thursday evening, Mrs. Chatman and the 1st grade students did an amazing job performing their concert entitled, The Great Outdoors.  We have also been keeping track of Danielle Roeder’s trip to Washington D.C. and her adventures meeting Miss America, President Bush, and touring the White House. 

As we look ahead to next week, we hope that you can join us for WC’s Fine Arts Night on the evening of Tuesday, April 3rd from 6:00-7:30.  Central students will be performing grade level musical selections and each student will have artwork on display.  The Book Fair will also be open in the library.  It is a wonderful event and I hope all can attend!  Next Friday, April 6th, we will be having our 3rd quarter Terrific Tiger Celebration at 10:30.  We will be dismissing school early at 12:40 on Friday.  I hope you can join us for for a great week of celebrating Central students’ hard work!!

Miracles can happen in the blink of an eye or gradually over time.  Over the past few years, Willard Central has been blessed to see a miracle happening right before our very eyes.  From 6 months of age, Danielle Roeder’s parents had concerns with her development.  Danielle started Kindergarten at Central confined to a wheelchair and completely dependent on others for assistance.  Upon a trip to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota at the beginning of her 1st grade year, doctors were finally able to diagnose and treat her condition.  From that point on, we have witnessed a miracle as Danielle has blossomed into a strong, independent student who has a confident voice and gained control of her physical motor skills.  We have watched Danielle progress into a student who canstand for The Pledge of Allegiance and belt out songs at our morning Community Time.  As a principal, I cannot wait for the day to see Danielle running down the halls of Willard Central and having to ask her to slow down. 

To celebrate this miracle, Danielle was chosen to be the Missouri Champion for the Children’s Miracle Network.  Today, the Willard Central Family had the privilege of celebrating her story at a special assembly in her honor.  As Missouri’s Champion, Danielle received a $500 shopping spree from Wal-Mart, a trip to Disney World and a trip to Washington DC to possibly meet President Bush.  You can see highlights of the assembly on KY3.

Danielle is a once in a lifetime miracle that we have been fortunate to witness.  She truly lives out our school’s motto as she “Keeps on Track for Success.” 

Have a great Spring Break!!  Shane Medlin, Principal

Willard Central celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday this week with Read Across America activities all week.  From Seussy dress up days to pouring slimy Oobleck over my head for students reading over 1,390 hours in four days, we have had a wonderful week while enjoying a love for books and reading.  Besides these fun activities, Thursday night, the Communication Arts Cadre hosted the Family Literacy Night.  Thank you to these teachers for all of their hard work in planning this engaging evening and for the families that took time to enjoy some reading and writing activities with you children.

  In honor of Read Across America Week, we would also like to recognize the family of Carol Gilmore.  In honor of Mrs. Gilmore, her family established a memorial fund that has purchased library books for the past several years.  Mrs. Gilmore was the grandmother of WC students Austin and Cara D.  Her family’s generosity has allowed for the purchase of many award winning books over the years.  Thank you for blessing our students through this wonderful tribute.

This week was also Jump Rope for Heart week at WC.  Thanks to Coach Brown and the hard work of our students, WC kids raised more than $4,050 (and still counting) to help support research to find a cure and treatments for heart disease and other heart related illness.  I AM SO PROUD of the efforts of Coach and our students.  This is just another example of the enormous caring hearts of WC teachers and students.

As we look ahead to next week, please plan to support Willard Central at McTeacher Night on Tuesday, March 6th from 4:00-8:00 at the Willard McDonalds location.  The proceeds from this evening will go to support MAP test success activities in April.  Thank you in advance for your support of Willard Central students.  Thursday, March 8th, WC 4th grade students will be heading to Jefferson City to learn about our state’s history and government system first hand. 

Amazing things continue to happen at Willard Central.  Come join us as we keep “On Track for Success!”    Shane Medlin, Principal

It has been a beautiful week in the Ozarks and the students (and teachers) have enjoyed the fresh air and chance to get outside.  As we look ahead to next week, Willard Central will be celebrating Dr. Seuss birthday next week by participating in the Read Across America campaign.  Look for flyers to be sent home with your students describing next weeks dress up days and information for the school-wide reading challenge to slime the principal.  To help culminate the week’s reading activities, please plan to join us for our Communication Arts Family Night hosted by the Communication Arts Cadre on Thursday night from 6:00-7:30.  Teachers have planned reading activities and games for you and your students to share in together.  Bring a proof of residency (utility bill, housing contract, etc.) and you will be able to sign up for a Greene County Library Card. 

Come read with us next week and remember to keep On Track for Success! 

Shane Medlin, Principal

This week we celebrated Willard Central Night at the boys basketball game and a victory over Marshfield with our students performing our school song and the National Anthem.  Thank you to Mr. Staley and Mrs. Chatman for their hard work in making the evening such a success.  We would also like to thank the varsity Tigers for signing autographs after the game and setting such a positive example for our students.  We also celebrated fun and friendship at our Valentines Day parties.  Thank you to the PTO room parents for all of their hard work organizing the parties and making a special memory for our students. 

This week we also celebrated Board of Education Appreciation Week (a month late due to the ice storm).  Thank you school board members for all you do for our students, teachers, schools, and community.  Your hearts for kids and making decisions that keep student needs first help to make Willard such a wonderful school district.  We appreciate your tireless efforts for our kids!!

It has been a great week of learning and celebration at Central.  As we look ahead to next week, please remember that we have school pictures on Tuesday, February 20^th. 

Have a great weekend and keep On Track for Success.    Shane Medlin, Principal