Ballard R-II School

Barks ‘N’ Growls

Eighth Edition, May 12, 2016

From the Superintendent’s Desk….

Publications Staff

Editor-in-Chief

Ms. Murchie

Senior Editor

Darby Hill

Junior Editor

Aiyana Murchie

Staff

Sydney Berry

Jenni Burkhart

Levi Meade

Morgan Meade

T. J. Sickels

Holly Tate

Continued on next page...

Dear Ballard Families, It does not seem possible that another school year has come and almost gone. I do hope your child has not only enjoyed

the year, but has grown in many areas. Many of the goals established at the beginning of the school year have been accomplished. There have been numerous successes to celebrate.

Through the year I have had so many opportunities to see how our student achievement goals have been actively em-braced by all staff, students, and parents. During the next school year, we will continue to link the school with the homes and the community as we strive to continually improve student achievement.

The end of the school year is fast approaching! Ballard School District will be changing-and this change brings with it very mixed emotions. With that in mind I have a quote: “Success requires the ability to adapt. Only by being open to change will we have a true opportunity to get the most from ourselves and others. With change comes great opportunities.” Reflecting on this year, it has been an exciting one for all of us at Ballard. Together we have learned much and shared experiences that will long re-main with us in the years to come. The strength of our community and wholehearted passion to make our school a wonderful place of learning for our children primarily, but for all of us too, has made Ballard a special place. Special thanks to all of you who have contributed in many ways, small, large, and unimaginable: volunteering in the classrooms and at home, providing food for the chil-dren and staff, organizing events, attending events to support the children, supporting our work in countless ways, and providing the resources to do what we know is best for children!

Students, Parents , and Community The end of the school year is nearly here! Wow! This school year went fast. We will have gradu-ation ceremonies for the senior class, the 8th grade, and kindergarten the last week of school. I think this has been an excellent school year, and I expect next school year to be even better. We have a lot to be proud of here at Ballard, and it wouldn’t be possible without an outstanding student body, parents, staff members, community members, and a School Board that wants the best for the children here. As we near the completion of the 2015-2016 school year I would like to say a few thank you to some individuals and organizations. First I would like to thank the PTO for all the teacher supplies and equipment that they have bought throughout the year. Also, thank you PTO for all the food and signs of encourage and thanks to the teachers during teacher appreciation week. Your efforts throughout the year are greatly appreciated. To the Booster Club, thank you for the supplies and equipment you have purchased throughout the year for both athletics and academics. At the time of the article I am sad to say that we are losing our current principal, Mrs. Samie Hill. Mrs. Hill has been a tremendous asset to our district both as a principal for this school year and as a teacher/coach for the previous 3 years. We are also losing Mrs. Burke, our fifth grade teacher. Mrs. Burke came to us as a first year teacher 2 years ago. She, as well has done a great job for us. Both will be missed. Thank you for being a part of the Ballard family. In closing, I want to wish the graduates good luck in the future. I hope you accomplish all your dreams, and everyone here sincerely wishes you the best for you and your family. I will continue to work hard for this district, and I look forward to seeing the students arrive in August to begin another successful school year. Thanks for your support and caring for the students here at Ballard. Enjoy the summer. John Siebeneck Superintendent

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3 Drake Vermillion 12 Victoria Snyder 14 Skyleigh Foss 17 Jessie Pulliam 19 Bradley Bergschneider 19 Jordan Hinrichs 20 T. J. Sickels 28 Ethan Kennedy

11 Valentina Landeros 12 Caitlyn Inglis 14 Madison Gunter 15 Sabrina Walsh 16 Jake Light 22 Cody Bridges 22 Kale Oerke 25 Jacob Kepner 27 Madelyn Murray

8 Jon Setzer 8 Sam Setzer 13 Tyler Kennedy 13 Jacob Kennedy 13 Elisio Martinez 20 Daylyn Vermillion

22 Reese Shumate 22 Kash Morgan 22 Mikayla Whitaker 27 Dale Dowse 28 Olivia Porter

Thank you for getting your children to school on time each day; for kind notes of encouragement – that means so much; for sending your children with healthy lunches and snacks; for making sure homework gets completed… and turned in. Thank you for providing rich, engaging, and well-rounded experiences for your children; and for knowing that education is about joy, wonder, and fostering curiosity, along with the development of the social skills so needed to succeed. For these, and a million other things, we are truly grateful! I am truly happy and excited for the new kindergarten students that will be entering next year.

Some of the staff will be transitioning to new positions outside of the district. Undoubtedly the staff, both the current add-ed with the new, will continue to be outstanding educators to all students! Congratulations to our well prepared and capable Sen-iors who are moving on to a new stage in their life journey! We wish them well and much success as they move on to their next step!

Lastly, it has been an honor and a privilege to serve as the principal this past year and get to know each and every one of your children. Thank you to the teachers, staff, students, parents, and the community! Best wishes for a happy and safe summer!

With Great Appreciation, Mrs. Samie Hill, Principal Formatted by Darby Hill

What is your name? D.J. Johnson What grade are you in? Eighth What is your favorite movie? The Fast and the Furious Movie Series Food? Popcorn Chicken Color? Neon Green and Neon Pink Holiday? Easter and Christmas Sport? Racing What do you want to be when you grow up? Street Racer

By Levi Meade

Katrina Clark, 18, is the daughter of Logan and Brenda Clark and Jessica Clark, and is also the sister of Tristan, Abbi, and Michaela Clark and Daylen and Delaney Doll. Some of her favorites include the colors yellow and pink, pizza, the restaurant Steak and Shake, and the song “Here for the Party” by Gretchen Wilson. Katrina’s dream car is a 1950 pink Slug Bug. Her hobbies and extracurricular activities include being a teachers aide for the Kindergarten class, hanging out with friends, fishing, volleyball, basketball, FFA, FFA Trap Shooting, Art Club, and Pep Club. Katrina’s biggest pet peeve is when peo-ple are cranky 24/7. Katrina’s plans for the future are to go to Ozark Technical Community College and obtain her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. When asked, “Where do you see yourself in 15 years?” Katrina answered, “I see myself married to the man of my dreams with a set of twins. I want to live in a two-story brick house with a big front yard, and most importantly a Siberian Husky and Persian Cat. I also see myself having my own Kindergarten classroom that I teach at everyday.”

Kody Green, 18, is the son of Andy and Stacy Green, and is also the brother of Allyson Hargis. Some of his favorites includes neon colors, quesadillas, the restaurant Pizza Hut, and metal music. Kody’s dream car is a matte Pagani Huayra with red rims. His hobbies and extracurricular activities include airsofting, paintballing, MMA, basketball, baseball, FFA and drama club. Kody’s biggest pet peeve is cheating, and his famous last words are “My life…” Kody’s plans for the future are to join the Navy Special Warfare. When asked, “Where do you see yourself in 15 years?” Kody answered, “Defending the great nation of America and married with two kids. “

By Darby Hill

The Ballard R-II School District is pleased to be working in conjunction with the Adrian Optimist Club to honor a Student of the Month for the 2015-2016 school year. Student of the Month is selected by the staff of the Ballard R-II School District using the following criteria: attendance, attitude towards others and school, behavior, leadership, and improvement in or maintenance of good grades. The Student of the Month for April is senior Tatiana Martinez-Quiroz, daughter of Deziree Quiroz. History teacher Mr. Dunkin, states “She keeps her resolve when faced with an epidemic of senioritis. She is poised, imaginative, kind, and honest.” Art teacher Ms. Wirsig, says “Tatiana is creative, kind, and open-minded. She works hard yet still maintains her fun, laid-back attitude.” Math teacher Mrs. Kershner states, “Tatiana is a quiet, conscientious stu-dent. She is an encourager while working in a group. She never lets someone else do all the work, but is careful to verify solutions and works hard to contrib-ute to group discussions. She also has a fun sense of humor!” For Tatiana’s hard work in school, she is receiving a certificate of recognition from the Adrian Optimist Club and $20.00 in Adrian Chamber of Commerce “Chamber Bucks.”

Formatted by Darby Hill

Pictured above: Jerry Ferguson, Tatiana Martinez, Samie Hill

Mrs. Ordal

Mrs. West

Typed by Mrs. West Formatted by Jenni Burkhart

The second grade is still learning about many subjects in the fourth quarter. Rocket Math is still an every-week priority. Several of the students are deep into their subtraction facts! Congratulations! They are also getting an early jump on learning about multiplication, and soon division will follow. The class did a fun project with spa-ghetti and meatballs. This was to help the students learn about area and perimeter. Rocket Math isn't the only timed practice they do. The students also do a one-minute

fluency reading test. Alexis tells me that one minute goes by very fast. Recently, the

class has been learning about the weather. This includes tornadoes,

hurricanes, blizzards, and storms in general. They learned that torna-does need lots of harsh air in order to survive, and that hurricanes have a calming eye in the middle of its mass. Mrs. West has an ongoing game that she plays with the stu-dents. This is a bargaining game where the students make a deal with Mrs. West using cards for trading. The teacher or student could go broke during this game. So remember kids, “Know when to walk away, and know when to run.” Congratulations on a year well done to the second grade stu-dents. There is no doubt that third grade is the next step, challenge, and fun obstacle for you.

WOW! How in the world did the time go so fast? We have had a blast in first grade! We are still

learning and having fun. Thank you to Henry County Extension Office for letting us have in-cubators and eggs to hatch. By May 10 we should be proud "parents" of some baby chicks. This goes right along with our study of life cycles. On May 9, we will be traveling to

Kansas City to take part in Kaleidoscope fieldtrip thanks to PTO. We are currently studying, learning, and writing poetry. We are also learning about weather and reading books about different kinds of weather. In early April, we learned about different animals and wrote reports to share. The students will be bringing home an awesome book that I made for them. It is full of poems and songs to remember concepts that we have learned. This year it has been an amazing experience teaching these bright students and watching them become great readers and thinkers. Thank you, Ballard School District!

Typed by Mrs. Ordal Formatted by Holly Tate

As this school year comes to a close, the kinder-garteners have been busy getting ready to move on to first grade. Since Kindergarten Graduation is coming up quickly, I have asked my students what they are most looking forward to in first grade. Here is what each of them said: Eastin Hill said she is looking forward to learn-ing more math and making new friends. Reese Shumate is looking forward to taking tests. Zoe Frederick is looking forward to playing all the time. Owen Meade is looking forward to being older. Jacob Eidson is looking forward to taking tests. Kenadee Allen is looking forward to being with a new teacher. Addilynn Engelhardt is looking for-ward to being with Mrs. Ordal. Piper Goth is looking for-ward to the spelling bee. Harry Greer is looking forward to seeing Mrs. Ordal. Ian Campbell is looking forward to seeing his friends. It has been a great year, and I have enjoyed having each one of these students. I have en-joyed watching each one learn and grow throughout the year, and I wish each one the best in the years to come.

Mrs. Hathcock

Written By Mrs. Hathcock Typed By Morgan Meade

Mrs. Eidson

We are excited for summer!!!! We are also preparing for MAP testing, and we have started our projects for the Science Fair. We have to make a model and poster board of erosion, weather, and deposition. We are very excited about being seventh graders; we will be going on a field trip to Paradise Park May 4, and Field Day is May 10. In social studies, we are learning about empires, and in ELA we are working on pronouns. In math, we are learning about expressions, and in science, we are working on resources.

Written by Kale Oerke, Briana Arredondo, and Ashton Carullo

Formatted by Sydney Berry

Mrs. Moore

We have learned a lot this year! In math we have learned about perpendicular lines, angles, and more about geometry. In social stud-ies we’re learning about 9-11. Some-times people cried because it was such a bad event. In science we are doing a science fair! Our class is do-ing the rock cycle! Some people are sad that basketball is over but now we can work on our grades. The good thing is that boys won first place! They are so excited! Hopefully we keep working hard and move those grades up!

Written by Lilly Rotert Edited by Aimee Cummings

Typed by Morgan

Ms. Goucher recently interviewed her students about her classroom. Here are some of their answers: What are the three most important things you learned this year? Multiplication, math, and reading. -Brenden Card Technology, place values, and social studies. -Nate Evans Of the books you read this year, which was your favorite, and why? The Magic Tree House, because they are mysterious. -Jon Setzer The Puppy Place books, because I love puppies.-Oakleigh Hill Animal Ark, because they were very funny.-Audrey Foster What advice would you give students who will be in this class next year? Don’t eat Ms. G’s food.-Isaiah Maggard You will have a nice time, but try not to make Ms. G angry.-Kash Morgan Third grade is fun.-Zoie Wheeler What is something you accomplished this year that you are proud of? Twenty division problems completed in one minute. -Ethan Kennedy Reading to a higher reading level.-Sam Setzer Doing awesome on a science test over planets! -Kamryn Beachner

Ms. Goucher

Compiled by Ms. Goucher Typed by Levi Meade

In seventh grade, we are learning about Asia in history and commas in ELA. Mrs. Kershner is teaching us about area of circles. There was a science fair on April 28. The class is entering projects on electricity and weather. On April 23 the basketball players all went paintballing. It was a blast; I hope to make it a yearly tradition. Have a fantastic summer, everyone!

Written by Kailee Smith Typed by Jenni Burkhart

Wow, we can’t believe that the year is almost over. Our Taco Dinner was a big success. Thank you everyone for coming out and sup-porting our class. Not very many days of school are left, and that makes some of us happy, but some of us are sad. We hope that everyone has a great rest of the year and also an amazing summer.

Written by Savana Allen Typed by T.J. Sickels

By Aiyana Murchie

Prom was a huge success! We all put in a lot of work to make it en-joyable for everyone. The Juniors are excited to wrap up the school year. Until next year! Have a fun and safe summer, every-

one. Also, we want to wish the Senior Class of 2016 the best of luck. Oh, and good luck to the upcoming Juniors with concession stand!

The senior class is very excited that the end of the year is almost here! We’ve been anticipating senior trip and graduation since school started in August, and now they are both upon us. The Dinner Theater fundraiser was a success, as well as the Sonic Card fundraiser. Thank you to everybody who bought tickets or cards from us; all of that money will be used to help pay for our senior trip. Prom was a lot of fun; the food was good, and the music was great. Good job to the Junior class for hosting it for us! After prom was fun too. There was food, karaoke, movies and most importantly, DODGEBALL! Thank you to all the parents that made it happen!

By Darby Hill

Mrs. Burke This month the fifth graders have come up with ten things that they loved about this school year.

1. When I met Mrs. Burke 2. When we did the body systems 3. Science Fair 4. Doing the gummy worm experiment 5. The moon phases 6. Playing games in the classroom 7. The throat experiment 8. Reading 9. Learning about space 10. When we heard Mrs. Burke was

leaving By Zachary Thomas 1. Science, because I like to do stuff

and learn how to do new things. 2. Playing dead fish in the classroom. 3. The end of school, because I like

being lazy. 4. Coming to school 5. People being happy and saying “Hi.” 6. Reading; I’m not the best reader in

the world. 7. Math; Sometimes I like to learn, but

not all the time. 8. Art; I can make different things and

draw trucks, cats, and animals. 9. Playing with my friend and going to

play fun stuff outside. 10. I like the gym because you can have

lots of things to do. By Brice Miller 1. When Larry Bergschneider was the

sub for math. 2. When Clayton and I spit water out of

our mouth 3. When Mrs. B and I Dabbed,

Whipped and Nae Nae’d 4. When Clayton fell out of his chair. 5. When Lucas couldn’t stop laughing. 6. When we watched Paul Blart: Mall

Cop. 7. When we did the body systems pro-

jects. 8. When Mrs. Wirsig said Steve Curry. 9. When I got 2nd in the spelling bee. 10. When Mrs. B did cartwheels. By Jentry Bergman 1. Recess 2. Making friends 3. Science fair solar system 4. Passing level 1 in math minute 5. Watching part of Wreck It Ralph

6. Eating moon ice cream 7. Moon phases 8. Hard quiz that gave me a good grade 9. Being team captain in P.E. 10. Almost getting lost in the school By Joshua Mayfield 1. Fun Friday 2. Math 3. Band times 4. Mrs. Burke’s experiments 5. Spelling test fun (Lucas dancing) 6. Convection currents experiment 7. Memory book 8. The heart rate experiment with the

water tub 9. The throat and ball experiment 10. Mrs. Burke telling us she is leaving By Daylyn Vermillion 1. The band times we had 2. When water came out of Clayton’s

nose 3. Mrs. Burke doing cartwheels 4. When we reached 1,000 Dojos 5. The throat and ball experiment 6. When Lucas would always dance 7. All the times we had dance-offs in

math 8. All the spelling tests when we could-

n’t concentrate 9. The movie day that we had 10. The marshmallow experiment By Macie Morris 1. When Larry was our sub 2. Solar Systems 3. The fifth grade year 4. The science fair 5. Experiments 6. The reading responses 7. Book-It 8. The heart rate experiment 9. The marshmallow experiment 10. The body system project By Tucker Roach 1. Meeting Mrs. Burke 2. Doing Dojo Store 3. Getting an ‘A’ on a Social Studies

test 4. Doing math 5. Doing the Iditarod race

6. Doing grammar 7. Doing reading 8. Doing spelling 9. Being the line-ender 10. The digestive system experiment By Gracy Morgan 1. When I had a laughing attack 2. The science fair 3. When Mrs. Burke did cartwheels 4. Science projects 5. When Joshua came to school 6. When Mrs. Wirsig gave us the tree

painting 7. When Clayton stretched and fell

over 8. When we read Zathura 9. When I fell onto my desk 10. When I slipped and fell By Lucas Whitaker 1. Meeting Mrs. Burke 2. All the parties we did 3. Telling people I met Salvador Perez 4. When Larry was a sub for math 5. When me and Jentry spit out water

because of laughing 6. When I got my 100th Dojo 7. When Mrs. Wirsig called Steph Curry

and we made fun of her 8. When I fell out of a chair and hit my

head with a sub 9. The jokes Hillman made 10. When Jentry gave me something

and it made my lips buzz By Clayton Bridges 1. Map Testing Week 2. Larry as our sub 3. Convection Current Lab 4. Going outside for one and a half

hours 5. Cup-stacking with Mrs. Burke 6. Pizza Party 7. Band days with Daylyn 8. Before basketball games with Daylyn 9. Laying down in class 10. Marshmallow experiment By Lexie Ward

Written by the fifth graders Typed by Darby Hill

By Jenni Burkhart

On Thursday, April 7, Ballard hosted the Conference Scholar Bowl Tournament. Bronaugh, Hume, Miami, and Shel-don attended. In the high school meet, Ballard first took on Hume, and they dominated the score board through out the whole game. Next, the Ballard team took a back seat while Sheldon and Hume went at it. Here, Sheldon prevailed. Finally, it was the last meet of the night, which was against Sheldon. Each quarter was intense, but in the end Ballard came out vic-torious! In the junior high room, the atmosphere was just as competitive. Ballard had a bye the first game. They went on to play Bronaugh, while Hume took on Miami. The Ballard junior high fought hard, but could not catch up to Bronaugh. In the end, Hume and Bronaugh went into the championship. Bro-naugh came out on top.

In the high school competition, Ballard was awarded first place, while Sheldon had to deal with being second. In junior high, Hume brought home the first place plaque, and Bronaugh took home second place. Thank you to teachers, stu-dents, and staff who volunteered their time to help make the 2016 Scholar Bowl Conference Meet a success. The players are very grateful to all the parents who provided food throughout the entire season. A great big thanks goes out to Larry Bergschneider; he not only provided transpor-tation for the teams, but also stepped up to the plate and be-came Ms. Murchie’s assistant. Ms. Murchie is very proud of the high school team for their undefeated season and for both teams finishing strong.

Written by Mrs. Wiskur Typed by Jenni Burkhart

Farewell from the Library! It’s here! It’s here! Well, it’s almost here. . . . Greetings from the library! It hardly seems possible, but another year is almost over. Things have been busy in the library (and the computer lab) with end-of-the year testing. The school calendar is packed full of activ-ities from now to the end. Before we know it, it’ll be graduation time. In the library, however, this is when Missouri’s new award-winning books will soon to be announced. Our library focuses mainly on the Show Me, Mark Twain, and Truman award winners. Very soon, these books will be available in our library. We’ll keep you posted. To all of my library students: have a great summer and keep reading! See you in the fall!

Mrs. Wiskur

Last Math Competition of the Year! As reported earlier this year,

UCM has discontinued its annual math relay. Ballard’s mathletes look forward to competing each year, so Mrs. Kershner looked for an alternative competition. The answer was found in the Purple Com-et! Math Meet -- an online international team math competition with divisions for both Junior High and High School stu-dents held each year in April since 2003.

This time of year is particularly busy, but 5 Ballard students took the leap and competed for the very first time in two different teams. Stephen Jones, Levi Meade, & T.J. Sickels formed a team as well as Morgan Meade and Holly Tate. The students tried their hands at 30 very challenging questions with only 90 minutes to

work. The answers were submitted via the internet. Results are scheduled to be posted Monday, April 25. The stu-dents and Mrs. Kershner are eager to see how they did. When the teams had finished, individu-als on both teams were heard to say, “My brain is tired!” Mrs. Kershner thinks that’s a good sign! She also hopes student interest will continue to grow. Practice contests are available, and she has a vision of students forming a math club that could meet once a month to do math (and eat, of course). Until next year -- have a great summer, and do some math to keep those brain

muscles in shape!

Typed by Mrs. Kershner Formatted by T.J. Sickels

Mrs. Kershner

Every month Ms. Wirsig will pick a young artist from each grade, K-6, to be an “Artist of the Month.” These stu-dents show artistic skill, leadership, and good behavior in the art room. This month’s winners are: Kindergarten: Harry Greer– Harry has a wonderful spirit. He is so fun to have in class. First: Macie Wainscott– Macie always puts her own spin on things. I love seeing what she comes up with. Second: Tory Snyder– Tory is so creative! She is not scared to try new things. Third: Ethan Kennedy– Ethan has a can-do attitude. He tries his best and makes great artwork. Fourth: Jessie Pulliam– Jessie is upbeat and fun to have around. She has an inventive nature that makes her artwork special. Fifth: Zach Thomas– Zach is a hard worker. He never tries to rush through a project. He takes his time and does it the right way. Sixth: Cody Bridges– Cody has awesome ideas. He executes his ideas on his artwork seamlessly. Cody is a very impressive young man.

Ms. Wirsig

Written by Ms.Wirsig Formatted by Aiyana Murchie

Every month Ms. Wirsig will pick a young artist from each grade, K-6, to be an “Artist of the Month.” These students show artistic skill, leadership, and good behavior in the art room. This month’s winners are: Kindergarten: Kenadee Allen– Kenadee is enthusiastic about art. She gives 100% effort on every assignment and makes wonderful artwork. First: Maribel Arredondo– Maribel is a great artist. She takes her time to make sure her artwork is perfect. Second: Alexis Britz– Alexis is incredibly creative and passionate about art. She has a can-do attitude. I am always excited to see what she comes up with. Third: Brenden Card– Brenden is happy every time I see him. He is really good at art, especially drawing. It is fun to watch him suc-ceed over and over again. Fourth: Valentina Landeroz-Quiroz– Valentina is a very kind girl. She is always giving her beautiful artwork to her teachers and friends. I enjoy watching her work and share with others. Fifth: Clayton Bridges– Clayton’s neatness and attention to detail makes his artwork special. I am continually proud of what he ac-complishes in the art room. Sixth: Briana Arredondo– Briana is creative and has a positive attitude. Briana is exceptional at creating sculptures!

1. You know it’s hot outside when you go outside and its hot. 2. Fish can survive underwater. 3. Ten out of ten potatoes can’t read or write. 4. The best cure for starvation is eating. 5. Robert E. Lee was not a rapper. 6. The Japanese flag is not a pie chart representing one whole. 7. Stephen Curry has the special ability to live until he dies. 8. In Africa, there are forests that burn when set on fire. 9. Breathing is a good way to stop yourself from dying. 10. Grilled Cheese isn't just grilled cheese.

By Morgan Meade

The music department is flittering away on our bird-themed Spring Concert, which will be May 12, at 7:00 pm. The instrumental department is practicing music for their perfor-mances and also additional parts to accompany the vocal perfor-mances. In doing this program, students have met many of the music-curriculum standards, which they will demonstrate through performance at the concert, making the concert prepa-ration and performance not only fun and entertaining, but edu-cational as well. Typed by Mrs. Lybarger

Formatted by Holly Tate

Mrs. Lybarger

Mr. Smith

By Jenni Burkhart

Although the year is dwindling down, a person cannot ever stop learning all there is about English. So, because of this, the classes are still working hard. Last quarter the eighth grad-ers wrapped up a grammar unit. They have been buckling down on reading comprehension. This is in prelude to their MAP testing. The Freshmen have begun the novel “Great Ex-pectations” by Charles Dickens. In this novel, the main charac-ter, Pip, is literally growing up and fitting into his expectations for life. The Sophomore English class has finished their gram-mar section as well. They have been preparing for their EOC testing all month. The students have utilized writing prompts and sample pretests. They have also practiced writing sentenc-es and combining sentences with ease. Now, the Sophomores will begin an expository research paper. At the beginning of the month, the Junior English class began a research paper over

American authors. Some of these include E.E. Cummings, Stephen King, and Nicholas Sparks. The Jun-iors took their ACT on the nine-teenth of April. Good luck to them

and “May the odds be ever in your favor.” The College Prep class has just finished writing papers on an English author of their choice; a few of these include: A.A. Milne, George Orwell, and Elizabeth Browning. Mr. Smith has given the Seniors the Reader’s Digest version in certain areas of grammar. Currently, they are work-ing hard on perfecting sentence and paragraph writings. The Creative Writing students are currently working on their final assignments of the semester. These include writing a review for a restaurant, movie, or CD. They will also be required to write a persuasive essay or a newspaper-style type essay. The last assignment is one in which the students will write a mini biography of themselves. Mr. Smith would like to express how much of a pleas-ure it was to spend his year of teaching at Ballard with each and every student. He couldn’t have asked for any better eighth through twelfth grade students. He wishes the Seniors the best and congratulations on their hard work and new life ahead.

Although the end of the year is winding down and it’s coming to an end, there is still work that needs to be done. Biol-ogy 1 has been preparing for their EOC while Chemistry has con-tinued to study Nuclear Chemistry. Biology 2 has been studying the human body and the different bodily functions incorporated within the human body system. 7th grade has been learning about Electricity and Magnetism, 8th grade has been studying anatomy, and Physical Science has been learning about using natural resources. It’s been a wonderful year here at Ballard, and I hope that everyone has a great summer! Written by Mr. Brewster

Formatted by Sydney Berry

Here in the Ag classroom, the students and I are end-ing the year with a bang. In Animal Science, we are learning about various careers, and the students are writing career papers. In Ag II, I’m teaching the students about career and

personal development, involving teaching the students how to create cover letters and resumes. In Ag I, the students are research-ing animal products and working on projects pertaining to that field. In Ag Construction, we are using our greenhouse to grow and maintain various plants. In fact, we grew

strawberries, peppers, and tomatoes. In Fish and Wildlife, the students and I cured meat to create beef jerky. Plus, the stu-dents are working on commercials to show their classmates. Lastly, in Exploratory Ag, we are working on AC/DC electricity labs.

Mr. Bridges

By Levi Meade

Prom 2K16 This year’s prom was a huge success! The theme was “Welcome to the Jungle,” and the Junior class did a fantastic job planning and decorating for the evening. On the menu were Italian grilled chicken, cheesy potatoes, green beans, pasta salad, and a roll. Also, for dessert, we were served an apple caramel dish. The food was amazing, as well as the specialty Shirley Temple that was served to begin the meal. Both the Junior and Senior classes had a blast dressing up in formalwear, conversing with friends, and dancing the night away. Like always, the Senior Wills

and Senior Prophecy were read, and we all thought they were quite humorous. After that, the Juniors and Seniors voted for prom king and queen. The winners were Seniors Kody Green and Tatiana Martinez. After prom ended, we all got out of our big dresses and tuxes and got warmed up for Project Prom. There were dodgeball, Jousting, Karaoke, movies, poker, and a whole lot of snacks. We can’t thank the Project Prom Com-mittee enough for hosting after-prom this year! Thank you to everyone who donated time or money in helping make this night a success!

By Darby Hill

On Wednesday, March 23, Mr. Smith and Mr. Dunkin hosted a chess tournament in the English room. Several students showed up to participate; ranging from seventh graders to seniors. This was held at the end of the day for those students who wanted to show off their talents and abilities in chess. Mr. Dunkin took on four students in the tournament, as well as Mr. Smith. Each student had a chess board in front of them. The teachers traveled from board to board moving only one piece at a time. Because of this set up, it was difficult to fully concentrate on each game. The students had a blast taking on the teachers. Unfortunately, due to lack of time, there was not a clear winner, but having fun is all that counts. Overall, this was a great learning experience as well as a brain break from the routine of school. It is always nice to see teachers and students interacting and having a great time. Thank you to the spectators who were respectful and supported the players.

By Jenni Burkhart

On Saturday evening, April 9, the Ballard Drama Club, along with the Senior Class, invited the community to a great Dinner Theater. The turnout was spectacular. The Drama Club performed Meet Me in St. Louis, a play centered around four sisters—Rose (played by Holly Tate), Esther (Camryn East), Agnes (Aiyana Murchie), and Tootie (Kayla Wainscott)—and their family getting ready for the 1904 World’s Fair soon to be in St. Louis. The girls get into a bit of trouble with mad-cap she-nanigans, beginning with their efforts to ruin the new ro-mance of their brother Lon (Jacob Kroenke). They ruin the garden of their crabby next-door neighbor Mrs. Waughog(Morgan Meade), and they cause a streetcar crash by throw-ing a dummy on the tracks. The oldest girls also keep busy with romances of their own. Then Father (Levi Meade) throws a wrench in their plans when he tells the family that he’s been offered a better job in New York and they will be leaving their home in St. Lou-is and missing the fair! Mother (Jenni Burkhart) and the girls are very upset and the girls put their heads together to make sure Father won’t get that new job. Judging by the audience, the play was a great suc-cess. This fast-paced play was performed very well by the students who worked hard, coming in early mornings and staying late for practices. The play would not have been the success it was without the hard work and dedication of the Director, Mrs. Nardene Wiskur, and the production assistants: Susan Doty and Kody Green, sound; Tyler Kennedy, lights; Taylor Wilcox, back-stage assistance; and hair and make-up by Micah Patrick.

Mr. Smith ................................................................ Levi Meade Mrs. Smith........................................................... Jenni Burkhart Rose ........................................................................... Holly Tate Esther ..................................................................... Camryn East Agnes ................................................................ Aiyana Murchie Tootie ............................................................... Kayla Wainscott Lon ...................................................................... Jacob Kroenke Grandpa .................................................................... T.J. Sickels Kate ................................................................ Mikayla Whitaker Mrs. Waughop .................................................. Morgan Meade Ida Boothby........................................................... Addie Dowse John Shepard .................................................. Austin Carpenter Fred Gregory ............................................................. Trent Tate Lucille Pentard .......................................................Savana Allen Mr. Dodge ............................................................. Caleb Morris Mr. Duffy ................................................................. Dale Dowse Conductor ..............................................................Brianna Pray

The Cast

Ballard vs. Miami March 21, 2016

Ballard 14

Miami 16

Ballard vs. Butler April 26, 2016

Ballard

Butler

Ballard vs. Hume April 28, 2016

Ballard 23

Hume 6

On April 5, 2016 the NEVC knights came to visit our field. I, along with the rest of the team, were a little nervous since it was only our second game. Instead of cowering and letting nerves get the best of us, the girls played their hearts out and came out with a win. We left the field that night with a final score of 17-1

Lady Bulldogs with another win on April 12, 2016. The Lady Bulldogs didn't let the last win get to their heads; they came out with game faces on and ready for a hard game. We run-ruled the Panthers, even though we were missing a few players and we had to make some adjustments. We had another amazing score of 16-0.

April 13, 2016, was just another amazing night for the Lady Bulldogs, who came out with another victory. The last two games we played we dominated, so we felt a little pressured to do really well. The third inning was a little rough, and the team fell but got right back up, leaving the field with a score of 8-6.

Pictured above is Sabrina Walsh Pictured above is Sydney Berry

Monday May 2, 2016, the Lady Bulldogs traveled to Butler for Districts. The ladies played Drexel and ended up a little short on the score board, with a final score of 7-5. This was the last game for a few of these girls and one of our managers. We didn't let the score stop us from having fun. Lady Bull-dogs made us proud by keeping heads held high and smiles on their faces. Good luck to next year’s team and to our seniors.

Pictured above is Darby Hill

On Monday, April 4, the Ballard baseball team played University Academy from Kan-sas City on the home field. Now, due to a scheduling error, neither the Ballard coach or the Ballard boys expected a game that night. Since our boys didn’t have our uniforms ready, we couldn’t play an official game. However, two umpires were present, and the University Acad-emy kids were ready to play a ball game. After our Montrose loss, the Bulldogs were ready to play a game as well. Our boys played an unofficial, impromptu game against a double-A school from Kansas City. Maybe it was the lack of nerves, but the Bulldogs pulled off a 13 to 7 win. This didn’t go into the books, but all the boys were glad to secure their (unofficial) first win.

Ballard Vs. Miami

Monday, March 21

Ballard Miami

2 12

Ballard Vs. Montrose

Tuesday, March 22

Ballard Montrose

1 11

Ballard Vs. Rich Hill

Wednesday, April 6

Ballard Rich Hill

5 15

Pictured above is TJ Sickels

It was Tuesday, April 12, when our Baseball boys took on the Sheldon Panthers on the Ballard field. The boys once again played a high-energy, high-intensity game and kept their spirits up. Every Bulldog, from the pitcher to right field, played his best game on both offense and de-fense. Catcher Colton Page, in fact, hit the Bulldogs’ first home run. Jimmy Kiffer and Mylan Murray did a fantastic job pitching. Our batters were so on that we won the game in five innings with the score 14-4 Bulldogs. All of the boys were very happy to score the first official win.

Pictured above is Merritt Roach

The next day, Tuesday, April 5, saw the Bulldogs take on the NEVC Knights on the home field for their first official home game. The large Ballard crowd showed up to support the team, and the bleachers overflowed. In their first two away games, our boys got run-ruled. However, Coach Bridges taught them a lot since, and the boys really improved. The most notable improvement was the boys’ hitting game. The first inning was bleak; at the bottom the score was 5-1 Knights. However, in the the second, our boys scored three more runs and pitcher Jimmy Kiffer held the Knights to no points. The rest of the game was very close, and the boys were very awake, alive, and full of spirit. In the end, the NEVC team won 7-9.

Ballard Vs. Hume

Thursday, April 28

Ballard Hume

6 8

On Wednesday, April 13, the Ballard Bulldogs faced the Hume Hor-nets on the home field. The Ballard crowd had just witnessed the Bulldogs destroy the Panthers the previous day, and they were ready for more Bull-dog action. The Bulldogs themselves were pumped as well. Our boys played very well. Like the last night, we batted very well. When we got on base, we also stole aggressively, flustering their pitchers. Our pitching was spot on, as Kody Green pitched all seven innings. He obtained seventeen strikeouts, an amazing number for high school baseball. Near the beginning of the game, our Bulldogs were close to run-ruling the Hornets. Hume start-ed to catch up, but they couldn’t make up for our tremendous lead at the beginning, and Ballard beat Hume 12-9.

Pictured above is Levi Meade

By Levi Meade

On Monday, April 25, 2016, the Ballard Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs played their last home game of the season. For some of these fine young athletes, it was the last home game to ever be played in their hometown. The senior girls include Sydney Berry, the daughter of Rodney and Jill Berry; Sabrina Walsh, daughter of Dan and Karla Walsh; and Darby Hill, daughter of Rick and Pam Hill. These ladies have helped make this season one of the best yet. There was never a joke told that Darby wouldn't laugh at, a rock on the field Sydney wouldn't throw, or an error made that Sabrina didn't say shoot. The time is coming closer, when we have to say goodbye, not just on the field but in the hallways. The Lady Bulldogs want to not only say goodbye but good luck; we will miss you all. This year’s baseball team included all seven of the Senior boys, all of whom played an important role in team chemistry. T.J. SIckels would always lead by example giving 100% all the time. Jacob Kennedy showed that it’s not just about winning; its about having fun. Tyler Kennedy demonstrated a lot of determination, as he never gave up. Mylan Murray brought the hard-core passion for baseball to the team. Kody Green showed just how much of an impact a high school sport can have on someone’s self confidence and attitude. Levi Meade brought the raw enthusiasm and energy to the playing field. Jacob Kroenke showed how hard work truly does pay off. These boys have taught their peers so many life lessons and made so many memories. We are so very proud of all of you.

By Morgan Meade

This year, three students so far have achieved the honor of being called All-District/All-Conference Players. One boy basketball player obtained that title, as did two girl basketball players. Colton Page, sophomore, made the spot from the boy’s bas-ketball team. Colton played as a point guard. From the girls’ team, Sydney Berry and Camryn East made All-District/All-Conference. Camryn is a sophomore and played as the point guard. Sydney is a senior and usually played on the wing. We are so proud of them for their achievements!

By Levi Meade

Pictured above are Sydney Berry, Colton Page, and Camryn East

On Friday, April 29, the sophomores held a taco dinner

as their class fundraiser. Despite the thunder and lightning they had a great turnout. For dinner, attendees dined on taco salad and cake. The servers did an excellent job at mak-ing sure all of the tables were cleared off, and everyone always had space to eat despite the rush of people. Mr. Dunkin and Mrs. Wirsig had everything organized very well.

By Holly Tate

Our FFA trap team was on a roll this year. We had one team that went to State. They went to the Missouri Trap Associ-ation trap range in Linn Creek, MO. This team included, as pic-tured below; Kody Green, Caleb Morris, Merritt Roach, Colton Page and Brice Eidson FFA Sponsor Dustin Bridges. Together, the team went to State and got 19th out of 215 teams. Individ-ual scores shown below.

Name First Round

Second Round

Third Round

Fourth Round

Total Score

Kody 23 24 25 22 94

Colton 21 21 24 25 91

Caleb 24 23 23 20 90

Brice 20 24 24 19 87

Merritt 19 22 22 19 82

Friday, April 29, the high school, junior high, and ele-mentary participated in the Science Fair. There were a lot of inter-esting projects over things like solar sys-tems, rock cycles, and erosion. The rock cycle projects went over the types of rocks which are: igneous, sedimen-tary, and metamorphic. The projects that were about solar systems explained the planets and the order they are in. The students had a great time working on their projects and applying the knowledge they learned. All of the science projects looked great, and were presented very well. Sudie Callahan received an honorable mention for her project in the Science Fair. She worked hard on her project and went the extra mile to make it stand out.

On Friday, April 29, Ballard High School hosted an art show featur-ing artwork from many students in grades K-12. There were many different varieties of artwork, from pencil sketches to pastel drawings and from paper mâché to clay pottery. Like always, there was a great amount of support from the community as many came in to see the artwork the students had created. Receiving first place in the elementary was Audrey Foster with “Pretty Butterfly” second place was Macie Wainscott with “Fall Leaves” and third place was Ashton Carullo with “Ice Cream Cone.” In the high school, first place was awarded to “Cherry Blossoms” by Ray Cummings, second place was awarded to “Koi Fish” by Tatiana Martinez, and third place was awarded to “Reproduction” by Holly Tate. The high school also awarded three students with an “Honorable Mention” award: Katrina Clark with “Looking Giraffe”, Addie Dowse with “Self Portrait”, and Tatiana Martinez with “A Day in the Garden.” Overall, the students had great artwork portrayed in the show and it was great to see all the different aspects of everyone’s artwork. Great job to everyone who participated!

Written by Sydney Berry

Pictured above (L-R): Ray Cummings, Tatiana Martinez, Holly Tate, Katrina Clark, Addie Dowse

By Aiyana Murchie

This year, Mr. Brewster decided to coach the elementary basketball teams. The elementary Bulldogs consisted of Cody Bridges, Clayton Bridges, River Clark, Payton Miller, Brice Miller, Brian Boone, Kale Oerke, Tucker Roach, Jentry Bergman, Cade Callahan, Parker Hill, and Kael Brewster. The elementary girls team consisted of Briana Arredon-do, Dayly-n Vermillion, Lexie Ward, Macie Morris, and Lilly Rotert. The assistant coaches were Russ and Katrina Bergman. The students involved were all very humble, coachable, and all-around good kids. The boys and girls both got better as the season progressed and represented the school and community very well. Both teams demonstrated good chemistry and worked well together. The teams played nine games each, two at home.

Ballard Vs. Sheldon 2/23/16

Ballard Sheldon

14 12

Ballard Vs. Miami 2/26/16

Ballard Miami

33 12

Girls

Boys

Ballard Vs. Montrose 3/1/16

Ballard Montrose

4 31

Ballard Vs. Bronaugh 3/22/16

Ballard Bronaugh

8 20

Pictured above is Jentry Bergman

Ballard Vs. Sheldon 2/23/16

Ballard Sheldon

17 5

Ballard Vs. Miami 2/26/16

Ballard Miami

16 27

Ballard Vs. Montrose 3/1/16

Ballard Montrose

15 28

Ballard Vs. Bronaugh 3/22/16

Ballard Bronaugh

21 23

Pictured above are Lilly Rotert, Daylyn Vermillion, and Briana Arredondo

On Friday, March 11, the elementary Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs took on the NEVC Knights on the home court. This was the first of two home games for both teams, and the home crowd was fired up. Our Bulldog boys had a very high scoring game, scoring over 40 points. Our girls kept the Knights down to 11 points and more than doubled their score. Both Ballard teams won; the boys won 44-24 and the girls won 26-11.

Tuesday, March 15, saw the second home game for the elementary basketball teams. The Ballard Bulldog boys and girls played the Hume Hornets at six on the home court. This was also the final home game for the teams, so the Ballard crowd was out in full. Both teams put it all on the floor, but were outgunned by the Hornets. The final score for the boys was 20-33 Hornets, and the score for the girls was 13-27 Hornets.

By Levi Meade

Dear Parent or Guardian: Our district is required to inform you of certain information that you, according to The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-110), have the right to know. Upon your request, our district is required to provide to you in a timely manner, the following information:

• Whether the teacher has met state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction.

• Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which state qualifica-tion or licensing criteria have been waived.

• Whether your child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications. • What baccalaureate degree major the teacher has and any other graduate certification or degree held by

the teacher, and the field of discipline of the certification. In addition to the information that parents may request, districts must provide to each individual parent –

• Information on the achievement level of the parent’s child in each of the state academic assessments as required under this part; and

• Timely notice that the parent’s child has been assigned, or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks by, a teacher who is not highly qualified.

Mr. Bridges

This year, on Thursday, April 21, Mr. Bridges and female chaperone Shauna Inglis took the poultry team and the FFA officers to the FFA State Convention in Colombia Missouri. They stayed at the nearby Days Inn. There was a pool and a hot tub at this hotel, so everyone enjoyed themselves. The poultry boys, Mylan Murray, Levi Meade, TJ Sickels, and Kody Green, studied up together in prepara-tion. On Friday, the four poultry boys attended the com-petition. They judged laying hens, ready-to-cook carcass-es, broiler chickens, and eggs. The boys graded chicken products, placed them, and gave oral reasons for their placing. Our boys were the 40th team out of 48 teams. They said that they wished they could’ve placed higher, but that the experience was fun and that they are glad they qualified for State Convention. This time around we did not have anyone from Ballard get their FFA State De-gree at the convention; all those planning on getting State certified from Ballard already had earlier in the year.

By Levi Meade

Pictured Above: (L-R) Front Row: Caitlyn Inglis, Katrina Clark, Micah Patrick, Victoria Kiffer, Sabrina Walsh Back Row: Trent Tate, Merritt Roach, TJ Sickels, Colton Page, Sponsor Dustin Bridges, Levi Meade, Kody Green, and Mylan Murray Photo credits go to Shauna Inglis

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