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The Poplar Bluff High School Academic Team had a strong showing during ACE Quizbowl camp last month at Lincoln College in Illinois. Jackson Rideout, the PBHS senior captain, took first place in the history tournament; sophomore Alyssa Cook, the JV captain, won second in a team contest; and Christian Cmehil-Warn, a senior starter, consistently qualified to compete with the top performing students from multiple states. PBHS has been making its mark in Academic Competition Enterprises-sponsored camps for several years, according to their coach, science teacher Gail Karlish. The Academic Team ended the 2014/15 season with a 30-14 Scholar Bowl record, the Missouri State High School Activity Association has reported.  

Computer-savvy students entering Three Rivers College this fall will have a new option to choose from if they’re looking to turn their love of technology into a career.  The college’s Network Administration degree track has been upgraded into a new IT Specialist program, which trains students for careers in IT more effectively than ever before. “We’ve worked very hard to design the program so that it develops all the skills that our students will need to jump straight into jobs in the field,” said Heather Carlton, Instructor of Information Systems Technology at Three Rivers, and one of the architects of the redesign. “We’ve updated the curriculum, brought it into line with industry standards, and provided more opportunities for students to

This summer 4-H ran a 9 week summer program for ages 5-18. Each Monday youth came to Poplar Bluff to participate in life skill building classes. The cost of classes were $5 each week or $40 for all 9 weeks. Youth were able to participate in robotics, geocaching, arts and crafts, cake decorating, electricity, gardening, healthy living, photography and scrapbooking. All of these activities are part of the 4-H program. In 4-H youth can join clubs in the area and participate in a variety or projects each month. In Butler County there are clubs in Poplar Bluff, Neelyville, Rombauer, Fisk, and Qulin.  If you are interested in getting your child involved in  4-H please contact the University of Missouri Extension

A $250,000 grant has been awarded to Poplar Bluff Schools to add a preschool program that will further help serve the needs of the community in getting district children school-ready. The funding through the Missouri Preschool Program will allow the Early Childhood Center to enroll 60 students ages 3-5, and employ six staff members to manage three classrooms. Pending licensing by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the plan is for the preschool to be operational by Monday, Sept 21. Enrollment will take place on a first come, first serve basis. Cost of tuition will be set on a sliding scale based on the income levels used for the free and reduced lunch program. “Studies have shown over

Jefferson City, Mo - Emails obtained through a Freedom of Information request to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education contained a road map for how our state education agency worked in partnership with numerous federally funded agencies and organizations outside the state to steer the Standards Work Groups, established by HB1490 last year, into retaining the Common Core Standards.  Among the critical findings: DESE personnel actively sought consultation and financial support from out-of-state and federally funded organizations dedicated to the implementation of the common core state standards in opposition to the intent of HB1490  DESE personnel also misused federal Title II funds, which are intended to fund professional development for teacher, to instead fund facilitators and notetakers who attempted