Pleasant Hill R-III Staff Newsletter
Feb. 2015
The Latest
Reports
Dr. Paul Canaan presented a plan, High School: 2016 and Beyond, which is an effort to continuously improve the experience for students at Pleasant Hill High School, while preparing them for post-secondary options. Following the presentation, the Pleasant Hill R-III Board of Education voted
to approve the following:
Increase graduation requirements to 25 credits
 This will take effect with the class of 2019, current 8th graders.
 Students can fulfill this requirement by taking an additional core elective or world language course.
Implement a Latin system of recognition at graduation.
 This will take effect with the class of 2019, current 8th graders.
 Replace the recognition of a Valedictorian and Salutatorian with a three tiered designation for academic excellence.
 Summa Cum Laude:
4.0 GPA and above
 Magna Cum Laude:
3.8 – 3.99 GPA
 Cum Laude:
3.7 – 3.79 GPA
 The current practice of class rank will not change.
Reduce the sections of Study Skills course offerings
 Eliminate study skills courses over a two year period.
Implement an 8 Period Day
 Adjust the daily tone schedule to accommodate time for:
 Academic Assistance
 Connections
 Lunch
 Credit Recovery
 Virtual Learning Courses
 ¼ Credit Courses (ACT Prep, Freshman Seminar)
 This period will be inserted in the middle of the school day.
 This would require PHHS to reduce each class period by four minutes from the current schedule.
Advanced Placement Courses
 A team of teachers are planning to explore the possibility of adding AP courses to the course offerings for the 2016-2017
school year.
 Limited AP courses would be phased in over a several year period so that a comprehensive list would be offered.
Alternative School Options
 Staff and administrators are having discussions about serving a wider range of students through an alternative program.
 We are planning to explore options that will align with our current staffing situation and existing resources that will allow
more students to be successful at Pleasant Hill High School.
New Assessments and Instructional Practices
Dr. Becky Gallagher presented information to the Board of Education regarding the new assessments students will be taking this Spring as required by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The assessments will be aligned to the Missouri Learning Standards
and will be taken online by students in grades 3rd through 8th, as well as specific courses at the secondary level. This Spring marks the first time
all juniors in the State will be required to take the ACT with the writing portion.
Dr. Gallagher went on to highlight all of the instructional practices the staff have been utilizing to best prepare students for college and career.
These research-based instructional practices have been the ongoing focus of professional development over the past several years. Some of the
district-wide practices highlighted was the work with common assessments, tier 3 vocabulary work, anchor charts, aligning reading and writing
standards across the district, informational text and close reading, Big 6, implementation of Chromebooks in MS and HS ELA classrooms, increasing rigor and relevance, intentional planning, and curriculum mapping and pacing guides. It was pointed out the Pleasant Hill R-III staff members
are working harder than ever to ensure student success beyond high school. She went on to thank the teachers for their work and dedication to
students.
Larry J. Hart & Company for bond underwriting services
The Board authorized the retention of LJ Hart and Company as the district’s bond underwriter and refunded $2.8 million of 2010 General Obligation
Bonds. The refinancing will reduce current average interest rate that the district is paying from 2.81% to an estimated 0.94%, which creates approximately $100,000 of savings over the next four years. Comparisons of LJ Hart’s recent refundings with other companies and with other districts
indicate very competitive interest rates and total cost of issuance for the new bonds. The refunding maintains the same principal payments and
takes advantage of lower interest rates until all of the bonds mature within the next four years.
Board of Education makes Employment Decisions
In Closed session, the Board accepted the following resignation effective for the 2015-2016 School Year:
 Lindsay Neal, Extra Duty—HS Volleyball Assistant
The following administrators will continue their employment for the 2015-16 school year:
 Chandra Arbuckle, Intermediate School Principal
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Paul Canaan, High School Principal
Jenny Daniel, Middle School Principal
Sandra Haight, Primary School Principal
Janell Hamilton, Special Services Director
Sue Herrera, Elementary School Principal
Jim Oliver, Activities Director/ High School Assistant Principal
Greg Reeves, High School Assistant Principal
Janis Yokley, Technology Director
Becky Gallagher, Assistant Superintendent
John Griffith, Assistant Superintendent
The Board approved Substitute teacher list as presented:
Kerrie Mann, Lisa Corson, Patricia Dutcher, Sarah Runyon (custodian sub)
Board Approved Consent Agenda
Consent agenda items approved:
 Minutes of previous meetings
 Financial report, monthly bills and transfer of funds
 Administrative program evaluations – Differentiated Instruction
 MSBA policy revision