Education

A tornado warning issued for the city of Gainesville a little after midnight Sunday marked the first time a warning had been issued since the FEMA storm shelter addition was added to the front of the Gainesville School. Superintendent Justin Gilmore said that in the event that a tornado warning is issued for the city of Gainesville, the front doors to the school automatically unlock, allowing anyone in the area to go inside the shelter to weather out the storm. “You don’t have to wait for someone to unlock it. It does it automatically. But it has to be a tornado warning issued for Gainesville. It doesn’t unlock when there’s a severe thunderstorm warning or if the tornado warning is issued for Ozark County but in a different town,” Gilmore clarified. The superintendent said because it was the first time that a tornado warning was issued since the addition was built, he went to the school to ensure that the unlocking mechanism worked as it should. “It worked perfectly,” he said. About 20 local residents utilized the facility during the early-morning tornado warning. The shelter is available for use for anyone when a tornado warning is issued in Ozark County. The nearly 8,000-square foot addition, which was completed in 2022, was paid in part by a grant issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in order to provide a safe place during a tornado. The structure can hold 930 individuals and can withstand winds of 250-miles per hour. Dora and Bakersfield Schools have also obtained FEMA grants over the last several years and have built tornado shelters in their communities. They are available for use when a tornado warning is issued for those cities.

THEODOSIA, Mo. (KY3) - The Lutie School District in Ozark County shifted from a four-day school week to the traditional five-day schedule. This decision comes after three years of experimenting with the shorter school week, aiming to retain and recruit educators. Sierra Scott, a dedicated teacher, and new mother, faced...

Two Ozark County Jail inmates begin the orientation process of a new grant funded program that provides those incarcerated in jail here the opportunity to earn a GED. The program’s instructor is Stephanie Dearing, pictured at right.

The Ozark School District is one nearby working on getting new teachers in and keeping them.

It’s that time of year, the end of summer vacation draws near for school-age children around the Ozarks. In less than a month, Ozark County students will be back in class trying to acclimate to the early mornings and long afternoons in the classrooms. Local schools have announced their...

(Kathalee Cole and Brenda Johnston) Two new administrators have been selected at the Lutie School District, but they are familiar names. According to the Ozark County Times, Kathalee Cole has been selected by the Lutie School board as the new superintendent. She succeeds Scot Young who spent the last 12 years as superintendent at Lutie.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol recently released the results of the Driver and Vehicle Safety Division’s 2023 annual school bus inspection program. The reports showed several school districts throughout the Show Me State and charted the number of buses presented, the percentage of buses approved, the percentage of defective buses and the percentage of buses out of service.

Editor’s note: Janet Taber, who lives on a farm in Almartha in northern Ozark County with husband Stan, wrote this piece last week referencing her grandson Wyatt Alms, who graduated from Gainesville High School on May 19. Early this morning, the wranglers on our place were hard at work...

Gainesville High School seniors Colton Lawson, left, and Maliki Sherry qualified to compete at the Class 2 state track and field meet held May 19-20 in Jefferson City. Both athletes set all-time student records in their event. Colton placed 12th in the javelin throw, and Maliki placed 12th in high jump.

The following Gainesville High School athletes were named 2023 all summit conference baseball recipients, from left, front row: Grant Leeker, Hunter Luna, Aden Yarger, Briar Walrath. Back row: Carter Wise, Daden House, Wyatt Alms, and Andrew Hambelton (photo at far right).

Five Gainesville High School softball players qualified for the 2023 all conference title. Pictured, from left, Bretlyn Kastning, Jessee Latham, Katelyn Morgan, Macenzie Avila and Emory Warden.

The Gainesville High School baseball team is one win away from successfully defending its district title from a year ago. Top-seeded Gainesville played Wednesday in the semifinals of the Class 2, District 10 Tournament at Seymour and defeated another group of Bulldogs from Cabool 9-3. Gainesville improves to 20-4 on the year.

It’s graduation time–and this year is especially exciting because more high school students from our region are crossing the stage to get their diplomas with strong plans in place for their futures. Some are headed to a two-or four-year college, some to career training, some to the military....

Photo by PJ Maigi/OzarksSportsZone.com Shown are the Gainesville High School Bulldogs who have won their third district title in three years. Front row, from left, Aden Yarger, Briar Walrath, Wyatt Alms, Daden House, Camden Evans and Carter Wise. Back row, C.J. Powell, Cutter Morrison, Jarett Hogan, Kannon Morrison, Dawson Hewett, Andrew Hambelton, Grant Leeker, Hunter Luna, Brady Myers, Brayden Miller, Isaac Pippin, Lyle Pippin and Owen Donley.

Over 30 Gainesville High School students attended the FBLA State Leadership Conference in Springfield April 16-18. Students who qualified competed in individual and team events during the three day competition. Seven students placed in the top ten in the State. Justus DeVries placed 4th in Ag Business, qualifying him for Nationals in Atlanta in July. Layla Biby had an 8th place finish in Electronic Career Portfolio. The Parliamentary Procedure team, consisting of Wyatt Alms, Carrie Richer, Jarett Hogan, Camden Evans and Gentry Blackburn placed 8th. Shown are, from left, front row: Ashley Dunn (teal shirt), Katelyn Morgan and Slivana Sherrill. Middle row: Savannah Bushner, Breanna Welch, Alyssa Smith, Layla Biby, Justus DeVries, Michelle Walker, Emma McGinnis, Katelyn Allen, Wyatt Alms, Camden Evans, Dawson Hewett, Lyle Pippin, Carrie Richer, Gentry Blackburn, Jenna Uchtman and Jarett Hogan. Back row Macray Hambelton, Owen Donley, Carter Wise, Trey Pendergrass, Ian Anderson, BreAnna Rowland, Zeke Yarger, Tate Uchtman, Dawson Duke, Grayden Rowbotham and Brady Myers.

Two students in Ozark County are among 68 receiving scholarships from White River Valley Electric Cooperative’s trust program. Operation Round Up has awarded $1,500 each to Grayden Rowbotham of Gainesville and Robin Willow Schofield of Lutie to further their education or vocational careers. Operation Round Up has awarded $102,000...

Lutie High School held its 2023 senior prom recently. Shown are prom queen Angel Hill and king Dane Hadley.

High school baseball makes up much of the local Wednesday schedule as district play continues in Missouri. After having a first round bye as the top-seeded team, Gainesville will compete in the semifinals of the Class 2, District 10 Tournament at Hartville. It will be a battle between Bulldogs as Gainesville faces Cabool at 2.

The Gainesville High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) group recently traveled to Springfield for the state conference and several of the students placed in competition. Justus DeVries placed 4th in Agribusiness (qualifying for nationals), Layla Biby took 8th place in Electronic Career Portfolio and the Parliamentary Procedure team...

Last week, April 17 through April 22 area teams hit the field in baseball and softball action. The Blue Eye Bulldogs hosted the Forsyth Panthers on Monday, April 17, losing 1-11. On Tuesday, April 18, they traveled to Purdy and lost to the Eagles 1-12. The Lady Bulldogs traveled to Sparta on Monday, April 17 to face the Lady Trojans, losing 1-18. On Friday, April 21 they hosted Southwest (Washburn), losing 6-17.