Friday, April 25: 

Hallsville PTO Movie Night

Sunday, April 27:

Secondary Spring Concerts

Sunday, May 4: 

HHS Junior & Senior Prom

Thursday, May 8:

Intermediate Fun Run

Kindergarten & 1st Grade Concert

Friday, May 9: 

Primary Fun Run

Friday, May 16: 

Class of 2025 Senior Awards & Graduation

Monday, May 19: 

School In Session

HMS Awards & Recognition

Tuesday, May 20: 

HIS Awards & Recognition

District Retirement Reception

Board of Education Meeting

Wednesday, May 21: 

HPS End of Year Celebration

Thursday, May 22: 

Last Day of School, 12:30 p.m. dismissal

You can view the district calendar online here  or subscribe to the calendar here.

You can subscribe to the District and Athletics & Activities events and calendar  here.

To stay informed about game cancellations, schedule changes, and department updates, join the Athletics Community Group here.

Derek attended Hallsville Schools from kindergarten through high school. His parents are David and Donna Haun. Derek presently lives in Niceville, Florida, with his wife, Lindley, and their three kids.

What kind of post-high school training or schooling did you have? 

After graduation, I attended the United States Air Force Academy and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering. While serving in the military, I also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Military Strategy from various institutions.

What jobs have you had since graduating, and what are you doing now?
After college, I spent 12 years as a Space Operations Officer in the U.S. Air Force. When the U.S. Space Force was established five years ago, I transitioned into the new service. Today, I serve as a Guardian in the U.S. Space Force and am the commander of the 20th Space Surveillance Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

Hallsville schools (really, the teachers and faculty) afforded me two things growing up – opportunities and challenges. I was afforded opportunities to learn and grow through sports, math/science/business clubs, and various organizations such as National Honor Society and student government. Through these extracurriculars – and alongside regular classwork – I was challenged by teachers and coaches to work hard, compete, maintain high standards, and represent myself, our school, and town proudly.

What is a favorite memory from school at Hallsville? 

There are too many to list – long bus rides home following a game or club event provided great opportunities to spend time with friends. Homecoming week was always a highlight. But it’s often the daily routine that I enjoy reflecting on the most – grabbing lunch with a close group of friends, getting a few shots up between classes in the basketball gym, or seeing 4th and 5th graders grow while tutoring them in math.

What part of Hallsville did you take with you? 

Hallsville gave me a unique sense of community, where everybody took the time to know your name and story, rooted for you, and offered encouragement or support when needed. As a military family, we are living in our 10th city across 17 years of service so far; we strive to create that same sense of community wherever we live and call home.   

What advice would you give students today? 

I encourage students to slow down and savor this current stage of life, especially for high school students. Being a student enables you to learn about your interests, grow as a young adult, and to be curious about various opportunities after high school. You don’t need to have everything figured out – trust that you were prepared well to successfully tackle whatever may be next after graduation and don’t be afraid to challenge yourself with an opportunity outside of your comfort zone.

After they were sworn into office, the Board elected Craig Stevenson as president, Jessica Hassler as vice president, and Secley Kennedy as treasurer. 

Join the Hallsville PTO for their Family Movie Night at 6:00 p.m. tonight at Hallsville Intermediate School. Doors open at 5:45 p.m., and The Wild Robot (Rated PG) will begin at 6:00 p.m. This event is free for all students and families. The PTO will also provide free popcorn and water.

Please join us in celebrating the Hallsville High School Class of 2025! Graduation  is scheduled for Friday, May 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the football field. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m., and parking will be available across the entire district, including at the primary school and main campus. Several shuttle options will be available for families. In the event of inclement weather, graduation will be moved indoors.

Summer School registration will close today, Friday, April 25. Summer school is offered Tuesday through Friday for students entering 1st—12th grade from June 3, 2025, through June 27, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. School will not be in session on Thursday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth. 

Kindergarten Jumpstart is a half-day morning program for students entering kindergarten in the fall of 2025. There are two sessions for families to enroll in.

On April 17, 2025, the district held their spring safety meeting. The meeting addressed the district's CSIP Goal of Excellent Schools, specifically Improvement Objective 2.1.1: Schools provide a safe environment where students are able to focus on academic learning. 

The group reviewed district safety plans, current training and programs, and resources available through the district website. Discussions also included intruder alert systems, emergency services coordination, and CPR/First Aid training for staff. Several follow-up items were noted for future action and planning. You can read the full summary of the meeting here.

Please join the Hallsville School District on Tuesday, May 20, as we celebrate our faculty and staff retiring from the district! The reception will be in the primary cafeteria from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.. Students, families, staff, and community members are welcome to attend.

• Betsy Berry, HMS Science
• Scott Allen, HHS Science
• Lesa Richards, HHS Learning Specialist
• Matt Boyer, HHS Counseling 
• Bertha Brekke, HMS Administrative Assistant

The Board of Education will also hold its monthly meeting on Tuesday, May 20, at 6:00 p.m. in the primary cafeteria.

Yearbook order forms were due prior to Spring Break. If you did not order a yearbook and would like to be included on the waitlist, please click the button below. Heidi Lenon, Yearbook Advisor, will contact you at a later date if books are available.

Below are highlights of items discussed during the open session of the Board of Education meeting on Thursday, April 17, 2025. The full agenda with document links is available on the district website, and you can read the full highlights here.  The next regular session meeting is Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the Hallsville Primary School cafeteria. 

RECOGNITIONS

• Erin Snelling was recognized by the Hallsville High School administration. They recently nominated Mrs. Snelling for the Outstanding Biology Teacher of the Year award. They stated Mrs. Snellings provides unique learning experiences for her students.
• The HHS administration recognized students Sophia Rounds, Jazmin Elias, and Savanah Gould  for participating in the Missouri Youth Election Participant Program on April 8, Election Day.
• The HHS Drama Department was recognized for their outstanding performance of the spring play, Harriet the Spy!
• Ada Tharp was recognized for her hard work as Board Secretary.

CITIZENS COMMUNICATION

• Ainslee Adkins and Lindsey Gerhart spoke on the topic of drama closets and storage.
• Sheila Ganley spoke on the topic of paraprofessional advocacy. 

STADIUM PROJECT UPDATE: Progress Report #4

SMWilson provided a monthly construction update for the Board of Education to review, along with the most recent pay application and three change orders for Board consideration. 

Change Orders:

• #9: Field Events and ADA Parking

Locker Room Current Activities:

The locker room project has made significant progress with the underground plumbing rough-in and underground utilities, including storm and sewer systems, now complete. The slab on grade has been poured, and Phase 1 of the concourse has been paved. Steel delivery is scheduled for April 14th. The Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) includes a total of 8 weather days (2 per month); however, the project has currently experienced 26 weather-related delays, which SM Wilson is tracking to assess potential schedule impacts.

Bleacher Pad Current Activities: 

• Pad poured and bleacher installation has started.

Field Events:

• Grading has started.

PROGRAM EVALUATIONS

The Board approved the evaluations of the At-Risk  and Facilities & Grounds  programs. Each review includes program goals, evidence of change, concerns, and future recommendations.

CSIP GOAL 1: STUDENT LEARNING

The Hallsville School District will prepare our students to be competitive and successful after graduating high school.

• HMS Counseling Update: Before spring break, 8th-grade students visited MATC for a tour and completed ICAPS for high school course requests. Detective Andy Evans from the Boone County Cyber Crimes unit was a guest speaker for all middle school students and spoke about sexting, sextortion, online safety, and child pornography laws. Course Requests for middle school next year will begin in a few weeks. 5th grade tours are scheduled in May to begin the transition to middle school.
• Assessment: The Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) requires districts to administer a variety of assessments, including the Grade Level Assessments for grades 3-8, End of Course (EOC) testing for Algebra I, English II, Biology, and Government at the high school level, and MAP-Alternate (MAP-A) assessment for those students with severe cognitive disabilities who meet eligibility requirements determined by the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team. The MAP-Alternate assessment has both a fall and spring component. The spring testing window opened in February and closes in mid-May. MAP and EOC testing will begin at the end of April and finish in mid-May.

CSIP GOAL 2: EXCELLENT SCHOOLS 

The Hallsville School District will provide a student-focused climate and excellent staff as a means to student success. 

• MSIP 6 Climate & Culture (CSIP 2.2.5): As part of our ongoing efforts to meet the requirements of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP 6), we conducted building-specific surveys to support our Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP) and Building Improvement Plan (BIP). Surveys were sent out last week to all families and students in grades 3 through 12. Survey results are used to complete the evaluation and to set and monitor building (BIP) and district (CSIP) goals. A summary of the results will be available at the May board meeting.

• Paraprofessional Professional Development: Paraprofessionals must receive proper training and professional development opportunities because they play a key role in supporting students' academic and emotional growth. Well-trained paraprofessionals can better assist teachers, adapt to students' diverse needs, and implement effective strategies to help students succeed. The following webinars will be added next year to our paraprofessionals’ available training resources. 

  • CEC's Effective & High-Leverage Practices for Paraeducators program 

  • Effective and High-Leverage Practices for Paraeducators 

  • Supporting Behavior as a Paraeducator

POLICY UPDATES

This is the second reading of the updated policies from MCE for February. Policies go into effect after the second reading.

• Policy 4310: Tenured teachers leaving the district for reasons other than retirement will be reimbursed for unused sick leave up to one-hundred (100) days if written notice is received by the Superintendent on or before March 1. The current policy states April 1. 
• Policy 5550: Food Service: The district commits to purchasing domestic commodities and products to the maximum extent possible for its food service program. 
• Regulation 2785: Student Welfare: Updates the Missouri Department of Mental Health website address.

Thank you to all the families who joined us for Kindergarten Orientation at Hallsville Primary School last night! We loved getting to meet our future kindergarten students and their families. During orientation, students enjoyed connecting with our kindergarten teachers, exploring the building, visiting with community partners, and of course, grabbing a special treat from the cafeteria line!

If you were unable to attend and would like to receive the orientation materials, your child’s t-shirt, and yard sign, please reach out to Cassie Kauffman at ckauffman@hallsville.org.

We’re so excited to welcome the Class of 2038 to Hallsville Primary School!

Girls in Emergency Management (GEM) Camp

GEM Camp is a FREE 5-day camp for high school women interested in a career in emergency management, public safety, government, and more! Campers will learn about disaster preparedness, develop leadership skills, and meet leaders in government from local, state, and federal agencies. More information can be found online. 

Hallsville Veterans Memorial

The Police Foundation of Hallsville is raising funds for a Veterans Memorial at Tribble Park. Community members are invited to purchase an engraved brick honoring those who served. Whether you are a veteran, a family member, or a supporter of our military, your contribution helps build a space where stories and sacrifices are forever cherished. Orders must be placed before March 31, 2025.