Arts/Education
The Mtn. View-Birch Tree school board heard last week that the district's APR dropped 12 points. Annual Performance Report (APR) is reported to each district by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The overview of the APR was presented at the Thursday, Nov. 20 Board of...
Every year, Ana Estrella, Department Chair of Natural and Applied Sciences at Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP), leads a group of students on a trip to Costa Rica as part of the Education Abroad program. The experience is also open to community members.
In May of 2025,...
Thumbs UP! Congrats to Blayne Altermatt – 2025 Mountain View Gold Course Champion!
Thumbs Down for yet another plea deal from Howell County Prosecutor's Office allowing a person to grab an officer's gun and get away with only a slap on the wrist. The lack of police support from that...
The West Plains R-VII school board reviewed results from the Missouri Annual Performance Report (APR), showing strong growth across all schools in the district. The APR serves as an accountability measure for all schools, ensuring they are performing and growing at an appropriate rate and level....
Willow Chess Bears brought home lots of hardware from the Second Annual Queen's Gambit Dent-Phelps Chess Tournament. The tournament was held on Saturday, Nov. 22 in Salem, Mo. The Willow Springs Elementary team won second place. Michael Iacovlev was undefeated in first individual spot, and Oakley...
Willow Springs celebrated their 5th annual MOBeef Days. Five years ago, the first beef donation was received. Since then, the school has been able to feed students local beef. All thanks to the local farmers, and processor, explained Food Service Director Regina Roberts.
Each grade level...
Juniors and seniors in the Carpentry 1 & 2 class at Willow Springs High School built shelves for a storage room at G&W Foods’ corporate headquarters – they even cleaned out the room first. It was much-needed organization at the corporate office.
“Community partnership is such a...
Willow Springs High School Principal Nick Schmitt will be retiring at the end of the school year, heard the R-IV school board last Monday night. After 30 years, in education, Schmitt told Howell County News the time is right to step away and, “let someone younger lead the high school.”
“I...
The West Plains R-VII School District announced last week the hiring of Mr. Matthew Orchard as the new Deputy Superintendent, effective July 1, 2026.
Orchard was hired during a closed session on November 11 after the school board interviewed three candidates. The draft minutes of the meeting...
The Willow Springs Chess Team did great at the Forsyth tournament on Saturday (K–8 division). Elementary student Michael Iacovlev won three of his six games, placing in the top ten and helping the team earn second place overall. In middle school, Ayden Bennett and Kane Bennett each won four games...