Elementary School

The Willow Springs Elementary School would like to recognize the following students as Pawsitive Bears who have shown the character trait of Respectful during the Fourth Quarter of school! These Bears have shown respect to others in all settings and situations: Kindergarten: 🐻 Annaliese Roberts 🐻 Wade McKee 🐻 Everleigh Lemon 🐻 Cadence Campbell 🐻 Alaina Maylee 🐻 Jocelyn Kearns 🐻 Macie Hall 🐻 Trustyn Davis 🐻 Joseph Widner 🐻 Not Pictured: Thomas Savory First Grade: 🐻 Jamey Harden 🐻 Dakota Collins 🐻 Bodhi Trudeau 🐻 Boyd Lewis 🐻 Rachel Kharitonov 🐻 Colbie Holmes 🐻 Skylynn Vaughan 🐻 Eric Skelton 🐻 Noah Higgins 🐻 Elsie Lemon Second Grade: 🐻 Addie Ellis 🐻 Jeffery Collins-Dyer 🐻 Hoyt Zeller 🐻 Sloan McKinney 🐻 Gabriella Trae 🐻 Harper Jackson 🐻 Waylan Ghan 🐻 Benson Williams 🐻 Ameliah Collins 🐻 Quentin Peterson Third Grade: 🐻 Kharma Anderson 🐻 Parker Story 🐻 Joshua Coffman 🐻 Tori Beltz 🐻 Lincoln Kelley 🐻 Jessica Nadtochayev 🐻 Genesis Higgs 🐻 Tristan Bennett 🐻 Brylee Sanders 🐻 Israelia Dunn Fourth Grade: 🐻 Anna Barton 🐻 Jackson Hilton 🐻 Edward Fokina 🐻 Brennan Dye 🐻 Braylon Ebert 🐻 Desley Barton 🐻 Solarah Dhillon 🐻 Oliver McKinney 🐻 Abigail Maggard 🐻 Emilee Ellis Congratulations Bears! 🥳 #OneWillow

Preschool students recently completed a unit on Community Helpers! - They got to hear from Dr. Pigg, an Optometrist!👁 - They visited Pizza Americana to watch how they make pizza (and of course got to eat some!)🍕 - Adam Kimbrough came to talk about his job as an ER nurse!🩺 - They visited the new Innovation Hall to learn about the CTE programs!🎥⚙️ - Dr. Mansfield, a Dentist, came to talk about his job and what to expect if students haven't been to see a dentist before!🦷 - They visited the Willow Springs Public Library and listened to a story!📖 - Officer Moore and Officer Cunningham (the School Resource Officers) visited to talk about their jobs and even let them use their radios!🚨 - Mrs. Gilliam visited to talk about recycling and the kids participated in a recycling relay!♻️ - The high school child development class stopped by for a visit and played some games!🐻 The students learned a lot and had a great time listening to the different speakers and touring new places! 🌟 #OneWillow

Mrs. Kelley recently visited Mrs. Thompson's class to talk about bee keeping and what tools are needed to harvest honey!🐝🍯 #OneWillow

Join us Monday, May 6th at 9:00 am in Munford Gymnasium for the Kindergarten Graduation!🐻

🚨 Elementary and middle school summer school forms need to be returned by Friday, May 3rd.

Scott and Olivia Mackey from EHM and Co recently made a special visit to Mrs. Coffman's classroom and brought several of their animal friends! Students learned first hand about the diets, habitats, and common behaviors of bunnies, a baby tortoise, a bearded dragon, zebra skinks, a leopard gecko, an axolotl and a ball python. This was a fantastic opportunity to practice language and social skills! Thank you Scott and Olivia! #OneWillow

Over the next few weeks, we will be highlighting the individuals that are retiring from the Willow Springs School District. First up is 2nd Grade Interventionist, Mrs. Anita Ellis! Q: How many years have you worked for the Willow Springs School District? A: I have worked in the Willow Springs School District for a total of nineteen years. (8 years as a paraprofessional, 11 years teaching). Q: How many years have you been in education? A: I have been in education for 33 years. Before teaching, I was a paraprofessional here at Willow Springs Elementary for eight years. After receiving my teaching certification, I taught at the FairView School District in West Plains for three years, Mountain View Elementary for eleven years and am now finishing my eleventh year here at WSE. Q: What will you miss the most about working for the Willow Springs School District? A: It’s hard to say what I’m going to miss the most when I leave the Willow Springs School District. There are so many things here that are very dear to my heart, those being my students' former/present and my co-workers/team. I will miss my students and those “ah ha” moments, when the light comes on. Those moments are my favorite and have reminded me on many occasions why I’m here. My co-workers/team are more like family. I have been blessed to work with such amazing people and to have built relationships that will last a lifetime. I will always hold true to the motto “Once a Bear, Always a Bear”! Q: What are you looking forward to the most about being retired? A: The thing that I am most looking forward to is having more time to spend with my sister, who retired from her job last year. She is constantly telling me how wonderful retirement is going to be! We will enjoy camping trips with our family, long day shopping trips, overnight stays, and sitting by the lake or river this summer. I also love to paint/refinish furniture. I am always finding old pieces of furniture that I would love to give new life. My new schedule will give more time to do that. Congratulations Mrs. Ellis and thank you for all that you have done for the Willow Springs School District! We wish you the best!🐻 #OneWillow #onceabearalwaysabear

Congratulations to the Willow Springs Elementary School Spelling Bee winners! 1st Grade: 🥇1st Place - Madelyn Gorla 🥈2nd Place - Kane Ennis 🥉3rd Place - Graysen Stiebs 2nd Grade: 🥇1st Place - Michael Iacovlev 🥈2nd Place - Rowdy Hays 🥉3rd Place - Amelia Green 3rd Grade: 🥇1st Place - Joshua Coffman 🥈2nd Place -Emery McKee 🥉3rd Place -Evelin Kharitonova 4th Grade: 🥇1st Place - Lily Mullins (not pictured) 🥈2nd Place - Alivia Tharp 🥉3rd Place - Russell Garner #OneWillow

The 4th grade classes went to the YMCA last week to watch their teachers vote to see the process and learn about the importance of voting! #OneWillow

Mrs. Kelley's class recently visited the Willow Springs FFA greenhouses for their plant science unit!🌱🌺 #OneWillow

Mrs. Chaney's Kindergarten class enjoyed learning about the Eclipse today!🌒 They tried the special glasses on and enjoyed a tasty snack of moon pies and sunny d! #OneWillow

Elementary and Middle School students recently participated in the Art Around Town event that is sponsored by MSU-West Plains and the West Plains Art Council!🎨 Keera Honerkamp placed 1st in the K-2nd division, Adelyn Dhillon placed 3rd in the 3rd and 4th division and Porter Casey won Best of Show! Congratulations!🥳 #OneWillow

Information for boys basketball camps for grades 3rd-6th!

Mrs. Solik's class researched different influential African Americans during February for Black History Month! #OneWillow

Children's author Jefferson Knapp came to visit the Willow Springs Elementary School today! Mr. Knapp is the author of a series titled The Kingdom at the End of the Driveway. The students had a great time! More information about Mr. Knapp can be found at www.krakenbooks.com. Thank you Mr. Knapp for stopping by Willow!

Members of the Presbyterian Church of Willow came by to read a book to our first graders! 📖 They also brought all of the first graders a book of their own! We want to thank Miss Candace, Cara and Cash for taking the time to read to our students! #OneWillow

Mrs. Green took a group of students to Jefferson City on March 4th for the Youth Art Month's Award Assembly! We had students represent the Willow Springs Middle School and Elementary School! Elsie Lemon won Primary Elementary Honorable Mention for the state! Each teacher gets to pick four works of art to represent their school. The art is displayed at the capital for the month of March. #OneWillow

The Willow Springs Elementary School would like to recognize the following students as Pawsitive Bears who have shown the character trait of Appreciative during the Third Quarter of school! These Bears have displayed how to be thankful and have good manners. Kindergarten: 🐻 Xander Velarde 🐻 Madilyn Dancer 🐻 Johnny Stark 🐻 Abel Smith 🐻 Andrew Sims 🐻 Roy Clinton 🐻 Charlie Johnson 🐻 Tymber Kargel 🐻 Madi Hileman 🐻 Not Pictured: Zeyanna Hord First Grade: 🐻 Sofia Gerasimov 🐻 Grayson Shanks 🐻 Jacob Kenyon 🐻 Adilee Green 🐻 Tucker Cox 🐻 Amelia Beltz 🐻 Kane Ennis 🐻 Viktor Fokina 🐻 Adeline Riley 🐻 Maci Clinton Second Grade: 🐻 Ethan Atkisson 🐻 Emily Campbell 🐻 Marie Braun 🐻 Samantha Coffman 🐻 Nathaniel Hood 🐻 Myrah Sanders 🐻 Creedence Gilliam 🐻 Paislee Murphy 🐻 Hattie Dodgen 🐻 Not Pictured: Joel Collins Third Grade: 🐻 Rylee Long 🐻 John Kimbrough 🐻 Kolbe Ewers 🐻 Kenzley Lemon 🐻 Paislee Cattell 🐻 Audrey James 🐻 Emery McKee 🐻 Hunter Ennis 🐻 Elliana Fursov 🐻 Allison Beltz Fourth Grade: 🐻 Riley Wheeler 🐻 Emmie Lemon 🐻 Ryleigh Romine 🐻 Aria Bittick 🐻 Shannon Cox 🐻 JaneLee Tetrick 🐻 Darrius Sexton-McLaurin 🐻 AlmaJean Widner 🐻 Lily Mullins 🐻 Izzy Callahan Congratulations Bears! 🥳 #OneWillow

Mrs. Land's 3rd graders have been learning about food chains and habitats in science this semester! This past week they completed their habitat projects. Students chose a habitat, researched it online/using books and articles, then they created their habitat and presented it to their class. Mrs. Land says they worked really hard and did a terrific job! #OneWillow

The Willow Springs Rotary Club recently visited the 2nd grade class to read the story Andy and Elmer’s Apple Dumpling Adventure and to teach about Rotary’s Four Way Test! They gave each student an apple and activity book! The students had so much fun! #OneWillow