Education
‘Let’s Get Growing!’ set for March 29
The Barry County Master Gardeners are hosting their annual spring garden workshop, “Let’s Get Growing!” on March 29 at First Baptist Church Family Life Center in downtown Cassville.

Dialed up to 100
Prompted by “Zero Hero” to county to 100, starting by whispering and raising every 20 numbers to as loud as possible for 80-100, Cassville Primary School students, Rowan Stanton, left, Layten Craig, middle, and Layne Greek belt out the final figure. The activities were part of the celebration of the 100th day of school on Thursday.

Purdy schools focus on changing standards
Curriculum overhaul leads to new reading program The Purdy school board heard updates on programs and renewed insurance for the coming year during its October meeting. This is a transitional year at Purdy in light of curriculum changes that followed the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Missouri School Improvement Program 6.
Purdy schools make facilities improvements
Purdy school officials this fall have moved into the final phases of a multi-year effort to improve facilities around and adjacent to the school campus. Superintendent Travis Graham said the effort to catch up on deferred maintenance has now focused on replacing the heating and air conditioning units on the roof of the school, dating back some 20-30 years.

pa•rade: noun, a public procession, especially celebratory
Cassville intermediate student Azalea Rydberg says hello to a teacher in the primary school as she demonstrates the meaning of “Breaking News” in the annual vocabulary parade on Thursday.

Merlyn Johnson: What to know on education amendments
On the General Election ballot on Nov. 5, two amendments proposing to allocate funds to public education — Amendment 2 and Amendment 5 — will be presented to voters.

Gardening with the masters
Shane Cowherd, left, joined his mother, Linda Cowherd, for a mother/son outing at the Master Gardeners’ Fall Workshop Saturday morning at the Family Life Center in Cassville.

Kyle Troutman: A stir about early out
When it comes to scrutinizing government entities, a frequent target is the local school district. Administrators do their best to provide quality educations that prepare students for the workforce or college, and the task is a monumental one, worthy of a healthy dose of criticism from time to time.

Jon Horner: Flying with faith into uncharted territory
School has started for so many kiddos and school staff in our communities. This brings excitement and also unchartered waters for many as they are about to open a new door in their life, whether it’s kids or school staff.

SLUDGE fundraiser educates residents
About 100 area residents — the majority of them farmers — attended a fundraiser and informational event at H&H Pool Hall in Cassville Saturday night, where the prospective contamination of soil and groundwater from the land-application of industrial meat-processing and human sludge was the central theme. Two waste-hauling companies, Synagro Central and HydroAg Environmental, have more than 150 proposed permits pending with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to land-apply processing waste to almost 10,000 acres in Barry County.