Three open house events have been scheduled to obtain input on a draft county plan and zoning ordinances. Each will provide a two-hour window of opportunity for county residents to share their opinions of the drafted items.
These will be held: Monday, December 8, from 2-4 p.m. at the Johnson County Fairgrounds (386 NW 145 Rd., Warrensburg); Monday, December 8, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Heartland Church (777 NE. Highway 23, Knob Noster); Thursday, December 11, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Kingsville Baptist Church (203 S. Vine St., Kingsville).
In June 2007, Johnson County voters petitioned to establish a temporary commission to draft a proposed comprehensive plan and zoning regulations for voter consideration. Appointed by the Johnson County Commission to represent all townships, the temporary planning and zoning commission has been hard at work to develop an appropriate plan and regulations to help guide the growth and development of Johnson County.
Copies of the draft plan and ordinances will be available for review after December 5 at any of the Trails Regional Library facilities located in Warrensburg, Holden, Knob Noster or Leeton. Go to www.jocoplanning.com or call (660) 747-0244.
The board of directors of Trails Regional Library met November 24 for their regular meeting.
Holden head librarian Jeannae Dickerson gave her report on the Holden Branch.
In her report, she stated the Holden Friends of the Library group met at the Holden Branch on September 4. “During this meeting, a recommendation was made to purchase a book for the library in honor of Corinne Hale’s 100th birthday. I was appointed to choose the book. Since Corinne loved the flowers which she grew, I purchased ‘The Flower Gardener’s Bible’, and had a local person do a handwritten inscription. Marion Robey, a Friends member, took it to show Corinne on her birthday (September 27). Corinne’s son brought it to the library on the following Monday and I sent it to TS to be cataloged. When it comes back to us, I will put it on display with a sign next to it. Corinne was a wonderful friend of our branch who raised much money for this building. She was on our library board before we joined Trails,” said Dickerson.
In program news, Dickerson said on September 8, Erica presented an after-school program for young children. They did some very cute craft projects. It was a fun time for the children and their parents, according to Dickerson.
In other news, she reported she attended a dinner meeting in the Holden Elementary School Library on September 9, which was provided by West Central Missouri chapter of the International Reading Association. During the meeting, she was presented with a literacy award for outstanding involvement in helping to promote literacy in the community.
In programming news, Dickerson said, “I attended a spring programming meeting on September 11, at the Warrensburg branch. We selected a theme, discussed branch programming and system-wide performers and did a summer reading wrap-up.”
In procedures news, she reported she attended a procedures meeting in Warrensburg on September 18, along with Linda Washam, Mary Barnhart and Anita Ewing. “We are now working on procedures for using the Listen system on our circulation computers,” said Dickerson.
She also reported she attended the branch meeting in Warrensburg on September 30.
By Dana Raker
News Staff
The Holden United Methodist Church will be celebrating the “Real Purpose of Christmas” during worship services this month.
“The Christmas Season has become so commercialized that most often the things we do to celebrate have no connection to the real reason for the celebration – the Birth of Jesus,” explained Pastor Pat Kelley. “During our worship services each week we will be exploring what really happened that first Christmas, why God sent His Son to us and how we ought to celebrate the Birth of Jesus.”
The Church begins each Sunday Morning at 8:30 a.m. with a time of fellowship with coffee, juice & donuts, followed by the worship service at 9 a.m. there is Sunday School classes for all ages following the worship service.
The Church will have their Christmas Cantata during the worship service on Sunday December 14. The young people will present a special Youth Christmas Program at 7 p.m., Saturday, December 20. On Wednesday, December 24, at 7 p.m., the church will host the Community Candlelight Christmas Eve Service.
All Services will be held at our new Church building which is located on Highway 58 on the east edge of town. Everyone is invited to attend.
The 2007-08 state Annual Performance Report (APR) shows once again that the Holden R-III School District is making the grade in student performance and academic achievement when considering factors such as Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) test scores, ACT scores, advanced courses, career education courses, college placement, graduation and attendance.
Each year, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) releases an Annual Performance Report (APR), the instrument used to determine the accreditation level of each school district in the state.
The APR shows the district’s status on the Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP) performance standards using current data that DESE has on file. The report shows whether or not a local school district has met 14 standards related to student performance. Those standards include:
•MAP scores for communication arts and mathematics for grades 3 through 5, grades 6 through 8 and grades 9 through 11;
•ACT college entrance test scores;
•Number of students taking advanced placement courses;
•Number of students taking career education courses;
•Number of graduates continuing onto college;
•Number of graduates placed in a career education job or educational institution;
•Graduation rates;
•Attendance; and
•Percentage of subgroups within the district meeting adequate yearly progress (AYP).
“Based on the district’s final APR data, we met all 14 performance standards,” said director of instruction Donna Fizer. “It's a great achievement on the part of the leadership, teachers, students and parents of the school district. Our focus must continue to be on student achievement in everything we do.”
Each year, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will identify school districts that qualify for an annual Distinction in Performance Award, the state’s highest recognition for academic achievement, based on the most recent Annual Performance Report. To qualify for this award, a district must meet at least thirteen out of fourteen performance standards, including all MAP standards.
Based on the final APR report, the Holden school district qualifies for the Distinction in Performance Award for the 2007-2008 academic year, making it the second consecutive year for the district to receive this coveted award.
By Lisa Baker
With the high school construction coming to a close, the Holden School District invites the members of the Holden Chamber of Commerce to a special open house to be held Thursday, December 11 from 2-3 p.m. Members of the Holden Senior Center are also invited to attend at this time.
A group of students will be available to guide people through the new facilities and to tour the additions and renovations made possible through voters’ support of a bond issue. Administrators will be on hand to answer questions.
Later in the day, from 4:30-6 p.m., the entire community is invited to tour the new facility.
“All parents and community members are invited to a district-wide open house that evening,” said Lisa Baker, coordinator of communications, grants and media services. “We encourage everyone to come out and see the project the voters supported through the bond issue and see the results of the additions and renovations. People who haven’t seen it will be surprised. It’s very spacious and fulfills the needs of our students.”
Additions to the high school include 13 new academic classrooms, science labs, larger library, new, larger cafeteria and kitchen, activity room, restrooms, concession stand, enclosed corridor to the agriculture building and improved electrical and technology capacity.
That night is also “Pack the Gym” night, according to Baker, with basketball games with the boys’ junior varsity, varsity and girls’ varsity.
By Dana Raker
News Staff
OBITUARIES
RUTH I. PIRCH
Ruth I. Pirch of Holden, Missouri passed away Monday, December 1, 2008 at the Golden Valley Memorial Hospital in Clinton, Missouri.
Ruth Imogene Mynatt was born in Kansas City, Missouri, the daughter of William B. Mynatt and Josephine A. Crabtree Mynatt. She was raised in Kansas City and graduated from high school there. She was united in marriage to R. “Donald” McClain. Don preceded her in death. She was united in marriage to Charles “Henry” Pirch on August 16, 1997 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Ruth had been a cook at the Holden Elementary School for 26 years. She was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church in Holden, where she was a Sunday school teacher for several years. She was a member of New Hope Baptist Church in Holden for the past several years.
Survivors include her husband, Henry; a daughter and her husband, Mary Jo and William R. Sisk of Holden and their children, Blake, Daniel, Sarah and Hannah; two stepsons and their wives, Garry and Cindy Pirch of Vandalia, Missouri and their children, Gina, Danielle and Will and Ricky and Pam Pirch of Holden and their daughter, Nikki; two great grandchildren; three brothers, Herb Mynatt of Raytown, Stanley Mynatt and his wife, Pat of California and Grant Mynatt and his wife, Marie of Topeka, Kansas and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, Don, Ruth was also preceded in death by two brothers, Edgar and Bart.
Funeral Services: will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, December 6, 2008 at Williams Funeral Chapel in Holden with Reverend Jeremy Redhair of New Hope Baptist Church in Holden officiating.
Interment will follow in the Holden Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Blake Sisk, Daniel Sisk, Garry Pirch, Ricky Pirch, Lloyd Sisk and Doug Hertzog.
There will be no visitation.
Memorial contributions may be left to the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home in care of the funeral home.
Online condolences may be left at www.williamsfuneralchapel.net.
HELEN M. KIMBALL
Helen M. Kimball, age 94, Warrensburg, Missouri, formerly of Stockton, Missouri, passed away Thursday, November 27, 2008, at Ridge Crest Nursing Center in Warrensburg.
She was born October 24, 1914 in Illinois, the daughter of LeRoy and Grace Preston.
Helen was married to James H. Kimball, who preceded her in death. She had worked as a self-employed house cleaner.
She was buried in Eldorado Springs City Cemetery on November 28, 2008, under the direction of Ben Cast & Son - Wood Funeral Home, Holden, MO.