Hume school ready for the new year

Hume Senior Blake Lewis manuevers around a defender during a January basketball game. File photo

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Few changes await Hume student's as they return to class on Sept. 1.

"We're excited about the year. We have great students, great teachers. This will be a successful year," said Hume principal and assistant superintendent Scott Morrison.

Six new faces will grace the halls of Hume R-8 this year: Stacy Heckadon -- Title 1 reading, Annelise Dale -- music, Heather Rogers -- first grade, Carlle Campbell -- second grade, Kayla Gander -- elementary, and Leah Fitzwater -- elementary paraprofessional. All staff positions will be filled at the start of school.

Morrison said he hoped the music and band program would continue to grow and speculated there could be a marching band in the future. He said Hume has not fielded a marching band in decades.

Hume, along with the rest of Missouri's schools, is transitioning from the No Child Left Behind Act, which was ended in Dec. 2015 to the Every Student Succeeds Act and Missouri Learning Students.

"The ESSA transition will be a positive one I think," Morrison said

Morrison said ESSA focuses on college, career, and workplace readiness and will lessen the emphasis on standardized testing. Teachers will also be evaluated holistically, with less on standardized test scores.

"Let's see what our kids can do," Morrison said, summarizing ESSA's goal.

In 2016-17, Jackie Duncan is the technology coordinator and yearbook sponsor, Justin and Jaleana Wehar co-sponsor the junior class, Beck Bryant and Carrie Sutcliffe co-sponsor the senior class, and Carrie Sutcliffe also sponsors the Science Olympiad and academic bowl teams. Jaleana Wehar is the drama and cheerleading sponsor; Annelise Dale will coordinate the book fair, Stacy Heckadon the reading coordinator, and Pam Yarick sponsors National Honor Society.

Hume is not only gearing up for academics, but for sports as well.

"Volleyball I think will be pretty strong," Morrison said.

He said that despite the loss of two powerful girls on the varsity basketball team, the underclassmen looked promising.

Coaches for the 2016-17 school year are: Scott Morrison - Athletic Director, Carlee Campbell -- volleyball, Mark Byrd -- junior high boys basketball, Justin Wehar -- junior high girls basket ball and varsity boys basketball, Heath Heckadon -- varsity girls basketball, Stacy Heckadon -- assistant varsity girls basketball, Scott Morrison -- elementary girls basketball.

Morrison said a storm shelter and a cover for the east school entrance were on the to do list but he had no timeline for either.

The 2016-17 school year is scheduled to feature both the annual PTO carnival on Oct. 14 and the dinner theater in the spring.

"It's always funny," Morrison said.

As to the student handbook and class scheduling, he said there were no major changes. Bus routes, and bus drivers will remain the same.

The school building received a security enhancement over the summer. Guardian Angel secondary door locks were installed in the classrooms and other areas of the building. The system consists of a winch, enclosed in a box, mounted to the wall next to the door. When the alarm is sounded, a staff member attaches the hook on the winch to the door handle and cranks it tight. Even if an intruder gains possession of keys to the door or defeats the door lock, the cable on the Guardian Angel will keep the door shut.

"Those are a plus, makes our school a safer place," Morrison said.

Students start Sept. 1, and Hume will run a 158-day calendar. Morrison said the late start and early dismissal was due to Hume's school days being longer than other local schools. Barring bad weather days, the last day of school is scheduled for May 12, 2017.