Jackson students make honor choir

Nearly 50 students crammed into the Jackson School District's administrative offices Tuesday to be recognized by the school board for making a state honor choir.

Fourteen fifth- and sixth-graders, 20 seventh- and eighth-graders, and 19 ninth- and 10th-graders made the Missouri Choral Director's Association Choir. They will join singers from across the state to perform July 16 in Jefferson City.

The school district has the highest number of students in grades seven to 10 to make the choir in the state, according to choral director Beth St. John.

Also at the meeting, the school board approved evaluations of the district's technology program and Parents as Teachers program. All programs in the district are evaluated every two years and are conducted and presented by the head of the program.

Tom Schreiner, the district's director of technology, said the main goal of the technology department is to install projectors in every classroom. He said there are about 30 classrooms left, mainly at North Elementary. He estimates it will cost about $65,000 to equip the remaining rooms.

Dr. Beth Emmendorfer, director of special services, said the Parents as Teachers program reached 364 families this school year. The program serves parents from pregnancy to their child's fifth birthday by providing visits from parent educators, screenings for children and references to community services.

Emmendorfer said one of the biggest changes in the program is a collaboration with the early childhood education department, which previously operated separately. She said group meetings for parents have been added in the evening and on Saturday to reach more people.

lbavolek@semissourian.com

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