Middle school opens program with balloons, skydiving display

Balloons, a few skydivers and a whole lot of school spirit helped launch a new improvement program Friday at Central Middle School.

To officially kick off the Accelerated Schools program, students released balloons at Capaha Park with cards listing the school's goals and address.

Later, more than 600 fifth- and sixth-graders and 80 staff members, all clad in gray CMS T-shirts, crowded around the school baseball diamond for a skydiving demonstration.

"Today, we're building unity," said Kellie Phillips, a sixth-grade teacher at the middle school. The event will bring everyone "to one focus," she said.

The students couldn't put it in quite that context.

"It has something to do with accelerated schools," said 11-year-old Curtis Mathson. "I think it means we try our best."

There was a premature burst of screams and flourish of arms from students as a hospital helicopter flew over the baseball field.

By the time the real aircraft arrived, the hum of its engine was barely audible over the students.

"Sometimes all you could hear was the kids yelling," said principal Frank Ellis. "They were so excited. That's what this day was about, to let them see the excitement of things we're doing at school."

Central Middle School is one of 200 Missouri schools participating in the state's accelerated schools initiative, which focuses on student achievement and parental involvement.

The school received a grant to fund the multiyear program earlier this year. Ellis said the school is in the initial stages of planning how to accomplish the accelerated school goals.

Three skydivers with the SEMO Skydivers Club in Charleston, Mo., were part of Friday's launch.

The skydivers exited the plane and began a slow but graceful descent. The wind blew one of them off course, raising shouts of alarm from the students.

"I thought he was going to land on top of the fence," said 11-year-old Dominque Maxwell. "It was kind of scary, but cool."

The skydivers said they rarely receive a welcome as lively as the one from the screaming and clapping middle school students. After landing, they signed T-shirts and talked to students about skydiving.

"I usually only give autographs when I'm signing checks," said skydiver Ralph Bailey.

cclark@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128