LINN — Linn R-2 FFA advisors Megan Niederhelm and Terry Shepherd told board members recently that the organization has 120 members, including graduate members. “We pride ourselves on having kids who want to stick with it until they’re 21,” said Niederhelm, noting there are 41 graduate members. “They have the opportunity to earn American degrees, show at the fair, and do other college academic activities.”

Linn FFA also has about 38 eighth-graders who rotate through the program, which helps with retention rates.

Smaller classes of eight to 10 students provide a lot of one-on-one instruction. “Making those connections with kids is awesome,” said Niederhelm.

Accomplishments include eight American and six state degrees this year, with one proficiency area winner. “We had some really stiff competition across our entire area this year, but we did send in seven applications that kids worked tirelessly on to complete as well,” Niederhelm noted.

Emma Rieke attended the Missouri Agribusiness Academy and tour in Kansas City last summer and was one of the top 30 sophomores in the state in FFA and 4-H. Two others were among the top 100 freshmen in the FFA, and state chorus members were Vidella Loughridge and Hailee Ray. “We were very well represented at the Osage County Fair as well,” said Niederhelm. “We came away with quite a few reserve and grand champions.”

Ten students competed at the Missouri State Fair, and Leo Massman earned grand champion for his pickles displayed in the exhibit building. Emma Rieke competed in the FFA Katahdin Breeding Sheep show and came home with two class winners and the Reserve Champion FFA Katahdin Ram.

Two teams went to state this year, with Food Science cracking the top eight and moving on to the second round of competition, which was a lot more tedious and more hands-on. “They worked as a team, and they ended up placing seventh out of 24 teams to finish with a gold ranking,” said Niederhelm, adding that Faith Davis earned eighth individually.

The Nursery Landscape team earned silver as Kristi Wibberg was the top individual for the team, ranking 25th among 192 individuals.

Niederhelm told the board that FFA continues to progress, teaching members to select more meaningful activities rather than trying to do everything, and to be self-starters.

Shepherd reported that FFA received a Vocational Enhancement Grant totaling $47,000. This is a 75/25 matching grant in which the state pays 75% of the funding ($35,250), and the district is responsible for 25% ($11,750). Shepherd said the grant’s main purpose is to enhance students’ experience in the metal and wood shops.

The group recently purchased a Stop Saw Table Saw, four Millermatic 235 Multi Process Machines (welders), $5,000 worth of 18-volt cordless Milwaukee tools, with Milwaukee donating $1,000 in free batteries, and a five-foot by 10-foot Robotic Plasma Cutting Table.

“I’m actually comfortable letting kids use a table saw now because they won’t cut their fingers off,” said Shepherd. “As soon as the kid’s finger or any skin touches that blade, it goes down in milliseconds.”

Most of the club’s welders are at least 10 years old, and starting to fall apart, Shepherd noted, adding that students are doing very well with the new equipment.

FFA was approved for a 50/50 grant of $11,750 from the state over the summer. “We are currently waiting until January to ensure a budget for these items,” said Shepherd, explaining the state will be responsible for $5,875 and the district will be responsible for the balance.

All items on the list will enhance Niederhelm’s classrooms, but mainly improve the Food Lab.

The top 18 fundraising members were rewarded with the opportunity to attend the in-person National FFA Convention this year. Students attended Convention Sessions, agriculture tours, and the FFA Career/ College expo. This year’s highlight was touring a sheep/goat reproduction center.

Shepherd’s class is once again partnering with Classic Buildings to build six 8’x12’ garden sheds at no cost to the district, a long-standing tradition that provides students with hands-on basic framing and carpentry experience and benefits the local business. “We pay for no materials, and when we’re done with them, Classic takes them back and sells them,” said Shepherd, estimating the Linn operation has donated well over $100,000 in materials for his classes. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to teach them, because we can’t afford to buy those things.”

Niederhelm and Shepherd plan to take 12 FFA members to the Washington Leadership Conference next summer during the second week of June. FFA members will learn about how to become effective leaders, improve communication skills, and many other skills needed to excel in life. Along with the conference, they will see the Capitol, talk to their Congressman, and learn leadership skills in the process. Members will also visit many of Washington, D.C.’s historic sites, such as Arlington Cemetery and national monuments.

FCCLA UPDATE

Sponsor Christine Wells noted the group has 25 members this year, which is a little down. “I really put that on me, just because I’ve had a crazy past few years, but hopefully we’re on smooth sailing now,” she said. “We have a lot more kids right now who are interested in doing more, so I’m excited about that. They’re starting to get interested again.”

Last year, FCCLA expanded its Osage Caring baskets project. Wells noted that Osage Caring Project Organizer Charlotte Bellsmith was shocked by how many baskets were presented in 2024, but this year, she’s hoping to do even more.

The group’s “Princess Tea Party” is reaching more girls, and Wells has been asked to do some type of event for elementary-aged boys.

Wells said students are interested in competing in the regional contest. “That’s exciting because I’ve had a lot of shy older kids lately, but we’re getting some kids who are more interested in being leaders,” she added, calling it one of the program’s strengths. “We have many students leaving their comfort zones and trying to compete in a project.”

One area of growth the officer team would like to focus on is getting more students involved at a higher level.

GIFTED PROGRAM UPDATE

Sponsor Alicia Troesser told the board the program currently has 50 students identified as gifted, and the current grade level breakdown of students is as follows: grades 3-5 (23), grades 6-8 (9), and grades 9-12 (18).

State-approved gifted programs require a minimum of 150 minutes per week of direct instructional time, which is divided into two times for all students. Classes grouped by grade level are 90 minutes, and the all-groups class is 60 minutes.

During grade-level classes, students come from their regular classrooms to meet with their assigned groups, and are mostly used for in-depth, topic-based projects. During the all-group class, students come from their regular classrooms, and the time is used for social-emotional (SEL) curriculum, problem-solving practice, exploratory and extended thinking strategies, and STEM challenges, among other activities. It also provides time for MS and HS students to meet with Troesser for assistance on a variety of things, such as contest opportunities, college and career searches, scholarship applications, etc. All gifted classes meet in the Elementary Art room.

The screening process used to identify students for the program has two stages, which are universal screening and further evaluation. Since fall 2024, 21 students received further evaluation, and nine qualified for the program.

During “universal screening”, all students are considered for further evaluation through review of standardized test scores, grades, and observations, as well as referrals from teachers, parents, and administrators. As part of the universal screening process, Troesser provides all teachers with referral guidelines and forms to assist them in observing students and making referrals to be screened for the program. A parent inventory form is also sent out to parents with permission to screen letters for students selected for further evaluation.

During the process of “further evaluation,” students must meet criteria requirements in three of four areas that include general mental ability, academic ability, creativity/reasoning/problem solving, and other. Assessment tools used by the district for evaluation in these areas include standardized achievement tests, the SAGES-3 (Screening Assessment for Gifted Elementary Students), the WISC intelligence test, and the GATES-2 (Gifted and Talented Evaluation Scales) Teacher Rating Scales. The district’s criteria requirements follow DESE guidelines found on pages 7 and 8 of the DESE Gifted Education Program Guidelines located at https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/gifted-education-program-guidelines-0.

Data Collection Forms and Evaluation and Identification Forms are used for organizing and evaluating all information during the screening process, such as scores from parent inventory forms, scores from teacher rating scales, standardized test scores, and student grades, as well as results of district identification criteria from the further evaluation process. Additionally, files are continually being maintained on all students who receive further evaluation for the program, along with an inventory list of screening records.

Troesser has been completing the “Missouri Gifted Education Self-Assessment Tool” (Appendix C), as well as reviewing the district’s “Osage R-II Gifted Program Quality Assurance Plan” each year. Troesser has also been continuing to develop the curriculum for the program, and some new topics being covered this year are caves and speleology, online game and simulation design, sustainable city design, and automatons. Students also regularly complete activities related to the engineering design process, extended thinking strategies, real-world problem-solving, and STEM challenges, as well as creative and research-based writing. During the All Group class time, students will continue their student newspaper titled the “Wildcat Corner” and participate in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) activities related to the curriculum established by DESE, as well as other activities.

Over the summer, Troesser took a 10-week eDGE Game Design course, which was a grant-funded course offered through eMints professional learning center and the University of Missouri - Columbia. The course provided training in AgentCubes game and simulation design, as well as free AgentCubes Online Software access for students during the current school year. The middle school and high school students are currently learning how to develop the popular Frogger and Pac-Man games, as well as a simulation, and once they are more familiar with the software, they will design their own game or simulation.

The program has a new 3D printer acquired through a Coca-Cola grant received last year. Students have already had the opportunity to print several 3D objects and prototypes. Troesser is in the process of planning a field trip for the upcoming spring. The field trip will relate to units that will be taught in the spring, in addition to other activities during the year. In order to help teachers support gifted students in the regular classroom, Troesser also continues to provide resources and feedback for regular classroom teachers. She has also been continuing to make new connections with other gifted teachers in the region, as well as researching curriculum and components of gifted programs in other districts.

In their report to the board, Student Council representatives Sophie Voss and Reed Baker noted that the first semester has been very busy. Some highlights include Wildcat games, which StuCo helps organize once a month. Students went old school with a four-square tournament, and teachers got out some aggression when they challenged students in a dodgeball competition.

• Homecoming was a great event, they noted, with the addition of the bonfire and downtown parade. The seniors won the float competition with their “Winnie the Pooh” entry, and students were sorting recently collected books to give to area daycares and preschools. Voss and Baker thanked the Linn Football Booster Club for organizing the parade and bonfire.

• Student Council has also been very busy with FFA, with “Food for America,” for the elementary grandparents. The day started slowly because it was very rainy, but the second group of grandparents that came in had a lot of fun. FFA Week wrapped up with barn warming.

• The FFA chapter took 18 students to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis in October. They were able to attend the American Degree ceremony, where Kristen Rieke and Blaine Winslow received their degrees.

• Unified Partners traveled to South Callaway for a Special Olympics track event in which several athletes competed. The group also went to the Special Olympics Training Center in Jefferson City and had a fun day there.

• The National Honor Society (NHS) hosted the Veterans Day Assembly, and the Student Council provided donuts and coffee for all the guests in attendance.

• Forty junior and senior students attended “Build My Future” in Jefferson City, where they were able to talk to employers and schools in the trade industry.

• Red Ribbon Week was celebrated with a spirit week and trivia questions each day.

• Art Club did a great job of decorating the cafeteria windows.

• Anna Plume was selected as an All-State choir member.

• Juniors won the fourth annual Powder Puff game planned by the Student Council.