Connections
Dieckhoff named Regional Teacher of the Year
Harrisonville Schools 2024 Educator of the Year Jason Dieckhoff has been named a Missouri Regional Teacher of the Year. Dieckhoff is one of six regional finalists in the Kansas City region.
Dieckhoff was named the district’s Educator of the Year in April which qualified him to submit an application for the Missouri Teacher of the Year Program. He is an agriculture teacher at Cass Career Center and has worked in the district for 21 years. Dieckhoff holds a bachelor’s degree in Ag Economics and Ag Education and a master’s in Ag Education from the University of Missouri. He was named a Golden Owl finalist as an Outstanding Agriculture Instructor in Missouri which put him in the top 7 in the state and top 39 in the nation this year. He received the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) Region IV & National Teacher Mentor Award in 2021. He holds an Honorary American FFA Degree and received the Harrisonville Chamber’s Educator of the Year Award and Frank Graham Outstanding Missouri 4-H Leader Award.
He will be honored at the Regional Teacher of the Year Luncheon in mid-July where he will receive a cash award and a plaque. He is also eligible to apply for the Missouri Teacher of the Year program. All regional finalists will be recognized at the Missouri Teacher of the Year banquet in October.
Cass County Childcare Summit set for next week; deadline to register is TODAY
The Cass County Workforce YOU Childcare Summit Committee invites everyone to a FREE event on July 9. The goal of the Cass County Childcare Summit is to unite diverse sectors to explore innovative solutions and significantly expand childcare capacity in Cass County. The event runs from 10 a.m. -- 2 p.m. and will include lunch. It is free and registration is due TODAY at the link below!
The group is particularly targeting local business leaders, employers, childcare providers, educators, and representatives from government and community organizations.
HHS student to be German foreign exchange student
Harrisonville High School sophomore Hayden Cave is heading out on the experience of a lifetime when she heads to Germany for a year as a foreign exchange student in August. Hayden is participating in the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) which is a partnership between the U.S. State Department and the German government. She is one of 250 students from across the United States to earn this honor. Hayden has received a full merit-based scholarship covering all transportation, lodging, and all costs associated with the program.
Hayden said, “My mother was an exchange student when she was in high school through the Rotary Club and so I've always wanted to be an exchange student. A few years ago she and I began researching for exchange program scholarships and found CBYX.”
She added, “I chose Germany because ideally when I grow up I'd like to live in Germany, but also it's a very pretty country. When my mother went, she went to Belgium. I'm hoping that while I'm over there I can travel Europe as well and experience as much of the different European cultures as well as German cultures.”
Hayden will begin her year with a three-week language and culture camp, and then be sent to stay with her host family where she will participate in school and potentially extracurriculars, and return in June 2025.
Hayden is the daughter of Andrew and Kelly Cave.
National Anthem Performance
Our Wildcat Lilli Dale was invited to sing the National Anthem at a Special Olympics fundraiser hosted by KC Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid & she was AWESOME! Watch here - https://www.facebook.com/HarrisonvilleSchools/posts/pfbid0wMqj9NzKfRTdJwQXLtugxM3SaDXD3PCcfSjJyNo8FqXPonZ9WZktonvAx1QWSGvsl
Summer School in Action - Egg Drop
HMS summer school students enjoyed the Humpty Dumpty Challenge during the final week. They were challenged to build a parachute device with only the material provided. The device they created had to stay airborne for as long as possible from a fixed height and the egg inside had to land without damage. Pictured, Joey Leone drops his egg from the top of Memorial Stadium.
Supervised Ag Experience
Agriculture students are spending their summer working on their Supervised Ag Experience (SAE) projects. These projects give students the practical application to concepts they have learned in the classroom. Agriculture teachers, Mr. Dieckhoff and Mrs. Snyder, visit with students to check on their projects to see what students are learning. Pictured, Harrisonville High School sophomore Audri Shepherd checks on her laying hens.
New Teachers
We welcomed new teachers to the district at the annual New Teacher Social last week. Our newest #WildcatFamily members enjoyed dinner, met district and building administrators, received their laptops, and took a bus tour of the district. We can't wait for you to meet them in August!
Admin Team Building
The district admin team wrapped up their annual retreat in mid-June with a team building activity - an HGTV-inspired cooking challenge. The administrators were divided into teams to plan, shop & prepare three courses that included a “mystery” ingredient in each. The mystery ingredients were mangos, pistachios, & feta cheese. The winning team included HES & HHS principals Ashley Shrout & Mark Rorvig with Communications Director Jill Filer.
State Proclamation
At the June Harrisonville Area Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee, Rep. Haffner presented Cass Career Center ag teacher Jason Dieckhoff with a proclamation honoring his recognition as a finalist for the Golden Owl Award. Also at the event, Superintendent Josh Chastain thanked the event host Hawthorn Bank for their Partner level sponsorship of the CCC’s Pavilion Project.
About Us
Email: jill.filer@harrisonvilleschools.org
Website: www.harrisonvilleschools.org
Location: 503 South Lexington Street, Harrisonville, MO, USA
Phone: 8163802727
Facebook: facebook.com/HarrisonvilleSchools
Twitter: @HvilleSchools