Smithville School District -

✨WARRIOR SHOUT-OUT✨
"Mr. Thad Seever is Horizon’s School Protection Officer. Thad has been a wonderful and much needed addition to our staff at Horizon. He makes every child feel seen and included. He makes connections and has built bonds and relationships through positive interactions with every student and staff member. He ensures a secure, welcoming environment. He helps to guide both students and visitors in the building daily. Thank you, Thad, for fostering a sense of community and security daily here at Horizon."

The Warrior Closet is a free program set up through the Smithville School District that allows families to have accessibility to the school supplies, clothing, and hygiene items that they need. It is located behind Smithville Middle School.

The Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce celebrated their 40th annual Excellence in Education Banquet last night. This banquet honors outstanding students, teachers, and staff of Northland area schools. Smithville School District had two students awarded scholarships and seven employees recognized with honor. Join us in congratulating the Smithville School District nominees and award winners!

🎉Angie Viebrock, Smithville Middle School vocal music and drama teacher, was awarded the Christa McAuliffe Excellence in Classroom Teaching honor. This award has been given since 1987 to the most outstanding nominee for Excellence in Classroom Teaching from all of the Northland school districts.

💚Excellence in Classroom Teaching Award Recipients: Leah DeYoung, Megan Klein, and Amanda McCluskey
💚Excellence in Service to Education Award Recipients: Alison Camacho, Cindy Krueger, and Mindy Hedgecorth

Seniors Emily Duckwitz and Chloe Easton were awarded scholarships from the Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce.

We are also proud to have honored additional nominees from SSD at the banquet, recognizing their dedication to both students and staff, including:
Eagle Heights Elementary School:
Erika Opperman - Behavior Interventionist
Horizon Elementary School:
Donna Catlett - School Nurse
Megan Jermain - Technology & Innovation Teacher
Maple Elementary School:
Makenzie Kelly - 1st Grade Teacher
Smithville High School:
Joey Elliott - Help Desk Technician

#ssdpride

Today we recognize our amazing administrative assistants who keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes. Your organization, kindness, and problem-solving make a difference every single day. Thank you!

The Warrior Closet is a free program through the Smithville School District that provides families access to school supplies, clothing, and hygiene items they may need. Join us for the “End of the Year Blast”, our last open days before summer break. Families are invited to come get play clothes and other needed items on Tuesday, May 5 from 4 to 6 p.m. and Thursday, May 14 from 4 to 6 p.m. It is located in the trailer behind Smithville Middle School.

This week we celebrate our incredible volunteers who give their time, energy, and hearts to support our schools. Your impact is felt in countless ways! Thank you for making a difference for our students and staff!

SHS Cadet Teacher Anna Harrington is shining in Mrs. Sinclair’s 5th grade ELA classroom! 🌟This week, she brought learning to life by designing and teaching an engaging figurative language lesson featuring Disney characters and quotes. Students were all in—especially during the fun, interactive game she created to test their knowledge! 🎉📚

Anna is not only building meaningful relationships with students, but also growing her passion for literacy and the art of teaching. By pairing her learning in Mrs. McCrary’s classroom with hands-on experience, she is gaining invaluable real-world skills and making a positive impact every day.

At last night's Board of Education meeting, new board member Jeff Bauer and incumbents Susan Whitacre, Stacia Cudd, and Patrick Nichols were officially sworn in to serve on the Smithville Board of Education. Scott Jacoby was elected to serve as Board President, with Whitney Carlile assuming the role of Vice President.

*Not pictured: Patrick Nichols

At a special breakfast today, the Smithville School District proudly recognized the outstanding contributions of our dedicated educators and staff. We are excited to announce the 2026 Teacher and Support Staff of the Year!

Megan Jermain, Technology and Innovation Teacher at Horizon Elementary School, has been named the 2026 Teacher of the Year. From her nomination: "Megan's influence reaches well beyond technology skills; she inspires students to believe in themselves, embrace challenges, and develop a lifelong love of learning."

Erika Opperman, Behavior Interventionist/Instructional Assistant at Eagle Heights Elementary School, is the 2026 Support Staff of the Year. From her nomination: "Whether sitting beside a child for intensive one-on-one support or quietly stepping into a bustling classroom, Erika builds relationships that spark academic growth and soothe fragile hearts."

We also celebrate the incredible finalists who were nominated for their dedication and impact:
Teacher of the Year Finalists
⭐ Leah DeYoung - Reading Specialist, EHES
⭐ Makenzie Kelly - 1st Grade Teacher, MES
⭐ Megan Klein - Social Studies Teacher, SHS
⭐ Amanda McCluskey - Process Coordinator, SSD
⭐ Angie Viebrock - Vocal Music/Drama Teacher, SMS
Support Staff of the Year Finalists
⭐ Alison Camacho – Administrative Assistant, MES
⭐ Donna Catlett – School Nurse, HES
⭐ Joey Elliott - Help Desk Technician, SHS
⭐ Mindy Hedgecorth - Communication Specialist, SSD
⭐ Cindy Krueger - Substitute Teacher, SMS

We are so proud to call each and every one of you Warriors!
#ssdpride

Come see creativity in action at our K–12 Art Exhibition! Join us in the High School PAC Lobby and Aux Gym to experience a wide range of student artwork—from colorful elementary pieces to detailed high school creations. There’s something for everyone to enjoy!

📅 Friday, May 1 | 5–7 PM
📅 Saturday, May 2 | 9–11 AM

Bring your family and friends and help us celebrate the incredible talent of our students! 💚

Last week our Eagle Heights 3rd graders turned their classroom into a real-world marketplace! 🛍️

As part of their Economics Unit, students created their own products and opened “shops” to sell them to classmates. Instead of cash, they used purple Tribe Tickets, which are earned through completing homework, getting agendas signed, and meeting classroom expectations. Along the way, students learned key concepts like supply, demand, scarcity, and profit by experiencing them firsthand. They even paid “rent” and covered supply costs before enjoying their profits!

Learning comes to life when students get to apply it in meaningful ways. Great work, Eagle Heights! 💚

✨WARRIOR SHOUT-OUT✨
"I would like to nominate this wonderful educator for the Ultimate Warrior Award. She supports our classroom each day with a calm, caring, and observant presence that makes a meaningful difference. She has a special way of noticing what students need and helping them feel seen, supported, and successful.

Her quiet dedication brightens our classroom, and the students truly enjoy having her there. She makes every day better just by being present, and we are so grateful for the kindness and support she brings.

She truly embodies what it means to be an Ultimate Warrior."

✨WARRIOR SHOUT-OUT✨
"Hannah is a phenomenal teacher who prioritizes the needs and growth of our students. She is extremely knowledgeable and works hard everyday to help students thrive. Her amazing abilities are evident in the incredible projects and work kids produce. Horizon is a great school because of exceptional teachers like Hannah."

Way Back When-sday: 1976 edition! 💚
Our Girls Varsity Track team showing what Warrior pride looked like 50 years ago.
Recognize anyone? Tag them below!

The Warrior Closet is a free program set up through the Smithville School District that allows families to have accessibility to the school supplies, clothing, and hygiene items that they need. It is located behind Smithville Middle School.

Today’s lesson looked a little different—in the best way! Mr. McCluskey's Civil Engineering and Architecture class stepped out of the classroom and into a real world learning experience. Students met with the teams from Incite Design Studio and Newkirk Novak, the architecture and construction partners on our high school project, and toured the job site to see construction in action.

✨WARRIOR SHOUT-OUT✨
"Emilie is an extremely dedicated and hardworking teacher who pushed students not only towards mastery but also teaching them to understand the math they are doing. Her critical thinking, and mathematical skills are beyond admirable. We are lucky to have her at Horizon."