News – Monday, May 18th 2025

The Salem High School held their 140th graduation exercises Friday night in front of full house at Bill Schuchardt Stadium on the high school campus. Numerous awards were presented to students for their outstanding high school achievements. The Senior Class Citizenship Award went to two students who have led with kindness, respect and integrity and whose character, leadership and willingness to help others was noticed by all; and those recipients were Grant Case and Khloe Baldwin. The Overall Excellence Award went to two students who have excelled academically, showed strong character, and positively impacted the school and community, earning respect from their peers and faculty; and those students were Lindsey Hinderliter and Corbett Ball. The Glory Award was established to recognize students who embody the 14 virtues engraved on the Missouri House of Representatives Chamber Wall, and those recipients were Madison Flores and Grant Case. The Missouri Scholars 100 Program is a statewide initiative that recognizes outstanding academic achievement, honoring Missouri’s top 100 graduating seniors who meet the program’s very stringent requirements, and Matthew Parks received Honorable Mention in this prestigious program. Also recognized at the commencement were all the A+ students, students entering the military, students who are entering the workforce right after graduation, and students who were going to college.

The Green Forest R-2 School District has been recognized as a Gold Star School! This is a great honor as only eight schools in the entire state every year get recognized. Schools are chosen for the distinction with their outstanding academic achievement and high performance. Congratulations to the Green Forest teachers, staff and administrators for their fine work in capturing this award. Also, the Salem R-80 William Lynch Elementary School has earned the PBIS Tier 3 Award of Excellence! William Lynch has consistently been recognized for their Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS) implementation. This award reflects the school’s outstanding work in supporting all students academically, socially, and emotionally. Congratulations to Dr. Blau, teachers, staff and administration for their incredible work with students.

Southwest Baptist University has reached an agreement to sell the SBU Salem Campus to Compass Health. The sale follows a vote by the Salem Board of Aldermen to institute a zoning change to allow Compass Health to occupy and expand its Salem operations out of the facility. SBU will continue to offer degree programs and courses in Salem after Compass takes over the building, as the university will lease back space for instruction. In addition to LPN and paramedic bridge programs in nursing, SBU offers associate and bachelor’s degrees in business, education, criminal justice, psychology, and health sciences in Salem.

The Salem R-80 School district held their regular meeting Thursday evening at 5:30 in the administration building located at 1409 West Rolla Road. After approving the agenda and consent agenda, Dr. Nathan Wills presented his Superintendent’s Report, which covered CSIP goals, FEMA building progress, updates on the Foundation formula, roof repairs, long-range facility planning, and legislative matters. Administrative reports were provided, and student artwork from Salem High School was presented by Mrs. Angela Dingess and her art students. During new business, the board unanimously approved multiple items, including: a private contact for a Vision, Orientation and Mobility Teacher, MSBA Board policy updates, the Middle School Athletic Cooperative, the request for Chamber Singers to attend Nationals in April 2026, the request for FFA to attend the National Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana on October 28, 2025, and the FEMA shelter project change orders. Personnel changes included one transfer, one hire, and one resignation were also discussed, before moving on to executive session to discuss student and personnel issues. The next School Board meeting, originally scheduled for the 19th, was moved to June 26 at 5:30. 

The low-water crossing on Dent County Route TT near Sligo is now open following repairs. After recent consecutive recent flooding events, the Missouri Department of Transportation assessed the damage and closed the roadway on April 22, 2025, as it was no longer safe for vehicular traffic. Several pipes at the low-water crossing have been replaced, allowing the roadway to reopen earlier today, Tuesday, May 13. Additional repairs are needed, but the necessary materials are on order and expected to be delivered in two to three weeks. At that time, crews will once again close the roadway for approximately two weeks. This low-water crossing has been identified by the county and the Meramec Regional Planning Commission as a high-priority unfunded need. MoDOT has begun preliminary work to determine the best long-term plan for this area, but until funding has been identified, a schedule for the construction of any improvements is not known. For traffic updates or other transportation-related matters, please call 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636) or visit the MoDOT Traveler Information Map.