Softball coach recognized for heroic efforts

SIKESTON — A Sikeston R-6 educator was recognized for his heroic efforts during a recent sporting event.

Jacob May, head softball coach and ISS teacher at Sikeston High School, was recognized during Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Sikeston R-6 Board of Education for his quick action last month while at a softball tournament in Festus.

“During the tournament, a student from Festus who was videoing the game passed out,” Sarah Thompson, R-6 communications director said. “Coach May and several of the softball parents jumped into action and assisted in taking care of this boy. Coach May pulled over a tent to help pick up the boy out of the sun and then applied water bottles and first aid to the student. 911 was contacted, and once the student started coming around, he was able to give his passcode to his phone and his mother was contacted. Coach May was quick to respond and take control of a potentially dangerous situation.”

In his monthly report, R-6 Superintendent Dr. Tony Robinson said he wanted to focus on the fine arts. Sikeston High School hosted the band competition on Oct. 9, and SHS band placed fourth in that competition, Robinson said. He also highlighted the drama program will have it’s first-ever Halloween play, “Trap” by Stephen Gregg, which will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 29-31 at the Sikeston Field House.

Sikeston Alternative Center Principal Brian James provided the building’s annual at-risk and

Currently, the BARC, or Bulldog Academic Resource Center, program which is for fifth through eighth grades, has 14 students enrolled. Suspension school, which is the high school version of BARC, has 20 students enrolled. The New Horizons High School, which provides alternative education, has 65 students enrolled. Thirty-three students graduated from New Horizons in 2021, bringing the total of New Horizons graduates since 2003 to 754, according to James.

Sarah McGill, library media specialist, provided the board with the annual library media report. She noted students are now able to utilize the facilities as they did before COVID, and all buildings are off to a great start for the new school year, she said. They are also meeting monthly as a library department.

Don Beck, R-6 transportation director, briefed the board on the annual transportation report. The district has 29 buses including two small shuttle buses; five buses are reserved for trips to keep low mileage, he said.

Currently, 11 of the district’s 18 full-size buses used daily for regular routes have over 100,000 miles on them. One bus is waiting for backordered parts, and the other bus is permanently offline because it’s got expensive repairs to it, Beck said.

“We have ordered three new buses,” he said. “They were supposed to have been on our lot the second week of October, but due to COVID shortages of parts and labor, we will not receive them more than likely until the end of December or beginning of January.”

Beck also noted the transportation department will have to provide more training to bus drivers to maintain its current training requirements and is preparing now for the new requirements which start Feb. 7, 2022. In the past year, the lead bus mechanic received certification as a Missouri Motor Vehicle Safety inspector.

“We have elected a transportation department community enrichment committee,” Beck said. “We are preparing for our have our first trunk-or-treat planned for Saturday, Oct. 30 and we are fundraising for the local coats for kids program.”