Crocker R-II School District

We are so excited to see everyone at the open house!
Please make sure to pick up your 2024/2025 yearbook. Last year's seniors can stop by the school anytime to pick up!

Ladies and gentlemen, students, and staff of Crocker High School,

I am thrilled to welcome our new American history and physical education teacher, Mr. Matt Thompson! Mr. Thompson will also be our new head Junior High and High School Basketball coach. Mr. Thompson comes to us with an impressive background, having earned a double major in Education and Kinesiology from Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois.

During his time at Illinois College, he showcased his dedication and talent as a member of the Men's Basketball team for four years. His team not only achieved back-to-back conference championships but also made a mark in two national tournaments, winning a game in the process. Mr. Thompson is part of the winningest trio in Illinois College Men's Basketball history, boasting an outstanding combined record of 80-28.

In addition to his impressive credentials, Mr. Thompson is passionate about fitness and enjoys working out regularly. He loves playing pickup basketball, which not only keeps him active but also allows him to stay connected to the sport he loves.

When he’s not on the court, you can find him exploring new places with his fiancée. They share a love for movies and enjoy cooking together, making them quite the dynamic duo in the kitchen!

This year marks his first in teaching and coaching, and I couldn't be more excited to see the positive impact he will have on our students.

We’re excited to have Mr. Thompson join our Crocker High School family, and I’m sure he’ll bring that same enthusiasm and energy to our school community in the classroom and on the court. Please make sure to introduce yourselves and give him a warm welcome!

Welcome, Kendra Shoemaker!

We are excited to welcome Kendra Shoemaker as the new High School and Middle School Secretary!

Kendra is from Dixon and continues to call Dixon home. She brings valuable experience from her time working in the Crocker School District as a substitute teacher and is excited to return to full-time work after spending nearly two years at home raising her son.

Kendra is married to Seth Shoemaker, a proud Crocker alumnus, and together they enjoy an active family life. Some of her favorite hobbies include going to the creek, making sourdough bread, and taking razor rides with family and friends.

She’s especially excited to begin this new role alongside her sister, Krista Helms, who serves as the district nurse.

Please join us in giving Kendra a warm welcome — we’re so glad to have her on our team!

📚 Officer Stephanie Brownlee is representing the Crocker School District and the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department at the Missouri School Resource Officer training in Jefferson City this week! 👮‍♀️ This important training equips SROs with the knowledge and tools to support students and staff, promote safety, and build positive relationships in schools. Our partnership with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department is essential and appreciated—keeping safety a priority for all. With just 16 days until school starts, we’re so thankful for Officer Brownlee’s commitment and presence in our buildings. 🖤💙 #SchoolSafety #SROTraining #PulaskiCountyMO #CrockerPride #BackToSchool2025 #RelationshipMatters

We are excited to see all your familiar faces, and our new faces who are friends to be. Please join us at the back-to-school fair on THURSDAY in the multipurpose room! Get your sports physicals, free school supplies, coupons, gifts, and support from your community!

Crocker High School is excited to welcome our new Middle School Reading Intervention and Enrichment Teacher — and newest Cheer Coach — Mrs. Krystal Spellman

With 6 years of teaching experience in 3rd and 4th grade, she brings a passion for literacy and a heart for helping students grow. You may recognize her from her time as a substitute teacher at Crocker, where she also stepped up to teach high school English — talk about dedication!

When she's not cheering on her students (literally and figuratively), you can find her baking cakes, reading a good book, watching sports, spending time with her family, or enjoying an ice-cold Coca-Cola. 🧁📖🏈👨‍👩‍👧‍👦🥤

We’re thrilled to have her on board — let’s give her a big Crocker welcome! 💙📣 #CrockerPride #WelcomeToTheTeam #ReadingRocks #GoCrocker

📚✨ Welcome to Crocker Schools, Mrs. Carissa Schroer! ✨🦁

We’re excited to welcome a familiar face to a new role — Mrs. Carissa Schroer is joining us as our new Middle School ELA teacher! After four wonderful years teaching 4th and 5th grade ELA at Crocker Elementary, she’s ready to bring her energy and expertise to our middle school students.

Mrs. Schroer holds a Bachelor of Science in Speech-Organizational Communication from Northwest Missouri State University and earned her teaching certification through the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence. Her background includes serving as a para and substitute teacher, and she’s no stranger to wearing many hats in education!

She has a deep passion for literacy, curriculum development, and supporting students through engaging, intentional instruction. Dedicated to continuous growth, Mrs. Schroer has already attended several professional development trainings and has more scheduled as she prepares for the school year. 📖🗂️💡

When she’s not in the classroom, she enjoys reading, traveling, and watching live theatre with her daughters. 🎭✈️

Please join us in giving her a warm Lion welcome as she joins the Crocker Middle School team! 💛🦁
#WeAreCrocker #WelcomeToCMS #LionPride #LiteracyMatters #CurriculumLeadership

Shoutout to Ridgeline Roofing & Renovations for completing over 825 feet of seamless guttering and downspouts around our multi-purpose and lower elementary building—in just two days! 🛠️💧 Even better? They recovered at least three missing baseballs from the old guttering and downspouts along the way! ⚾️😅 We’re committed to making every dollar count. This project addressed critical preventative maintenance and supports CSIP (Comprehensive School Improvement Plan) Goal #5: Facilities & Operations—keeping our buildings safe, efficient, and ready for the year ahead. 💙🤍🦁 Just 21 days until school starts! ⏰📚 #CrockerPride #FacilityUpgrades #CommunityPartners

📢 ATTENTION CURRENT STUDENTS AND PARENTS 📢 Don’t forget to complete your Infinite Campus registration! ✅ 🎯 Due to technical issues, student schedules are not currently visible — but don’t worry! Go ahead and complete your online registration to be ready once everything is up and running. The tech issue should be resolved by next week. If you don’t register, you won’t be able to view your schedule, grades, or other important information this school year. 🔗 Complete it ASAP at: https://crockermo.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/crocker.jsp 📌 This is ONLY for current students — make sure you're ready before the first day! 🗓️📚 #StudentReminder #InfiniteCampus #RegistrationRequired #TechUpdate

📚✨ The Crocker School Library has been selected for a Pampered Chef Fundraiser! Miss Houlehan has a goal — to replace the well-loved (but well-worn!) comfy furniture in the high school library. 🛋️ With your help, we can make it happen! The library will receive 20–30% of all sales from this fundraiser. 🧑‍🍳 Shop the link below and support a cozy, updated space for our students to read, study, and relax: 👉 https://table.pamperedchef.com/party/2229130fmj Thank you for supporting our library! ❤️ #CrockerPride #SupportOurLibrary #PamperedChefFundraiser #CozyLibraryGoals

Back to School Extravaganza!

🚨 SIGNED! 🎉 Join us in congratulating Jaymz Helmick on signing his Letter of Intent to play Soccer at Baker University in Kansas! ⚽️🧡🖤 Jaymz’s dedication, work ethic, and love for the game have earned him this incredible opportunity. We’re so proud of you and can’t wait to see you succeed at the next level! Let’s hear it for our Wildcat-to-be! 🐾 #CrockerPride #LionLegacy #NextLevelAthlete #BakerUniversity #CollegeBound

💙🦁 Great news from DESE! 🦁💙 The Crocker R-II School District has received a positive report following a recent Special Education Compliance Review related to Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled (MSSD). The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) reviewed student files from 17 school districts, and either: ✅ Crocker’s files were selected and found fully compliant, or ✅ Our student files were not selected for that specific review. Under the leadership of Mrs. Uherka, Special Education Director, our team continues to demonstrate excellence in serving students with disabilities, ensuring compliance with every requirement outlined in the Missouri State Plan for Special Education. This recognition aligns directly with our Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP): 📌 Goal 1: Student Learning, including • Individualized growth for students with IEPs • Strong progress monitoring through local assessments (e.g., STAR) • Supporting academic success for all learners 👏 Please help us thank Mrs. Uherka and our incredible special education staff for their unwavering commitment to compliance, advocacy, and student growth! 📄 Learn more about our CSIP here: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4196/Crocker_SD/3447292/CSIP_2023.pdf #CrockerProud #SpecialEducationSuccess #CSIPinAction #ComplianceMatters #BlueAndWhiteBright #LionsSupportAllLearners

🎉Exciting news for our littlest Lions! Crocker R-II Elementary has been awarded the Missouri Quality Pre-Kindergarten (MOQPK) Grant, securing 20 full-day Pre-K slots to support early learning in our community! Thanks to the efforts of Mrs. Jessica Stewart, this funding will expand access to high-quality preschool experiences — especially for families who qualify for free and reduced lunch — helping us give students a strong start from day one. This grant aligns with Goal 1: Student Learning in our Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP) and supports: • 📖 Early reading readiness to improve MAP scores • 📊 Growth in reading/math benchmarks • ⭐ Targeted support for students with IEPs We’re proud to invest in early childhood education to set the stage for long-term success! 💙🤍 📄 View our CSIP here: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4196/Crocker_SD/3447292/CSIP_2023.pdf #CrockerProud #MOQPKGrant #EarlyLearningMatters #CSIPinAction #BlueAndWhiteBright #LionsStartStrong

📚 BIG NEWS for Crocker High School! We’re thrilled to announce that CHS has been selected as one of just 80 schools across Missouri to receive the Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) Grant! Thanks to the efforts of Mrs. Holland, this five-year federal grant brings professional development, literacy coaching, and family engagement resources to help improve literacy outcomes for all students. This award aligns with Goal 1: Student Learning of our district’s Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP) and will directly support: • 📈 Increasing MAP proficiency • 🔄 Supporting annual growth in reading and math • 🎓 Boosting ACT performance • ⭐ Ensuring growth for students with IEPs We’re committed to helping every student read, lead, and succeed! 💙🤍 📄 View our CSIP here: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4196/Crocker_SD/3447292/CSIP_2023.pdf 🔗 Full list of awarded schools: https://dese.mo.gov/clsd-2024-participating-schools #CrockerProud #LiteracyMatters #CLSDGrant #CSIPinAction #ReadLeadExceed #LionsLead

📢 Attention parents of incoming 12th graders! Missouri requires all 12th grade students to have 2 doses of the MCV (meningococcal) vaccine before school starts. These are typically given between ages 16–18. ✅ Email updated records to: khelms@crockerschools.org 📠 Fax to: 573-844-4279 📬 Drop off at the Nurse’s Office entrance 📌 Religious exemption forms must be official and resubmitted each year. Have questions? Call 573-736-5000 (Option 6) to reach Nurse Helms! 🩺💉 Let’s get ready for a healthy school year! 🦁💛

📵 Crocker R-II is committed to focused learning—students will be device-free from bell to bell starting in the 2025–26 school year. 📵

📣 Calling all future educators, flexible professionals, and retirees looking to make a difference! 📚✏️ Crocker R-II is looking for amazing substitute teachers to join our team for the 2025-26 school year! Whether you're exploring a future in education or just want a rewarding way to stay involved—this is your chance! 💰 $100/day | $130/day for retired teachers 🧠 Real classroom experience 🗓️ Work on your schedule 👩‍🏫 Try out different age groups Interested? Check out the flyer or visit www.crockerschools.org for more info. 📧 Questions? Email: human.resources@crockerschools.org #CrockerLions #WeNeedYou #SubstituteTeachers #TeachHereGrowHere