Each year, Bolivar High School develops goals related to our school improvement efforts. Listed below are the building goals for the 08-09 school year. Each teacher develops a professional development plan to help support these goals. 

• Increase the level of participation in activities by all students from 81% to 84% by the end of the 08-09 school year.
• Implement Missouri Options Program.
• Increase students’ awareness of opportunities at BHS.
• Presentation to 8^th grade students during spring semester
• Freshman Orientation Day in May
• Freshman Parent Orientation Night in May
• Freshman Mentor Program
• Activity Fair for all students in the fall
• List of activities/sponsors on BHS web page
• New student survey
• New student welcome packet
• Reduce percentage of students on the D and F list to 20% by May 2009.
• Continue Freshman Mentoring Program.
• Implement 9-12 Guided Study Program.
• Implement 10-12 Privilege System.
• Restructure how students are assigned during Liberator Time.
• Research and implement (during 2^nd semester) a system for earning parking privileges (based on grades).

• Continue the District Attendance Policy.
• Continue Senior Privilege time as an attendance incentive.
• Continue Freshman Mentoring Program.
• Continue classroom and department attendance incentives.
• Continue Tardy Sweep Program.
• Continue attendance drawing at end of each semester.
• Research possibility of students being excused from finals based on good attendance.

• Implement an End-of-Course Exam improvement plan according to PLC Team SMART Goals.
• Continue common assessment program and implement proficiency targets for all courses taught by more than one teacher.
• Research adding remediation courses in math and English (for freshmen).
• Implement an End-of-Course Exam Incentive Card Program.

As the new principal at Bolivar High School, I am very excited about this school year. I have been very busy learning about our great students, teachers, and community. To say the least, I am very impressed with what I have learned so far. Since Bolivar has such an excellent reputation in Southwest Missouri and around the state, I was very excited to see first-hand what makes Bolivar such a great district. Certainly, I have found the school to be excellent because of the wonderful and talented people who are its students, teachers, and community members. Everyone has a sense of pride regarding the school and wants to make it a place "where kids are first."

As an introduction, I would like for you to know that I believe it is very important for me as principal to work closely with students, teachers, parents, and community members in providing leadership to ensure the very best education for our students. I welcome parent and community involvement and would invite you to visit our school, attend an activity or event, or present a suggestion or concern. Althought Bolivar is already an excellent school, we are continuously trying to improve. In fact, I have already had many conversations about improving technology, meeting the challenges of a growing student population, and preparing our students to succeed in college or the workplace.

 Thank you again for your support of Bolivar Schools!

A few notes from the first days of school...

1. Our current enrollment has grown to 788 students in grades 9-12.

2. The new additions at the high school have helped tremendously to relieve overcrowding and to provide excellent classrooms to provide instruction. We have eight new classrooms and a new gym along with locker room facilities. Also, additional parking has been paved at the high school and the entire lot has been sealed and striped prior to the start of school. Traffic flow has improved as a result of this enhancement.

3. We are currently experiencing technical problems related to our bells in the high school. Although they are ringing, the amplifier is not currently strong enough for the bells to be heard during lunch or in other noisy areas. We have called for service and are expecting to have this corrected in the next couple of weeks. We are asking students and teachers to communicate and help each other our until this is fixed. We are still expecting students to be in class on time ready to learn.