Dear Southern Boone School District Families,

With spring break just days away, we want to take a moment to wish all of our students, families, and staff a safe and enjoyable week. Whether your plans include a family vacation, a quick weekend getaway, spending time outdoors, or simply enjoying a slower pace at home, we hope this break provides an opportunity to relax, recharge, and spend meaningful time together.

Spring break is always an important midpoint during the 2nd half of the school year. It gives students and staff a chance to rest and return refreshed for the final stretch of the school year. When we return, April will mark what we often call the “final turn.” This is one of the busiest and most exciting times of the year in our schools. Classrooms will be focused on MAP testing, end-of-course exams, and continued academic progress. At the same time, students will be participating in field trips, performances, athletic competitions, spring activities, and many special events that help create lasting memories.

This time of year is also a reminder of how much growth and progress our students have made since August. We are proud of their hard work, resilience, and commitment to learning. None of this success happens without strong support from home and the community.

We sincerely appreciate our parents and guardians for staying engaged in their child’s education and for maintaining strong partnerships with teachers and school leaders. Your involvement plays a vital role in student success. We are also grateful to our community members for their continued encouragement and support of our school district. Southern Boone is fortunate to have a caring and supportive community that values education and invests in the future of our students.

Finally, we want to recognize and thank our dedicated staff members across the district. Their commitment, professionalism, and passion for helping students succeed makes a difference every single day. As we move into the final weeks of the school year, their efforts remain focused on helping every student finish strong.

We look forward to welcoming students and staff back after spring break as we work together to make the most of the remaining weeks of the school year. Have a safe, restful, and enjoyable spring break.

As always, thank you for your continued support of our students, staff, and school district!

Yours in Education,

Dr. Tim Roth
School Superintendent

Voters in the Southern Boone County R-1 School District will consider a $4 million no-tax-rate-increase bond issue in the April 7, 2026, election. If approved, the district’s debt service levy will remain at $1.7423 per $100 of assessed valuation.

Unlike recent bond issues that focused on expanding facilities to address enrollment growth, this proposal centers on maintaining and improving existing buildings and campuses.

Proposed projects include:
- Parking lot improvements: Concrete upgrades at the high school, primary and middle schools, and asphalt resurfacing at the elementary school
- Roof repairs: Improvements at the primary and high school buildings
- HVAC upgrades: Phase 2 of the high school HVAC replacement

Many of the parking lots, roof sections and HVAC systems included in the proposal are more than 20 years old and serve students and staff across the district.

Community Presentation
The school district will host a community presentation on the April 2026 bond issue on Tuesday, March 31st, at 6 p.m. in the central office boardroom. Information about the bond proposal, project details, and election timeline will be presented. Community members will have an opportunity to ask questions.

A bond issue is a common way for school districts to borrow money for large capital projects such as building improvements, roofs, HVAC systems, parking lots, or equipment. In Missouri, bond issues must be approved by voters — even if they do not increase the tax rate.

When voters approve a bond issue, the district sells bonds (similar to taking out a long-term loan) and repays the debt over time using existing revenue sources. Because older debt is gradually paid off and property values grow, districts can sometimes issue new bonds without raising the current tax rate.

Bond funds are legally restricted to capital expenses only. They cannot be used for salaries, classroom supplies, utilities, or daily operating costs.

If a no-tax-rate-increase bond issue fails, the district’s tax rate will remain the same — it will not decrease. However, facility needs still exist. Without bond funding, the district may need to use operating funds, which support student programs and staff compensation, to cover major repairs or improvements.

Bond issues in Missouri must receive more than 57% voter approval (4/7 majority) to pass.

School districts also face state limits on how much they can borrow, which often requires spreading projects over multiple bond issues across several years instead of completing all improvements at once.

Finally, bond funding helps protect classroom resources and staff salaries by ensuring that large facility projects are paid for through long-term financing rather than the district’s day-to-day operating budget.

The next Southern Boone County R-I School District election is a school board election on Tuesday, April 7th, 2026. There are three positions available, each with a three-year term.

Four candidates have filed for the April 7th, 2026, election. The names of the candidates will appear on the ballot as follows:

Jared Vredenburg
Amy Marie Begemann
Christopher Felmlee
Karen Kraus Bill

Find additional election information, including details about voter registration, locate your polling place and absentee voting on the School Board Elections Page.

For more information about the school board, visit the Southern Boone Board of Education page.

Southern Boone Candidate Forum
The Southern Boone Candidate Forum will take place on Monday, March 30th, 2026, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Southern Boone School District's Central Office Boardroom. The forum will include a question and answer session with candidates running for the City of Ashland's mayor and board of aldermen, followed by candidates running for the Southern Boone Board of Education.

The community is welcome to attend the forum in person or watch the livestream on YouTube at sbschools.us/forum.

The candidate forum is sponsored by the Southern Boone County Chamber of Commerce and Southern Boone Economic Development Council.

Southern Boone School District is now accepting registrations for Summer School 2026. Families who plan to have their child attend are asked to complete the Summer School Registration Form for each student by Friday, April 24 so the district can plan for appropriate staffing.

Students should be registered according to the grade they will enter for the 2026–2027 school year.

Summer School Locations
Grades K–2: Primary School
Grades 3–4: Elementary School
Grades 5–8: Middle School

Summer School Dates
June 1–4
June 8–11
June 15–18
June 22–25

Classes will run 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. each day, with student drop-off beginning at 7:30 a.m.

Please note that transportation will not be provided for summer school. Funding for summer school is based on daily student attendance, so consistent attendance is important for the program’s success.

Families new to the district must complete the full student enrollment process before registering for summer school.

👉 Register here: https://forms.gle/9DCrY8g58GrLU3kp6

Additional details will be shared with families after registration. For questions, please contact your child’s school office.

The next Southern Boone Board of Education meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 20th, in the central office boardroom. The meeting is open to the public.

All regular monthly meetings are livestreamed and recorded on the Southern Boone School District YouTube Channel.

The Southern Boone Board of Education approved the district’s 2026–2027 school calendar during its regular monthly meeting in February.

The Southern Boone School District has announced that Dr. Ashley Tanksley will transition to serve as assistant principal at the middle school next school year.

Click the link below to view high school and middle school daily, monthly and team athletic schedules. Go Eagles!

Families can now connect directly with teachers, coaches, and school staff—all within the Southern Boone App!

Infinite Campus allows parents to set up recurring payments directly through the Parent Portal. 

Southern Boone partners with Penmac Education Staffing to provide substitute teachers for this school year

The Southern Boone School District encourages students, parents, and community members to use the Courage2Report (C2R) program to confidentially report any concerns related to school safety, including bullying, threats, and violence.

C2R is available 24/7 and offers multiple ways to report: by phone at 1-866-748-7047, through their mobile app, or by texting "C2R" to 738477. Reports are confidential and can make a significant difference in ensuring a safe learning environment for all.