VIENNA — Maries R-1 Elementary Principal Shanda Snodgrass gave a report to the school board at the August meeting. She gave her report via telephone.

Snodgrass said she was excited to be reporting to the board and said the elementary school made it thorough the first day. The morning drop-off seemed to go well. Only preschool and kindergarten parents were allowed to enter the building as all other parents just dropped off their students. She said there were very few tears. Staff greeted students at the door. Snodgrass reported the staff and students have a lot of new protocols and they spent the entire day problem solving. “All things considered, we had a very smooth start in comparison to other years.”

Snodgrass reported a successful open house and a 90 percent attendance rate in the elementary school. Three classrooms had 100 percent attendance—Mrs. Glick in preschool, Mrs. Weidinger in second grade, and Mrs. Swarthout aka Miss Rowden in fourth grade.

Special thanks go to Sara Campbell, Malinda Howard and Donna Haller for organizing the Back to School Fair. There were 180 students in preschool through eighth grade who were recipients of the school supplies distributed for the new school year.

She reported elementary school enrollment of 227 students. Four students are attending school virtually.

“It continues to amaze me at how blessed Maries R-1 is with the family of teachers and staff that are willing to work together,” she said. The school district’s educators have had an overwhelming amount of information released recently and “they have handled it like pros!” she said. She told the school board the key works for this year will be “flexibility, flexibility, and flexibility.” She thank the school board for its continued support as they begin to navigate “this new year of unknowns.”

In his report to the school board, High School Principal Ian Murray said enrollment for grades 6 through 12 is 268. Some six students are learning virtually.

He reported on the GVC Conference meeting held recently. For basketball games they may split the gym with one side for fans of the home team, and the other side for fans of the visiting team. Everyone may have to wear a mask.

Murray said the biggest goal is to let the kids get back to school as they need the social aspect of school as well as the instructional education. He wants to “keep the doors open” as long as possible. “If it means wearing a mask all day, we will do it.”

He reported the cafeteria the first day looked fine. Board member David Long asked Murray to make sure there was plenty of seating in the cafeteria.