Knight News
October 2024-Volume 2
Our Knight Commander at North Daviess R-III: Mr. Rockhold
Mr. Rockhold is our Knight Commander, taking on his new role as Principal and Superintendent of North Daviess R-III. Mr. Rockhold has been involved in education for 14 years, eleven years as a teacher, and three years as an administrator. This is his third year at North Daviess R-III.
Mr Rockhold attended NCMC for his Associate of Arts degree. He then attended MWSU in St. Joseph, Missouri for his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. He obtained his Masters in Mathematics Education and his Specialist in K-12 Leadership from NWMSU in Maryville. He is currently attending NWMSU studying for his Specialist in Superintendency.
When asked why he decided to become a teacher/administrator, he said, “Teaching was never really on my radar when I was younger”. He admitted to having his fair share of troubles in school, and often found himself on the outside looking in when trying to grasp some concepts. He definitely did not like math when he was younger, however he said he started to figure it out. Then he started tutoring, and helped teach others how to do math as well. While helping others, he realized that he had a knack for it. Since he was mostly self-taught, he had unique ways of breaking down and explaining mathematical concepts that worked for others that struggled like he did. It was then that he realized that he wasn’t just good at math, maybe he was good at teaching it as well. From there he knew that his path to becoming a teacher was already set. From day one being a teacher, he was persuaded to become an administrator. His colleagues had always told him that he would be an amazing and fair administrator. It was never his original goal, however he enjoys it quite a bit.
When Mr. Rockhold was asked about his new role at North Daviess, he said his goal is to elevate us to the top echelon of schools in Missouri. The biggest challenge he faces is exercising patience in allowing each individual to grow and learn at their own pace. It is about resisting the urge to charge towards his own vision, but allowing everyone to evolve and reach it together. He expressed that the best part about his job is being the “coach” of North Daviess. He says that it is AWESOME! He enjoys watching every student grow, whether it is academically, athletically, or personally. He also enjoys being involved as teachers try new things with the students.
Mr. Rockhold comes from Mooresville, Missouri. He is married to his wife Katherine, who is a Title Mathematics teacher in St.Joseph, MO. They have a nine month old son named Henry. Mr. Rockhold is a huge Denver Broncos fan. He enjoys watching football,mowing his lawn, and spending time with his son. He devotes a lot of his free time to his Christmas Tree Farm that was started a few years ago, and a small pro wrestling company.
Some quotes he’s trying to live by in 2024 are: “You don't know what you don't know” and “Never assign to malice what you can assign to not knowing.”
Written by: Kody Meringa, Kayla Sprague & Katie Sprague
Medieval Family Title Night
Family Fun Night was held on Thursday evening, September 19th. There were forty plus students and parents in attendance. The evening started with a hotdog supper in the cafeteria. Mr. Rockhold and the Title Team (Mrs. Porter, Mrs. Kemna, and Mrs. Brown) gave a short presentation on Title services and progress monitoring. Students and parents were then free to move throughout the building to the five Pre-K through 6th grade classrooms. Each classroom had three activities for the families to enjoy. They could choose from a reading activity, math activity, or a fun game. They also got a medieval prize in each room. Some of the prizes they could choose from were a crown, a tattoo, and a mask. They also got to select a free book. The evening was fun and engaging.
Written by: Kayla Sprague, Katie Sprague & Kody Meringa
Grandparents Day at North Daviess R-III
The elementary students welcomed their grandparents to breakfast and a little musical celebration on Thursday morning, September 12th for Grandparent’s Day. First the children and their grandparents enjoyed cinnamon rolls together for breakfast in the cafeteria. There was also a photo opportunity set up in the gym for capturing the memorable event. Music teacher, Ms. Warren began the music program with a poem about grandparents, then she directed the students in a musical celebration. The 4-6th graders sang, “We’re Coming Back “. The Preschool-2nd grade students sang, “Our Grands Are Grand “. The event was attended and enjoyed by approximately twenty grandparents. Grandparents are truly special. Thank you grandparents for letting us celebrate you!
Written By: Dakota Meringa, Katie Sprague, and Kayla Sprague
Too Good To Do Drugs
Our Kindergarten through Sixth grade students are currently participating in a ten week drug prevention program on Mondays. Too Good To Do Drugs instruction started in September, and will continue through November. Their instructor is Mrs. Susan McFee, a retired teacher from Maysville. The students are learning factual information related to drug prevention, and interacting with stuffed animals (Kindergarten- a bear, 1st/2nd- a dog) during the program. The 3rd/4th grade students are enjoying working with “Auto”, a robot as part of their lessons. The 3rd and 4th grade students were excited about learning about drug prevention while interacting with Auto, the robot.
Written by Kody Meringa
September Students of the Month
Elementary: Bailey Lewis High School: Autumn Clevenger
Bailey Lewis is a third grade student in Ms. Berry’s homeroom. She enjoys reading the most, especially about animals! Bailey said she absolutely loves horses and she would like to have one some day. She loves singing and dancing in music class. She especially likes the new song that they are learning about candy corn.
Autumn Clevenger is a seventh grade student. The subject that she enjoys the most at school is computers and typing. Her favorite thing about school is making friends and being with them.
Written by: Kody Meringa
Lady Hawks Softball
Softball is the fall sport (August-October) offered to the Junior High and High School girls at North Daviess. They have the opportunity to be a part of the Gilman City Hawks team. There is one Knight among the many Hawks who is on the team this year. SageLynn Balch, a senior at North Daviess is that lone Knight.
SageLynn decided to join the team her senior year. She enjoys playing right field. She says batting and running bases to score runs is her favorite part of the game. She has gotten several hits when at bat this season. She is glad she joined the team.
Mrs. Becci Roberts is the coach from North Daviess that travels with SageLynn to practice and games. Mrs. Becci has been coaching softball for approximately sixteen years. She enjoys coaching softball because she loves the sport and spending time outside. Coach Roberts expects the season to go well even though they lost six seniors last year. She says that even though they lost the seniors, they still have a strong team this year.
They concluded their season playing Districts at Princeton, on October 17th.
Written by: Kayla Sprague, Katie Sprague & Kody Meringa
MORE NEW TEACHERS AT NORTH DAVIESS
Mrs. Crouse
Mrs.Crouse is one of our new, half-time Agriculture teachers at North Daviess.She is also one of the FFA Advisors. Mrs. Crouse lives in the Gallatin area. She earned her Bachelor’s in Agriculture Education at SMSU, now MSU in Springfield, Missouri. She earned her Masters in School Counseling at CMSU. now UCM in Warrensburg, Missouri, and a Masters in Administration from William Woods University. She has been teaching for 32 years. She has always had an interest in agriculture. She took an interest survey and it showed she enjoyed people and nature. Teaching agriculture is a great way of incorporating both of those strengths. She is married to Gene Crouse. Her children are Kirbie (Cory) and Tom. She has one grandchild named Canyon. She tries to spend time with her family after school and on the weekends.
Written by: Kayla Sprague
Mr. Alden
Mr. Ron Alden is one of our new part time Agriculture teachers at North Daviess. He has come back out of retirement to join our team. He lives north of Hamilton, Missouri on a farm with his wife Judy. He graduated from NWMSU in Maryville with a Bachelor Degree in Agriculture Education. He earned a Masters Degree in Administration from William Woods University. This is his twenty-fifth year teaching Agriculture and advising FFA.
He was encouraged to become an Ag teacher by his High School Ag teacher. After graduating from college, he spent some years farming before teaching. He enjoys working on his farm with his cattle and goats.
Mr. Alden and his wife have three grown, married children. They have five grandchildren. He enjoys being a grandpa and having them visit the family farm.
Written by Katie Sprague and Kayla Sprague
TEACHER SPOTLIGHT: ELEMENTARY
Mrs. McCrary- Preschool Teacher
Mrs. McCrary is our preschool teacher at North Daviess. Mrs. McCrary has been teaching for 45 years. She went to Savannah High School, Missouri Western State College, Northwest Missouri University, and Graceland University. She completed her Masters in Education.
She decided she wanted to be a teacher many moons ago, when she was a small girl and went to a one room country school. Her second grade teacher let her work with the first graders. This interaction is what sparked her desire to become a teacher. Teaching was her lifelong dream and is still her passion.
She has been married to Cecil McCrary for 50 years. They have three children Alan, Brian, and Ollie. Two of her children are teachers as well. She has 8 grandchildren, and does her best to spoil all of them. She loves making crafts and reading, but most of all she loves to travel. She has been to 24 countries and 46 states. She is a Christian, and believes she is at school working with children because God wants her to be.
Written by Katie Sprague & Kayla Sprague
TEACHER SPOTLIGHT: HIGH SCHOOL
Mr. Cook
Mr. Cook is our amazing Junior High and High School Science teacher. Mr Cook lives locally in Gallatin, Missouri, however he is originally from Houston, Texas. Mr Cook has family still living in Texas. He has two brothers that live there. He also has a sister that lives here in Missouri. Mr Cook also has various cousins, nieces, and nephews that are scattered all around the United States.
Mr. Cook has an Associate degree in Business Management from NCMC, and a Bachelor degree in Business Forensics & Business Administration from Franklin. He earned his Teacher’s Certificate from NWMSU. He has been a teacher for eleven years. Mr. Cook has a lot of hobbies that he likes to do when he isn’t teaching or coaching. Some of his interests include archery, hiking, customizing knives, and playing disc golf. Mr. Cook wishes everyone that is reading this a great year!
Written by: Kody Meringa
TEACHER SPOTLIGHT: MUSIC
Ms. Warren
Ms. Warren is our music teacher here at North Daviess. She teaches elementary (PK-6 grade) music on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Ms. Warren went to college at NWMSU and got her BS in Music education. She has been a teacher for 34 years. Her mother taught music and inspired her to be a music teacher. Singing is one of her favorite things to do. Ms. Warren lives in Gallatin with her three male cats, Bennie, Murphey, and Perry. Her hobbies include cooking and baking. She also works at Katy’s Coffee in Gallatin.
Written by Katie Sprague
COUNSELORS SPOTLIGHT:
Mrs.Bird-Elementary Counselor
Mrs.Bird is one of our counselors at North Daviess. She lives on a farm outside of Gallatin. Mrs.Bird went to college at Northwest Missouri University in Maryville. She has an Elementary Education degree, a Special Education degree, and a master’s degree in school counseling. She taught for thirty-two full time for years and then retired. She has now been part time at North Daviess for ten years, making a total of forty-two years of teaching.
Many of her family members were teachers and going to college at Maryville so she followed them. She believes she made the right choice by going into a teaching career.
She lives on a farm with her husband. They farm and raise cattle. They have three children,nine grandchildren and three great grandchildren. In her freetime she likes to garden,read, and spend time with her family. She also enjoys traveling with friends. She has really enjoyed teaching at North Daviess and particularly loves the small school atmosphere.
Written by Kayla Sprague
Mrs. Ward- Junior High/High School Counselor
Mrs. Ward is our part-time Junior High and High School Counselor at North Daviess. She is part time and has been at North Daviess for 8 years. She went to NCMC, NWMSU, and Missouri Western. She completed degrees in K-12 Counseling, K-6 Administration, K-8 Elementary Education and an Early Childhood Education Degree. She taught and was an administrator for twenty-seven years until she retired. She also substituted for ten years. She decided she wanted to become a teacher because she always loved school and helping others to learn.
She has been married to her husband Bob for fifty-two years. They have two sons, and two daughter-in-laws. They have been blessed with four grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. She loves being outside and enjoying her family, especially her great grandkids. She also loves the Lord. She enjoys serving Him and sharing her faith with others.
Written by Katie Sprague