VIENNA — Vienna’s archery teams have made strides in the club’s second year at the district, according to an update from Coach Tim Simmons at the Feb. 25 Maries R-1 Board of Education meeting.

Simmons began by reminding the board of his visit to a meeting around this time last year when he wanted to recognize the students participating in the state archery tournament.

“Last year, I brought six kids that I was taking to state,” he said. “I didn’t bring the kids in this year because we’re taking 46 kids to state.”

At the time of the meeting, Vienna had participated in six tournaments this year. Sophomore Gage Curtis won four of the tournaments, and Vienna High School’s team took top spots with Curtis, Ethan Kloeppel and Evan Simmons at the St. Martins State Qualifier.

Vienna Middle School’s team qualified together and is ranked among the top 20 middle school teams in the state. Vienna Elementary School’s team, which includes fourth-grade and fifth-grade students, also qualified for state.

Simmons said archers compete in two kinds of competitions, bullseye and 3D. Bullseye contests use targets, and 3D competitions use model animals. Kloeppel and Evan Simmons are among the top 25 3D archers in the state.

Vienna is sending more archers to the state tournament despite stricter qualifications this year. Simmons said at the high school level, last year’s qualifying score was 280 out of 300 points. This year, the minimum is 285 points.

The state tournament is scheduled for March 19 through March 22 in Branson. Simmons said he was working with the elementary school to allow student archers who are also on the knowledge bowl team to do both activities. The knowledge bowl is scheduled for March 20.

Maries R-1 hosted its first-ever archery tournament over the weekend with more than 180 archers signed up to participate. Vienna archers who placed in their divisions were Brentley Kempker (third-place in elementary school), David Martin III (second-place in middle school), Gage Curtis (second-place in high school) and Ethan Kloeppel (third-place in high school).

Simmons thanked the board and administrators for letting the school host a tournament.

“We want to make sure that you and (Assistant Coach Ethan Murphy) know that we appreciate you doing the sport because it has gotten a lot of kids involved that aren’t involved in other sports or any other activities,” Superintendent Teresa Messersmith said. “It’s good to see those kids doing something

and succeeding at it.”

Simmons said seven parents had gone through the basic archery instructor certification program to potentially coach the team once he decides to step back.

Later in the meeting, VHS Principal Tim Metcalf shared his monthly report with the board. He began by recognizing the six cross-country athletes who received all-state academic honors: Kaylee Bresnahan, Marissa Hollis, Ava Kloeppel, Jezebel Mamblona Bordonaba, Tyler Hallahan and Jordan Hatfield.

Metcalf had positive reports on both the homecoming dance and the middle school Valentine’s Day dance. He said he would likely return to holding the homecoming dance on a Saturday after trying it after the game this year.

The district is looking to fill a middle school English teacher position and a band teacher position. Metcalf said he had scheduled interviews for both roles and would let the board know if he had any hiring recommendations.

The Students Against Destructive Decisions docudrama will take place on April 7.

Special Education Director Joe Edwards also shared updates with the board.

The district received funding for a wireless hearing aid microphone system for a student who recently received cochlear implants. The money came from the RiteCare program run by the Missouri Scottish Rite Masons. It was the second time this school year that the group had helped the district with equipment.

The Argyle Knights of Columbus donated $255.50 to the district’s special education program.

Joyce Kilmer is the long-term substitute in the high school special education classroom.

Employees of Newburg School District’s special education program visited the school in February. Edwards said the meeting was a good experience for both districts.

Edwards and pre-K teacher Nichoel Snodgrass will visit Belle’s pre-K program later this month to get ideas on how to improve the preschool.