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Volume 104 • Number 65 • Friday, April 4, 2014 • PO Box 188 • 111 E. Jenkins • Maryville, MO
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Board names Alvarez as new MHS principal By STEVE HARTMAN
board’s decision, and that he believes students, parents and district patrons will welcome the chance to work with Alvarez, who The Maryville R-II Board of Educa- he said has proven himself as a professional tion met in special session Thursday and educator at several levels. voted unanimously to name Thom Alvarez “Thom has been with the district in a vaas Maryville High School principal for the riety of roles for 13 years,” Linthacum said. 2014-’15 school year. “In every role, his Alvarez, a 13-year leadership skills have member of the MHS faculbeen very evident. We ty who currently serves as are excited to incorassistant principal, was in porate Tom’s skills to attendance at the meeting, build on our existing and said he was excited — Larry Linthacum strengths to become a about the opportunity to R-II Superintendent model school district.” assume the high school’s In other business, top administrative job. the board accepted the “(Current principal) Jason (Eggers) has following resignations: Debbie From, halfbeen an outstanding mentor to me over the time director of the Area Cooperative for past several years,” Alvarez said. “But at the Educational Support (ACES) and half-time same time, I’m anxious to get to work and educational diagnostician; Tom Scarborput my stamp on several things at the high ough, Northwest Technical School placeschool.” ment coordinator; Brady From, Maryville Maryville R-II Superintendent Larry Middle School paraprofessional; and Emily Linthacum said he was pleased with the Bowman, assistant dance team coach. Staff writer
In every role, his leadership skills have been very evident.
TONY BROWN/DAILY FORUM
New R-II principal
Maryville High School Assistant Principal Thom Alvarez is shown at his desk Thursday afternoon. On Thursday the Maryville R-II Board of Education announced that Alvarez would become principal at MHS after the end of the current school year.
Athletes, firefighters plunge for Landon By KEVIN BIRDSELL Staff writer
After Joshua Wright accepted a cold-water plunge dare, he challenged a few of his friends to do the same. Soon their efforts were linked to an Internet fundraiser that is garnering support from across the country for a seriously ill child. The effort to raise money to aid 6-month-old Landon Shaw, who is battling cancer, revolves around a Facebook page posted on March 30. Those accessing the page are urged to take a cold-water plunge into a lake or pool in exchange for pledges or cash from friends and family. Plungers are also to challenge three other people to engage in an icy dip. Landon is the son of Brandon and Alyssa Shaw of Tarkio. Since the infant was diagnosed early this year, he has had four surgeries and undergone chemotherapy and radiation. “What happened was that a friend of ours from Arkansas started it as a cold-water challenge,” said Wright, a
KEVIN BIRDSELL/DAILY FORUM
Plunge for Landon
Firefighters, police officers and staffers from the Maryville Department of Public Safety take part in the “Plunge for Landon” by jumping into Mozingo Lake on Thursday evening. Those participating in the plunge raise money by collecting cash and pledges from friends and family. Proceeds will be used to assist the family of Landon Shaw, an infant with life-threatening cancer. friend of the Shaw family. “He challenged someone up here in Tarkio to do it, and they challenged three more people, and then they challenged me. So I did it and challenged a couple of my friends.” One of Wright’s friends
suggested that the plunges could be turned into some kind of fundraiser. Wright said Landon and his family immediately came to mind. Landon was born October 21. The day after he turned four months old, his parents admitted him to the hospital
because of weight loss and his inability to keep food down. Doctors told the family they would have to remove one of the baby’s kidneys because it contained a tumor. Once the kidney was removed and the tumor ana-
lyzed, it was discovered that Landon had a very rare form of cancer. The malignancy traveled from the kidney, through the liver, to the lungs and finally the brain. The family decided to allow doctors to remove a brain tumor during
an extremely risky surgery. Landon made it through the operation but was not expected to survive the night. When morning came, he was still alive. Since the surgery, Landon has come home and begun See PLUNGE Page 3
NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY
Piveral named interim provost By TONY BROWN News editor
Joyce Piveral
Joyce Piveral, dean of the College of Education and Human Services at Northwest Missouri State University, has been named interim provost — or chief academic officer — at the school until a recruiting
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660-562-2424
search for a permanent provost is completed later this summer. Piveral replaces outgoing Provost Doug Dunham, who resigned last month after accepting an offer to become vice president for academic affairs at Rockhurst University in Kansas City.
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Northwest spokesman Mark Hornickel said both Piveral and Northwest personnel chief Nola Bond have been appointed to a 10-member committee charged with conducting the search for Dunham’s permanent replacement. Hornickel said the recruiting period was ex-
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pected to run from April 22 through May 16, with a new provost coming on board in late May or early June. The committee’s recommendation must first be approved by Northwest President John Jasinski and ultimately by the university’s governing Board of Regents.
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