LEAP Waynesville

09/22/2026

How do you contain and subsequently prevent a disease outbreak? That question is driving middle school LEAP students as they attempt to contain a disease outbreak on a fictional planet in the future. Today was the first day students worked with documents to start their investigation for this problem-based challenge and discussions were full of great questions and reasoning!

09/19/2026

We love to see our LEAP kids highlighted for their accomplishments and the amazing people they are!

We are excited to launch our first-ever Senior Spotlight! Throughout the school year, we will celebrate the Class of 2027 and recognize their accomplishments, interests, and future plans. Congratulations to our first featured senior Aminah Harmon!

09/17/2026

Mrs. Wallace is set up at East’s Curriculum Night! Stop by the music room, solve some puzzles, and say, “Hi!”

09/17/2026

We’ll share more detailed informing with times as we get closer, but we wanted to share the date for Gifted Field Day so you can mark your calendars.

08/27/2026

A quick reminder that our LEAP Open House is tonight, August 27, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

Please look for the LEAP flag at the Main Entrance of Waynesville Middle School.

Note on Parking & Navigation: There are other school events happening at WMS tonight. Please look for our directional signage and the LEAP flag so you know where to go!

We look forward to seeing you tonight!

08/04/2026

Mark your calendars! The LEAP Center calendar dates for the 2026-2027 school year are set.

Please note that while our events typically take place on Thursday evenings, our 1st Semester Shine Night will be held on Wednesday, December 9, to avoid scheduling conflicts with other district events.

2026-2027 Event Schedule:

* LEAP Open House
Thursday, August 27 | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Welcoming returning students in grades 1–6

* 1st Semester Shine Night
Wednesday, December 9 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

* 2nd Semester Shine Night
Thursday, April 8 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

* Gifted Field Day
Spring 2027 | Date TBD

All events take place at the LEAP Center at Waynesville Middle School. We look forward to seeing our LEAP families throughout the year!

07/30/2026

Three of our LEAP teachers—Mrs. Wallace, Mrs. Koeppel, and Ms. Selle—had an incredible time presenting at the Innovation Summit in Branson this week!

The team loves sharing strategies on how gifted students can be challenged and supported outside of the gifted classroom:

Podcast to Proficiency: Building Communication and Digital Literacy Through Podcasting (Ms. Selle) – Using digital tools to strengthen student communication, digital literacy, and voice.

Breaking the Busy Work Cycle: Authentic Enrichment for Advanced Learners (Mrs. Wallace, Mrs. Koeppel, & Ms. Selle) – Shifting from "more work" to deeper thinking through high-level inquiry and challenge.

We are excited to bring this energy and inspiration back to our classrooms!

06/30/2026

Perfect attendance paid off for two of our LEAP students! What a great way to wrap up our first ever LEAP summer school! We have more pictures and videos to share from our Route 66 units. We’ll be sharing them soon!

🚲🎉 Congratulations to our Perfect Attendance Bicycle Winners! 🎉🚲

Showing up every day matters, and we’re proud to celebrate the students who made attendance a priority!

All students who achieved perfect attendance were entered into a special drawing, and two students from each building were randomly selected to take home a brand-new bicycle! 🚴‍♀️🚴‍♂️

Congratulations to our lucky winners, and thank you to all of our students and families for making attendance a priority. Every day in school is an opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed!

06/18/2026

Well, all good things must come to an end eventually. We’ve had a great time at CYBER.ORG EdCon 26 in Reno, Nevada and cannot wait to see how we can bring some of our new knowledge into the classroom.

-Mrs. Wallace and Ms. Selle

06/18/2026

Here’s our final clue: From our hotel, we can see mountains whose name means “snow-covered mountains range.”

We’ll reveal where we’ve been adventuring and learning after our conference ends today, so stay tuned!

-Mrs. Wallace and Ms. Selle