Schmalzl dedicated to Boone schools

By Sarah Hardee, Enquirer Contributor

With continued budget cuts, increasingly stringent core content standards and a push to get more students involved in extracurricular activities, local parent volunteer Mary Schmalzl's goal is to make life a little easier for teachers - and a little more fun for students.

Schmalzl, of Walton, has been part of the PTA and volunteered within Boone County Schools for nearly 20 years. As all three of her children have progressed through New Haven Elementary, Gray Middle and Ryle High schools, she has brought a variety of extracurricular activities and community service opportunities to the schools.

Over the years, she's coached successful Odyssey of the Mind, Math Counts and Future Problem Solving teams, and helped organize a variety of events, including Ryle's annual craft show. Recently, she started a Community Problem Solving Team, which allows students to use problem-solving skills and community service hours to help solve problems locally.

"All of these programs help kids become better thinkers," said Schmalzl, who currently coaches both Gray and Ryle's Future Problem Solving teams, serves as the team photographer for Ryle's girls' soccer team and is still an active member of the school's PTA.

The programs are still flourishing at the schools, and Schmalzl's Future Problem Solving team at Ryle just placed seventh overall at the Future Problem Solving Program International Conference, and two students from her teams - Tess Chaffee from Gray and Lenny Ivey from Ryle - placed first at the conference.

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