By Greg Grisolano
ggrisolano@joplinglobe.com
The Joplin School District has set a date for the move into the new South Middle School.
“We’re dotting our i’s and crossing our t’s at this point,” Superintendent C.J. Huff said. “We’re very excited about showcasing that new facility.”
Huff told the Board of Education on Tuesday night that the South Middle School move would take place Dec. 21 and 22, during the holiday break.
The school at 700 E. 50th St. is expected to open Tuesday, Jan. 5. It will serve more than 500 students from sixth to eighth grades. The school is part of a larger plan that included building a new middle school east of town in Duquesne, and renovating and expanding North Middle School. The school in Duquesne opened in August. The three middle-school projects are the result of a $57.3 million bond issue that district voters endorsed in 2007.
Vince Brannon, lead architect on the South Middle School project with the firm PLJBD Inc. of Joplin, told the board that construction is proceeding on schedule.
The board also received an update on the renovations at North Middle School from architect Jim Lattimer, with the same firm.
Lattimer said the gymnasium, auditorium and two-story classroom wings are nearing completion.
“In the last month, we’ve gone from a shell of a structure to a recognizable school space,” he said.
The board is expected to tour the North Middle School site on Dec. 16.
Huff also presented the board with an update on the district’s performance on the Missouri Assessment Program tests.
The Joplin district received 13 of a possible 14 points of achievement, according to the Annual Progress Report published by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The report includes the MAP results.
Huff said the district stumbled on achieving the state’s target goal for a dropout rate. The district has joined surrounding districts in a “Graduation Matters” initiative to raise awareness among students, parents and residents about the importance of having a high-school diploma.
“I do feel very confident that within the next two to three years, we’ll start showing progress toward getting that point,” Huff said.
All board members were in attendance for Tuesday night’s meeting.
In other business, the board approved a recommendation by the administration to accept the program evaluation for the district’s library program. The recommendation followed a presentation by Debbie Heim, lead librarian.
Heim said the district has 17 libraries, and that 13 of those met “desirable” standards under state guidelines. The district employs 29 library media specialists and support staff members.
Policy review
The Joplin school board on Tuesday night approved a list of revisions to the school district’s policy manual. Sections that underwent revision include those on school district-sponsored media, school board meetings and public comments.
Superintendent C.J. Huff said the district is undergoing a formal evaluation of all policies in an attempt to update and streamline procedures.
