Plans for the rebuilding of the schools Joplin lost in the 2011 tornado received more raves Tuesday night from district officials.
“They’ve all done a wonderful job,” board president Randy Steele said in an interview after a Board of Education meeting. “Every time we see new drawings, it’s so exciting to know our kids are about to step into 21st century schools. This is a process that’s going to take time.”
The board heard updates from the architects for the East Middle School and Elementary 2 campus, Irving Elementary School and the combined Joplin High School and Franklin Technology Center.
Chad Greer, with Corner Greer and Associates, met recently with Joplin High students about their legacy at the new school. Greer told the board that students expressed interest in having the rose garden at the new school with five concrete benches for each high school class affected by the tornado, from 2011 to 2015. They want the benches to have messages from each class.
Architects for the other sites said that they will have packages ready for the seeking of bids in the next month.
Superintendent C.J. Huff told the board that he has received phone calls from people asking about whether the current schools could be used as public shelters this storm season. He said residents should other plans in the event of a storm until the schools have the community storm shelters built in the next year or so.
The district plans to have ceremonial groundbreakings at the schools on May 22, the anniversary of the 2011 tornado. The schedule for the day is not complete, but district officials say they will likely have a ceremony where Mercy Health Systems hands over the deed for the property the new Irving Elementary will be built on in the morning.
A ceremonial groundbreaking will likely be held in the late morning or early afternoon at the East Middle School campus. District officials may plan to stop at the site of Joplin High School during the Walk of Unity that’s being planned by Joplin city government.
Huff said in an interview that he and other administrators know that May 22 of this year will be an emotional day for Joplinites.
“Everybody is in a different place,” Huff said. “Those days will bring a lot of celebration and a lot of reflection. As we reflect on the past, we have to think about the future. It’s just another step in the healing process.”
In the earlier work session, the board reviewed the new schools before going into closed session to talk about personnel and legal matters.
Huff said the board took a vote in closed session, but was withholding the outcome for the time being. The district was sued earlier this month by an out-of-state contractors hired to demolish Joplin High School. The contractor alleges the company was not given progress payments by the district for work on the site. Huff said school officials hope to come to a resolution sooner rather than later.
Board member Ashley Micklethwaite was given a plaque of appreciation by the board for her service. Micklethwaite recently announced she will be leaving Joplin for a new position with Mercy Health Center in St. Louis. The board will now accept letters of application for an appointment to fill the vacancy.
Meeting change
The board was scheduled to meet on May 22, but that session has been moved to May 29. The regular meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the district’s administration building, 3901 E. 32nd St.
May 2011 Joplin tornado
Joplin School Board receives another update on architectural plans
- May 2011 Joplin tornado
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Federal, state leaders salute Joplin’s recovery
A deadly May twister may have punched a hole in Joplin and Duquesne two years ago, but the resolve to repair it will help other communities stand strong when they face similar disasters. That was the message of state and national diginitaries to a crowd of about 2,500 who observed the second anniversary of Joplin’s devastating May 22, 2011, storm during a ceremony Wednesday in Cunningham Park.
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SLIDESHOW: One year later, One day of unity, updated
Photos from a day of events commemorating the May 22, 2011 tornado anniversary
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Banner from Joplin to be sent to Moore residents
A giant vinyl banner adorned with heartfelt messages from Joplin tornado survivors to the residents of Moore, Okla., became a centerpiece of Wednesday’s observance of the two-year anniversary of the May 22, 2011, tornado.
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Rick Rescorla award named for hero of Vietnam War, 9-11 terror attacks
The Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience is named for a 62-year-old vice president of security for Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co. who directed an evacuation of the company’s 2,700-person workforce in the South Tower of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2011.
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Community gearing up for two-year anniversary ceremony this afternoon
With the playground full of children, it could be any other day at Joplin’s Cunningham Park, but the white tents popping up and neat rows of white chairs lined up nearby indicate something more is happening today.
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Farmers Insurance teams up with Rebuild Joplin
Farmers Insurance announced Tuesday that the company will team up with Rebuild Joplin for an initiative to help the community complete its recovery efforts. The company already has placed one of its executives in Joplin, and it is pledging additional funds and volunteer hours by company workers to go toward the city’s recovery.
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Joplin man continues struggle to recover two years after tornado
As the Joplin tornado passed overhead, sweeping the house at 2430 S. Pennsylvania Ave. away in its wake, there was a moment of calm. Delbert Mcguirk was on his back in the basement, where he had sought shelter along with his wife, daughter and two grandchildren. In that moment of relative quiet, he stared up into the eye of the tornado.
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Storms cause damage throughout the Four States
Four-State Area residents hunkered down twice Monday to ride out tornadoes and powerful spring storms, then went to work cleaning up. The worst damage from Monday night’s storm was being reported in Ottawa County, Okla., near Wyandotte. That followed a report of an EF-1 tornado early Monday morning near Carthage.
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Two plead guilty to post-tornado wire theft
Two defendants pleaded guilty Monday to stealing copper wire from utility poles in the wake of the May 22, 2011, tornado that struck Joplin. Timothy M. Silveria, 45, of Joplin, and Nycoa K. Kracht, 32, of Laurel, Ind., entered open pleas of guilty in Jasper County Circuit Court to felony counts of theft from a public utility.
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FACES OF RECOVERY: 176,869 volunteers help put Joplin together again
They initially came in droves, pouring into Joplin by the thousands during the months following the May 2011 tornado to clear debris, clean up damaged homes and businesses and distribute donations of food, water, clothing and other necessities.
- More May 2011 Joplin tornado Headlines
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