The first 14 weeks of the school year have gone by quickly, and it has been both exciting and productive thus far.
We have already completed the first quarter and are well into our second. Winter sports are upon us and we are excited about the potential for each of these seasons.
As we wind our way through this Holiday season, I want to say how thankful I am to serve the parents and community of Cassville R-IV School District. Some things change in education but the passion and leadership of our staff and community remains constant.
Challenges of continued improvement and at the same time helping students recover from the learning slide during COVID is ever present. The work and patience I am seeing to overcome these challenges is inspiring. Cultural and mental health issues add weight to that effort and we all know we are not just teaching subject matter, we are creating successful pathways for young people to thrive. Therefore it is a “Whatever it takes” attitude. I appreciate our educational staff and parents for meeting those challenges head-on!
As we reflect on the many things for which we are thankful, I want to take this opportunity to share just a few of them with you.
First, we are thankful for our students who come to school every day ready and willing to learn. They give us all a daily reminder of what is important, bring us purpose to work hard for something greater than ourselves, and they serve as a constant reminder for why we are here.
We are thankful for the support of the parents in creating an outstanding partnership for our students. Our parents dedicate so much time and energy in order to serve as an advocate for their children and to support their children’s many endeavors here at Cassville R-IV Schools.
We are thankful for the teachers, paras, bus drivers, custodians, maintenance workers, secretaries, nurses, nutrition staff, therapists, administrators, and all other support staff who really care about student achievement and who have the best interests of our students at heart. Through everyone’s efforts, our school is filled with positive, productive, and powerful learning each and every day.
We are also thankful for our community supporters, churches, retired teachers, and volunteers who enthusiastically contribute so much to our school. I continue to witness dedicated and tireless individuals going above and beyond to make sure great things happen at Cassville R-IV Schools.
Every single person truly does make a difference in the lives of our students, and those students, in their own individual ways, benefit from those efforts.
Most importantly, we are thankful for the parents who continue to share their most valuable possessions with us and, in most cases, work hard and advocate to be a partner in their children’s education, safety and well-being.
For this, we are ever so thankful.
My family and I continue to feel grateful for living and growing in such a friendly and welcoming community. We feel so blessed to be part of a community that holds true to the values and traditions that we are familiar with from our own personal experiences.
As the superintendent of schools, I will do everything within my abilities to see that the District’s efforts to achieve greatness for the children of Cassville R-IV will remain strong for generations to come.
The district is in a great position to meet our goals as we continue to engage and inspire a community of learners for success in life.
If you ever have questions or concerns, please contact me by phone at 417-847-2221 or email at mjohnson@cassville.k12. mo.us.
Merlyn Johnson is the superintendent of the Cassville school district. He may be reached at mjohnson@
cassville.k12.mo.us.
