During the summer months, we celebrate the accomplishments of another successful year while simultaneously beginning to prepare for the next school year.

Before we completely close-out this school year, I want to take a moment to express my appreciation for the hardworking and dedicated members of our transportation, maintenance, custodial, and food service departments for supporting all of our district accomplishments over the past 12 months.

These unsung heroes ensure our students receive the best possible environment to learn and thrive. Their efforts often go unnoticed, but they are the backbone of our school district’s success and they continue to work diligently throughout the summer months.

Our transportation department operates 22 bus routes, covering an immense 1,500 route miles daily. This would not be possible without the dedication of our skilled bus drivers, who ensure our students arrive safely and on time.

I would also like to extend a special thanks to our exceptional transportation leaders, Transportation Director Jake Kloss and Mechanic Lane Truman. They maintain a fleet of 26 buses and 10 district vehicles, ensuring they are in top condition for the 676 trip requests we had during the 2023-2024 school year.

Our 26-bus fleet once again received a 100% approval rating during the annual Missouri State Highway Patrol school bus inspection program. It is a testament to their hard work and expertise that we experienced no significant issues on any of our routes or trips this past school year.

Our maintenance department, led by Rick Morgan, consists of seven highly skilled employees responsible for the upkeep of over 403,000 square feet of building space and 170 acres of land. This includes playgrounds, Rocky Edmondson Park, athletic fields, and our Ag farm.

Their tasks are varied and numerous, ranging from electrical, plumbing, and HVAC repairs to general upkeep and emergency fixes. Their efforts ensure our facilities, property, and equipment remain in excellent condition. With our recent renovations and upgrades, our maintenance team has provided a great deal of commitment and support to projects such as the new secure entrance at the high school, roofs, and the groundbreaking for the performing arts center.

Few school districts have such an experienced and capable maintenance team. Under the outstanding leadership of Frank Georgen, our custodial team of 17 employees does a phenomenal job keeping our facilities safe and clean. Their work is crucial in providing a healthy learning environment for our students.

The equivalent building space they maintain is staggering, and their relentless efforts ensure that our schools are always in pristine condition. The scale of their work is equivalent to maintaining 310 three-bedroom homes on a daily basis.

Our food service department, led by Kam Howerton, consists of 20 caring and hard working employees. Their accomplishments are nothing short of remarkable. This team provides two warm meals to our students every day, ensuring they have the nutrition needed to focus and excel in their studies. The dedication and pride in their work are evident in every meal they serve.

Over the past year, our district has seen significant improvements and renovations, including replacing exterior doors, installing security cameras, and upgrading roofing and fencing. These accomplishments are a direct result of the hard work and meticulous planning of our support staff. The upcoming projects for the 20242025 school year promise to continue this trend of excellence.

We are fortunate to have Dusty Reid, director of facilities and operations, overseeing these departments and projects, ensuring everything runs smoothly. Our Board of Education deserves recognition as well for their support, prioritizing capital project needs, and for approving the budget necessary for these improvements.

We are fortunate to have so many great people working together to make our school district a great place for students to succeed.

Merlyn Johnson is the superintendent of the Cassville school district. He may be reached at mjohnson@cassville. k12.mo.us.