The 2024-2025 school year will begin on Tuesday, August 20.
We are excited to welcome our students and staff back for another great year at Cassville R-IV School District. As we enter into this new school year, I am excited about the many opportunities that lie ahead. We continue to build a strong foundation based on great teachers and staff, a supportive Board, and an engaged community.
The week before students arrive, our educational staff participates in professional development days to learn, share their expertise, and collaborate with each other to improve their teaching skills. They also participate in other trainings, including student safety preparedness and strategies to recognize and address the many challenges our students face.
All of this great work takes place to provide improved academic opportunities for all of our students.
What makes our staff so special is their ability to keep the focus on providing exceptional learning opportunities for our students despite the many outside distractions they may face every day. With the support of our community and families, we continue to shape our District to exemplify excellence in all we do.
Our overarching theme, an attitude of excellence, is exhibited daily in the endeavors of our teachers, staff, administration, and students.
The beginning of the new school year brings much anticipation and excitement as we near the completion of our performing arts center project.
I have heard much conversation throughout the community about the exterior of the new facility. Some like the new look of the design with a variety of angled colored metals, signage, and glass entryway. Others are not as excited, which is understandable since the new look does not match the district’s historically brick theme.
Due to the rising costs of post-COVID construction, the district was put in the position of making value engineering decisions in an effort to get the performing arts facility that our community has wanted for several decades. The focus shifted to the inside of the building which we feel our students and the community will be proud of for generations to come.
I am confident that our students and staff are more concerned about the activities and learning opportunities that will occur on the inside of the new building. The project is estimated to be completed this Fall. The district will announce an open house date once an official completion date is determined.
I hope you will consider attending this exciting event.
Teachers have been coming in for weeks outside their contracted time preparing their rooms for the first day with students. It’s been fun watching everyone return with new ideas and energy from a fruitful summer vacation.
We are so fortunate to have so many awesome people influencing our children!
We are extremely proud of our schools and our continued commitment to high academic standards and improved student achievement. Our district has a comprehensive instructional program with opportunities for every student at every ability level. We offer Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors courses, Dual Enrollment, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, the Success Academy, services for gifted children, early childhood services, and many other academic and student support programs.
Year after year, our students excel in every arena: in the classroom, on the athletic field, in the performing arts, and through extracurricular activities. Our highly qualified employees care deeply about the success of students, and our parents and community/business partners offer tremendous support to our schools.
As we begin a new school year, we invite you to visit our district website (www.cassville.k12. mo.us/) for the latest information, news and announcements.
We are excited to announce that we adopted a new school-tohome communication tool called ParentSquare starting this school year. It provides a safe way for district staff and parents to send and receive information. Details regarding ParentSquare, including how to activate accounts will be communicated with parents beginning this week.
Parents who have questions or concerns during the year are encouraged to contact their child’s teacher or the school principal.
The Board of Education joins me in extending best wishes to you for a productive school year filled with many opportunities. Working together, we will inspire success and a lifetime of learning at Cassville R-IV School District.
Merlyn Johnson is the superintendent of the Cassville school district. He may be reached at mjohnson@cassville. k12.mo.us.
