BY MERLYN JOHNSON
The 2022-2023 school year will begin on Tuesday, August 23.
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 events 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, every day. Our overarching theme, an attitude of excellence, is exhibited daily in the endeavors of our teachers, staff, administration, and students. I know Cassville R-IV Schools will continue to build on this excellence in the coming year!
The beginning of the year will see some challenges due to the playground equipment delays on the primary and intermediate school campuses. The delayed completion of the playground projects on both campuses will create some issues related to movement and locations during recess time throughout the first three months of the school year.
Our construction manager, R.E. Smith has coordinated a sound plan moving forward to work around each phase of the playground construction process until completion. Mrs. Gates, Mr. Swadley, Mrs. Schell, and their staff have modified the primary and intermediate building recess schedule to work around these early school year playground challenges.
The maintenance and custodial team did a great job working around the playground projects to get our facilities and grounds ready for the first day with students. 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, services for gifted children, early childhood services and many other academic and student support programs. In response to the workforce ready initiative promoted by Governor Parson, we continue to work to improve workforce ready opportunities for our students to be better prepared for jobs after high school through the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) program.
We are also excited about the addition of the Success Academy for high school students who are eligible for an alternative pathway to graduation opportunity. 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 and business partners offer tremendous support to our schools.
As we begin a new school year, we invite you to visit our district website (https://www.cassville. k12.mo.us/) for the latest information, news and announcements. 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 417-847-2221.
