Pierce City schools complete construction, ready for new school year

Preschool storm shelter, elementary driveway new, buses will now exclusively use the front entrance; new Internet system installed
Steady facilities work at the Pierce City schools prepared buildings for opening on Aug. 19 and the open house on Aug. 14.
Superintendent Matt Street told school board members on Aug. 13 that structural work on the new preschool storm shelter had been completed. He still needed to place a refrigerator and a stove in the workroom. Door scanners had been placed on both ends of the building since an extra was available. The generator was “up and running,” Street said, and the locksmith had switched locks over to the school district’s keys.
Elementary Principal Emily Scott said she was pleased with the addition. The new building has four rooms, connected to the south end of the elementary school through an enclosed hallway, and will use only two for classes presently. The third will be the teacher workroom and the fourth will be a future classroom, not presently committed. The move freed up two classrooms in the elementary building. One will be used for special education, moving that operation from the far end of the hallway, and the other will serve as a work area for occupational and physical therapy.
Scott noted that she planned to start evacuation drills quickly to familiarize students with a new routine.
Elementary drop-off and pick-up would change. Leavitt Construction of Pierce City finished pouring a concrete divider separating the circle drive at the front of the building from the second driveway leading around the north entrance. Buses will now exclusively use the front entrance, and parents will drive around to the north entrance, but vehicles will not intersect as they emerge onto Gibbs Avenue, thanks to the concrete separation. Street said barriers and orange bumper plates showing where to stop would go in place before school started.
A new driveway was shaped on the east side of the preschool building, using a steep gravel incline approaching the doors, while the level path crossing the exit has been left in grass. Street said that drive will be used for emergencies only.
The new district-wide Internet system was due to go live, introducing a new voice-over-internet phone system. New intercoms were in place. The one-year warranty on the internet began on July 28.
In addition, Street gave an update on renovations in the athletic stadium press box. He showed photos of the expansion, replaced siding and façia, and the new door. The last piece needed was the sound system, which he expected before football games began.
Renovations cost $2,070,000. Street said there were about $11,000 in additional change orders, largely for the roof on the generator room, but otherwise spending held in the targeted budget.
Board members approved the student-parent handbook, updated according to new state laws. The major change removed use of cell phones during lunch. Street noted the Crown Act will now allow students to wear dew rags as head apparel, but still banned ballcaps.
Return to letter grades
Due to confusion over elementary grades using numbers (1-2-3-4) to show performance, the teachers will go back to the traditional A-B-C-D-F system. Street said the numbering regimen seems to have made parents reluctant to help students because they didn’t understand it. He hoped they would be more open to engage with student learning under the traditional system.
At the high school, Principal Jared Frey said seniors would be the last class impacted by use of pluses and minuses on their grades, which figured into class ranking. The plus-and-minus system started with this class and would end with them. Class ranking would continue, in addition to recognizing honor graduates.
The employee manual was adopted without changes except for the 2025-26 calendar.
Board members took home the 63-page emergency response plan developed by School Resource Officer Jarrod O’Hara. Street said the plan covers every scenario. Administrators would need to meet with O’Hara to learn their requested roles. Portions of the plan that could be shared with the public would be released after board approval in September.
The board held its annual tax levy hearing, approving the base rate of $2.75 per $100 of assessed property for operations, and $.79 per $100 of property for paying off debts. The action included a $250,000 prepayment on the 2020 general obligation bonds.
Board members also approved the financial disclosure policy required by the state, the Disabilities Education Act local compliance plan, and the memorandum of understanding with Freeman Healthcare.
Personnel action included accepting the resignation of Mikhala Swanson as elementary nurse. Abby Mettlach was named as her replacement.
The board also hired Lori Beasley to teach elementary music, Melissa Creed as an elementary special education teacher, Chelsey Cholley and Jennifer Tudor as paraprofessionals, and Brayden Dodson as a volunteer junior high assistant football and baseball coach.