Joplin Schools parents,

We are excited to welcome our families and students back into classrooms this Wednesday, and we hope your summer has been safe and relaxing. More details about all things Back-to-School are available on our website, and school secretaries are ready to assist as needed. 

As we launch the 2025–26 school year, I want to take a moment to share some important strides we’ve made at Joplin Schools, and where we’re headed next.
Under the theme “One Team, One Vision. All In, Every Day,” we are embracing our shared responsibility to help every student succeed. This isn’t just a slogan—it’s a mindset that’s guiding real progress across the district. As a public school educator, I cannot think of any more important focus than the students in our district and community. 

Academically, our students are improving across early literacy benchmarks and state assessments. This success is thanks to a districtwide focus on collaboration, classroom support, and systems that help teachers and students thrive. Most notably, we celebrated the highest four-year on-time graduation rate in our district’s history. This is the result of decades of hard work, persistence, and a renewed focus on student support from Pre-K through high school.

We’ve also taken bold steps forward with Phase I of our Long-Range Facilities Plan. Following the construction of six modern schools after the 2011 tornado, we are now upgrading three of our remaining elementary campuses to meet the same high standards. These investments ensure safe, innovative, and equitable learning environments for all students. Our Long-Range Facility Committee will be making additional recommendations at our August Board of Education meeting, and we are excited to determine our next set of steps as we work to improve educational suitability across the district. 

At the same time, we are expanding access to early childhood education, recognizing the lifelong impact of strong starts. And at the high school level, we are intensifying our focus on our career academies approach by focusing more on career pathways and technical training, preparing students for life beyond graduation, whether they pursue college, career, or military service.

These improvements and accomplishments don’t happen by accident. They happen when a team made up of our students, staff, parents and community work together to improve the lives of our most important resource: the students in our district and community. 

Together as One Team with One Vision, we are All In, Every Day, for every student. We wish you a school year filled with growth, optimism, and fun. 

See you Wednesday,

Dr. Kerry Sachetta, Superintendent
Joplin Schools