Eagles,

What a privilege this year has been. We've witnessed powerful, one-on-one, differentiated learning alongside whole grade levels of students exhibiting new growth and proficiency levels. Educators and support staff teaming up to collaborate on curriculum and pathways to help our students reach their goals. Parents and community partners joining us in the daily work of public education, knowing their future leaders, business owners, caregivers, and service providers are growing up well right here in Joplin.

We've begun work on major additions at three of our oldest elementary buildings (Jefferson, McKinley, & Royal Heights) to ensure adequate learning spaces, early childhood and special education needs. Similar work is set to begin soon on four additional elementary schools, plus new construction of a multipurpose indoor academic and athletic facility on the campus of Joplin High School, thanks to the voters' approval of the Eagle Bond earlier this spring. It means the world knowing that our community supports this work to create the safest, most equitable opportunities for every student in the district, no matter where they live.

Beyond the classroom as well, our students continue to show their skills, determination, and talent on the regional and national stage. The JHS Constitution Team, Science Research Team, DECA competitors, Boys Tennis Team, FFA competitors, and many more have been winning top-place awards in their various endeavors this spring. We have a team of middle school National History Day students headed to nationals this summer. And several clubs at the elementary level have been putting their community service teamwork to good work, showing civic engagement, raising funds for good causes, and learning about what it means to live in community with one another. In short, our Eagles are thriving, growing, and impressing us daily.

We're looking forward to a fantastic summer in Joplin Schools, as well. There's still time to enroll students for Summer School during the month of June, where they'll get a head-start on next year's learning, focus on enrichment opportunities, and participate in some of the most engaging field trips and immersive camps of the year.

Thanks again for another fantastic year learning and growing together, Eagles!

Sincerely,

Dr. Kerry Sachetta, Superintendent

This jam-packed season of summer learning will run from June 1 - June 30 at these sites:

Incoming kindergarten students will enroll in the Summer Jumpstart program to become acclimated to the habits and rhythms of a typical school day including lessons, naptime, breakfast and lunch, recess, restroom breaks, standing in line, making new friends, and so much more. 

Elementary and Middle School students will get a head start on next year's learning, and participate in several field trip opportunities during the summer session. Elementary students will engage in “summer camp” style experiences offered each day while also being exposed to core subjects as a way to supplement or boost learning from the regular academic year. 

High school students: NEW this year: once initial registration is complete, high school students can log into PowerSchool on a web browser and build their own summer schedule! More details about how to build your summer schedule is on the JHS Summer School website.

Students who do not attend Joplin Schools during the regular school year are also invited to enroll and participate free of charge. Free breakfast and lunch will be provided to all participants. Limited transportation services will be available to Joplin Schools students. Bus routes will be announced on the website in May. 

Enrollment instructions by grade can be found on our Summer School website. We are planning an excellent summer, and we hope you'll join us!

It's time to pre-enroll our littlest Eagles for Kindergarten!

Families with students who will be 5 years old before Aug. 1, 2026, and who live within district boundaries are eligible to attend Joplin Schools Kindergarten programs. Eligibility for Transitional Kindergarten will also be determined during the pre-enrollment and screening process.

Pre-enrollment forms are available now on our website. After completing the pre-enrollment form, parents should watch their email inbox to complete the process.

(Current JEC and Flight School students do not need to pre-enroll; these families will be contacted to schedule screenings soon.)

We can't wait to meet the incoming class of 2039!

Looking for daily lunch or breakfast for your student this summer? Free meals served at the following locations and times are available on weekdays to all children 18 and younger and must be eaten on site.

Kelsey Norman Elementary: Breakfast 7:30-8:30am, Lunch 11am-12pm

JHS: Breakfast 8-9am, Lunch 11:30am-12:30pm

East Middle, Soaring Heights, Dover Hill, Irving: Breakfast 7:30-8:30am, Lunch 11am-12pm

Stapleton: Lunch only 11am-12pm

Joplin Public Library: Sack lunch from 11am to 11:30am or while supplies last. Must be eaten on site.

Joplin Schools is partnering with Compass Academy Network (CAN) to invite middle school students to their FREE summer enrichment program. Apply on the CAN website.

When: 9:00am - 3:30pm Monday-Friday, from July 6 - July 31

Where: Missouri Southern State University

Who: Students entering 6th - 9th grades

CAN offers a 4-week summer learning experience that begins after our own summer school has ended. All programs are offered free for students, including bus transportation, supplies, lunches and snacks each day. Students are exposed to a variety of hands-on classes, where they gain new skills, explore new ideas, and find inspiration for their futures, all while making friends and having fun. 

CAN is open to students entering grades 6-9 with a GPA of 2.5 or higher, and a recommendation from a teacher, school counselor, or principal. Preference is given to students who qualify for the National School Lunch program.

​For ​questions, please contact info@compassacademynetwork.org

We are excited to offer a robust summer athletics schedule for our student athletes, and students who are just interested in trying something new! Many sports offer affordable summer camps for students ranging from elementary school to high school. These summer camps introduce students to various sports and help students learn new skills and improve performance.

Most camps are held in June or July. If you don’t see your sport’s camp opportunities listed on the website yet, check back regularly! They will be posted as they become available.

Summer enrollment secretaries will be on duty during June and July at Joplin High School:

These helpful staff members will handle all district enrollment processes for families of incoming K-12th* graders, including helping families with access to PowerSchool Parent Portal accounts, scheduling and performing kindergarten screenings, ensuring documents are accurate, and getting students ready to be rostered when building secretaries return in August. Starting Aug. 3, all school buildings will have staff on site to continue enrollment through the first day of school.

Families are welcome to come to the main entrance at JHS for enrollment assistance or call 417-625-5230.

Joplin graduates are doing incredible things!

JHS and JETHD alumna Alexandra Carson (Class of ’24) is directing and producing a feature-length documentary titled Mother Road, filming from May 21 through June 3. The project will follow a cross-country journey beginning in Joplin, Missouri and ending in California. Mother Road offers a fractal and delicate view of the daily lives of Americans through the eyes of four filmmakers on the verge of adulthood as they explore Route 66 during its Centennial, creating a humanistic yet eccentric portrait of the country and its people. The team is currently raising funds to support travel and production costs, and Alexandra welcomes recommendations for people, places, or events to feature, as well as support from the JHS community to help bring this ambitious project to life.

Learn more about the project here: https://motherroad.squarespace.com/

Do you know someone who has a great local business they'd like to promote to your colleagues? There's still space to register for a booth at this year's Health, Benefits, and Retail Therapy Fair!

More than 500 people attend the fair each year. In addition to shopping and service opportunities, the fair offers district staff and community members easy access to health screenings from area healthcare agencies.

Vendors may offer products for sale, membership details, program opportunities, food items, and more. Nearly 100 vendors are confirmed so far, with 50 booth spaces still available.

Vendor booths are available in 10x10, 8x10 and 4x10 spaces. Vendor applications are available by contacting ginalangston@joplinschools.org, or calling 417-625-5200 ext. 2046.

Phase 1 facility improvements and additions at Jefferson, McKinley, and Royal Heights elementary schools are really coming along!

New construction and interior renovations at these buildings will address recommendations made by the district's Long Range Facility Committee (LRFC) to improve educational suitability. These three of the district's oldest elementary buildings were identified as having the highest priority of immediate needs, so we're using $11M of the district’s capital reserves to fund the work.

See the photos below for progress at each building.

We expect this phase of work to be finished just before school starts this August. More work will immediately follow for interior classroom and corridor refreshes thanks to the approval of the Eagle Bond earlier this spring!

Work will begin soon at seven of our oldest elementary schools that need important updates to improve safety, accessibility, and learning spaces, bringing them up to the standard of our newer buildings. Guided by community members serving on the Long Range Facility Committee, these priorities also include a much-needed indoor education and activity facility at Joplin High School to relieve crowded indoor spaces used by middle and high school students every day, year-round.

These community-identified and voter-approved upgrades will be funded through a responsible plan that uses a $10 million in district capital reserves and a $40 million bond issue, all while maintaining one of the lowest tax rates in the area.

When combined with the improvements already in progress, this work represents $21M of our reserve funds being invested into vital facility work, for a total of $36M in elementary upgrades. We will keep you updated every step of the way, starting with groundbreaking events next fall.

Thank you, Joplin!