What's New News Summary

Joplin Schools Flight School

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 15:02:00 GMT

UPDATE: THESE CLASSES ARE NOW FULL. THANK YOU, JOPLIN!

Joplin Schools is now accepting enrollment applications for three new neighborhood- based preschool classrooms for 4-year-old students, called Little Eagles Flight School. The new preschool classrooms will be offered to residents in the Irving, Royal Heights, and Soaring Heights attendance zones as part of a pilot program designed to provide quality early learning opportunities to more district children.

Joplin Schools Executive Director of Student Services Dr. Jordan Dickey said she is excited to see the district opening up affordable early learning options to area families.

“It’s not widely known, but the entirety of Jasper County is classified as what’s known as a ‘childcare desert’ because there are so few childcare centers that our families can afford,” Dickey said. “If you couple that challenge with our understanding that about half of our incoming kindergartners come to us with no early learning experience, we think many of our local families with young children could really benefit from high-quality preschool options that are attached to the same elementary schools their older children attend. That’s where Flight School can help”

The 2024-25 pilot year for Little Eagles Flight School will be in session for the full school day and share the elementary school attendance hours. There will also be transportation services, as well as breakfast and lunch options provided. Students must be age four by Aug. 1, 2024 to be eligible.

Flight School preschool classes will be available to all eligible students for free during this pilot year. The startup costs for this program are made possible thanks to a Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education grant. Enrollments are going to prioritize four-year olds who live within these elementary zones; however, if seats are available, they will be offered to others who live within the boundaries of Joplin Schools.

“During this pilot year, our focus is to try out the elementary based program in three different neighborhoods and create a low-barrier, high-quality preschool opportunity for our families with four year olds,” said Dickey. “The bottom line is we want to get more kids in the door so they can have access to our classrooms and teachers.”

Enrollment instructions are available at JoplinSchools.org. Interested families are encouraged to begin the pre-enrollment process soon, as spaces are limited. For more information, please contact Joplin Early Childhood at 417-625-5275.

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 12:34:00 GMT

In order to provide excellent customer service to families and to support building secretaries with a more streamlined back-to-school process in August, Joplin Schools administration is excited to announce the placement of two summer enrollment secretaries who will be on duty during June and July.

Current Joplin Schools secretaries Susan Wear and Gena Brown will handle all district enrollment processes during the months of June and July. Families who need to enroll for the 2024-25 academic year can find these enrollment secretaries by entering the main front-door reception area at Joplin High School.

June office hours will be open from 8:30am to 3:30pm, Mondays through Fridays.
July office hours will be open from 11:30am to 4:30pm Tuesdays through Thursdays.

The online enrollment process will remain unchanged. Families will begin by completing a pre-enrollment form at www.joplinschools.org/parents_and_students/enrollment. Once that form is complete, families should watch their inbox for an email including links to set up a Parent Portal account and complete all enrollment forms. Any documents that need to be brought in person, or any assistance with Parent Portal accounts, kindergarten screenings, transcript requests, attendance zone help and more, can be done by visiting the summer enrollment secretaries at Joplin High School in June and July.

Parents who need to complete enrollment steps should NOT visit Summer School sites or any other district buildings; all enrollment assistance during June and July will take place at Joplin High School.

In August, all enrollment assistance will revert back to regular school campuses, as secretaries and principals return to their buildings in preparation for the fall semester.

For questions about or help with enrollment, families can come to the main entrance at Joplin High School, located at 2104 Indiana Ave., or call 417-625-5230, ext. 3040.

Summer Lunch

Thu, 23 May 2024 17:52:00 GMT

Local children 18 and younger are welcome to eat breakfast and lunch with us this summer! All meals must be eaten on site. Breakfast and lunch will be served at all Summer School locations at the dates and times listed below. After Summer School is over, lunch will be served at Jefferson Elementary and at Joplin Public Library at the dates and times listed below. For more information, please contact the Nutrition Services Department.

SUMMER SCHOOL SITES: Mondays-Fridays May 29 - June 27

JHS: Breakfast (8 - 9:00am) and Lunch (11:30am - 12:30pm)

South Middle: Breakfast (8 - 9:00am) and Lunch (11:00am - 12:30pm)

Cecil Floyd: Breakfast (7 - 8:00am) and Lunch (10:50am - 12:30pm)

Dover Hill: Breakfast (7 - 8:00am) and Lunch (10:50am - 12:30pm)

Irving: Breakfast (7 - 8:00am) and Lunch (10:50am - 12:30pm)

AFTER SUMMER SCHOOL:

Jefferson Elementary: Lunch 11am-noon, Mondays-Fridays, July 7-Aug. 16

Joplin Public Library: Lunch 11am-noon, Mondays-Fridays, July 1-Aug. 16 (closed July 4)

Your child may also be eligible for a one-time benefit of $120 in Missouri SunBucks, a Department of Social Services program that can help families pay for food for school-aged children over the summer. This program is still pending approval, so please click here to subscribe to email updates about when and how to apply.

Please call the Nutrition Services Department for more information about Summer meals, at 417-625-5315.

2024-25 KINDERGARTEN PRE-ENROLLMENT IS NOW OPEN

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 16:46:00 GMT

Kindergarten pre-enrollments are now being accepted for the 24-25 academic year in Joplin Schools. Children who will be 5 years old before August 1, 2024 and who live within district boundaries are eligible to attend Joplin Schools kindergarten programs.

Enrollments for all incoming students, including kindergartners, will begin online. Parents and guardians should visit joplinschools.org/parents_and_students/enrollment to get started.

Incoming kindergarten-age students will start with a pre-enrollment form. Once pre-enrollment is complete, parents should watch their email inbox for a message from their child’s school; that email will include a link inviting them to create a Parent Portal account in which they should complete all forms in the digital enrollment packet.

“We want to make sure our new incoming kindergarten families don’t stop at the pre- enrollment form, but continue on with the link they’re emailed for full enrollment,” said Joplin Schools Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services, Dr. Sarah Mwangi. “Pre- enrollment is that important first step so we can meet our newest little Eagles!”

Once all online forms have been completed, parents of incoming kindergarten-age students should bring the following state-required documents to their child’s school:

-Parent/Guardian’s Photo ID
-Child’s state-issued birth certificate
-Child’s up-to-date immunization records
-Proof of residency (current utility bill, lease agreement or other)
-Proof of guardianship if student lives with someone other than a parent
-Other legal documentation of custody agreements if necessary

School staff will work with parents to check that the enrollment process is complete, and to schedule a kindergarten screening. Kindergarten screenings will be scheduled March 25 through April 5 at each elementary school.

Kindergarten screeners will not only be assessing typical kindergarten readiness measures, but will also be gathering data on eligibility for inclusion in the district’s SOAR Transitional Kindergarten program. SOAR is a year-long class that invites eligible kindergarten-age students who can benefit from the gift of time and experience before beginning kindergarten. The vast majority of kindergarten enrollees will be placed into traditional kindergarten classrooms district-wide.

Incoming kindergartners who are currently enrolled in preschool at Joplin Early Childhood do not need to pre-enroll. Families of JEC students will receive more details about kindergarten enrollment from their teacher soon, and will follow a similar screening process in their new elementary buildings. JEC families with questions about kindergarten enrollment should contact JEC at 417-625-5275.

For more information about how to pre-enroll for kindergarten, please contact your child’s elementary school or call 417-625-5200. Full enrollment steps are also available here.

Teachers Proud Tuesday

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 18:09:00 GMT

Joplin Schools is joining districts across the state to celebrate Teacher Proud Tuesday! Here's how it will work:

Parents, students, community members, district staff and administrators are encouraged to nominate a teacher deserving of recognition through this form:

https://forms.gle/r53SL8BH9VNVUCio6

On the second Tuesday each month, one nominated teacher will be randomly chosen for recognition! Their photo and story will be shared on social media for celebration with our community, so we can all hear about their dedication, expertise, guidance, and skill.

Your nominations roll over from month to month, so there's no need to submit a new nomination for the same person next month - they're still in the running!

We know we have THE BEST educators in Joplin Schools, so we're thrilled to use this opportunity to highlight their awesomeness and celebrate their hard work. Let's see those nominations, Eagles!

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 18:22:00 GMT

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a GO in Missouri as of Nov. 8, meaning kids from birth to age 5 can sign up to receive a free book each month from the Dollywood Foundation. Parents, you can register your eligible children here:

https://imaginationlibrary.com/check-availability/

Recent studies suggest participation in the Imagination Library is positively and significantly associated with higher measures of early language and math development. Books included in the Imagination Library are chosen specifically to meet the different needs of children as they progress from birth to age five. We can't wait to see our littlest Eagles hop on the Dolly Parton bookwagon!

P.S. We hear the enrollment website is having slow load times, perhaps due to so many excited Missouri parents wanting to enroll! There are no time limits to enrollment, though, so we hope you'll keep trying.

Every Day Eagles

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 15:06:00 GMT

Joplin Schools is focused on encouraging and supporting strong student attendance this year through our new Every Day Eagles attendance campaign. Our students learn best and achieve more when they come to school every day. Research shows that when students are chronically absent (missing about 9 days per semester), they are less likely to read proficiently by third grade, achieve in middle school or graduate from high school. Students who regularly attend school are more likely to reach higher academic performance, find more work options and earning potential, have access to greater opportunities for higher education, have higher levels of civic engagement, and develop more life skills that positively impact health and economic decisions.

School attendance may be a national issue at the moment, but its impacts are very local. We've looked into our own outcomes, and see a strong correlation between attendance and improved grades, as demonstrated in the chart below.

We also know many families and students deal with real barriers that can interrupt their ability to make it to class each day. We urge parents to reach out to school counselors, success coordinators, and principals to collaborate on plans that can improve their student's attendance so we can see them at school Every Day. It's not only about grades - when kids are in school, they have access to nutritious meals, mental health supports, immediate resources, social connections, and meaningful involvement opportunities that all add up to higher chances for future success. And future success is our driving motivation in Joplin Schools, where we are committed to Learning Today for a Better Tomorrow.

Every Day Eagles provides a district-wide focus for what's happening in every Joplin Schools building this year: creative incentives, engaging lessons, community sponsors, and caring staff. Thank you for making sure your children are in class, and for supporting their education from preschool all the way to graduation.

Telemedicine

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 13:21:00 GMT

Telemedicine equipment is in every Joplin Schools building, ready to serve staff and student populations! Check with your school nurse to access a telemedicine visit for your student.