MCP Directory

38 | 2020 MCDONALD COUNTY DIRECTORY When a decision to move to a new area is being contemplated, several factors come into consideration. For most, if not all, young families, the quality of the schools is right at the top of the list. And in McDonald County, there is much to be said about what the school district has to offer… and all of it is good. "I think we are the best school district in Missouri for several reasons," began Angie Brewer, Director of Curriculum and Public Relations for the McDonald County School District. "The number one reason is academics. We are meeting or exceeding all of the academic benchmarks set out by the state of Missouri. We had the highest English test scores for grades 3 through 8 in the state." And to compliment those enviable academic performances is an average class size of 20 students and an impressive 92% graduation rate from high school. "We have a mindset of setting very high expectations for our students," she said. "And we hold our students accountable to those expectations." McDonald County School District mission statement is Every Child, Every Day, Whatever it Takes. All potential educators interviewed by the district are first asked if they identify with that mission. "We educate the whole child. We believe each student should have their own plans of study," Brewer said. "So the academics are tailored to that individual whether they want to be a four-year college student or go right to work in industry, we want them to be prepared for whatever future they envision for themselves." Part of that philosophy of looking after the whole child includes having on-site mental health counseling during the day. McDonald was the first school district in the state to do that and one of the few that still do. "There isn't a single mental health professional practicing in McDonald County. If you need counseling services you have to drive to northwest Arkansas or Neosho," Brewer explained. "So we decided to bring counselors in for the students, not just school counselors, but licensed mental health professionals. We have them in to the school for students who might have traumatic backgrounds and need that extra help." Another way they consider the whole child is their free dinner program. Many school districts offer free breakfast for those who qualify, but McDonald County takes it a few steps further. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's free to every single student, no matter what his or her economic situation is. "We feed them when they get here, feed them while they are here and we don't send them home hungry either," Brewer said. "We believe that kids have to be ready and able to learn so we want to be sure their basic needs are met when they come to our schools." To see the proof to support the wisdom of this approach look no further than the fact that the district's economically disadvantaged, English- as-a-second-language students—even the special needs students—all perform as well academically as the rest of the student population. McDonald County also prides itself on its diverse community. They boast a student population comprised of representatives from 11 different countries around the world. And the families are engaged and involved in the schools so education is a real community effort. Finally, and of equal importance, all of the students graduate from the same high school. "No matter what specific community within McDonald County you might grow up in, every student eventually comes together at the same high school," Brewer said. "Whatever your economic or ethnic background you all walk across the same stage when you get your diploma." Unique academic opportunities McDonald County School District is a leader in STEAM education (Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math). "We signed on to the Jason Project which is a program developed for grades 5 through 8 by Dr. Bob Ballard who raised the Titanic," Brewer said. "Through Skype and the Internet, the program takes kids into the real world of science giving them hands-on explorations that go beyond just reading about science in a book. It teaches them to be citizen scientists in their own community." Another unique fixture at McDonald County schools is what they have dubbed the Sope School. It stands for 'success' and 'hope', which are the two cornerstones of the school district. The idea is if you give kids a taste of success and a hope for the future they will be successful. One component of the Sope School is called the Discovery Program, where one week every month kids who signed up for the program take their classes outside. The idea is to take advantage of the natural surroundings of the region and extract lessons from outdoor adventures. "An example is one of our teachers who took students fly-fishing to learn about trajectory and canoeing to learning about the physics of motion and they journal everything to get in writing skills," Brewer said. "And all of these lessons, of course, adhere to the same standards of learning the kids inside the classrooms have." The concept has been piloted successfully in 8th grade but will soon expand into more grades. Another recent innovative opportunity involved the high school cooking classes and physics classes working in partnership with, of all places, NASA. "It was a challenge issued by NASA that our high school entered," Brewer explained. "The students had to take recipes provided by NASA and try to develop them so they could be eaten in space. We are currently waiting to see how we did in the nationwide competition." As the region continues to grow, McDonald County School District is keeping a step ahead finding new creative ways to serve their students and all the while looking out for every child, every day, whatever it takes. McDonald County School District: Inspiring students to find their futures By Randy Rice Special to McDonald County Chamber Directory

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