R-6 seeks community input on school plans

We stand fully behind the Sikeston School Board and administration on their proposal to construct two new elementary schools for future Sikeston students. Just over two years ago, a sizable bond proposal was rejected by Sikeston voters for perhaps the first time in our community's history. Sikeston voters have long had a reputation for supporting the school system in countless ways but the size of that particular bond issue -- $32.3 million -- was just too much for taxpayers to absorb. So to their great credit, the Board and administration went back to the drawing board to design a plan that would be acceptable to voters and one that would benefit students long into the future. This week, the school system unveiled its new proposal and we firmly believe the current plan will accomplish some long-needed improvements for Sikeston students. It goes without saying that Lee Hunter Elementary and Matthews Elementary schools are showing massive signs of age. Both schools are 1950s-era schools that, quite frankly, have seen better days. The plan developed by the school system here will replace both of those facilities and move our students and our community into a completely new era in public education here. A strong selling point for this new plan is the overriding fact that newcomers or potential business relocations look carefully at the school system in making their decisions. A fresh set of eyes looking at these two facilities will recognize their age and the substantial problems that presents. Perhaps the most important aspect of this new plan is the amount of community involvement being implemented in announcing the proposal. With the failure of the 2014 bond proposal, the Board has taken a new approach this time and is seeking citizen input before the final plan is formalized. Two years ago, the school system adopted a plan and then sought community input. This time, those roles are reversed. Input is being solicited now before a final plan is put to voters. There will be ample discussion in the weeks and months ahead and that in itself is a key component to this proposal. At this point, we firmly believe the proposal has merit and sets a positive course for the future education of students in our community.