In a recent survey the community expressed support for combatting Poplar Bluff Schools' increasing enrollment, and now community members have stepped up to help develop a sustainable solution.

The first of a series of long-range planning meetings among the citizens' advisory council-a cross-section of about 50 Poplar Bluffians who represent various sectors of the population-took place on Tuesday, June 4, at the 5th & 6th Grade Center.

The group has been charged with coming up with a recommendation for educational planners to compile in a report to be considered for approval by school officials during the last quarter of the calendar year.

"Our goal is to provide quality facilities so that we can continue to prepare for the academic programming necessary for our students to compete in the global economy," R-I Superintendent Chris Hon defined as the mission. "The school and community are one, and together we will develop a long-range plan that will look into the future. The resulting master plan will succeed the administration and Board of Education and prepare our school facilities for the proposed growth."

Funded in part by the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce, a demographics study by Business Information Services released in May of 2012 projected that enrollment will increase by several hundred students over the next decade. A 16-person steering committee of administrators, board members and community leaders was assembled to produce a long-range plan.

In October, Patron Insight released the results of a vendor-sponsored survey after polling 400 registered voters from across the drawing area of the district's four elementary schools. The majority of respondents favored supporting a bond issue to expand facilities. Presently the R-I tax levy is less than that of Sikeston, Cape Girardeau and Jackson, despite the fact that the school is the largest in Southeast Missouri.

"I think a very solid school system is the key for every town and city to be successful," stated Steve Sells, school board president. "I don't just want to maintain status quo, I want to improve and elevate our school system and make our facilities better for our students and staff, and keep everybody safe above all."

To ensure a data-informed decision is made, Sells continued, Ittner Architects of St. Louis in partnership with Educational Consulting Services of Lincoln, Neb., and local architectural firm Dille & Traxel was hired in January to devise a master plan for the school facilities that supersedes any single board or administration.

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