Strafford Community,

Welcome to the start of the 2024-2025 school year! The start of a new school year is always an exciting time, not only for students, but for families and our staff as well. In this spirit, as we prepare to start the new school year it is my pleasure to welcome the students, families and staff of Strafford Schools back, ready to continue the important work of our school mission – Strafford R-VI School will empower, encourage, and elevate all students to reach their full potential.

Over 1,400 Preschool – 12th grade students will return to school on August 20, eager for the opportunity to see friends, participate in a variety of activities and engage in learning. Our staff renews their commitment to unlocking the potential of every student to help them be successful in this work.

There is a renewed sense of excitement for the start of this school year because of the energy our students, staff, parents and community bring to our school community and all the possibilities that working together provide. Our school district excels because of this collective effort, focus and commitment. I look forward to the work we will accomplish this year.

As always, thank you for your continued support,

Dr. Mark D. Hedger, Superintendent of Schools

SHS Schedule Pick-Up:
Senior Class - Wednesday, August 7th - 8:00-11:00 A.M.
Junior Class - Wednesday, August 7th - 12:30-3:30 P.M.
Sophomore Class - Thursday, August 8th - 8:00-11:00 A.M.
Freshmen Class - Thursday, August 8th - 12:30-3:30 P.M.

5th Grade Orientation:
Tuesday, August 13th - 5:00-7:00 P.M.

Open Houses/Orientations:
Thursday, August 15th
Lucille Cogdill Early Childhood Center/PACE, Preschool & Kindergarten - 5:00-7:00 P.M.
Elementary School/1st-4th Grade - 5:00-7:00 P.M.
Middle School/6th-8th Grade - 6:00-8:00 P.M.
High School/10th-12th Grade - 6:00-8:00 P.M.

Freshmen Orientation & A+ Information Meeting - 6:30-7:45 P.M. (Begins in the Auditorium)

First Day of School:
Tuesday, August 20th at 8:00 A.M.

The Strafford School District CSIP (Continuous School Improvement Plan) was complete in the spring of 2023 through a process involving students, staff, parents, and community members. The plan is reviewed continuously and updated as needed. Please find some highlights of the district beliefs, mission and vision, as well as priorities below. The entire document can also be found at the link below.

2024-2025 Food Service Prices:

Breakfast $2.45
Reduced breakfast $.30
Reduced lunch $.40
Elementary student lunch $2.95
Middle school and high school student lunch $3.20
Adult lunch $4.15

* Milk is included with each school lunch, but extra milk can be purchased for $.40 each.

* Please keep an efficient balance in your student's meal account. An alternative meal will be served to students following their warning of having reached that limit. Households are notified via email or school messenger when accounts exceed the charging limit. Please check your student's meal account through the parent portal to monitor purchases and deposits.

* Any student, including students on free and reduced meals, who takes a second meal will be charged full price for that second meal. This also includes second milks or milks purchased without a meal.

*Paywat - Online Food Service Payment System:

Our district has switched to a new online food service payment system. Paywat is located in the same section of your Lumen parent portal where online payments were accessed before. The only difference for parents will be the requirement to create an account during the initial login.

2024-2025 Free and Reduced Online Lunch Application:

The Free and Reduced Lunch Application is available in LUMEN Parent Portals. It is VERY important for parents to fill out the online application. If you have issues with filling the application out online, please contact your building office to obtain a paper copy. This program helps your family financially AND aids our district with funding for various programs.

Thank you to the generosity of our community in the passing of Proposition K.I.D.S., construction of the Lucille Cogdill Early Childhood Center will be completed for the start of the 2024-25 school year.

This 26,332 square foot addition to the Lucille Cogdill Early Childhood Center will allow the district to relocate kindergarten classrooms to the ECC, accommodating projected eventual growth at the elementary level. The project also includes four high wind speed rated classrooms, enabling every student and staff member on campus to now have access to safe hardened spaces during the event of severe weather.

Thank you to the Strafford community for supporting our earliest learners!

(Please click the picture below for some resources to help parents to better get to know their child's new teachers)

Care to Learn - Strafford was established in 2021 as the 37th Care to Learn Chapter. It currently serves students in partnership with the Strafford R-VI School District. (Click on the picture above for a link to more information)

In addition to serving the health, hunger, and hygiene needs, the Strafford Care to Learn Chapter also offers a robust clothing closet for elementary and high school students.

The Strafford Chapter also partners with several organizations in the community to raise funds for students in need, and thanks to Doug Fronick and Matt Maness with APAC for their corporate sponsorship. (Click picture for more info)

Thank you to American Products (AM Prod) for your support of the school district. Your volunteers are making a difference in the lives of many students through your continued efforts to support our Care to Learn -Strafford chapter. We appreciate you! (click picture for more info)

I believe it is important to continue to connect with our Strafford Alumni. I know Strafford has tremendous pride in their schools and graduates, which is well deserved. It is also important for our current students to be able to see our graduates reach levels of success and use that as motivation and inspiration to strive to achieve at a certain level as well. I will be including this spotlight on our graduates in a newsletter I send out. If you know of a former student who would be a good fit for this honor, please click on the yearbook photo or the button below:

FALL SPORTS PRACTICE INFORMATION

The first day of tryouts and practices for our JH & HS sports are quickly approaching! Reminder to parents, all students participating must have the required annual documents and a current physical turned into our HS/AD office or the coach to participate on the first day.

* HS Cross Country: Monday, August 12th at 7:00 A.M.

* HS Football: Monday, August 12th at 3:15 P.M.

* HS Girls Golf: Monday, August 12th at 3:00 P.M. (HPER Building)

* HS Volleyball: Monday, August 12th - 6:30-7:30 A.M. & 3:30-5:30 P.M.

* JH Cross Country: Monday, August 19th at 6:30 A.M.

* JH Football: Monday, August 19th - 3:30-5:30 P.M.

* JH Volleyball: Monday, August 19th - 3:15 P.M.

For questions, please contact our Athletic Director, Brett Bough, at 417-736-7000 ext. 1444.

Please click on the link below for Strafford Activities Schedules on the MSHSAA website

Please click the picture and link below for the Ozarksportszone preview of Strafford Indians Football . More links will be added as other Strafford programs are featured.

The Strafford Band has had a busy summer. We are looking forward to their performance this fall!

If you are interested in any of the following positions, please click on the picture above to apply through our new online employment system.

We are blessed to have an incredible custodial and maintenance team here in Strafford. If you see them around, please be sure to thank them for all their efforts over the summer to have the school facilities ready for students and staff to return. Things are looking wonderful!

Our school district mobile app is updated and now available in your iOS or Android App Store. Visit your app store and search Strafford School District then either install, update or download the app today!

Superintendent of Schools

Strafford Schools

Email: markh@straffordschools.net
Website: straffordschools.net
Location: 201 West McCabe Street, Strafford, MO, USA
Phone: 417.736.7000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/straffordpublicschools/
Twitter: @SuptMarkDHedger