Wyaconda school district dissolved

WYACONDA, Mo. -- The Wyaconda C-1 School District on Thursday became the first in Missouri to be closed because of poor academic performance and loss of accreditation.

The State Board of Education voted to dissolve the district at the end of this school year and assign the K-8 district's 32 students to neighboring school districts in Clark and Scotland counties.

The change is effective July 1, leaving Missouri with 523 public school districts.

The Wyaconda district had been classified as unaccredited for two years because of lagging academic performance. Because the district failed to regain accreditation within the two years allowed by state law, the district will "lapse" on June 30.

On April 8, Wyaconda residents defeated a proposal to annex the district to the adjoining Gorin R-III School District in Scotland County.

The state board divided the district along county lines, which means most of the students will go to Clark County R-1 District's Blackhawk Elementary and Clark County Middle schools next year. Two students who live on the Scotland County line and future students moving there will attend Gorin R-3 School, another K-8 district.

"We were very disappointed. This decision was already made," Wyaconda Administrator Karla Matlock said. "The way the state handled it ... they did not even say 'We hate to see it happen' ... nothing."

Sandra Ebeling is a Scotland County resident who attended Thursday's meeting in Jefferson City. She said there was no discussion before the resolution to close the school was read. It was all over in a matter of minutes.

"It was kind of sad," Ebeling said. "It was pretty well cut and dried. To them it was just a matter of business, another item on the agenda. It was fast and impersonal ... just get it over and done with."

Matlock said the next step is to begin readying students for the transition to Clark County. Grades K-5 will go the elementary school, and students in grades 6-8 will attend the middle school. Discussions have already started between the two school districts, and there are plans to take all the children to Clark County to spend the day before school ends in Wyaconda on May 19.

"So the kids feel comfortable," Matlock said. "That's our main concern."

"We need to get the kids acclimated to the schools, instead of being antsy all summer long. We want them to feel good about the move," said Ritchie Kracht, superintendent of Clark County R-1 School District.

He said both children and parents will be invited to spend time at the elementary and middle schools before the year is over. He said the class sizes at Clark County are small, but compared to Wyaconda "we're a lot bigger."

Kracht said the small number of children will be easily absorbed in his schools, and buses already run to Wyaconda to pick up high school students.

"They'll be right with our kids. There'll be a transition period for a while, but kids are kids and they'll respond. I really feel they'll be successful," he said.

-- apierceall@whig.com/(573) 221-5879