East Middle School Groundbreaking Held

(click photos to see large versions)

Joplin School District officials and community leaders happily dug in and broke ground at the future site of East Middle School on Wednesday, December 5th. The new 125,800 square foot school will be located on 20th Street, approximately one-half mile east of Duquesne Road. Construction of East Middle School is part of the $57.3 million bond issue passed by Joplin voters in April 2007.

“We are very pleased that this milestone in school construction will take place,” said Superintendent Dr. Jim Simpson. “Joplin is starting a new cycle of modern buildings after using the existing buildings almost 80 years. We are fortunate to have a community that puts education first.”

East Middle School will open its doors in 2009 and will feature:

• modern science classrooms and library facilities
• an auditorium with a seating capacity of over 700
• a gymnasium large enough to accommodate simultaneous cross-court games
• accessibility for students and staff with special needs
• a traffic flow plan designed for safer student pick-up/drop-off
• surrounding green space

The school will serve approximately 600 students in grades six through eight and will accommodate growth up to 750 students. A current plan proposes that middle school students living within attendance zones for Duenweg, Duquesne, Eastmorland, Kelsey Norman, and McKinley elementary schools attend East Middle School.

»View more photos of the East Middle School groundbreaking.

Artist's rendering of East Middle School

(posted 12/06/07; edited 10/06/08)