Scott Joplin Elementary School

Honestly, I’m pretty frustrated with the health and safety situation at Scott Joplin. The chronic absenteeism rate is super high, sitting around 37%, and it really feels like the school struggles to keep kids healthy and in their seats. Between the overcrowding and the high student-to-teacher ratios, it’s basically a revolving door for whatever virus is going around. I also worry a lot about the safety in the immediate area around the building, which definitely affects the kids' mental wellness and stress levels. It just feels like the school is stretched way too thin to give the physical and emotional health of the students the attention it needs.

Honestly, I’m pretty worried about the state of Joplin lately. I was looking through some recent board documents and saw maintenance requests for 'battery corrosion' and broken equipment, which just makes me wonder how well the rest of the building is being kept up. For an elementary school, you'd hope for a spotless environment, but it feels like they are constantly playing catch-up with repairs. Also, the chronic absenteeism is a major red flag—it’s hard for the kids to stay healthy and on track when so many are missing school regularly. I haven't seen much in the way of proactive wellness or new health initiatives, and the communication about illness in the classrooms is basically non-existent. It feels more like they're just getting by rather than focusing on a healthy environment for the kids.