Ray-Pec School District opens campus exclusively for high school freshmen

PECULIAR, Mo. (KCTV) - Back-to-school week continues for students in the Show Me state, the Ray-Pec School District is the latest to head back to class. This year, the district has opened a brand new center, which will welcome only incoming freshmen.

The 9th Grade Center is transformed into a full middle school-high school combination. Ray-Pec Superintendent, Dr. Mike Slagle, described the space as flexible, with collaborative learning spaces for students.

The center will only house ninth-grade students for now, with a plan to make the building a second high school over the course of the next decade. At this point in time, there is only one high school in the district.

Ray-Pec also has seven elementary schools and two middle schools.

“Bringing students here for their ninth-grade year is a great transition time,” Dr. Slagle said. “They’re still going to be very much a part of the high school activities back at the main campus.”

Dr. Slagle said overcrowding was the main reason for building a new center. The Ray-Pec School District is the third largest district in Missouri among those with only one high school.

“This is going to provide us enrollment relief and a buffer time frame before we get into that full second high school campus,” Dr. Slagle said.

The district invested a total of roughly $300,000 for additional safety modifications in each school. The improvements include buzzer systems at entrances, strengthened windows, and camera improvements in hallways.

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