Perry County School District #32 works toward reopening after storm damage

PERRYVILLE, Mo. (KBSI)— As crews continue working to repair storm damage, classes in Perry County School District #32 have been canceled through Friday, March 21, officials announced. Superintendent Dr. Fara Jones said the district has been actively planning how and when students and faculty can return to campus.

“Our main focus is to get kids back on campus. That’s our top priority,” Jones said.

On Wednesday, the district took a step toward that goal by

relocating administration staff out of the old senior high school building, opening the possibility of repurposing the facility for classroom use. However, the building requires repairs, including fixing broken windows, before students can use the facility.

The school board also approved the hiring of an NFA-licensed adjuster to continue assessing the extent of the damage.

Jones reassured parents that the district is not waiting idly for answers but is already making contingency plans based on ongoing damage assessments.

“We’re not sitting on our hands. We’re not waiting for information,” she said. “We have lots of plans, but it depends on what we find out, which plans we can go with. Everything we are focusing on right now is getting kids on campus. We do not want to have to do online learning. We know that is not the best way for students, and it’s not best for our teachers.”

Parents expressed concerns about the safety and timeline for reopening. Keith Carroll, a parent of a Perryville High School sophomore, talked about the importance of clear and timely communication from the district.

“As a parent, we just want to make sure that we know when our child is going back to school and that it’s safe,” Carroll said. “At this point, I have confidence in the administration and district as long as they continue to share information with the community. Transparency is one of the most important things.”

The community has rallied around the district, showing up in large numbers for a recent school board meeting, which was moved to a larger room to accommodate the crowd. Parents were eager to hear the board’s plan for ensuring students’ safety and resuming in-person learning.

Carroll noted that he has seen the district bring in multiple organizations and professionals to evaluate the necessary repairs. His daughter, like many other students, is anxiously awaiting updates on when classes will resume and what the rest of the school year will look like.

District officials expressed gratitude for the community’s patience, donations, and assistance as they work through the recovery process.