Cape Schools receive grant funding to build recovery high school

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – A new school will soon be opening its doors in Cape Girardeau.   

One of only three high schools of its kind in the state, the school will focus not only on education but recovery. 

A substance use recovery high school.

“The purpose of our program is to obviously decrease substance use. That’s our goal and then also to increase the coping skills for students” says Mandy Keys. 

Mandy Keys is the Assistant Superintendent of Special Services for Cape Public Schools. She shares that the new school is fully funded through an Opioid settlement grant from the Department of Mental Health.

The school will start for cape high school students and grow regionally based on need.

“We know that Cape Girardeau is not the only area community who have students that struggle with substance abuse that is in our local surrounding communities. We know this. We know that it’s in our private, parochial schools. Nobody is immune” says Keys. “We have students who are home schooled that struggle with substance use disorders and so we just want to be that agent for change, for our community.” 

The recovery high school is set to open in August of 2026, first at a temporary building and a new school building will be built on independence street specifically for the Recovery High school. Keys says the goal of the new recovery high school is to give students struggling with substance use the tools and coping skills to graduate while also providing a traditional high school education.