Marquand
Benton, MO 63736

My kids came here after attending multiple other high performing schools. This isn't easy. A child moving from school to school a few times presents unique challenges. However, the other schools they attended were large and they felt unseen and pressured while getting little support. This is a small town community and a child settling in to a community where students already all know each other is a frightening idea for a parent. When my kids entered this school, instead of finding they were left out, they found immediate friends because the culture at this school is that everyone is family. The kids get past that first "you're new" impression and guide the new kids around and show them the way. They help when they struggle, as do the teachers, and it's unique to each kid. The key problems they have are due to a lack of community support or resources which I don't think you can really blame on the school alone. (It's not that the community doesn't want to help maybe just that we don't have enough that can.) For now I appreciate that my kids are somewhere safe, where they feel accepted, and still feel challenged each day.

Great School. Great Principal. Great Teachers. I love the focus on academics. It reminds me of the old SCC.