Petition to School Board

Petition to the School Board
Carthage R-IX School District
Carthage, MO 64836

Date: February 9, 2026

Dear Members of the School Board,

We, the undersigned, are writing to you today to express our collective concern and objection to the proposal of closing Pleasant Valley Elementary. As members of this community, we believe that every child deserves access to quality education and the necessary resources to thrive. Pleasant Valley Elementary may have lower enrollment numbers than the other elementary schools in the district, but that does not in any way reflect the quality of education and the care and compassion of the teachers and staff. Rural schools are important. Small schools are important.

Specifically, we are concerned about the following (not an exhaustive list):

1. Busses: It is no secret that there has been an overwhelming shortage of bus drivers in recent years. Closing Pleasant Valley Elementary will create even longer bus rides for many students, and a much longer commute for those who transport children themselves.

    

2. Class Sizes: One of the most influential parts of an elementary education is one-on-one attention, and that cannot be achieved with bigger classes. Adding the additional children of Pleasant Valley to Steadley Elementary will not only be a disservice to the students and staff of Pleasant Valley, but to those of Steadley as well.

    

3. Family Impact: Some families have bought homes and land specifically because of the zoning for their children to attend Pleasant Valley. With the impending closure and switching to Steadley, some of these families may face selling and moving to be able to attend a different school, simply because of administration's intent to close the school they specifically chose.

    

4. Heritage: Pleasant Valley has served the area for almost 160 years. Many teachers and staff members have had their entire careers there, or after starting elsewhere have found it to be "home" for them. Generations of families have attended. This should not so carelessly be dismissed.

We urge you to deny the closure of Pleasant Valley Elementary. Please consider this petition and the voices of the community members who support it. We believe that Pleasant Valley is important.

Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.