To the Editor,
Thank you to the Poplar Bluff Superintendent Scott Dill for putting the kids first and fixing an issue in record timing.
Our kids were excited to start school and be a PB Mules fan. So when we moved here we went to the school website to see what school district we would be in. Since May they have been excited to be part of O'Neal. We signed them up, went to orientation and even got O'Neal shirts for them. They met their teachers and found some friends they met at Boys & Girls Club over the summer. So this transition into a new school would be easy and exciting for our kids. As parents, we all want it to be smooth and an exciting thing for them.
The day before school starts I called the bus barn to see what bus number we would be and what the times they would be by for pick-up and drop-off. They told us we are Oak Grove school district not O'Neal. We said we went by the online bus route and they informed us it was wrong and we need to enroll our kids into Oak Grove.
We are already stressed out parents trying to make sure everything goes smooth and now at 2 p.m. the day before school starts we are informed that my kids need to register at Oak Grove.
So now my kids are nervous about not starting at O'Neal. Here's a new school they haven't even heard of yet and they start it the next day. Luckily they are troopers and didn't show much anxiety over it. After their first day our oldest said she was feeling nervous but she did great.
The staff at the school was very friendly and very helpful with the transition and they gave us the bus number and the time it would be picking them up.
First day of school comes around and the Oak Grove bus drives past our street but doesn't stop. A few minutes later another bus comes down our street and we find out it's O'Neal's bus. So I ended up driving my kids to the school and I let the office know what happened. They took notes and said they would let me know what's going on but that the kids could go to their classes but tomorrow they may be back in O'Neal.
So now our kids switch schools, start their first day not knowing if they get to stay or not. We felt bad but again the staff was all very nice and helpful and the best part was the kids seemed to be taking it well, too.
I decided to email the superintendent in hope that he could fix it for the future, but really not expecting to have any answers for a few days.
Within 40 minutes I had a phone call from Mr. Dill apologizing for the confusion and that he was leaving the bus barn and headed to Oak Grove to confirm that our kids would be staying there that the bus garage has the info corrected now. He assured me that they will look into what happened and be sure it doesn't happen again.
Mr. Dill then wished our kids a great year in school and said if I ever have any issues to contact someone and they will do their best to address it.
Even though PB school is a lot bigger than where our kids' were last year I have already learned that the superintendent of PB schools is on top of it and wants to make sure things are corrected and fast.
Not only that, but the teachers and staff have all been helpful and want to be in touch with the parents for the kids' sake. So again, thank you for your fast action and getting it taken care of.
We are even more excited now to be called PB Mules and Oak Grove students.
Jessica Mitchell
Poplar Bluff, Mo.