The Amazing Story of Joplin, MO

Print PDF

In May 2011, tornadoes ripped through Joplin, Missouri. A community was destroyed. The hub of that community is the local public school system. The administrative building and many of their schools were leveled. Seven lives were lost within the Joplin school family. But, nothing stops the people of Joplin.

Superintendent C.J. Huff announced within days that school would indeed open on time in August. And, it did. With the collaboration and cooperation of the system’s leadership team and the community, the dedicated efforts paid off. Students were given the gift of the “normalcy” of school this fall.

At the Missouri School Boards Association’s Annual Conference in late September 2011, Superintendent Huff and members of his leadership team shared their story. Missouri’s governor presented them with a special commendation for a job exceedingly well done. Those of us who attended that conference are forever touched by their story and a video that the Joplin Schools shared—the video cameras in the individual schools captured the devastation as the tornadoes ripped through their community. Through careful editing, the school team produced a powerful chronicle of the events that unfolded. When one sees this natural disaster and then witnesses the demonstrated commitment to meeting their children’s needs to have no disruptions to their educational journey, one sees true public service.

There is nothing that we can’t work through when we believe in a common cause. And, Joplin is proof.

Below are two videos that I would strongly encourage you to watch.  The first video is one that the MSBA staff put together.  The second is the speech that the superintendent gave at the conference after being recognized by the Governor and the board being recognized as one of the outstanding boards of the year.  VERY POWERFUL!!

Our contributor, Diane Sandifer

From local to state and national roles in public service, Diane Sandifer served on the Harris County Schools GA Board of Education from 1998-2008. Additionally, Diane was elected as president of the Georgia School Boards Association in 2006 and was a member of the National School Boards Association Board of Directors in 2007 and 2008. Diane advocates 21st century governance from the board room to the classroom through her passion for integration of technology as well as effective strategic planning. Diane represents school board members in statewide commissions and projects and has played an integral role in educational research through groups like the Wallace Foundation. Diane lives in Pine Mountain, Georgia and is currently the account executive for eBOARDsolutions.