Raymore-Peculiar Ninth Grade Center

Will the school be completed and ready to open? Yes, the school will be ready for students. Currently, the final pieces of furniture are being delivered and installed.

Will the roundabout on M-58 be open? The roundabout between the Ninth Grade Center and East Middle School is complete. MoDOT contractors are working hard to have the roundabout at Prairie Lane open for the first day of school. The project is slated for completion in late August. If the intersection remains closed for the first days of school, additional information will be shared with parents

Does the Ninth Grade Center have its own cafeteria? Yes, the Ninth Grade Center has its own kitchen to prepare student and staff meals. The school has a commons area that will have cafeteria tables during lunchtime for students to eat meals. This is a more effective and efficient use of the new building design. Rumors that students would need to walk to the middle school for breakfast or lunch are not true.

How will 9th-grade students experience high school special activities such as homecoming, pep rallies, dance, and other events the high school holds? Ninth grade students will participate in pep rallies and assemblies at the Ninth Grade Center. Ninth grade students will be able to attend the Homecoming and Courtwarming dances at the high school. As specific events draw near, the school will share details. The Ninth Grade Center handbook includes some general information about dances on page 24. Members from the High School’s Student Leadership Team will meet with students at the Ninth Grade Center to keep them up to speed on what is going on at the high school and to help acclimate them to the “Panther Way.” Every effort will be made to include ninth graders in high school activities.

The photos I’ve seen of the school show a lot of windows in the hallways. Is this safe? There are several classroom windows in the hallways, providing a more welcoming environment for our students. All classroom windows have blinds, which can block the view of someone outside the classroom. By design, the building is compartmentalized, which allows portions of the building to lock out a potential intruder in the case of an emergency. 

Why does the District need a separate Ninth Grade Center? Moving the freshman class to a separate facility will alleviate overcrowding at the current high school and position the district more efficiently from a future facilities perspective.

Why did the District build the Ninth Grade Center near East Middle School? There are two primary reasons for the location of the Ninth Grade Center. First, the District already owned the property and this location is an efficient use of district resources. Second, it fits with the District’s long-range facility plan. At some point in the future, this building is designed to become a second high school campus. It makes sense to have a second high school campus in another area within the school district boundaries. 

How long will my child have to ride the bus to get to the school? When compared to the distance to reach the current high school, it will be a longer bus ride for students in the southern part of the District, and a shorter ride for some students in the northern part of the District. The District strives to schedule bus routes so that no student has a bus ride longer than 45 minutes. 

If my student is a car rider, where do I drop off and pick up? Please refer to this video for information about student drop off and pick up. Signage will be in place to help direct parents when school begins. Here is a video for families who will drop off students at the Ninth Grade Center and East Middle School.