JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. — Students in the Festus School District returned to school Monday morning.
Festus R-VI utilizes four school buildings – Festus Elementary, Intermediate, Middle and High schools – to educate more than 3,350 students.
Superintendent Dr. Nicki Ruess joined 5 On Your Side Monday morning to discuss the recent hiring of school resource officers (SRO) for each of the four buildings. Those SRO’s come through a partnership with the Festus Police Department.
Ruess also said Festus opened a new performing arts center last year.
Football coach A.J. Ofodile said the Festus Tigers varsity football team open their season Friday night in Ste. Genevieve.
Sixth-grade teacher Kari Wenstrom, who has been a teacher in Festus more than 20 years, said the first week of school is dedicated to making sure students are comfortable and back in “school” mode.
“It’s all about making students feel safe,” said Wenstrom.
School board member Doreen Berezowski said she uses her experience as a former teacher to guide her decision-making.
More back to school stories
- Edwardsville welcomes 500 kindergarten students
- Silent alarms, new security cameras installed in Alton schools
- Collinsville district has big renovation plans
- East St. Louis schools on new AAPI curriculum, clear backpacks and dropping uniforms
- Book bans: New Missouri law makes it a crime to share 'explicit' material to students