The mission of the Webb City R-VII School District is to prepare today’s youth to meet the challenges of tomorrow’s world by guiding all students in the acquisition of knowledge and the development of skills that will enable each to become a productive and responsible individual.
The School District of Webb City R-7 (officially known as the Webb City R-7 School District and abbreviated WCR7) is a public school district headquartered in Webb City, Missouri, United States, consisting of 12 schools (a behavioral school, a pre-primary school, seven primary schools, two middle schools, and a secondary school). The Webb City R-7 School District was ranked 3rd nationally in its class in 2010.[4] The school district is overseen by superintendent Dr. Brenten Byrd.
The district's sports programs have achieved significant success, with multiple championships in football, basketball, and other sports since 1989. The district also maintains a Hall of Fame to honor the accomplishments of its former students and staff from the Webb City, Alba, and Carterville school districts.[6]
History
The Webb City School District was established in 1877 to serve the growing town, which was founded the previous year due to the discovery of rich lead and zinc deposits. The establishment of Central School and the growth of the town's population led to the addition of more rooms and the creation of a four-year high school course by 1892.[7][8] Students outside the Webb City district were educated in various one-room rural schools and smaller community high school districts.
The school district's first superintendent was Theodore Axline, who served from 1888 to 1890.[9]
In 1968, the existing Webb City district was consolidated with the Alba and Carterville districts. The combined district was officially named Webb City R-7, encompassing what were once separate educational entities to provide better and more efficient educational programs for the area's students.
In 2004, the Webb City R-7 School District Foundation was established to support and advance the district's educational and enrichment programs.[10]
Schools
Behavioral
The Franklin Student Center (also known as the Franklin Behavioral Center) is a behavioral school for students in kindergarten through 12th grade who have behavior issues. It is located at 404 East Tracy Street in Webb City.[11]
Heritage Early Childhood Center
The Heritage Early Childhood Center (also known as the Webb City Heritage Preschool or simply the Heritage Preschool, abbreviated HTG) is an early childhood education and parenting center for students in pre-kindergarten. It is located at 1020 North Webb Street in Webb City.[12]
Elementary schools
In Webb City, the primary schools are categorized into outlying "country schools" and central schools. The central schools have students divided among different buildings based on grade sets: kindergarten, grades 1-2, and grades 3-4. In contrast, the outlying country schools accommodate students from kindergarten to fourth grade. The country schools are located in communities that once had their own school districts but were later integrated into the Webb City R-7 district. These schools serve as centers of their respective communities, where students typically walk to school, community events are hosted, and parents actively participate in classroom activities. When the grades were redistributed among different buildings, the two outlying country schools maintained their K-5 status, with the 5th grade eventually transitioning to the middle school.
Madge T. James Kindergarten Center
The Madge T. James Kindergarten Center (abbreviated MTJ) was named after Madge T. James, a former secretary to the Superintendent of Schools and Board of Education of the Webb City R-7 School District. The school serves students in the kindergarten grade, and is located at 211 West Aylor Street in Webb City. The school incorporates a gymnasium/storm shelter that opens to the public during severe weather.[13][14]
The Bess Truman Primary Center (also known as the Bess Truman Primary School, abbreviated BT) was named after Bess Truman, the wife of 33rd U.S. President Harry S. Truman, who served as First Lady of the United States under his presidency. The school serves students in kindergarten through first grade, and is located at 800 North Highway D in Webb City (near Oronogo).[15]
Carterville Elementary School
The Carterville Elementary School (abbreviated CTV) serves students in kindergarten through fourth grade, and is located at 210 East Hall Street in Carterville. The school incorporates a gymnasium/storm shelter that opens to the public during severe weather.[16]
Webster Primary Center
The Webster Primary Center (also known as the Webster School) serves students in the first and second grades, and is located at 704 North Main Street in Webb City.[17]
The Harry S. Truman Elementary School (abbreviated HST) was named after Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States. The school serves students in second through fourth grade, and is located at 810 North Highway D in Webb City (near Oronogo). The school incorporates a gymnasium/storm shelter that opens to the public during severe weather.[18]
The Eugene Field Elementary School (abbreviated EF) was named after Eugene Field, an American writer. The school serves students in the third and fourth grades, and is located at 510 South Oronogo Street in Webb City.[19]
The Mark Twain Elementary School (abbreviated MT) was named after Mark Twain, an American author and humorist. The school serves students in the third and fourth grades, and is located at 1427 West Aylor Street in Webb City.[20]
Webb City Middle School
The Webb City Middle School (also known as the 5th-6th Grade Center, abbreviated WCMS) serves students in the fifth and sixth grades, and is located at 603 West Aylor Street in Webb City.[21] The school follows a middle school structure with classrooms organized into "pods", where four classrooms share a common area. There are four "pods" in both the 5th and 6th grade halls, totaling to 16 classrooms in one hall, and 32 classrooms across both grade levels. Students stay with their homeroom teacher for language arts and math instruction, while they rotate to different teachers for science and social studies.
The WCMS school campus has various facilities including a gymnasium with locker rooms, an art room, a band room that also serves as a storm shelter, a vocal music room, two computer labs, and a library/media center. The commons area accommodates 2 pods during a lunch period, creating three separate lunches with recess for students.[22]
6th Grade Center
The 6th Grade Center served as a transitional school during a period when the district was transitioning from having elementary schools with students from kindergarten to 6th grade to the current model where schools house only two grade levels. Established to alleviate overcrowding in elementary schools by freeing up classroom space, the 6th Grade Center was located in an addition to the current junior high school. This transition school operated from the 1993-1994 school year through the 1996-1997 school year. Upon the completion of the new middle school facility, students from the 6th Grade Center were relocated to the newly constructed middle school.
Webb City Junior High School
The Webb City Junior High School (abbreviated WCJH or WCJHS) serves students in the seventh and eighth grades, and is located at 807 West 1st Street in Webb City.[23] The school is housed in a building that was originally the high school and was erected in 1909 and opened in 1911.
The school features various facilities including a gymnasium with locker rooms, a wrestling room, a shop room, a band room, a choir room, a performing arts room (abbreviated PAR), and a library and media center that also serves as a storm shelter, the latter being the most recent addition to the building. Prior to the erection of the current library/storm shelter in 2015, the library was housed in the room across from the cafeteria/commons area, which now houses the Boys and Girls Club and a tech office. To the south of the main entrance hallway, the school building encompasses two stories of classrooms tailored to various subjects, including math, science, reading, writing, social studies, communication arts, technology, and family and consumer science.[24]
The Webb City High School (abbreviated WCHS) serves students in ninth through twelfth grade, and is located at 621 North Madison Street in Webb City.[25] The school is well known for its successful academic and athletic programs. In 2013, U.S. News & World Report ranked the school as the 17th best out of 560 high schools in Missouri.[26] The school encompasses various facilities, including a gymnasium and storm shelter known as the Cardinal Dome (which opens to the public during severe weather), a football field known as the Cardinal Stadium, a swimming pool, a performing arts center, a library and media center, and a Mercyhealth clinic. WCHS has a highly successful athletic program that competes in the Central Ozark Conference and is governed by the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA).
Webb City Alternative School
The Webb City Alternative School is an alternative high school that caters to non-traditional students who care for their children, work, or have problems in a regular learning environment. It is located at 600 Elis Street in Webb City near the Crowder College campus.
Recognition
In 2010, the district was ranked 3rd best nationally in communities with median home prices below $100,000.[27] GreatSchools wrote: "The Webb City High School Cardinals are nearly invincible in football; they've won eleven state championships in the past 25 years. Academically, Webb City schools are recognized as an "outperformer" by Standard and Poor's because they've exceeded state expectations in 13 of the past 14 years. Webb City taxpayers are willing to invest in scholastic excellence — they recently approved a $2 million bond to build four additional classrooms."
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