Educational Facilities

Dexter Educational Facilities

The Dexter R-XI Schools have a tradition of outstanding educational programs. The schools are fully accredited under the MISSOURI SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM by the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which is a result of an annual evaluation of all areas of the school district’s operations.

The school district enrolls approximately 2,100 students in four attendance centers: Southwest Elementary, pre-kindergarten through grade 2; Central Elementary, grades 3 through 5; T. S. Hill Middle School, grades 6 through 8; and Senior High, grades 9 through 12. The district has an assessed valuation of $210.6 million, and the average expenditure per pupil is $10,140. The graduation rate for 2021, was 99.10%. For 2021, the free and reduced lunch percentage averaged 50%.
The Dexter-R-XI School focuses on serving students using scientifically based instructional strategies that will enhance their education and build strong future adult community members. The district has a Parents as Teachers program for parents and students from birth to school age. In the PAT program, families can become partners with the school at a very young age. Beginning in 2020, a preschool program was opened. The program serves approximately 80 preschool aged children. At Southwest and Central Elementaries, they are teaching students to read using systematic, multi-sensory techniques. Students learn to attend to sound, spelling, meaning, and etymology. They become aware that our language is morphophonemic.

At the middle school, a program called Capturing Kids’ Hearts is used. This program focuses on building positive relationships with students. The belief is, “If you have a child’s heart, you have a child’s mind” (Flip Flippen). This belief improves school culture and increases academic achievement. The district is excited to report at the high school, they are providing transformational learning experiences through Project Lead the Way. They are engaging students in hands-on activities, projects, and problems that empower them to solve real-world challenges in biomedical science, engineering, computer science, and most recently, cyber-security. These programs inspire students to question what’s possible and prepare them for long-term success. Dexter High School also participates in the area Vocational School in Poplar Bluff. Visit their website at www.dexter.k12.mo.us.

Three Rivers College at Dexter has a center located at 515 West Market. They offer a variety of classes during the day and evening. Visit their website at www.trcc.edu