Spickard R-2 Principal, School Will Begin Year With “A Fresh Start”

If there’s a theme at the Spickard R-2 School this year, it might be “a fresh start.”

With a new principal, new teachers and many improvements to the building, there will be a lot of “new” when students arrive for the first day on Aug. 25.
Erica Eakes is the new principal at the K-6 district and the position itself is new for her as she is taking on her first administrator’s job. With 32 students expected to be enrolled this fall, she said the small size of the school is something that drew her to the position.
“As a classroom teacher I always wanted to be able to touch as many lives as I could,” she said. “As principal, I can have an influence on the whole school, not just one class.”
A graduate of Princeton High School, Mrs. Eakes is no stranger to small schools, having most recently taught math at Ridgeway and previously taught at both Cainsville and North Harrison. The size, she believes, is an asset.
“I like the camaraderie,” she said. “I like knowing the students and their families. I like the family atmosphere. And Spickard is a Title I School, meaning that a student doesn’t have to be ‘identified’ to get extra help in reading and math. I think that’s a real advantage for our students.” 
Mrs. Eakes, who earned her bachelors degree in elementary education from the University of Central Missouri and her master’s degree from William Woods University, won’t be the only new face in the building this fall, as three of the four classroom teachers will be making their Spickard School debut. She believes that’s also a “plus” for students.
“I see that as a strength. That’s a positive. New teachers bring new ideas to the school. They just bring in a whole new atmosphere.”
With money coming in from the federal government, the entire building is getting a facelift. Using funds from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds, the district has been able to remove all of its asbestos tile and lay new subfloor and carpet tiles. New heating and cooling units have been installed and an epoxy finish has been put in some rooms. New windows will be installed when they are available and the classrooms have new doors.
“That was all paid for through ESSER II money,” she said.
The district will be meeting to decide how to best utilize the ESSER III funds that are available, but she believes some of it will be used to upgrade the playground equipment and update technology for teachers, such as purchasing smart boards and laptops. All students have Chromebooks and a new math curriculum has been purchased.
With new faces, an improved building and new educational tools, Mrs. Eakes believes the district is set for a very exciting and productive year.
“It really is a fresh start for us,” she said.