West Plains, MO. – The West Plains School District has released a survey asking for input from local community members on their thoughts about the route for the upcoming 2022 Homecoming Parade scheduled to be held on Friday, October 7.
Last year, many in the community shared their approval or disdain for the route changes that kept students closer to the school and took the parade route over the train tracks as compared to previous years where the parade went by the square and ended at the West Plains Civic Center.
You will have the chance to tell the school what you liked, disliked, and which route option you approve of for the parade next month.
During the 2021 school year, the parade route consisted of the following. (Please note – the route changed last year to help with a few safety and transportation issues.)
- The district did not have enough transportation to transport all the high school and lower grade students to the parade and then bring students back to school. The district was also concerned about the safety of the high school students that had previously walked up to the parade route. The students crossed railroad tracks and walked to the square.
- The parade lineup was on Jefferson Street next to Robertson Drago.
- The parade began at Robertson Drago Funeral Home on Main Street, then traveled around the square and continued onto Main Street.
- Next, it crossed over Jackie Garrett Drive onto Howell Street, crossing the railroad tracks.
- It continued onto the high school and then east onto Olden Street and disbanded around the intersection of Davidson Street and Olden Street.
- All South Fork students and West Plains Elementary (WPE) grades K-1 participated by watching the parade on the square.
- The WPHS, WPMS, ZPA, and remaining WPE students watched the parade along Howell Avenue and Olden Street. The students viewed the parade from the sidewalks and grassy areas.
In previous years the parade route consisted of the following:
- The parade lineup was located at the corner of Missouri Avenue and Main Street.
- The parade traveled along Main street, starting around the university.
- The parade traveled around the square and continued onto Main Street to the West Plains Civic Center parking lot.
- The parade was dismissed from the civic center.
- All students in grades K-8 were transported to the parade route and back to school.
- High school students were dismissed early to walk, ride, or drive to the parade on their own accord.
- Those wishing to ride a bus home still needed to be back at Friday’s regular dismissal times to ride the bus home.
Click Here for the Survey – https://forms.gle/wJvRdE9jUkSGB1Y96
