The Wright City R-II School District has formed a pair of study groups.

The school board addressed the study groups during its September meeting. They hope is to better equip students for the future as well as improve opportunities for outdoor learning.

The areas of focus are a Success Ready Graduates Study Group and a Camp and Experiential Education Study Group.

“At Wright City, we have improved and maintained academics for years now,” explained Superintendent Dr. David Buck. “We know that was necessary. We also know that over the last three years, employers are talking more about soft skill needs in the applicant pool.”

The district has found that while students may be academically ready for the workforce, there needs to be more emphasis on areas like communication skills, empathy, collaboration, problem solving, critical thinking, attendance and grit.

“We have heard this through interactions with employees in the area, through the Greater Warren County Economic Development Council which we are part of, and through my work at the state level as I led a state committee of educators and employers on what a successful worker looks like,” said Buck.

The Success Ready Graduates Study Group is to establish a profile of what a graduate should look like. The district will select three or more traits that are beyond academics to take to the board for adoption during its December meeting.

“In the spring semester, we will work to create educational experiences to build toward mastery in each of these at the elementary, middle and secondary level,” said Buck. “We are considering a badging system that we can put on transcripts and emails to show proficiency.”

As for the Camp and Experiential Study Group, this is an effort to provide a learning experience for students outside of the building. 

“Our neighbors to the east in St. Louis and St. Charles County schools for years have taken a grade on a camping trip of some sort,” said Buck. “They embed science lessons in the trip.”

R-II will use its study group to determine how the district could host similar trips, as well as details like grade levels, locations, leaderships, durations and costs. The findings will be reported at the January board meeting.

“After we have an understanding, then we will look at the budget and curricular impact and make a decision later in the school year about whether we can or should implement this starting in the 2018-19 school year,” said Buck.