New middle school brings changes to LS students, including this win for high-schoolers

Lee’s Summit R-7 School District sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders saw a number of changes as they returned to classes in late August, including the opening of a new middle school and the transition of sixth-graders out of the elementary buildings.

The district’s fourth middle school — known as East Trails — opened its doors to approximately 955 students on Aug. 23. The $72 million building was funded by a bond issue, approved by voters in June 2020. This same issue is also paying for renovations and additions at Lee’s Summit High School and Mason Elementary, as well as improvements at the other three middle schools, safety upgrades at all schools and a second early education center.

A unique aspect of East Trails is that its grounds incorporate a new softball/baseball complex for Lee’s Summit High School. As the district’s oldest high school, Lee’s Summit does not have enough outdoor space for these athletic facilities, so student teams were using ball fields at local parks.

Designed to accommodate three grade levels, East Trails features pods consisting of classrooms and opening toward a two-story atrium/learning commons.

“One of my favorite features inside East Trails are the communal learning spaces,” said Brett Potts, assistant superintendent of secondary education.

“Each grade has a pod that allows for flexible learning that will benefit teachers and students,whether they’re working on a class project or needing accommodations to fit studying styles. Every piece of that school was built with and for the community it is serving.”

A major change at all four Lee’s Summit middle schools this fall is the addition of close to 1,250 sixth-graders, which provides these students with additional opportunities, he added.

“Our sixth-graders have more ability to explore electives and learn more about themselves with the move to middle school,” Potts said. “They’ll also have some more stability in those exploratory years because they’ll be in middle school for three years, instead of just two.”

Discussion about this transition began in 2019, he added, with a committee of district employees, parents and other community members studying and recommending that sixth-graders make the move out of elementary school.

“Moving sixth-graders to middle schools will allow for more growth in our elementary students and schools,” Potts said. “Current projections of enrollment show that this move is going to allow for that growth to happen comfortably, so we can serve each and every one of our students to the best of our abilities.”

Community members participated in a dedication ceremony and toured the school on Aug. 22. Additional features at East Trails include a library media center, performance stage, indoor and outdoor gathering spaces,and competitive and auxiliary gymnasiums with the latter also serving as a storm shelter.

The 194,000-square-foot school, located at 1001 SE Bailey Road, is designed to accommodate a total of 1,200 students, allowing for enrollment growth. Whitney Morehead, previously assistant principal at the district’s Summit Lakes Middle School, was named East Trails principal in summer 2021, spending the 2021-22 year preparing for the new school’s opening.

The middle school’s name was recommended by a committee of Lee’s Summit staff, parents and students along with its mascot and colors — the Bisons paired with green, black and silver. For more information about the new middle school or the sixth-grade transition, visit the Lee’s Summit R-7 webpage at www.lsr7.org.