Students & Parents Weekly Communication - 8.30.26

What a great first week it has been at Joplin High School!

As we wrap up our first full week together, students and staff are beginning to settle into their routines, build new relationships, and find their rhythm for the year ahead. Each day, our hallways and classrooms have become more familiar, and it has been exciting to see our school community come together.

We are especially proud of the positive energy throughout JHS. Our students are reconnecting with friends, meeting new teachers, becoming involved in activities, and embracing the opportunities available to them. Our teachers and staff have worked incredibly hard to help every student feel welcomed, supported, and prepared for success.

The beginning of a school year always brings adjustments, but we are off to a wonderful start. Thank you to our families for your patience, encouragement, and continued partnership as we establish routines and expectations.

There is much to look forward to this year, and we are excited about the journey ahead. Together, we will continue building a school where every student and adult feels known, valued, supported, and challenged to grow.

Thank you for a fantastic first week—and remember: Every Kid. Every Adult. Every Time.

Proud to be an Eagle!

If there is anything you ever need throughout the school year, please feel free to call me at 417.625.5230 or email me at randyoliver@joplinschools.org. 

Your Very Proud Principal,

Dr. Oliver 

Alec Basye is a farrrr north Joplin native but came to the good side now. After graduating high school in 2013 he attended Missouri Southern State University, where he earned a degree in Criminal Justice. After college, Alec briefly worked as a police officer but quickly realized that career path was not the right fit for him. He then spent a little over a year as a case manager at Ozark Center. During that time, he landed his first coaching opportunity, coaching middle school girls basketball—and the rest is history! Alec began his education career as a SPED teacher and is now in his sixth year of teaching and seventh year of coaching. Today, he teaches Freshman 101 and stays busy coaching high school football and boys basketball, while also serving as the head boys golf coach. 

Family keeps Alec just as busy outside of school. He and his wife, Alexis, have two children: Kolsen, who is 8, and Hadley, who is 3. Alexis is a nurse and also serves as the current high school cheer coach here at JHS. When he isn’t teaching or coaching, Alec enjoys playing golf, spending time with his family, watching sports, and getting outdoors to hunt and fish.

As for retirement? Alec has one very clear goal: not seeing another freshman. He also hopes to travel much more. With only two “dead weeks” off each year, he says it just isn’t enough time to satisfy his love of exploring new places.

Craig Gullett is a proud Joplin native and a 2004 graduate of Joplin High School. After high school, he attended Missouri Southern State University and later earned his master’s degree through Pittsburg State University.

Before entering education, Craig spent 12 years working in the Student Activities Office at Missouri Southern. During that time, he gained valuable real-world experience in marketing and entertainment, learning how to promote events and connect with audiences through social and print media. While he enjoyed the work, the demanding schedule eventually led him to explore a new career path. He discovered the opportunities at Franklin Technology Center and has been here ever since. This year marks his fifth year at FTC.

Family is a big part of Craig’s life. He and his wife, Laura, have been married for 19 years after meeting in chemistry class right here at JHS. Together, they have two sons: Truman, a freshman and Parker, a fifth grader at Stapleton who both stay busy playing football and baseball. These days, Craig spends much of his time in Dad mode, especially during the summer when baseball fields become a second home. Craig also enjoys camping and spending time at Stockton Lake, relaxing by the pool with extended family, and woodworking. He is also a big Chiefs fan (boo Linden). 

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Within the first few weeks, your student will be hearing about Level-Up, so we wanted to give you some information ahead of time. Please see the informational flyer below.

Students would be eligible for finals exemption if they met the following criteria:

Please make note of detailed criteria below. 

We would like to shout out the following people:

Kitchen Staff for taking on a new lunch schedule (REDUCING TO 3 SHIFTS) and making it possible. Thank you Ms. Leavitt for your willingness to try new things!

With the change to 3 lunch shifts, we added more seating. Thank you to Chief and all of the custodians for working with our layout to get more seats in. Our students appreciated it more than you will ever know.

Thank you to Matt Hiatt, Kyle Wolf, and Erin Rakes for the work they put in to pulling off the Rose Garden Pep Assembly on Thursday Night. It is a great community event and many hours are spent organizing the event. A special thank you for the cheer team for putting all the activities together in between introductions. They were so much fun for the students and coaches! (SEE COACHES' PICTURE!)