WS Schools debut two new facilities

The public was invited to tour two new facilities at Willow Springs Schools Tuesday night – Innovation Hall and The Bear Training Facility. 

Innovation Hall is housed in a former MoDOT building on Old Springfield Rd. The property was conveyed to the school district in 2022 by the City of Willow Springs, and ARPA funds provided for the renovation of the space. The result is a spacious facility that has allowed the district to expand its Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. 

Bear Media Productions, helmed by Sabrina Lee, is located in the space, complete with a professional quality sound studio and green screen set for video recording school announcements. Graphic design and Business Entrepreneurship classes meet in this space as well, taught by Lee and Jessica Johnson. This department boasts some truly impressive equipment for the students to use, including a 3-D printer, laser engraver, and vinyl press. Student guides at Tuesday’s open house were wearing name tags laser printed on site. 

A drone aviation and engineering program has a dedicated space in the Innovation Hall. Matt Knapp teaches the two-year program. 

Brad Siler is teaching a two-year Construction Technology program. According to information provided by the school, graduates will obtain OHSA 10 Construction Certification and will be prepared for entry level residential or commercial construction fields. More than one wall in Innovation Hall has been built by construction students. 

A Criminal Justice program focuses on law enforcement. Jerry Wickens teaches this two-year program that will acquaint students with United States and Missouri laws, professional etiquette, and investigative procedures. Graduates will not have POST certification, but they will have telecommunicator and Missouri Law Enforcement Skills and Knowledge (MOLESK) certification. 

North of Munford Gymnasium sits The Bear Training Facility, funded by ESSR III money. Weight room teacher Travis Payne told Howell County News the facility is capable of training “a lot of kids, really fast.” The spacious facility features turf for indoor speed training and a full wall weight training equipment. The list of equipment available for weight training includes tsunami bars, Texas power bars, Plyo boxes, medicine balls, dumbbells, glute/hamstring pads, and custom Olympic bars. The facility is currently in use by all weight training classes.