District Information

We Envision:

A safe, positive, and caring environment for our students, our students being 21st-century learners with full access to technology, Using a creative, engaging, rigorous and diverse curriculum, Fostering lifelong learners who are responsible, goal oriented, college and career ready, able to function as part of society and be culturally competent, A committed partnership of school, parents, and community.

Our school is located just north of the town with the same name, Bucklin, Missouri, which was founded in 1854 as a railroad town. The current census from 2000 indicates that the population is 524. Bucklin itself has a grocery store, lumber yard, restaurant, pub, florist, lawn care service, outdoor store, post office, hair salon, tax preparation service, a few construction companies, and two funeral parlors. New Boston has a post office, pub, and hair salon. Towns served by the District are Bucklin and New Boston, and also include zip codes within Winigan and New Cambria. Local jobs are available in Marceline (8 miles), Brookfield (15 miles), Macon (25 miles); Chillicothe, Kirksville, and Moberly (approx 45-50 miles), and at times in some of the smaller towns and villages around the area. Colleges and universities in this area include Truman State University in Kirksville, Central Methodist University in Fayette, North Central Missouri College in Trenton, and Moberly Area Community College in Moberly, all of which have outreach programs of some sort. If you're looking for small town living, or maybe getting a farm or ranch in the country, either at very affordable prices, this is a great place to look.

Students at our school are held to a high standard because we know that they can achieve if they put what they've got into it. For the past seven years, we have been awarded a distinction in performance by the state of Missouri. MAP scores indicate we are above in the four core areas required by No Child Left Behind. Close to or above ninety percent of students graduating from Bucklin go on to a higher education, or have a steady job at that time.

Class sizes are small, which enables the teachers to teach more, and creates a more comfortable (roomy) learning environment. The largest class at this time is around twenty students, while the smallest has around 10. Altogether Kindergarten through Seniors, there are approximately 170 students. There is an on-campus preschool, and kindergarten through 12th grade are in one building. The building houses a large gym, small gym, superintendent's office, kindergarten, special services program, first through sixth grade rooms, Title I, history, office, weight room, locker rooms, band room, speech, gifted program, main office and principal's office, cafeteria and kitchen, science, consumer sciences (home economics), library, business and typing room/lab, interactive television, art, a very large shop, math, english, and a computer lab. Outside on the 40-acre campus grounds is a baseball diamond, preschool, a large playground, plenty of parking and a track. A Vocational-Technical Program is available through Linn CountyArea Vocational-Technical School, which is about 15 miles away and has a bus trip to and from there each day.

We hope this information has helped you in what you are looking for. If you would like to know more, feel free to call the school at 660-695-3225, or contact the Superintendent of Schools. Have a great day, and thanks again for visiting!

Erected in 1874, this two story, four room brick structure was Bucklin's second school. It was built at a cost of near $7,000, and three teachers were employed. In the center of the building was a large hall, used primarily for ringing the school bell which was perched on top of the building as a place of punishment for those youngsters who had a bit of devilment in them. There was also a colored school in Bucklin at this time, but no school house so a rented building was used. In 1874, Bucklin had 135 scholars and received $132.20 as state aid that year. The first annual Commencement program was held in 1902.

**The "new" building was built in 1929 at a cost of $22,000. It included an auditorium and gymnasium which was considered large at that time. Also five classrooms and an office for the superintendent, H.O. Brough.

In 1936, the first yearbook was printed. The name since then has been "The Reco", which is short for all the "RECOllections" we have. Since that time there has been only five advisors, but hundreds of students.

**The latest addition to the present school buildings was made in 1950. Modern rooms for music and art were provided along with a hallway between the two buildings. After the building was completed, and all alterations finished, the total cost amounted to $6,788.01.

*Building demolished. ** Present day Heartland Elk Ranch building. Preceding taken from 1954 RECO Yearbook.

On June 9, 1953, a ballot was put up to vote for the construction of a new school building. The bond passed with high amounts of the voting population supporting it. The cost of the bonds was to be $265,000; state aid was $33,600. The total cost of the building, including improvement of the forty acre site, water, and new equipment was $325,000. This brought the cost per square foot to $9.50. On December 17 of that same year, the contract was let to J.E. Pyle of Little Rock Arkansas. The architect was Ludwig Abt. The original part of the building included seventeen classrooms and one shop, gymnasium-auditorium combination, cafeteria, study hall-library combination, office space, dressing rooms, shower rooms, lounge, clinic, storage room, and the boiler room. The community pitched in for the final moving of materials and preparation for the first day. It officially opened for classes on January 3, 1955. The edication was held on February 13, 1955, at 2:00 pm.

In 1973, the space of the original building was needing expansion. Bond was voted upon once again. This time the present day "Little Gym", Superintendents Office, Kindergarten, Learning Disabled, and Shop were added. An art room replaced the old Shop, and the Drafting Room of that was turned into another classroom.

Many changes have taken place over the last one hundred plus years of Bucklin School. Currently, there are around 126 students, and thirty-nine faculty and staff. It is still a great place to learn, and ahead of all.