Two Mile Prairie Elementary School

By ANNE SHIFLEY
news@ColumbiaMissourian.com
COLUMBIA — Two Mile Prairie Elementary might give the impression of being a small, rural school, but Principal Larry Jones knows there is much more to be said for the elementary school nestled among farms and tall meadow grasses just a few miles north of the Centralia exit off I-70.

The intimate community of teachers, students and parents and the pursuit of cultural understanding and technology make the hike out to Two Mile Prairie Elementary School worth it, Jones said.

“What’s clear to me,” he said, “is that this rural setting makes for extremely involved, supportive parents of the teachers, the kids and the school.”

Two Mile Prairie was one of the first schools to pioneer the use of classroom technology such as interactive, electronic whiteboards called SMART Boards, Jones said. Teachers are encouraged to spend time learning how to use SMART Board technology to expand, enrich and supplement student learning.

Jones said SMART Boards are an exciting way to teach and teachers use them differently in each grade to enhance learning.

“Kindergarten and first grade use them more as an interactive center and activity, while the upper elementary students may use the SMART Boards as a way to access more relevant and exciting resources,” Jones said. Students studying the Civil War, for example, can use the SMART Boards to find primary documents that engage students more than ordinary textbooks.

Two Mile Prairie works diligently to familiarize its students with technology.

“I’m surprised at criticisms of bringing more technology into classrooms. To not take advantage of the opportunities is limiting for teachers and students,” Jones said.

Beyond technology, another part of enriching the community at Two Mile Prairie is providing unique clubs and activities that encourage learning and cultural understanding for the students. The Math Club at Two Mile Prairie integrates math into fun activities such as flying airplanes and using catapults, as well as a special trip to the St. Louis Science Center.

Similarly, the Rovers Readers Club allows second- and third-graders who have met a monthly reading requirement to use their passport to take a virtual trip to a different country to experience cultural games and cuisine. The club culminates each year with an overnight stay at the school to “return to America” and enjoy baseball and apple pie.

Two Mile Prairie recently added another kindergarten section and there will be building improvements such as new windows and air conditioning in the near future.