The Ste. Genevieve County R-II School District has achieved POW-MIA campus status in partnership with the Jefferson Barracks POW-MIA Museum. This designation was proposed to the Board of Education by Dr. Rhett Oldham, who reached out to the museum to launch this collaboration.
The Board of Education approved for the District to achieve POW-MIA campus status at its Aug. 29, 2023 Regular Meeting. Dr. Oldham presented the information to the Board, explaining the background of this status and the process for achieving it, as well as sharing that he believes this will build upon the work our schools already do in this area.
“The way we honor veterans here at SG R-II, and more importantly, the way our students approach our Veterans Day assemblies — they understand the importance of the sacrifices of our veterans. To me, proposing this designation was an extension of what we already do,” he says. Dr. Oldham shared that our community is deeply appreciative of our veterans and their military services, and that to him, this POW-MIA status underscores our feelings, thoughts and emotions towards our veterans.
At Ste. Genevieve County R-II, we intend to honor our POW/MIAs in the following ways:
A sign will be displayed for each of our schools as people walk into each building.
On Sept. 15, POW/MIA Day, flags will be displayed on each campus.
At our Veteran’s Day assemblies, there will be a “Missing Man Seat” with a POW/MIA Flag draped over it.
Ste. Genevieve County R-II collaborates with the American Legion and VFW posts locally and will do so with honoring our POW/MIAs, as well.
The annual donation to the POW/MIA Museum will come from private donations, and no expense will be incurred by the Ste. Genevieve County R-II School District. (Dr. Rhett Oldham and his wife, Dr. Shelley Oldham, former superintendent of the District, plan on making this a personal donation.)
The District is appreciative to Dr. Oldham for his initiative to undertake this project, and is extremely excited to be collaborating with the Jefferson Barracks POW/MIA Museum to raise awareness of the POW/MIAs who have proudly served and fought for our freedoms.