The Rock Port R-II School District received the Outstanding Rural School District Award at the annual MARE/MO K-8 Association Conference, held October 20, 2022, in Lake Ozark, Missouri.

Each year, the Missouri Association of Rural Education requests and receives nominations for the various “Outstanding Rural Education Awards.” An awards committee reviews the nominations and selects those to receive each award. The awards are presented during the awards luncheon as part of the annual conference. Winners are presented with a plaque noting their designation as an “Outstanding Rural Education Award” recipient.

Other general awards presented were: Outstanding Rural Support Staff, Marsha Gabel, Green Forest R-II School District; Outstanding Rural Teacher, Susan Purdy, Madison C-3 School District; Outstanding Rural Administrator, Sonja Vaughn, Superintendent, East Lynne 40 School District, MO K-8 Administrator of the Year, Carey Johnson, Hardeman R-X School District; and Friend of Rural Education, Duane Martin, EdCounsel, LLC.

MARE is a statewide organization created in 1987 to serve its member districts by promoting equal opportunity for rural Missouri students, by enhancing rural student academic potential and by creating justifiable pride in the state’s rural education program.