SCORE, Nixa’s alternative school, opened in 1998 and has since served more than 600 students. SCORE, which stands for Second Chance of Receiving an Education, offers classes that include around five students, allowing for more one-on-one help from teachers and closer classroom dynamics. The small classes create an academic environment tailored to their needs.
Jacob Bush started a second career as an art teacher at SCORE, an alternative high school program in the Nixa Public Schools district.
“Coming into teaching a little later in life, I felt I would make more of an impact in a school like this,” Bush said.
To some students, the stress of a typical high school setting can be extremely anxiety-inducing. The loud and crowded hallways can be too much to handle for many students. That’s where Nixa’s SCORE program comes in. Junior Jeremy Collins, now in his third year in the SCORE program, said he struggled in traditional school settings in his past.
“In a traditional high school, there are a lot of students and a lot of anxiety that goes around,” Collins said. “It’s actually peaceful here.”
Collins said SCORE gave him the chance to continue his education in a way he had not experienced before.
“I got kicked out of fifth grade and sixth grade and then seventh and eighth,” Collins said. “Things kept going down that path, but when I got here, things actually changed.”
Supporters of the program say alternative settings can help students meet graduation requirements and prepare for life after high school. Programs such as SCORE give students a smaller environment where they can learn without large crowds.
Some Nixa residents have described SCORE as having a reputation as an inferior school. Junior Destiny Smith said that SCORE’s reputation made her nervous before attending.
“Before I ever got here, people said it was a bad school for bad people,” Smith said. “But since I got here, it’s not.”
Smith said that she prefers SCORE to traditional high school.
“It’s a good place and I love it here,” Smith said. “I would rather be here than anywhere else. … “I love all my teachers. They’re nice.”
Bush has taught in the program for about three years.
“I prefer being in alternative education,” Bush said. “Every kid is more respectful than I anticipated. We get along great. I thought there would be a little more behavioral issues than I actually saw.”
While SCORE does not currently have clubs, Bush plans to start an art club by spring.
The program’s building contains only seven classrooms and a computer lab. SCORE has moved four times since its 1998 opening. It has been at its current location on West Mt. Vernon Street since 2002.
Junior Kyle Mafnas said he had concerns before he got to SCORE, since this was his first school he was attending in Missouri.
“Not going to lie, I was kind of scared,” Mafnas said. “It’s a new state, new school, so I was nervous. As I got to know the students around here and the teachers, they seemed to be welcoming.”
Senior Autom Crawford said her previous high school experience was overwhelming.
“Like a lot of people, I was scared,” Crawford said. “I bawled my eyes out in the bathroom.”
Crawford said she became more comfortable as she adjusted to the alternative school.
“It’s a lot smaller, so there’s not a lot of people to stress about.” Crawford said.
In 2019, the building was named the Glenn R. Scott Campus after several renovations were made on the building. Scott served as secretary of the Nixa Board of Education for 36 years and was president of the Sucker Day Committee for 28 years.
SCORE reported a graduation rate of 100 percent for the 2024-25 school year. About 60 to 65 students are enrolled in the program each semester. SCORE has served hundreds of students since its opening and continues to offer an alternative path to earning credits toward graduation.SCORE also has a separate opportunity for education that the school provides, known as the Missouri Option Program, which allows students to take required classes in the evenings. This helps the students to work toward graduation. SCORE’s one-on-one teaching environment can help students who require assistance. “Eighty percent of our students would not have graduated high school if not for the SCORE Campus. For many, this is the first time they have experienced academic success and felt a true connection to their school. At SCORE, we are like a family. It is such a special place,” Principal Cheryl Huson said.
