The Barstow School sits on roughly thirty-four acres of Missouri’s dissected till plains.
While students and faculty spend most of their time inside, the true beauty of the campus lives on the other side of our brick walls.
Barstow’s students are lucky enough to have access multiple times a day to enjoy everything that it has to offer. Places like the Zen Garden and Senior Circle can be used for some peaceful study time during FLEX and free periods.
Mr. Wynne, Barstow’s Director of Safety, Facility Services, and Transportation, is also in charge of hiring the subcontractors and overseeing the overall maintenance of the campus.
“Subcontractors take care of the general maintenance, like trimming trees and mowing the lawns, but our custodians and janitors also help with cleaning and repairs,” Mr. Wynne explains when asked about who deserves the credit for its laborious upkeep.
Recently, major improvements have been made to the exterior of Barstow, like the updated soccer and baseball fields. As far as future planning goes, there are several changes on Barstow’s radar that the community can expect to see over the next couple years.
“The driveway project and the athletic building are the biggest changes, but there will also be a new canopy structure built in the lower school playground in addition to other playground improvements” says Mr. Wynne.
His favorite part of (the outdoor campus) is that “[it’s] so big and offset from the street. I didn’t know much about what was here when I worked in this area as a sergeant in the police department. When I started working here, I really came to appreciate the gem it is. Students have so much freedom to go outside and experience it. Almost like a mini college campus.”
Other members of Barstow’s community weighed in on the topic as well.
“I love the outdoor campus. I think it’s beautiful and I enjoy seeing all of the plants and animals it holds” said Ava Levin ‘24. Bibi Nin ‘27 “[feels] like it’s a great place to hang out or study.” Isaac Shimamoto ‘25 agrees, saying “it’s cool and a nice place to hang out with friends.” “I think it’s a great size for all the students. It isn’t too big or too small” said Jayden Sampat ‘24.
It’s “snazzy,” says Ezra Jacobs ‘26. Community members also got to speak on their favorite parts about Barstow.
From the thirty-five responses, the Senior Circle, patio, Zen Garden, basketball courts, athletic complex, seating, and the landscape were the most selected places on campus.
Sarah Villacorta ‘26’s “favorite part of the outdoor campus is the senior circle, because when you walk out there’s a bunch of trees that tower over.” Rachel Jacobs ‘26 agrees about the majesty of the tree tunnel, saying, “The TREE TUNNEL” is by far the best part. When asked about if there’s a need for improvement of the campus, Cayden Crosby ‘26 said “Nah. I’m chillin’ with it already.”
Mrs. Wood reminds us, though, that “students cleaning up after themselves” would make a huge difference in the upkeep of the campus. I’m sure we all wish that we could “take away the mosquitos” like Alina Stribling ‘25, but unfortunately their annoying presence will probably be something we deal with for the foreseeable future.
Overall, the community feels that the campus is effectively used by the student body, so remember to continue to take advantage of any opportunities you get to take a breath of fresh air!
