Inside Winfield’s New Performing Arts Center as District Prepares for November Opening
WINFIELD, Mo. — Winfield students will soon take the stage inside a new Performing Arts Center that district leaders believe will create opportunities extending well beyond concerts.
Lincoln CountyWatch recently sat down with Winfield R-IV Superintendent Ericka Dixon for the district’s monthly update before receiving a tour of the nearly completed facility.
The Performing Arts Center includes more than 300 seats and dedicated space for the district’s instrumental and vocal music programs. Dixon also hopes the facility eventually supports theater and drama productions while providing additional space for instruction, testing and other district activities.
“You’re going to have a place and a space for them now,” Dixon said while discussing the opportunities the facility could create for students.
The district is preparing to introduce the Performing Arts Center to the community during a grand-opening celebration scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7.
Plans include student performances, tours of the facility and family activities inside the gym. Food trucks and other vendors are also expected outside. District officials are still finalizing the schedule as construction wraps up and backordered items arrive.
The center is expected to host elementary and secondary holiday concerts following its opening. Dixon said the building could also accommodate classroom activities and testing, including the ASVAB.
“It’s just going to bring a whole new dynamic to the Winfield schools,” Dixon said. “We’re super proud of it.”
The facility carries additional meaning for Dixon, who graduated from Winfield in 1997 and is now serving her first year as superintendent.
Dixon attended Culver-Stockton College and worked as a custodian while completing her education. She later returned to Winfield, beginning as a high school special education teacher before becoming a primary school principal and eventually moving into district administration.
Now in her 26th year in education, Dixon said her connection to the district has remained central throughout her career.
“My heart and my life and everything that I’ve done is Winfield,” Dixon said. “So they have grown me into who I am.”
Her first months as superintendent have included learning the district’s finances, balancing the needs of each building and continuing to build a more unified approach to curriculum and instruction.
Dixon said retaining administrators and supporting their development has helped establish greater consistency throughout the district. She also credited Winfield’s staff, students, families and community for helping her transition into the position.
The Performing Arts Center was funded through an earlier bond issue. It is separate from the more recent transfer of 25 cents from the district’s debt-service levy into its operating fund.
That transfer is intended to support classroom instruction and staffing rather than construction.
“What do we need to get our test scores up?” Dixon said. “What do we need to best meet our students’ needs?”
Dixon said the district continues looking for ways to expand opportunities while working within its available funding.
Those discussions include revisiting gifted programming at the elementary level and exploring additional clubs centered on reading, writing, running and theater. She also highlighted participation in FFA, Pike-Lincoln Technical Center programs and dual-credit courses.
Communication with families remains another focus. ParentSquare serves as the district’s primary communication platform, while Eventlink is used for activity schedules and notifications when games, meetings or other events change.
Parents and community members interested in volunteering can obtain a volunteer packet from any district office. Additional opportunities are available through parent-teacher organizations and booster groups.
“We love parent involvement,” Dixon said. “I’m very thankful for parents and our community and all the involvement.”
The full interview includes Dixon’s reflections on becoming superintendent, the district’s finances, instructional priorities, parent involvement and the future of the Performing Arts Center. The video also includes a tour of the new facility as preparations continue for its November opening.
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