Mountain Grove Schools facility upgrades and new stadium access

Patrons of the Mountain Grove R-III School District will notice there are facility updates and a new stadium access in place for the 2026-2027 school year.
OMTC/Central Office
Construction
The Ozark Mountain Technical Center (OMTC)/Central Office building is in need of repair after a fire caused damage in the spring.
That fire led to the displacing of several classrooms and programs.
Mountain Grove administration says construction and repair work will take place throughout the 2026-2027 school year with the goal of restoring the facility.
Until then, multiple mobile classroom units have been placed in the OMTC gravel parking lot.
These units will accommodate students and staff whose classrooms were affected by the spring fire.
The district is reporting that all OMTC offices and programs will operate from the mobile classrooms or from their original building locations.
District officials note that the temporary setup allows learning to continue with minimal disruption while construction progresses.
Parking Changes To Note
Due to the mobile classrooms occupying the gravel parking lot area that many football fans used for games, availability near the stadium is limited this season.
To help with this, the Mountain Grove R-III School District recommends fans to utilize the Mountain Grove Elementary School parking lot shared with the Ozarks Family YMCA.
Fans will be able to park there and walked the sidewalk route over to the stadium.
Once there, a new northwest gate entrance has been established for fans to pay and enter during home football games.
The district says the route will provide closer and more convenience access than in years past.
All other parking lot options remain available, though some other spots were also eliminated near the old gym due to the weight room project.
Stadium Track Opened to Foot Traffic For Football Home Games; Three Gates To Take Admission
A new way for football fans to experience Friday home football games this fall will be to enjoy a standing room only option on the track.
Designated public access areas on the track will be clearly marked with cones and chain barriers.
For safety and maintenance reasons, the rules of being in these enforced areas includes:
• No food or drinks will be permitted on the track
• No chairs will be allowed as the designated area is standing room only
• No balls or games will be allowed on the track
The area behind the bleachers will remain open for children to gather. As always, parents are encouraged to keep an eye on younger fans.
As for the gates at Friday night home football games, the district is adjusting how admission is collected at the stadium.
Gate admission will now be taken at three entrances.
The entrances include the newly added northwest entrance, the southwest corner entrance and the southeast corner entrance.
District officials say they appreciate the community’s patience and flexibility as these changes take effect.
They also look forward to a successful season both in the classroom and on the field.
(Editor’s Note: Mountain Grove R-III Operations Director Denver Mitchell contributed to this report.)