Situated between the former strip cuts and beanfields of central and northeastern Perry County, supported by generations of alumni still living within a stone's throw of where they attended school, sits a PK-8 district that doesn't just teach--it prepares. At Pinckneyville #204,Superintendent Jerry Travelstead and his close-knit team have created something rare: a public school that feels like a prep school, not in privilege, but in purpose.

"We like to think of ourselves as a private school for country kids," Travelstead says, his tone humble but resolute. "Everything we do is about getting these kids ready for high school--and ready for life."

That mindset has guided Pinckneyville #204 for years, well beyond the state tests and accountability metrics that dominate many educational conversations. "We don't teach the test," Jerry explains matter-of-factly. "Our goal is something different." Here, success isn't measured by percentages on a spreadsheet--it's tracked in freshman-year report cards at Pinckneyville Community High School.

"Every year since I started here--I'm going on 14 years now--we meet with the high school right after the first semester," Travelstead explains. "We sit down with the science teachers, math teachers, English teachers, and we base our curriculum off what they're doing at the freshman level. The goal? Zero D’s if possible."

It's a refreshingly pragmatic standard, rooted in deep community connection. But readiness here extends far beyond academics. It's also about confidence, exposure, and experience.

To get the educational process started with a bang, #204 has added a Pre-K Program that Travelstead proudly states, “...has to be one of the best around.” “It’s amazing to see what the students are accomplishing prior to starting Kindergarten. For the upcoming school year there are about 47 students signed up for the Tiny Tigers program.

Starting in fifth grade, every student embarks on memory-making field trips that widen their world. Springfield in fifth. The Fox Theatre in St. Louis in sixth--"an experience that maybe one out of 20 kids have ever gotten," Jerry notes. A three-day tour of Chicago's museums in seventh. And a capstone celebration in eighth--complete with a trip to Holiday World and a crawfish boil back home.

"You'd be surprised how many of our kids have never been outside this region," Travelstead reflects. "The crawfish boil? That's another experience they don't get anywhere else. We want them to feel the world beyond what they know."

That ambition threads through everything. The fine arts are a central pillar--anchored by a full-time art teacher who focuses on true artistic expression, not just holiday crafts. The school's Christmas program has grown from a humble beginning--"we maybe had two or three kids that could sing, that wanted to participate that first year," Jerry recalls--to an audition-only event where students perform in front of 200 to 300 people.

Athletics thrive here too, with a staggering 98% student participation rate. “Through athletics we can teach life lessons that aren’t as easy to teach in a classroom setting. Athletics is the closest similarity to a job that we can provide.” #204 is also proud of its Physical Education department which is not only a time for fun and games, but it’s a time to learn about physical education with planned out lessons and activities.

"We also put kids to work physically on a daily basis," Travelstead laughs. "I have students come to me every single morning asking if there is anything they can do for me.” These same kids come in on their weekends in December to help construct our Christmas Program sets.  They learn to contribute. To be counted on."

That's the soul of #204. Not flash or fanfare, but responsibility, pride, and the quiet confidence of preparation. It's visible in its alumni who insert themselves at Pinckneyville Community High School in leadership roles.

That's what Pinckneyville #204 produces: kids who don't just show up--they lead. Kids who become the ones principals turn to when something needs doing.

And while Travelstead is quick to shine the light on his staff, his students, and his community, there's no denying that his imprint is everywhere. "Everything we do here is based around what I feel like is best for the kids," he says, the words carrying the weight of lived conviction rather than educational jargon.

Still, Jerry would never claim center stage. He'd much rather stand in the back, surrounded by his team, grinning through that famously gap-toothed smile, proud of what they've built together. Because at Pinckneyville #204, the focus has always been crystal clear: prepare kids well, give them experiences they'll carry forever, and make sure they walk into high school--and life--not just ready, but remarkable. Once a #204 Tiger, always a #204 Tiger!