The Gilman City R-4 Board of Education accepted a resignation and offered contracts on September 15th. Financial Administrative Assistant Tori Wideman reports the resignation was accepted for bus driver Lisa Hedrick. Contracts were offered to Brian Rhodes as a bus driver and Patricia Jennings as a preschool aid. The board approved Principal Jill Sperry as […]
The Grundy County R-5 Board of Education on September 13th approved paying for seasonal flu shots and set the graduation date. The district will pay for flu shots for all staff members who wish to participate. The cost will be $18 per staff member. Graduation is scheduled for May 21st, 2022. The fifth-grade graduation will […]
The Laredo R-7 Board of Education on Monday, September 13, 2021, voted to make teachers essential and end COVID leave. Secretary Robin Griswold says teachers will still be able to come to school if they are considered close contacts, but they will have to wear masks. The board approved the first and second-grade teachers tutoring up […]
The North Mercer R-3 Board of Education appointed staff members to positions July 12th. Those staff members included Terry Bomgardner as homeless liaison and migrant education director, Lauren Guilkey as foster care point of contact, and Greg Frost as English Language Learners coordinator. Board of education goals were approved. One goal was added that involved […]
Community partnerships in Missouri are working to help young people, either in or aging out of foster care, connect with the resources they need to start their independent lives, and the pandemic has brought added financial hardship for many. DeWayne Bright, Sr., youth advocate for the Local Investment Commission (LINC) in Kansas City, works with […]
U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and Dick Durbin (Ill.), as well as U.S. Representatives Joyce Beatty (Ohio) and Ann Wagner (Mo.), introduced legislation that would commission a study reviewing current homelessness and housing services for survivors of trafficking. “We can […]
Another session of the Missouri Legislature has come and gone. Of the 1,559 House bills and 689 Senate bills filed this time around, 69 bills will make it to Gov. Mike Parson’s desk. Here are some key bills left up to the governor to sign or veto: Missouri lawmakers vote to pump up […]
Missouri foster care advocates are praising Friday’s passage of the $35.1 billion state operating budget, saying it provides unprecedented support for the foster families who care for the thousands of children in Missouri foster care. House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith (R-Carthage) tells Missourinet that the budget provides a $90 million increase for foster and adoptive […]
Governor Mike Parson signed HB 429 and HB 430 into law, which both supports Missouri adoptive families and children in foster care. “Every child deserves a family to provide love, support, and a strong foundation,” Governor Parson said. “Missourians who take on this role as foster and adoptive parents are invaluable to the children of our state, […]
A coalition that’s dedicated to improving the well-being of Missouri children is praising the Missouri House’s bipartisan approval of a 76-million dollar increase for foster and adoptive children. Kids Win Missouri policy director Craig Stevenson says the House budget includes unprecedented support for the kinship and foster families who care for the 14,000 children in […]
Campus Compact, a Boston-based non-profit organization working to advance the public purposes of higher education, has announced the 290 students who will make up the organization’s 2021-2022 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows. Alyssa Olson, a North Central Missouri College student, will join 212 students from 39 states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico to form the 2021 […]
Governor Mike Parson delivered the 2021 State of the State Address to the Missouri General Assembly. Governor Parson highlighted several accomplishments the state has made in combating COVID-19 as well as major successes in infrastructure and workforce development despite the challenges of the past year. Following a recap of 2020, Governor Parson’s speech focused […]
The new Missouri House Speaker is moving quickly on his top priority of foster care and adoption legislation. Arnold Republican Rob Vescovo was sworn-in Wednesday at the Capitol in Jefferson City and focused on both issues during his address. He wants the Legislature to expand Missouri’s adoption tax credit. The Missouri House Children […]
The Missouri House on Wednesday elected the first Speaker in state history from eastern Missouri’s Arnold. House Speaker Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, was elected Speaker on his 44th birthday, with his wife Amanda and their five children in the chamber in Jefferson City. Education was a primary theme during Vescovo’s address to the House. He says he was […]
North Central Missouri College’s Early Childhood Development program partners with regional non-profit organizations whose missions are to support, protect, and serve children and families in our area. This year, the money collected through program t-shirt sales was used to provide Christmas presents for three children in foster care through the FosterAdopt Connect of Northwest Missouri. […]
The Spickard R-2 Board of Education on November 16th voted to stay with the same health insurance for 2021. Secretary Kelli Girdner reports the insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield will increase $3,000 total for a monthly premium. The superintendent was appointed as the district English Language Learner coordinator and district foster care point of […]
(Missouri Independent) – Cortaiga Collins doesn’t know how much longer her childcare center will survive. Only about a dozen children have been attending regularly amid the pandemic. Under normal circumstances, she used to serve as many as 100. She’s already had to reduce the hours that Good Shepherd Preschool and Infant/Toddler Center in St. Louis […]
Despite the challenges of COVID-19, Missourians in the Southeast region of the state overcame these obstacles to ensure 418 children and youth have a forever family to call their own – an increase of 57 additional adoptions from last year’s numbers. The region as a whole and seven individual counties – Dunklin, Howell, Iron, New Madrid, […]
The Trenton R-9 Board of Education on Tuesday evening, October 13th approved, on a split vote of six to one, a school calendar update involving converting student days to all staff workdays. Board Member Corey Leeper was the only opposing vote. Students will not be in class on October 26th and December 7th, but staff […]
The Gilman City R-4 Board of Education has approved Principal Jill Sperry as the Homeless, Foster Care, and Migrant Coordinator. The McKinney-Vento Act Dispute Resolution, policy updates, and Daviess County CARES Act funding were also approved. Superintendent Roger Alley reported Gilman City R-4 started the Seamless Lunch and Breakfast program. Students will receive a free […]
