The National Association of State Chief Administrators (NASCA) awarded one of four 2020 Innovations in State Government Awards to Missouri, the state’s first time receiving the award. Missouri was recognized for its distinctiveness and innovation in the “Personnel Best Practices” category for its professional development transformation. Criteria included program innovation, transferability to other state governments, […]
Governor Mike Parson and state education director Margie Vandeven have loosened the guidelines for making students and staff quarantine after exposure to someone with COVID-19 if both people were properly wearing masks. Vandeven explained at a press conference Thursday: “Under the updated guidance, proper mask-wearing may now prevent individuals from being identified as close contacts in […]
The University of Missouri is temporarily shifting most of its in-person undergraduate and graduate courses to remote learning for the last three weeks of instruction, including final exams, following Thanksgiving break. The move is to help the region manage a surge in COVID-19 cases. Mun Choi, MU chancellor, and UM System president said in a […]
North Central Missouri College is working to acquire a property in Savannah, possibly before the end of the year. A Savannah location would enable the college to eventually consolidate programs and services currently offered at several leased locations in Northwest Missouri. The college hopes to offer short-term workforce training at the site as early as […]
The Laredo R-7 school has made an announcement about in-person attendance. Because of an increasing number of COVID-19 cases and quarantine involving students and adults, the Laredo school was not in session on Thursday, November 12, 2020. A decision was made Wednesday night to transition to distance learning for the Laredo Elementary School.
The Newtown-Harris R-3 Board of Education adopted policies Monday evening involving virtual instruction, English Language Learners, and transgender students. The 2019-2020 audit was approved. Superintendent Lucas McKinnis reported Newtown-Harris is setting up a virtual program for students. Arrangements are being made, so after school activities can continue. Virtual platforms will be used as necessary. Ceiling […]
Missouri schools continue to struggle with having enough teachers available to educate kids in traditional classrooms this year. The Show-Me State has had a chronic problem with teacher shortages, but COVID-19 has made the can of worms open even more. Missouri has about 70,000 pre-K through 12 teachers instructing roughly 900,000 public school students. Many […]
The Trenton R-9 Board of Education Tuesday evening, November 10th approved a policy involving searches of students and hard surface bus routes in case of inclement weather. Superintendent Mike Stegman reported the policy involving searches of students was actually split in two, and part was adopted at the last board meeting. He explained he discussed […]
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation is deploying $6 million in federal funding to create 5,300 new tech industry apprenticeships. During a virtual event Monday, President Dan Mehan calls the investment a game-changer. “There is an apprenticeship revolution going on in Missouri,” he says. “Over the last two years, our state ranks second […]
Governor Mike Parson recognized the importance of Registered Apprenticeship Programs with a proclamation to officially set apart the week of November 9-13, 2020, as Registered Apprenticeship Appreciation & Awareness Week, to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week. Now in its sixth year, National Apprenticeship Week is a nationwide celebration that gives businesses, communities, and educators the […]
North Central Missouri College Criminal Justice students recently obtained hands-on learning by visiting the Trenton Police Department and observing the communications center. During their visit, students were given a tour of the facility by Lieutenant Larry Smith, Assistant Chief of Police, and learned how the department operates. “We appreciate the Trenton Police Department for allowing […]
Missouri health officials say there have been about 21,000 new COVID cases in the past week, an average of 3,105 per day. State Department of Health and Senior Services Director Dr. Randall Williams will testify Tuesday morning before the Missouri House Special Committee on Disease Control and Prevention. Committee chairman Dr. Jon Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, […]
Two suspects have been charged in DeKalb County following a pursuit on U. S. Highway 36 the night of November 5th that law enforcement reports began in Livingston County and ended west of Cameron. Online court information shows 36-year-old Susan Ayala of Gladstone has been charged with the felonies of tampering with a motor vehicle—first […]
Two suspects are in custody following a law enforcement pursuit Thursday night on Highway 36. Cameron police report spike strips were put down near Highways 36 and 69 which caused a vehicle to stop just west of Cameron. A man and a woman were taken into custody and transferred on a 24-hour hold to the […]
A BTC Bank non-profit organization, BTC Area Youth Benefit Corporation, has announced the launch of the Funding Futures fundraising campaign. The pandemic has limited the corporation’s ability to host its typical fundraising events this year. The corporation hopes to raise $20,000 during Funding Futures, so it can continue to fulfill the financial needs of youth […]
Princeton R-5 Superintendent Jerry Girdner reports classes will continue as scheduled November 4th after the district learned on Tuesday evening, November 3rd of a high school staff member testing positive for COVID-19. A high school student is also considered to be a probable case. Those are the fifth and sixth positive cases Girdner is aware of […]
Classes are being held as scheduled on Tuesday in the Princeton R-5 School District after officials learned on Monday that an elementary staff member tested positive for COVID-19. Superintendent Jerry Girdner Monday night reported this is the fourth positive case that the school is aware of, noting three previous COVID-19 cases have seen a full […]
Missouri has the first state chapter of Heroes to Hives, a program that supports veterans who want to learn beekeeping. New sessions of the free program begin on March 2021, says Karen Funkenbusch, state director of the Missouri AgrAbility Project, which provides education and assistance to farmers and ranchers with disabilities. Enroll at www.heroestohives.com. Army […]
A Kansas City, Missouri, brother and sister were charged in federal court with the armed robberies of two pizza delivery drivers after a third suspect was killed during a shootout with police officers. Samuel M. David, 18, and his sister Rochelle E. David, 22, were charged in a six-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. […]
(Missouri Independent) – A Missouri family that was denied a license to grow medical marijuana alleged in court this week that outside groups and individuals had undue access to top state officials — and that access led to an opaque process and contributed to the decision to cap the number of licenses granted. To buttress […]
