Robert Knodell, Acting Director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, and Dr. George Turabelidze, State Epidemiologist, signed the standing order for PfizerBioNTech COVID-19 vaccine administration for individuals 12 to 15 years in the state of Missouri. This is following the decision by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to recommend to […]
Tag: schools
Annualization of salaries within the school district tops discussion at Trenton R-9 Board of Education meeting
The Trenton R-9 Board of Education on Tuesday, May 11, discussed non-certified payroll annualization with district Bookkeeper Mona Loyd and Administrative Assistant Susan Leeper. Loyd started by saying she had been willing to try annualization at the time the board originally voted to implement it for non-certified staff. She did not have the forethought to […]
Parson vows to veto crime bill if it includes penalties for lying under oath to Missouri legislature
(Missouri Independent) – The fate of a wide-ranging crime bill was called into question on Tuesday over a provision that would stiffen penalties for lying under oath to the legislature or obstructing a legislative investigation. During a conference committee on Tuesday morning convened to work out differences on Senate Bill 53, House members said the bill […]
Audio: Missouri designates $50 million in federal aid to help reduce its K-12 teacher shortage
Missouri is designating 50-million dollars in federal coronavirus aid to create K-12 teacher recruitment and retention grants. The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will make 10,000-dollar grants available to all Missouri public school districts and charter schools to create or expand local teacher recruitment programs. Currently, 20 percent of Missouri school […]
Two area schools to hold graduation on Sunday, May 9
Two area schools will hold graduation ceremonies on May 9, 2021. Thirteen seniors will graduate from North Mercer R-3 in the new gym on May 9th at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Principal Wes Guilkey will speak. Two seniors will graduate from Breckenridge R-1 in the gym at 3 o’clock. Teachers Kadee Estenbaum and Mindy […]
Furious lawmakers demand answers from Missouri DSS for undercount of abuse reports
(Missouri Independent) – Lawmakers slammed the Department of Social Services on Thursday for underreporting the number of substantiated cases of abuse and neglect at youth residential facilities during a previous legislative hearing. For nearly an hour-and-a-half on Thursday, the House Special Committee on Government Oversight pressed DSS officials on why the number of findings of […]
Audio: Missouri Legislature passes private schooling tax credit bill
The Missouri Legislature has passed a private schooling tax credit bill. The measure would let donors provide scholarships to students to attend a private Missouri K-12 school. In return, they would get state tax credits. Senator Andrew Koenig of eastern Missouri’s Manchester carried the House bill that would prioritize special needs students and those who […]
Seven area schools to hold graduation on Friday evening
Several area schools are scheduled to hold graduation ceremonies on May 7th. Sixth eighth-graders will graduate from Pleasant View R-6 in the school gym at 6 o’clock in the evening. Former teacher Cassie Cordray will speak. Thirty-three seniors will graduate from Gallatin R-5 at the stadium at 6:30. Former teacher Ryan Beenken will speak. Eight […]
University of Missouri Extension releases 2021 mental health toolkit
The University of Missouri Extension and Show-Me Farm Safety recently released a new Together We Can toolkit to help rural Missourians access mental health resources. “Missourians are strong and resilient in the face of the challenges and uncertainty that can come with farm life,” says Marshall Stewart, MU vice chancellor for extension and engagement and […]
Groups say slate of school bills would undermine public education
Advocates for public schools are urging the Missouri Legislature to bolster funding for public education rather than shift resources towards charter schools and school voucher programs. A bill pending in the House would provide tax credits for paying for private school tuition. Another would change school funding formulas to give more resources to charter schools, specifically […]
Missouri FFA Association announces winners of proficiency awards at State FFA Convention
The Missouri FFA Association has released names of the winners of numerous proficiency awards at the state convention held at Sedalia late last week. Ninety-two students won either first or second place in 46 proficiency areas. After a review of the list, first place winners among those in area FFA Chapters include Kale Campbell of […]
Missouri hospitals lobby for changes to new Medicaid payment system
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri lawmakers must finish work on the fiscal 2022 budget by Friday. And while the biggest spending issue of the session, Medicaid expansion, is off the table, there are other big issues to resolve in the state-run health care program. One of the largest is whether to provide a cushion for hospitals that […]
Audio: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Looks to reduce teacher shortage
Missouri is facing a teacher shortage, and for Teacher Appreciation Week, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is working to inspire more high school and college students to consider becoming educators. Halley Russell a government teacher at Jackson High School, said the shortage is nothing new but is getting more attention with the […]
Wright Memorial Physicians’ Group and Saint Luke’s Mercer County Clinic provide 210 free sports physicals
Wright Memorial Hospital Physicians’ Group in Trenton, and Saint Luke’s Mercer County Clinic in Princeton, offered student-athletes from Trenton, Galt, Humphreys, Laredo, Pleasant View R-6, Spickard, Princeton, and Mercer school districts an opportunity to receive free sports physicals. The Missouri State High School Activities Association requires student-athletes in Missouri to pass a pre-participation physical exam […]
Democrats vow court battle if lawmakers don’t fund Missouri Medicaid expansion
(Missouri Independent) – With the Missouri Senate poised for what promises to be a lengthy debate over Medicaid expansion, legislative Democrats said Tuesday that the fight over funding will move to the courts if lawmakers don’t approve money for the new coverage. During a rally on the Capitol Building lawn, Senate Democrats promised to push […]
Gene Kauffman Scholarship Foundation announces scholarship applications available on May 3, 2021
The Board of Directors of the Gene Kauffman Scholarship Foundation, Inc. has announced that scholarship applications will be available for the Fall, 2021 semester, beginning Monday, May 3, 2021. The Board encourages all who meet the following qualifications to apply for this scholarship. As per the wishes of Kauffman, the scholarship is available to female, […]
Trenton FFA Chapter ties for 4th place in career development events
The Trenton FFA Chapter had a team finish in a 4th place tie regarding food science, one of the career development events for the Missouri FFA judging. Sixteen schools were participating, with Trenton receiving a group one rating. Among members of the THS team, Riley Walker was in a 5th place tie in the individual […]
USDA invests $35 million in rural water, energy, and biofuel infrastructure in Missouri
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Missouri Acting State Director D Clark Thomas announced the agency is investing $35,046,000 in critical infrastructure that will help rural Missouri communities build back better and stronger while prioritizing climate-smart solutions and environmental stewardship. USDA is making the investments under the Water and Environmental Program, the Rural Energy for […]
Tori Guffey is Putnam County Career and Technical Student of the Month
The Putnam County R-1 School District recently recognized Tori Guffey as the Career and Technical Education Student of the Month for April 2021. Student winners are chosen by the vocational faculty based on a set of criteria that includes: attendance, grades, cooperation with fellow students and teachers, enthusiasm for subject(s), attitude both in the classroom […]
Audio: Anti-Grain Belt Express bill gets another Senate hearing with testimony lasting two hours
The Grain Belt Express project plans to run wind power transmission lines across eight rural counties in northern Missouri—from Buchanan through Ralls. Though the Public Service Commission has approved it and the commission’s approval won a court challenge, agricultural opponents have once again found support in the Legislature. The Missouri House passed HB 527 to stop utility […]